Day 2 Highlights: 2025 Senior World Championships in Zagreb

Day 2 of the 2025 Senior World Championships in Zagreb has been nothing short of electrifying. As athletes battle on the mat, we’ve witnessed remarkable performances and unexpected upsets, contributing to an atmosphere buzzing with excitement. Team USA continues to make waves, particularly in men’s freestyle wrestling.

Zahid Valencia: A Force at 86kg

Zahid Valencia has stolen the spotlight throughout the tournament. After dominating his early matches, he showcased a masterclass performance in the semifinals, achieving a decisive tech fall victory against Iran’s Kamran Ghasempour. With three tech falls already to his name, Valencia aims for gold today.

Rising Stars: Levi Haines and Trent Hidlay

Today has been particularly momentous for newcomers Levi Haines and Trent Hidlay, both making their Senior Worlds debuts.

• Levi Haines delivered a stunning upset by defeating the No. 2 seed from Mongolia at 79kg. His tactical prowess and aggressive style propelled him into the finals, where he will face Georgios Kougioumtsidis for the gold medal.

• Trent Hidlay continues to impress with his prowess in the 92kg category. He tech-falled Azerbaijan’s Osman Nurmagomedov, securing his place in the finals against Amanula Gadzhimagomedov. Hidlay’s journey thus far has solidified him as a significant contender in this tournament.

Spencer Lee’s Journey Comes to a Close

Unfortunately, the title run for Spencer Lee ended abruptly, as he lost in the quarterfinals to Armenia’s Arsen Harutyunyan. After a stellar start where he lit up his first match, Lee’s hopes for a medal were dashed, proving that in wrestling, anything can happen.

Upcoming Medal Matches

Excitement is mounting as medal matches for the following weight categories are set to commence at 12:00 p.m. ET:

• 61kg Final: Zavur Uguev (UWW) vs. Ahmad Masoud Mohammadnezhadjavan (IRI)
• 70kg Final: Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) vs. Tulga Tumur Ochir (MGL)
• 86kg Final: Zahid Valencia (USA) vs. Hayato Ishiguro (JPN)
• 125kg Final: Giorgi Meshvildishvili (AZE) vs. Amir Hossein Abbas Zare (IRI)

The anticipation surrounding these matches is palpable, as athletes vie for the elusive gold.

Jax Forrest’s Heartbreaking Loss

Team USA’s Jax Forrest faced a dramatic turn of events in the bronze medal match. Initially believing he had secured victory against Kazakhstan’s Assylzhan Yessengeldi, a controversial review pulled a point away just seconds before the match concluded, resulting in a narrow 9-8 loss. Such moments illustrate the intensity and unpredictability inherent in wrestling.

Team USA’s Performance Recap

Here’s a quick summary of Team USA’s performance so far at the Senior Worlds:

57kg – Spencer Lee

• R32: Bye
• R16: DEF. Vladimir Egorov (MKD) – TF 10–0 (0:45)
• QF: LOST to Arsen Harutyunyan (ARM) – TF 14–3 (4:13)

61kg – Jax Forrest

• R32: DEF. Sangboum Han (KOR) – TF 10–0
• R16: DEF. Takara Suda (JPN) – Dec 7–2
• QF: DEF. Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (KGZ) – Dec 13–8
• SF: LOST to Zavur Uguev (UWW) – Dec 10–3
• 3rd Place: LOST to Assylzhan Yessengeldi (KAZ) – Dec 9–8

79kg – Levi Haines

• R32: DEF. Khidir Kurban A Saipudinov (BRN) – Dec 5–2
• R16: DEF. Bumgue Seo (KOR) – TF 10–0 (0:38)
• QF: DEF. Akhmed Usmanov (UWW) – Dec 3–2
• SF: DEF. Suldkhuu Olonbayar (MGL) – Dec 4–1
• Final: vs. Georgios Kougioumtsidis (GRE)

86kg – Zahid Valencia

• R32: DEF. Mukul Dahiya (IND) – TF 10–0
• R16: DEF. Fateh Benferdjallah (ALG) – TF 10–0
• QF: DEF. Ivars Samusonok (LAT) – TF 10–0
• SF: DEF. Kamran Ghorban Ghasempour (IRI) – Dec 7–0
• Final: vs. Hayato Ishiguro (JPN)

92kg – Trent Hidlay

• R32: DEF. Redjep Hajdari (MKD) – TF 11–1
• R16: DEF. Samuel Scherrer (SUI) – TF 10–0
• QF: DEF. Miriani Maisuradze (GEO) – Dec 6-1
• SF: DEF. Osman Nurmagomedov (AZE) – TF 15-4
• Final: vs. Amanula Gadzhimagomedov (UWW)

125kg – Wyatt Hendrickson

• R32: LOST to Abdulla Kurbanov (UWW) – TF 14–4

Watching the Finals Live

The excitement of the 2025 Senior World Championships is far from over. Fans can keep up with live results, updated brackets, and match highlights. Flowrestling offers live streaming of the championships, adding to the viewing experience for those who can’t make it to Zagreb.

Make sure to catch the thrilling finals today, and stay tuned for more insightful updates from this prestigious event!