James wins third-straight gold at Veteran Worlds; U.S. scores nine freestyle medals on day two

Oct 8, 2025, 6:33 PM EDT

by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling

Day two medalists for Team USA at the 2025 Veteran World Championships in Tatabanya, Hungary.

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TATABANYA, Hungary – The first gold medal for Team USA at the 2025 Veteran World Championships went to St. Paul native Rudy James, who collected his third-consecutive gold medal in the men’s freestyle Division C 78 kg weight class with a dynamite run on Wednesday at Tatabanya Sport Hall.

James went 5-0 in his bracket with a 57-second pin and a pair of shutout technical falls to his credit. In the championship match, James took a 1-1 criteria win over Anis Gharbi of France in a rematch of the 2023 finals.

Three more Americans reached the gold medal round but came up short of a title—defending champion Patrick Flynn in Division D at 88 kg, 2023 champion George Porter in Division D at 130 kg, James Ferguson in Division C at 70 kg and Alvin Riggs in Division D at 100 kg.

Battling back for bronze medals were Division C entrants Nicholas Hull at 62 kg and Jeremy Black at 88 kg, plus Division D competitors Matthew Becker at 70 kg and Gabriel Beauperthuy at 130 kg.

After two days of wrestling, the U.S. has compiled 15 medals in men’s freestyle with the Division A weight classes yet to go.

Complete results for each American in action, as well as top ten placements and medal match results in each weight class, are listed below.

The tournament continues at 10:30 a.m. local time on Thursday with the men’s freestyle Division A preliminary matches. The day three medal matches are set for 6 p.m. local time. Tatabanya, Hungary, is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time.

A live stream and archived matches from the Veteran World Championships is available to the U.S. market through FloWrestling.com.

Tournament brackets and updated results can be found on UWW Arena.

2025 Veteran World Championships

At Tatabanya, Hungary, October 8

Men’s Freestyle Results

Division C

62 kg

Gold – Naoki Kurio (Japan)

Silver – Alexandr Lyashenko (Kazakhstan)

Bronze – Nicholas Hull (United States)

Bronze – Clinton Kingsbury (Canada)

5^th – Jean Cornil (France)

5^th – Bineger Dzhankezov (UWW)

7^th – Krasimir Kalinov (Bulgaria)

8^th – Khurts Janchiv (Mongolia)

9^th – Laszlo Varga (Hungary)

10^th – Amir Yekpourfard (Sweden)

Gold – Naoki Kurio (Japan) dec. Alexandr Lyashenko (Kazakhstan), 6-0

Bronze – Nicholas Hull (United States) fall Jean Cornil (France), 1:47

Bronze – Clinton Kingsbury (Canada) forfeit Bineger Dzhankezov (UWW)

70 kg

Gold – Seyed Shazadeh Safawi (Germany)

Silver – James Ferguson (United States)

Bronze – Aslan Kaitov (UWW)

Bronze – Uriankhai Lkhagvasuren (Mongolia)

5^th – Sabyrzhan Zholdayev (Kazakhstan)

5^th – Csaba Sipos (Hungary)

7^th – Will Anderson (United States)

8^th – Mirash Pali (Albania)

9^th – Aleksej Abibok (Lithuania)

10^th – Kanat Shonirakov (Kazakhstan)

Gold – Seyed Shazadeh Safawi (Germany) fall James Ferguson (United States), 3:14

Bronze – Aslan Kaitov (UWW) dec. Sabyrzhan Zholdayev (Kazakhstan), 6-1

Bronze – Uriankhai Lkhagvasuren (Mongolia) fall Csaba Sipos (Hungary), 2:22

78 kg

Gold – Rudolph James (United States)

Silver – Anis Gharbi (France)

Bronze – Mukhtar Askhabaliev (UWW)

Bronze – Kairat Yerzhekenov (Kazakhstan)

5^th – Reza Farkhonde (Sweden)

5^th – Miroslav Vojkovic (Slovakia)

7^th – Andreas Kleiousis (Greece)

8^th – Bayarsaikhan Tserendalai (Mongolia)

9^th – Zsolt Bari (Hungary)

10^th – Baktygul Asylbekov (Kyrgyzstan)

Gold – Rudolph James (United States) dec. Anis Gharbi (France), 1-1

Bronze – Mukhtar Askhabaliev (UWW) dec. Reza Farkhonde (Sweden), 14-6

Bronze – Kairat Yerzhekenov (Kazakhstan) tech. fall Miroslav Vojkovic (Slovakia), 10-0

88 kg

Gold – Yessentay Khapar (Kazakhstan)

Silver – Dmitrii Darmodekhin (UWW)

Bronze – Taalaibek Dzhanaev (Kyrgyzstan)

Bronze – Jeremy Black (United States)

5^th – Ochgerel Bodigerel (Mongolia)

5^th – Marat Bulatov (UWW)

7^th – Alexei Gershanov (Israel)

8^th – Serghei Bolgar (Moldova)

9^th – Galizhan Katayev (Kazakhstan)

10^th – Victor Ferrandiz Lagares (Spain)

Gold – Yessentay Khapar (Kazakhstan) dec. Dmitrii Darmodekhin (UWW), 3-0

Bronze – Taalaibek Dzhanaev (Kyrgyzstan) dec. Ochgerel Bodigerel (Mongolia), 4-4

Bronze – Jeremy Black (United States) dec. Marat Bulatov (UWW), 2-2

100 kg

Gold – Adrian Recorean (Romania)

Silver – Pawel Wolinski (Poland)

Bronze – Behzad Abdolvand (Iran)

Bronze – Alireza Farazmand (Netherlands)

5^th – Ali Darakhshanifara (Finland)

5^th – Nazmi Kahveciler (Türkiye)

7^th – Serik Amanshiyev (Kazakhstan)

8^th – Andrei Svetenco (Moldova)

9^th – Narynbek Durbolon Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)

10^th – Hamza Ergut (Türkiye)

Gold – Adrian Recorean (Romania) dec. Pawel Wolinski (Poland), 6-0

Bronze – Behzad Abdolvand (Iran) dec. Ali Darakhshanifara (Finland), 10-1

Bronze – Alireza Farazmand (Netherlands) dec. Nazmi Kahveciler (Türkiye), 9-4

130 kg

Gold – Magomed Umarov (UWW)

Silver – Krisztian Orto (Hungary)

Bronze – Apostolos Stamos (Greece)

Bronze – Altankhuyag Altangerel (Mongolia)

5^th – Hosam Mady (Egypt)

5^th – Christopher Pierce (United States)

7^th – Mathias Vasilik (Germany)

8^th – Seyed Mirvahedi (Iran)

9^th – Anton Fetisov (UWW)

Gold – Magomed Umarov (UWW) tech. fall Krisztian Orto (Hungary), 11-0

Bronze – Apostolos Stamos (Greece) fall Hosam Mady (Egypt), 3:05

Bronze – Altankhuyag Altangerel (Mongolia) fall Christopher Pierce (United States), 3:13

Division D

62 kg

Gold – Gocha Kirkitadze (Georgia)

Silver – Samat Aitkulov (Kazakhstan)

Bronze – Batnasan Tumurbat (Mongolia)

4^th – Rob Prebish (United States)

5^th – Purev Dari (Mongolia)

6^th – Feyzullah Zengin (Türkiye)

7^th – Tamas Demeter (Hungary)

Gold – Gocha Kirkitadze (Georgia) dec. Samat Aitkulov (Kazakhstan), 3-1

Bronze – Batnasan Tumurbat (Mongolia) fall Rob Prebish (United States), 1:47

70 kg

Gold – Semih Ozdemir (Türkiye)

Silver – Stefan Pentschew (Germany)

Bronze – Matthew Becker (United States)

Bronze – Sayat Yesbatyrov (Kazakhstan)

5^th – Franz Vollmer (Germany)

5^th – Shamshe Tlashadze (Georgia)

7^th – Ahmad Ahmadii (Austria)

8^th – Baatar Nyamjav (Mongolia)

9^th – Marc Tadelman (United States)

10^th – Antonino Calandra (Italy)

Gold – Semih Ozdemir (Türkiye) dec. Stefan Pentschew (Germany), 6-5

Bronze – Matthew Becker (United States) tech. fall Franz Vollmer (Germany), 10-0

Bronze – Sayat Yesbatyrov (Kazakhstan) dec. Shamshe Tlashadze (Georgia), 5-0

78 kg

Gold – Falk Schlehahn (Germany)

Silver – Sergei Shaniavskii (UWW)

Bronze – Levon Asatryan (Armenia)

Bronze – Derek Brignell (Canada)

5^th – Gyunay Gunev (Bulgaria)

5^th – Bilal Bilgin (Türkiye)

7^th – Tom Donahue (United States)

8^th – Kuan Kutpanbayev (Kazakhstan)

9^th – Mapsin Mika (Nigeria)

Gold – Falk Schlehahn (Germany) dec. Sergei Shaniavskii (UWW), 4-1

Bronze – Levon Asatryan (Armenia) dec. Gyunay Gunev (Bulgaria), 8-4

Bronze – Derek Brignell (Canada) inj. def. Bilal Bilgin (Türkiye), 1:08

88 kg

Gold – Oleg Lagutin (UWW)

Silver – Patrick Flynn (United States)

Bronze – Ferenc Puksa (Hungary)

Bronze – Owen Dawkins (Canada)

5^th – Askar Klushev (Kazakhstan)

5^th – Kennedy Gilbertson (United States)

7^th – Shamil Esekku (UWW)

8^th – Thomas Ette (Germany)

9^th – Dmitry Eydelman (Israel)

10^th – Battulga Choijamts (Mongolia)

Gold – Oleg Lagutin (UWW) fall Patrick Flynn (United States), 0:55

Bronze – Ferenc Puksa (Hungary) dec. Askar Klushev (Kazakhstan), 6-3

Bronze – Owen Dawkins (Canada) tech. fall Kennedy Gilbertson (United States), 10-0

100 kg

Gold – Chynarbek Izabekov (Kyrgyzstan)

Silver – Alvin Riggs (United States)

Bronze – Mukerrem Kiyi (Türkiye)

Bronze – Aydin Halimoglu (Türkiye)

5^th – Valerian Zabolotnii (Moldova)

5^th – Alexei Roitberg (Israel)

7^th – Nabil Hawsawi (Saudi Arabia)

8^th – Tynys Iinbek (Kazakhstan)

9^th – Mehdi Rezazadeh (Netherlands)

10^th – Giuseppe Agnello (Italy)

Gold – Chynarbek Izabekov (Kyrgyzstan) dec. Alvin Riggs (United States), 6-2

Bronze – Mukerrem Kiyi (Türkiye) dec. Valerian Zabolotnii (Moldova), 3-0

Bronze – Aydin Halimoglu (Türkiye) dec. Alexei Roitberg (Israel), 5-0

130 kg

Gold – Aleksei Nikolaev (UWW)

Silver – George Porter (United States)

Bronze – Mehmet Togal (Türkiye)

Bronze – Gabriel Beauperthuy (United States)

5^th – Bayanmunkh Shura (Mongolia)

5^th – Majid Naghdalipour (Iran)

7^th – Behzad Askarifard (Iran)

8^th – Janos Szlavik (Hungary)

9^th – Ivan Matekovic (Croatia)

10^th – Mendikhan Kosdauletov (Kazakhstan)

Gold – Aleksei Nikolaev (UWW) dec. George Porter (United States), 4-1

Bronze – Mehmet Togal (Türkiye) dec. Bayanmunkh Shura (Mongolia), 5-1

Bronze – Gabriel Beauperthuy (United States) dec. Majid Naghdalipour (Iran), 6-1

U.S. Men’s Freestyle Results

Division C

62 kg – Nicholas Hull, bronze medal

LOSS Naoki Kurio (Japan), fall, 2:30

WIN Christopher Lang (Germany), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Jean Cornil (France), fall, 1:47

70 kg – Will Anderson, 7^th place

WIN Abu Zinaliyev (Kazakhstan), fall, 1:51

LOSS James Ferguson (United States), fall, 1:07

LOSS Csaba Sipos (Hungary), 2-2

70 kg – James Ferguson, silver medal

WIN Csaba Sipos (Hungary), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Kanat Shonirakov (Kazakhstan), 3-1

WIN Will Anderson (United States), fall, 1:07

WIN Uriankhai Lkhagvasuren (Mongolia), 8-5

LOSS Seyed Shazadeh Safawi (Germany), fall, 3:14

78 kg – Rudolph James, gold medal

WIN Dmitri Pevtsov (Israel), fall, 0:57

WIN Reza Farkhonde (Sweden), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Zsolt Bari (Hungary), tech. fall, 11-0

WIN Mukhtar Askhabaliev (UWW), 6-1

WIN Anis Gharbi (France), 1-1

78 kg – Dennis Wymer, 13^th place

LOSS Kairat Yerzhekenov (Kazakhstan), tech. fall, 11-0

88 kg – Jeremy Black, bronze medal

WIN Victor Ferrandiz Lagares (Spain), 11-6

WIN Galizhan Katayev (Kazakhstan), 8-2

LOSS Dmitrii Darmodekhin (UWW), tech. fall, 11-0

WIN Marat Bulatov (UWW), 2-2

88 kg – Ben McCrillis, 16^th place

LOSS Taalaibek Dzhanaev (Kyrgyzstan), tech. fall, 13-0

130 kg – Christopher Pierce, 5^th place

WIN Mathias Vasilik (Germany), inj. def., 0:31

LOSS Krisztian Orto (Hungary), 3-1

LOSS Altankhuyag Altangerel (Mongolia), fall, 3:13

Division D

62 kg – Rob Prebish, 4^th place

WIN Tamas Demeter (Hungary), tech. fall, 10-0

LOSS Samat Aitkulov (Kazakhstan), fall, 1:05

LOSS Gocha Kirkitadze (Georgia), tech. fall, 11-0

LOSS Batnasan Tumurbat (Mongolia), fall, 1:47

70 kg – Matthew Becker, bronze medal

LOSS Semih Ozdemir (Türkiye), 6-5

WIN Ahmad Ahmadii (Austria), fall, 3:13

WIN Franz Vollmer (Germany), tech. fall, 10-0

70 kg – Marc Tadelman, 9^th place

WIN Hans Nilsson (Sweden), 10-4

LOSS Franz Vollmer (Germany), fall, 3:45

78 kg – Tom Donahue, 7^th place

LOSS Derek Brignell (Canada), 10-6

88 kg – Patrick Flynn, silver medal

WIN Kennedy Gilbertson (United States), tech. fall, 11-0

WIN Shamil Esekku (UWW), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Owen Dawkins (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0

LOSS Oleg Lagutin (UWW), fall, 0:55

88 kg – Kennedy Gilbertson, 5^th place

LOSS Patrick Flynn (United States), tech. fall, 11-0

WIN Shamil Esekku (UWW), fall, 1:06

LOSS Owen Dawkins (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0

88 kg – Alsandro Turner, 11^th place

LOSS Shamil Esekku (UWW), fall, 3:01

100 kg – Alvin Riggs, silver medal

WIN Gantulga Bolooj (Mongolia), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Alexei Roitberg (Israel), fall, 0:30

WIN Aydin Halimoglu (Türkiye), tech. fall, 12-2

LOSS Chynarbek Izabekov (Kyrgyzstan), 6-2

130 kg – Gabriel Beauperthuy, bronze medal

WIN Ivan Matekovic (Croatia), 5-0

WIN Behzad Askarifard (Iran), 3-2

LOSS George Porter (United States), 2-1

WIN Majid Naghdalipour (Iran), 6-1

130 kg – George Porter, silver medal

WIN Ilhan Beytulov (Bulgaria), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Majid Naghdalipour (Iran), 3-1

WIN Gabriel Beauperthuy (United States), 2-1

LOSS Aleksei Nikolaev (UWW), 4-1

James wins third-straight gold at Veteran Worlds; U.S. scores nine freestyle medals on day two

2025 Veteran World Championships

At Tatabanya, Hungary, October 8

Men’s Freestyle Results

Division C

62 kg

70 kg

78 kg

88 kg

100 kg

130 kg

Division D

62 kg

70 kg

78 kg

88 kg

100 kg

130 kg

U.S. Men’s Freestyle Results

Division C

62 kg – Nicholas Hull, bronze medal

70 kg – Will Anderson, 7th place

70 kg – James Ferguson, silver medal

78 kg – Rudolph James, gold medal

78 kg – Dennis Wymer, 13th place

88 kg – Jeremy Black, bronze medal

88 kg – Ben McCrillis, 16th place

130 kg – Christopher Pierce, 5th place

Division D

62 kg – Rob Prebish, 4th place

70 kg – Matthew Becker, bronze medal

70 kg – Marc Tadelman, 9th place

78 kg – Tom Donahue, 7th place

88 kg – Patrick Flynn, silver medal

88 kg – Kennedy Gilbertson, 5th place

88 kg – Alsandro Turner, 11th place

100 kg – Alvin Riggs, silver medal

130 kg – Gabriel Beauperthuy, bronze medal

130 kg – George Porter, silver medal

70 kg – Will Anderson, 7^th place

78 kg – Dennis Wymer, 13^th place

88 kg – Ben McCrillis, 16^th place

130 kg – Christopher Pierce, 5^th place

62 kg – Rob Prebish, 4^th place

70 kg – Marc Tadelman, 9^th place

78 kg – Tom Donahue, 7^th place

88 kg – Kennedy Gilbertson, 5^th place

88 kg – Alsandro Turner, 11^th place