IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — This year’s freestyle World Cup could have been one of the most intriguing wrestling tournaments outside of the Olympics in years. The powerhouse Russian and Iranian teams were looking to topple the Americans — last year’s team winner at the world championships — in Iowa’s fabled Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Unfortunately for fans, the Russians and Iranians failed to show up and the U.S., fresh off its first world team championship in 22 years, appears to be in position for a crown that likely would ring a bit hollow. The U.S. beat India 10-0 and Japan 7-3 in Saturday’s opening rounds. Russia dropped out a week ago, saying it didn’t have enough time for the visa interviews needed to get the team cleared for the trip to Iowa City.

But officials held out hope that the Russians would get those issues resolved, including them as a ninth team in the official program for the eight-team event. The absence of Russia and Iran was a blow to a sport that prides itself on getting oft-disparate nations to come together.

In their place, UWW invited Mongolia and India to the annual meet that’s considered the second-biggest international event outside of the world championships, which will be held in Budapest in October. Mongolia looked impressive in knocking off Kazakhstan 6-4 in its opening match.

But the Indians were clearly outside of their comfort zone against the Americans, who were second in 2017 but haven’t won a World Cup since 2003. The U.S swept all tens of its matches with India and outscored it 87-7 in bonus points. Worse yet, the Americans closed the match with 48 consecutive points.

Japan put up a much tougher fight. But four-time world champion and London 2012 gold medalist Jordan Burroughs, who qualified for the last two Olympics by winning the team trials in Iowa City, thumped Yuhi Fujinami 7-1 to help the U.S. take control after some early stumbles.