American wrestlers turn in strong performances at Jack Pinto Cup

American Joe Betterman went unbeaten during the Pinto Cup on Saturday at the Olympic Training Center. File photo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling team is ready for a breakthrough.

A strong performance in the Jack Pinto Cup was a step in the right direction in one of the first international competitions of 2014. 

Two-time Olympian Spenser Mango was among a strong and experienced group of Americans that went unbeaten in the dual-meet event on Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Teams from Kazakhstan, India and China also took part in the event, which featured a total of 16 dual meets over nine hours on Saturday. 

Past U.S. World Team members Robby Smith, Joe Betterman, Andy Bisek and Jordan Holm also went unbeaten on Saturday.

USA Team No. 1 turned in a dominant showing in rolling to wins in all four of its matches. 

“The Pinto Cup is a great event because we get so many matches in against the international guys,” U.S. National Coach Steve Fraser said. “It’s a busy, long day, but a really good day for our guys to see what they really need to work on and where they need to improve.”

Smith was named Outstanding Wrestler after turning in a dominating day of wrestling in the heavyweight class at 130 kg/286 lbs. 

“Robby’s really coming into his own,” Fraser said. “He’s got the right mentality and the right attitude.”

Smith is looking strong after finishing fifth at the 2013 World Championships. 

“The last year has been a blessing,” Smith said. “It’s been an amazing journey. I just need to keep it going and keep improving over the next three years. This year is going awesome so far.”

China’s Wang Shihu was named Outstanding Wrestler for the international teams after a strong performance at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Americans Jamel Johnson and Bryce Saddoris both earned wins over 2013 World bronze medalist Sandeep Tulsi Yadav of India. 

Jack Pinto’s father, Dean, and brother, Ben, were in attendance and were honored at the event on Saturday. Jack Pinto, who was a USA Wrestling member, was one of 26 people who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012.

JACK PINTO CUP

Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014

U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colo.

USA #3 6, INDIA 2

59 kg/130 lbs. – Ravinder Singh (India) dec. Max Nowry, 8-5

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Sandeep Tulsi Yadav (India) dec. Julian Gunnels, 10-2

71 kg/156 lbs. – Brian Graham (USA) dec. Anand Kumar, 8-0

75 kg/165 lbs. – Jake Fisher (USA) dec. Rajbir Chhikara, 5-4

80 kg/176 lbs. – Robbie Neill (USA) won by forfeit

85 kg/187 lbs. – Zac Nielsen (USA) pinned Anil Kumar, 5:04

98 kg/215.5 lbs. – Patrick Carey (USA) won by forfeit

130 kg/286 lbs. – Erik Nye (USA) dec. Naveen, 5-1 

INTERNATIONAL ALL-STARS 5, USA #4 3

59 kg – Gaurav Sharma (IA) dec. Sammy Jones, 12-4

66 kg – Tian Qiye (IA) dec. Alex Sancho, 13-2

71 kg – Peter Nagy (IA) dec. Anthonie Linaries, 10-2

75 kg – Maximiliano Prudenzano (IA) dec. Curt Calovecchi, 8-0

80 kg – Mihaly Nagy (IA) dec. Caleb Smith, 8-0

85 kg – Khymba Johnson (USA) won by injury default over Mikhail Izotov

98 kg – Orry Elor (USA) dec. Ruslan Mukhamadiyarov, 10-2

130 kg – Parker Betts (USA) won by forfeit

USA #3 4, INTERNATIONAL ALL-STARS 4

59 kg – Gaurav Sharma (IA) pinned Joey DeNova, 3:36

66 kg – Tian Qiye (IA) dec. Julian Gunnels, 13-2

71 kg – Peter Nagy (IA) dec. Devin Scott, 4-1

75 kg – Maximiliano Prudenzano (IA) pinned Jake Fisher, 2:42

80 kg – Robby Neill (USA) dec. Mihaly Nagy, 5-1

85 kg – Josef Rau (USA) dec. Mikhail Izotov, 8-0

98 kg – Patrick Carey (USA) pinned Ruslan Mukhamadiyarov (IA), 1:38

130 kg – Erik Nye (USA) won by forfeit 

USA #4 5, INDIA 3

59 kg – Ravinder Singh (India) pinned Dmitry Ryabchinsky, 1:50

66 kg – Sandeep Tulsi Yadav (India) dec. Chris Caldwell, 9-0

71 kg – Anthonie Linaries (USA) dec. Anand Kumar, 10-5

75 kg – Rajbir Chhikara (India) dec. Curt Calovecchi, 10-0

80 kg – Caleb Smith (USA) won by forfeit

85 kg – Mark Stenberg (USA) dec. Anil Kumar, 11-1

98 kg – Orry Elor (USA) won by forfeit

130 kg – Toby Erickson (USA) dec. Naveen, 5-1

USA #1 7, CHINA 1

59 kg – Spenser Mango (USA) dec. Li Wei, 4-1

66 kg – Wang Shihu (China) pinned Bryce Saddoris, 2:50

71 kg – Kendrick Sanders (USA) pinned Yan Pengfei, 1:37

75 kg – Andy Bisek (USA) won by forfeit

80 kg – Corey Hope (USA) won by forfeit

85 kg – Jordan Holm (USA) dec. Peng Fei, 6-0

98 kg – Marcus Finau (USA) won by forfeit

130 kg – Robby Smith (USA) dec. Meng Qiang, 7-0 

KAZAKHSTAN 6, USA #2 2

59 kg – Mirambek Ainagulov (Kazakhstan) dec. Nate Engel, 8-0

66 kg – Aibek Yensekhanov (Kazakhstan) dec. Jamel Johnson, 9-0

71 kg – Ashkat Zhanbirov (Kazakhstan) dec. Bo Beckman, 6-5

75 kg – Askhat Dilmukhamedov (Kazakhstan) dec. Geordan Speiller, 7-3

80 kg – Doszhan Kartikov (Kazakhstan) dec. John Stefanowicz, 10-2

85 kg – Nursultan Tursynov (Kazakhstan) pinned C.J. Myers, 5:24

98 kg – Pete Gounaridis (USA) pinned Yerulan Iskakov, 5:59

130 kg – David Arendt (USA) pinned Yerkin Shaikenov, 2:06

USA #1 6, KAZAKHSTAN 2

59 kg – Joe Betterman (USA) dec. Nursultan Kalmurzayev, 8-0

66 kg – Bryce Saddoris (USA) pinned Aibek Yensekhanov, 5:06

71 kg – Kendrick Sanders (USA) dec. Askhat Zhanbirov, 7-2

75 kg – Andy Bisek (USA) won by disqualification over Maxat Yerezhepov

80 kg – Azamat Kustubayev (Kazakhstan) dec. Corey Hope, 9-0

85 kg – Jordan Holm (USA) dec. Nursultan Tursynov, 8-0

98 kg – Ilya Nastochenko (Kazakhstan) over Marcus Finau (USA #1) Dec 13-10

130 kg – Robby Smith (USA) dec. Yerkin Shaikenov, 8-0 

USA #2 7, CHINA 1

59 kg – Nikko Triggas (USA) dec. Li Wei, 11-8

66 kg – Wang Shihu (China) dec. Jamel Johnson, 8-0

71 kg – Bo Beckman (USA) dec. Yan Pengfei, 10-9

75 kg – Geordan Speiller (USA) won by forfeit

80 kg – John Stefanowicz (USA) won by forfeit

85 kg – Peter Hicks (USA) won by disqualification Peng Fei

98 kg – Pete Gounaridis (USA) won by forfeit

130 kg – David Arendt (USA) dec. Meng Qiang, 3-0

USA #3 5, CHINA 3

59 kg – Tian Qiye (China) dec. Dmitry Ryabchinsky, 8-0

66 kg – Wang Shihu (China) dec. Julian Gunnels, 12-0

71 kg – Yan Pengfei (China) dec. Brian Graham, 8-0

75 kg – Jake Fisher (USA) won by forfeit

80 kg – Robby Neill (USA) won by forfeit

85 kg – Josef Rau (USA) pinned Peng Fei, 1:23

98 kg – Patrick Carey (USA) won by forfeit

130 kg – Erik Nye (USA) pinned Meng Qiang (China), 4:27 

KAZAKHSTAN 6, USA #4 2

59 kg – Mirambek Ainagulov (Kazakhstan) dec. Isaiah Varona, 8-0

66 kg – Aibek Yensekhanov (Kazakhstan) dec. Devin Scott, 8-0

71 kg – Askhat Zhanbirov (Kazakhstan) dec. Anthonie Linaries, 8-0

75 kg – Maxat Yerezhepov (Kazakhstan) pinned Curt Calovecchi, 1:33

80 kg – Azamat Kutsubayev (Kazakhstan) dec. Caleb Smith, 8-0

85 kg – Mark Stenberg (USA) dec. Nursultan Tursynov (Kazakhstan), 8-4

98 kg – Yerulan Iskakov (Kazakhstan) def. Orry Elor, 9-0

130 kg – Parker Betts (USA) dec. Yerkin Shaikenov, 8-0

USA #3 4, KAZAKHSTAN 4

59 kg – Mirambek Ainagulov (Kazakhstan) dec. Max Nowry, 8-0

66 kg – Aibek Yensekhanov (Kazakhstan) dec. Julian Gunnels, 8-0

71 kg – Brian Graham (USA) dec. Askhat Zhanbirov, 8-6

75 kg – Jake Fisher (USA) dec. Maxat Yerezhepov, 4-1

80 kg – Doszhan Kartikov (Kazakhstan) dec. Robby Neill, 9-0

85 kg – Zac Nielsen (USA) dec. Nursultan Tursynov, 8-0

98 kg – Ilya Nastochenko (Kazakhstan) pinned Patrick Carey, 4:10

130 kg – Erik Nye (USA) pinned Yerkin Shaikenov, 1:52 

USA #4 4, CHINA 4

59 kg – Li Wei (China) dec. Sammy Jones, 12-3

66 kg – Wang Shihu (China) dec. Chris Caldwell, 6-0

71 kg – Yan Pengfei (China) pinned Anthonie Linaries, 0:24

75 kg – Curt Calovecchi (USA) won by forfeit

80 kg – Caleb Smith (USA) won by forfeit

85 kg – Peng Fei (China) dec. Mark Stenberg, 6-2

98 kg – Orry Elor (USA) won by forfeit

130 kg – Parker Betts (USA) won by forfeit

USA #1 7, INTERNATIONAL ALL-STARS 1

59 kg – Joe Betterman (USA) dec. Gaurav Sharma, 9-0

66 kg – Bryce Saddoris (USA) won by forfeit

71 kg – Kendrick Sanders (USA) dec. Peter Nagy, 8-0

75 kg – Andy Bisek (USA) dec. Maximiliano Prudenzano, 12-1

80 kg – Corey Hope (USA) dec. Mihaly Nagy, 3-0

85 kg – Jordan Holm (USA) dec. Mikhail Izotov, 9-0

98 kg – Ruslan Mukhamadiyarov (IA) pinned Marcus Finau, 0:37

130 kg – Robby Smith (USA) won by forfeit 

USA #2 7, INDIA 1

59 kg – Ravinder Singh (India) dec. Nikko Triggas, 9-0

66 kg – Jamel Johnson (USA) dec. Sandeep Tulsi Yadav, 9-0

71 kg – Bo Beckman (USA) dec. Anand Kumar, 10-2

75 kg – Geordan Speiller (USA) dec. Rajbir Chhikara, 5-2

80 kg – John Stefanowicz (USA) won by forfeit

85 kg – C.J. Myers (USA) dec. Anil Kumar, 12-0

98 kg – Pete Gounaridis (USA) won by forfeit

130 kg – David Arendt (USA) dec. Naveen, 9-0

USA #1 8, INDIA 0

59 kg – Spenser Mango (USA) dec. Ravinder Singh, 7-0

66 kg – Bryce Saddoris (USA) dec. Sandeep Tulsi Yadav, 10-1

71 kg – Kendrick Saunders (USA) dec. Anand Kumar, 8-5

75 kg – Andy Bisek (USA) dec. Rajbir Chhikara, 8-0

80 kg – Corey Hope (USA) won by forfeit

85 kg – Jordan Holm (USA) dec. Anil Kumar, 11-2

98 kg – Marcus Finau (USA) won by forfeit

130 kg – Robby Smith (USA) dec. Naveen, 8-0

USA #2 8, INTERNATIONAL ALL-STARS 0

59 kg – Nate Engel (USA) over Gaurav Sharma (International All-Stars) TF 8-0

66 kg – Jamel Johnson (USA) won by forfeit

71 kg – Bo Beckman (USA) pinned Peter Nagy, 4:50

75 kg – Geordan Speiller (USA) pinned Maximiliano Prudenzano, 0:48

80 kg – John Stefanowicz (USA) dec. Mihaly Nagy, 11-3

85 kg – Peter Hicks (USA) dec. Mikhail Izotov, 7-2

98 kg – Pete Gounaridis (USA) dec. Ruslan Mukhamadiyarov, 10-0

130 kg – David Arendt (USA) won by forfeit