This weekend in Los Angeles Team USA will face a packed field for the 2015 World Cup on their home soil. Looking over the roster it looks like Team USA is sending out their best squad available as all of the nationally ranked #1 wrestlers are expected to compete. For Iowa fans that means 2014 World Team members Tony Ramos, Brent Metcalf, and Jake Varner will all be there, and Matt McDonough (USA’s #4 ranked 57 kg) will also be in attendance as the 61 kg backup, as will Moza Fay who will be traveling as a 70 kg backup.
United World Wrestling is expected to carry the stream for the event starting on Saturday and through Sunday. Universal Sports Network will air the bronze medal match at 7:30 PM on Sunday and NBC Sports Network will air the gold medal match at 9:00 PM. Check your local listing for channel to catch the event on TV.
#19 Tony Ramos recently cracked the bottom of the World rankings, but last weekend he put on a show when he beat a former Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo at AGON V. USA faces Cuba first, which means Ramos should face the #4 ranked 61 kg Yowlys Bonne Rodríguez in the first round. Session III could get interesting when Ramos takes on Mongolia’s #4 Bekhbayar Erdenebat in what could be a rematch from the 2014 World’s first round. Erdenebat was the victor the last time the pair met, but Ramos has now been training exclusively in freestyle for a year now.
#8 ranked Brent Metcalf will continue his strong 2015 and he’ll face plenty of strong competition at the World Cup. Russia will be bringing #16 Akhmed Chakaev and Mongolia will be bringing two World ranked wrestlers in #6 Mandakhnaran Ganzorig and #20 Batmagnai Batchuluun. So far in 2015 Metcalf has taken home silver at the Ivan Yarygin in Russia and then recently defeated the World’s #17 ranked wrestler Aaron Pico at AGON V.
2012 Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner will be the man at this weight for USA and every team in USA’s pool features at least one top 20 ranked wrestler. Mongolia’s Khuderbulga Dorjkhand and Cuba’s Javier Cortina Lacerra are both ranked in the top 10.
Alternate Matt McDonough will be bumping up from his usual 57 kg to 61 kg to back up Coleman Scott. McDonough defeated former 5th place World finisher Angel Escobedo at AGON V, and his most recent action at 61 kg had him bringing home a bronze medal at the Paris Grand Prix in France. Of the three teams USA faces in pool action, both Mongolia and Russia each boast a top ten World ranked wrestler.
Moza Fay is also traveling to California to be the alternate for Nick Marable at 70 kg. There are two top 20 ranked wrestlers competing at 70 kg at the event with Russia’s #8 Israil Kasumov being the only wrestler in the top 10.
U.S. men’s freestyle team
57 kg/125.5 lbs. — Tony Ramos, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
61 kg/134 lbs. — Coleman Scott, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)
65 kg/143 lbs. — Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC/Hawkeye WC)
70 kg/154 lbs. — Nick Marable, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids/Mountaineer RTC)
74 kg/163 lbs. — Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC)
86 kg/189 lbs. — Ed Ruth, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
97 kg/213 lbs. — Jake Varner, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
125 kg/275 lbs. — Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC)
Russia Freestyle World Cup Team Roster
57 kg/126 lbs – Viktor Rassadin
57 kg/126 lbs – Omak Syuryun
61 kg/134 lbs – Murshid Mutalimov #15
61 kg/134 lbs – Egor Ponomarev #9
65 kg/143 lbs – Zaurbek Sidakov
65 kg/143 lbs – Akhmed Chakaev #16
70 kg/154 lbs – Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov
70 kg/154 lbs – Israil Kasumov #8
74 kg/163 lbs – Isa Daudov
74 kg/163 lbs – Yakub Shikhghamalov
86 kg/190 lbs – Dauren Kurugliev
86 kg/190 lbs – Akhmed Magomedov
97 kg/214 lbs – Yuri Belonovski #13
97 kg/214 lbs – Asret Shogenov
125 kg/276 lbs – Arslanbek Aliev
125 kg/276 lbs – Timur Kotsoev
Mongolia Freestyle World Cup Team Roster
57 kg/125 lbs – Bekhbayar Erdenebat #4
57 kg/125 lbs – Nomin Batbold #13
57 kg/125 lbs – Tsogtbaatar Damdinbazar #10
61 kg/134 lbs – Nyam-Ochir Enkhsaikhan #5
61 kg/134 lbs – Nemekhbayar Batsaikhan
65 kg/145 lbs –Mandakhnaran Ganzorig #6
65 kg/145 lbs – Batmagnai Batchuluun #20
70 kg/154 lbs – Iderkhuu Gantulga
70 kg/154 lbs – Ankhbayar Batchuluun #20
70 kg/154 lbs – Batzorig Buyanjav
74 kg/163 lbs – Gombodorj Dorjvaanchig
74 kg/163 lbs – Unurbat Purevjav
86 kg/189 lbs – Uitumen Orgodol
86 kg/189 lbs – Usukhbaatar Purevee
97 kg/213 lbs – Khuderbulga Dorjkhand #9
125 kg/275 lbs – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan
125 kg/275 lbs – Zolboo Natsagsuren
Cuba Freestyle World Cup Team Roster
57 kg/125 lbs – Yowlys Bonne Rodríguez #4 (@61 kg)
61 kg/134 lbs – Maikel Antonio Pérez González
65 kg/145 lbs – Franklin Maren Castillo
70 kg/154 lbs – Andy Yoan Moreno González
74 kg/163 lbs – Livan López Azcuy
86 kg/189 lbs – Reineris Salas Pérez
97 kg/213 lbs – Javier Cortina Lacerra #7
125 kg/275 lbs – Eduardo Mesa Rabí
Schedule for World Cup
Saturday, April 11
Session I
2:00 p.m. – USA vs. Cuba on Mat A, Iran vs. Belarus on Mat B
3:30 p.m. – Russia vs. Mongolia on Mat A, Azerbaijan vs. Turkey on Mat B
Session II
5:15 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
5:30 p.m. – USA vs. Russia on Mat A, Iran vs. Turkey on Mat B
7:00 p.m. – Mongolia vs. Cuba on Mat A, Belarus vs. Azerbaijan on Mat B
Sunday, April 12
Session III
10:00 a.m. – USA vs. Mongolia on Mat A, Turkey vs. Belarus on Mat B
11:30 a.m. – Azerbaijan vs. Iran on Mat A, Cuba vs. Russia on Mat B
1:00 p.m. – Fifth Place Dual on Mat A, Seventh Place Dual on Mat B
Session IV
3:15 p.m. – Third Place Dual on Mat A
4:45 p.m. – First Place Dual on Mat A
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