#WrestleCoralville

All-World team ready for World Cup challenge

Tuesday, December 6, 2022 - 11:11 By Vinay Siwach

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CORALVILLE, Iowa (December 6) -- A world champion, five multiple times world medalists and two medalists from the 2022 World Championships.

A 10-member All-World team will descend upon Coralville for the freestyle World Cup on December 10 and 11 at the Xtreme Arena and if all works out, will be a serious threat for the title.

The 2022 World Cup is the first time that an All-World team is going to participate in the tournament. It comprises the top finishers in each weight class from Belgrade who are not part of the five teams which qualified directly.

The USA, Iran, Japan, Mongolia, and Georgia were the top five teams at the World Championships and gained automatic qualification for the World Cup. But the All-World looks a formidable unit.

Led by world champion Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (UWW) at 57kg, it has two-time silver medalist Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (UWW) at 74kg, another Slovakian and silver medalist in Batyrbek TSAKULOV (UWW) at 97kg, two young bronze medalists from Belgrade in Ernazar AKMATALIEV (UWW) at 70kg and Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (UWW) at 92kg.

Two-time world bronze medalist Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (UWW) will be at 65kg with bronze medalists at 79kg Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (UWW) and Azamat DAULETBEKOV (UWW) at 86kg adding more firepower to the squad. Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (UWW) at 61kg and Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UWW) at 125kg complete the team.

The All-World team is placed in Group B with Iran and Japan and is likely that it will finish at the top of the standing and wrestle in the final.

Opening its campaign against Japan, the All-World team will be a heavy favorite. Japan is missing both its world champion, Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) and Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN), from the line-up and has sent a relatively young team.

But the All-World team will bank on Abakarov, Muszukajev, Akmataliev, Salkazanov and Nurmagomedov to give the team an outright win.

Japan is also unlikely to win against Iran making the All-World vs Iran match late on Saturday a virtual semifinal.

"Our preparation is very good," Akmataliev said. "We were supposed to hold a camp in America but it did not go through. So, we are preparing in Bishkek. Saturday will show on the mat."

Akmataliev is one of the most exciting wrestlers around the world with clutch performances, especially in come-from-behind wins. He will be expected to win all his bouts in Coralville. And he hopes the team will also be able to do the same.

"I was very happy when I received the invite for the world team," he said. "Our team is very strong, and we will show our potential. We can beat all the other teams.

"Our wrestlers are best in their weight classes and if we can come together as a team, we will be champions," he added.

Akmataliev hopes to wrestle the USA in the final but is aware of the threats Iran and Japan pose in the group stage.

"I cannot say that one team is weak or strong," he said. "Every opponent is strong, and I will treat every bout as the final and try to win"

If the USA and All-World team do meet in the final, expect a neck-to-neck battle with both teams equally good enough to win.

If Abakarov can give a winning start to the All-World team, it will be Vangelov up against Seth GROSS (US) at 61kg and a fan-favorite bout between Muszukajev and John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) at 65kg. Akmataliev holds the upper hand against Tyler BERGER (USA) with Salkazanov and Jason NOLF (USA) at 74kg.

Salkazanov needs to win even if Budazhapov loses to Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) at 79kg. Dauletbekov up against Zahid VALENCIA (USA) at 86kg will be a crucial match-up for both teams as Numagomedov is expected to win against Nathan JACKSON (USA). Kyle SNYDER (USA) has the upper hand at 97kg against Tsakulov in the World Championships final rematch. The All-World team will need Khotsianivskyi to win at 125kg against Hayden ZILLMER (USA).

In all likelihood, it will end with five wins for both teams and the team with more classification points winning the World Cup.

#WrestleTirana

Mohmadi shuts Novikov down to avenge Paris Olympic loss

Friday, February 28, 2025 - 19:23 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (February 28) -- Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) and Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) flexed their achievements in their own ways. Both acknowledged each other but a sense of supremacy also followed.

In a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympic Greco-Roman 87kg final, Novikov and Mohmadi met in the quarterfinal of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series to add another chapter to the exciting rivalry. While the stage wasn't as grand as Paris, Mohmadi avenged his loss from the final, blanking Olympic champion Novikov 5-0 and dominating the proceedings in the match.

Mohmadi went on to win the gold medal at 87kg after David LOSONCZI (HUN) pulled out of the final injured but the purpose of getting a match against Novikov and winning was served.

"This match was very important to me," Mohmadi said. "Wrestling against Novikov, who I wrestled in the Olympics, I expected myself to wrestle better than I did in the Olympics. I was able to win and wrestle without mistakes. I hope I can maintain this winning streak against Novikov in the World Championships as well."

Novikov won 7-0 in Paris in a very one-sided final and Mohmadi, perhaps learning from that experience from Paris where he wasn't awarded the forced par terre, began on an aggressive note. He got the par terre but failed to score and led only 1-0 at the break. However, the second period was also saw Mohmadi dominate proceedings as he scored a stepout and takedown to make it 4-0.

The world silver medalist was awarded the par terre in the second period as well which extended his lead to 5-0 but he once again failed to score. He shut Novikov down for the remaining time to win the bout.

He blew a kiss like an archer release the arrow whereas Novikov flexed his biceps, perhaps reminding Mohmadi that he is still the Olympic champion.

"I expected this match to be intense because the wrestler is both an Olympic champion and a world medalist, and a very good wrestler," he said. "But fortunately, I was able to use my opportunities well and get my points in this match."

Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) defeated Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) 5-0 at 87kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Mohmadi seems to have became the mainstay for Iran at 87kg for the foreseeable future but given the international depth at the weight class, Mohmadi knows he cannot let his guard down. 

"The 87 kg weight class has many contenders, even in these competitions," he said. "With the help coaches, I work on each of them individually and plan for each of them. They will do the same because this weight class has many contenders and has always been a busy weight class."

Novikov wasn't the only big win for Mohmadi on Friday. He began with a 8-0 sweep of Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and defeated European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) 5-1 in the semifinal.

A mouthwatering final against Losonczi was set but the Hungarian injured his elbow in the semifinal against Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and decided to skip the gold medal match.

"I hurt my right shoulder in the semifinals," Losonczi said. "It is a little swollen. I don’t think it’s too serious and I will be fine for the Europeans, but this is why I made this decision to sit out of the finals, just to make sure it does not get worse."

In the other Greco-Roman weight class that was in action on Friday, Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) defeated Idris IBAEV (GER), 3-2, to win the gold medal at 77kg.

Ibaev raced to a 5-0 lead after getting the first par terre position but Kyrgyzstan challenged the call for a leg-foul that was confirmed on review and Ibaev's lead was cut to 1-0. Maksatbek Uulu scored a takedown just before the break to claim a 2-1 lead.

Maksatbek Uulu got the par terre in second period but did not score any point. He, however, led 3-1 before Ibaev managed to get a stepout to make it 3-2.  However, that was not enough as Maksetbek Uulu defended his one point lead till the end of time to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

77kg
GOLD: Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Idris IBAEV (GER), 3-2

BRONZE: Per Albin OLOFSSON (SWE) df. Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO), 3-3
BRONZE: Kodai SAKURABA (JPN) df. Aleksa ILIC (SRB), 7-4

87kg
GOLD: Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df. Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), 3-1
BRONZE: Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) df. Nursultan TURSYNOV (TUR), 3-1