Team USA beats Russia, Cejudo returns with win

NEW YORK -- "I'm baaack!!"

Those were the words tweeted by 2008 Olympic champion Henry Cejudo moments after his victory over Russia's Rasul Mashezov in two straight periods on Thursday night at the Beat the Streets Gala held in Times Square.

Henry Cejudo (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)

Cejudo, who had not competed since winning his gold medal on Aug. 19, 2008 at the Beijing Olympics, wasted little time picking up the first points of the match with a lighting quick low single leg to go up 1-0. Cejudo added another takedown and took the first period 2-0. He closed out the victory by winning the second period, 4-3, over Mashezov, a 2011 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion and 2010 Junior World bronze medalist.

"I feel good," said the 24-year-old Cejudo in his post-match interview. "You can't beat this. Look at Times Square. It's beautiful. It's America."

Cejudo's opening-match victory helped propel Team USA over Russia, five matches to two, on a historic night billed as "The Battle on Broadway."

After Cejudo 's win at 55 kg, Russia's Rasul Murtazaliev, a runner-up at the 2011 Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix, evened the dual meet at one win a piece with a 3-0, 3-0 victory over Shawn Bunch at 60 kg.

At 66 kg, Brent Metcalf put Team USA back on top with a hard-fought three-period victory over Magomedmurad Gadzhiev. The former Iowa Hawkeye standout took the first period in the clinch, 1-0, but Gadzhiev, a 2011 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion, battled back to win the second period 4-1 to force a third and deciding period. Metcalf took the final period 1-0.

Metcalf's victory over Gadzhiev avenged a loss from the bronze medal match at the 2011 Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix in January.

"Last time it was the same match except for when I got to him I didn't finish," said Metcalf, a 2010 U.S. World Team member. "So that was the difference. I got to him and I finished. I would have liked to pick it up more. But he keeps his level low. I've got to find a way to get past his defense."

Jordan Burroughs (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)

Jordan Burroughs, this year's InterMat Wrestler of the Year and Dan Hodge Trophy winner, kept the momentum on Team USA's side with a 1-0, 2-1 victory over Aniuar Geduev at 74 kg. Burroughs' victory put Team USA up 3-1. He used two of his patented blast double legs to pace him to the victory. For Burroughs, it was his first match ever against a Russian opponent.

"Who said Jordan Burroughs couldn't double leg a Russian?" tweeted Burroughs after the victory.

Russia came back to win the next match at 84 kg with 21-year-old Andrey Valiev, a 2010 Junior World champion, defeating 2009 World silver medalist Jake Herbert in two straight periods, 3-1, 3-2.

At 96 kg, Jake Varner gave Team USA its fourth victory of the night and put the dual meet out of reach with an impressive 5-0, 0-1, 4-0 victory over Shamil Akhmedov, a 2011 Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix champion and 2010 Junior World champion.

Tervel Dlagnev, a World bronze medalist in 2009, put the finishing touches on Team USA's victory over Russia with a 3-0, 3-1 win over Barsag Kesaev at 120 kg, avenging a loss from the 2011 Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix.

Results:
55 kg: Henry Cejudo (USA) dec. Rasul Mashezov, 2-0, 4-3
60 kg: Rasul Murtazaliev (Russia) dec. Shawn Bunch (USA), 3-0, 3-0
66 kg: Brent Metcalf (USA) dec. Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Russia), 1-0, 4-1, 1-0
74 kg: Jordan Burroughs (USA) dec. Aniuar Geduev (Russia), 1-0, 2-1
84 kg: Andrey Valiev (Russia) dec. Jake Herbert (USA), 3-1, 3-2
96 kg: Jake Varner (USA) dec. Shamil Akhmedov (Russia), 5-0, 0-1, 4-0
120 kg: Tervel Dlagnev (USA) dec. Barsag Kesaev (Russia), 3-0, 3-1

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Team USA beats Russia, Cejudo returns with win

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