Who will be the next Grappling World champion from the USA? Try out for the 2019 U.S. team next weekend

Breanna Stikkelman has her hand raised after winning a World gold medal in Gi Grappling in 2017. She was the last American to win a UWW Grappling gold. Photo by Robbert Wijtman.


There is no bigger achievement in sports than winning a World title, becoming the absolute best at what you do on the planet. In the sport of Grappling, World champions are crowned on an annual basis at the United World Wrestling Grappling World Championships.


The athletes who will get the chance to become a 2019 UWW Grappling World champion will be the champions from USA Wrestling’s Grappling World Team Trials at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 22-23.


Since UWW started running Grappling World-level events in 2007, a total of 36 athletes from the USA have won a combined 53 World gold medals. A majority of those golds have been in No-Gi Grappling (40), but 13 of the golds have been with the Gi.


The most recent U.S. athlete to win a UWW Grappling gold medal was Breanna Stikkelman of Simi Valley, Calif., who won the Gi gold medal at 58 kg in 2017. That year, Stikkelman also secured a World bronze medal in No-Gi.


The last year that the USA won a gold medal in No-Gi was in 2014, when five Americans stood at the top of the podium in Kecskemet, Hungary. On the men’s side, No-Gi World champions were Matt Betzold (57 kg), Jayson Patino (71 kg) and James Clay (84 kg). Women who won No-Gi titles that year were Laura Anderson (53 kg) and Colleen Schneider (64 kg). The USA won the team title in No-Gi at that World Championships.


The athlete with the most gold medals is Lisa Ward-Ellis, who has won five golds, including four in No-Gi and one in Gi. Lisa has remained active as a Grappling Coach and a member of USA Wrestling’s Associated Styles Committee.


Athletes with three Grappling World golds are Tara LaRosa, Jessica Aguilar and Jeff Monson. Two-time Grappling World champions have been Ricky Lundell, Raphael Davis, Kelly Anundson, Tori Adams, Felicia Oh, Zach Makovsky and Mario Rinaldi. Many of these athletes have also had successful MMA careers.


The USA was very close to a World champion in 2018 in Astana, Kazakhstan (now called Nur-Sultan), with three silver medalists: Carlos Soto (92 kg) and Vincent Mancuso (Unlimited) in Gi and Steven Ramos (77 kg) in No-Gi. Winning bronze medals, with just one loss, were Kalin Goodsite (62 kg) and Travis Clark (Unlimited).


When you go back over history, the USA has also been able to win a boatload of medals. In fact, 73 U.S. Grapplers have won 157 medals. The first step to becoming a World medalist is trying out and making the U.S. World Team. UWW allows only one athlete per nation at each weight class, so the first step to a World medal is making the team.


There is still time for athletes to register for the 2019 Grappling World Team Trials, set for June 22-23 in Colorado Springs.

Click for information on how to register for Grappling Trials

UWW GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONS FROM THE USA

No-Gi Gold Medals

Lisa Ward, 4 (2007 at 48 kg 2008 at 48 kg, 2010 at 50 kg, 2011 at 50 kg)

Jeff Monson, 3 (2007 at 125 kg, 2008 at 125 kg, 2012 at Unlimited)

Ricky Lundell, 2 (2007 at 70 kg, 2008 at 70 kg)

Raphael Davis, 2(2008 at 92 kg, 2009 at 96 kg)

Kelly Anundson, 2 (2009 at 120 kg, 2009 at Open)

Tori Adams, 2 (2009 at 67 kg, 2009 at Open)

Jessica Aguilar, 2 (2009 at 59 kg, 2010 at 55 kg)

Darren Uyenoyama (2007 at 62 kg)

Ricky Lundell (2007 at 70 kg)

Don Ortega (2007 at 80 kg)

Malcolm Havens (2007 at 92 kg)

Felicia Oh (2007 at 55 kg)

Tara LaRosa (2007 at 63 kg)

Valerie Worthington (2007 at 72 kg)

Matt Sanchez (2008 at 62 kg)

Jacob Volkmann (2008 at 80 kg)

Zach Makovsky (2009 at 60 kg)

Tom LeCuyer (2009 at 66 kg)

Ben Askren (2009 at 84 kg)

Felicia Oh (2009 at 50 kg)

Sara McMann (2009 at 63 kg)

Dennis Prokopos (2010 at 65 kg)

Mario Rinaldi (2010 at Open)

Jason Soares (2011 at 65 kg)

Brandon Ruiz (2011 at 110 kg)

Colby Covington (2013 at 77 kg)

Matt Betzold (2014 at 57 kg)

Jayson Patino (2014 at 71 kg)

James Clay (2014 at 84 kg)

Laura Anderson (2014 at 53 kg)

Colleen Schneider (2014 at 64 kg)

Gi Gold Medals

Tara LaRosa, 2 (2009 at 59 kg, 2009 at Open)

Ian Murphy (2008 at 90 kg)

Lisa Ward (2008 at 48 kg)

Brian Peterson (2009 at 60 kg)

Felicia Oh (2009 at 50 kg)

Zach Makovsky (2010 at 60 kg)

Brian Mahecha (2010 at 65 kg)

Scott Garcia (2010 at 80 kg)

Mario Rinaldi (2010 at Open)

Jessica Aguilar (2010 at 55 kg)

Aaron Yoches (2013 at 100 kg)

Breanna Stikkelman (2017 at 58 kg)

Total Gold Medals (No-Gi and Gi)

Lisa Ward (Ellis), 5 (2007 at 48 kg, 2008 at 48 kg, 2008 Gi at 48 kg, 2010 at 50 kg, 2011 at 50 kg)

Tara LaRosa, 3 (2007 at 63 kg, 2009 Gi at 59 kg , 2009 Gi at Open)

Jessica Aguilar, 3 (2009 at 59 kg, 2010 at 55 kg, 2010 Gi at 55 kg)

Jeff Monson, 3 (2007 at 125 kg, 2008 at 125 kg, 2012 at Unlimited)

Ricky Lundell, 2 (2007 at 70 kg, 2008 at 70 kg)

Raphael Davis, 2(2008 at 92 kg, 2009 at 96 kg)

Kelly Anundson, 2 (2009 at 120 kg, 2009 at Open)

Tori Adams, 2 (2009 at 67 kg, 2009 at Open)

Felicia Oh, 2 (2007 at 55 kg, 2009 Gi at 50 kg)

Zach Makovsky, 2 (2009 at 60 kg, 2010 Gi at 60 kg)

Mario Rinaldi, 2 (2010 at Open, 2010 Gi at Open)

Darren Uyenoyama (2007 at 62 kg)

Don Ortega (2007 at 80 kg)

Malcolm Havens (2007 at 92 kg)

Valerie Worthington (2007 at 72 kg)

Matt Sanchez (2008 at 62 kg)

Jacob Volkmann (2008 at 80 kg)

Ian Murphy (2008 Gi at 90 kg)

Tom LeCuyer (2009 at 66 kg)

Ben Askren (2009 at 84 kg)

Felicia Oh (2009 at 50 kg)

Sara McMann (2009 at 63 kg)

Brian Peterson (2009 Gi at 60 kg)

Dennis Prokopos (2010 at 65 kg)

Brian Mahecha (2010 Gi at 65 kg)

Scott Garcia (2010 Gi at 80 kg)

Jason Soares (2011 at 65 kg)

Brandon Ruiz (2011 at 110 kg)

Colby Covington (2013 at 77 kg)

Aaron Yoches (2013 Gi at 100 kg)

Matt Betzold (2014 at 57 kg)

Jayson Patino (2014 at 71 kg)

James Clay (2014 at 84 kg)

Laura Anderson (2014 at 53 kg)

Colleen Schneider (2014 at 64 kg)

Breanna Stikkelman (2017 Gi at 58 kg)