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What a rollercoaster of a day for American wrestling fans! There were some great moments and some shocking ones, as well. The last American wrestler to take the mat on Monday was Kyle Dake, who was searching for his fifth world title against Russian, Zaurbek Sidakov, who came into the match with three World/Olympic gold medals. Though they were both in the 2020 74 kg Olympic weight class, the two had never previously met. The first period was largely uneventful as Dake was put on the shot clock; however, he managed to push Sidakov out of bounds to take a 1-0 lead. That would be the score after the first period. The second period is where things started to go sideways. Dake was put on the shot clock for a second time and Sidakov immediately attacked. He would finish the takedown near the edge with :01 on the shot clock. Once that final second ticked off, Sidakov led 3-1. Shortly after that exchange, Dake got in on a single leg and finished quickly to retake the lead 3-3. With under a minute remaining in the contest, Sidakov got in on a deep shot and was close to finishing. He and Dake took turns exposing each other's backs in a wild sequence. After a review, the score was deemed to be 8-7 in favor of Sidakov. During the final seconds of the contest, Dake tried to expose Sidakov, who was in on a leg again. While he was close, Sidakov never gave up his back. After a review, Sidakov was given two points to make the final score 10-7 in favor of the Russian. Both wrestlers have earned slots at the 2024 Olympics, so a Sidakov/Dake rematch suddenly becomes one of the most anticipated bouts on the horizon in Paris. The other American wrestling in a medal match on Monday was Zahid Valencia at 92 kg. As he’s been known to do, Valencia shot quickly off the opening whistle. Shortly afterwards, his opponent Arash Yoshida, locked up a front headlock and Valencia drug out of it for a takedown. Yoshida quickly escaped and the Japanese corner buzzed to challenge the sequence. A quick replay confirmed the call and gave Valencia a 3-0 lead for the challenge loss. With a 3-0 lead, Valencia continued to attack and scored with one of his best weapons a low double leg. Valencia held onto both legs and was able to quickly transition into a turn with what looked to be a low gut wrench. He would move down to the ankles and lock up a leg lace in the same sequence. Two turns later the match was over, 11-0. Valencia would win a bronze medal in a weight class he originally did not plan to compete in. After a loss to Aaron Brooks in the US Open finals, Valencia moved up to 92 kg from 86 and won the World Team Trials and Final X. One of the best moments of the day came from a competitor not wrestling for the United States, but one that American fans are extremely familiar with. Northwestern and Rutgers All-American, Sebastian Rivera wrestling for Puerto Rico, pulled off one of the best comebacks of the tournament to make the world finals at 65 kg. Rivera was trailing Vazgen Tevanyan (Armenia) 6-0 with under two minutes remaining in the bout. He was never flustered and got on the board with four points after a high finish from a leg attack. Rivera got within a point with only :15 seconds remaining after getting a takedown after changing directions multiple times in a front headlock situation. For the bulk of those :15 seconds, Rivera furiously worked to set up a leg lace. As the final two seconds ticked off the clock, Rivera finally was able to turn Tevanyan for two points and an 11-10 win. Rivera’s win also locked up a spot in the 2024 Olympic Games for Puerto Rico. He’ll face Iszmail Musukaev (Hungary) for a world title tomorrow. Down at 57 kg, another former collegiate star had a huge day. Michigan All-American Stevan Micic became the first Serbian wrestler to win a gold medal in freestyle. Micic had quite the road to the gold medal with wins over three past world champions, including Japan’s Rei Higuchi in the finals. Micic struck first with an early takedown, but was matched by Higuchi late in the first period. The two exchanged takedowns in the second period before Micic went ahead for good. Higuchi was ever-so-close to a takedown at the edge of the mat with only four seconds in the bout. No takedown was ruled; however, the Japanese corner did challenge. The initial call was upheld and Micic added a point, which made the final score 7-4. Micic’s win gives the University of Michigan three world medalists at this tournament. Myles Amine (San Marino) and Mason Parris both earned bronze medals. Perhaps the most shocking match of the day came in the 97 kg quarterfinals as 20-year-old Akhmed Tazhudinov (Albania) handled the legendary Kyle Snyder, 11-0. Tazhudinov took a surprising 4-0 lead after chest-wrapping Snyder and taking him feet-to-back in the opening period. Later in the period, Snyder continued to attack but couldn’t finish against Tazhudinov and the Albanian continued to add to his score. Another four-pointer, late in the opening period, was challenged by Snyder and his corner, which wasn’t overturned making the final score 11-0. After beating Snyder, Tazhudinov also handily defeated another Olympic champion, Abdulrashid Sadulaev (AIN - Russia), before Sadulaev injury defaulted out. Most expected a Snyder/Sadulaev rematch in the semis, but now there’s a chance it could happen tomorrow for a bronze medal, provided Snyder advances and Sadulaev can wrestle. Monday also marked the first day of competition for two weight classes in women’s freestyle. Both Americans, Jacarra Winchester (55 kg) and Jennifer Page (59 kg), advanced to the semifinals. Winchester would lock up her second world medal and a second berth in the world finals with her 11-0 tech fall victory over Anastasia Blayvas (Germany). Page was impressive in the quarterfinals downing 2021 World bronze medalist Sae Nanjo (Japan) in the quarterfinals, before getting shut down by Zhang Qi (China), 5-1 in the semis. Winchester will have to contend with 2x world champion Haruna Okuno in the world finals. Page will await the winner of a repechage contest that takes place tomorrow morning. The other American in action today was Nick Lee at 65 kg. Lee posted three impressive victories before running into 2022 world champion Rahman Amouzadkhalili (Iran). Though Amouzadkhalili controlled most of the bout, Lee did toss the Iranian to his back late in the contest and was close to securing a fall. Lee would be eliminated when Amouzadkhalili lost on a buzzer-beater in the semifinals. In order to guarantee a 65 kg representative at the 2024 Olympics, an American will need to place in the top-two at the 2024 Pan-American Championships or be forced to finish top-three at a World Qualifier. Final Results 57 kg Gold Medal Match: Stevan Micic (Serbia) over Rei Higuchi (Japan) 7-4 Bronze Medal Match: Arsen Harutyunyan (Armenia) over Meirambek Kartbay (Kazakhstan) 11-0 Bronze Medal Match: Zelimkhan Abakarov (Albania) over Zavur Uguev (AIN - Russia) 4-4 Olympic Quota Wrestle-Off: Zavur Uguev (AIN - Russia) over Meirambek Kartbay (Kazakhstan) 4-0 74 kg Gold Medal Match: Zaurbek Sidakov (AIN - Russia) over Kyle Dake (USA) 10-7 Bronze Medal Match: Daichi Takatani (Japan) over Georgios Kougioumtsidis (Greece) Fall 3:38 Bronze Medal Match: Khetig Tsabolov (Serbia) over Turan Bayramov (Azerbaijan) 6-4 Olympic Quota Wrestle-Off: Georgios Kougioumtsidis (Greece) over Turan Bayramov (Azerbaijan) 9-8 79 kg Gold Medal Match: Akhmed Usmanov (AIN - Russia) over Vladimeri Gamkrelidze (Georgia) 4-1 Bronze Medal Match: Mohammad Nokhodilarimi (Iran) over Orkhan Abasov (Azerbaijan) 10-0 Bronze Medal Match: Vasyl Mykhailov (Ukraine) over Bolat Sakayev (Kazakhstan) 3-1 92 kg Gold Medal Match: Rizabek Aitmukhan (Kazakhstan) over Osman Nurmagomedov (Azerbaijan) 5-2 Bronze Medal Match: Feyzullah Akturk (Turkey) over Miriani Maisuradze (Georgia) 5-3 Bronze Medal Match: Zahid Valencia (USA) over Arash Yoshida (Japan) 11-0 American Results Men’s Freestyle 65 kg Round of 64: Nick Lee (USA) over Krzysztof Bienkowski (Poland) 6-0 65 kg Round of 32: Nick Lee (USA) over Austin Gomez (Mexico) 3:56 65 kg Round of 16: Nick Lee (USA) over Umidjon Jalolov (Uzbekistan) 4-3 65 kg Quarterfinals: Rahman Amouzadkhalili (Iran) over Nick Lee (USA) 7-4 92 kg repechage: Zahid Valencia (USA) over Denys Sahaliuk (Ukraine) 6-0 92 kg Bronze Medal Match: Zahid Valencia (USA) over Arash Yoshida (Japan) 11-0 97 kg Round of 32: Kyle Snyder (USA) over Nishan Singh Randhawa (Canada) 11-0 97 kg Round of 16: Kyle Snyder (USA) over Radu Lefter (Moldova) 12-1 97 kg Quarterfinals: Akhmed Tazhudinov (Albania) over Kyle Snyder (USA) 11-0 Women’s Freestyle 55 kg Round of 16: Jacarra Winchester (USA) over Neha Sharma (UWW - India) 7-2 55 kg Quarterfinals: Jacarra Winchester (USA) over Mariia Vynnky (Ukraine) 11-1 55 kg Semifinals: Jacarra Winchester (USA) over Anastasia Blayvas (Germany) 11-0 59 kg Round of 16: Jennifer Page (USA) over Anjli (UWW - India) 11-0 59 kg Quarterfinals: Jennifer Page (USA) over Sae Nanjo (Japan) 6-4 59 kg Semifinals: Zhang Qi (China) over Jennifer Page (USA) 5-1

Day two for the US Men’s freestyle team at the 2023 World Championships had a bit of a rocky start but ended with a bang. Of the four weights that began competition on Sunday, only Kyle Dake at 74 kg made the World finals. Of the remaining three wrestlers, only Zahid Valencia is still alive in repechage. He’ll have to win two bouts tomorrow morning to secure a bronze medal at 92 kg. Zane Richards (57 kg) and Chance Marsteller (79 kg) were eliminated. Richards lost his only bout of the day, while Marsteller picked up a win before he was beaten. Sunday marked the first set of medals that were awarded and the Americans went four-for-four in those medal-round matches, including three with gold medals on the line. Vito Arujau got the medal madness started as he took on Abasgadzhii Magomedov (AIN - Russia), a 2021 world champion. Arujau got on the board first as he got in on a single leg and pushed Magomedov out of bounds for a point. Later in the first period, Magomedov got in on a low-leg attack and was chest-wrapped by Arujau. The two engaged in an extended scramble, one that saw each wrestler get exposed. The sequence was challenged by the Russian corner and Arujau was given three sets of exposure points, while Magomedov was given two sets. Leading 7-4 in the second period, the two were in another flurry on the edge of the mat. It was initially ruled that Magomedov got two points for exposure, however, Frank Perrelli hit the challenge buzzer on Arujau’s behalf. Although, it looked like the correct call to challenge, after a review, the initial call was upheld. That lost challenge knotted the bout at seven points; however, Magomedov held criteria. The Cornell national champion wasn’t worried and earned a takedown off of a snap down to lead 9-7. Arujau would add to his lead with a step out. During the waning seconds of the match, Arujau stepped out and was called for a caution and one, in addition to the step out. That only impacted the final score as Arujau fended off any further attacks from Magomedov to win 10-9. For the second consecutive year, Cornell has a wrestler with eligibility remaining who has captured a world medal. Yianni Diakomihalis was a world silver medalist in 2022. After a pair of bronze medal matches at 70 kg, Zain Retherford took the mat in search of his first world title. Retherford was a silver medal recipient in 2022. While Retherford broke the ice on the scoring front, his opponent, Amirmohammad Yazdani (Iran) locked up the first takedown to lead, 2-1. From that point, it was all Retherford, as he countered with a takedown of his own to go into the break, 3-2. Retherford added two more in the final stanza, along with a step out and got his hand raised in an 8-5 victory. Fellow Penn State great David Taylor was up next against another Yazdani, Hassan, a frequent opponent. The key sequence in the bout came late in the second period as Taylor got in on a double leg and as Yazdani was falling he locked up a chest wrap and flipped Taylor. The call on the mat was four points for Yazdani and a point for Taylor for a reversal. After Casey Cunningham and Taylor challenged, the call was overturned and Taylor was awarded four points and a point for the reversal, while Yazdani got two for exposure. Taylor extended his lead to 7-3 with another low double leg. There was no controversy this time as Taylor slowly built up for the finish. Late in the second period, Taylor continued to attack and got in on a swing single. Yazdani looked for the chest wrap again, but was not in position to finish and found himself on his back. Taylor took advantage and not only got the takedown, but also a fall in the waning seconds of the match. Taylor’s win puts him into rarified air with USA Wrestling. Taylor is now a four-time World/Olympic champion. The afternoon was capped off for the American team with a bronze medal-winning performance from heavyweight Mason Parris. Though he was a late replacement, Parris nearly knocked off three-time world champion Geno Petriashvili (Georgia) in the semifinals. In his bronze medal match, Parris wasted no time blitzing Abdulla Kurbanov (AIN - Russia) and rolling to a 12-2 tech. The 2023 Hodge Trophy winner blew the match open nearly midway through the first period when he tripped Kurbanov straight to his back for four points at the edge. Taylor and Parris, along with Kyle Dake who made the 74 kg finals, all have qualified the United States at the respective weights for the 2024 Olympics. Parris’ Michigan teammates Myles Amine (San Marino) and Stevan Micic (Serbia) both locked up medals and berths for their nation’s at the Olympics. Amine won a bronze medal match at 86 kg, while Micic upset 3x World/Olympic champion Zavur Uguev (AIN - Russia) in the semifinals. One of the highlights of tomorrow’s slate includes Dake against three-time World/Olympic champion Zaurbek Sidakov (AIN - Russia). The final two men’s freestyle team members (Nick Lee - 65 kg and Kyle Snyder - 97 kg) will also start their tournaments. Also, women’s freestyle will get underway with 55 kg (Jacarra Winchester) and 59 kg (Jennifer Page) hitting the mat. Final Results 61 kg Gold Medal Match - Vito Arujau (USA) over Abasgadzhi Magomedov (AIN - Russia) 10-9 Bronze Medal Match - Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan) over Kodai Ogawa (Japan) 2-1 Bronze Medal Match - Shota Phartenadze (Georgia) over Valentyn Bliasetskyi (Ukraine) 5-5 70 kg Gold Medal Match - Zain Retherford (USA) over Amirmohammad Yazdani (Iran) 8-5 Bronze Medal Match - Ramazan Ramazanov (Bulgaria) over Ernazar Akmataliev (Kyrgyzstan) 8-6 Bronze Medal Match - Arman Andreasyan (Armenia) over Abhimanyou (UWW - India) 12-1 86 kg Gold Medal Match - David Taylor (USA) over Hassan Yazdani (Iran) 5:57 Bronze Medal Match - Myles Amine (San Marino) over Javrail Shapiev (Uzbekistan) 8-5 Bronze Medal Match - Azamat Dauletbekov (Kazakhstan) over Magomed Sharipov (Bahrain) 5-3 Olympic Quota Qualifying - Javrail Shapiev (Uzbekistan) over Magomed Sharipov (Bahrain) 3-1 125 kg Gold Medal Match - Amir Zare (Iran) over Geno Petriashvili (Georgia) 11-0 Bronze Medal Match - Taha Akgul (Turkey) over Daniel Ligeti (Hungary) 5-0 Bronze Medal Match - Mason Parris (USA) over Abdulla Kurbanov (AIN - Russia) 12-2 Olympic Quota Qualifying - Abdulla Kurbanov (AIN - Russia) over Daniel Ligeti (Hungary) 8-3 American Results 57 kg Qualification: Aliabas Rzazade (Azerbaijan) over Zane Richards (USA) 3-2 61 kg Gold Medal Match: Vito Arujau (USA) over Abasgadzhi Magomedov (AIN - Russia) 10-9 70 kg Gold Medal Match: Zain Retherford (USA) over Amirmohammad Yazdani (Iran) 8-5 74 kg Qualification: Kyle Dake (USA) over Magomet Evloev (Tajikistan) 12-2 74 kg Round of 16: Kyle Dake (USA) over Nurkozha Kaipanov (Kazakhstan) 9-4 74 kg Quarterfinals: Kyle Dake (USA) over Daichi Takatani (Japan) 6-4 74 kg Semifinals: Kyle Dake (USA) over Georgios Kougioumtsidis (Greece) 4-1 79 kg Round of 16: Chance Marsteller (USA) over Chems Fetairia (Algeria) 7-2 79 kg Quarterfinals: Orkhan Abasov (Azerbaijan) over Chance Marsteller (USA) 9-3 92 kg Round of 16: Zahid Valencia (USA) over Amirali Azarpira (Iran) 12-9 92 kg Quarterfinals: Osman Nurmagomedov (Azerbaijan) over Zahid Valencia 5-1 125 kg Bronze Medal Match: Mason Parris (USA) over Abdulla Kurbanov (AIN - Russia) 12-2

Chris Ayres was appointed Stanford’s new head wrestling coach on Sept. 11, taking over for Rob Koll. “I always looked at Stanford as an amazing program,” Ayres said. Ayres heard Koll was leaving before the move to North Carolina was official. Therefore, Ayres began putting his name into the hat by reaching out to former assistant coach Ray Blake and Stanford’s administrators. Ayres described applying for the Stanford job as similar to Princeton 17 years ago. “Stanford has a great group of alumni and they really want this thing to be good,” Ayres said. “One of the administrators reached out to me and said it was open. I put in an application and within about a week I had the job.” The transition between Princeton and Stanford has been fairly easy since both schools are similar academically and in athletics. “It's actually pretty insane how you get in, how hard it is to get in, and the type of kids we have to recruit,” Ayres said. “It's funny, I recruited at least half of these kids to Princeton and about a quarter of those kids might've been Princeton or Stanford in the final mix. I've been telling them all to look at all the hoops I jumped through just to coach you.” In addition, Ayres understands how to balance the student-athlete's wrestling experience and academic experience. On the other hand, Ayres has to adapt to the ever-changing West Coast wrestling atmosphere. “The West Coast has been underutilized,” Ayres said. “You got a lot of kids from the West Coast going East or to the Midwest. I have a really strong desire to help California wrestling in general. I hope we are a centerpiece for the state and the West Coast.” Although Ayres is joining a West Coast school, he is excited to remain along the East Coast when the Cardinal head to the ACC next season. “I was just trying to learn as much as possible at Princeton about the realignment stuff, I just, it wasn't affecting me.” “I was on my interview when they figured out they're in the ACC,” Ayres said. “I was pumped about that. We're gonna get a lot of bang for our buck at the ACC. It's taken a huge jump. That helped make the decision.” Ayres believes the move to the ACC can help bring in more talent nationwide too. In addition, he will be able to face a familiar foe at Stanford and in the Ivy League. “Rob's been phenomenal in the transition,” Ayres said “There are things that he knows that the assistants just don't know. But it will be interesting because his guys have a little opportunity to make him hurt a little bit.” Even though his mindset is to claim gold at Stanford, he is easing into his role as the head coach. Currently, he moved near the campus and is learning the culture, names of his wrestlers and how the program runs. Even though he has been to a handful of practices, he has laid back and let both sides transition smoothly. However, Ayres is excited about his new journey. “I went out there with no Stanford gear,” Ayres said. They hooked me up with a bunch of gear now. I'm just looking forward to being in a new environment, working with some new kids and having a new situation.”