Press release via USA Wrestling 

The United States will send an experienced team of grapplers to compete at the 2018 United World Wrestling Grappling World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, Sept. 6-9.

The U.S. Senior team will feature a number of past World medalists, as well as others who have past World Championship experience. Grappling is a form of submission wrestling, which has divisions in No-Gi and Gi, and is a recognized style of wrestling by United World Wrestling.

The tournament begins with the Veterans division for those 35 and older, with No-Gi action on Thursday, September 6 and Gi Grappling on Friday, September 7. The Senior division will follow, with No-Gi competition on Saturday, September 8 and Gi competition on Sunday, September 9.

The entire tournament will be streamed live on FloGrappling. Astana is 10 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone. Click for more information.

Team USA members pictured at the 2017 UWW Grappling Worlds

Breanna Stikkelman (Simi Valley, Calif./Street Sports), a 2017 UWW World champion in Gi Grappling, will return to defend her World title in Gi at 58 kg. Stikkelman was also a silver medalist in No-Gi Grappling last year.

2014 UWW No-Gi Grappling World champion James Clay (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) will compete at 84 kg in No-Gi this year.

Seven-time UWW Grappling World medalist Mike Kelly (Hebron, Ill./Old School Wrestling) will compete in Gi Grappling at 84 kg this year on the Senior level. Kelly has won the most UWW No-Gi medals for the United States with seven, including two silver medals and five bronze medals.

The team will also feature another past World medalist, Jessica Philippus (Glenwood, Iowa/Impact Indiana), who won World bronze medals in 2015 and 2016. She will compete at 53 kg in No-Gi.

Joining Stikkelman and Philippus as members of the 2017 U.S. World Team who are back at the 2018 World Championships are Aaron Johnson (Greenwood, Ind./Impact Indiana) at 62 kg, Luis Quinones (Los Angeles, Calif./10th Planet HQ) at 66 kg, John Morgan (Huntington Beach, Calif./Hyper Modern Jiu Jitsu) at 71 kg, Steven Ramos (Nyack, N.Y./Essential) at 77 kg and Carlos Soto (West Lafayette, Ind./Impact Indiana) at 92 kg.

Quinones, Morgan, Ramos and Soto will be competing in both No-Gi and Gi on the Senior level for USA Wrestling. Johnson will compete in Gi Grappling on the Senior level this year. Johnson and Soto are on their third straight U.S. Grappling World Team.

The United States will also have six athletes competing in the Veterans division (35 years old and above), including five who also are on the Senior World Team.

The team will be coached by Eddy Ellis of Olympia, Wash., a former U.S. Grappling World Team member who is a coach with United Training Center and is coaching Team USA for the second straight year. Serving as referee with the U.S. delegation is Rich Tado of Fox River Grove, Ill., who is the head official for the World Championships.

Within United World Wrestling, the USA has been a world power in No-Gi Grappling. The USA won World team titles in No-Gi in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2014. It also was Gi World team champion in 2008 and 2009.

The qualifying event for the USA team was the 2018 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev., April 26-27 at the South Point Hotel and Casino.

2018 GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Click to watch the 2018 UWW World Grappling Championships

Astana, Kazakhstan, September 6-9

U.S. Senior Men's No-Gi Grappling roster

62 kg - Kalin Goodsite, Riverside, Calif. (Alliance MMA)

66 kg - Luis Quinones, Los Angeles, Calif. (10th Planet HQ)

71 kg - John Morgan, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Hyper Modern Jiu Jitsu)

77 kg - Steven Ramos, Nyack, N.Y. (Essential)

84 kg – James Clay, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

92 kg - Carlos Soto, West Lafayette, Ind. (Impact Indiana)

100 kg – Jeff Anderson, Zeeland, Mich. (Chicago WC)

100+ kg - Travis Clark, Fort Worth, Texas (All American Wrestling Club)

U.S. Senior Women’s No Gi Grappling roster

53 kg – Jessica Phillippus, Glenwood, Iowa (Impact Indiana)

58 kg - Breanna Stikkelman, Simi Valley, Calif. (Street Sports)

U.S. Senior Men’s Gi Grappling roster

62 kg – Aaron Johnson, Greenwood, Ind. (Impact Indiana)

66 kg - Luis Quinones. Los Angeles, Calif. (10th Planet HQ)

71 kg - John Morgan, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Hyper Modern Jiu Jitsu)

77 kg - Steven Ramos, Nyack, N.Y. (Essential)

84 kg - Mike Kelly. Hebron, Ill. (Old School Wrestling)

92 kg - Carlos Soto, West Lafayette, Ind. (Impact Indiana)

100+kg - Vincent Mancuso, Paramus, N.J. (Camal Judo/Renzo Gracie Woodland Park)

U.S. Senior Women’s Gi Grappling roster

53 kg - Maja Morgan, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Hyper Modern Jiu Jitsu)

58 kg - Breanna Stikkelman, Simi Valley, Calif. (Street Sports)

U.S. Veterans Grappling roster (Gi and No-Gi)

62 kg – Aaron Johnson, Greenwood, Ind. (Impact Indiana)

84 kg - Mike Kelly. Hebron, Ill. (Old School Wrestling)

92 kg - Carlos Soto, West Lafayette, Ind. (Impact Indiana)

100 kg – Jeff Anderson, Zeeland, Mich. (Chicago WC)

100+ kg - Travis Clark, Fort Worth, Texas (All American Wrestling Club)

100+ kg - Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (UTC)

Staff

Head Coach – Eddy Ellis, Olympia, Wash.

Coach – Anthony Camal, Woodland Park, N.J.

Referee – Rich Tado, Fox River Grove, Ill.

Event Schedule 

(10 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)

Thursday, September 6

11:00 a.m. - Veterans No-Gi preliminaries

7:00 p.m. – Veterans No-Gi finals

Friday, September 7

11:00 a.m. – Veterans Gi preliminaries

7:00 p.m. – Veterans Gi finals

Saturday, September 8

11:00 a.m. - Senior No-Gi preliminaries

5:00 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies

6:00 p.m. - Senior No-Gi finals

Sunday, September 9

11:00 a.m. - Senior Gi preliminaries

5:00 p.m. - Senior Gi finals