U.S. receives draws for Greco-Roman competition at U20 World Championships in Bulgaria

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria - The classic style of Greco-Roman will close out the U20 World Championships at Arena Samokov in Samokov, Bulgaria and the 10-member U.S. team found out their draws as United World Wrestling released the pairings on Wednesday afternoon.

The squad returns a pair of silver medalists from last year - Isaiah Cortez at 60kg and Otto Black at 67kg. The overall field is stacked with experience as 19 wrestlers are scheduled to compete who have won previous age-group world championships, including four past U20 world champions.

Caleb Noble will make his first U.S. world team appearance at 55kg opposite Nazarii Babinskyi of Ukraine. Babinskyi was fifth at the U20 European championships, while Noble was eighth at the U20 Pan Ams. Two-time U17 world champion Turan Dashdamirov looms potentially in that quarter bracket. Another past U17 world champion, Payam Ahmadi, is on the bottom half of the draw.

Cortez opens up with Bulgaria's Kristian Petrov at 60kg. Petrov is making his first world championship appearance for the host country. India's Suraj, a 2022 U17 world champion at 55kg, is in the top half of the draw with Cortez, while 2024 U17 world champion Aykhan Javadov of Azerbaijan is on the bottom half.

Two-time U20 world teamer Landon Drury will await the winner of the opening round match between Hao Yang of China and Aleks Margaryan of Armenia at 63kg. Drury was fifth at the 2023 U20 championships. Neither Yang or Margaryan have any age-group worlds, but Margaryan did compete at last year's U17 world championships, finishing 9th. Aytjan Khalmakanov of Uzbekistan, a 2022 U17 world champion, is on the opposite side of the bracket.

Black kicks off with Takuku Suzuki of Japan in the first round at 67kg. This is Black's second straight U20 team and his third age-group world team overall. He finished fifth at the 2021 U17 worlds. Suzuki was third at last year's U20 Asian championships. UWW athlete Erzu Zakriev could be Black's second round opponent, should he get past his opener with Romania's Pavel Alexe. Zakriev defeated Black 8-0 in the finals last year.

At 72kg, Joel Adams will make a third straight U20 world championships appearance and a fourth straight age-group world team. Adams, a 2021 U17 world champion, will draw UWW athlete Rabil Askerov in the first round. A potential second-round opponent could be Arionas Kolitsopoulos of Greece, a 2023 U17 world champion. Also on Adams' side of the draw is 2022 U17 world champion and 2023 U20 world silver medalist Gaspar Terteryan of Armenia.

At 77kg, U20 Pan Am champion Leister Bowling IV will await the winner of the bout between vs. Amirshoh Vahobov of Uzbekistan and Azis Atanasov of Bulgaria. Vahobov was a 2024 U20 Asian bronze medalist. That top quarter bracket with Bowling also features Georgia's Anri Putkaradze, a three-time age-group medalist and 2023 U20 world silver medalist. Putkaradze was a 2022 U17 world champion as well. That's not the online landmine in the top half as UWW athlete Kiryl Valeuski is last year's U17 world champion. Down low, another UWW athlete, Zaur Beslekoev is a returning U20 world champion moving up to the weight class.

Arvin Khosravy opens up his 82kg tournament with Kyrgyzstan's Yrisbek Kalyev, a silver medalist at the 2023 U20 Asian championships. Awaiting the winner is Iran's Seyed Azarsheb, a U17 bronze medalist from 2022. A pair of past U17 world champs are also in the mix - UWW athlete Mikhail Shkarin is on the top side of the draw, while Japan's Taizo Yoshida is on the bottom.

At 87kg, Nick Nosler will start his competition with the winner of the bout between Isshin Onitsuka of Japan and Josef Cerny of Czechia. Neither have any world or continental-level credentials. It's also a weight without at least one age-group world champion.

Soren Herzog will face either Vendel Vitai of Hungary or Dimitrios Pappas of Greece at 97kg. Vitai was fifth at this year's U20 European championships. Reigning U20 world champion Yehor Yakushenko of Ukraine is on the top half of the bracket with Herzog, while 2022 U17 world champion and 2023 U20 world silver medalist Gor Ayvazyan of Georgia is down low.

At 130kg, Shilo Jones will draw 2024 U23 world bronze medalist Koppany Laszlo in the first round. Jones won the 2025 U20 Pan Am championships. Three past world champions are in the draw - Georgia's Saba Purtseladze won the 2023 U17 world title and he's on the top side with Jones. Down low, there's 2024 U17 world champion Ivan Yankovskyi and Turkiye's two-time U17 world champion Cemal Bakir.

Those seeking to follow along in real time can reference the event schedule below. Samokov, Bulgaria, is in the GMT +3 time zone, which is seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time. USA Wrestling will provide regular updates on TheMat.com and its social media platforms throughout the event.

The U20 World Championships will be live streamed on FloWrestling.com to the U.S. market. Brackets and updated results will be provided by United World Wrestling on UWW Arena.