Melelashvili clinches Greco-Roman gold, six other U.S. wrestlers power into Senior Pan American finals

MONTERREY, Mexico – Beka Melelashvili (82 kg) clinched a Greco-Roman gold medal, and the United States pushed five other wrestlers into gold-medal matches tonight at the 2025 Senior Pan American Championships on Thursday morning.

The competition began today with eight Greco-Roman weight classes. The USA brought its entire 2025 Senior World Team to compete here, which was determined at the CLAW U.S. Open in April.

Melelashvili won his two matches in a three-athlete round robin, which clinches himself the gold medal. The final match of the round robin will determine the silver and bronze medalists in the weight class.

Melelashvili opened with a strong 6-1 decision over Diego Macias Torres of Mexico. In his second bout, Melelashvili got the offense rolling in an 8-0 technical fall over David Choc Huoc of Guatemala. Melelashvili, a 2024 U23 World silver medalist, has made his first U.S. Senior World Team this year.

In addition to Melelashvili’s victories, Team USA had a fantastic start at the 2025 Senior Pan American Championships, powering six other wrestlers into Thursday’s gold-medal finals.  Going for the gold medal will be Jayden Raney (55 kg), Max Black (60 kg), Ellis Coleman (63 kg), Kamal Bey (77 kg), Payton Jacobson (87 kg) and Cohlton Schultz (130 kg).

The key move in Black’s 3-1 semifinals win over Yonaiker Martinez Cravo of Venezuela was a second-period turn. He will battle Alexis Rodriguez Hernandez of Mexico in the finals.

Coleman finished his semifinals match with a headlock for a pin with three seconds left in the first period to defeat Matias Munoz Ramirez. He draws Jeremy Peralta Gonzalez of Ecuador in the finals.

Bey trailed 2-0 in his semifinals match against Calebe Correa Ferreira of Brazil, then reeled off 11 straight points, including a four-point throw to end it at 11-2. His finals opponent is World champion and Olympic medalist Arsen Julfalakyan of Argentina, who was a star for Armenia earlier in his carrer.

Jacobson lost his first Group match against 2019 Pan American Games champion Luis Avendano Rojas of Venezuela, 7-5, then powered back with three straight wins to earn a rematch with Avendano in the finals. His 8-0 technical fall over Ariel Alfonso Rodriguez of Honduras gives him a chance to avenge the loss.

Schultz pinned his first two opponents, both in the first period, to reach the finals against a well-known opponent, four-time Senior World medalist Oscar Pino Hinds of Cuba.

Raney did not wrestle in the first session, as his weight has only two entries. He will battle 2025 Pan American U23 champion Isaac Marin Mata of Mexico in the finals.

One USA athlete was eliminated today, Alston Nutter at 67 kg. Nutter lost his first match to two-time Pan American champion Andres Montano Arroyo of Ecuador, 6-1 and was not eligible for repechage when Montano lost his next bout.

The session resumes at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time, with the Opening Ceremonies scheduled for 4:30 p.m. MT

All of the action will be broadcast live on FloWrestling. https://flosports.link/4fv90qt

SENIOR PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Monterrey, Mexico, May 8-11

Greco-Roman finals pairings

55 kg: Jayden Raney (USA) vs. Isaac Marin Mata (Mexico)

60 kg - Max Black (USA) vs. Alexis Rodriguez Hernandez (Mexico)

63 kg - Ellis Coleman (USA) vs. Jeremy Peralta Gonzalez (Ecuador)

67 kg - Luis Orta Sanchez (Cuba) dec. Nestor Almanza Truyo (Chile)

77 kg - Kamal Bey (USA) vs. Arsen Julfalakyan (Argentina)

87 kg - Payton Jacobson (USA) vs. Luis Avendano Rojas (Venezuela)

130 kg - Oscar Pino Hinds (Cuba) vs. Cohlton Schultz (USA)

Final round robin match for silver/bronze medal

82 kg - Diego Macias Torres (Mexico) vs. David Choc Huoc (Guatemala)

Note: Beka Melelashvili (USA) has clinched the gold medal at 82 kg

Greco-Roman semifinal results

60 kg

Max Black (USA) dec. Yonaiker Martinez Cravo (Venezuela), 3-1

Alexis Rodriguez Hernandez (Mexico) dec. Pedro Souza Rodrigues (Brazil), 4-2

63 kg

Ellis Coleman (USA) pin Matias Munoz Ramirez (Chile), 2:57

Jeremy Peralta Gonzalez (Ecuador) tech fall Hector Sanchez Zapata (Mexico), 11-0

67 kg

Luis Orta Sanchez (Cuba) tech fall Osvaldo Yanez Silva (Mexico), 9-0

Nestor Almanza Truyo (Chile) dec. Andres Montano Arroyo (Ecuador), 7-1

77 kg

Kamal Bey (USA) tech fall Calebe Correa Ferreira (Brazil), 11-2

Arsen Julfalakyan (Argentina) tech fall Leomar Cordero DePool (Venezuela), 9-0

87 kg

Payton Jacobson (USA) tech fall Ariel Alfonso Rodriguez (Honduras), 8-0

Luis Avendano Rojas (Venezuela) dec. Jose Vargas Rueda (Mexico), 6-1

130 kg

Oscar Pino Hinds (Cuba) tech fall Eduard Soghomonyan (Brazil), 8-0

Cohlton Schultz (USA) pin Gino Avila Dilbert (Honduras), 1:19

U.S. Greco-Roman performances

55 kg: Jayden Raney, Sturgis, Kentucky (New York AC), in gold-medal finals

Vs. Isaac Marin Mata (Mexico) – 2025 Pan American U23 champion

60 kg: Max Black, Castle Rock, Colo. (New York AC/NMU-NTS), in gold medal finals

WIN Pedro DeSouza Rodrigues (Brazil), tech fall 8-0

WIN Andres Gonzalez Andrade (Panama), tech fall 15-4

WIN Yonaiker Martinez Cravo (Venezuela), 3-1

Gold Medal – Vs. Alexis Rodriguez Hernandez (Mexico)

63 kg: Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP), in gold-medal finals

WIN Hector Sanchez Zapata (Mexico), 7-1

WIN Lisandro Cabrera Ortiz (Paraguay), forfeit

WIN Matias Munoz Ramirez (Chile), pin 2:57

Gold Medal - Jeremy Peralta Gonzalez (Ecuador)

67 kg: Alston Nutter, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP), eliminated

LOSS Andres Montano Arroyo (Ecuador), 6-1

77 kg: Kamal Bey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP), in gold medal finals

WIN Ryan Cubas Castillo (Peru), tech fall 9-0

WIN Calebe Correa Ferreira (Brazil), tech fall 11-2

Gold Medal – vs. Arsen Julfalakyan (Argentina)

82 kg: Beka Melelashvili, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), clinched gold medal

WIN Diego Macias Torres (Mexico), 6-1

WIN David Choc Huoc (Guatemala), tech fall, 8-0

87 kg: Payton Jacobson, Elkhorn, Wis. (New York AC/NMU-NTS), in gold medal finals

LOSS Luis Avendano Rojas (Venezuela), 7-5

WIN Carlos Espinoza Castro (Peru), tech fall, 8-0

WIN Sosruko Kodzokov (Brazil), 5-3

WIN Ariel Alfonso Rodriguez (Honduras), tech fall 8-0

Gold Medal – Vs. Luis Avendano Rojas (Venezuela)

130 kg: Cohlton Schultz, Tempe, Ariz. (Atreus WC), in gold medal finals

WIN Leonidas Manzaba Quinonez (Eduador), pin 1:45

WIN Gino Avila Dilbert (Honduras), pin 1:19

Gold Medal – Vs. Oscar Pino Hinds (Cuba)