Nov 18, 2025 By Jonathan Guth 3 min read

Chris Pierce and the “Laurel Highlands Class of 1996” will be celebrating their 30-year reunion this upcoming spring, and while classmates who haven’t seen each other in three decades will exchange their accomplishments over the years, Pierce’s achievements are most-likely an anomaly compared to his peers.

Pierce competed for a world championship in Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling in early October during the 2025 Veteran World Championships at Tatabanya Sport Hall in Hungary.

Pierce placed fifth in freestyle on Oct. 8 at 130 kilograms (286 pounds) in Division C (Aged 46-50). He also took fifth in Greco-Roman on Oct. 11 in the same division and weight.

Pierce defeated Anton Fetisov by technical fall (8-0) in Greco-Roman before suffering a loss to eventual champion Leif Bengtsson of Sweden.

Pierce had to take an injury default against Croatia’s Josip Matkovic in the battle for the bronze medal.

“To compete for a world championship was an experience of a lifetime,” Pierce said. “You get the best-of-the-best in the world, and for a lot of the countries, wrestling is a very popular sport, and for a number of them, it is their most popular sport. I have wrestled in other countries before, but never in Hungary.”

While Pierce enjoyed the experience, he wasn’t able to achieve his goal on the mat.

“It was pure disappointment right after the competition ended because I was points away from going to the finals,” Pierce said. “I still ended up in fifth place, but you compete to win it all. When I look back, it feels great to achieve what I did despite not reaching my ultimate goal.”

The Uniontown native’s path to international competition began when he wrestled for the Mustangs in high school under current Albert Gallatin athletic director and head wrestling coach Duane Dupont before attending Waynesburg University (then Waynesburg College) and the State University of New York at Brockport and competing at the collegiate level.

While folkstyle and collegiate wrestling got the ball rolling for Pierce, he began to realize that his body type was more suited for another style.

“I met a gentleman by the name of Phil Lanzatella, who was from upstate New York, and he taught me Greco-Roman,” Pierce said. “When I started training with him, I came to realize that I had a knack for it. I also compete in freestyle, and I have gotten good at Greco because of freestyle.”

Lanzatella was a four-time All-American at St. Lawrence University in New York. He placed third at the 1980 and 1981 NCAA Division III national tournament before winning a championship in 1982 at 190 pounds. He was the national runner-up in 1983 at 190.

Lanzatella qualified to compete in five straight U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman from 1980 to 1996, and participated in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials process.

Pierce began wrestling Greco-Roman for the senior division and the rest is history.

Pierce owns a gym that is located in the Uniontown Mall, and he works as a personal trainer and with strength and conditioning under “Pierce Performance Training.”

“We are a two-in-one with a gym and wrestling room,” Pierce said. “It is geared for local kids, and we will work with you whether you are experienced or not.”