14 U.S. World team members set at Beat the Streets Annual Benefit, Final X New York

Six-time World and Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs defeated Chance Marsteller 2-1 in a best-of-three series.

Jordan Burroughs, left, gets a leg attack on Chance Marsteller at the Beat the Streets Annual Benefit/Final X New York on Wednesday, June 8 at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors

There were 14 more members of the 2022 U.S. Senior World Team set Wednesday, punching their ticket to Belgrade, Serbia for the 2022 Senior World Championships, five in each of the men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman and four in women’s freestyle.

It was a wild night of action in the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, as Final X New York was held before a large and boisterous crowd. Final X New York served as the 12th Beat the Streets Annual Benefit. These unique and electrifying annual events help Beat the Streets New York raise millions of dollars to support local youth wrestling programs which empower young people in New York City.

Three of the best-of-three championships series were pushed to a full three matches, including one featuring one of the greatest wrestlers in history, 2012 Olympic champion and five-time World champion Jordan Burroughs at 79 kg in men’s freestyle.

Burroughs won his opening match against Chance Marsteller, who was competing in his first Final X finals. However, in the second bout, Marsteller showed great tactics and exceptional defense, and secured a 2-2 criteria decision over Burroughs.

In the deciding third match, Burroughs got things going well with a step out point to lead 1-0. He added two more step outs in the first period to lead 3-0 at the break. In the second period, Burroughs scored his patented low double leg takedown on the edge for a takedown for a 5-0 lead, which held up the rest of the way.

Burroughs made his 11th U.S. World or Olympic Team, in a career which includes an Olympic gold, five World golds, three World bronzes and two Olympic team berths. He is currently tied with Adeline Gray and John Smith at six World or Olympic titles. A World title at the 2022 Worlds would make him the most golden U.S. wrestler of all time.

The winner of each Final X Championship Series will represent Team USA at the Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 10-18.

Combined with the 15 winners of Final X Stillwater on June 3, 29 of the 30 members of the 2022 U.S. Senior World Team have now been determined.

Of the 14 winners Wednesday, there were four will compete in their first Senior Worlds. This included 18-year-old women’s freestyle phenom Amit Elor (72 kg), men’s freestyle wrestler Hayden Zillmer (125 kg), Alejandro Sancho (67 kg) and women’s freestyle wrestler Dominique Parrish (53 kg).

MEN’S FREESTYLE SUMMARY

Burroughs was joined by 2020 Olympic champion David Taylor as men’s freestyle champions. Taylor won in two straight matches over Zahid Valencia at 86 kg, winning 4-2 in the first match, then opening up his offense in a 10-0 technical fall in the second match. Taylor was a 2018 World champion and 2021 World silver medalist.

Three-time World champion and Olympic bronze medalist Kyle Dake also advanced to another World Championships, in a two-match sweep (4-2, 2-1) over Jason Nolf in a pair of close battles at 74 kg.

Yianni Diakomihalis made his second-straight World team at 65kg. He won a highly-competitive first match 11-9 and scored a 14-4 technical fall against Evan Henderson, unleashing his offense along the way.

Zillmer made his first Senior World Team with a three-match victory over two-time World bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski. Zillmer dropped the first match 5-0 then rallied to win bout two, 4-3. In the deciding third match, Gwiazdowski jumped to a 5-0 lead, but Zillmer rallied with two takedowns in the last minute, and a pushout with a few seconds left to win.

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE SUMMARY

2016 Olympic champion, two-time Olympic medalist and three-time World champion Helen Maroulis made another World Team, sweeping her 57 kg series with a pair of 10-0 technical calls over Alexandra Hedrick. Maroulis was a 2021 World champion and will return to Serbia looking to repeat.

2020 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time World silver medalist Sarah Hildebrandt won her 50 kg series with two 10-0 technical falls over two-time World bronze medalist Alyssa Lampe.

Elor, who won 2021 Cadet and Junior World titles, made the Senior World Team in her first year competing at this level. She stopped Skyler Grote in consecutive 10-0 technical falls.

Parrish won a pair of decisions over Felicity Taylor to make her first Senior team, taking the first match 7-2 and the second match 8-2. Parrish has been on three U23 World Teams.

GRECO-ROMAN SUMMARY

Four of the five Greco-Roman winners have been on previous World Teams. The only one who is going to his first Senior Worlds is 2020 Olympian Alejandro Sancho, who won a feisty two-match series against Alston Nutter at 67 kg. Sancho survived a 10-9 shoot-out, then was in control in match two, 5-2.

Sancho was one of three Olympians to advance to the 2022 Worlds, joined by two-time Olympian Ildar Hafizov (60 kg) and 2020 Olympian and 2021 World bronze medalist G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg).

Hafizov needed three bouts to stop Army teammate Dalton Roberts. Hafizov won 11-7, but Roberts came back with a 3-2 win in bout two. In the deciding third match, Hafizov scored a clutch takedown on a double overhook to win 4-1.

Hancock was in control in both of his wins (8-0, 8-2) over Braxton Amos, who he also defeated in the 2020 Olympic Trials finals.

Alan Vera made his second straight Senior World team. Vera, who didn’t reach the second period in either match against Timothy Young. Vera scored a pin in 1:00 in bout one, and 9-1 technical fall in 2:49 in the second match.

Also on his second Senior World Team is Kamal Bey, a past Junior World champion, who pinned his Army WCAP teammate Britton Holmes in both matches at 77 kg. Bey scored a pin in 5:12 in bout one and 6:00 in bout two.

FINAL X NEW YORK

At New York, N.Y., June 8

MEN’S FREESTYLE SERIES

65 kg MFS - Yianni Diakomihalis (Spartan Combat/TMWC) dec. Evan Henderson (Ohio RTC/TMWC), two matches to none

Bout One – Diakomihalis dec. Henderson, 11-9

Bout Two – Diakomihalis tech. fall Henderson, 14-4, 3:48

74 kg MFS – Kyle Dake (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) dec. Jason Nolf (NLWC/TMWC), two matches to none

Bout One – Dale dec. Nolf, 4-2

Bout Two – Dake dec. Nolf, 2-1

79 kg MFS – Jordan Burroughs (Pennsylvania RTC/Sunkist Kids) dec. Chance Marsteller (TMWC), two matches to one

Bout One – Burroughs dec. Marsteller, 4-0

Bout Two – Marsteller dec. Burroughs, 2-2

Bout Three – Burroughs dec. Marsteller, 5-0

86 kg MFS – David Taylor (NLWC/TMWC) dec. Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids), two matches to none

Bout One – Taylor dec. Valencia, 4-2

Bout Two – Taylor tech. fall Valencia, 10-0, 4:51

125 kg MFS -. Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC - RTC) dec. Nick Gwiazdowski (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC), two matches to one

Bout One – Gwiazdowski dec. Zillmer, 5-0

Bout Two – Zillmer dec. Gwiazdowski, 4-3

Bout Three – Zillmer dec. Gwiazdowski, 5-5

GRECO-ROMAN SERIES

60 kg GR - Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP) dec. Dalton Roberts (Army WCAP), two matches to none

Bout One – Hafizov dec. Roberts, 11-7

Bout Two – Roberts dec. Hafizov, 3-2

Bout Three -Hafizov dec. Roberts, 4-1

67 kg GR - Alejandro Sancho (Army WCAP) dec. Alston Nutter (Sunkist Kids), two matches to none

Bout One – Sancho dec. Nutter, 10-9

Bout Two – Sancho dec. Nutter, 5-2

77 kg GR - Kamal Bey (Army WCAP) dec. Britton Holmes (Army WCAP), two matches to none

Bout One – Bey pin Holmes, 5:12

Bout Two – Bey pin Holmes, 6:00

87 kg GR - Alan Vera (NYAC) dec.Timothy Young (Illinois), two matches to none

Bout One – Vera pin Young, 1:00

Bout Two – Vera tech fall Young, 9-1, 2:49

97 kg GR – G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids) dec. Braxton Amos (Wisconain RTC/Sunkist Kids), two matches to none

Bout One – Hancock tech. fall Amos, 8-0, 2:06

Bout Two – Hancock dec. Amos, 8-2

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE SERIES

50 kg WFS – Sarah Hildebrandt (USOPTC/NYAC) dec. Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids), two matches to none

Bout One – Hildebrandt tech fall Lampe, 10-0, 1:31

Bout Two – Hildebrandt tech. fall Lampe, 10-0, 2:12

53 kg WFS - Dominique Parrish (Sunkist Kids) dec. Felicity Taylor (Bearcat RTC/TMWC), two matches to none

Bout One – Parrish dec. Taylor, 7-2

Bout Two – Parrish dec. Taylor, 8-2

Bout 13 - 57 kg WFS – Helen Maroulis (Sunkist Kids) dec. Alexandra Hedrick (USOPTC/TMWC), two matches to none

Bout One – Maroulis tech. fall Hedrick, 10-0, 2:59

Bout Two – Maroulis tech. fall Hedrick 10-0, 4:49

72 kg WFS - Amit Elor (NYC RTC/TMWC) dec. Skylar Grote (Beaver Dam RTC/NYAC), two matches to none

Bout One – Elor tech. fall Grote, 10-0, 5:17

Bout Two – Elor tech. fall Grote, 10-0, 5:33