Burroughs, Green Gear Up for Final X: Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. - Former Nebraska wrestlers Jordan Burroughs (74 kg) and James Green (70 kg) will headline the field for Final X: Lincoln, which will be contested on Saturday at the Devaney Center.

Five women's freestyle weight classes, five men's Greco-Roman weight classes and five men's freestyle weight classes will all be contested. Final X: Lincoln is one of two events to determine the United States World Team, as other weight classes were contested on June 8 in Piscataway, New Jersey. During Final X, the top men's and women's freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers compete in a best-of-three series, with the winners earning spots on the U.S. senior world team and the opportunity to compete at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships in Nursultan, Kazakhstan, on September 14-22, 2019.

James Green vs. Ryan Deakin
Green, a two-time world medalist, will be wrestling to make his fifth-consecutive U.S. world team. He was the silver medalist at the 2017 World Championships and won the bronze medal at the 2015 World Championships. Green continues to live in Lincoln and train at the NWTC after finishing his collegiate career as a four-time All-American at Nebraska in 2015. He will battle Ryan Deakin in the 70 kg bout, who many did not expect to see at Final X. Deakin was the No. 10 seed at the U.S. Open and won the tournament. In the final match at the U.S. Open, Deakin scored a takedown with only one second left on the clock to defeat Green by decision, 8-6. Deakin currently wrestles at Northwestern and finished sixth in his weight-class at the 2018-19 NCAA Championships.

Past Senior World Teams
Green – 2018 Senior Worlds (13th at 70 kg), 2017 Senior Worlds (silver at 70 kg), 2016 Senior Worlds (7th at 70 kg), 2015 Senior Worlds (bronze at 70 kg)
Deakin – none

Past age-group World Teams
Green – 2014 University Worlds (silver at 70 kg), 2013 University World Games (12th at 66 kg)
Deakin – 2017 Junior Worlds (silver at 66 kg)

Recent head-to-head matchups
April 2019 – U.S. Open finals: Deakin dec. Green, 8-6

Jordan Burroughs vs. Isaiah Martinez
An Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion, Burroughs will be looking to represent the United States at the premier international competition (Olympics or World Championships) for the ninth year in a row. Burroughs is the reigning Final X Champion at 74 kg, and is tied for second in U.S. history with five world or Olympic titles. A two-time National Champion and three-time All-American at Nebraska, Burroughs continues to live in Lincoln and train at the NWTC under Nebraska Head Coach Mark Manning and Association Head Coach Bryan Snyder. Burroughs will wrestle Isaiah Martinez in a rematch from Final X 2018. Since falling short at Final X last year, Martinez won the bronze medal at the Alexander Medved Prizes and finished 10th at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix. Martinez also represented the U.S. at the Freestyle World Cup, helping the team finish third.

If Burroughs wins on Saturday, he will have the chance to become the first American in any style to win five World titles.

Past Senior World Teams
Burroughs – 2018 Senior Worlds (bronze at 74 kg), 2017 Senior Worlds (gold at 74 kg), 2016 Olympics (9th at 74 kg), 2015 Senior Worlds (gold at 74 kg), 2014 Senior Worlds (bronze at 74 kg), 2013 Senior Worlds (gold at 74 kg), 2012 Olympics (gold at 74 kg), 2011 Senior Worlds (gold at 74 kg)
Martinez – none

Past age-group World Teams
Burroughs – 2008 Junior Worlds (10th at 66 kg)
Martinez – 2017 U23 Worlds (5th at 74 kg)

Recent head-to-head matchups
June 2018 – Final X match one: Burroughs dec. Martinez, 4-1
June 2018 – Final X match two: Burroughs tech. fall Martinez, 11-1

Final X Matchups
June 15
Lincoln, Neb. (Bob Devaney Sports Center)
Session I (12 p.m.)
Bout 1: Women’s FS 59 kg – Alli Ragan (Sunkist Kids/Hawkeye WC) vs. Lauren Louive (New York AC/Hawkeye WC)
Bout 2: Men’s GR 60 kg – Leslie Fuenffinger (U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Ildar Hafizov (U.S. Army WCAP)
Bout 3: Women’s FS 55 kg – Jacarra Winchester (Titan Mercury WC/OTC) vs. Dominique Parrish (Sunkist Kids WC/Burnaby Mountain WC)
Bout 4: Men’s GR 72 kg – Raymond Bunker (U.S. Marine Corps) vs. Alex Mossing (Air Force RTC)
Bout 5: Men’s GR 63 kg – Ryan Mango (U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Xavier Johnson (U.S. Marine Corps)
Bout 6: Men’s GR 97 kg – G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids) vs. Lucas Sheridan (U.S. Army WCAP)

Session II (6 p.m.)
Bout 1: Women’s FS 62 kg – Mallory Velte (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids/Hawkeye WC)
Bout 2: Women’s FS 53 kg – Sarah Hildebrandt (New York AC/OTC) vs. Katherine Shai (Titan Mercury WC)
Bout 3: Women’s FS 76 kg – Adeline Gray (New York AC) vs. Precious Bell (Unattached)
Bout 4: Men’s GR 130 kg – Adam Coon (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) vs. Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids/EAP)
Bout 5: Men’s FS 61 kg – Joe Colon (Titan Mercury WC/Valley RTC) vs. Tyler Graff (Titan Mercury WC/NJRTC)
Bout 6: Men’s FS 97 kg – Kyle Snyder (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) vs. Kyven Gadson (Sunkist Kids WC/Cyclone RTC)
Bout 7: Men’s FS 70 kg – Ryan Deakin (Titan Mercury WC/Chicago RTC) vs. James Green (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC)
Bout 8: Men’s FS 57 kg – Daton Fix (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC) vs. Thomas Gilman (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
Bout 9: Men’s FS 74 kg – Jordan Burroughs (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC) vs. Isaiah Martinez (Titan Mercury WC/Illinois RTC)