USA Greco

Foy Goes 1-1; Black & Sancho Drop Decision Losses

By 5PM Staff

Posted on September 19, 2025

Michial Foy -- Photo: Tony Rotundo

Michial Foy (97 kg, Army/WCAP) won the first World-level match of his career on Friday, and it came against a top-flight opponent, though Foy would be eliminated following the second round. Max Black (60 kg, NYAC/NTS) and Alex Sancho (72 kg, Army/WCAP) were both unable to earn victories this morning, but both are also tentatively still alive in the tournament as of press time.

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Day 2 of the 2025 World Championships began at 10:30am local time from Zagreb, Croatia (4:30am ET) and is streaming live on FLOWrestling.

Foy, who made the ’25 USA World Team after defeating Olympian Joe Rau (TMWC) back in April, had drawn a tough first assignment in his Senior World debut, Mindaugas Venckaitis of Lithuania. Venckaitis, himself an Olympian last year in Paris, is one of his country’s top competitors and a fast-rising name on the Senior circuit altogether.

But Foy was unimpressed by Venckaitis’ resume. After a bit of jousting in the ties, Foy started to ease into the dynamics of the match and would soon use an overhook to scamper around back for a takedown. Follow-up from par terre top did not result in additional points but the American had a 2-0 lead that would hold up through intermission.

A similar positional exchange unfolded early in the second period when Venckaitis again laced a deep underhook and tried to bring his hips inside on Foy; in response, Foy went with the action and quickly swooped in back for another takedown. Venckaitis could not generate much in the way of offense and by and large failed to threaten with legitimate attacks. Foy remained upright through the remainder to stamp down the 4-0 shutout in addition to collecting his first win at a Senior World tournament in his first try.

Experienced Giorgi Melia (GEO) was next in line for Foy. Melia, though he is still without a World medal, was an immensely-decorated age-group competitor and has developed into an effective Senior. This year in particular has been a strong one for Melia, as he had won the Hungarian “Ranking Series” tournament in July, one month after he had also taken 1st in Italy. Foy was unable to quite get going in this contest as Melia piled up the points to earn a 9-0 VSU. Foy’s tournament ended after the proceeding round as Melia was edged by Olympic/World Champion Mohammadhadi Saravi (IRI) 1-1. Because Melia was defeated by Saravi, Foy was eliminated from re-entering the tournament in tomorrow’s repechage round.

Black & Sancho

Black faced a stiff test in the form of two-time World bronze Aidos Sultangali (KAZ), who in this match capitalized on the first passive/par terre opportunity to race out to a 7-0 lead. Black received his own point in the second period but was ultimately unable to mount a comeback. Sultangali has advanced to the 60 kg semifinal round. If he is successful (against Amiran Shavadze of Georgia), Black will compete in the repechage round that starts tomorrow morning.

It is a similar situation for Sancho, who was felled by Ibrahim Ghanem (FRA) 4-0. Ghanem has made it all the way to the 72 kg semifinal round where he will take on Merey Maulitkanov (KAZ). Should Ghanem defeat Maulitkanov, Sancho will likewise have another chance to pursue a World medal by way of the repechage system.

The semifinal round for Day of the 2025 World Championships commences at 4:30pm local time (10:30am ET) and can be viewed live in the US on FLOWrestling (subscription required).

Bey Falls Just Short of Bronze Bid

Multi-time World Team member/’24 Olympian Kamal Bey (77 kg, Army/WCAP) delivered an inspired effort on Friday but with difficult opposition, coupled with a questionable call at the end of his second bout this morning, he will arrive back home without sporting a piece of World hardware.

Bey was defeated in close fashion on Thursday by World Champion Malkhas Amoyan of Armenia, nailbiter of the highest order than went Amoyan’s way 2-1. However, Amoyan punched his ticket to the 77 kg final, which thereby put Bey in today’s repechage round.

Bey trounced ’17 World silver medalist Mateusz Bernatek (POL) via 11-2 VSU. One win away from an appearance in the bronze was Bey, who next had to face ’24 World bronze Ahmet Yilmaz (TUR). Bey certainly made his presence felt very quickly as he dashed in on a body attack from a duck-under that was indeed highlight-reel worthy. He had two points; but by the latter stages of the bout, the score was 4-2 for Yilmaz. With under :30 to go, Bey again duck-under’ed his way to a body attack that appeared to score two off the boundary — but the Turkish corner challenged the sequence, arguing that leg contact on the part of Bey influenced the action. If it did, it was at most fleeting and inadvertent. Nevertheless, the two points were expunged and Bey was defeated 4-2. Yilmaz will now battle Alireza Abdevali (IRI) for bronze.

Bey faced a World medalist in each of his three matches in this tournament.