Budapest Ranking Series golds for Higuchi, Kiyooka, Parris

Friday, June 7, 2024 - 09:31 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- For Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), the Ranking Series in Budapest was a chance to assess his preparation for the Olympics. Things were going on track, but Higuchi caught a fever on the day he was to wrestle.

Struggling with a temperature of 38.2 degrees on a hot day in Budapest, Higuchi struggled on the mat but manager to win the gold medal at 57kg in Budapest with some top-class wrestling. He defeated AMAN (IND) 11-1 in the final.

The run to the gold medal also included an incredible comeback in the semifinal against Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE). The Azerbaijan wrestler scored a takedown and hit a high gut to lead 8-0. Higuchi somehow managed to stop the final turn and give himself a chance to stay in the bout.

Higuchi used a gut wrench of his own and scored 18 points to beat Rzazade 18-8 and enter the final. Rzazade later complained of a shoulder dislocation which may rule him out of the Paris Olympics in August as well.

With the win, Higuchi is now second in the rankings below Stevan MICIC (SRB). Aman, for his silver, jumped to the sixth spot.

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) defeated Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) in the group stages of the 65kg bracket. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Another Japanese wrestler who had to come back from an 8-0 deficit was Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) as he won the 65kg gold medal. The field at 65kg included Haji ALIYEV (AZE), world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and Austin GOMEZ (MEX) among others. But it was Kiyooka who came out on top in the round robin and then clinched the gold medal over Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI), 12-8.

Like Higuchi, Kiyooka also fell behind 8-0 against Ebrahimzadeh but stopped the final turn. Kiyooka then mounted the comeback and tired Ebrahimzadeh, winning the bout 12-8 in six minutes.

Mason PARRIS (USA) celebrates after pinning Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) in the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 125kg, world bronze medalist Mason PARRIS (USA) had a stunning campaign, winning the gold medal with ease. While a Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Parris rematch was expected, the Georgian got pinned in the semifinal by Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ). Parris pinned BAtirmurzaev in the final.

Petriashvili returned to win the bronze medal and keep his second spot in the rankings at 125kg that he would have lost to Parris if he had not finished on the podium.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) df. AMAN (IND), 11-1

BRONZE: Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) df. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), via inj. def.

61kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Shahdad KHOSRAVI MARDAKHEH (IRI) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 8-0
BRONZE: Nahshon GARRETT (USA) df. Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO), 11-3

65kg
GOLD: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI), 12-8

BRONZE: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Austin Klee GOMEZ (MEX), 12-3

70kg
GOLD: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ) df. Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-3
BRONZE: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) df. Evan HENDERSON (USA), 14-4

79kg
GOLD: Otari BAGAURI (GEO) df. Adel PANAEIAN (IRI), 6-5

BRONZE: Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) df. Chems FETAIRIA (ALG), via inj. def.

97kg
GOLD: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) df. Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 4-2
BRONZE: Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR) df. Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), 4-3

125kg
GOLD: Mason PARRIS (USA) df. Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ), via fall

BRONZE: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY), 10-0
BRONZE: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Jonovan SMITH (PUR), 11-0

#AmateurMMA

Amateur MMA: Kutzli wins gold for U.S.; Ukraine best team

Saturday, October 18, 2025 - 15:18 By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 19) -- It was only her fourth-ever bout but Natalie KUTZLI (USA) showed no lack of experience in defeating Oliwia STAWSKA (POL), and become a world champion at the UWW Amateur MMA World Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Kutzli, the lone fighter from the United States, won by unanimous decision after three rounds against Stawska who has been on the circuit for a longder time.

"I'm just at a loss of words," Kutzli said. "I just feel so surreal."

In the final against Stawska, Kutzli opened the match with clear striking and controlled the round. She followed a similar strategy and never allowed Stawska to land cleanly. Kutzli won all three rounds in the final.

"She was a challenging fighter for sure," she said. "She was really tough. It's just such a amazing opportunity to be able to fight somebody who has that much experience. I loved every second of it."

Hailing from Michigan, Kutzli began her sports career with taekwondo before switching to wrestling. Her mother, Jeanie, would drive her from one practice to another and supported her when she switched sports.

"First person I talked to was my mom," she said. "She's just so proud of me and amazed by me and what I do and I just I made her proud and my family really proud. I do it for her in hopes of someday being in the UFC and be able to pay for my family and just be able to take care of my loved one, so that's my dream.

"From a young age, I was raised by a single mom. So I'm doing this for her and to be able to thank her and just sort of appreciation to my family."

At 57kg, Viktoriia DUDAKOVA (UWW) showed that she belongs to the big league she knocked out Justine TAILFER (FRA) in the 57kg final. The bout went to the second round but Dudakova dominated it throughout.

Dudakova and Tailfer went out of bounds in the second round with the former on top. The referee called it to center and when the bout restarted with Dudakova getting the back mount advantage, she kept her striking with Tailfer not able to defend which forced the referee to call it a knockout.

In other finals, Anna BEZHENAR (UKR) scored a victory via submission against Daria RAMANOVA (UWW) to win the gold medal at 50kg. However, two other Ukraine finalists failed to win.

Veronika SUSHINA (UWW) stormed back after a slow start to beat Yana MELNYCHUK (UKR) via split decision as two judges gave her the win to one who scored it in favor of Melnychuk as Sushina won the 61kg gold.

Khalida TIMOFEEVA (UWW) did not give any chances to the judges to score differently as she defeated Yuliia MELNYCHUK (UKR) via unanimous decision to win at 65kg and bag the gold medal.

At 80kg, Anna ERSHOVA (UWW) had one of the most dominant wins in the final as she humbled Dana DROZHZHINA (UWW), winning via unanimous decision, to claim the gold medal.

Kazakhstan also got a gold medal as Aigerim TOREKHANOVA (KAZ) dominated the final against Veronika VYKHVATEN (UWW) at 53kg to win via unanimous decision. Her strong start in the first two rounds gave her the advantage despite a strong show from Vykhvaten in the final round.

RESULTS

50kg Final
Anna BEZHENAR (UKR) df. Daria ROMANOVA (UWW), via submission

53kg Final
Aigerim TOREKHANOVA (KAZ) df. Veronika VYKHVATEN (UWW), via unanimous decision

57kg Final
Viktoriia DUDAKOVA (UWW) df. Justine TAILFER (FRA), via submission

61kg Final
Veronika SUSHINA (UWW) df. Yana MELNYCHUK (UKR), via split decision

65kg Final
Khalida TIMOFEEVA (UWW) df. Yuliia MELNYCHUK (UKR), via unanimous decision

70kg Final
Natalie KUTZLI (USA) df. Oliwia STAWSKA (POL), via unanimous decision

80kg Final
Anna ERSHOVA (UWW) df. Dana DROZHZHINA (UWW), via unanimous decision

Budapest Ranking Series golds for Higuchi, Kiyooka, Parris

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Amateur MMA: Kutzli wins gold for U.S.; Ukraine best team