USA powers to dominating win at exciting Pinto Cup
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
World bronze medalist Andy Bisek piled up big points during his win at the Jack Pinto Cup. Robbert Wijtman photo.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The ballroom at the Antlers Hilton was packed with enthusiastic wrestling fans.
And they had plenty to cheer about.
The U.S. team put on an entertaining and action-packed display in rolling past a strong international team 9-2 at the Jack Pinto Cup on Sunday afternoon.
The American Greco-Roman squad battled a combined team with wrestlers from Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Japan and Argentina. The dual was contested on an elevated, spotlighted platform.
“The staff did a great job coordinating this event. It was first-class,” U.S. National Coach Matt Lindland said. “All the wrestling people in Colorado Springs came out to support this. We had a great attendance. Our guys came out and had a fantastic performance. I don’t know what it was. They were on fire out there. We started a little slow, lost a couple, then we didn’t lose a single match after that.”
2014 World bronze medalist Andy Bisek of the U.S. overpowered Naoki Hanayama of Japan by an 11-0 technical fall in the Main Event at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Leading 1-0 midway through the first period, Bisek launched his opponent with a spectacular four-point throw and then added a succession of turns to end the match.
“The format was really cool,” Bisek said. “We haven’t had anything at this kind of production level. It was awesome. A lot of guys got to showcase themselves. As a team, we did really well.”
Two-time Olympian Spenser Mango of the U.S. powered in for the winning takedown with two seconds left to earn a thrilling 3-2 win over World champion Ivo Angelov of Bulgaria at 59 kg/130 lbs.
Mango, fifth in the World the past two years, fired in on a body lock and then drove Angelov to the mat for the winning points and the dramatic win in the Co-Main Event.
“That is never the plan. You want to be dominant from whistle-to-whistle,” Mango said. “A last-second takedown was definitely not what I was going for today. I saw that it was short time. I tried to lull him to sleep a little bit and concentrate my efforts on one last explosive movement.”
The U.S. dropped the first two bouts before winning the final nine matches in a strong showing.
Two-time World medalist Justin Lester of the U.S. hit a pair of spectacular throws, one in each period, to earn an exciting 8-0 technical fall win over Asian silver medalist Maksat Yerezhepov of Kazakhstan at 71 kg/156 lbs.
“It was good. I love events like this,” Lester said. “It is a more intimate event. The fans are right there. We are doing this for a good cause. Jack Pinto’s family is here. I wanted to come out and showcase the skills I have, the high-amplitude throws. I have kind of gotten away from that the last few years. Journeying on the next year or two, you will see a lot different wrestling from me. I wanted to showcase that I still got it.”
2012 Olympian Ben Provisor scored an early takedown en route to a 3-2 win over Junior World fifth-place finisher Azamat Kustabaev of Kazakhstan at 80 kg/176 lbs.
Two-time World Team member Caylor Williams of the U.S. hit a duck under to a body lock to a half-nelson for an exciting pin of Bulgaria’s Vladislav Metodiev at 98 kg/216 lbs. Metodiev was seventh at the 2014 Worlds
American Brian Graham overcame an early deficit to put on a show in a 14-6 win over Japan’s Shogo Uozumi at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Graham hit a succession of turns to close the match.
Past World Teamer Cheney Haight of the U.S. stormed out strong to earn a quick 9-0 technical fall over Japan’s Kanta Shiokawa.
American Geordan Speiller started strong en route to a 6-1 win over Ashkat Dilmukhamedov of Kazakhstan at 75 kg/165 lbs. Dilmukhamedov was fifth in 2011 Worlds.
American Jon Anderson, wrestling up a weight class, downed Argentina’s Ivan Burtovoy by a 11-0 technical fall at 98 kg/216 lbs.
Three-time World bronze medalist Nurmakhan Tinaliyev of Kazakhstan took control early in earning an 8-0 technical fall over American David Arendt in the day’s first bout at 130 kg/286 lbs.
Asian champion Nursultan Tursunov of Kazakhstan hit a quick takedown, turn and four-point throw in gaining a 8-0 technical fall over 2014 World Team member Joe Rau of the U.S. at 85 kg/187 lbs.
The international team downed the U.S. 4-3 in Phase I of the Pinto Cup on Friday night at the University of Northern Colorado.
The Pinto Cup is held in memory of Jack Pinto, who lost his life in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in Newtown, Conn. The 6-year-old was a USA Wrestling member.
JACK PINTO CUP
Jan. 25, Antlers Hilton, Colorado Springs, Colo.
USA 9, WORLD 2
130 kg/286 lbs. – Nurmakhan Tinaliyev (Kazakhstan) won by tech. fall over David Arendt (USA), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs. – Nursultan Tursunov (Kazakhstan) won by tech. fall over Joe Rau (USA), 8-0
71 kg/156 lbs. – Justin Lester (USA) won by tech. fall over Maksat Yerezhepov (Kazakhstan), 8-0
80 kg/176 lbs. – Ben Provisor (USA) dec. Azamat Kustabaev (Kazakhstan), 3-2
98 kg/216 lbs. – Caylor Williams (USA) pinned Vladislav Metodiev (Bulgaria), 4:24
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Brian Graham (USA) won by tech. fall over Shogo Uozumi (Japan), 14-6
80 kg/176 lbs. – Cheney Haight (USA) won by tech. fall over Kanta Shiokawa (Japan), 9-0
75 kg/165 lbs. – Geordan Speiller (USA) dec. Ashkat Dilmukhamedov (Kazakhstan), 6-1
98 kg/216 lbs. – Jon Anderson (USA) won by tech. fall over Ivan Burtovoy (Argentina), 11-0
Co-Main Event 59 kg/130 lbs. – Spenser Mango (USA) dec. Ivo Angelov (Bulgaria), 3-2
Main Event 75 kg/165 lbs. – Andy Bisek (USA) won by tech. fall over Naoki Hanayama (Japan), 11-0
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The ballroom at the Antlers Hilton was packed with enthusiastic wrestling fans.
And they had plenty to cheer about.
The U.S. team put on an entertaining and action-packed display in rolling past a strong international team 9-2 at the Jack Pinto Cup on Sunday afternoon.
The American Greco-Roman squad battled a combined team with wrestlers from Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Japan and Argentina. The dual was contested on an elevated, spotlighted platform.
“The staff did a great job coordinating this event. It was first-class,” U.S. National Coach Matt Lindland said. “All the wrestling people in Colorado Springs came out to support this. We had a great attendance. Our guys came out and had a fantastic performance. I don’t know what it was. They were on fire out there. We started a little slow, lost a couple, then we didn’t lose a single match after that.”
2014 World bronze medalist Andy Bisek of the U.S. overpowered Naoki Hanayama of Japan by an 11-0 technical fall in the Main Event at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Leading 1-0 midway through the first period, Bisek launched his opponent with a spectacular four-point throw and then added a succession of turns to end the match.
“The format was really cool,” Bisek said. “We haven’t had anything at this kind of production level. It was awesome. A lot of guys got to showcase themselves. As a team, we did really well.”
Two-time Olympian Spenser Mango of the U.S. powered in for the winning takedown with two seconds left to earn a thrilling 3-2 win over World champion Ivo Angelov of Bulgaria at 59 kg/130 lbs.
Mango, fifth in the World the past two years, fired in on a body lock and then drove Angelov to the mat for the winning points and the dramatic win in the Co-Main Event.
“That is never the plan. You want to be dominant from whistle-to-whistle,” Mango said. “A last-second takedown was definitely not what I was going for today. I saw that it was short time. I tried to lull him to sleep a little bit and concentrate my efforts on one last explosive movement.”
The U.S. dropped the first two bouts before winning the final nine matches in a strong showing.
Two-time World medalist Justin Lester of the U.S. hit a pair of spectacular throws, one in each period, to earn an exciting 8-0 technical fall win over Asian silver medalist Maksat Yerezhepov of Kazakhstan at 71 kg/156 lbs.
“It was good. I love events like this,” Lester said. “It is a more intimate event. The fans are right there. We are doing this for a good cause. Jack Pinto’s family is here. I wanted to come out and showcase the skills I have, the high-amplitude throws. I have kind of gotten away from that the last few years. Journeying on the next year or two, you will see a lot different wrestling from me. I wanted to showcase that I still got it.”
2012 Olympian Ben Provisor scored an early takedown en route to a 3-2 win over Junior World fifth-place finisher Azamat Kustabaev of Kazakhstan at 80 kg/176 lbs.
Two-time World Team member Caylor Williams of the U.S. hit a duck under to a body lock to a half-nelson for an exciting pin of Bulgaria’s Vladislav Metodiev at 98 kg/216 lbs. Metodiev was seventh at the 2014 Worlds
American Brian Graham overcame an early deficit to put on a show in a 14-6 win over Japan’s Shogo Uozumi at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Graham hit a succession of turns to close the match.
Past World Teamer Cheney Haight of the U.S. stormed out strong to earn a quick 9-0 technical fall over Japan’s Kanta Shiokawa.
American Geordan Speiller started strong en route to a 6-1 win over Ashkat Dilmukhamedov of Kazakhstan at 75 kg/165 lbs. Dilmukhamedov was fifth in 2011 Worlds.
American Jon Anderson, wrestling up a weight class, downed Argentina’s Ivan Burtovoy by a 11-0 technical fall at 98 kg/216 lbs.
Three-time World bronze medalist Nurmakhan Tinaliyev of Kazakhstan took control early in earning an 8-0 technical fall over American David Arendt in the day’s first bout at 130 kg/286 lbs.
Asian champion Nursultan Tursunov of Kazakhstan hit a quick takedown, turn and four-point throw in gaining a 8-0 technical fall over 2014 World Team member Joe Rau of the U.S. at 85 kg/187 lbs.
The international team downed the U.S. 4-3 in Phase I of the Pinto Cup on Friday night at the University of Northern Colorado.
The Pinto Cup is held in memory of Jack Pinto, who lost his life in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in Newtown, Conn. The 6-year-old was a USA Wrestling member.
JACK PINTO CUP
Jan. 25, Antlers Hilton, Colorado Springs, Colo.
USA 9, WORLD 2
130 kg/286 lbs. – Nurmakhan Tinaliyev (Kazakhstan) won by tech. fall over David Arendt (USA), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs. – Nursultan Tursunov (Kazakhstan) won by tech. fall over Joe Rau (USA), 8-0
71 kg/156 lbs. – Justin Lester (USA) won by tech. fall over Maksat Yerezhepov (Kazakhstan), 8-0
80 kg/176 lbs. – Ben Provisor (USA) dec. Azamat Kustabaev (Kazakhstan), 3-2
98 kg/216 lbs. – Caylor Williams (USA) pinned Vladislav Metodiev (Bulgaria), 4:24
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Brian Graham (USA) won by tech. fall over Shogo Uozumi (Japan), 14-6
80 kg/176 lbs. – Cheney Haight (USA) won by tech. fall over Kanta Shiokawa (Japan), 9-0
75 kg/165 lbs. – Geordan Speiller (USA) dec. Ashkat Dilmukhamedov (Kazakhstan), 6-1
98 kg/216 lbs. – Jon Anderson (USA) won by tech. fall over Ivan Burtovoy (Argentina), 11-0
Co-Main Event 59 kg/130 lbs. – Spenser Mango (USA) dec. Ivo Angelov (Bulgaria), 3-2
Main Event 75 kg/165 lbs. – Andy Bisek (USA) won by tech. fall over Naoki Hanayama (Japan), 11-0
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