BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (August 24) -- No one expected the best match of the tournament to be reserved for the last day of the tournament as Jayden JAMES (USA) and Ariya YOSHIDA (JPN) put on a 25-thriller in the 74kg final of the U20 World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia on Sunday.
James, a U17 world champion in 2025, was coming with a hope of wining the 74kg gold medal for the United States after three years.
WATCH VIDEO: Ariya YOSHIDA (JPN) vs Jayden JAMES (USA) 74kg Final at U20 World Wrestling Championships
On the hand, Yoshida, the younger brother of Asian champion and world bronze medalist Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), had participated in two U17 World Championships in 2022 and 2023 but did not win a bout. In 2025, he won a silver medal at the U20 Asian Championships.
But in Bratislava, Yoshida was coming off an incredible of winning against U20 European champion Manuel WAGIN (GER), Ivan ZALISKO (UKR) and Islam KAZHAROV (RUS).
Ariya YOSHIDA (JPN) celebrates after winning the 74kg final in Bratislava. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)
James countered Yoshida's game and scored the first two takedowns with the second one being a duck-under which shocked Yoshida. But Yoshida marked his return by exposure takedown with a Saitiev-style exposure, in which James also rolled over for two points. Yoshida completed the exchange with a stepout and James led 6-3.
The fireworks were not over as Yoshida controlled James for another stepout to make it 6-4 at the break.
Yoshida began the second period with upper body control of James and pressured him for two points before James stepped over and scored a reversal to lead 7-6. The U.S. challenged the call but lost it and the scored turned to 7-7 with James leading on criteria.
In next scramble saw James try a duck under which Yoshida blocked and elevated James' leg for two points but the U.S. wrestler returned to standing and threw Yoshida for four points to lead 11-9, extended to 12-9 after Japan lost a challenge with 1:35 left in the final.
A slide by from Yoshida brought the gap down to one-point but he still needed a two-point move with 23 seconds left as James had a four-point technique to keep the criteria. Yoshida tried to make a few moves but James escaped all grips.
Perhaps a learning lesson for James who looked at the clock with four seconds remaining and Yoshida broke the front chest grip by ducking under the arms and threw him backward using body weight. He circled to complete the takedown with one second left to win it 13-12.
"This is really amazing," Yoshida said. "I've done it. I'm not very strong, so I didn't really think I could win, and I went into the match with the intention of just giving it my all."
Yoshida also expressed his surprise on winning the gold medal despite not gave a past medal internationally apart from the silver medal at 2025 U20 Asian Championships.
"I've participated in international tournaments before but I've always ended up without a medal," he said. "I was second in [U20] Asia, so I really thought I was far from winning, and I'm really surprised that I was able to win. I injured my knee last month and had other injuries, so I'm not exactly in my best condition, but I think I was able to give it my all."
World champion Ariya YOSHIDA (JPN), second from left, with other 74kg medalists of the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)
Arash also helped Yoshida all the way from Japan by analysing the past matches of his opponents and sending messages with gameplans.
"We talked, and I told him to watch videos of each opponent before each match," he said. "We talked about their weaknesses, and what they do so I need to be careful of."
Now, with the U20 world gold, Yoshida has thrown his name in the 74kg ring domestically. Japan has world champions Yoshinosuke AOYGAI (JPN) and Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) among others at this weight class. Yoshida said there is no other option but to beat everyone if he wants to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
"There are really a lot of strong athletes besides those two [Aoyagi and Takahashi]," he said. "If you ask me if I can really win. It's really difficult, but I think there's no Olympics if I don't do it, so if I'm going to do it, I want to give it my all and go for the win."
