NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan – 2018 World champion J'den Cox (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC/OTC) has earned a return trip to the World finals at 92 kg/202.5 lbs.at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships
Cox shut out 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Irakli Mtsituri of Georgia, 3-0 in the semifinals. Cox scored all of his points in the first period, on a counter takedown for two points with an additional point for a failed challenge by the Georgia corner.
Cox will battle two-time World bronze medalist Alireza Mohammad Karimimachiani of Iran in the gold-medal match on Saturday night. Cox defeated Karimimachiani, 5-2, in the 2018 World Championships semifinals.
Cox has guaranteed himself a World or Olympic medal for the fourth straight year by making the finals. In addition to his 2018 World gold, Cox was a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2017 World bronze medalist.
Cox was in command in his two Friday morning matches, securing an 11-0 technical fall over Mohamad Fardj of Algeria and shutting out Nurgali Nurgaipuly of Kazakhstan, 8-0.
Cox is a native of Columbia, Mo., where he was a three-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American for Missouri. He is currently a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center resident athlete in Colorado Springs, Colo.
2012 Olympic champion and four-time World champion Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb. /Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC) will compete for a bronze medal on Saturday, after dropping an intense 4-3 decision to World champion Zaurbek Sidakov of Russia.
J'den Cox hasn't been taken down since the World semi-finals last year.
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) September 20, 2019
That includes two matches with Bo Nickal, the Yasar Dogu, Pan Ams and Beat the Streets.
He's now gone one full year without getting taken down.
J'den Cox gave up ZERO points here. This man wants his ?? #WrestleNurSultan pic.twitter.com/vNS4wYHrXy
— Trackwrestling (@trackwrestling) September 20, 2019
J'den Cox on his quest for ?? ??
— Missouri Wrestling (@missouriwrestle) September 20, 2019
?? by @LutteLens pic.twitter.com/sZjYtJ3c7D