Hafizov, Peak among top Greco-Roman athletes in action at World Team Trials

The Senior World Team Trials head to Omaha, Nebraska, this weekend and feature some of the top Greco-Roman stars battling it out for a spot on the 2024 Senior World Team that will compete in Tirana, Albania, in late October. There are 54 athletes currently registered, including two Olympians, six past Senior World Team members and a wealth of young competitors aiming to make their first Senior World Team.

The exciting event will be held at the MECA - CHI Health Center Omaha, with a spot on the U.S. World Team and a trip to the upcoming Senior World Championships in Tirana, Albania, up for grabs. Of note, 2024 Olympians are not eligible to compete at the Senior World Championships for non-Olympic weight classes.

Three of the registered athletes are members of the 2024 U23 World Team that will compete in Tirana, Albania, the week before the Senior World Championships – Billy Sullivan (55 kg), Max Black (63 kg), and Beka Melelashvili (82 kg).

U.S. National Team members registered to compete this weekend include Ildar Hafizov and Black at 63 kg, and Aliaksandr Kikiniou and Jesse Porter at 82 kg.

The pre-seeds have been released for the four Greco-Roman weight classes—Brady Koontz, Hafizov, Benji Peak and Kikiniou were awarded the No. 1 seeds in the challenge tournament brackets. See below for breakdowns of each of the four weight classes.

The Senior World Team Trials starts at 10 a.m. (CT) on both days of competition. Saturday will run from the preliminary rounds through the semifinals. The tournament will wrap up with the best-of-three championship series and the remaining consolation rounds on Sunday.

A live stream and archived matches from the event will be available on FloWrestling.com (subscription required). FloWrestling will also host the brackets on FloArena.

Those seeking to attend the event in person can purchase tickets at the venue box office. All-session and single-day tickets are available for adults and youth. Children five and under receive free admission.

For more information about the Senior World Team Trials, please visit usawrestlingevents.com.

• Event website

• Live stream

• Brackets

• Greco-Roman pre-seeds

Saturday, Sept. 14

10 a.m. – Prelims, quarterfinals, consolations

5 p.m. – Semifinals, consolations

Sunday, Sept. 15

10 a.m. – Consolations, third place matches, championship series round one

2 p.m. – Championship series rounds two and three (if necessary)

*All times listed are local to Omaha, Neb. / U.S. Central Time.

Leading the pack at 55 kg is Brady Koontz, a 2023 Senior World Team member at this weight. Koontz placed 10th at the 2023 World Championships and has competed in three age-group World Championships. In June of 2023, Koontz earned the World Team spot with a victory at Final X. Also the top seed at this weight, Koontz bumped up to 60 kg for the Senior Nationals in December to prepare for the Olympic Trials. He’s an athlete that is comfortable at 55 kg, where he has seen the most Senior level success in the past few years.

Camden Russell, a 2023 U23 World Team member and 2024 Pan American Championships silver medalist, has shown consistency at 55 kg. Despite narrowly missing out on the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April, his third-place finish at the 2023 U.S. Open and runner-up finish at the 2023 Senior World Team Trials Challenge tournament highlight his potential to upset the favorites. Russell also secured a spot on the Senior National Team at 55 kg last year.

Billy Sullivan is another strong competitor to watch out for at this weight. Sullivan secured a bronze medal at the 2024 U23 Pan American Championships and will compete on the 2024 U23 World Team in Tirana, Albania, just a week before the Senior World Championships.

Additional athletes that will be making waves at this event include Kenneth Crosby and Ezekiel Witt, a runner-up at the 2024 U20 World Team Trials. Junior Greco-Roman National Champion Kody Tanimoto looks to enter the Senior scene on a high note at this event.

The 63 kg weight class at the 2024 Senior World Team Trials features one of the top athletes at 60 kg. Ildar Hafizov, a two-time Olympian who represented the United States at the 2020 Tokyo Games and Uzbekistan at the 2008 Beijing Games makes the move to 63 kg for this tournament. Hafizov was a finalist at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and has controlled the 60 kg field in the United States for the past few years. With four Senior World Championships for the United States and three for Uzbekistan under his belt, Hafizov’s experience and skill make him a strong contender.

Max Black, third on the Senior National Team at 60 kg, is another key competitor to watch. Black is slated to compete at the 2024 U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania, in the week prior to the Senior World Championships. His recent performances have shown that he is ready to take on the best in the country and make a name for himself on the Senior stage.

Dylan Gregerson, the third seed in Omaha, competed at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April and finished third at the Senior Nationals last December. He was also a Final X true-third runner-up at 63 kg in 2023, and is no stranger to tough Senior level events.

The fourth seed is Phillip Moomey, a past U23 World Team member, who most notably earned a spot at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials with a top finish at the Last Chance OTT Qualifier earlier this year.

Outside of the top four seeds, athletes to keep a look out for include Rhett Peak, a 2024 Junior Greco-Roman Nationals champion and 2022 U.S. Open runner-up Aidan Nutter adding to the excitement.

Among the top athletes registered at 72 kg is Benji Peak, a past Senior World Team member in 2022, who also competed at the 2022 U23 World Championships and most recently the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April. Peak’s extensive experience on the international stage makes him a force in this year’s trials.

RaVaughn Perkins also brings a strong resume to the mat. As a past Senior National Team member in 2023 and a 2018 Senior World Team member, Perkins has proven his consistency at the Senior level. Perkins was the Olympic Team Trials champion in 2016, falling just shot of qualifying the weight for the 2016 Rio Games.

Another standout competitor at 72 kg is Hunter Lewis. A U17 World Team member in 2018, Lewis has had a strong year in 2024, competing at 67 kg in June, winning gold at the U23 Pan American Championships, and finishing as the runner-up at the U23 Nationals.

Peyton Robb also brings significant credentials to the competition. A three-time NCAA All-American (2022, 2023, 2024) for Nebraska, Robb placed fourth at the 2020 Senior Nationals at 77 kg. In 2017, Robb won gold at the U17 Pan American Championships in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. With his consistent performances at the collegiate level in folkstyle, Robb will be one to watch in the Greco-Roman tournament this weekend.

The 82 kg Greco-Roman weight class this weekend is the largest of the fourth a total of 18 athletes currently registered. At the top of the group is Aliaksandr Kikiniou, a past Senior National Team member at 77 kg, who was the runner-up at Final X in 2023. Kikiniou has created an impressive international resume while competing for Belarus. In 2009, he earned a Senior World Bronze medal and participated in the 2004 Athens Games and 2012 London Games. In 2023, Kikiniou began competing for the United States, and has already made an impact at 77 kg.

Senior National Team member Jesse Porter is in the mix this weekend in Omaha. Porter was a member of the 2021 Senior World Team at 77 kg, and won the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at 77 kg in 2020.

Beka Melelashvili, a newcomer and transfer from Georgia, has already made a mark by winning a silver medal at the U23 Pan American Championships and securing a spot on the U23 World Team. Melelashvili looks comfortable at this weight, and we will see his power and skill on display for the first time at a Senior level event in the United States.

Tyler Eischens was on the U23 World Team last year and has competed for both Stanford and North Carolina at the NCAA level. Eischens qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials by winning the Last Chance OTT Qualifier at 77 kg, showcasing his skill at the top level earlier this year.

Ryan Epps, who was the runner-up at Final X in 2023, also brings significant experience to the trials. His recent performances indicate that he will be a strong contender at 82 kg.