USA wins U17 Worlds men’s freestyle team title; James, Sanchez, Bassett earn gold; Hodgins bronze

ATHENS, Greece — The 2025 U17 World Championships wrapped on Sunday evening at Ano Liosia Olympic Hall with the United States winning the men’s freestyle team title in dramatic fashion by adding three more gold medals, plus a bronze, to claim this year’s championship trophy.

Going into the final session, the U.S. needed to win every match to give themselves an opportunity at the team title. They did just that, with three athletes claiming gold medals on the day— Keegan Bassett at 45 kg, Samuel Sanchez at 51 kg, and Jayden James at 71 kg. The group also added a bronze medal at 92 kg from Tanner Hodgins.

Bassett capped off a brilliant tournament with a statement win in the finals, pinning Parsa Tahmasbi of Iran to become a U17 World champion. Bassett struck first with a clean go-behind and immediately transitioned to get an exposure, jumping out to a 4-0 lead. Moments later, he capitalized on an opening, drove Tahmasbi to his back, and secured the fall, bringing home Team USA’s second gold of the tournament in dominant fashion.

Defending champion Sanchez took a high-stakes final, defeating fellow returning U17 World champion Ulugbek Rashidov from Uzbekistan, 5-2. Sanchez struck first after Rashidov was placed on the activity clock, taking a 1-0 lead into the break. Toward the end of the first, officials awarded a takedown to Uzbekistan, but Team USA successfully challenged the call to maintain the lead. With one minute to go, Sanchez was put on the clock, and he responded in clutch fashion, finishing a takedown on the edge to make it 3-0.  In the end, it was Sanchez victories with a 5-2 win to claim his second straight U17 World title.

James delivered a commanding performance to defeat Arsham Mostafa of Iran, 9-2, and become Team USA’s fourth U17 World Champion in men’s freestyle. He went up 2-0 by earning a passivity point and a step out.  James followed with a clean takedown to extend the lead to 4-0 at the break. In the second period, James used a strong left-side underhook to run the corner and hook a leg for another takedown. He tacked on another takedown to seal the dominant, 9-2, victory—and with it, the U17 World crown.

Hodgins came through in a big way for Team USA, winning three straight matches to earn a bronze medal. He capped off his run with a dominant 10-0 technical fall over Elguja Lomidze of Georgia. Hodgins’ performance not only added to the U.S. medal count but proved pivotal in the team race. Without his comeback and podium finish, Team USA would not have secured the team trophy. His grit and determination under pressure helped seal the championship.

Other men’s freestyle athletes that stood on the podium in Greece were gold medalist Ariah Mills at 48 kg, silver medalist Arseni Kikiniou at 65 kg and bronze medalist Grey Burnett at 60 kg, all contributing significant points towards the team title.

Updated brackets and match-by-match results are available on UWW Arena. Archived matches from the event are available for the U.S. market at FloWrestling.com.

1. United States, 154

2. Iran, 150

3. Kazakhstan, 91

4. Azerbaijan, 90

5. Japan, 79

6. Uzbekistan, 79

7. India, 59

8. Kyrgyzstan, 56

9. Ukraine, 49

10. Georgia, 38

Gold – Keegan Bassett (United States)

Silver – Parsa Hossein Tahmasbi (Iran)

Bronze – Ibragim Veliullov (UWW)

Bronze – Mirjalol Mukammilov (Uzbekistan)

5^th – Bakdaulet Agabek (Kazakhstan)

5^th – Arnur Nursaidov (Kyrgyzstan)

7^th – Riku Furusawa (Japan)

8^th – Volodymyr Yatel (Ukraine)

9^th – Saba Mindiashvili (Georgia)

10^th – Tamir Shirmamedov (Israel)

Gold – Keegan Bassett (United States) fall Parsa Hossein Tahmasbi (Iran), 1:42

Bronze – Ibragim Veliullov (UWW) dec. Bakdaulet Agabek (Kazakhstan), 9-2

Bronze – Mirjalol Mukammilov (Uzbekistan) dec. Arnur Nursaidov (Kyrgyzstan), 4-4

Gold – Samuel Sanchez (United States)

Silver – Ulugbek Rashidov (Uzbekistan)

Bronze – Danael Abdykassym (Kazakhstan)

Bronze – Dzhamal Bakaev (UWW)

5^th – Temuri Tutarashvili (Georgia)

5^th – Haruku Shiina (Japan)

7^th – Cruz Little (Puerto Rico)

8^th – Sadyr Kaiypbekov (Kyrgyzstan)

9^th – Bugra Kavak (Turkey)

10^th – Xiyi Liang (China)

Gold – Samuel Sanchez (United States) dec. Ulugbek Rashidov (Uzbekistan), 5-2

Bronze – Danael Abdykassym (Kazakhstan) dec. Temuri Tutarashvili (Georgia), 9-4

Bronze – Dzhamal Bakaev (UWW) dec. Haruku Shiina (Japan), 12-5

Gold – Sitender (India)

Silver – Rihito Hiura (Japan)

Bronze – Bekassyl Assambek (Kazakhstan)

Bronze – Hasan Hasanov (Azerbaijan)

5^th – Arian Mehralizadeh (Iran)

5^th – Nathan Nash (Canada)

7^th – Zorab Aloiev (Ukraine)

8^th – Yahor Daroshka (UWW)

9^th – Ulukman Zhekshenkulov (Kyrgyzstan)

10^th – Stefan Puscas (Romania)

Gold – Sitender (India) dec. Rihito Hiura (Japan), 9-4

Bronze – Bekassyl Assambek (Kazakhstan) dec. Arian Mehralizadeh (Iran), 9-0

Bronze – Hasan Hasanov (Azerbaijan) dec. Nathan Nash (Canada), 5-4

Gold – Jayden James (United States)

Silver – Arsham Vahabian Kandbon (Iran)

Bronze – Yeghishe Mosesyan (Armenia)

Bronze – Ayubjon Bozorzoda (Tajikistan)

5^th – Farrukhbek Jumanazarov (Uzbekistan)

5^th – Jason Keil (Germany)

7^th – Omer Gul (Turkey)

8^th – Ali Esenov (Turkmenistan)

9^th – Artsiom Bolsun (UWW)

10^th – Rashad Veysalov (Azerbaijan)

Gold – Jayden James (United States) dec. Arsham Vahabian Kandbon (Iran), 9-2

Bronze – Yeghishe Mosesyan (Armenia) dec. Farrukhbek Jumanazarov (Uzbekistan), 7-6

Bronze – Ayubjon Bozorzoda (Tajikistan) dec. Jason Keil (Germany), 6-0

Gold – David Dzebisov (UWW)

Silver – Amirali Abas Alizadeh (Iran)

Bronze – Said Pashayev (Azerbaijan)

Bronze – Tanner Hodgins (United States)

5^th – Beibarys Yergali (Kazakhstan)

5^th – Elguja Lomidze (Georgia)

7^th – Said Riza (Turkey)

8^th – Magor Lorincz (Romania)

9^th – Eugen Dohoter (Moldova)

10^th – Avet Engoian (Armenia)

Gold – David Dzebisov (UWW) dec. Amirali Abas Alizadeh (Iran), 4-2

Bronze – Said Pashayev (Azerbaijan) dec. Beibarys Yergali (Kazakhstan), 5-3

Bronze – Tanner Hodgins (United States) tech. fall Elguja Lomidze (Georgia), 10-0

WIN Shivam (India), 8-5

WIN Bakdaulet Agabek (Kazakhstan), tech. fall, 15-4

WIN Ibragim Veliullov (UWW), 6-2

WIN Parsa Hossein Tahmasbi (Iran), fall, 1:42

WIN Georgi Spasov (Bulgaria), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Bugra Kavak (Turkey), tech. fall, 13-2

WIN Temuri Tutarashvili (Georgia), tech. fall, 12-1

WIN Danael Abdykassym (Kazakhstan), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Ulugbek Rashidov (Uzbekistan), 5-2

LOSS Bekassyl Assambek (Kazakhstan), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Koba Goguadze (Georgia), tech. fall, 12-2

WIN Rashad Veysalov (Azerbaijan), tech. fall, 13-2

WIN Farrukhbek Jumanazarov (Uzbekistan), 6-0

WIN Yeghishe Mosesyan (Armenia), fall, 3:38

WIN Arsham Vahabian Kandbon (Iran), 9-2

LOSS Amirali Alizadeh (Iran), 11-4

WIN Saruul Erdenetsogt (Mongolia), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Said Riza (Turkey), 8-2

WIN Elguja Lomidze (Georgia), tech. fall, 10-0