Jacobson finishes seventh in Greco-Roman to end Team USA’s run at World Championships

ZAGREB, Croatia – Team USA pushed one athlete to the final day of wrestling at the 2025 World Championships. 2024 Olympian Payton Jacobson concluded the U.S. effort with an admirable 1-1 record in the 87 kg Greco-Roman repechage.

Jacobson opened the Sunday evening session at Arena Zagreb with a powerful 9-1 technical fall over Japan’s Soh Sakabe. The match opened up for Jacobson when he stepped over a Sakabe gutwrench attempt, nearly pinning him. He notched a monster four-point toss going off the mat to put the score out of reach.

Just 20 minutes later, Jacobson was called back to the mat for a repechage round two tussle against 2024 U20 World champion Islam Yevloyev of Kazakhstan. Jacobson had control of the match for nearly the first four minutes. He earned the first passivity point and was working hard in his pummel. Yevloyev was presented a chance on top early in the second frame and connected on a four-point lift, which proved the difference in an otherwise even contest.

The U.S. Greco-Roman team saw some bright spots throughout its time in Zagreb. 2024 U17 World champion Jayden Raney won two matches at 55 kg and hung with four-time World champion Eldaniz Azizli of Azerbaijan in the quarterfinals. Kamal Bey once again proved he’s right there with the best in the World at 77 kg—going 1-2 with his only two losses being 2-1 to eventual World champion Malkhas Amoyan of Armenia and 4-2 to eventual bronze medalist Ahmet Yilmaz of Türkiye.

First time World Team members Max Black and Michial Foy looked solid in their inaugural Senior Worlds showing, each winning a match. Black earned a repechage opportunity and came one win shy of the bronze medal match at 60 kg. 2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman also notched a nice, opening round win for the group.

Jacobson and Raney finished with seventh place finishes, and Bey picked up a 10^th place honor, to give Team USA 18 team points and an 18^th place result in the team rankings out of 57 countries.

For a complete match-by-match breakdown of the Sunday action for Team USA in Zagreb, browse our day nine notes.

Archived matches from the Senior World Championships can be found on FloWrestling.com.  Brackets and complete results are available on UWW Arena.