#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.

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2025 Day 3: Blades dominant, Jafarov injured

Friday, February 7, 2025 - 09:16 By United World Wrestling Press

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 7) -- Zagreb Open enters day three with four Women's Wrestling weight classes and two Greco-Roman weight class. Paris Games silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA) at 76kg is moving down to 68kg and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), bronze medalist in Paris at 67kg, is in action as well.

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13:30: Further problems for Iran. After Gholami's loss, Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) suffers a 6-1 loss to Valentin PETIC (MDA). Petic led 3-0 a the break but Mohsen Nezhad got two turns from par terre to make it 5-3 in the second period. Iran challenged that Petic committed a leg foul but it was seen on review that Mohsen Nezhad grabbed the singlet during par terre for the turns. The points were cancelled. A bodylock situation resulted in Petic falling on his back outside the zone but Mohsen Nezhad stepped out first make it 4-1. A desperate attempt from Mohsen Nezhad did not come through and gave Petic two more points

13:25: A front headlock throw from Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) gave him a 4-0 lead against Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI). Joergensen got a turn from par terre to make it 7-0 but Gholami scored a stepout to reduce the lead to 7-1. But Norway challenged the call and it was a four-point throw from standing which made it 9-0 and Joergensen reached the final.

13:10: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) with a dominant win in the semifinal against Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) after he blocks the Uzbek in par terre and scores two points, a correct throw for two more and a gut wrench for two more to lead 6-1 at the break. A beautiful four-point throw in the second to finish the match 10-1. He will take on Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) who was quick in a 8-0 win over Ziya BABASHOV (AZE)

13:00: Kennedy BLADES (USA) is the gold medalist at 68kg. She has Round 5 left but as she has drubbed her all opponents, she will most likely remain as the top wrestlers. She just beat Noémi SZABADOS (HUN) 10-0.

12:50: Round 4 bout at 62kg saw Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) pull out a takedown and gut wrench with a second remaining to win 5-2 against Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL). Nwachukwu got one extra point for Dudova's lost challenge. She is the gold medalist at 62kg as she won all four of her bouts in the round-robin bracket.

12:40: An all Azerbaijan final at 59kg! Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) holds off Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA) 3-1 while Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) beats Michaela BECK (USA) 6-0 to enter the final

12:10: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) with a final second desperate move to beat AYTJAN KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) at 63kg. Keshtkar was trailing 2-0 when he got Khalmakhanov in a horizontal lift and brought him down in danger for four points. Khalmakhanov scored a counter for two but Keshtkar's big move gave the Iranian a 4-4 win. One point was added after Uzbekistan lost the challenge.

12:00: Kennedy BLADES (USA) was too quick for Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) at 68kg. She got a single leg for takedown. Blades then catches Hanzlickova in a bar on the edge and gets the fall just before the break. 

11:55: Daniial AGAEV (AIN) and Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI) put on a show in their 67kg quarterfinal. Gholami, who last wrestled internationally at U17 World Championships in 2023 at 55kg, opened up a 5-1 lead at the break. However, Agaev with a takedown but gives up an exposure, giving Gholami a 7-3 lead and the win

11:45: U20 world champion Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) rolls out a top-class gut wrench and beats Nozimjon BOYKUZIEV (UZB) 8-3 and moves into the semifinal at 67kg. With Jafarov out, he is now the favorite to win gold.

11:35: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) was leading 7-0 against Valentin PETIC (MDA) but pulls out injured. Update: Jafarov has peeled his skin behind his ear after a rub with the mat. He is being treated in the hospital

11:25: Trademark double armlock and pin for Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) as she beats Karolina POK (HUN) at 68kg. Hanzlickova trusts that move with her life

11:20: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) with two activity points as she wins 2-0 against Nikolett SZABO (HUN) at 62kg.

11:15: Change in weight classes but no change in Kennedy BLADES (USA). She comes out with a throw and then arm bars Kendra DACHER (FRA) in the Round 2 bout at 68kg.

11:10: Former world champion at 63kg Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Farid KHALILOV (AZE) share a turn each from par terre but Nad does it in the second period and wins 3-3 at 67kg.

11:00: Hasrad JAFAROV (AZE), bronze medalist at the Paris Olympics, was staring at defeated with a minute remaining in his opening bout against Morten THORESEN (NOR) but is awarded a third passivity par terre and he does a reverse lift for four points and wins 5-1

10:55: In Round 1 at 65kg, Dinara KUDAEVA (AIN) pins Milla ANDELIC (CRO) while Eniko ELEKES (HUN) comes back from 4-0 to beat Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) 4-4.

10:50: Two bouts in Round 1 of 59kg and Azerbaijan has a great start. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) got a 5-0 win over Erika BOGNAR (HUN) while Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) pinned Sofia MACALUSO (USA)

10:45: World bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) gave up an early point against Kendra DACHER (FRA) but manages to see her off 6-2 at 68kg. Hanzlickova became the first-ever Czech wrestler to win a world medal when she won bronze at 72kg in Tirana last year. 

10:30: Welcome to day three of the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event. With Freestyle done, we have four women's wrestling weight classes in action today -- 59kg, 62kg, 65kg and 68kg along with Greco-Roman in 63kg and 67kg.