USA sweeps the six men’s freestyle gold medals at Bill Farrell International
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Nico Megaludis of the USA shoots for a takedown against Russia's Khansankhusein Badrudinov in the 57 kg finals. Larry Slater photo.
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The United States swept all six of the gold medal in men’s freestyle at the Bill Farrell Memorial International, held at the New York Athletic Club on Friday.
The USA had 10 of the 12 men’s freestyle finalists, and won both of the finals which an American faced a foreign opponent.
One of these battles came at 74 kg/163 lbs., where three-time NCAA champion and Freestyle Team USA member Alex Dieringer (Stillwater, Okla.Titan Mercury WC) defeated 2014 World bronze medalist Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan/NYAC), 8-2.
The match was tied 2-2 at the break, but Dieringer broke it open with a four-point takedown in the second period.
Abdurakhmanov was fifth in the Olympic Games, including a win over Jordan Burroughs of the USA. He was an All-American at Clarion University.
“I just need experience. I stopped wrestling freestyle after 2013 and took the last two years off. I need experience. That is why I just went to Russia, now this, and I’ll be going to Ukraine in three weeks. I am going to compete and train as much as I can to get good experience,” said Dieringer.
The other battle with an international competitor comes at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., where Penn State NCAA champion Nico Megaludis (State College, Pa./Titan Mercury WC) controlled Khansankhusein Badrudinov of Russia, It was a chippy match, in which Badrudinov complained often about the calls made by the officiating team.
Badrudinov has won three Junior World medals, a gold in 2014, a silver in 2016 and bronze in 2015.
“I heard he was pretty dirty and he was dirty. I like that. I am not scared of that. That is pretty much all he did, try to be dirty. He was good from (the front headlock). He would try to turn me, which I expected because I was winning. If felt comfortable in a front headlock. I am pretty good at not getting turned,” said Megaludis.
The other four matches were USA vs. USA matchups, all with some great action.
Champions were B.J. Futrell (Philadelphia, Pa./Titan Mercury WC) at 65 kg/143 lbs., Austin Trotman (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC) at 86 kg/189 lbs., Dustin Kilgore (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 97 kg/213 lbs. and Anthony Nelson (USA/Minnesota Storm) at 125 kg/275 lbs. All won the Bill Farrell International for the first time.
Futrell won a wild battle over Hunter Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC), 12-10. The event was tied at 6-6, and Futrell scored a four-point move and got an additional point on a failed protest. After going up 12-6 on a pushout, Futrell saw it tighten up with a four-pointer by Stieber late in the match.
Trotman opened up his offense with a technical fall over Timmy McCall (Titan Mercury WC), 12-2, scoring eight of his points in the second period.
Kilgore won his finals with a 6-6 criteria win over J.T. Felix (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC). Kilgore’s margin of victory was a first-period double leg takedown for four points.
Nelson battled another top U.S. heavyweight, Dom Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo./Sunkist Kids), 6-4. With the match tied at 4-4, Nelson scored a counter takedown late in the bout for the win.
The tournament concludes with Greco-Roman on Saturday, with action starting at 1:00 p.m. ET, and the finals expected at 6:30 p.m. All of the action will be broadcast by Flowrestling.
BILL FARRELL INTERNATIONAL
At New York, N.Y.
Men’s Freestyle results
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
Gold – Nico Megaludis (USA/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Khansankhusein Badrudinov (Russia), 6-1
Bronze –Zach Sanders (USA/Minnesota Storm) dec. Frank Perrelli (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 4-3
65 kg/143 lbs.
Gold – B.J. Futrell (USA/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Hunter Stieber (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 12-10
Bronze –Nick Dardanes (USA/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Ulukman Mamatov (Kyrgyzstan), 2-0
74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Alex Dieringer (USA/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan/NYAC), 8-2
Bronze – Matt Brown (USA/Army WCAP) by disqualification over Khalil Aminov (Russia)
86 kg/189 lbs.
Gold – Austin Trotman (USA/Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Timmy McCall (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 12-2, 4:55
Bronze –Richard Perry (USA/New York AC) dec. Deron Winn (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 5-2
97 kg/213 lbs.
Gold – Dustin Kilgore (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. J.T. Felix (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 5-5
Bronze –Micah Burak (USA/Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Josh Manu (USA/Navy-Marine Corps Mat Club), 12-1, 1:55
125 kg/275 lbs.
Gold – Anthony Nelson (USA/Minnesota Storm) dec. Dom Bradley (USA/Sunkist Kids), 6-4
Bronze – Braden Atwood (USA/Tar Heel WC) vs. Chadwick Hanke (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 4-0
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The United States swept all six of the gold medal in men’s freestyle at the Bill Farrell Memorial International, held at the New York Athletic Club on Friday.
The USA had 10 of the 12 men’s freestyle finalists, and won both of the finals which an American faced a foreign opponent.
One of these battles came at 74 kg/163 lbs., where three-time NCAA champion and Freestyle Team USA member Alex Dieringer (Stillwater, Okla.Titan Mercury WC) defeated 2014 World bronze medalist Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan/NYAC), 8-2.
The match was tied 2-2 at the break, but Dieringer broke it open with a four-point takedown in the second period.
Abdurakhmanov was fifth in the Olympic Games, including a win over Jordan Burroughs of the USA. He was an All-American at Clarion University.
“I just need experience. I stopped wrestling freestyle after 2013 and took the last two years off. I need experience. That is why I just went to Russia, now this, and I’ll be going to Ukraine in three weeks. I am going to compete and train as much as I can to get good experience,” said Dieringer.
The other battle with an international competitor comes at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., where Penn State NCAA champion Nico Megaludis (State College, Pa./Titan Mercury WC) controlled Khansankhusein Badrudinov of Russia, It was a chippy match, in which Badrudinov complained often about the calls made by the officiating team.
Badrudinov has won three Junior World medals, a gold in 2014, a silver in 2016 and bronze in 2015.
“I heard he was pretty dirty and he was dirty. I like that. I am not scared of that. That is pretty much all he did, try to be dirty. He was good from (the front headlock). He would try to turn me, which I expected because I was winning. If felt comfortable in a front headlock. I am pretty good at not getting turned,” said Megaludis.
The other four matches were USA vs. USA matchups, all with some great action.
Champions were B.J. Futrell (Philadelphia, Pa./Titan Mercury WC) at 65 kg/143 lbs., Austin Trotman (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC) at 86 kg/189 lbs., Dustin Kilgore (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 97 kg/213 lbs. and Anthony Nelson (USA/Minnesota Storm) at 125 kg/275 lbs. All won the Bill Farrell International for the first time.
Futrell won a wild battle over Hunter Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC), 12-10. The event was tied at 6-6, and Futrell scored a four-point move and got an additional point on a failed protest. After going up 12-6 on a pushout, Futrell saw it tighten up with a four-pointer by Stieber late in the match.
Trotman opened up his offense with a technical fall over Timmy McCall (Titan Mercury WC), 12-2, scoring eight of his points in the second period.
Kilgore won his finals with a 6-6 criteria win over J.T. Felix (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC). Kilgore’s margin of victory was a first-period double leg takedown for four points.
Nelson battled another top U.S. heavyweight, Dom Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo./Sunkist Kids), 6-4. With the match tied at 4-4, Nelson scored a counter takedown late in the bout for the win.
The tournament concludes with Greco-Roman on Saturday, with action starting at 1:00 p.m. ET, and the finals expected at 6:30 p.m. All of the action will be broadcast by Flowrestling.
BILL FARRELL INTERNATIONAL
At New York, N.Y.
Men’s Freestyle results
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
Gold – Nico Megaludis (USA/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Khansankhusein Badrudinov (Russia), 6-1
Bronze –Zach Sanders (USA/Minnesota Storm) dec. Frank Perrelli (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 4-3
65 kg/143 lbs.
Gold – B.J. Futrell (USA/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Hunter Stieber (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 12-10
Bronze –Nick Dardanes (USA/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Ulukman Mamatov (Kyrgyzstan), 2-0
74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Alex Dieringer (USA/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan/NYAC), 8-2
Bronze – Matt Brown (USA/Army WCAP) by disqualification over Khalil Aminov (Russia)
86 kg/189 lbs.
Gold – Austin Trotman (USA/Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Timmy McCall (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 12-2, 4:55
Bronze –Richard Perry (USA/New York AC) dec. Deron Winn (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 5-2
97 kg/213 lbs.
Gold – Dustin Kilgore (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. J.T. Felix (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 5-5
Bronze –Micah Burak (USA/Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Josh Manu (USA/Navy-Marine Corps Mat Club), 12-1, 1:55
125 kg/275 lbs.
Gold – Anthony Nelson (USA/Minnesota Storm) dec. Dom Bradley (USA/Sunkist Kids), 6-4
Bronze – Braden Atwood (USA/Tar Heel WC) vs. Chadwick Hanke (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 4-0
