Burroughs reaches World finals, Green in bronze match

LAS VEGAS -- With the clock ticking to under a minute remaining, Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs found himself trailing in his semifinal match at the World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas.

Jordan Burroughs celebrates after his semifinal win at the World Championships (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

Burroughs, ranked No. 1 in the world, was battling world No. 2 Aniuar Geduev of Russia. Burroughs had taken an early lead, but Geduev battled back to take the lead on criteria after a takedown in the second period.

With USA chants drowning out Russia chants in the Orelans Arena, Burroughs delivered with his trademark double leg for a takedown with 50 seconds remaining in the match to take a 4-2 lead. The Russian would add a step-out point in the final 20 seconds, but Burroughs held on for 4-3 victory and a spot in the gold-medal match tonight.

"It's really a battle of wills," said Burroughs. "I may not be the best wrestler technically, but I think have the biggest heart in the entire world."

Burroughs won World titles in 2011 and 2013, with his Olympic title sandwiched between. Last year he lost in the World semifinals to Russia's Denis Tsargush, a three-time World champion, before coming back and winning bronze.

"Unfortunately for me I always have a Russian on my side, but it made for a very exciting match," said Burroughs, who improved his season record to 21-0.

Burroughs' finals opponent will be Mongolia's Unurbat Purevjav.

"I really want to enjoy this moment," said Burroughs. "My family is here. My son gets to see me compete. I'm in Vegas. The crowd is chanting USA. I'm wrestling well. I'm feeling good. What else could I ask for right now? I'm in a great position to be a four-time World champion tonight. I'm excited."

Burroughs blanked Iran's Alireza Gasemi 5-0 in the quarterfinals. Burroughs scored a takedown 35 seconds into the match. In the final minute of the opening period Burroughs scored a point off the shot clock, and then a takedown off a double leg to lead 5-0 at the break. The second period saw a lot of action but no more scoring.

Burroughs hammered his round of 16 opponent Mihaly Nagy of Hungary 11-0. A minute into the match Burroughs scored a takedown off a double leg and transitioned to a lace and scored two more points to go up 4-0. Burroughs kept the pressure on, earning a step-out point and then a takedown with another turn off a lace to go up 9-0. He put the match away in the second with another takedown to win by technical superiority.

Burroughs was dominant in his second match, earning a 10-0 technical superiority over Oleg Zakharevych of Ukraine. Burroughs scored two points off penalty points early in the first period to go up 2-0. Late in the first period Burroughs pulled away, picking up a takedown and two turns off a lace to lead 8-0 at the break. Burroughs put the match away in the second period with a takedown off a double leg.

He was pushed in his first match against Poland's Krystian Brzozwski, but came out on top 5-2. Brzozwski struck first, earning a takedown midway through the first period to go up 2-0. Burroughs picked up a late first-period takedown to make the score 2-2 at the break. Midway through the second period Burroughs scored a takedown off his double leg to go up 4-2. Burroughs would add a step-out point with 45 seconds left to win by three.

James Green reached the semifinals before losing to Iran's Hassan Yazdani (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

James Green will wrestle for a bronze medal tonight at 70 kilos. The 22-year-old Green was dominant in his first three matches before losing to Iran's Hassan Yazdani, a 2014 Junior World champion, in the semifinals 9-4. Against Yazdani, Green kept the match competitive and trailed just 5-4 in the second period. Yazadani turned it up late, picking up a takedown with 1:23 left, and then a short time later earned another takedown to go up five, which essentially put the match away.

He will wrestle Muroslav Kirov of Bulgaria in the bronze-medal match.

Green trains with Burroughs at Nebraska.

"A lot of people didn't even expect him to get him that far coming into this tournament," Burroughs said of Green. "So the fact that he was able to rattle off three straight and make it to the semifinals and wrestle for a bronze tonight is I say outstanding on his behalf."

Green cruised to a 10-0 technical superiority over India's Kumar Arun in the quarterfinals. The former Nebraska wrestler jumped out to a 6-0 lead after a takedown and two trapped-arm gut wrenches in the first period. Two more Green takedowns in the second period ended the match.

Green was untested in the round of 16 as he beat Robert Olle of Slovakia 10-0. Green had four takedowns in the opening period to lead 8-0 at the break. After giving up a point in the second period, Green scored with a takedown and turn to end the match.

Green put on a takedown clinic in his opening match against Johnathan Scott Duque of Costa Rica. Green scored three takedown in the first two minutes of the match, and then added two more takedowns in the final 30 seconds to earn the 10-0 technical superiority.

Tony Ramos won two matches before losing a tight match in the round of 16 to 2013 World champion Hassan Rahimi of Iran. With the score 1-1 and Ramos leading on criteria, Rahimi secured a late takedown and held on for a 3-1 victory.

Ramos was put in repechage after Rahimi advanced to the gold-medal match, but the former Hawkeye fell to Asadulla Lachinau of Belarus 7-1 in his repechage match, which ended his day. Lachinau led 1-0 after the first period and built on his lead in the second period with two takedowns and two step-out points.

"I didn't get what I wanted, but I won a few matches," said Ramos. "I got back on that backside. I battled hard with the guy who I think is going to win the tournament. I've got to get over that hump and win that match."

Tony Ramos celebrates after winning his second match at the Worlds (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

In the second round Ramos won a hard-fought match over Makhmudjon Shavkatov of Uzbekistan 3-3 on criteria. Shavkatov scored first off the shot clock to go up 1-0. In the second period Ramos scored off the shot clock, which made the score 1-1. Shavkatov took a one-point lead after getting a step-out point with a minute remaining. Ramos kept the pressure on, and with 25 seconds picked up a takedown to go up 3-2. Shavkatov would get a late point off a step-out, but it wasn't enough as Ramos took the match on criteria.

Ramos opened with a convincing 10-1 victory over Wber Euclides Cuero Munoz. The Colombian scored first after Ramos was called for fleeing the hold. Ramos picked up a takedown in the final minute of the first period to lead 2-1 at the break. Ramos then broke the match open in the second period, picking up three takedowns and scoring with a lace.

Zack Rey went 0-1 in his first trip to the World Championships at 125 kilos. The New Jersey native faced 2013 World silver medalist Alan Zasieiev of Ukraine in his first match, and fell 6-1. The Ukranian led 2-1 at the break, and then opened up the scoring in the second period, picking up two takedowns and winning the match by five points. Rey was eliminated from the competition when Zakharevych surrendered an eight-point lead in his next match, losing 16-8 to Geno Petriashvili of Georgia.

"I've wrestled him in the past," said Rey. "I've lost to him in the past. I'm not here for the experience. I'm here to get a medal. I didn't get that done."

Rey was a late addition to Team USA after World Team Trials champion Tervel Dlganev was unable to compete because of an injury. He said he felt ready.

"I was in great shape," said Rey. "I felt good. My strength was there. I just didn't get it done today."

Tonight's final session begins at 6:30 p.m. PT.

Sign In

Burroughs reaches World finals, Green in bronze match

User Feedback

Recommended Comments

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in

Categories

Rankings

Browse

Activity

Support