U.S. Senior World Team members Vito Arujau, James Green, Jordan Burroughs and David Taylor.

U.S. Senior World Team members Vito Arujau, James Green, Jordan Burroughs and David Taylor.

USAWInternational

Senior World Men’s Freestyle Preview: U.S. World medalists Burroughs, Taylor, Arujau, Green seek gold

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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling

The 2024 Senior World Championships are set for October 28-31 at the Sports Hall “Feti Borova” in Tirana, Albania. There will be four weight classes in each of the three World Championships disciplines, the weight classes which were not contested at the 2024 Olympic Games Paris. Team USA in men’s freestyle is loaded, with all four entries capable of winning a gold medal. They include 2012 Olympic champion and five-time World champion Jordan Burroughs (79 kg), 2020 Olympic champion and three-time World champion David Taylor (92 kg), 2023 World champion Vito Arujau (61 kg) and two-time World medalist James Green (70 kg).

The World Championships will be broadcast live on FloWrestling

Men’s Freestyle 61 kg

2020 Olympic champion Zavur Uguev, an Individual Neutral Athlete from Russia, and 2023 World champion Vito Arujau of the United States headline what should be an entertaining weight class. Uguev, who was declared not eligible for the 2024 Olympics by the IOC, is a two-time World champion at 57 kg and was fifth in the 2023 Worlds. He also boasts two U17 World titles. Arujau won the Senior Worlds at this weight class on his first try in 2023 and has a pair of age-group World medals. Arujau is the son of Vougar Orudjev, who won World titles and an Olympic medal for the Soviet Union. Fans would love to see this showdown.

A pair of past Senior World medalists will seek to disrupt the showdown of past champions. Individual Neutral Athlete Aryan Tsuitryn from Belarus, was a 2021 World bronze medalist, and also won the 2021 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix. Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu of Kyrgyzstan was a 2023 World bronze medalist, a 2024 Asian Senior champion and a two-time age-group World medalist.

Three past age-group World champions are also in the draw, Azamat Tuskaev of Serbia, Andrii Dzhelep of Ukraine and Masanosuke Ono of Japan. Tuskaev won a 2014 U20 World gold medal, a 2021 World Military title and a 2020 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix title while competing for Russia, and just started wrestling for Serbia this year. Dzhelep was a 2016 U17 World champion, one of his two age-group World medals, and won a 2021 European Senior silver medal. Ono, a 2024 U20 World champion, was also a 2024 Senior Asian champion.

Udit of India, a 2019 U17 World bronze medalist, was second at the 2024 Asian Senior Championships at 57 kg. Assyl Aitakyn of Kazakhstan, a two-time U23 World bronze medalist, was second at the 2024 Asian Senior Championships at 61 kg. Two athletes who have placed in the top 10 at the Senior Worlds and have also placed fifth at the Asian Championships are in the mix, Weiyu Li of China and Tsogbadrakh Tseveensuren of Mongolia.

Both 2024 European Senior bronze medalists at 61 kg are entered, Mezhlum Mezhulymyan of Armenia and Nuraddin Novruzov of Azerbaijan. Mezhulymyan was a U23 World bronze medalist. A pair of past U.S. collegians competing for other nations are in the draw, Joshua Kramer of Ecuador and Joseph Silva of Puerto Rico. Kramer, who wrestled for Arizona State, was a 2024 Pan American bronze medalist. Silva, who wrestled for Michigan and Rutgers, has won three Pan American silver medals.

Others to watch are Niklas Stechele of Germany, who placed fifth in the Senior European Championships in 2022 and 2024, Reza Momenijoujadeh of Iran, a two-time Asian U20 medalist, and Armen Eloyan of France, who was fifth at the 2023 European Championships.

61 kg preliminary entries

Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN)

Zavur UGUEV (AIN)

Endrio AVDYLI (ALB)

Mezhlum MEZHLUMYAN (ARM)

Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE)

Christopher MERLO (CAN)

Weiyu LI (CHN)

Rabby KILANDI (COD)

Peter HAMMER CUDE (CRC)

Joshua KRAMER (ECU)

Arman ELOYAN (FRA)

Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO)

Niklas STECHELE (GER)

Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)

UDIT (IND)

Reza Hossein MOMENIJOUJADEH (IRI)

Masanosuke ONO (JPN)

Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ)

Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ)

Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)

Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL)

Besir ALILI (MKD)

Joseph SILVA (PUR)

Razvan KOVACS (ROU)

Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB)

Nils LEUTERT (SUI)

Tolga OZBEK (TUR)

Andrii DZHELEP (UKR)

Vitali ARUJAU (USA)

Men’s freestyle 70 kg

A pair of two-time Senior World medalists headline a loaded field, James Green of the United States and Amirmohammad Yazdani of Iran. Green, a 2017 World silver medalist and 2015 World bronze medalist, will compete in his seventh Senior Worlds. Green, a 2015 World University Games silver medalist, has returned from retirement and looks powerful and healthy. Yazdani won Senior World silver medals in 2021 and 2023, and is a two-time age-group World medalist.

There are five one-time Senior World medalists who are seeking another medal, Vasyl Shuptar of Ukraine, Naurkozha Kaipanov of Kazakhstan, Alibek Osmonov of Kyrgyzstan, Ramazan Ramazanov of Bulgaria and Arman Andreasyan of Armenia. Shuptar, a 2015 World bronze medalist, was also a 2012 World University champion. Kaipanov, a 2019 World silver medalist, has won two Asian Senior titles. Osmonov, a 2021 World bronze medalist, was third in the 2024 Asian Championships. Ramazanov, a 2023 World bronze medalist, was third in the 2023 European Championships. Andreasyan, a 2023 World bronze medalist, won the 2021 World Military Championships and was a 2024 European Senior champion.

Expected to challenge are two-time U23 World champion Magomed Magomaev, an Individual Neutral Athlete from Russia, as well as Peiman Biabani of Canada, a 2016 U20 World champion for Iran who was second at the 2024 Pan American Championships for Canada. European Senior medalists Niurgun Skriabin, an Individual Neutral Athlete from Belarus, and Ali Rahimzade of Azerbaijan, are also contenders. Skriabin was second in the 2020 European Championships. When he wrestled for Russia, Skriabin was a 2016 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion and a 2014 University World bronze medalist. Rahimzade, who won European Senior bronze medals in 2020, 2021 and 2024, was second in the 2018 U23 World Championships.

Past U23 World medalist Manish Goswami of India, Yoshinosuke Aoyagi of Japan and Nicolai Grahmez of Moldova will challenge. Aoyagi is a three-time age-group World medalist. Grahmez, a two-time age-group World medalist, was a 2022 European Senior bronze medalist. Another past age-group World medalist in the draw is Tumuulen Enkhtya of Mongolia, who was a 2019 Asian U23 champion.

Mitchell Finesilver of Israel, an All-American at Duke, was third at the 2021 European Championships. Akaki Kemertelidze of Georgia won a 2024 European Senior silver medalist. Norvil Bukasa of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was a 2022 African silver medalist. Abdulmazhid Kudiev of Tajikistan was a 2023 Asian U23 champion.

70 kg preliminary entries

Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN)

Magomed MAGOMAEV (AIN)

Eriglent PRIZRENI (ALB)

Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)

Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE)

Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL)

Peiman BIABANI (CAN)

Shijian ZHOU (CHN)

Norvil BUKASA (COD)

Anthony WESLEY (CPV)

Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO)

Manish GOSWAMI (IND)

Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI)

Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)

Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)

Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)

Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ)

Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)

Temuulen ENKHTUYA (MGL)

Fati VEJSELI (MKD)

Patryk OLENCZYN (POL)

Stefan COMAN (ROU)

Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK)

Umut ERDOGAN (TUR)

Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR)

James GREEN (USA)

Men’s Freestyle 79 kg

The biggest name in the entire Senior World Championships is 2012 Olympic champion and six-time World champion Jordan Burroughs of the United States. Burroughs, at age 36, is looking to add to his Hall of Fame resume and raise the bar even higher among the all-time greats. He looked strong and motivated in winning the World Team Trials. Could this be Burroughs’ last World Championships? Only time will tell, but anytime Jordan Burroughs enters an event, it is big news and can’t-miss action.

He could face a well-known opponent, 2022 World silver medalist and 2023 World bronze medalist Mohammad Nokhodi of Iran. Nokhodi was a 2024 Asian champion and a two-time age-group World medalist. Burroughs beat Nokhodi in the finals of the 2022 Senior Worlds at this weight. Also aiming for a title is 2018 World silver medalist Avtandil Kentchadze of Georgia, a 2020 Olympian who was fifth at the 2021 Worlds. Kentchadze has won four career European bronze medals and was a 2018 U23 World champion.

Three wrestlers who have reached Senior World medal matches are looking for their first Senior medal, Zelimkhan Khadjiev of France, Arman Avagyan of Armenia and Orkhan Abasov of Azerbaijan. Khadjiev, who was fifth in the 2015 Senior Worlds, was eighth in the 2016 Olympics and was a 2014 U20 World champion. Avagyan, fifth at the 2021 Senior Worlds, won two U23 World bronze medals. Abasov, fifth at the 2023 Senior Worlds, is a three-time age-group World medalist.

Individual Neutral Athlete Inalbek Sheriev of Russia was a 2023 U23 World champion and second in the 2018 U17 World Championships. Other past age-group World medalists who will contend are Kota Takahashi of Japan, Daulet Yergesh of Kazakhstan, Akhsarbek Gulaev of Slovakia and Ahmet Yagan of Turkey. Takahashi, a two-time age-group medalist, won the 2024 Asian Senior title. Yergesh was second in the 2022 U23 World Championships. Gulaev was a 2021 European Senior champion and seventh in the 2023 Senior Worlds.

One of the largest weight classes in the tournament, there are numerous Senior continental medalists in the draw, including two-time African champion Chems Fetairia of Algeria. Other wrestlers who have won Senior continental medals include Khidir Saipudinov of Bahrain, Shane Jones of Puerto Rico, Alans Amirovs of Latvia, Suldkhuu Olonbayar of Mongolia and Ahmad Magomedov of North Macedonia. 2023 Pan American Games bronze medalist Adam Thomson of Canada, two-time European fifth-place finisher Murad Kuramagomedov of Hungary and 2024 Asian U23 champion Nan Cao of China are others to watch.

79 kg preliminary entries

Inalbek SHERIEV (AIN)

Orges LILA (ALB)

Chems FETAIRIA (ALG)

Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)

Orkhan ABASOV (AZE)

Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN)

Mihail GEORGIEV (BUL)

Adam THOMSON (CAN)

Nan CAO (CHN)

Andy MUKENDI (COD)

Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA)

Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)

Lucas KAHNT (GER)

Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)

Parvinder SINGH (IND)

Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)

RAFFAELE MATRULLO (ITA)

Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN)

Daulet YERGESH (KAZ)

Alans AMIROVS (LAT)

Traian CAPATINA (MDA)

Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)

Ahmad MAGOMEDOV (MKD)

Andrzej SOKALSKI (POL)

Shane JONES (PUR)

Zurab KAPRAEV (ROU)

Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)

Magomet EVLOEV (TJK)

Ahmet YAGAN (TUR)

Valentyn BABII (UKR)

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)

Mirzo KHAYITOV (UZB)

Men’s Freestyle 92 kg

With a pair of Olympic champions in the field, this weight class will be dynamic. Two-time Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev, an Individual Neutral Athlete from Russia, and 2020 Olympic champion David Taylor of the United States, have grabbed the headlines in Albania. Sadulaev, who was declared not eligible for the 2024 Olympics by the IOC, won Olympic gold in Rio de Janiero and Tokyo, and also has five Senior World titles. Taylor, who has three Senior World titles to go with his Tokyo gold, moved up in weight from 86 kg. Sadulaev drops down from 97 kg, but started his career at 86 kg. This could be Taylor’s last event, the new head coach at Oklahoma State, and he would like to finish up with a gold.

Many expect Kamran Ghasempour of Iran, the 2022 World champion at 92 kg, to make a serious run at the title. Ghasempour has won two Asian Senior titles and two U23 World titles and is proven at this weight class. Two other past Senior World medalists also are aiming for the finals, Batyrbek Tsakulov of Slovakia and Miriana Maisuradze of Georgia. Tsakulov won a World silver medal in 2022 for Slovakia, but was a 2020 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion and 2019 U23 World silver medalist for Russia. Maisuradze, a 2022 World bronze medalist, boasts three European Senior bronze medals, and won a 2016 U17 World title.

Five past age-group World medalists are expected to be contenders, Lars Schaefle of Germany, Takashi Ishiguro of Japan, Ivars Samusonoks of Latvia, Ivan Ichizli of Moldova and Gankhyuag Ganbaatar of Mongolia. Ishiguro and Ganbaatar are past Asian Senior medalists. Samusonoks was fifth in the 2021 and 2022 Senior European Championships. There are two U.S. collegians who compete for other nations in the draw, Matthew Finesilver of Israel, who wrestled for Duke and Michigan, and Benjamin Honis of Italy, who competed for Cornell. Both Finesilver and Honis placed fifth at the 2023 European Senior Championships.

A pair of 2020 Olympians will also compete in Albania, Zushen Lin of China and Egzon Shala of Kosovo. Shala reached a Senior World medal match when he was fifth at the 2019 World Championships. Ilia Archaia of Ukraine was fifth at the 2023 European Championships, while Akhmed Magamaev of Bulgaria was fifth at the 2020 European Championships. Others to watch are three-time Asian age-group medalist Nurdaulet Bekenov of Kazakhstan and Bekir Talip Ovec of Turkey, who was fifth at the 2022 U20 World Championships.  

92 kg preliminary entries

Yaraslau IADKOUSKI (AIN)

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN)

Marjus MALKO (ALB)

Igor SARKISIAN (ARM)

Aslan ABAKAROV (AZE)

Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL)

Andrew JOHNSON (CAN)

Zushen LIN (CHN)

Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)

Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)

Balazs JUHASZ (HUN)

Sandeep MANN (IND)

Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI)

Matthew FINESILVER (ISR)

Benjamin HONIS (ITA)

Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN)

Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ)

Egzon SHALA (KOS)

Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)

Domantas PAULIUSCENKO (LTU)

Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)

Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)

Dejan MITROV (MKD)

Filip ROGUT (POL)

Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)

Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)

Bekir Talip OVEC (TUR)

Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)

David TAYLOR (USA)

2024 Senior World Championships

At Tirana, Albania, October 28-31

(local time. Tirana is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)

Monday, October 28

10:30 a.m. - Qualification Rounds (Greco-Roman 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg and 82 kg)

6 p.m. - Semifinals (Greco-Roman 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg and 82 kg)

Tuesday, October 29

10:30 a.m. - Repechage (Greco-Roman 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg and 82 kg) and Qualification Rounds (Women's freestyle 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg and 72 kg)

4:45 p.m. - Semifinals (Women's freestyle 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg and 72 kg)

6 p.m. - Finals (Greco-Roman 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg and 82 kg)

Wednesday, October 30

10:30 a.m. - Repechage (Women's freestyle 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg and 72 kg) and Qualification Rounds (Men's freestyle 61 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg and 92 kg)

4:45 p.m. - Semifinals (Men's freestyle 61 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg and 92 kg)

6 p.m. - Finals (Women's freestyle 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg and 72 kg)

Thursday, October 31

4 p.m. - Repechage (Men's freestyle 61 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg and 92 kg)

6 p.m. - Finals (Men's freestyle 61 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg and 92 kg)

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