Mitchell Mesenbrink scores a takedown at the 2023 U20 World Championships in Amman, Jordan.

Mitchell Mesenbrink scores a takedown at the 2023 U20 World Championships in Amman, Jordan.

2024 U23 + Senior WorldsUSAWInternationalCollege

Match Notes: U23 World Championships Day Five

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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling

The 2024 U23 World Championships continue on Friday from Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana, Albania. The morning session features women's group two (53-57-62-65-72 kg) repechage and the qualification rounds for men's freestyle group one (61-74-86-92-125 kg). The evening session will wrestle the men's freestyle group one semifinals followed by the women's freestyle group two medal matches. Updates and results from each Team USA match can be found below.


Brackets: UWW Arena

Live Stream: FloWrestling


Friday, October 25

10: 30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (MFS 61-74-86-92-125 kg), Repechage (WFS 53-57-62-65-72 kg)

4:45 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 61-74-86-92-125 kg)

6 p.m. – Medal matches (WFS 53-57-62-65-72 kg)


* All times listed local to Tirana, Albania (GMT+2), which is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time.

U.S. Men’s Freestyle Results (Group One)

61 kg – Nic Bouzakis (Dallas, Pennsylvania/Ohio RTC), awaiting repechage

LOSS Levik Mikayelyan (Armenia), 10-3


74 kg – Mitchell Mesenbrink (Hartland, Wis./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC), repechage

WIN Murat Dzhakupov (Kazakhstan), 7-2

LOSS Kota Takahashi (Japan), 11-8

VS Ali Rezaeiaghouzgeleh (Iran) or Bradley Fulmer (Austria)


86 kg – John Gunderson (Baraboo, Wis./Panther WC-RTC), repechage

WIN Emre Ciftci (Turkey), 11-11

LOSS Arslan Bagaev (Individual Neutral Athlete), tech. fall, 11-0

VS Miko Elkala (Finland)


92 kg – Jacob Cardenas (Kearny, N.J./Cliff Keen WC), gold medal match

WIN Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov (Individual Neutral Athlete), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Filip Szucki (Poland), 5-1

WIN Andro Margishvili (Georgia), fall, 5:12

WIN Musza Arsunkaev (Hungary), 5-2

VS Amirhossein Firouzpourbandpei (Iran)


125 kg – Lucas Stoddard (Chardon, Ohio/West Point WC), bronze medal match

WIN Nicolae Stratulat (Moldova), 8-1

WIN Pavel Dziatlau (Individual Neutral Athlete), 1-1

LOSS Amirreza Masoumi Valadi (Iran), tech. fall, 10-0

VS Kumar Anirudh (India) or Abdulla Kurbanov (Individual Neutral Athlete)

U.S. Women’s Freestyle Results (Group Two)

53 kg – Elena Ivaldi (Rocklin, Calif.), 8th place

WIN Yusmy Chaparro Urrego (Colombia), 8-8

LOSS Otgontuya Chinbold (Mongolia), 10-8


57 kg – Sofia Macaluso (Otisville, N.Y./West Point WC), 5th place

WIN Bertha Rojas Chavez (Mexico), 11-9

WIN Anastasia Kozlova (Individual Neutral Athlete), 4-1

LOSS Zhala Aliyeva (Azerbaijan), fall, 2:04

LOSS Alina Filipovych (Ukraine), 8-4


62 kg – Macey Kilty (Stratford, Wis./Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC), silver medal

WIN Tynys Dubek (Kazakhstan), fall, 2:33

WIN Esther Kolawole (Nigeria), fall, 5:30

WIN Astrid Montero Chirinos (Venezuela), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Viktoria Vesso (Estonia), tech. fall, 12-2

LOSS Iryna Bondar (Ukraine), 12-3


65 kg – Adaugo Nwachukwu (Fountain, Colo./Army WCAP), 12th place

LOSS Kateryna Zelenykh (Romania), 5-5


72 kg – Kylie Welker (Franksville, Wis./Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC), gold medal

WIN Anastassiya Panassovich (Kazakhstan), tech. fall, 11-0

WIN Haticenur Sari (Turkey), tech. fall 10-0

WIN Anastasiya Alpyeyeva (Ukraine), 3-1

WIN Vianne Rouleau (Canada), fall, 1:12

72 kg Gold Medal Match– Kylie Welker (United States) fall Vianne Rouleau (Canada), 1:12

Welker drives an underhook off the mat for a step out point in the first 10 seconds of the match. She gets right back to it with a single leg takedown to go up 3-0 in the first 30 seconds. Welker goes snapdown go-behind right into a nearside cradle. She powers the cradle up and works to collect the fall in 1:12.


62 kg Gold Medal Match– Iryna Bondar (Ukraine) dec. Macey Kilty (United States), 12-3

Kilty works a two-on-one down to a single leg, she gets stuffed and countered into a trapped arm turn by Bodnar who takes the early 4-0 lead. Kilty goes low level again and converts it to the crackdown position that has worked well for her this tournament. She hops over and gets the two as time expires in the first. Ukraine is challenging that time was out before the takedown occurred and loses. Kilty trails 4-3 going into the second period. A go-behind takedown into a turn for Bodnar pushes the lead up to 8-3 with 2:09 to go in the match. Bondar pushes Kilty out from her shot attempt and scores a step out to go up 9-3. The U.S. corner is challenging the call that Bondar pulled Kilty’s hair. The step out is reversed and called a straight push bringing the score down to 8-3. The jury missed what the corner was challenging but it works out for Kilty in this case. Kilty goes for the same head outside single she has been attempting all match and gets taken down a third time with a gutwrench added to go down 12-3 late. Kilty fights on a single leg to no points as time expires and she finishes with the silver medal.


57 kg Bronze Medal Match – Alina Filipovych (Ukraine) dec. Sofia Macaluso (United States), 8-4

Misdirection single for Macaluso, she gets rolled through but comes out on top with exposure points. The score is 2-2 at the 4:38 mark of the first period. Filipovych counters a Macaluso single leg attempt with head in the hole defense for a score and takes a 4-2 lead. Low level single leg for Macaluso, Filipovych dives for the ankle and rolls, exposing herself, Macaluso exposes as well. The sequence is called two for Filipovych only and the U.S. corner challenges the call. The challenge is won, and the call is reversed to a 2-2 exchange, making the score 6-4 going into the second period. There is lots of back-and-forth in first half of the second period but no points in either direction. Filipovych gets a go-behind takedown from Macaluso’s shot attempt at the end of the period and rides it out on top for an 8-4 win.


125 kg SF – Amirreza Masoumi Valadi (Iran) tech. fall Lucas Stoddard (United States), 10-0

Masoumi Valadi drives an underhook to the edge and Stoddard hits hand out of bounds while trying to counter to give up the step out point. Single leg with a big backside trip for Masoumi Valadi to take a 3-0 lead. Masoumi Valadi goes left side underhook, drops down to a single leg and trips the back leg for another takedown going out of bounds. Masoumi Valadi shots to his high-c, lifts and rolls through from the feet for four to go up 9-0. The period ends 9-0 for Masoumi Valadi. To open the second period, Masoumi Valadi drives a single leg off the mat to finish the match, 10-0.


92 kg SF – Jacob Cardenas (United States) dec. Musza Arsunkaev (Hungary), 5-2

Arsunkaev is put on the shot clock at the 4:09 mark in the first period of a scoreless contest. The shot clock expires, and Cardenas takes a 1-0 lead. The score holds until the break. It was a pretty uneventful first period. To open the second period scoring, Cardenas takes a shot and gets thrown by with an underhook for a takedown. Down 2-1, Cardenas stays busy, pressing the action and finds a way to a double leg, which Arsunkaev unsuccessfully tries to counter, to the back for four points. Cardenas takes a 5-2 lead and keeps it for the remainder of the match.

Session One Match Notes

125 QF – Lucas Stoddard (United States) dec. Pavel Dziatlau (Individual Neutral Athlete), 1-1

Stoddard getting to his underhooks consistently early on. Stoddard drives a knee pick out of bounds while Dziatlau is on the shot clock. The sequence is called four for Stoddard, which is confirmed after the officials convene. Dziatlau is challenging the call. In a stunner, they reverse the call to a step out for Dziatlau and Stoddard now trails 1-0. Additionally, Stoddard loses the shot clock opportunity with Dziatlau being awarded a point. Dziatlau gets in on a single leg, to the crackdown position, and Stoddard is able to fend it off. The period ends 1-0 for Dziatlau. Stoddard somehow holds off a deep single leg by Dziatlau to open the second period. Impressive flexibility for the big man. A high-level single leg for Stoddard hits, and he runs it out of bounds to take the lead, 1-1, with 1:48 to go. Stoddard holds off another deep single leg attempt and is looking solid late. He hangs on to win, 1-1.


74 kg QF – Kota Takahashi (Japan) dec. Mitchell Mesenbrink (United States), 11-8

A shot attempt for Takahashi lands true in the first 30 seconds. He adds a gutwrench to take the early 4-0 lead over Mesenbrink. Mesenbrink goes to his high-c, crackdown position, switches off to a double leg and gets around behind for a score. Mesenbrink is in on a low single, swings outside for the finish. Takahashi appears to have hurt his knee on the exchange. No points were award for what was going to be a clear Mesenbrink takedown. Takahashi is visibly fleeing the hold, but they call Mesenbrink for a headbutt caution instead, making the score 5-2. Immediately, Takahashi comes back with a takedown off the whistle to make it 7-2 with 28 seconds left in the period. Mesenbrink back to that left-side single leg and he converts at the end the period. Takahashi takes a 7-4 lead to the break. Takahashi opens the scoring in the second period to take a 9-4 lead after a great scramble sequence. Mesenbrink returns to the left-side single leg, gets stuck underneath and is called back to the feet. A deep outside single leg for Takahashi, Mesenbrink counters with nice pressure to avoid giving up points. Mesenbrink pushes in too hard and gets passed by for another takedown. It’s 11-4 with 41 seconds left in the match. Mesenbrink able to go-behind and secure one turn with a leg lace but can’t complete to comeback. He falls to Takahashi, 11-8. Takahashi is literally being carried off the mat by his coach.


92 kg QF – Jacob Cardenas (United States) fall Andro Margishvili (Georgia), 5:12

Cardenas shoots underneath and gets popped through by Margishvili for two. He comes out on top for a 2-1 exchange. Cardenas drives a single leg far out of bounds onto the next mat. It’s called a step out plus a caution for fleeing against Margishvili to give Cardenas a 3-2 lead going into the break. A knee pull single lands for Cardenas off the whistle, and he drives it to a step out, 4-2. Cardenas finishes the job with a double leg to the back. He secures the fall with 48 seconds left in the match.


125 kg R16 – Lucas Stoddard (United States) dec. Nicolae Stratulat (Moldova), 8-1

Stratulat is put on the shot clock at the 4:18 mark in the first period. We have not had any shot attempts so far in the match. Stoddard drives an underhook out of bounds to get on the board and the shot clock expires to make it 2-0. Stoddard getting physical now, takes a 3-0 lead with another step out. He quickly adds another step out. Stoddard gets a little too aggressive as he goes for a third step out and is forced out of bounds himself. It’s 4-1 at the break. Stoddard forces a front headlock, tries to toss it over the top and misses. He rebounds nicely by throwing an underhook by for two. Stoddard takes a 6-1 lead with 2:08 to go. Counterattack off a Stratulat shot attempt gives Stoddard an 8-1 lead, which he will ride to the end of the match.


74 kg R16 – Mitchell Mesenbrink (United States) dec. Murat Dzhakupov (Kazakhstan), 7-2

No points after one minute. Mesenbrink has been pushing the pace per usual. Dzhakupov put on the shot clock at the 4:26 mark in the first period. The shot clock expires and it’s 1-0 Mesenbrink early. There has been lots of back and forth, good action in this match. Mesenbrink nearly has a go-behind, but Dzhakupov slips out of it. Mesenbrink converts on a go-behind this time for two, then Dzhakupov is able to reverse it with exposure as time goes out in the first period. The scoreboard reads 3-2 Mesenbrink and Dzhakupov is challenging the call. The challenge is won and it’s 2-1 Dzhakupov to start the second period. Dzhakupov pops under on a double led and nearly gets it. Mesenbrink with some wizardry to get out of that one. Mesenbrink comes back with a go-behind down to an ankle pick finish for his first clean takedown of the match. Mesenbrink counters a deep Dzhakupov trip attempt with more impressive defense to take a 5-2 lead. Mesenbrink adds a go-behind at the buzzer to win it 7-2.


92 kg R16 – Jacob Cardenas (United States) dec. Filip Szucki (Poland), 5-1

Cardenas goes on the clock halfway through the first period in a scoreless match. Cardenas snaps the ties and finishes a double leg going out of bounds at 4:13 to nullify the shot clock and go up 2-0. Cardenas drives a head inside single leg off the mat for a step out point. Cardenas adds another step out point to take a 4-0 lead to the break. Szucki gets on the board with a step out with 51 seconds left in the match. Cardenas comes back off the whistle with a single leg and nearly gets it, Szucki kicks out to avoid the match clincher. Cardenas shoots Szucki off the mat for a step out with 18 seconds left and cruises to a 5-1 decision.


86 kg R16 – Arslan Bagaev (Individual Neutral Athlete) tech. fall John Gunderson (United States), 11-0

Bagaev passes the arm by for an easy takedown. He goes right into a gutwrench sequence for three turns to take an 8-0 lead 57 seconds into the match. Bagaev adds a step out point from ties. Gunderson tries for a lateral drop and gets countered for the finish. The match ends by technical fall, 11-0.


61 kg R32 – Levik Mikayelyan (Armenia) dec. Nic Bouzakis (United States), 10-3

Bouzakis in deep on a couple of single leg attempts in the early stages of the match but is having a hard time finishing his attacks. He keeps trying to finish with a body lock off the single leg and Mikayelyan fends it off time and again. Mikayelyan is put on the shot clock at the 4:20 mark in the first period. Bouzakis takes a 1-0 lead to the break after the shot clock expires and the period runs its course. Mikayelyan comes out with a counter takedown off Bouzakis’ pressure. He adds a turn to open the second period up with a 4-1 lead. A front headlock roll for Bouzakis brings the score closer at 4-3. He tries the front headlock again and gets caught on his back. Mikayelyan adds another exposure to bump his lead to 8-3 with 1:54 left in the match. Mikayelyan gets in deep on another single leg, lifts and finishes it clean. Time runs out on Bouzakis, and he falls, 10-3.


92 kg R32 – Jacob Cardenas (United States) tech. fall Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov (Individual Neutral Athlete), 10-0

A low-level, misdirection single leg converts for Cardenas. He goes right into to a gutwrench sequence to take the early 4-0 lead. That was a real slick takedown-to-turn combo for Cardenas. No more action the rest of the first period. Malachdibirov gets in deep on a low-level single leg, tries to come out the back door, Cardenas falls off the top and counters by snatching the ankle of Malachdibirov to score a takedown. Cardenas ends it with two more gutwrenches. It’s a 10-0 technical fall to start the day for Cardenas.


86 kg R32 – John Gunderson (United States) dec. Emre Ciftci (Turkey), 11-11

A blast double, head in the chest going out of bounds for Gunderson 19 seconds into the match to take a 2-0 lead. Single leg attempt for Ciftci, Gunderson tries to roll it through and gets exposed, Ciftci comes out on top to tie the match, 2-2. A gutwrench converts for Ciftci, Gunderson counters on the roll and creates some action, getting ankle-to-ankle, and it’s blown dead. Ciftci leads Gunderson, 4-2, with 1:13 left in the first period. Ciftci shoots and gets caught underneath, Gunderson throws a chest wrap for two exposure points but gives up the reversal point and a subsequent gutwrench. The score is 7-4 Ciftci with 24 seconds left in the period. We have a short break as it appears Gunderson’s shoulder popped out on the last gutwrench attempt. Gunderson gets fixed up and put back down in par terre on the restart. Gunderson holds off the turn and we head to the break. To open the second period, Gunderson is back in on the legs and drives to a step out making the score 7-5. Ciftci collects a high-c off the whistle and add a gutwrench to make it 11-5 with 1:46 left in the match. Gunderson ties it up, 11-11, with a re-attack single leg into a leg lace combination. Crafty wrestling in the final minute for Gunderson to take the match on criteria, 11-11.


Match 26, Mat A

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