Sept 11 World Championships Preview

J’den Cox has earned either an Olympic or World medal the past three years, including last fall when the former NCAA champion from Missouri captured his first World championship in men’s freestyle. Cox is among 30 Americans who will represent the United States in three different styles at the 2019 UWW World Championships, Sept. 14-22, in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

Two other wrestlers who compete in this year’s World Championships are Joe Rau in Greco-Roman and Tamyra Mensah-Stock in women’s freestyle. This marks Rau’s second World tournament, while Mensah-Stock has competed in the Worlds the past two years, including last year’s bronze-medal performance.

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Men’s Freestyle

92 K / 202 pounds

J’den Cox

Competing Sept. 20-21

Defending World champion J’den Cox (top) won two bouts over 2019 Hodge Trophy winner Bo Nickal to earn a spot on the 2019 World team. (Justin Hoch photo)

Bio:Age 24 (born March 3, 1995); native of Columbia, Mo.; resident of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Titan Mercury WC/OTC; 3-time NCAA champ and 4-time AA at Missouri (2013-16).

International Experience: defending World champ, also competed in 2017 Worlds (bronze, (4-1 record); also competed in 2016 Olympics (bronze medal, 3-1 record).

2019 Final X:defeated three-time NCAA champ and ’19 Hodge Trophy winner Bo Nickal of Penn State in best-of-three matches, 4-2 and 5-0, at Rutgers.

Projected Top 4 Seeds by UWW:1. J’den Cox (United States); 2. Alireza Karimimachiani (Iran), ’18 World bronze; 3. Ivan Yankouski (Belarus), ’18 World silver; 4. Irakli Mtsituri (Georgia), ’18 World fifth place; also Alikhan Zhabrailov (Russia), ’19 Russian champ.

Greco-Roman

87 K / 191.5 pounds

Joe Rau

Competing Sept. 15-16

Joe Rau defeated Ben Provisor at Final X Rutgers. (Justin Hoch photo)

Bio:Age 28 (born March 17, 1991); native and resident of Chicago, Ill.; Titan Mercury WC/Chicago RTC; NCAA Div. III champ and 3-time AA at Elmhurst College.

International Experience:competed in 2014 Senior Worlds; did not place; competed in the ‘14 University Worlds (10th)

2019 Final X: defeated 2017 World and 2016 Olympic Team member Ben Provisor (Nittany Lion WC) in best-of-three matches, 2-1, 5-1, at Rutgers.

Projected Top 4 Seeds by UWW:1. Zhan Beleniuk (Ukraine), ’18 World silver, ’16 Olympic silver; 2. Metehan Basar (Turkey), ’18 World gold; 3. Viktor Lorincz (Hungary), ’14 World bronze; 4. Islam Abbasov (Azerbaijan), ’17 and ’18 U23 World bronze.

Women’s Freestyle

68 K /149.75 pounds

Tamyra Mensah-Stock

Competing Sept. 19-20

Tamyra Mensah-Stock

Bio:Age 26 (born Oct. 11, 1992); native of Katy, Texas; resident of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Titan Mercury WC/OTC; 2-time WCWA champ at Wayland Baptist

International Experience:2018 bronze medalist competed in two Senior Worlds, also did not place in 2017 (1-1); also competed in 2014 University Worlds (silver).

2019 Final X: defeated Alexandria Glaude (Titan Mercury WC) best-of-three matches, pin, 10-0, at Rutgers.

Projected Top 4 Seeds at UWW: 1. All Cherkasova (Ukraine), ’18 World gold; Tamyra Mensah (United States); 3. Maryia Mamashuk (Belarus), ’16 Olympic silver; 4. Battsetseg Soronzonbold (Mongolia), ’19 Ivan Yarygin gold

Below are WIN’s daily previews of USA at the Worlds. Click on the date to read the previews of the wrestlers located on that date.