NEW YORK (AP) — Olympic wrestling champ Henry Cejudo has won his first match since the 2008 Beijing Games.
The American beat Russia’s Rasul Mashezov 2-0, 4-3 in a dual meet between the countries in the middle of Times Square on Thursday. The United States won the event 5-2.
With actor — and Iowa native — Ashton Kutcher among the hundreds of spectators watching on Cinco de Mayo, Cejudo could feel his lack of conditioning in the second period of his first competition in more than 212 years but pulled out the victory at 55 kilograms (121 pounds).
Cejudo says, “I embrace pressure — it was awesome.”
The 21-year-old Mashezov was the 2010 world junior bronze medalist.
The event was part of a fundraiser for the Beat the Streets wrestling program for New York City youth.
