Wrestling World Championship 2021: Jordan Burroughs qualifies in new weight category, Nick Gwiazdowski makes cut in Gable Stevenson’s bracket
Jordan Burroughs qualified for the world championships in the new weight category with an impressive victory at the Wrestling World Team Trials on Sunday. This will be his 10th career US World or Olympic Team qualification.
Jordan Burroughs defeated Alex Dieringer in the finals series in front of his college hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. He secured a 10-5 victory in the first match, winning the key positions. He went to an early lead and scored a 4-3 over the Titan Mercury wrestler in match two in 79 kg men’s freestyle weight category.
Jordan Burroughs was a Hodge Trophy champion for Nebraska and trained there for the majority of his international career until recently moving back to Pennsylvania RTC.
Jordan Burroughs has made his eighth senior world team. Out of eight appearances, the New Jersey-born has finished on the podium five times. He has won two golds (2015 and 2017) and three bronze medals.
This will be the first time since 2008 that Jordan Burroughs will not compete in 74 kg, where he won an Olympic gold. The 33-year-old decided to move up in weight class as Kyle Dake had an automatic qualification in 74 kg, courtesy of bronze at the Olympics.
Dake had defeated Jordan Burroughs at the Olympic trials in April to secure a place in the USA team.
Nick Gwiazdowski to compete in Gable Stevenson’s weight category
USA Wrestling held trials in 125 kg weight as Olympic champion Gable Stevenson left the mat to begin his pro-wrestling career. He recently signed with WWE.
In 125kg, Nick Gwiazdowski qualified for his fourth senior world championships. The two-time world bronze medalist clean swept 2019 junior world champion Mason Parris to book the berth.
Gwiazdowski had an edge in power and technique, winning the first match 6-0, then adding more offense in a 10-3 win in bout two.
Four 2020 Olympic medalists chose to compete at the World Championships as well, and their weight classes are not being contested this weekend. They are Olympic champion David Taylor (86 kg), Olympic silver medalist Kyle Snyder (97 kg), Olympic bronze medalist Thomas Gilman (57 kg) and Olympic bronze medalist Kyle Dake (74 kg).
The wrestling world championship is scheduled to be held between October 2 and 10 in Oslo, Norway.
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