USA opens Freestyle World Cup with dominant win over India

Olympian J'den Cox after first victory at the Men's Freestyle World Cup in Los Angeles. Photo: Larry Slater.

VIDEO: Freestyle World Cup post-match interviews


INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The United States opened the 2016 Men’s Freestyle Word Cup with a dominant showing over India at The Forum on Saturday afternoon.


The U.S. picked up seven victories in eight attempts against India with 2015 World champion Kyle Snyder, 2016 Olympian J’den Cox and 2015 World Bronze medalist James Green all scoring technical falls to lead the charge.


“It’s cool to be on a team that’s excited and ready to wrestle,” Cox said after dismantling Pawan Kumar by technical fall, 13-2. “I just had to keep wrestling the way I do, keep the movement going, keep the attacks going, belief in attacks, using one attack into another. It’s something we worked on. Other than that it was a good match and great opponent.”


Two-time U.S. World Team member at 57 kg/125.5 lbs. Tony Ramos earned a solid win up at 61 kg/134 lbs. after outmaneuvering India’s Bajrang to win on criteria, 3-3. Bajrang finished in fifth place at the 2015 World Championships at 61 kg.


“He took fifth in the World’s last year, so that was big for me. I probably could have scored a few more times on those go behinds and that single, but he had some power on him. You’ve got to go out there. You’ve got to do your job. My job was to come wrestle in the World Cup and try to win this for the team,” said Ramos.


In his first outing since the 2nd World Olympic Games Qualifier in Istanbul, Turkey, 2016 Olympian Frank Molinaro wrestled with relentless physicality to soundly defeat Rajneesh, 5-0, at 65 kg/143 lbs.


The meet was bookmarked by India forfeits as 2016 Olympian Daniel Dennis opened the dual by receiving a forfeit at 57 kg while 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner received the same at 125 kg/275 lbs.


The only U.S. defeat came at 74 kg/163 lbs. when three-time NCAA champion Alex Dieringer dropped a 4-4 criteria decision to 2011 Junior World bronze medalist Parveen Rana. Dieringer appeared to have finished a takedown as time expired in the match, but no points were awarded after video review.


The U.S. will resume World Cup Pool B competition tonight at 6 p.m. (PT) against a talented Azerbaijan squad.


Every match from the Men’s Freestyle World Cup can be viewed live on Flowrestling.com.

2016 MEN’S FREESTYLE WORLD CUP

At The Forum, Inglewood, Calif., June 11-12

United States 7 – India 1

57 kg/ 125.5 lbs. – Daniel Dennis (United States) forfeit (India)

61 kg/134 lbs. – Tony Ramos (United States) dec. Bajrang (India), 3-3

65 kg/143 lbs. – Frank Molinaro (United States) dec. Rajneesh (India), 5-0

70 kg/154 lbs. – James Green (United States) tech. fall Vinod Kumar (India), 10-0

74 kg/163 lbs. – Parveen Rana (India) dec. Alex Dieringer (United States), 4-4

86 kg/189 lbs. – J’den Cox (United States) tech. fall Pawan Kumar (India), 13-2

97 kg/213 lbs. – Kyle Snyder (United States) tech. fall Kadian Satywart (India), 10-0

125 kg/275 lbs. – Jake Varner (United States) forfeit (India)