World champion J'den Cox was unscored upon en route to reaching the finals at 92 kilograms (Photo/Gabor Martin, United World Wrestling)ISTANBUL, Turkey -- On Saturday, A trio of world champions for the United States advanced to the finals of the Yasar Dogu in Istanbul, Turkey.
Jordan Burroughs (74 kilograms), J'den Cox (92 kilograms) and Kyle Snyder (97 kilograms) claimed victories in the semifinals and now stand one win away from gold medals at the Yasar Dogu.
Burroughs was dominant in the semifinals, picking up a 12-2 technical superiority over two-time world medalist Yakup Gor of Turkey. Burroughs registered two takedowns in the first period and led 5-0 at the break. He continued to pile on the points in the second period to close out the victory.
Earlier in the day, Burroughs was pushed in his quarterfinal match against U23 world champion Taimuraz Salkazanov of Slovakia, but prevailed 6-4. Salkazanov was close to score the go-ahead takedown late, but Burroughs hung on to win. He opened his tournament with a 10-0 technical superiority over Csaba Vida of Hungary.
Burroughs, a Yasar Dogu gold medalist in 2016, will now face two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Frank Chamizo of Italy in the gold-medal match. It will mark the fifth meeting between the two, with Burroughs winning the last meeting in the bronze-medal match at the 2018 World Championships.
Cox, a returning world champion, was unscored upon in three matches en route to reaching the finals at 92 kilograms. In the semifinals, Cox faced U23 world champion Shamil Zubairov of Azerbaijan. He used three takedowns and a gut wrench to race out to an 8-0 lead at the break before closing out the match in the second period after scoring off a caution and takedown.
He had 11-0 technical superiority wins in the quarterfinals and opening round matches.
Cox will meet Bendeguez Toth of Hungary in the finals. Toth won silver medals in both styles at the 2018 World University Championships.
Snyder, a 2016 Olympic champion and two-time world champion, reached the finals at 97 kilograms by claiming a 10-0 technical superiority over two-time world bronze medalist Pavlo Oliinyk of Hungary, formerly of Ukraine. Snyder scored with three step outs in the first period and led 3-0 at the break. He continued to roll in the second period, scoring again with a step out before three consecutive takedowns to end the match in the final 20 seconds.
In his first match, Snyder rolled to a 13-2 technical superiority over Ivan Yarygin bronze medalist Bakin Sahin of Turkey, scoring with a five-point feet-to-back suplex.
He will battle 2018 U23 bronze medalist Ali Khalil Shabanibengar of Iran in Sunday's finals.
World Team member Pat Downey also competed for USA on Saturday at 86 kilograms. He dropped his first match to Junior world silver medalist Deepak Punia of India 11-5. With Punia reaching the finals, Downey will have a chance to wrestle for a bronze medal.
Sunday's medal matches will take place at 5:30 a.m. ET.
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