LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The 10 U.S. Open Senior Greco-Roman champions on Thursday night have punched their ticket to Final X in Newark, New Jersey, May 10. Although many of the champions were familiar stars on the Greco-Roman circuit, there are some new faces

Five Olympians were in the finals, but none were able to win their match. There were three individual champions who won their first U.S. Open titles: Brady Koontz of Titan Mercury WC/Dubuque WC at 55 kg, Robert Perez, III of the Sunkist Kids at 67 kg and Justus Scott of Army WCAP at 72 kg.

Koontz was dominant in his finals victory over Dalton Duffield of Army WCAP, getting a gut wrench turn multiple times for a 9-0 technical fall in the first period.

Perez was also explosive in his finals, securing an 8-0 technical fall in the finals over 2016 Olympian Jesse Thielke. Perez, who trains at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center

Scott, a Las Vegas native who is in his first year with Army WCAP, hit a big four-point move early and kept his composure to defeat two-time Senior World Team member Patrick Smith of the Minnesota Storm, 6-4. Scott came into the tournament as a No. 6 seed, while Smith was the top seed.

The Outstanding Wrestler was returning U.S. Open champion Cohlton Schultz of Sunkist, who scored a technical fall over 2018 World silver medalist Adam Coon of NYAC/Cliff Keen WC at 130 kg. Schultz, who is the defending champion, last wrestled Coon in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials finals, which was won by Coon. This was Coon’s first event since the Olympic Trials.

The other U.S. Open champions have won at least one previous national title.

Dalton Roberts jumped to 7-0 lead over his Army WCAP teammate Ildar Hafizov, a two-time Olympian at 61 kg. Hafizov closed to 7-2 after a caution and 2 call, then in the final 10 seconds hit a four-point throw, and Roberts won 7-6.

At 63 kg, Hayden Tuma of Suples WC edged two-time World Team member Sammy Jones of the Sunkist Kids WC, 3-1. Both wrestlers had a point for passivity. In the second period, Jones was put down a second time, and Tuma turned him for the margin of victory.

At 77 kg, Kamal Bey of Army WCAP won his fifth U.S. Open title, in a quick 9-0 technical fall in 33 seconds over 43-year-old Aliaksandr Kikiniou of Poway, an Olympian for Belarus in 2012. Bey hit a pair of four-point throws, showing off his explosive offense.

Spencer Woods of Army WCAP fell behind in his 82 kg finals to two-time Olympian Ben Provisor of New York AC. Trailing 3-1, Woods secured a front headlock and officials scored a caution and two-point penalty to tie it at 3-3. Provisor’s corner challenged but it was denied, giving Woods the final point.

At 87 kg, returning national champion Alan Vera of the NYAC was able to get his throws going in a 9-0 technical fall victory over 2020 Olympian John Stefanowicz of the Navy WC.

Veteran star Josef Rau of Titan Mercury WC was able to turn his opponent Nick Boykin of the Sunkist Kids to secure a 10-1 technical fall at 97 kg.

The top seven placewinners in each weight qualify for the World Team Trials Challenge in Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 20-21.

In all 10 weight classes, the champion has first option to compete in the 2023 Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina. USA Wrestling will announce the Greco-Roman Pan American Team later this evening.

The Div. I team champions was Army WCAP, while the Div. II team champion was the Sunkist Kids.

U.S. GRECO-ROMAN OPEN
At Las Vegas, Nev., April 27, 2023

55 kg
1st – Brady Koontz (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Dalton Duffield (Army WCAP), 9-0
3rd – Camden Russell (New York AC) tech. fall Jacob Cochran (Army (WCAP), 11-0
5th – Drew West (Illinois) inj. def. Billy Sullivan (Army WCAP)
7th – Tirso Lara (TOP GUN WC) tech. fall Eathon Rider (Shafter Youth Wrestling), 10-1

60 kg
1st – Dalton Roberts (Army WCAP) dec. Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP), 7-6
3rd – Max Black (NMU-National Training Center) tech. fall Dylan Koontz (Titan Mercury WC), 8-0
5th – Jonathan Gurule (NMU-National Training Center) inj. def. Mason Carzino-Hartshorn (New York AC)
7th – Randon Miranda (California) tech. fall Mitchell Brown (Air Force RTC), 9-0

63 kg
1st – Hayden Tuma (Suples WC) dec. Sammy Jones (Sunkist Kids WC), 3-1
3rd – Dylan Gregerson (Brunson UVRTC) tech. fall Leslie Fuenffinger (Army WCAP), 9-0
5th – Savion Haywood (Iguana WC) forfeit Xavier Johnson (Army WCAP)
7th – Corbin Nirschl (New York AC) dec. Kyle Rowan (Ohio), 6-2

67 kg
1st – Robert Perez III (Sunkist Kids WC) tech. fall Jesse Thielke (Army WCAP), 8-0
3rd – Chayse La joie (Michigan) dec. David Stepanian (New York AC), 9-3
5th – Joel Adams (The Best Wrestler) inj. def. Alston Nutter (Sunkist Kids WC)
7th – Nicholas Leonetti (Suples WC) forfeit Chris Debien (Baylor WC)

72 kg
1st – Justus Scott (Army WCAP) dec. Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm), 6-4
3rd – Noah Wachsmuth (New York AC) tech. fall Michael Hooker (Army WCAP), 9-0
5th – Jack Ervien Jr. (Viking WC) inj. def. Britton Holmes (Army WCAP)
7th – Richard Fedalen (New York City RTC) forfeit Jamel Johnson (Marines)

77 kg
1st – Kamal Bey (Army WCAP) tech. fall Aliaksandr Kikiniou (Poway), 9-0
3rd – Payton Jacobson (Sunkist Kids WC) dec. Burke Paddock (New York AC), 7-1
5th – Jesse Porter (New York AC) forfeit Ravaughn Perkins (New York AC)
7th – Danny Braunagel (Illinois RTC/Illini WC) dec. Alec Ortiz (Minnesota Storm), 15-10

82 kg
1st – Spencer Woods (Army (WCAP) dec. Ben Provisor (New York AC), 4-3
3rd – Andrew Berreyesa (New York AC) dec. Johanner Correa (North Carolina), 3-2
5th – Tommy Brackett (New York AC) inj. def. Kendrick Sanders (New York AC)
7th – Tyler Cunningham (New York AC) tech. fall Khalil Abdushshakur (Morris Fitness WC), 10-0 1:16

87 kg
1st – Alan Vera (New York AC) tech. fall John Stefanowicz (Navy WC), 9-0
3rd – Zachary Braunagel (Illinois RTC/Illini WC) tech. fall Timothy Young (Army WCAP), 9-0
5th – Macaron Kukowski (Minnesota Storm) forfeit Barrett Stanghill (Minnesota Storm)
7th – Jordan Lara (Texas RTC) tech. fall Austin Craig (All Navy Wrestling), 10-1

97 kg
1st – Josef Rau (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Nicholas Boykin (Sunkist Kids WC), 10-1
3rd – Daniel Miller (Marines) tech. fall Brandon Marshall (Big Game WC), 9-0
5th – George Sikes (New York AC) forfeit Christian Dulaney (New York AC)
7th – Cade Lautt (Tar Heel WC) tech. fall Tyler Thurston (Dubuque RTC), 13-2

130 kg
1st – Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids WC) tech. fall Adam Coon (New York AC), 11-0
3rd – Tanner Farmer (New York AC) forfeit Luke Luffman (Illinois RTC/Illini WC)
5th – Brandon Metz (North Dakota) inj. def. Donny Longendyke (Minnesota Storm)
7th – Darryl Aiello (Community Youth Center – Concord Campus Wrestling) fall Courtney Freeman (Marines), 2:12

Div. I teams – 1. Army WCAP, 266 pts.; 2. New York Athletic Club, 209 pts.
Div. II teams – 1. Sunkist Kids

Original article by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling: Original article by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling: https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2023/April/27/Greco-Finals-wrap