Aidan Squier (87 kg, NMU/NTS) was already considered one of the United States’ best young prospects for a reason but he added one more supporting detail to that claim on Monday.
Squier had been defeated by Senior World medalist Taizo Yoshida (JPN) on Sunday and Yoshida subsequently went on a roll and advanced to the bracket final to “pull” Squier back into the tournament via the repechage system. There were, on paper, no shortage of challenges for the American if bronze were a possibility. He would first have to deal with Ukraine’s Vladyslav Solodchuk, then find a way to get past Gogi Kochalidze (GEO), and contend for the medal against experienced Romanian Gabriel Stan (ROU). In the end, Squier indeed downed them all, and required a healthy dose comeback drama in the process as he finished off his quest for hardware.
In the opening round of repechage, Squier led Solodchuk 3-2 midway through the first period when he executed a four-point front headlock to put decent distance between him and his opponent. Another attempt near the edge provided Squier with an 8-2 advantage and he closed the show following the proceeding restart with a takedown, resulting in a 10-2 VSU.
All kinds of adrenaline encapsulated the next match. Squier trailed Kochalidze 4-1 with :08 remaining as he lowered his level for a body attack. Kochalidze was caught flatfooted, and Squier bodied the Georgian down and off the edge for four enormous points to go up by a score of 5-4. Georgia challenged the ruling, the call was upheld, and Squier moved onto the bronze round as the owner of a thrilling 6-4 decision.
With a World medal on the line, Squier once again found himself behind on the scoreboard. Stan had built a 6-0 lead primarily due to a pair of two-point lifts in the first period. Come Period 2, Squier walked to the center composed and focused, as is his custom. He stalked Stan but did not overextend, but a moment of opportunity arose as the pair clashed towards the boundary. Squier had the position, even if ever so slightly forced, for a bodylock. And he went for it. And converted for four.
Not long after the reset, Stan was cited for passivity. From top par terre, Squier locked for a lift; he could not quite load and hoist, but he retained control of Stan with his lock and dumped him out of bounds to take a 6-6 criteria lead. Stan did not suddenly just fade away following the points yield but Squier was in firm command as the bout reached its conclusion.
NMU sophomore Squier began competing overseas in the winter of ’22 and quickly amassed a collection of overseas medal, including several golds. He then decided to leave high school on the east coast early in order to train Greco-Roman full time in Wisconsin under Lucas Steldt. With the win, Squier also provides NMU with their first Junior/U20 World medal since Alston Nutter (67 kg, Army/WCAP) in ’19. Nutter came up under Steldt, as well. Squier is currently coached by Andy Bisek, as was Nutter.
Nutter in Repechage
Amryn Nutter (67 kg, NMU/NTS) — the youngest of the Nutter family — will on Tuesday have an opportunity to accomplish precisely what his teammate Squier just did. Nutter put forth a strong effort in his opener this morning against Kazybek Kalmagambetov (KAZ) but was ultimately on the wrong end of a 1-1 criteria decision. Kalmagambetov then ran the table to make the final, which means that Nutter will compete in the repechage with a possible chance for bronze waiting at the end of the journey. The Wisconsin product will first see Sebastian Wagner (GER); if successful, Nutter will then face ’25 U23 World gold Mohamed Abdelrehim (EGY); should he defeat Abdelrehim, Hungarian Petro Zhytovoz is already situated in the bronze round after falling to Kalmagambetov in the semifinal.
Elsewhere on Monday, the US had three other athletes in the mix: Ezekiel Witt (55 kg, Bison WC), Eli Esguerra (72 kg, Beast Mode), and Cittadino Tuttle (97 kg, PINnacle). All three were eliminated from the event following their respective opening round losses.
2026 U20 World Championships
August 16-18 — Bratislava, SVK
87 kg: Aidan Squier (NMU/NTS) — BRONZE
LOSS Taizo Yoshida (JPN) 10-2, TF
WON Vladyslav Solodchuk (UKR) 10-2, TF
WON Luka Kochalidze (GEO) 6-4
WON Gabriel Stan (ROU) 6-6 (criteria)
TEAM USA DAY 2 RESULTS
55 kg: Ezekiel Witt (Bison WC)
LOSS Khjiakbar Kuchkarov (UZB) 8-3
67 kg: Amryn Nutter (NMU/NTS)
LOSS Kazybek Kalmagambetov (KAZ) 1-1 (criteria)
vs. Sebastian Wagner (GER — Repechage Rd. 1, Tuesday)
72 kg: Eli Esguerra (Beast Mode)
LOSS Jorge Gomez Garcia (MEX) 13-5, TF
97 kg: Cittadino Tuttle (PINnacle)
LOSS Dimitrios Pappas (GRE) 2-1
TEAM USA DAY 1 RESULTS
63 kg: Nick Sorrow (Simmons Academy of Wrestling) — 17th
LOSS Taigo Hibarino (JPN) 10-5
77 kg: Leister Bowling IV (Hawkeye WC) — 10th
LOSS Samvel Terteryan (ARM) 6-0
WON Mohamed Ibrahim (EGY) 9-4
LOSS Zalan Toplak (HUN) 1-1 (criteria)
130 kg: Travyn Boger (Protos WC) — 16th
LOSS Amirhossein Abdevali (IRI) 9-1, TF
