Burroughs Wins Historic Title – University of Nebraska

Oslo, Norway – Former Husker wrestler Jordan Burroughs won his fifth World Championship, defeating Mohammad Nokhodilarimi of Iran, 5-1, in the men’s freestyle 79 kg final at the World Wrestling Championships on Monday. Burroughs tied John Smith’s U.S. freestyle record of six World and Olympic Championships combined.

In the 79 kg final, Burroughs took the early 3-0 lead with a double-leg takedown followed closely by another double. The victory gave Burroughs his fifth World Championship gold medal, joining his titles in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017.

Burroughs faced Canada’s Sam Barmish in the first match of the tournament and rolled to a 10-0 win with three double-leg takedowns. In the second round, Burroughs was set to match up against Kazakhstan’s Bolat Sakayev but advanced to the next round by forfeit. In the quarterfinals, Burroughs faced Radik Valiev of the Russian Wrestling Federation. Valiev started off strong with a 3-2 lead at the break, but Burroughs rallied for a 9-4 victory to advanced to the semifinals.

On Sunday, Burroughs advanced to his fifth world championship match by dominating Japan’s Ryuki Yoshida, 10-1.

At 70 kg, fellow former Husker James Green cruised to his first match victory, defeating Korea’s Seungchul Lee by a 10-0 technical fall. The story in Green’s second round was similar as he advanced to the quarterfinals with a 10-0 technical fall over Germany’s Shamil Ustaev.

In the quarterfinals, Green lost a hard-fought match to Azerbaijan’s Turan Bayramov 6-5 and was eliminated from competition.

Burroughs’ medal was the second gold medal of the day for the United States, as former Omaha Skutt and Iowa wrestler Thomas Gilman defeated Iran’s Alireza Sarlak in the 57 kg championship match. 

2021 UWW World Championships

Nye Jordal Amfi

Oslo, Norway

Oct. 2-10, 2021

79 kg

Qualification: Jordan Burroughs (USA) tech. Sam Barmish (CAN), 10-0

Round of 16: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Bolat Sakayev (KAZ) by forfeit

Quarterfinals: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Radik Valiev (ROC), 9-4

Semifinals: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Ryuki Yoshida (JPN), 10-1

Gold Medal Match: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Mohammad Nokhodilarimi (IRI), 5-1

70 kg

Qualification: James Green (USA) tech. Seungchul Lee (KOR), 10-0

Round of 16: James Green (USA) tech. Shamil Ustaev (GER), 10-0

Quarterfinals: Turan Bayramov (AZE) def. James Green (USA), 6-5