Burroughs wins sixth world title to help U.S. men win fourth world championship

American Jordan Burroughs won a sixth world championship recently in Serbia. (Photo courtesy USA Wrestling)

Seven American wrestlers brought home championships at the world championships earlier this month in Serbia.

Freestyle wrestler Jordan Burroughs set a new standard of excellence for American wrestlers by winning an American-record sixth world championship with his victory at 79 kilograms or 174 pounds. No American wrestler has won more world or Olympic medals. Burroughs won an Olympic gold medal in 2012.

Burroughs moved ahead of John Smith, who won two Olympic gold medals and four world championships and Adeline Gray, who has won six world championship gold medals.

Burroughs also helped the U.S. men capture their fourth freestyle world championship and the first since 2017. The Americans had seven wrestlers in the finals.

Kyle Dake (74 kg/163 lbs.), David Taylor (86 kg/189 lbs.) and Kyle Snyder (97 kg/213 lbs.) won world championships for the men in freestyle while Dominique Parrish (53 kg/116), Tamyra Mensah Stock (68 kg/149), Amit Elor (72 kg/158) captured women’s freestyle world championships.

In a rematch of the 2021 world championship finals, Burroughs defeated Mohammad Nokhodilarimi of Iran, 4-2. Nokhodilarimi led 1-0 at the break, after Burroughs was put on the shot clock and did not score. Burroughs tied it up with a deep shot that forced a step out, making it 1-1. The key move was a takedown by Burroughs for a 3-1 lead. Nokhodilarimi managed to get a step out with about one second left for the final score of 4-2.

After hugging his coaches, Burroughs ran around the arena with the American flag, and raised six fingers to the cheers of the crowd.

Burroughs also won world championships in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2021. A native of Sicklerville, N.J., Burroughs was a two-time NCAA champion for Nebraska.

Taylor, the 2020 Olympic champion, won his rivalry match in the 86 kg finals over 2016 Olympic champion Hassan Yazdani Charati of Iran by a convincing 7-1 margin, claiming his second world title.

In their fifth meeting at the international level, Taylor now has a 4-1 record against Yazdani, losing only in the 2021 world championship finals.

Yazdani led 1-0 after Taylor was placed on the shot clock and did not score in the required 30 seconds. Taylor scored a low single leg takedown to lead 2-1 at the break. The second period belonged to Taylor, who scored two more takedowns and forced a step out, and kept Yazdani from completing any of his offensive attacks.

It was a third world title for Taylor, who also won in 2018 and 2022. A native of St. Paris, Ohio, Taylor won two NCAA titles for Penn State.

Dake became a four-time world champion with his gold-medal victory at 74 kg.

Dake defeated 2021 world silver medalist Taimuraz Salkazanov of Slovakia, 3-1. It was a rematch of last year’s world finals, won by Dake 7-3. This time, Dake scored all of his points in the first period, with a step out and a takedown. Salkazanov was not able to get his offense going, with his only point coming on a caution and one penalty against Dake in the second period.

Dake won a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games. He won his World titles in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. Originally from Lansing, N.Y., Dake was a four-time NCAA champion for Cornell.

Snyder, the 2016 Olympic champion, captured his third career world championships with a victory in the finals at 97 kg.

Snyder dominated 2019 U23 World silver medalist Batyrbek Tsakulov of Slovakia in the finals, 6-0. Snyder scored the only takedown in the first period to lead 2-0, then got a point when Tsakulov could not score on the shot clock, for a 3-0 lead at the break. In the second period, Snyder forced three step outs and did not allow any points.

Snyder has now won eight world or Olympic medals, winning a medal every year starting in 2015. He won world titles in 2015 and 2017. Snyder is a native of Woodbine, Md., and won three NCAA titles for Ohio State.

Four Americans finished second – Thomas Gilman (57 kg/125), J’den Cox (92 kg/202), Zain Rutherford (70 kg/154) and Yianni Diakomihalis (65 kg/143).

Gilman, a 2021 world champion, claimed a silver medal at 57 kg, after dropping a 7-2 decision in the finals to 2022 Mediterranean Games champion Zelimkhan Abakarov of Albania. Abakarov scored the first two points on an arm throw, then added a takedown to make it 4-0. Gilman was hit with a penalty point for while in par terre to trail 5-0. A point to Gilman on a step out made it 5-1 at the break. Abakarov added a second-period takedown, and Gilman was only able to secure another step out.

Cox, a two-time world champion, was edged by 2021 world champion Kamran Ghasempour of Iran, 2-0. Ghasempour was put on the shot clock in the first period and responded by scoring a takedown, the only points of the match. There was no scoring in the second period. Cox won World titles in 2018 and 2019 and was an Olympic bronze medalist in 2016.

Retherford claimed the silver medal at 70 kg, after losing to 2022 Asian champion Taishi Narikuni of Japan. 10-0 in the finals. Narikuni scored the first takedown to lead 2-0, then secured an ankle lace, with which he was able to turn Retherford four times to secure a first-period technical fall.

Retherford was dominant on the way to the finals with two technical falls and two shutout wins. He outscored his first four opponents, 32-0. Retherford, competing in his third senior world championship meet, claimed his first senior world medal. A native of Benton, Pa., Retherford won three NCAA titles for Penn State.

Diakomihalis dropped a wide-open gold-medal match to 2022 Asian champion Rahman Amouzadkhalili of Iran, 13-8.

The first period was very active and included an exchange in which 14 points were scored. The action started with the match scoreless, and after Diakomihalis got a takedown and a scramble ensued, the score was 4-2. The USA challenged, and upon review, officials added additional points and the score was 8-6 in favor of Diakomihalis. Amouzadkhalili got a takedown to tie it at 8-8 at the break. In the second period, Amouzadkhalili scored a step out and two takedowns for the final margin of victory.

Diakomihalis is a native of Rochester, N.Y., and has won three NCAA titles for Cornell.

American women finish second with three champions, five finalists
Mensah Stock quickly took out 2022 U20 world champion Ami Ishii of Japan in the gold-medal match, securing the pin in 2:10. Mensah Stock hit a blast double leg takedown to lead 2-0. When she was working to get behind Ishii in the next exchange, Mensah Stock snapped her back to her back, and was able to secure the first-period fall.

In addition to her Olympic title, Mensah Stock is now a two-time world champion, with this year’s title to go along with her 2019 world championship. A native of Katy, Texas, Mensah Stock won two WCWA national titles for Wayland Baptist.

Elor quickly dispatched 2021 world silver medalist Zhamila Bakbergenova of Kazakhstan in the finals with a 10-0 technical fall. Elor scored a spin behind takedown, then locked up an ankle lace and hit four straight turns to finish the match.

At the age of 18, Elor becomes the youngest U.S. athlete to win a senior world title in wrestling. The previous youngest world champion was Kyle Snyder, who won a 2015 world title in men’s freestyle at age 19.

Elor is competing in her first senior world championships. She boasts four age-group world titles, a 2019 U17 Beach title, 2021 world titles at the U17 and U20 levels, and a 2022 U20 world gold medal. Elor is from Concord, Calif.

Parrish, competing in her first senior world championships, secured a crisp 4-2 victory over 2022 Asian runner-up Khulan Batkhuyag of Mongolia at 53 kilograms. Parrish scored a first-period takedown to lead 2-0 at the break. Batkhuyag answered with a takedown in the second period to knot it at 2-2 and get the criteria edge. Parrish quickly answered with a leg attack of her own for the winning takedown, then held strong position as time ran out.

Parrish scored a pair of 10-0 technical falls, beating Mercedesz Denes of Hungary and Lucia Yepez Guzman of Ecuador. In the semifinals, she stopped Maria Prevolaraki of Greece, 3-1. She outscored her opponents 27-3 over the course of two days.

Claiming a silver medal was 2016 Olympic champion Helen Maroulis, who lost 3-0 in the 57 kg finals to Tsugumi Sakurai of Japan, the 2021 world champion at 55 kg. Sakurai scored the only point in the first period when Maroulis was put on shot clock and could not score. In the second period, Sakurai scored the only takedown when she got behind Maroulis, then held off Maroulis the rest of the match.

Competing in her second straight world finals, Kayla Miracleclaimed a silver medal at 62 kg. Miracle, also a 2021 world silver medalist, was beaten in the finals by 2021 World bronze medalist Nonoka Ozaki of Japan, 10-0. Ozaki scored a takedown and secured two turns with an ankle lace for a 6-0 lead. She added a spin behind takedown, then a counter takedown, to close out the victory.

2022 World Championships
At Serbia
MEN’S FREESTYLE
Top 10 teams – 1. USA 198, 2. Iran 150, 3. Japan 70, 4. Mongolia and Georgia 68, 6. Slovakia 55, 7. Turkey 47, 8. Bulgaria 42, 9. Azerbaijan 40, 10. India 37
57 KG
Final: Zelimkhan Abakarov (Albania) dec. Thomas Gilman (USA), 7-2
3rd Stevan Andria Micic (Serbia) dec. Reineri Andreu Ortega (Cuba), 7-1
3rd Zanabazar Zandanbud (Mongolia) pin Wanhao Zou (China), 3-1 4:33
61 KG
Final: Rei Higuchi (Japan) tech fall Reza ahmadali Atrinagharchi (Iran), 10-0 2:41
3rd Narankhuu Narmandakh (Mongolia) dec. Georgi Valentinov Vangelov (Bulgaria), 9-0
3rd Arsen Harutyunyan (Armenia) tech fall Seth Gross (USA), 12-0 3:38
65 KG
Final: Rahman mousa Amouzadkhalili (Iran) dec. Yianni Diakomihalis (USA), 13-8
3rd Bajrang Bajrang (India) dec. Sebastian c Rivera (Puerto Rico), 11-9
3rd Iszmail Muszukajev (Hungary) dec. Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan), 4-2
70 KG
Final: Taishi Narikuni (Japan) tech fall Zain Retherford (USA), 10-0 2:30
3rd Ernazar Akmataliev (Kyrgyzstan) dec. Naveen Naveen (India), 4-1
3rd Zurabi Iakobishvili (Georgia) dec. Arman Andreasyan (Armenia), 5-5
74 KG
Final: Kyle Dake (USA) dec. Tajmuraz mairbekovic Salkazanov (Slovakia), 3-2
3rd Frank Chamizo Marquez (Italy) dec. Soner Demirtas (Turkey), 5-3
3rd Yones aliakbar Emamichoghaei (Iran) dec. Sagar Jaglan (India), 6-0
79 KG
Final: Jordan Burroughs (USA) dec. Mohammad Ashghar Nokhodilarimi (Iran), 4-2
3rd Arsalan Budazhapov (Kyrgyzstan) dec. Ali Pasha Ruslanovich Umarpashaev (Bulgaria), 5-1
3rd Vasyl Mykhailov (Ukraine) dec. Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan), 5-3
86 KG
Final: David Taylor (USA) dec. Hassan Aliazam Yazdanicharati (Iran), 7-1
3rd Boris Makoev (Slovakia) dec. Sebastian Jezierzanski (Poland), 3-1
3rd Azamat Dauletbekov (Kazakhstan) tech fall Ethan Adrian Ramos (Puerto Rico), 10-0 4:26
92 KG
Final: Kamran Ghorban Ghasempour (Iran) dec. J’den Cox (USA), 2-0
3rd Miriani Maisuradze (Georgia) dec. Ahmed Sultanovich Bataev (Bulgaria), 12-10
3rd Osman Nurmagomedov (Azerbaijan) tech fall Radoslaw Marcinkiewicz (Poland), 11-0 2:52
97 KG
Final: Kyle Snyder  (USA) dec. Batyrbek Tsakulov (Slovakia), 6-0
3rd Magomedkhan Magomedovitch Magomedov (Azerbaijan) pin Mohammadhossein Askari Mohammadian (Iran), 6-4 4:23
3rd Givi Matcharashvili (Georgia) dec. Vladislav Baitsaev (Hungary), 5-3
125 KG
Final: Taha Akgul (Turkey) dec. Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (Mongolia), 6-2
3rd Geno Petriashvili (Georgia) dec. Oleg Boltin (Kazakhstan), 9-4
3rd Amir Hossein Abbas Zare (Iran) dec. Amarveer Dhesi (Canada), 8-0

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE
Top 10 teams: 1. Japan 190, 2. USA 157, 3. China 84, 4. Mongolia 72, 5. Ukraine 68, 6. Canada 58, 7. Moldova 50, 8. Poland 15, 9. India 14, 10. Turkey 39
Individual results
50 KG
Final: Yui Susaki (Japan) pin Otgonjargal Dolgorjav (Mongolia), 4-0 1:23
3rd Anna Lukasiak (Poland) dec. Miesinnei mercy Genesis (Nigeria), 3-2
3rd Sarah Hildebrandt (USA) tech fall Emilia alina Vuc (Romania), 10-0 5:39
53 KG
Final: Dominique Parrish (USA) dec. Khulan Batkhuyag (Mongolia), 4-2
3rd Vinesh Vinesh (India) dec. Emma jonna denise Malmgren (Sweden), 8-0
3rd Maria Prevolaraki (Greece) tech fall Lucia yamileth Yepez guzman (Ecuador), 14-4 1:43
55 KG
Final: Mayu Shidochi mukaida (Japan) tech fall Oleksandra Khomenets (Ukraine), 10-0 2:59
3rd Karla lorena Godinez gonzalez (Canada) dec. Mariana Dragutan (Moldova), 6-2
3rd Mengyu Xie (China) pin Jacarra Winchester (USA), 12-6 4:55
57 KG
Final: Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan) dec. Helen Maroulis (USA), 3-0
3rd Anhelina Lysak (Poland) dec. Davaachimeg Erkhembayar (Mongolia), 10-6
3rd Alina Hrushyna akobiia (Ukraine) tech fall Zhala Aliyeva (Azerbaijan), 10-0 4:21
59 KG
Final: Anastasia Nichita (Moldova) dec. Grace Jacob Bullen (Norway), 4-1
3rd Jowita maria Wrzesien (Poland) dec. Erdenesuvd Bat erdene (Mongolia), 4-2
3rd Sakura Motoki (Japan) pin Qi Zhang (China), 7-0 3:37
62 KG
Final: Nonoka Ozaki (Japan) tech fall Kayla Miracle (USA), 10-0 2:27
3rd Ilona Prokopevniuk (Ukraine) dec. Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan), 8-7
3rd Xiaojuan Luo (China) dec. Ana paula Godinez gonzalez (Canada), 4-3
65 KG
Final: Miwa Morikawa (Japan) dec. Jia Long (China), 2-0
3rd Mallory Velte (USA) dec. Mimi nikolova Hristova (Bulgaria), 11-2
3rd Koumba Larroque (France) dec. Elis Manolova (Azerbaijan), 3-2
68 KG
Final: Tamyra Stock Mensah (USA) pin Ami Ishii (Japan), 4-0 2:10
3rd Linda Morais (Canada) pin Nisha Nisha (India), 4-4 2:44
3rd Irina Ringaci (Moldova) pin Feng Zhou (China), 4-0 0:50
72 KG
Final: Amit Elor (USA) tech fall Zhamila Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan), 10-0 1:12
3rd Alexandra nicoleta Anghel (Romania) tech fall Svetlana Oknazarova (Uzbekistan), 10-0 4:53
3rd Masako Furuichi (Japan) dec. Buse Cavusoglu tosun (Turkey), 3-2
76 KG
Final: Yasemin Adar (Turkey) dec. Samar amer ibrahim Hamza (Egypt), 6-0
3rd Epp Maee (Estonia) dec. Justina renay Di stasio (Canada), 2-1
3rd Yuka Kagami (Japan) dec. Genesis rosangela Reasco valdez (Ecuador), 4-0

MEN’S GRECO
Top 10 teams: Turkey 125, 2. Azerbaijan 118, 3. Serbia 110, 4. Iran 81, 5. Krygyzstan 77, 6. Georgia 76, 7. Hungary 70, 8. Uzbekistan 61, 9. Armenia 58, 10. Kazakhstan 51
Others: 21 United States 14
130 KG
Final: Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) dec. Amin Mirzazadeh (Iran), 1-1
3rd Alin Alexuc ciurariu (Romania) dec. Muminjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan), 5-3
3rd Mantas Knystautas (Lithuania) dec. Iakobi Kajaia (Georgia), 3-1
55 KG
Final: Eldaniz Azizli (Azerbaijan) tech fall Nugzari Tsurtsumia (Georgia), 8-0 1:49
3rd Jasurbek Ortikboev (Uzbekistan) dec. Amangali Bekbolatov (Kazakhstan), 9-5
3rd Yu Shiotani (Japan) dec. Max Emiliano Nowry (USA), 7-0
60 KG
Final: Zholaman Sharshenbekov (Kyrgyzstan) VSU1 Edmond armen Nazaryan (Bulgaria), 11-2 2:30
3rd Kenichiro Fumita (Japan) dec. Murad Mammadov (Azerbaijan), 5-1
3rd Aidos Sultangali (Kazakhstan) dec. Krisztian Kecskemeti (Hungary), 7-1
63 KG
Final: Sebastian Nad (Serbia) dec. Leri Abuladze (Georgia), 3-1
3rd Erbatu Tuo (China) dec. Ali reza ayat ollah Nejati (Iran), 4-1
3rd Taleh Mammadov (Azerbaijan) dec. Hrachya Poghosyan (Armenia), 10-4
67 KG
Final: Mate Nemes (Serbia) dec. Mohammadreza abdolhamid Geraei (Iran), 5-4
3rd Hasrat Jafarov (Azerbaijan) dec. Murat Firat (Turkey), 8-2
3rd Amantur Ismailov (Kyrgyzstan) VSU1 Joni Khetsuriani (Georgia), 17-8 5:32
72 KG
Final: Ali feizollah Arsalan (Serbia) dec. Ulvi Ganizade (Azerbaijan), 7-4
3rd Andrii Kulyk (Ukraine) dec. Ibrahim mahmoud hamed hassan Ghanem (France), 4-3
3rd Selcuk Can (Turkey) dec. Ibragim Magomadov (Kazakhstan), 3-3
77 KG
Final: Akzhol Makhmudov (Kyrgyzstan) tech fall Zoltan Levai (Hungary), 8-0 2:06
3rd Malkhas Amoyan (Armenia) dec. Viktor Nemes (Serbia), 7-1
3rd Yunus emre Basar (Turkey) dec. Hyeonwoo Kim (Korea), 4-1
82 KG
Final: Burhan Akbudak (Turkey) dec. Jalgasbay Berdimuratov (Uzbekistan), 7-6
3rd Tamas Levai (Hungary) dec. Rafig Huseynov (Azerbaijan), 3-1
3rd Yaroslav Filchakov (Ukraine) dec. Gela Bolkvadze (Georgia), 3-1
87 KG
Final: Zurabi Datunashvili (Serbia) dec. Turpal ali alvievich Bisultanov (Denmark), 6-2
3rd David Losonczi (Hungary) dec. Alex Kessidis (Sweden), 6-2
3rd Ali Cengiz (Turkey) dec. Naser ghasem Alizadeh (Iran), 7-1
97 KG
Final: Artur Aleksanyan (Armenia) dec. Kiril milenov Milov (Bulgaria), 5-1
3rd Arif Niftullayev (Azerbaijan) dec. Nikoloz Kakhelashvili (Italy), 2-1
3rd Mohammadhadi abdollah Saravi (Iran) dec. Metehan Basar (Turkey), 6-1

2022 World Championships results

Information from USA Wrestling was included in this report.