By Richard Immel
USA Wrestling

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.

In his quarterfinal match against Shangereev, Jacobson trailed 3-0 after the first period. He pressed hard to gain passivity advantage and made the most of it with a four-point straight lift to take the match, 5-3.

Up next for Jacobson is Gholamreza Farokhisenjani of Iran, the reigning Senior World champion at 82 kg. Farokhisenjani presents a great opportunity for Jacobson to demonstrate his continued growth in the Greco-Roman style.

Two-time U20 World bronze medalist Aden Attao made it to the quarterfinal round at 130 kg where he was upended by 2024 U20 World champion Laszlo Darabos of Hungary, 8-0. Darabos ended things quickly with a takedown and three turns in 33 seconds. Attao lost to Darabos in the first round at last year’s U20 Worlds and wrestled all the way back to bronze.

Attao scored a nice 8-1 win over 2023 U23 World silver medalist Mykhailo Vyshnyvetskyi of Ukraine in his opener.

Two Americans finished the day with 0-1 records. Kaden Ercanbrack dropped a 9-0 match to Jeremy Peralta Gonzalez of Ecuador at 63 kg. Aydin Rix McElhinney lost in the prelims to Temuri Orjonikidze of Georgia, 4-1, at 77 kg.

Attao and Rix McElhinney remain in the hunt for a repechage match entering tonight’s semifinals. Ercanbrack was eliminated in session one.

The tournament continues at 6 p.m. local time this evening with the Greco-Roman group one semifinals. Novi Sad, Serbia, is located six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time.

The U23 World Championships are streaming live on FloWrestling.com to the U.S. market. Brackets and updated results can be found on UWW Arena.

2025 U23 World Championships 

At Novi Sad, Serbia, October 20 

Greco-Roman Results 

Group One Semifinal Matchups 

63 kg 

Servet Angi (Türkiye) vs. Ziya Babashov (Azerbaijan)

Vitalie Eriomenco (Moldova) vs. Kuttubek Abdurazakov (Kyrgyzstan)

77 kg 

Doniyorkhon Nakibov (Uzbekistan) vs. Temuri Orjonikidze (Georgia)

Irfan Mirzoiev (Ukraine) vs. Levente Levai (Hungary)

87 kg 

Payton Jacobson (United States) vs. Gholamreza Farokhisenjani (Iran)

Yassine Ben Labed (Poland) vs. Ivan Chmyr (Ukraine)

130 kg 

Fardin Hedayati (Iran) vs. Laszlo Darabos (Hungary)

Aleksandr Melekhov (UWW) vs. Razmik Kurdyan (Armenia)

U.S. Greco-Roman Results 

Group One 

63 kg – Kaden Ercanbrack (Marquette, Mich./NMU National Training Center), eliminated 

LOSS Jeremy Peralta Gonzalez (Ecuador), tech. fall, 9-0

77 kg – Aydin Rix McElhinney (South Berwick, Maine/Northern Colorado WC), awaiting repechage 

LOSS Temuri Orjonikidze (Georgia), 4-1

87 kg – Payton Jacobson (Marquette, Mich./NMU National Training Center/New York AC), semifinals 

WIN Rohit Bura (India), tech. fall, 8-0

WIN Gabriel Lupasco (Moldova), 7-1

WIN Zaur Shangereev (UWW), 5-3

VS Gholamreza Farokhisenjani (Iran)

130 kg – Aden Attao (Boise, Idaho/Beaver Dam Wrestling RTC), awaiting repechage 

WIN Mykhailo Vyshnyvetskyi (Ukraine), 8-1

LOSS Laszlo Darabos (Hungary), tech. fall, 8-0