2026 Senior Pan American Championships Day Three Match Notes
by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Cristelle Rodriguez in action at the 2025 U23 World Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia.
The 2026 Senior Pan American championships continue on Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, with women’s freestyle group two (53-59-65-76 kg) and men’s freestyle group one (61-74-86 kg). Updates and results from each Team USA match are below.
10 a.m. - Qualification rounds
1 p.m. - Semifinals
2 p.m. - Repechage
5 p.m. - Medal matches
53 kg Bronze Medal Match – Cristelle Rodriguez (United States) dec. Alexa Alvarez Valenzuela (Venezuela), 7-2
Rodriguez gets on the board first with a step-out point. She comes back with a slick takedown-to-gutwrench sequence to go up 5-0 at 4:22. Rodriguez leads it 5-0 at the break. A deep single leg for Alvarez Valenzuela, Rodriguez whizzers, and holds off the score with just over a minute to go. Alvarez Valenzuela works an arm spin into a single leg for a takedown at 0:35. Alvarez Valenzuela nearly grabs a trapped arm, but Rodriguez escapes it. The score sits at 5-2 Rodriguez with 23 seconds left. An emphatic pancake for Rodriguez off an Alvarez Valenzuela shot attempt ends the match. Rodriguez takes it 7-2.
Nette on the attack, leaves her hand high and is stopped by Ramos Pereira, right into a gutwrench to take a 4-0 lead over Nette. Nette drives a two-on-one off the mat to get on the board. Nette works a cradle from the front headlock position to get two points going out-of-bounds, making it 4-3 Ramos Pereira halfway through the first period. Nette adds another step out from the two-on-one, tying the score at 4-4. Shot from Ramos Pereira, Nette feeds the hips, turns it into a cradle, and gets the pin with 39 seconds to go in the first period.
A swing single into a gutwrench from Miracle gives her the early 4-0 lead. An errant shot from Rowbottom, Miracle feeds hips for a takedown. She converts on a leg lace and ups the lead to eight. We have a fresh start at 3:34. Miracle goes sucker drag from underneath and clinches the match by 10-0 technical fall with 11 seconds left in the first period.
Reasco Valdez goes on the shot clock first at 4:19 in a scoreless match. Point Welker with the shot clock expiring. That’s it for the first period. Welker goes on the clock at 2:33, leading 1-0. An overhook toss to the back lands for Welker, and she gets the pin.
DeSanto gets in deep on a single leg, gets overextended, but finds home to take a 2-0 lead after the first minute. DeSanto pressures forward and drags out from the front position into a takedown and goes up 4-0. Smith has a sizeable cut above his eye and takes blood time. It’s 4-0 DeSanto at the break. DeSanto gets in deep on a single leg, posts up, and runs to the finish. He goes right into a leg lace and scores another set of exposure. It’s 8-0 DeSanto at the 2:15 mark of the second period. Smith tries for a cement mixer while in the front headlock position and slips off. It is called a slip, and no points are awarded. DeSanto drives a front headlock off the mat while grounded for a step out. DeSanto takes it, 9-0.
An arm drag for Garzon Tamayo right off the whistle gives him a 2-0 lead in the first 10 seconds. A slick cross-body single for Garzon Tamayo extends the lead to 4-0, still in the first minute. Some good back-and-forth in the back half of the period, but no scoring actions. It’s 4-0 Garzon Tamayo at the break. Webster picks up the pace early in the second period. Webster gets to the single leg, Garzon Tamayo attempts a roll, and Webster winds up on top. The exchange is called two points Garzon Tamayo, one point Webster. The U.S. corner is challenging the call. The score is changed to four points Garzon Tamayo, two points Webster, bringing the score to 8-2 with 1:41 to go. Webster is back to the same single-leg position, this time he finishes the takedown, cutting the lead in half, 8-4. Another single leg Webster, but he gets caught in a chest wrap for two exposures. Webster comes out on top for a reversal point. It’s 10-5 Garzon Tamayo with 19 seconds to go. Webster adds a step out. Webster goes for broke, and Garzon Tamayo counters with a takedown as time expires to win it 12-6.
86 kg Gold Medal Match – Zahid Valencia (United States) tech. fall Christopher Foca Mejia (Dominican Republic), 10-0
Snapdown, go-behind for Valencia. He leads 2-0 at 4:54. Valencia blocks a Foca Mejia attack and goes behind for his second score of the match. A powerful high-c, double leg finish to the back for Valencia. There could have been an additional set of exposure points, but not called on the mat. Valencia leads it 8-0 at the break. Foca Mejia tries a cement mixer, Valencia counters it for the takedown and the win at 2:31 in the second period.
Gomez goes on the shot clock first at 4:41 in a scoreless match. Miracle drives through and underhook, gathers the legs going off the mat for a step out. Activity time expires on Gomez, giving Miracle an early 2-0 lead. Miracle hits a double leg, lifts Gomez to her back for four. Miracle tilts Gomez a couple of times to end the match 10-0 in the first period.
Beauregard goes on the shot clock after a minute of wrestling in the first period. The shot clock expires, giving Nette the 1-0 lead. Nette powers through a body lock takedown out-of-bounds at 3:21 to go up 3-0. Beauregard finds a single leg, cuts the corner on the finish at the end of the period to close the gap to 3-2 Nette at the break. Nette shoots Beauregard off the mat to extend her lead to 4-2. Beauregard in deep on a single leg, Nette fights it off and ends up scoring a takedown. She locks up a cradle and gets exposure points. Fresh start at 1:26 with Nette leading 8-2. Head outside single for Nette. She transitions to a lock around the chest and brings Beauregard over for exposure, 10-2. Nette ices it with a single leg takedown with 35 seconds left in the match.
DeSanto in on a shot right away, gathers the legs for a takedown right into a leg lace. He converts four laces to win the match 10-0 in 38 seconds.
Webster attacks a single leg, quad pod finish one minute into the bout to go up 2-0. He adds a gutwrench going out-of-bounds to go up 4-0 just over one minute into the match. Heavy hands from Webster right into a single leg score, 6-0. Webster’s locked-up leg lace attempt doesn’t convert. Webster back on the attack, lands a snapdown go-behind takedown. A Webster low single leg ends it, 10-0, with 22 seconds left in the first period.
Rodriguez goes double leg, transitions to a trapped arm gutwrench, and converts three turns to make it 8-0 in the first 31 seconds. A Rodriguez shrug takedown ends it 10-0 at the one-minute mark.
DeSanto in on a single leg, shelves for the finish. Outside fireman’s takedown for DeSanto, and he finishes the match off with three gutwrenches. It’s a 10-0 technical fall in 1:07.
Over-under body lock to a bear hug for Nette lands her four points just 19 seconds into the match. Nette shoots, comes up to the body lock, and plants Martinez Vargas to her back for the pin in 36 seconds.
Valencia grabs a quick single leg and adds three gutwrenches to take an 8-0 lead in the first 34 seconds. Valencia counters a Tafur Barrios shot with a go-behind to end it 10-0 in 47 seconds.
Aguilar Canizalez snaps into a front headlock and drives Webster off the mat for a step-out. An arm drag to single leg for Webster converts to give him a 2-1 lead. Webster adds a gutwrench to go up 4-1 at 4:03. Webster powers through a left-side underhook for a takedown, going out-of-bounds. Back to the same underhook position, which leads to a step-out point for Webster. The Venezuela corner is challenging, which is lost, adding a point for Webster. He adds a low single finish to take a 10-1 lead to the break. Another low-level from Webster seals it at 12-1 early in the second period.
After some good back-and-forth, Rodriguez goes on the shot clock first at 4:23. A go-behind takedown with some flair for Yepez Guzman to go up 2-0. The shot clock expires, and Yepez Guzman goes up 3-0. Single leg attempt from Rodriguez, Yepez Guzman cuts the corner and counters with a crotch lift for two. Yepez Guzman takes a 5-0 lead to the break. Single leg attempt for Rodriguez, countered by Yepez Guzman, making it 7-0 at 1:46. Another single leg from Rodriguez. She left her hand high and gets whipped over, then turned with a gut. The match ends 11-0 with 50 seconds left.
A step out point for Welker at 5:24 to take the 1-0 lead. An outside shot attempt from Renteria, Welker counters with heavy hips, no points. Welker gets her fakes going and snaps into a takedown for a 3-0 lead. A go-behind counter to a single-leg with a limp arm finish for Welker makes it 5-0 with 30 seconds left in the period. Welker leads it 5-0 at the break. Welker scores from a shrug, quad pod finish at 2:33. She transitions into a trapped arm gutwrench and ends it with two turns, 11-0.
Webster single-leg takedown and adds a gutwrench to take the early 4-0 lead. An outside double leg attempt from Barrios Rochez is countered with a go behind from Webster, 6-0. Heavy hands to a go behind for Webster, 8-0. Webster drives through a counter takedown to end it 10-0 at 3:42.
Front headlock snap to a single leg for Valencia, right into a gutwrench sequence. Back standing at 5:07 with Valencia up 6-0. Valencia nabs a low-level single and drives to a step out. Lefty high-c for another Valencia takedown. He ends it with a gutwrench at 3:31.
DeSanto dives into a single leg right out of the gate. He scores the takedown and transitions into a gutwrench for three turns before going off the mat. It’s 8-0 DeSanto in the first 37 seconds. DeSanto finishes it with a snapdown, go-behind in just 51 seconds.
Welker on the board first with a shot clock point at 4:03. A half-hearted shot from Marin Potrille leads to a Welker knee pick takedown. Welker takes a 3-0 lead to the break. Knee pick to the back for Welker, and she goes up 7-0 early in the second frame. An outside single leg attempt from Marin Potrille is stuffed by Welker. Go-behind for Welker, to a bar arm finish for a pin halfway through the second period.
WIN Sofia Ocegueda Gonzalez (Mexico), tech. fall, 10-0
LOSS Lucia Yepez Guzman (Ecuador), tech. fall, 11-0
WIN Alexa Alvarez Valenzuela (Venezuela), 7-2
WIN Laurence Beauregard (Canada), tech. fall, 12-2
WIN Daniela Martinez Vargas (Mexico), fall 0:36
WIN Mayara Ramos Pereira (Brazil), fall, 2:21
WIN Alexis Gomez (Mexico), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Miki Rowbottom (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Tatiana Renteria (Colombia), tech. fall, 11-0
WIN Milaimy Marin Potrille (Cuba), fall, 4:41
WIN Genesis Reasco Valdez (Ecuador), fall, 4:20
WIN Garette Saunders (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Irie Jackson (Jamaica), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Alex Vega Tun (Guatemala), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Caleb Smith (Puerto Rico), 9-0
WIN Arbey Alarcon Tovar (Colombia), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Ibsen Aguilar Canizalez (Venezuela), tech. fall, 12-1
WIN Luis Barrios Rochez (Honduras), tech. fall, 10-0
LOSS Geannis Garzon Tamayo (Cuba), 12-6
WIN Nestor Tafur Barrios (Colombia), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Pedro Goncalves Da Silva (Brazil), tech. fall, 11-0
WIN Christopher Foca Mejia (Dominican Republic), tech. fall, 10-0