Ben Davino Captures First World Title as Team USA Earns Three Medals at U23 World Championships in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — After months of challenging losses, battles with confidence and lessons learned against some of the nation's top wrestlers, Ben Davino reached the top of the international podium Saturday night, capturing his first age-group World championship at the 2026 Galaxy U23 World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Davino, an Ohio State standout competing at 61 kilograms, defeated Iukhan Dokturbek Uulu of Kyrgyzstan, 4-1, in the gold medal match at the Thomas & Mack Center. The victory marked Davino's first appearance in a U23 World final and his first World title, capping a dominant tournament performance and providing a breakthrough moment in his young career.

Davino's championship headlined a successful night for the United States men's freestyle team, which also saw Jayden James earn silver at 74 kilograms and Coby Merrill claim bronze at 125 kilograms. While all three Americans stood on the podium, Davino was the only one of the group to capture gold.

Entering the tournament, Davino had experienced a difficult stretch of competition, suffering several losses in high-profile matches that tested his confidence despite his belief that he belonged among the world's best. Rather than allowing those setbacks to define him, he used them as motivation to improve, ultimately putting together a championship performance on the international stage.

“First world title,” Davino said after the match. “Yeah, first one. Feel great.”

His path to gold was impressive from the opening round. Davino defeated Iran's Ebrahim Khari, 7-1, before recording consecutive technical falls over Japan's Akito Mukaida, 11-0, and Romania's Gabriel Whisenhunt, 10-0, to advance to the final. Against Dokturbek Uulu, however, he faced a different kind of challenge.

Unlike his earlier matches, the final was a tightly contested battle in which Davino had to rely on his defense, positioning and composure as much as his offense. His opponent's strength and ability to create difficult positions made scoring opportunities harder to find, forcing the American to remain patient rather than chase points.

“He was super strong,” Davino said. “He was dangerous in those positions, like the underhook, stuff like that. Stuff where I'm usually really good at. He challenged me there.”

Davino acknowledged that the pressure of wrestling in a World final affected his approach, explaining that he was focused on the magnitude of the occasion rather than simply wrestling his opponent. Even so, he maintained control when it mattered most, securing a decisive takedown as time expired to seal the 4-1 victory.

In the closing seconds, Davino anticipated that Dokturbek Uulu would make one final aggressive attempt, potentially using an upper-body attack. Having watched his opponent compete earlier in the tournament, Davino recognized the possibility of an inside trip and was prepared to counter it. When the opportunity came, he attacked the leg, secured his position and prevented his opponent from generating a final scoring chance.

“I countered that pretty well, got to his legs and just stayed super, super sturdy when I was there,” Davino said.

The ability to remain composed in a close match reflected the growth Davino has experienced throughout the past several months. He admitted that his recent losses had made it difficult at times to maintain confidence, particularly when he knew how much work he had put into his wrestling but had not consistently seen the results he wanted.

“I've had a tough past couple months,” Davino said, recalling a string of difficult defeats against elite competition. “But those matches built me up to who I am right now. And without losing those matches, I don't think I would have learned enough to win a World championship today.”

Rather than viewing those losses as failures, Davino came to understand them as necessary steps in his development. He credited the process of working through adversity, staying patient and continuing to trust his preparation with helping him arrive in Las Vegas ready to win.

“Just staying patient, trusting the process,” he said.

Davino also emphasized the importance of discipline and consistency, particularly during periods when confidence becomes difficult to maintain. He explained that his work in practice remains a constant, regardless of the outcome of an individual match, giving him something reliable to lean on when results do not go his way.

“I know I'm one of the best in the world,” Davino said. “But when you take a couple losses like that, it's hard to convince yourself that you're the best in the world.”

His response was to return to what he could control: the daily work required to improve.

“I work so freaking hard in practice,” he said. “That's something that'll never change.”

That mindset paid off Saturday night, as Davino proved capable of managing the pressure of a World final and executing when the opportunity presented itself. The victory was especially meaningful because it came in the United States, with his family and much of the Ohio State coaching staff in attendance.

“I got my whole family here. Grandma, sister, mom, dad, got dang near the whole Ohio State coaching staff,” Davino said. “It means a lot more when it's at home.”

Despite the excitement surrounding the championship, Davino revealed that the day had not been without its challenges. He had been fighting a cold, felt nervous before the final and struggled to sleep the night before competing. Still, he embraced the moment and trusted the preparation that had carried him through the tournament.

“I was super nervous for that match,” he said. “I was so freaking excited to get out there and wrestle.”

The gold medal also provides momentum heading into the upcoming collegiate season. Davino credited the depth of competition he faces in the United States with helping prepare him for international wrestling, noting that repeatedly competing against elite opponents has strengthened his confidence and ability to handle close matches. With the NCAA season approaching, he plans to work with Ohio State's coaching staff on the transition back to folkstyle wrestling while continuing to pursue his long-term goals, including a potential run at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

While Davino celebrated his breakthrough, James and Merrill also gave the United States important contributions in Las Vegas. James reached the 74-kilogram final after a strong run that included a pin and several convincing victories, but ultimately fell to Russia's Magomed Baitukaev, 5-3. The silver medal added to an impressive international résumé that includes a U20 World silver medal in August and a U17 World title in 2025.

James acknowledged that there were details he could improve after the narrow defeat, but emphasized the importance of learning from the experience rather than allowing the loss to define him.

“At the end of the day, it's just a sport I do. It's not who I am,” James said. “I'm excited to get back in the room, grow as a wrestler, and grow as a person.”

Merrill, meanwhile, finished his World Championships debut with a dominant performance in the 125-kilogram bronze medal match, defeating Hungary's Milan Gellen by a 10-0 technical fall. Merrill built an early lead with a takedown and two turns before continuing to pressure his opponent and force step-outs to secure the victory.

After suffering a loss earlier in the tournament, Merrill recognized the importance of approaching every opponent with the same level of respect and preparation. The bronze medal provided a strong finish to his international debut and valuable experience before returning to Iowa State for the collegiate season. “Win or lose, I had a lot of takeaways from it, just knowing that I can compete at a high level,” Merrill said. The three medals helped the United States finish the first group of men's freestyle competition in third place in the team standings with 66 points, behind Iran with 95 and Russia with 84. Seth Shumate also contributed six points with an eighth-place finish at 92 kilograms before injury forced him to default in the quarterfinals.

For Davino, however, the evening belonged to a much more personal achievement. His first World title was the result of months spent navigating difficult losses, rebuilding confidence and learning to trust the process even when the results were not immediate. He arrived in Las Vegas determined to compete with the world's best and left as a champion, with his family watching and a new milestone secured.

His message to other wrestlers facing similar setbacks was simple: remain disciplined, stay consistent and continue pushing forward, even when confidence is difficult to find.

“Just focus on the unwavering belief in those things and keep pushing through,” Davino said.

In a sport where progress is often measured through both victories and defeats, Davino's championship served as a reminder that setbacks do not have to determine the outcome. Sometimes, they become the experiences that make the breakthrough possible.

For Davino, that breakthrough came Saturday night in Las Vegas, where months of hard work and perseverance culminated in his first World title and the defining American performance of the evening.

2026 Galaxy U23 World Championships — Men's Freestyle Results

Las Vegas, Nevada | October 17, 2026

61 kg

- Gold: Ben Davino (United States)

- Silver: Iukhan Dokturbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)

- Bronze: Ebrahim Khari (Iran)

- Bronze: Sargis Begoyan (Armenia)

Gold medal match: Ben Davino (United States) defeated Iukhan Dokturbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan), 4-1.

74 kg

- Gold: Magomed Baitukaev (Russia)

- Silver: Jayden James (United States)

- Bronze: Toki Ogawa (Japan)

- Bronze: Ali Karampour (Iran)

Gold medal match: Magomed Baitukaev (Russia) defeated Jayden James (United States), 5-3.

86 kg

- Gold: Arsen Balaian (Russia)

- Silver: Ahmet Yagan (Türkiye)

- Bronze: Reza Afshar (Iran)

- Bronze: Batbilguun Naadambat (Mongolia)

92 kg

- Gold: Abolfazl Rahmani Firouzjaei (Iran)

- Silver: Arslan Bagaev (Russia)

- Bronze: Anar Jafarli (Azerbaijan)

- Bronze: Sandro Kurashvili (Georgia)

United States: Seth Shumate — eighth place.

125 kg

- Gold: Abolfazl Mohammad Nezhad (Iran)

- Silver: Aleksandre Abramishvili (Georgia)

- Bronze: Khetag Karsanov (Azerbaijan)

- Bronze: Coby Merrill (United States)

Bronze medal match: Coby Merrill (United States) defeated Milan Gellen (Hungary), 10-0 by technical fall.

Team Standings — After Group One

1. Iran — 95 points

2. Russia — 84 points

3. United States — 66 points

4. Türkiye — 46 points

5. Georgia — 45 points

6. Azerbaijan — 40 points

7. Kyrgyzstan — 28 points

8. Armenia — 23 points

9. Italy — 20 points

10. Moldova — 20 points