Joshua Saunders in action at the 2024 U23 Nationals in Geneva, Ohio.

Joshua Saunders in action at the 2024 U23 Nationals in Geneva, Ohio.

USAWInternationalCollege2024 U23 + Senior Worlds

Match Notes: U23 World Championships Day Six

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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling

The 2024 U23 World Championships continue on Saturday from Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana, Albania. The morning session features men's group one (61-74-86-92-125 kg) repechage and the qualification rounds for men's freestyle group two (57-65-70-79-97 kg). The evening session will wrestle the men's freestyle group two semifinals followed by the group one medal matches. Updates and results from each Team USA match can be found below.


Brackets: UWW Arena

Live Stream: FloWrestling


Saturday, October 26

10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (MFS 57-65-70-79-97 kg), Repechage (MFS 61-74-86-92-125 kg)

4:45 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 57-65-70-79-97 kg)

6 p.m. – Medal matches (MFS 61-74-86-92-125 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 Two)

57 kg – Max Gallagher (Blue Point, N.Y./Pennsylvania RTC), repechage

WIN Daniil Yushkouski (Individual Neutral Athlete), tech. fall, 10-0

LOSS Abdymalik Karachov (Kyrgyzstan), 1-1

VS Qingkan Xie (China)


65 kg – Joshua Saunders (St. Louis, Mo./Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC), eliminated

LOSS Kumar Mohit (India), 9-2


70 kg – John Wiley (Mustang, Okla./Oklahoma RTC), eliminated

WIN Davit Patsinashvili (Georgia), 5-4

LOSS Tigran Ghazaryan (Armenia), 5-3


79 kg – Patrick Kennedy (West Concord, Minn./Hawkeye WC), eliminated

WIN Mukhammad Abdullaev (Kyrgyzstan), tech. fall, 11-0

WIN Umar Mavlaev (Switzerland), fall, 2:49

LOSS Masaki Sato (Japan), 8-6


97 kg – Massoma Endene (Waverly, Iowa/Burg Training Center), repechage

LOSS Mahdi Hajiloueian Morafah (Iran), 10-6

VS Aslan Abakarov (Azerbaijan)

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

61 kg – Nic Bouzakis (Dallas, Pennsylvania/Ohio RTC), 13th place

LOSS Levik Mikayelyan (Armenia), 10-3


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

WIN Murat Dzhakupov (Kazakhstan), 7-2

LOSS Kota Takahashi (Japan), 11-8

WIN Ali Rezaeiaghouzgeleh (Iran), 16-7

WIN Magomedrasul Asluev (Bahrain), 6-0


86 kg – John Gunderson (Baraboo, Wis./Panther WC-RTC), 10th place

WIN Emre Ciftci (Turkey), 11-11

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

WIN Miko Elkala (Finland), 7-5

LOSS Vladimeri Gamkrelidze (Georgia), 5-0


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

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

LOSS Amirhossein Firouzpourbandpei (Iran), 11-4


125 kg – Lucas Stoddard (Chardon, Ohio/West Point WC), 5th place

WIN Nicolae Stratulat (Moldova), 8-1

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

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

LOSS Abdulla Kurbanov (Individual Neutral Athlete), tech. fall, 10-0

Session Two Match Notes

125 kg Bronze Medal Match – Abdulla Kurbanov (Individual Neutral Athlete) tech. fall Lucas Stoddard (United States), 10-0

High level single driven off the mat for Kurbanov to open the scoring 20 seconds into the match, 2-0. A sweep single to the back for Kurbanov and he goes up 6-0. Kurbanov transitions to an arm turk and drives Stoddard over for two exposure points. Head inside single for Kurbanov, Stoddard works for a tilt on the roll through, but it’s called four points for Kurbanov. The U.S. corner is challenging the call. The score is reduced by two, but the technical fall will still stand, 10-0. Stoddard finishes in fifth place.


92 kg Gold Medal Match – Amirhossein Firouzpourbandpei (Iran) dec. Jacob Cardenas (United States), 11-4

Cardenas gets in deep on a low single, Firouzpourbandpei cuts the corner and gets around behind for a takedown just over one minute into the match. Cardenas is put on the shot clock at the 4:16 mark in the first period, trailing 2-0. Cardenas gives up the shot clock point but is able to drive through to a body lock and add a gutwrench to take over the lead, 4-3. Firouzpourbandpei pushes Cardenas out-of-bounds with seven seconds left in the period to tie it up 4-4 going into the break. Double unders to a step out for Firouzpourbandpei 35 seconds into the period to take a 5-4 lead. Firouzpourbandpei back to the underhook and drives Cardenas out again. Underhook to the drop-down single leg for Firouzpourbandpei bumps the lead up to 8-4. Cardenas has nothing for the underhook right now, 1:06 to go. Firouzpourbandpei back to the underhook and drives Cardenas out of bounds, fleeing caution and one called against Cardenas, making the score 10-4. The U.S. corner challenges the call and loses, so it’s 11-4. Cardenas tries to get some offense going late but can’t convert. He will fall 11-4 and bring home the silver medal.


74 kg Bronze Medal Match – Mitchell Mesenbrink (United States) dec. Magomedrasul Asluev (Bahrain), 6-0

Mesenbrink gets deep on his single leg, drives to a step out point in the first 15 seconds to take the early 1-0 lead. Mesenbrink gets back in on his shot, head outside single, and is stuffed for no points. Meskenbrin in deep again on that single leg, Asluev kicks out with 30 seconds to go in the first. Mesenbrink leads 1-0 at the end of one. Mesenbrink back in on the single again, Asluev tries to spin out and grab the ankles, results in a stalemate. Asluev is put on the shot clock with 1:52 to go in the match. Mesenbrink gets to the single leg clean this time, but somehow can’t finish. The defense form Asluev has been unreal so far. The shot clock expires and Mesenbrink goes up 2-0. Mesenbrink drives through a double leg off the mat to collect his first takedown with just over a minute to go, now leading 4-0. He’s back one the single leg, lifts it and lands this time, 6-0. Mesenbrink takes the bronze medal with a 6-0 decision.

Session One Match Notes

57 kg QF – Abdymalik Karachov (Kyrgyzstan) dec. Max Gallagher (United States), 1-1

Karachov put on the shot clock at the 4:28 mark in the first period. The shot clock expires and it’s 1-0 Gallagher. The 1-0 score holds until the break. No real attacks to this point on either side. With 2:26 left in the match, Gallagher goes on the shot clock. The clock expires and it’s 1-1, Karachov leads on criteria. Gallagher finally breaks through the head hands defense of Karachov but gets caught underneath in a front headlock and can’t finish. We get a fresh start with 33 seconds to go. Gallagher can’t break through and will lose on criteria, 1-1.


79 kg QF – Masaki Sato (Japan) dec. Patrick Kennedy (United States), 8-6

A high-c to double leg finish for Sato in the opening seconds to take a 2-0 lead. Kennedy on the board with a front headlock pressure going out of bounds with 40 seconds to go in the period. He adds another point from a step out 17 seconds later to make it 2-2. The mat chairman calls a conference, and the point is taken off the board for Kennedy. The action was called as grounded. Kennedy gets to the body and drives Sato off the mat with one second left in the period. The officials convene again, this time they go caution and one for fleeing against Sato. Sato leads it on criteria at the break, 2-2. Kennedy takes over the lead, 3-2, with a step out point from his front headlock pressure. Once again, in almost in the exact same spot, Kennedy gets the step out, 4-2. Sato gets close to a go-behind off Kennedy’s pressure but doesn’t get it with 1:20 to go. A snapdown, go-behind for Sato with 59 seconds left gives him a 4-4 lead on criteria. Kennedy shoots for a single leg and gets countered with a go-behind. He’s down, 6-4, with 40 seconds to go. Kennedy comes back with a step out with 29 seconds left, now trailing 6-5. Another sequence going out of bounds is called caution and one for fleeing against Sato, which ties the score at 6-6. Kennedy pushes for a takedown in the final seconds and gives up the final score. Sato takes the match, 8-6.


79 kg R16 – Patrick Kennedy (United States) fall Umar Mavlaev (Switzerland), 2:49

Kennedy gets on the board with a step out at the 4:37 mark of the first period. Great forward pressure from Kennedy so far. Five seconds later Mavlaev is put on the shot clock. Heavy hands, snapdown to a step out for Kennedy, and the shot clock expires, to make it 3-0. Kennedy chases down a single leg, limp arms out of an overhook to grab a 5-0 lead. Double unders for Kennedy to a step out, add a caution and one for fleeing, and he’s up 7-0. Double unders forces Mavlaev to his back and Kennedy secured the fall with 11 seconds left in the period. It was 9-0 at the time of the fall.


70 kg R16 – Tigran Ghazaryan (Armenia) dec. John Wiley (United States), 5-3

Ghazaryan is put on the shot clock at the 4:46 mark in the first period. The shot clock expires, and Wiley goes up 1-0. Ghazaryan throws an underhook by, Wiley in quadpod defense, Ghazaryan guts Wiley through and it’s called two. Ghazaryan’s corner is challenging the call, looking for a four-pointer. The challenge is lost, and it’s tied 2-2 at the break with Ghazaryan holding criteria. Wiley drives a front headlock out of bounds and the officials convene to call it one point for Wiley. He goes up 3-2 with 1:31 to go in the match. Wiley is put on the shot clock quickly thereafter. He attempts a front headlock roll and gets countered for a takedown. The shot clock expires and Wiley trails 5-3 late. Wiley can’t find his offense late and Ghazaryan gets the win, 5-3.


57 kg R16 – Max Gallagher (United States) tech. fall Daniil Yushkouski (Individual Neutral Athlete), 10-0

Gallagher shoots left side single and scores to take the early 2-0 lead. A double leg from space from Yushkouski is countered well by Gallagher, and he goes up 4-0. An outside single going right this time connects for Gallagher. He is up 6-0 with 39 to go in the period. The period ends 6-0 for Gallagher. Yushkouski comes out with a fast pace, tries to roll Gallagher through with a front headlock, gets caught on his back and Gallagher emerges with two. Gallagher tacks on a leg lace to finish the match, 10-0.


65 kg R16 – Kumar Mohit (India) dec. Joshua Saunders (United States), 9-2

Mohit in deep on a crackdown position, Saunders cuts the corner and goes crotch lift to get two exposure points. A sweep single for Mohit nearly scores. Saunders has been incredibly stingy with his defense so far. Mohit with a low-level single leg now, lifts it over his head and tries to throw Saunders back, which doesn’t score. The officials give one point to Mohit on a step out at the end of the period when the two appeared to be grounded. Saunders leads 2-1 at the break. Mohit drives an underhook through to the edge, Saunders tries to counter with an overhook and gives up the takedown. Saunders looks a little tired at this point. Mohit has been on the legs most of the match. Saunders takes a shot attempt, and Mohit comes around for another takedown to take a 5-2 lead. Underhook drive to the ankle for Mohit, which looks much easier to finish this time, and he’s up 7-2. Mohit picks the ankles with 20 seconds left to extend the lead. The match ends 9-2 for Mohit.


97 kg R16 – Mahdi Hajiloueian Morafah (Iran) dec. Massoma Endene (United States), 10-6

Endene fends off a single leg, underhook drive attempt from Hajiloueian Morafah nicely in opening sequence. Double from space for Endene goes off the mat and he takes a 1-0 lead. Good fakes lead to a single leg from space to a step out for Endene. Hajiloueian Morafah put on the shot clock with 38 seconds to go in the period. The shot clock expires and Endene takes a 3-0 lead into the break. Endene drives a single leg out of bounds step to go up 4-0. Hajiloueian Morafah comes back with a single leg takedown to cut into the lead, 4-2, with 1:49 left in the match. A double leg to the back for Hajiloueian Morafah scores four and he’s overtaken the lead, 6-4. Hajiloueian Morafah has a lace locked up and gets another set of exposure to make it 8-4. Erdene secures a single leg step out point, plus a fleeing call against Hajiloueian Morafah, to make 8-6. Within striking distance, Erdene goes for a desperation front headlock roll and gives up two at the buzzer. Endene falls, 10-6.


86 kg Repechage – Vladimeri Gamkrelidze (Georgia) dec. John Gunderson (United States), 5-0

Gamkrelidze is on the board first with a step out point early. Gunderson is put on the shot clock at the 4:22 mark in the first period, down 1-0. The shot clock expires and Gunderson trails 2-0. Gamkrelidze adds two step out points to go into the break leading 4-0. Gamkrelidze drives a single leg off the mat for a step out 32 seconds into the period. Blood time for Gamkrelidze with 1:29 to go. No points in the final moments and Gunderson falls, 5-0.


74 kg Repechage – Mitchell Mesenbrink (United States) dec. Ali Rezaeiaghouzgeleh (Iran), 16-7

A go-behind takedown for Rezaeiaghouzgeleh in the first 30 seconds to go up 2-0. Mesenbrink captures his left-side single leg, transitions to the double for a score. It’s 2-2 one minute into the match. Rezaeiaghouzgeleh gets in deep on a single leg, Mesenbrink goes over the top and mucks it up for a fresh start. Mesenbrink gets caught with the underhook and pushed out of bounds to trail, 3-2. Mesenbrink drives to a high-c, gets two points exposure and comes out on top to take the lead 4-3. Another go-behind takedown for Rezaeiaghouzgeleh comes with 13 seconds left in the period and Mesenbrink trails 5-4 going into the break. A double leg from space for Mesenbrink going out of bounds scores a step out. He comes right back with a low-level single leg right into a leg lace to give himself a four-point lead. A nice explosion for Mesenbrink to start the second period. After a lengthy injury break, Rezaeiaghouzgeleh comes back with a takedown to cut into the lead, 9-7. Single leg to crackdown position with exposure for Mesenbrink makes it 11-7. Another low-level single leg converts for Mesenbrink to go up 13-7 with 1:03 left in the match. He’s in on the single leg again and Mesenbrink scores two exposure points from the crackdown position. Iran is challenging the call, likely just to get a rest. The call stands and Mesenbrink gets an additional point. He takes the match, 16-7.


70 kg R32 – John Wiley (United States) dec. Davit Patsinashvili (Georgia), 5-4

Patsinashvili gets put on the shot clock at the 4:22 mark in the first period, scoreless match. Wiley is on the board as the shot clock expires. He’s doing a good job of pressing the action and wrestling through positions. Wiley pressures in trying to get a step out before the buzzer in the first period, gets shrugged by and gives up the takedown to go into the break trailing 2-1. Wiley locks up a tight front headlock and gets a pair of rolls to take over the lead 5-2. Patsinashvili lands a single leg with one minute to go to make it 5-4. Wiley fends off a deep single leg as time runs out and he gets an exciting round one win, 5-4.


79 kg R32 – Patrick Kennedy (United States) tech. fall Mukhammad Abdullaev (Kyrgyzstan), 11-0

Kennedy pressures in with an underhook, Abdullaev goes for a throw to counter, and Kennedy ends up on top for the 2-0 lead. Kennedy gets in deep on an ankle pick but Abdullaev kicks out. Abdullaev is put on the shot clock at the 4:12 mark of the first period. The shot clock expires while Kennedy is scoring a takedown to bump his lead to 5-0. That was a strong first period for Kennedy. Abdullaev gets in deep on a low-level single leg, comes out the back door, Kennedy fights through to reverse the situation and gets the takedown out the back door of his own to go up 7-0. That could be the back break in this match. Kennedy bulls through an underhook going off the mat for another score. Kennedy pushes an arm down to the mat and circles behind to end it by technical fall, 11-0.


86 kg Repechage – John Gunderson (United States) dec. Miko Elkala (Finland), 7-5

Elkala goes on the shot clock at 4:42 of a scoreless contest. The shot clock expires and it’s 1-0 for Gunderson early. Gunderson drives a single leg out of bounds with 29 seconds left in the period to take a 2-0 lead, which stands until the break. A shot clock point goes on the board for Elkala halfway through the second period to make it 2-1. Gunderson counters an Elkala single leg with a barrel roll for two. Elkala comes back with a takedown-to-gutwrench sequence, which Gunderson counters with exposure to make the score 6-5. Elkala is challenging the call, loses, and Gunderson gets a point to go up 7-5 with six seconds left. Gunderson holds on to win it, 7-5.

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