Success for Team USA was expected going into the Pan-Ams and, thus far, those expectations are on track to be met thanks to several early-round wins.
Day 1 of the 2025 Pan-American Championships began at 10:00am local time from Monterrey, Mexico (12:00pm ET) and is streaming live on FLOWrestling.
The US roster, consisting strictly of newly-crowned World Team members, entered action on Thursday with eight athletes in the tournament (with two more going on Friday)– over half of whom have faced pool competition. At 55 kilograms, ’24 U17 World gold Janey Raney (NYAC) only has one opponent, Isaac Marin Mata of Mexico, and at press time their match has yet to transpire. Well-decorated Ellis Coleman (Army/WCAP) is 2-0 in his round-robin bracket after defeating Hector Sanchez Zapata (MEX) 7-1 and receiving a forfeit over Lisandro Cabrera Ortiz (PAR).
’24 U23 World silver Beka Melelashvili (NYAC) collected a clean 6-1 decision at the expense of Diego Macias Torres (MEX) to guarantee himself hardware. Melelashvili then blew past David Choc Huoc (GUA) 8-0 in the next round to earn his first Pan-Am gold.
A rebound was necessary for Olympian Payton Jacobson (87 kg, NYAC/NTS) to find his footing on Thursday. He had looked in control through much of the first period against familiar Luis Avendano Rojas (VEN) but par terre for Avendano in the second frame resulted in a bevy points which later meant a 7-5 loss for Jacobson. The Northern Michigan standout dominated Carlos Espinosa Castro of Peru (8-0) in Round 2 of the pool, which kept him in the hunt for a podium spot. But he still had a serious obstacle awaiting.
Russian Sodrokov Kodzokov, who two years ago began competing for Brazil, owns a basket of impressive credentials, including a Military World title, several top-3 finishes from the Russian Nationals, and other relevant international medals earned elsewhere. He came into the event as a reigning Pan-Am gold, as well.
And Jacobson took it to Kodzokov from the outset. Following the preamble, Jacobson navigated the arms and crashed in on a body attack that he immediately converted to a gutwrench for a two-and-two scoring sequence. The first-period par terre went to the American, but Kodzokov defended. The passives flipped in the second, and Jacobson surrendered one turn but stayed pasted after that to earn the reset. Kodzokov was visibly worn towards the latter stages of the bout, with a few snatches at the head representing the sum of his output. Jacobson retained command till the whistle, thus prevailing by a score of 5-3 to stay alive in the tournament.
Max Black (NYAC/NTS) is operating in the 60 kg weight division, which is running in a pooled format that will now be parsed into a semifinal round. Black downed Pedro Souza Rodrigues (BRA) via 8-0 VSU in his first bout — and was then trailing Andres Gonzalez Andrade (PAN) 5-4 following a lost challenge. But when the match resumed, Black went on a tear by crumbling Gonzalez to the tarp, cranking a gutwrench, and finishing with a cascading four-point lift to end matters at 14-5.
Alston Nutter (67 kg, Army/WCAP) was holding his own opposite longtime competitor and multi-time Olympian Andres Montano Arroyo (ECU) before the latter managed benefited from a lost US challenge and a takedown to come away the winner via 6-1 decision. If Montano can get past Nestor Almanza Truyol (CHI) in the semifinal, Nutter will battle Truyol for bronze.
’23 Pan-Am Games gold/’24 Olympian Kamal Bey (77 kg, Army/WCAP) got off to a predictably hot start. He drew Peruvian Ryan Cubas Castillo and torqued and torched his way to a blitzing 9-0 technical fall victory. Bey will see Calebe Correa Ferreira (BRA) in the semifinal round. It was also a nice opening round for three-time World Teamer Cohlton Schultz (130 kg, Atreus WC), as he once again demonstrated his love for the front headlock. Against Leonidas Manzaba Quinonez (ECU), Schultz used the hold for an initial scoring chance; and then from par terre, he immediately achieved the lock and used it to crunch Quinonez laterally to his back. The signal for the fall arrived soon after.
Below are results but matches are ongoing. The semifinal round is scheduled for 4:00pm local time/6:00pm ET and can be viewed live on FLOWrestling.
2025 Pan-American Championships
May 8-9 — Monterrey, MEX
TEAM USA DAY 1 RESULTS
55 kg: Jayden Raney (NYAC)
vs. Isaac Marin Mata (MEX)
60 kg: Max Black (NYAC/NTS)
WON Pedro De Souza Rodrigues (BRA) 8-0, TF
WON Andres Gonzalez Andrade (PAN) 14-5, TF
63 kg: Ellis Coleman (Army/WCAP)
WON Hector Sanchez Zapata (MEX) 7-1
WON Lisandro Cabrera Ortiz (PAR) via forfeit
67 kg: Alston Nutter (Army/WCAP)
LOSS Andres Montano Arroyo (ECU) 6-1
77 kg: Kamal Bey (Army/WCAP)
WON Ryan Cubas Castillo (PER) 9-0, TF
vs. Calebe Correa Ferreira (BRA)
82 kg: Beka Melelashvili (NYAC) — GOLD
WON Diego Macias Torres (MEX) 6-1
WON David Hoc Chuoc (GUA) 8-0, TF
87 kg: Payton Jacobson (NYAC/NTS)
LOSS Luis Avendano Rojas (VEN) 7-5
WON Carlos Espinosa Castro (PER) 8-0, TF
WON Sodrokov Kodzokov (BRA) 5-3
130 kg: Cohlton Schultz (Atreus WC)
WON Leonidas Manzaba Quinonez (ECU) via fall
vs. Gino Avila Dilbert (HON)
*Semifinals scheduled for 4:00pm local time/6:00pm ET
