LAS VEGAS, Nevada (September 12) – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) bagged his fourth world-level title and Taha AKGUL (TUR) nabbed No.2 as the curtain came down on the Senior Wrestling World Championships.

Burroughs defeated PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) by technical fall in the 74kg final at The Orleans Arena while Akgul wrapped up Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) in little over a minute in the 125kg final.

Burroughs patiently chipped away at the unranked Purevjav a variety of leg attacks throughout the final until spinning behind for a 10-0 lead at 5:55 for the win.

The victory gave Burroughs his fourth level world title, including world championship crowns in 2011 and 2013 and the gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games. He finished with a bronze medal one year ago after a semifinal loss to eventual champion Denis TSARGUSH (RUS).

Earlier in the day, Burroughs turned away second-ranked European Games champion Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS), 4-3, in his biggest challenge of the competition.

“This felt great; it was amazing,” Burroughs said about winning the title on American soil.  He added “It has been a difficult year fighting injuries and doubt, but there’s no secret that you just have to do what’s right and surround yourself with the best people.”

In the 120kg final, defending champion European Games champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) locked up a cross-ankle and worked it for a 10-0 win over European Games bronze medalist Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) at 1:02.

Also at super heavyweight, Beylal MAKHOV (RUS), who won a bronze medal in Greco-Roman on Tuesday, came back for a bronze medal in freestyle with an 11-0 win over Levan BERIANADZE (ARM).

Makhov became the first wrestler in 42 years to win a medal in both men’s disciplines in a single world championships. Jan KARLSSON (SWE) was the last wrestler to do so when he took a bronze in freestyle and a silver in Greco-Roman at the 1973 world meet in Tehran.

In the evening’s opening gold medal final, Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) scored with a duck-under to the left in the last 15 seconds and claimed his first senior-level world title with a 5-4 victory over former world champion Hassan RAHIMI (IRI).

“It feels so good to finally win one,” Khinchegashvili said, referring to his silver medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games and last year’s world meet in Tashkent.

Asked about his duck-under in the closing seconds to win, the newly minted world champion said “I didn’t plan on that particular technique, but I did plan on winning.”

At 70kg, Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) used picks and drags to stymie the counter-wrestling style of Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) and claim a 10-3 victory.

The European Games champion was the only Russian to advance to gold medal finals after all four entries on Saturday made it to the semifinals.

Nevertheless, Russia took the freestyle team title with two champions, a silver medalist and four bronze medals for 61 points, followed by Iran with 48 points and Georgia with 44.

Freestyle

57kg (44 entries)
Gold – No.8 Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) df. No.4 Hassan RAHIMI (IRI), 5-4
Bronze – No.5 ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) df. No.11 Artas SANAA (KAZ), 5-1
Bronze – No.2 Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) df. No.6 JONG Hak-Jin (PRK), 3-0

70kg (33 entries)
Gold – No.1 Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. No.7 Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI), 10-3
Bronze – No.3 Yakup GOR (TUR) df. No.12@65 Azamat NURIKOV (BLR), 9-8
Bronze – No.16 James GREEN (USA) df. No.9 Miloslav KIROV (BUL) by Fall, 2:16

74kg (42 entries)
Gold – No.1 Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) by TF, 10-0, 5:55 
Bronze – No.19 Narasingh YADAV (IND) df. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) by Fall, 5:26 
Bronze – No.2 Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) df. No.11 Alireza GHASEMI (IRI), 8-0

125kg (32 entries)
Gold – No.1 Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. No. 4 Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) by TF, 10-0, 1:02
Bronze – No.3 Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. JARGALSAIKHAN Chuluunbat (MGL) by TF, 11-0, 3:18
Bronze – No.6 Beylal MAKHOV (RUS) df. No.13 Levan BERIANADZE (ARM) by TF, 11-0, 4:32