#WrestleBudapest

WATCH LIVE: Budapest Ranking Series, Day 2 finals

By United World Wrestling Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 14) -- The second day of the Ranking Series in Budapest will see women's wrestling in five weight classes alongwith freestyle wrestling in three weights. A host of stars will be on the mat.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

Here are the finals for tonight

FS 61kg - Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) vs Ossimzhan DASTANBEK (KAZ)

FS 70kg - Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR) vs Joseph MC KENNA (USA)

FS 79kg - Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) vs Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)

WW 50kg - Ziqi FENG (CHN) vs Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)

WW 53kg Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) vs Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL)

WW 57kg Kexin HONG (CHN) vs Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)

WW 62kg Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) vs Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)

WW 68kg Feng ZHOU (CHN) vs Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)

15:00: Forrest MOLINARI (USA) and Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) were in a fierce battle once again. Molinari led 4-0 but two warnings to Larroque for being passive, one to Molinari for blocking. But in the end, Molinari beats Larroque 7-1.

14:40: Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) had the chance to pin Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) who survived the attempt. Later, Oborududu comes back and pins Di Bacco at 68kg.

13:30: Big results at 68kg. Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) moves into the quarterfinals with a 7-0 win over Tayla FORD (NZL)Forrest MOLINARI (USA) beats Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) 6-0 while Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) wins 3-0 against Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL).

13:15: Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) was trailing 4-0 after Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ) hit an arm-throw but Di Bacco steps over and secures the fall at 68kg.

13:00: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) posts a 10-0 win over Yasmine SOLIMAN (HUN) to move into the quarterfinals at 62kg. So does Lais NUNES (BRA) as she beats Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL) 6-0.

12:35: Viktoria VESSO (EST) brings out a perfect headlock and throw against Kayla MIRACLE (USA) and gets the fall at 62kg. What an upset!

12:30: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) has one of the best defense in the game. He holds off Vitali ARUJAU (USA) 2-0 with ease despite Arujau's continuous attacks.

12:00: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) takes it slow but wins 3-0 against Daniel ANTAL (HUN). Another star at 70kg, Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) beat U23 world champion Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) to advance.

11:50: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) moves into the next round at 79kg. The first Iran wrestler to beat Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) will be eyeing the gold in Budapest.

11:45: Two-time World Championships silver medalist Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) opens up with an easy win over Simon MARCHL (AUT). He will face Chandler MARSTELLER (USA) who defeated Ramazan SARI (TUR) at 79kg

11:30: Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA) avenges her World Championships loss against Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) 10-0. Absolute domination from Hildebrandt there as she puts a series of takedowns.

11:15: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) survived a barrage of attacks from Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) in the final minute of their 62kg bout to win 2-0. In another bout at 62kg, Lais NUNES (BRA) comes on top 5-3 against Ana GODINEZ (CAN)

11:00: Women's wrestling 50kg saw Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA) win 11-0 over Vestina DANISEVICIUTE (LTU) and Ziqi FENG (CHN) beat Bianka FATH (HUN) 10-0.

10:30: Welcome to day two of the Ranking Series in Budapest. A total of eight weight classes are in action with five in women's wrestling and three in freestyle.

#WrestleAcapulco

Pan-Am C'ships: Acosta wins 130kg; U.S. grabs two GR golds

By Gaurav Bhatt

ACAPULCO, Mexico (February 22) — On what was a mixed day for the contingent, Team USA took home two gold medals and three silvers as the 2024 Pan-American Championships kicked off Wednesday with Greco-Roman action in Acapulco.

Hayden TUMA defeated Hector Sanchez ZAPATA (MEX) 4-0 to win the 63kg gold, while Alejandro SANCHO defeated Andres MONTANO (ECU) 3-1 for the 67kg title.

Tuma, a three-time national champion, had previously competed at the event in the 66kg and 67kg categories, finishing 7th on both occasions. The 29-year-old, who plans to compete in the 60kg category this Olympic cycle, ran through his 63kg opponents on Wednesday, utilizing his larger frame and explosive attacks.

PodiumThe 67kg podium at the Pam-Am Championships with Alejandro SANCHO (USA) winning the gold medal. (Photo: UWW / William Bain)

Sancho — who finished third at his first Pan-Am Championships in 2020 and then secured the 67kg quota for the US at the Olympic qualifier the week after — kept 2021 gold medallist Montano at bay on Wednesday's final. After the cagey opening period finished with Sancho trailing 1-0, the American rallied against the increasingly tired Ecuadorian. 

Oscar PINO’s (CUB) quest to defend his Greco-Roman 130kg title ended in heartbreak as the six-time champion and four-time world medallist conceded a walkover in the final. Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) grabbed the gold without taking the mat for his last two bouts as Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) forfeited the semifinal. The American, who began the day with a picture-perfect headlock in the win over Moises PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN), took a shade over 30 seconds to beat the Venezuelan again in the bronze-medal bout.

Daniel HECHAVARRIA (CUB), however, managed to win back-to-back golds as he defended his 87kg title with a win over Luis AVENDANO (VEN). Last year's 82kg champion Spencer WOODS (USA), who had moved up a category, faltered at the first hurdle as he couldn't hold on to a 3-0 lead and lost the bout to eventual bronze medallist Carlos ANDRES (COL).

Raiber OROZCO (VEN)Raiber OROZCO (VEN) defeated Randon MIRANDA (USA) 8-7 in the 60kg final. (Photo: UWW / William Bain)

Raiber OROZCO (VEN) won his first gold medal at the event with a tight 8-7 win over Randon MIRANDA (USA) in the 60kg category. The American — competing in his third final at the event after a 63kg silver in 2021 and the 60kg gold in 2022 — looked trigger-shy in the opening minutes. After giving up a 5-0 lead, Miranda bounced back as the two wrestlers engaged in a feisty contest that saw close calls and challenges upheld for both. In the end, Orozco proved too strong for Miranda. 

The 77kg competition sprang a couple of surprises as favorites Kamal BEY (USA) and Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) lost their semifinal bouts. Jair CUERO (COL) took the gold after Joilson RAMOS (BRA) conceded a walkover in the final. 

In the 55kg category, Marco GARCIA (MEX) was too good for his opponents Camden RUSSELL (USA) and Mario CHOC (GUA). Sosruk KODZOKOV (BRA) won the 82kg gold as Mahmoud SEBIE (USA) finished second.

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RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Marco GARCIA ALVAREZ (MEX)
SILVER: Camden RUSSELL (USA)
BRONZE: Mario CHOC (GUA)

60kg
GOLD:  Raiber OROZCO (VEN) df. Randon MIRANDA (USA), 8-7

BRONZE:  Angel SEGURA TELLEZ (MEX) df. Dicther TORO (COL), 2-1
BRONZE: Liria YERONY (DOM) df. Cristobal TORRES NUNEZ (CHI), 6-1

63kg
GOLD: Hayden TUMA (USA)
SILVER: Hector ZAPATA (MEX)
BRONZE: Carlos VAHOS (VEN)

67kg
GOLD:  Alejandro SANCHO (USA) df. Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU), 3-1

BRONZE: Horta JULIAN STIVEN (COL) df. Gavin ELDRIDGE (CAN), 8-0
BRONZE: Almanza NESTOR EVIAN (CHI) df. Laguerre STARLIN (DOM), 9-0

77kg
GOLD: Cuero JAIR (COL) df. Ramos De Brito JOILSON (BRA), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Kamal BEY (USA) df. Rivas Espinoza WUILEIXIS DE JESUS (VEN), 11-0
BRONZE: Pena Flores YOSVANYS (CUB) df. Bernal EDUARDO JOSUE (CHI), 8-0

82kg
GOLD: Sosruko KODZOKOV (BRA)
SILVER: Mahmoud SEBIE (USA)
BRONZE: Diego MACIAS TORRES (MEX)

87kg
GOLD: Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB) df. Avendano LUIS (VEN), 4-0

BRONZE: Carlos MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL) df. Jose MORENO BUSTOS (CHI), 9-0
BRONZE: Alfonso ARIEL ANDRES (HON) df. Jorge LLANO (ARG), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) df. Oscar PINO (CUB), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) df. Moises Salvador PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN), via fall