#WrestleAlmaty

Bolat Turlykhanov Cup day four finals set with Yazdani vs Makoev

By Vinay Siwach

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (June 5) -- The final day of the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup Ranking Series event is here. Eight freestyle weights will be in action with multiple World and Olympic medalists taking the mat in Almaty.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

13:45: The finals are set for the night

61kg: Zhassulan TASKUL (KAZ) vs Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
65kg: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) vs Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB)
70kg:Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) vs Rodion ANCHUGIN (KAZ)
74kg: Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) vs Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
79kg: Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ) vs Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
86kg: Boris MAKOEV (SVK) vs Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)
92kg: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) vs Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ)
 

13:35: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) has dominated his way to the 92kg final. At 57kg, Aman SEHRAWAT (IND) and Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ) are putting up a show. Sehrawat comes back from 6-0 down against a tiring Bazarbayev to win 10-9. He also wins the gold medal after winning all his four bouts.

13:10: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) and Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) on Mat B. The Mongolian leads 1-0 at the break after Jalolov's passivity. But he is hit with passivity as well and Jalolov takes the lead on criteria. Tumur-Ochir with his trademark underhook for four and he wins 5-1 against Jalolov.

13:00: Yazdani gives up a point for stepout but answers that with a takedown and lace. He leads 6-1 at the break. He begins with another takedown and then a stepout to extend his lead to 10-1. A double leg takedown finishes the bout 12-1

12:55: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is up against Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) in the 86kg semifinal on Mat C while at 74kg, Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) is wrestling on Mat B

12:30: Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL) has set up a semifinal bout against Jalolov at 65kg after beating Komron KHOLOV (TJK) via technical superiority.

12:10: World silver medalist at 70kg Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) has a huge fan base in Kazakhstan and that showed even as he beat Meirzhan ASHIROV (KAZ) 5-3 at 70kg. He moves into the semifinal

11:55: Bajrang PUNIA (IND) faces a familiar opponent in Abbos RAKHMANOV (UZB). He gets two points for Rakhmanov's blocking. The Uzbek also has two cautions against him. But he gets a takedown and leads 2-2 at the break. Punia gets a point for Rakhmanov's passivity. But the Indian gives up a takedown in the final seconds to beat Punia 5-3

11:45: European champion Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) has to work hard against Ikhtiyor NUVROZOV (UZB) at 74kg. Three stepout points for his 3-0 win against the Uzbek veteran.

11:40: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), in a very Yazdani-way, breaks Fatih ERDIN (TUR) to start his day with a 12-0 win at 86kg. He will wrestle the Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) in the semifinals

11:30: Some absolute hammers wrestling at 86kg. Former world silver medalist Boris MAKOEV (SVK) with a dominating win over Nurzhan ISSAGALIYEV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals. On Mat B, Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) hands Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) a 8-0 defeat as the Uzbekistan wrestler continues to struggle at 86kg

11:15: Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) trailed Asian silver medalist Gourav BALIYAN (IND) 5-3 at the break but catches the Indian in a leg lace and finishes the bout 15-5 

10:50: Former U17 world champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) looks in good touch. He picks up a technical superiority win over Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) who is moving up to 65kg. Jalolov had a four-point move then got exposures to win 13-2 

10:45: What a great start for world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI). He wins via technical superiority against Viky CHAHAR (IND) in two minutes. 

10:30: Welcome to day four of the Ranking Series event in Almaty. Are you excited to see the return of Hassan YAZDANI (IRI).

#WrestleAlmaty

Four WW storylines to follow at Bolat Turlykhanov Cup

By Olivia Lichti

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (May 29) -- Top women’s wrestlers from across the world will gather for the second Ranking Series tournament of 2022 -- Bolat Turlykhanov Cup. The entry list features strong teams from home nation Kazakhstan as well as Azerbaijan, India, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. Seeds at the World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia will be on the line as wrestlers fight to make the podium in Almaty, hoping to earn prestigious ranking points.


Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) heads into the second Ranking Series event ranked first in the world at 72kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

1. Bakbergenova sisters return after dominant Asian performances
Twin sisters Madina and Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) cemented themselves as the faces of the Kazakh wrestling with stellar performances in Ulaanbaatar last month. The two sisters won gold medals in their adjacent weight classes of 68kg and 72kg, picking up some significant victories along the way.

At 72kg, Zhamila followed up on her World silver medal performance in Oslo with four round-robin victories on her way to top honors, sealing her title with criteria victories over tough foes Davanaasan ENKH-AMAR (MGL) and Sumire NIIKURA (JPN).

A day earlier, Madina had an even more stunning performance at 68kg. Despite losing to 2020 Olympic bronze and 2021 world champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) in the nordic bracket, she rebounded with a semifinal upset of 2019 U20 world champion Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN) to set up a rematch in the finals against the Kyrgyz. There, she reversed the result from earlier in the day, defeating Zhuamanzarova 3-2.

Both twins will be gunning for gold in their home nation. Madina will have the opportunity to further cement herself as a serious international threat with tough competitors in former Asian champion Divya KAKRAN (IND) and Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in her bracket. Zhamila will need to defeat Mongolia’s Enkh-Amar once again to win gold.


Grace BULLEN (NOR) will return to action for the first time since the 2021 World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

2. Bullen returns after adversity
Grace BULLEN (NOR) had a challenging year in 2021. The former European and U23 world champion seemed primed to qualify her Nordic nation for the Olympics but shockingly failed to do so at both the European and World Olympic Qualifiers.

She fell to Bediha GUN (TUR) in the first round at the European event and to Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RWF) in the semi-final of the World OG Qualifier. Her hometown comeback at the 2021 Worlds in Oslo was not to be, as she fell to familiar foe Linda MORAIS (CAN) in the first round -- a heartbreaker for her and local fans.

However, after an eight-month layoff from international competition, Bullen is ready to rumble and will seek to earn some ranking points up at her preferred weight class of 59kg.

She will have to be in top form to do so as her weight class features Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), whose 2022 has already included a gold medal at the prestigious Ivan Yariguin and silver at the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series. World bronze medalists Sarita MOR (IND) and Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) will be competing as well.

Bullen is revered for her high-flying throws and dynamic style; wrestling fans must ensure they have their eyes glued to any matches involving the Norwegian star.


Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) headlines a Mongolian squad that'll feature 20 in the women's wrestling field. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

3. Bat-Ochir leads deep Mongolian contingent
While wrestling fans often crown nations like Japan, China and the United States as the top ones in women’s wrestling, many neglect to notice the consistency and depth that Mongolia always brings to the table. They display this here with a highly competitive 20-woman squad, a true testament to how deep talent runs in this traditional wrestling nation.

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT-OCHIR (MGL) is the biggest star in attendance and is expected to win 53kg handily. Five other Mongolian women who have previously earned World medals will also be competing in Almaty.

Some of the most compelling weight classes in Almaty will herald potential Mongolian domestic showdowns. Entered at 50kg is both Olympian Namuuntsetseg TSOGT-OCHIR (MGL) and 2021 world bronze medalist Otgonjargal DOLGARJAV (MGL).

Tokyo Olympian Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL), '21 world bronze Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) and Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) are entered at 62kg.

Sukhee in particular has had an impressive start to the 2022 season, winning the Ivan Yariguin and Yasar Dogu while taking out Olympic Medallists Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), Sakshi MALIK (IND), and Marwa AMRI (TUN).

The outcome of the head-to-head matches of this tournament may influence which women Mongolia chooses to send to the World Championships in September, which will indubitably have drastic effects on the results of that event.


Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) comes into the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup ranked second in the world at 76kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

4. Medet Kyzy, Hamza clash at 76kg
The most highly anticipated matchup this weekend will feature two of the top women at 76kg -- Samar HAMZA (EGY) and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ). Both women competed in Tokyo but failed to medal before raising their level at Worlds in Oslo, where they each claimed bronze medals.

Medet Kyzy currently sits second in the rankings with 77,000 points by way of her Yasar Dogu and Asian titles this year and is a comfortable 15,900 points above third-place Hamza. With current top-seed Adeline Gray unlikely to compete at Worlds this year, these women will be locked in a battle for the top spot.

Also keep an eye on Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) who upset Hamza 10-4 at the Yasar Dogu. Yerkebayeva recently added an Asian bronze medal to her list of accolades and will certainly be in the podium hunt in Almaty.

The Bolat Turlykhanov Cup starts Thursday (June 2-5) and can be followed live on uww.org.