U.S. men’s freestyle draws set for Zagreb Open Ranking Tournament
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Hayden Zillmer (USA) competing at the 2022 World Championships. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
The draws have been set in men’s freestyle for the Zagreb Open in Zagreb, Croatia, which begins tomorrow.
Men’s freestyle will be contested on Wednesday and Thursday.
The weight classes set for Wednesday are 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg and 86 kg.
The weight classes set for Thursday are 79 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg and 125 kg.
There are 21 U.S. wrestlers who received their first round draw. They are listed below.
This article will be updated with bio information on each opponent. Please come back for that information.
Brackets on UWW Arena
ZAGREB OPEN RANKING EVENT
At Zagreb, Croatia
U.S. Men’s Freestyle first round draws
57 kg: Zane Richards (TMWC/IRTC)
Vs. Rikuto Arai (Japan) - 3rd in 2022 Asian Championships, 3rd in 2018 and 2022 All-Japan Invitational
61 kg: Daniel DeShazer (Minn.Storm)
Vs. Gamzatgadzhi Khalidov (Hungary) - 5th in 2022 European Championships, 5th in 2021 U23 Worlds
65 kg: Evan Henderson (TMWC/LVWC)
Vs. Shaohua Yuan (China) - 2022 Senior World Team, 3rd in 2019 Asian Championships
65 kg: Joey McKenna (TMWC/PRTC)
Vs. Joshua Finesilver (Israel), 10th in 2023 Senior Worlds, 2022 Slavin, Halfen, Weinberg, Gottfruend Memorial champion
65 kg: Nick Lee (TMWC/NLWC)
Vs. Sebastian Rivera (Puerto Rico), 5th in 2022 World Championships, 2nd in 2022 Pan American Championships, Seventh in 2021 World Championships, 5th in 2021 Pan American Championships
70 kg: Tyler Berger (Sunkist/PRTC)
Vs. Benedikt Huber (Austria), 8th in 2022 U20 Worlds, 5th in 2022 U23 Europeans
70 kg: Alec Pantaleo (TMWC/CKWC)
Vs. Vishal Kaliramana (India), 3rd in 2021 Matteo Pellicone Ranking Event (Italy), 5th in 2019 Asian U290 Championships, Second in 2018 Asian U20 Championships.
70 kg: Hayden Hidlay (TMWC/WWC)
Vs. winner of Gianluca Talamo (Italy) and Khadzhimurad Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan)
Talamo – 9th in 2022 World Championships, 3rd in 2015, 2018 and 2022 City of Sassari Tournament (Italy)
Gadzhiyev – 2022 U23 World silver medalist, 7th in 2019 World Championships, 2019 U20 World bronze medalist, 2018 U20 World champion
74 kg: Jason Nolf (TMWC/NLWC)
Vs. Patrik Leder (Canada), 2022 U23 World Team member, 2nd in 2021 Pan American U20 Championships
74 kg: Joey Lavallee (TMWC/NLWC)
Vs. Kamil Rybicki (Poland), 2020 Olympian, 6th in 2019 Senior Worlds, 3rd in 2021 Military Worlds
74 kg: Tommy Gantt (TMWC/WWC)
Vs. Fazli Erilmaz (Turkey), 2021 World bronze medalist, 3rd 2022 Islamic Solidarity Games, 5th in 2019 U23 Worlds
79 kg: Chance Marsteller (TMWC/NYCRTC)
Vs. Ramazan Sari (Turkey), 2021 U23 World silver medalist, 2021 European U23 champion, 2019 U23 World bronze medalist
86 kg: Zahid Valencia (Sunkist)
Vs. Benjamin Greil (Austria), 2022 Senior World Team member, 8th in 2022 European Championships,
86 kg: Mark Hall (TMWC/PRTC)
Vs. Ruslan Valiev (France), 2023 Henri Deglane champion (France), 2nd in 2014 Ali Aliev Tournament (Russia), 2nd in 2010 Russian Nationals.
92 kg: Kollin Moore (TMWC/ORTC)
Vs. Osman Nuramagomedov (Azerbaijan), 2021 and 2022 World bronze medalist, 2021 U23 World champion,
92 kg: Jay Aiello (TMWC/CWC)
Vs. Adlan Viskhanov (France), 2022 Senior World Team member, 2022 U20 World bronze medalist,
97 kg: Kyle Snyder (TMWC/NLWC)h
Vs. Magomedkhan Magomedov (Azerbaijan), 2022 World bronze medalist, 2022 European champion, 2021 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion, 2018 U20 World champion
97 kg: Morgan Smith (TMWC/ORTC)
Vs winner of Ricardo Baez (Argentina) and Awusayiman Habila (China)
Baez – 5th in 2017 and 2020 Pan American Championships, 5th in 2015 Pan American Games
Habila – 5th in 2022 Ion Corneanu (Romania), 4th in 2018 Asian U20 Championships
125 kg: Hayden Zillmer (Minn. Storm)
Vs. winner of Giorgi Meshvidishvili (Azerbaijan) and Robert Baran (Poland)
Meshvidishvili – 2015 European U23 silver medalist, 2nd in 2017 Sargysian (Georgia),
125 kg: Jordan Wood (NYAC)
Vs. Ceron Francisco (USA)
125 kg: Ceron Francisco (TMWC/NLWC)
Vs. Jordan Wood (USA)
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