Despite the medal matches being held for the first four non-olympic weights, it was the first session performance and developments in the loaded 67kg bracket that stole the show today.

Ismael Borrero Molina headlined Day 2. The 2016 Olympic Champ at 59kg proved he could perform not only fine, but exceptionally up two weights as he utterly dismantled 3x World Champ Frank Staebler before dominating 2017 World Champ Hansu Ryu.

Scroll down for all the best from Day 2 at Worlds.

Related Resources

Results and Brackets

Day 2 Match Notes

Day 2 Bracket Breakdown

Best of Day 1

Sunday Medal Results

55 kg Gold: Nugzari Tsurtsumia (GEO) tf. Khorlan Zhakansha (KAZ), 9-0

Zhakansha (KAZ) came out firing for the home crowd but was a little sloppy. Tsurtsumia (GEO) had an answer for everything and got the tech.

55 kg Bronze: E. Azizli (AZE) tf. Max Nowry (USA), 8-0

55 kg Bronze: S. Ogawa (JPN) tf. L. Cao (CHN), 11-2

63 kg Gold: Stepan Maryanyan (RUS) vs Shinobu Ota (JPN)

Looking to go back-to-back, Maranyan hit a nice 4 to lead by three early in the 2nd period. But Ota later countered with 8pts. from a front head to take a commanding, and insurmountable, 10-4 lead. Ota now has a Gold to go with his 2016 OLY Silver. 

63 kg Bronze: M. Dalkhani (IRI) def. S. Galstyan (ARM), 7-5

63 kg Bronze: A. Kebispayev (KAZ). tf. T. Sharshenbeko (KGZ), 9-0

72 kg Gold: Abuyazid Mantsigov (RUS) tf. Aram Vardanyan (UZB), 9-0

A year after just missing the podium, Mantsigov came out like a beast, forcing a pushout in the first exchange before getting takedown and a series of guts for a quick tech.

72 kg Bronze: A. Mnatsakanian (BUL) def. M. Widmayer (GER), 3-3

72 kg Bronze: B. Korpasi (HUN) tf. J. Lee (KOR), 9-0

82 kg Gold: Lasha Gobadze (GEO) vs Rafik Huseynov (AZE)

Gobadze staked to a 5-0 lead early and fends off Huysenov late to claim his first career World Title a year after going 0-1.

82 kg Bronze: H. Qian (CHN) vs. N. Khashimbekov (UZB)

82 kg Bronze: S. Abdvali (IRI) vs. I. Shkriuba (UKR)

Sunday Team USA Results

55 kg: Max Nowry

tf. A. Fergat (ALG), 11-3

67 kg: Ellis Coleman

tf. M. Shermakhanbe (KAZ), 11-2

loss to D. Dimitrov (BUL), 5-0

82 kg: John Stefanowicz

lost to H. Qian (CHN), 9-0

87 kg: Joe Rau

tf. Sunil (IND), 8-0

lost to M. Stadub (BLR), 9-1

97 kg: G'Angelo Hancock

def. Nikolai Krysov (UKR), 6-0

lost to M. Noumounvi (FRA), 6-2

Monday's Finals Set

67 KG - Artem Surkov (RUS) vs. Ismael Borrero Molina (CUB)

77 KG - Victor Lorincz (HUN) vs. Zhan Beleniuk (UKR)

87 KG - Artur Aleksanyan (ARM) vs. Musa Evloev (RUS)

The Day 2 Juice

Despite earning the #2 seed, 2017 World Champ Hansu Ryu (KOR) has a brutal path. First up (literally in the R32) is Olympic Bronze Rasul Chunayev (AZE). Ryu won an in utter snooze fest, but the juice here is the path. Up next is Euro Champ Yeuksel (TUR).

Down goes 2-time defending champ Basar (TUR/87) in the first round! pinfalled by the elderly (but still damn good) Rustam Assakalov (UZB).

After being shut down in the first, 2018 Junior World Champ Saravi (IRI) roared back Returning Silver Milov (BUL). It was 3-0 Milov at the break and a 7-3 final. It's additionally interesting because the 2018 Junior medalists in this tournament have not been faring well to this point.

We talked about the insane lower half of 67kg and all the studs down there. We knew we'd get good matches but JEEZ. Ismail Borrero (CUB) the Olympic Champ at 59 who has moved up in weight completely and utterly annihilated 3x World Champ Frank Staebler (GER) who was coming down from 72. 1st period tech.

WHAT A STATEMENT!

World and Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) dismantled three-time world champion Frank STAEBLER (GER), 11-0 in the opening period. #WrestleNurSultan pic.twitter.com/oheu6o4jLo

— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) September 15, 2019

Another 67 bottom half update - Ryu (KOR) completely controlled Yeuksel (TUR) setting up another high-profile matchup with Borrero.

Assakalov! Again! He tried a very sloppy headlock...type...thing and then rolled into a peterson type deal to pin Russia's Kovalev, a 3x Junior WC making his Senior debut.. Hey man, whatever works. He's now pinned the two-time reigning World Champ and the best young prospect at the weight. 

2018 vs. 2019 Junior World Champs and Rosillo (CUB) is leading Saravi (IRI) 4-1 late when Saravi just completely gasses him. Four straight push outs for the 5-4 win.

The Ryu-Borrero match wasn't the high-scoring affair we we're hoping for. 2-0 Borrero at the break as Ryu really held his ground. Each got a push out in the second and Borrero moves on to the semi's.

Second Session Semifinals

I'm a big fan of Elsayed (EGY). He's been wrestling really well. But Borrero is such a (positional) bully - always putting you where he wants you and moving forward with purpose. 

Both 87kg semi's were snoozers. 1-1 for Lorincz and 2-1 for Beleniuk with a total of one offensive points.

Evloev is a breath of fresh air. A big guy who doesn't stop scoring from every position. Tech in the semi's.

Sunday Team USA Notes

55KG - Max Nowry

Repechage - Nowry dominated African Champ Fergat (ALG), getting him put down early and then converting a series of guts to jump out to a 7-0 lead and the win.

Bronze Bout - Nowry faced last year's World Champ and it wasn't pretty. Azizli scored a takedown early and went right into a series of guts.

67 kg: Ellis Coleman

Round 1 - Ellis sometimes plays things tight and waits for a chance in par terre. Not in the first round! He was active and took risk in opening an 8-2 lead that he took into the break. A quick takedown gets him the tech and he knocks off the #4 seed and returning Bronze medalist Meirzan Shermakhanbe (KAZ)!!!

Round of 16 - Dimitrov (BUL) scored a four early and then totally shut down. Ellis was active but the match had some frustrating (if not, bizarre) circumstances. Two takedowns that Ellis seemed to have got ruled slips (they didn't look like slips to me). And despite Ellis chasing Dimitrov around the mat, and despite Dimitrov not scoring in the second period, Dimitrov was never put down.

82 kg: John Stefanowicz

Repechage - The key exchange in John Stefanowicz's repechage loss came on a potential 2pter for John that was ruled a leg foul. When the challenge was lost, he was in a 5-0 hole.

87 kg: Joe Rau

Round 1 - Late in the period in his opening bout, Rau hit an arm drag and two consecutive guts to lead 6-0 at the break over Sunil (IND). That score held and Rau advanced.

Round of 16 - Nothing much in the 1st. 1-0 Rau at the break vs. Stadub (BLR). Rau goes down w/ 2:00 and gives up several guts that lead to a 9-1 tech.

97 kg: G'Angelo Hancock

Round 1 - G put Krystov down early and got a gut. He had a big throw at the end of the first (that broke and advertising board) but time was out. 6-0 was the final and Hanock was never in danger.

Round of 16 - Slow pace all the way through with Noumonvi (FRA). Hancock lead at the break 1-0 and was put down w/ 2:02 left. Hancock took a 2-1 lead running Noumonvi out of bounds w/ 1:30. BIG high amplitude throw for Noumonvi with :45. He goes up 6-2 and Hancock can't get anything going the rest of the way.