COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Joe Betterman took a break from wrestling following the 2012 Olympic Trials.

And it has energized the two-time World Team member who has come back with plenty of fire in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Betterman looked strong in going a perfect 4-0 during the Jack Pinto Cup on Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

“I felt good,” Betterman said. “I was a little slow to start in my first couple of matches, but I picked it up every match. It is good experience to get all of these international matches in right before the Schultz tournament next week.”

Betterman, now competing for the U.S. Army, was named Outstanding Wrestler of the event for Team USA. He competes at 60 kg/132 lbs.

“Joe wrestled better every match today,” U.S. National Coach Steve Fraser said. “He started off a little sluggish in the first match, but he came back wrestling more smooth and better as the day went on. Joe had a real good day. I was real happy with how he wrestled.”

Talented young American Kendrick Sanders also turned in a strong performance, winning all three of his matches at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

The Jack Pinto Cup, presented by Kiki Kelley and Morgan Stanley, is an annual international Greco-Roman dual-meet event.

This event was formerly known as the Kiki Cup. Event sponsor Kiki Kelley and USA Wrestling renamed the tournament in honor of Jack Pinto, a 6-year-old wrestler who lost his life in the tragic December shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Olympic bronze medalist Johan Euren of Sweden went unbeaten at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. on Saturday. He was named Outstanding Wrestler for the international teams.

American Jordan Holm earned a win over Olympic bronze medalist Aleksandr Kazekevic of Lithuania at 84 kg/185 lbs. Kazekevic was a 2012 Olympic bronze medalist at 74 kg/163 lbs.

SATURDAY’S JACK PINTO CUP RESULTS

LITHUANIA 6, USA #4 1
55 kg – Joakim Fagerlund (Sweden) dec. Ian Moser (USA #4), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0
60 kg – Ramunas Dagys (Lithuania) dec. Joey DeNova (USA #4), 1-0, 1-0
66 kg – Edgaras Venckatis (Lithuania) dec. Nick Alvarez (USA #4), 6-0, 5-0
74 kg – Tanner Andrews (USA #4) dec. Eivydas Sekus (Lithuania), 1-0, 3-0
84 kg – Aleksandr Kazakevic (Lithuania) dec. Zach Nielsen (USA #4), 0-1, 1-0, 4-0
96 kg – Vilius Laurinatis (Lithuania) dec. Ethan Dondlinger (USA #4), 2-0, 1-0
120 kg – Miadaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania) dec. Parker Betts (USA #4), 2-0, 1-0

SWEDEN 5, USA #3 2
55 kg – Joakim Fagerlund (Sweden) dec. Ian Moser (USA #3), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0
60 kg – Frunze Harutyunyan (Sweden) dec. Marco Lara (USA #3), 2-0, 1-0
66 kg – Sharur Vardanyan (Sweden) dec. John Bozarth (USA #3), 6-0, 1-0
74 kg – Jon Anderson (USA #3) pinned Bogdan Kourinnor (Sweden), 0-4, 1:21
84 kg – Zahiti Fisnik (Sweden) dec. C.J. Meyers (USA #3), 1-0, 3-0
96 kg – Marcus Finau (USA #3) dec. Anton Euren (Sweden), 1-0, 1-0
120 kg – Johan Euren (Sweden) dec. David Arendt (USA #3), 4-0, 1-0

LITHUANIA 5, USA #3 2
55 kg – Justin Petravicius (Lithuania) dec. Dmitry Ryabchinsky (USA #3), 2-0, 0-2, 3-1
60 kg – Marco Lara (USA #3) dec. Ramunas Dagys (Lithuania), 1-0, 4-3
66 kg – Edgaras Venckatis (Lithuania) dec. John Bozarth (USA #3), 2-0, 3-7, 2-0
74 kg – Jon Anderson (USA #3) dec. Eivydas Sekus (Lithuania), 2-0, 8-0
84 kg – Aleksandr Kazakevic (Lithuania) dec. CJ Meyers (USA #3), 4-0, 3-1
96 kg – Vilius Laurinatis (Lithuania) dec. Marcus Finau (USA #3), 1-0, 1-0
120 kg – Miadaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania) dec. David Arendt (USA #3), 2-0, 2-0

USA #4 4, SWEDEN 3
55 kg – Isaiah Varona (USA #4) dec. Joakim Fagerlund (Sweden), 0-3, 2-1, 3-2
60 kg – Frunze Harutyunyan (Sweden) dec. Joey DeNova (USA #4), 2-0, 1-0
66 kg – Sharur Vardanyan (Sweden) dec. Nick Alvarez (USA #4), 5-1, 6-0
74 kg – Tanner Andrews (USA #4) pinned Bogdan Kourinnor (Sweden), 0:59
84 kg – Ethan Dondlinger (USA #4) dec. Zahiti Fisnik (Sweden), 3-0, 2-1
96 kg – Charles Fish (USA #4) dec. Anton Euren (Sweden), 1-0, 2-0
120 kg – Johan Euren (Sweden) dec. Parker Betts (USA #4), 4-0, 3-0

KAZAKHSTAN 7, USA #2 0
55 kg – Nursultan Kalmurzaev (Kazakhstan) dec. Nate Engel (USA #2), 2-0, 3-0
60 kg – Almat Kebispayev (Kazakhstan) pinned Jamel Johnson (USA #2), 0:56
66 kg – Yerbol Konyratov (Kazakhstan) dec. Ben Sanchez (USA #2), 2-0, 1-0
74 kg – Maxat Yerezhepov (Kazakhstan) dec. Jake Fisher (USA #2), 1-0, 1-0
84 kg – Alkhazur Ozdiyev (Kazakhstan) dec. Peter Hicks (USA #2), 0-1, 3-0, 3-0
96 kg – Yerulan Iskakov (Kazakhstan) dec. Pete Gounaridis (USA #2), 0-1, 1-0, 1-1
120 kg – Nurmakhan Tinaliyev (Kazakhstan) dec. Toby Erickson (USA #2), 7-0, 5-0

JAPAN 4, USA #1 3
55 kg – Tsubasa Ogata (Japan) dec. Max Nowry (USA #1), 1-0, 1-0
60 kg – Joe Betterman (USA #1) dec. Kazuma Kuramoto (Japan), 0-3, 2-0, 1-0
66 kg – Kendrick Sanders (USA #1) dec. Hideyuki Otoizumi (Japan), 1-0, 5-0
74 kg – Hitoyuki Shimizu (Japan) dec. Andrew Bisek (USA #1), 0-3, 1-0, 2-0
84 kg – Masayuki Amano (Japan) dec. Jordan Holm (USA #1), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0
96 kg – Yusuke Yamamoto (Japan) dec. Caylor Williams (USA #1), 0-7, 1-1, 5-0
120 kg – Robert Smith (USA #1) dec. Katsutoshi Kanazama (Japan), 1-0, 6-0

USA #1 4, KAZAKHSTAN 3
55 kg – Max Nowry (USA #1) dec. Nursultan Kalmurzaev (Kazakhstan), 1-0, 1-0
60 kg – Joe Betterman (USA #1) dec. Yerbol Kikbayev (Kazakhstan), 0-1, 1-0, 2-0
66 kg – Kendrick Sanders (USA #1) pinned Askhat Zhanbirov (Kazakhstan), 0-1, 3-0, 1:42
74 kg – Maxat Yerezhepov (Kazakhstan) dec. Andrew Bisek (USA #1), 2-0, 3-0
84 kg – Nursultan Tursynov (Kazakhstan) over Jordan Holm (USA #1) Dec 2-0, 1-0
96 kg – Caylor Williams (USA #1) pinned Yerulan Iskakov (Kazakhstan), 0-2, 0:31
120 kg – Nurmakhan Tinaliyev (Kazakhstan) dec. Robert Smith (USA #1), 2-0, 3-0

USA #2 4, JAPAN 3
55 kg – Tsubasa Ogata (Japan) dec. Nate Engel (USA #2), 1-0, 1-0
60 kg – Kazuma Kuramoto (Japan) dec. Julian Gunnels (USA #2), 4-0, 1-0
66 kg – Hideyuki Otoizumi (Japan) dec. Ben Sanchez (USA #2), 2-0, 1-0
74 kg – Jake Fisher (USA #2) dec. Hitoyuki Shimizu (Japan), 1-0, 1-0
84 kg – Peter Hicks (USA #2) dec. Masayuki Amano (Japan), 1-0, 0-1, 1-0
96 kg – Pete Gounaridis (USA #2) dec. Yusuke Yamamoto (Japan), 2-1, 3-0
120 kg – Toby Erickson (USA #2) dec. Katsutoshi Kanazama (Japan), 3-1, 2-0

JAPAN 5, USA #3 2
55 kg – Tsubasa Ogata (Japan) dec. Dmitry Ryabchinsky (USA #3), 1-0, 1-0
60 kg – Kazuma Kuramoto (Japan) dec. Marco Lara (USA #3), 3-0, 2-0
66 kg – Hideyuki Otoizumi (Japan) dec. John Bozarth (USA #3), 1-0, 7-1
74 kg – Hitoyuki Shimizu (Japan) dec. Jon Anderson (USA #3), 1-0, 1-0
84 kg – C.J. Meyers (USA #3) dec. Masayuki Amano (Japan), 2-0, 0-1, 3-2
96 kg – Yusuke Yamamoto (Japan) dec. Marcus Finau (USA #3), 1-0, 2-0
120 kg – David Arendt (USA #3) dec. Shori Maekawa (Japan), 6-0, 2-0

KAZAKHSTAN 5, USA #4 2
55 kg – Nursultan Kalmurzaev (Kazakhstan) dec. Isaiah Varona (USA #4), 1-0, 1-0
60 kg – Nurgalym Kuandyk (Kazakhstan) dec. Joey DeNova (USA #4), 1-0, 6-0
66 kg – Askhat Zhanbirov (Kazakhstan) dec. Nick Alvarez (USA #4), 1-0, 0-3, 1-0
74 kg – Tanner Andrews (USA #4) over Maxat Yerezhepov (Kazakhstan), injury default
84 kg – Alkhazur Ozdiyev (Kazakhstan) dec. Ethan Dondlinger (USA #4), 7-0, 0-1, 6-0
96 kg – Charles Fish (USA #4) dec. Zhanarbek Kabdolov (Kazakhstan), 2-0, 1-0
120 kg – Nurmakhan Tinaliyev (Kazakhstan) over Parker Betts (USA #4) Dec 6-0, 2-0

KAZAKHSTAN 5, USA #3 2
55 kg – Dmitry Ryabchinsky (USA #3) won by forfeit
60 kg – Yerbol Kikbayev (Kazakhstan) pinned Marco Lara (USA #3), 1:19
66 kg – Yerbol Konyratov (Kazakhstan) dec. John Bozarth (USA #3), 3-0, 4-0
74 kg – Jon Anderson (USA #3) won by forfeit
84 kg – Nursultan Tursynov (Kazakhstan) dec. C.J. Meyers (USA #3), 1-0, 4-0
96 kg – Zhanarbek Kabdolov (Kazakhstan) dec. Marcus Finau (USA #3), 1-0, 5-0
120 kg – Nurmakhan Tinaliyev (Kazakhstan) dec. David Arendt (USA #3), 4-0, 3-0

USA #4 4, JAPAN 3
55 kg – Tsubasa Ogata (Japan) dec. Isaiah Varona (USA #4), 1-0, 1-0
60 kg – Masakazu Kamoi (Japan) pinned Dmitry Ryabchinsky (USA #4), 8-0, 0:35
66 kg – Hideyuki Otoizumi (Japan) dec. Nick Alvarez (USA #4), 2-0, 2-0
74 kg – Tanner Andrews (USA #4) pinned Hitoyuki Shimizu (Japan), 0:30
84 kg – Charles Fish (USA #4) dec. Masayuki Amano (Japan), 1-0, 1-0
96 kg – Ethan Dondlinger (USA #4) dec. Yusuke Yamamoto (Japan), 3-0, 0-2, 1-0
120 kg – Parker Betts (USA #4) dec. Katsutoshi Kanazama (Japan), 1-1, 0-1, 2-0

USA #1 4, LITHUANIA 3
55 kg – Max Nowry (USA #1) dec. Justin Petravicius (Lithuania), 0-1, 6-0, 8-0
60 kg – Joe Betterman (USA #1) dec. Ramunas Dagys (Lithuania), 2-0, 5-0
66 kg – Kendrick Sanders (USA #1) dec. Edgaras Venckatis (Lithuania), 2-0, 4-0
74 kg – Eivydas Sekus (Lithuania) dec. Bo Beckman (USA #1), 2-1, 5-0
84 kg – Jordan Holm (USA #1) dec. Aleksandr Kazakevic (Lithuania), 2-1, 0-1, 1-0
96 kg – Vilius Laurinatis (Lithuania) dec. Caylor Williams (USA #1), 1-0, 2-0
120 kg – Miadaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania) dec. Robert Smith (USA #1), 1-0, 4-0

SWEDEN 6, USA #2 1
55 kg – Nate Engel (USA #2) dec. Joakim Fagerlund (Sweden), 2-0, 1-0
60 kg – Frunze Harutyunyan (Sweden) dec. Julian Gunnels (USA #2), 1-0, 2-0
66 kg – Sharur Vardanyan (Sweden) dec. Ben Sanchez (USA #2), 1-0, 6-0
74 kg – Christoffer Nilsson (Sweden) dec. Jake Fisher (USA #2), 1-0, 2-0
84 kg – Zahiti Fisnik (Sweden) dec. Peter Hicks (USA #2), 1-0, 1-0
96 kg – Fredrik Schon (Sweden) dec. Pete Gounaridis (USA #2), 1-0, 4-0
120 kg – Johan Euren (Sweden) dec. Toby Erickson (USA #2), 6-0, 5-0

USA #1 4, SWEDEN 3
55 kg – Joakim Fagerlund (Sweden) dec. Max Nowry (USA #1), 1-0, 1-0
60 kg – Joe Betterman (USA #1) won by injury default over Frunze Harutyunyan (Sweden)
66 kg – Bo Beckman (USA #1) dec. Sharur Vardanyan (Sweden), 0-3, 6-2, 1-0
74 kg – Christoffer Nilsson (Sweden) dec. Anton Gottfredson (USA #1), 1-0, 6-0
84 kg – Jordan Holm (USA #1) dec. Zahiti Fisnik (Sweden), 0-4, 1-0, 2-0
96 kg – Caylor Williams (USA #1) dec. Fredrik Schon (Sweden) Dec 4-0,6-1
120 kg – Johan Euren (Sweden) dec. Robert Smith (USA #1), 1-0, 1-0

USA #2 4, LITHUANIA 3
55 kg – Nate Engel (USA #2) dec. Justin Petravicius (Lithuania), 4-0, 6-0
60 kg – Ramunas Dagys (Lithuania) dec. Julian Gunnels (USA #2), 3-1, 4-0
66 kg – Ben Sanchez (USA #2) dec. Edgaras Venckatis (Lithuania), 2-0, 1-0
74 kg – Jake Fisher (USA #2) dec. Eivydas Sekus (Lithuania), 4-0, 1-0
84 kg – Aleksandr Kazakevic (Lithuania) dec. Peter Hicks (USA #2), 1-0, 1-0
96 kg – Pete Gounaridis (USA #2) dec. Vilius Laurinatis (Lithuania), 2-0, 1-1
120 kg – Miadaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania) dec. Ethan Dondlinger (USA #2), 1-0, 7-0