Team USA drops close Greco-Roman dual to international team
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
GREELEY, Colo. – U.S. National Coach Matt Lindland was looking for a competitive dual meet with an opportunity to promote Greco-Roman wrestling.
Mission accomplished on both fronts.
Phase I of the Jack Pinto Cup was a big success as the United States battled an international team in a Greco-Roman dual meet on Friday night at the University of Northern Colorado.
The U.S. dropped the first three bouts and stormed back to win the next three before the international World team won the final match to earn a 4-3 victory.
“It was a real positive night for Greco-Roman wrestling,” said Lindland, an Olympic and World silver medalist. “It was a chance to expose our sport to a broader audience and it gave our guys a chance to compete against some top foreign wrestlers. The crowd was into it when our guys opened up. They want to see points.”
The dual was tied 3-3 entering the final match.
2014 European champion Alexander Kostadinov of Bulgaria earned a 9-3 win over 2013 U.S. World Team Trials runner-up Ryan Mango in the featured bout at 59 kg/130 lbs.
The U.S. erased an early 3-0 deficit in the dual with three straight lopsided victories.
American Patrick Martinez charged out aggressively, locking up a pair of superb throws to down Argentina’s Maximiliano Prudenzano by a 9-0 technical fall at 80 kg/176 lbs.
“I felt good and I felt strong,” Martinez said. “It was really exciting to get the crowd into it. When I hit that throw, I heard the crowd behind me and it pumped me up to execute more big moves.”
Teammate C.J. Myers followed with a 9-0 technical fall win over Argentina’s Ivan Burtovoy at 98 kg/216 lbs.
“I just had to keep moving my feet,” Myers said. “I was wrestling up a weight class and I tried to not let him use his weight against me. It was great to wrestle up here and have a chance to promote our sport.”
American Bo Beckman then helped his team knot the dual with a 9-0 technical fall over Eldar Kairatov of Kazakhstan at 71 kg/156 lbs.
“The biggest thing was to stay on him and get him tired,” Beckman said. “It was nice to wrestle in a competition like this. It was a friendly competition, but you still want to go out there and win. It was a good experience for us to get more international matches against some top competition.”
Bulgaria’s Iliyan Georgiev held off American Jake Fisher 2-1 in a battle of past World Team members at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Bulgaria’s Konstantin Stas trailed 2-0 early before hitting a headlock to pin American Devin Scott late in the first period at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Stas placed 11th at the 2014 Worlds.
Demeu Zhadriyev of Kazakhstan took charge early en route to downing American Brian Graham by a quick 8-0 technical fall at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Zhadriyev was eighth at the 2014 Worlds.
Phase II of the Pinto Cup will be staged at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Antlers Hilton in Colorado Springs.
“We’ve got to relax and have fun, especially in these friendly duals,” Lindland said. “There’s nothing on the line – go out there and take some chances and experiment. This is just practice. Go out there and put on an exciting performance for the fans and showcase our sport.”
WORLD 4, USA 3
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Konstantin Stas (Bulgaria) pinned Devin Scott (USA), 2:10
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Demeu Zhadriyev (Kazakhstan) won by tech. fall over Brian Graham (USA), 8-0
75 kg/165 lbs. – Iliyan Georgiev (Bulgaria) dec. Jake Fisher (USA), 2-1
80 kg/176 lbs. – Patrick Martinez (USA) won by tech. fall over Maximiliano Prudenzano (Argentina), 9-0
98 kg/216 lbs. – C.J. Myers (USA) won by tech. fall over Ivan Burtovoy (Argentina), 9-0
71 kg/156 lbs. – Bo Beckman (USA) won by tech. fall over Eldar Kairatov (Kazakhstan), 9-0
Main event 59 kg/130 lbs. – Alexander Kostadinov (Bulgaria) dec. Ryan Mango (USA), 9-3
Mission accomplished on both fronts.
Phase I of the Jack Pinto Cup was a big success as the United States battled an international team in a Greco-Roman dual meet on Friday night at the University of Northern Colorado.
The U.S. dropped the first three bouts and stormed back to win the next three before the international World team won the final match to earn a 4-3 victory.
“It was a real positive night for Greco-Roman wrestling,” said Lindland, an Olympic and World silver medalist. “It was a chance to expose our sport to a broader audience and it gave our guys a chance to compete against some top foreign wrestlers. The crowd was into it when our guys opened up. They want to see points.”
The dual was tied 3-3 entering the final match.
2014 European champion Alexander Kostadinov of Bulgaria earned a 9-3 win over 2013 U.S. World Team Trials runner-up Ryan Mango in the featured bout at 59 kg/130 lbs.
The U.S. erased an early 3-0 deficit in the dual with three straight lopsided victories.
American Patrick Martinez charged out aggressively, locking up a pair of superb throws to down Argentina’s Maximiliano Prudenzano by a 9-0 technical fall at 80 kg/176 lbs.
“I felt good and I felt strong,” Martinez said. “It was really exciting to get the crowd into it. When I hit that throw, I heard the crowd behind me and it pumped me up to execute more big moves.”
Teammate C.J. Myers followed with a 9-0 technical fall win over Argentina’s Ivan Burtovoy at 98 kg/216 lbs.
“I just had to keep moving my feet,” Myers said. “I was wrestling up a weight class and I tried to not let him use his weight against me. It was great to wrestle up here and have a chance to promote our sport.”
American Bo Beckman then helped his team knot the dual with a 9-0 technical fall over Eldar Kairatov of Kazakhstan at 71 kg/156 lbs.
“The biggest thing was to stay on him and get him tired,” Beckman said. “It was nice to wrestle in a competition like this. It was a friendly competition, but you still want to go out there and win. It was a good experience for us to get more international matches against some top competition.”
Bulgaria’s Iliyan Georgiev held off American Jake Fisher 2-1 in a battle of past World Team members at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Bulgaria’s Konstantin Stas trailed 2-0 early before hitting a headlock to pin American Devin Scott late in the first period at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Stas placed 11th at the 2014 Worlds.
Demeu Zhadriyev of Kazakhstan took charge early en route to downing American Brian Graham by a quick 8-0 technical fall at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Zhadriyev was eighth at the 2014 Worlds.
Phase II of the Pinto Cup will be staged at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Antlers Hilton in Colorado Springs.
“We’ve got to relax and have fun, especially in these friendly duals,” Lindland said. “There’s nothing on the line – go out there and take some chances and experiment. This is just practice. Go out there and put on an exciting performance for the fans and showcase our sport.”
WORLD 4, USA 3
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Konstantin Stas (Bulgaria) pinned Devin Scott (USA), 2:10
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Demeu Zhadriyev (Kazakhstan) won by tech. fall over Brian Graham (USA), 8-0
75 kg/165 lbs. – Iliyan Georgiev (Bulgaria) dec. Jake Fisher (USA), 2-1
80 kg/176 lbs. – Patrick Martinez (USA) won by tech. fall over Maximiliano Prudenzano (Argentina), 9-0
98 kg/216 lbs. – C.J. Myers (USA) won by tech. fall over Ivan Burtovoy (Argentina), 9-0
71 kg/156 lbs. – Bo Beckman (USA) won by tech. fall over Eldar Kairatov (Kazakhstan), 9-0
Main event 59 kg/130 lbs. – Alexander Kostadinov (Bulgaria) dec. Ryan Mango (USA), 9-3
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