James Green (wrestler)

During his high school wrestling years, Green compiled a 148–8 record and claimed All–State honors three times, winning the NJSIAA state championship out of Willingboro High School as a senior in 2011, becoming the first to do so in the history of the school. After his championship season, Green claimed the NHSCA Senior National championship before being recruited by the Nebraska Cornhuskers.[8]

In collegiate wrestling, Green went on to become a four–time NCAA Division I All–American (placing 7th, 7th, 3rd and 3rd) and a Big Ten Conference champion for the Cornhuskers, graduating in 2015 with a 124–18 record.[9]

During 2013, his first year competing in senior freestyle, Green claimed the US University National championship, placing seventh at the Summer Universiade.[10] In 2014, he made the move from 66 to 70 kilograms, and placed fifth at the US Open, became a two–time US University National champion, claimed the silver medal from the University World Championships and placed second at the US World Team Trials.[11][12][13] In 2015, Green placed third at the US Nationals, claimed the Grand Prix of Spain while defeating recently crowned European Games silver medalist from Italy Frank Chamizo in the finale and made the US World Team, bringing a bronze medal from the World Championships.[14][15][16]

During the 2016 Summer Olympic year, Green moved down to the Olympic weight class of 65 kilograms on the start of the year, and placed 17th at the Yasar Dogu International and second at the Pan American Continental Championships, before going 0–2 at the US Olympic Team Trials.[17][18] Afterwards, Green moved up once again to his natural 70 kilogram class and went 4–0 at the World Cup, placed third at the Poland Open, once again grabbed the Grand Prix of Spain crown and made his second US World Team while defeating two–time NCAA champion Jordan Oliver, and finally placing seventh at the World Championships.[18][19][20][21]

Green opened up what would end up being the most successful year of his career so far with a 3–1 record at the 2017 World Cup.[22] After that, he went on to start a 20–match win–streak, where he claimed the Ukrainian Memorial International title, the US Open National championship, the Pan American Continental Championship, made his third–straight US World Team and placed himself on top of the Grand Prix of Spain podium before competing at the World Championships, defeating three opponents to make the gold–medal match, where he was derailed by '15 World Champion from Italy Frank Chamizo to claim the silver medal.[23][24][25]

In 2018, Green once again opened up with a 3–1 record at the World Cup, helping Team USA reach the gold–medal.[26] Afterwards, he claimed his second Pan American Continental title (helping the US sweep through all team titles), slipped past Cuba's two–time Pan American champion Franklin Maren for charity at Beat the Streets and made his fourth–straight US World Team, placing thirteenth at the World Championships.[27][28][29] Before the year ended, Green competed one more time and placed third at the Alans International in Russia.[30]

During his trip to Russia and Europe, Green also placed seventh at the prestigious Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin 2019 in January.[31] In his last tournament during the trip, he won bronze at the Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov Memorial in Bulgaria.[32] Green then went back to the United States, where after being upset in the US Open finale by Ryan Deakin, he downed recently crowned NCAA champion from Rutgers Anthony Ashnault for charity at Beat the Streets, ran through the US World Team Trials Challenge and defeated Deakin back–to–back in the rematches to make his fifth–straight US World Team.[33] Afterwards, Green once again went overseas, placing eleventh at the Yasar Dogu International and the Aleksandr Medved Memorial, before his thirteenth–place finish at the World Championships.[34][35][36][37]

During the 2020 Summer Olympic year, Green first intended to move up to 74 kilograms, but in his first tournament at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series, he was eliminated in the first round by technical fall.[38] Green was then scheduled to compete at the US Olympic Team Trials, however, the event was postponed for the next year along with the Summer Olympics due to the rising COVID-19 pandemic.[39] Green was able to compete once again in November, downing Iowa standout Alex Marinelli at the HWC Showdown Open.[40] He then made the move down to 65 kilograms, competed at two of the series of events put on by FloWrestling, the RTC Cup and the Flo 8–man Challenge (150 pounds), where he racked up victories over the likes of U23 Cuban National champion Anthony Echemendia and multiple–time All–Americans Alec Pantaleo and Bryce Meredith, gave birth to a series with two–time Cadet World champion Yianni Diakomihalis and placed second at both tournaments.[41][42]

After downing another Iowa standout in Pat Lugo at another event by FloWrestling, Green competed at the Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane, where after notable wins over multiple–time South American champion Agustín Destribats and reigning U23 World champion from Azerbaijan Turan Bayramov, he was defeated by reigning Pan American Continental champion Yianni Diakomihalis in their rubber match, claiming silver.[43][44] Green ultimately went 0–1 at the US Olympic Team Trials, falling to '18 US Open National champion Joseph McKenna in the first round.[45]

After his failed attempt at 65 kg, Green returned to his competitive weight, going back up to 70 kilograms and claiming the US Open National Championship, defeating Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series 2021 winner Alec Pantaleo in the finale.[46] Green had then been determined the U.S. representative for the Pan American Continental Championships, but did not attend the tournament, being replaced by Pantaleo.[47] Instead, he competed at the prestigious 2021 Poland Open on June 8, where after a dominant win over Alec Pantaleo, Oleksii Boruta and World Champion Zurabi Iakobishvili on route to the finals, Green was upset by his now rival Pantaleo, claiming the silver medal.[48]

Green competed at the 2021 US World Team Trials on September 11–12, intending to represent the country at the World Championships a sixth time.[49] He downed everyone on his way to the top of the podium, most notably two-time NCAA champion Jordan Oliver and NCAA All-American Ryan Deakin.[50] As a result, he represented the United States at the 2021 World Championships on October 4 in Oslo, Norway.[51]

After two dominant victories to make the quarterfinals, Green was eliminated by U23 World Champion Turan Bayramov in a close match, and as the Azerbaijani lost his next bout to eventual champion Magomedmurad Gadzhiev, Green ended up placing seventh.[52]

In his last year, Green competed at the prestigious Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin on January 28, but failed to place by losing to 2020 European Champion Kurban Shiraev. He bounced back by beating Dillon Williams on February 12 at Bout at the Ballpark.[53] Green competed at the prestigious Yasar Dogu International on February 27, claiming a silver medal on the last tournament of his career.[54]

On April 8, Green announced he would retire from the competitive side of the sport.[55]