Otto Black Earns Second Bronze for U.S. at Greco-Roman World Championships

NOVI SAD, Serbia – Team USA picked up its second Greco-Roman bronze medal of the 2025 U23 World Championships from Otto Black. 

Black joined teammate Payton Jacobson (87 kg) as a bronze medalist. Entering Novi Sad, the U.S. had only ever won a single medal at the U23 Worlds dating back to its inception in 2017 - Beka Melelashvili’s silver medal from 2024. The team has doubled that mark so far with bronze medal opportunities from Melelashvili (82 kg) and Max Black (60 kg), Otto’s brother, on Thursday. 

Jimenez, Robinson, Welker Make U23 World Finals, M. Black to Bronze Bout

NOVI SAD, Serbia – The U.S. women completed an undefeated run on Wednesday at the 2025 U23 World Championships, as Audrey Jimenez at 50 kg, Jasmine Robinson at 72 kg and Kylie Welker at 76 kg advanced to the gold medal finals. 

Four Americans Into Semis, Black to Bronze Match at U23 World Championships

NOVI SAD, Serbia – Two-time Senior World medalist and defending U23 World champion Kylie Welker, 2024 U20 World champion Jasmine Robinson and five-time age-group World medalist Audrey Jimenez qualified for the Wednesday evening semifinals at the U23 World Championships. On the Greco-Roman side, Senior World Team members Max Black at 60 kg and Beka Melelashvili at 82 kg took the mats and are both still in medal contention. 

Jacobson Earns Bronze at U23 Greco-Roman World Championships, Black to Repechage

NOVI SAD, Serbia – Payton Jacobson won a bronze medal at 87 kg at the 2025 U23 Greco-Roman World Championships while Otto Black has been pulled back into the repechage at 67 kg.

Black Falls In Quarterfinals at U23 Greco-Roman World Championships

NOVI SAD, Serbia – Otto Black carried the U.S. banner during session one of the 2025 U23 World Championships on Tuesday. He won a pair of matches to make the quarterfinal round before dropping a 1-1 criteria contest to Mohamed Abdelrehim of Egypt. He now awaits his repechage fate, needing Abdelrehim to win in the semifinals. 

Olympian and U.S. Senior World Team member Payton Jacobson will wrestle for a bronze medal at 87 kg this evening against two-time age-group World medalist and U23 European bronze medalist Lachin Valiyev of Azerbaijan. 

Jacobson Will Wrestle For Bronze, Rix McElhinney Into Repechage

NOVI SAD, Serbia – Payton Jacobson of the United States will wrestle in the bronze medal at the U23 World Championships while Aydin Rix McElhinney will wrestle in repechage at 130 kg, needing two wins to reach the bronze medal match. 

Illinois Chapter Has Its 2025 Honors Banquet

More than 230 family, friends and honored guests celebrated the Illinois Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 on October 19.

Front Row (L to R): Rob Sherrill (Lifetime Service), Matt Hughes (Outstanding American), Rob Ledin (Lifetime Service).

Back Row (L to R): Ron Coit (Lifetime Service), Mike Garland (Lifetime Service), Jim Heffernan (Lifetime Service) and Jeff Hill (Lifetime Service).

Medal of Courage recipient Antonia Phillips is not pictured.

Jacobson Advances to Semis at U23 Greco-Roman World Championships

NOVI SAD, Serbia – Paris Olympian Payton Jacobson put himself in the 87 kg Greco-Roman semifinals on Monday at the U23 World Championships with a stellar 3-0 outing in the morning session.

Jacobson, who was fifth at the 2024 U23 Worlds, impressed with dynamic wins over Rohit Bura of India, Gabriel Lupasco of Moldova and Zaur Shangereev of UWW. He controlled all three matches with terrific forward pressure in neutral and was excellent in par terre. Jacobson converted from top on each opponent and gave up no turns from underneath.