James Green

James Malcom Green Jr. (born December 19, 1992) is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 70 kilograms.

His most successful year came in 2017, when he placed second at the World Championships and the World Cup and claimed the Pan American Continental Championship and the US Open National Championship, as well as other international titles. In college, Green was a four-time NCAA Division I All-American and a Big Ten Conference champion (two-time finalist) for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Green is currently assistant coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Background Green was born in Brooklyn, New York City, and was raised in Willingboro Township, New Jersey, by his Jamaican father and American mother, along with two sisters. His father had moved to the United States as a teenager and opened up a recording studio, where he helped upcoming music talent. In 2003, when James was 10 years of age, Green's father was shot and killed by one of the people he helped, whom he was arguing with about studio fees and money for rent. Green was shown wrestling by his father, who was also a beginner, and was motivated to continue in the sport despite the passing of the latter by Bob Acosta, a friend of Green Sr, who would drive him out of town to train and compete as the wrestling community was not big in South Jersey. Green's story was featured in the FloFilm "Who is James Green?".

Folkstyle career

High school 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.

College 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.

Freestyle career 2013–2016 During 2013, his first year competing in senior freestyle, Green claimed the US University National championship, placing seventh at the Summer Universiade. 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. 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.

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. 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.

2017–2018 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. 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.

In 2018, Green once again opened up with a 3–1 record at the World Cup, helping Team USA reach the gold–medal. 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. Before the year ended, Green competed one more time and placed third at the Alans International in Russia.

2019–2020 During his trip to Russia and Europe, Green also placed seventh at the prestigious Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin 2019 in January. In his last tournament during the trip, he won bronze at the Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov Memorial in Bulgaria. 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. 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.

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. 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. Green was able to compete once again in November, downing Iowa standout Alex Marinelli at the HWC Showdown Open. 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.

2021 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. Green ultimately went 0–1 at the US Olympic Team Trials, falling to '18 US Open National champion Joseph McKenna in the first round.

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. 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. 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.

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. 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. As a result, he represented the United States at the 2021 World Championships on October 4 in Oslo, Norway.

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.

2022–2023 Green competed at the prestigious Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin on January 28, 2022, but failed to place after losing to European Champion Kurban Shiraev. He bounced back by beating Dillon Williams on February 12 at Bout at the Ballpark. Green then competed at the prestigious Yasar Dogu International on February 27, claiming a silver medal.

On April 8, 2022, Green announced he would retire from the competitive side of the sport due to recurrent injuries, and would switch to coaching.

More than a year later, on June 27, 2023, Green announced he would be coming out of retirement after successful surgeries.

2024 In March, Green took fifth place at the Yasar Dogu International down at 65 kilograms, recording three wins and two losses in his first tournament since 2022. In April, Green competed at the US Olympic Team Trials, suffering a first-round loss to NCAA champion Jesse Mendez.

In September, Green competed at the US World Team Trials back at 70 kilograms, winning five matches, including victories over US National champions Jordan Oliver and Alec Pantaleo, to make his seventh US World Team.

In October, Green competed at the World Championships, though after a win over U20 World Champion Peiman Biabani from Canada, he was eliminated by European finalist Akaki Kemertelidze from Georgia, placing eleventh.

2026

Green won the 2026 US Open at 74 kilograms, qualifying him for Final X in June.

Coaching career After retiring from competing in freestyle on April 8, 2022, Green was named the National Freestyle Developmental Coach for USA Wrestling. On his first tournament as a coach, Green led Team USA to the 2022 U17 World Championship in freestyle. After 14 months in the position, Green stepped down to go back to competitive wrestling. He left Nebraska to become assistant coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies on April 30, 2026.

Freestyle record

Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event Location

Win 167–52

Newark, New Jersey Loss 166–52

Win 166–51

Win 165–51

Las Vegas, Nevada Win 164–51

Win 163–51

Win 162–51

Loss 161-51

Zagreb, Croatia Win 161-50

Loss 160-50

Win 160-49

Antalya, Turkey Loss 159-49

Win 159-48

Win 158-48

Loss 157-48

State College, Pennsylvania

Loss

Louisville, Kentucky Loss 157-47

Loss 157-46

Las Vegas, Nevada Win 157-45

Win 156-45

Win 155-45

Win 154-45

Loss 153-45

Loss 153-44

Win 153-43

Win 152-43

Loss

Loss

Win 151–43

Loss 150–43

Win 150–42

Win 149–42

Win 148–42

Win 147–42

Win 146–42

Win 145–42

Loss

Loss 144–42

Loss 144–41

Antalya, Turkey Win 144–40

Loss 143–40

Win 143–39

Win 142–39

Loss 141–39

Istanbul, Turkey Win 141–38

Win 140–38

Win 139–38

Win 138–38

Arlington, Texas

Loss 137–38

Loss 137–37

Win 137–36

Win 136–36

Win 135–36

Win 134–36

Win 133–36

Win 132–36

Loss 131–36

Warsaw, Poland Win 131–35

Win 130–35

Win 129–35

Win 128–35

Win 127–35

Win 126–35

Win 125–35

Win 124–35

Loss 123–35

Loss 123–34

Nice, France Win 123–33

Win 122–33

Win 121–33

Win 120–33

Austin, Texas

Loss 119–33

Austin, Texas Win 119–32

Win 118–32

Loss 117–32

Win 117–31

Loss 116–31

Win 116–30

Win 115–30

Iowa City, Iowa

Loss 114–30

Rome, Italy

Loss 114–29

Win 114–28

Win 113–28

Win 112–28

Loss 111–28

Win 111–27

Loss 110–27

Minsk, Belarus

Loss 110–26

Istanbul, Turkey

Win 110–25

Win 109-25

Win 108–25

Win 107–25

Win 106–25

Win 105–25

New York City, New York

Loss 104–25

Win 104–24

Win 103–24

Win 102–24

Win 101–24

Win 100–24

Win 99–24

Loss 98–24

Win 98–23

Loss 97–23

Win 97–22

Win 96–22

Loss 95–22

Win 95–21

Win 94–21

Loss 93–21

Win 93–20

Win 92–20

Win 91–20

Win 90–20

New York City, New York

Win 89–20

Win 88–20

Win 87–20

Win 86–20

Loss 85–20

Win 85–19

Win 84–19

Win 83–19

Loss 82–19

Win 82–18

Win 81–18

Win 80–18

Win 79–18

Win 78–18

Win 77–18

Win 76–18

Win 75–18

Win 74–18

Win 73–18

Win 72–18

Win 71–18

Win 70–18

Win 69–18

Win 68–18

Win 67–18

Win 66–18

Win 65–18

Win 64–18

Win 63–18

Loss 62–18

Win 62–17

Win 61–17

Win 60–17

Loss 59–17

Win 59–16

Win 58–16

Win 57–16

Win 56–16

Win 55–16

Win 54–16

Win 53–16

Win 52–16

Loss 51–16

Win 51–15

Win 50–15

Win 49–15

Win 48–15

Win 47–15

Loss 46–15

Iowa City, Iowa Loss 46–14

Loss 46–13

Win 46–12

Win 45–12

Loss 44–12

Win 44–11

Loss 43–11

Win 43–10

Win 42–10

Win 41–10

Win 40–10

Win 39–10

Win 38–10

Win 37–10

Win 36–10

Win 35–10

Win 34–10

Win 33–10

Win 32–10

Win 31–10

Win 30–10

Win 29–10

Win 28–10

Loss 27–10

Win 27–9

Win 26–9

Loss 25–9

Loss 25–8

Win 25–7

Win 24–7

Win 23–7

Loss 22–7

Win 22–6

Win 21–6

Win 20–6

Win 19–6

Win 18–6

Win 17–6

Win 16–6

Win 15–6

Win 14–6

Win 13–6

Loss 12–6

Loss 12–5

Win 12–4

Win 11–4

Win 10–4

Loss 9–4

Kazan, Russia Win 9–3

Loss 8–3

Loss 8–2

Win 8–1

Loss 7–1

Win 7–0

Win 6–0

Win 5–0

Win 4–0

Win 3–0

Win 2–0

Win 1–0

NCAA record

Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event

Win 18–6

Win 17–6

Loss 16–6

Win 16–5

Win 15–5

Win 14–5

Win 13–5

Win 12–5

Win 11–5

Loss 10–5

Win 10–4

Win 9–4

Win 8–4

Loss 7–4

Win 7–3

Win 6–3

Win 5–3

Loss 4–3

Win 4–2

Loss 3–2

Win 3–1

Loss 2–1

Win 2–0

Win 1–0

Stats Season Year School Placement Weigh Class Record Win 2015 Senior

3rd

30–5 85.71% 2014 Junior 3rd 35–2 94.60% 2013 Sophomore 7th 25–6 89.65% 2012 Freshman 7th 34–5 87.18%