#Yariguin2019

Five Things We Learned From the Ivan Yariguin

Tuesday, January 29, 2019 - 22:15 By Eric Olanowski

The first Ranking Series event of the year, the Ivan Yariguin, wrapped up in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, and here are five things that we learned from the "Toughest Tournament in the World."

1. Russia Boasts Serious Depth at 97kg

The Russian Federation already has their main man at 97kg for the foreseeable future in Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS), the three-time world and Rio Olympic champion, but after the Ivan Yariguin, we learned that they have more than one viable option that they could plug in if anything were to happen to “The Russian Tank.”

Even without their two best 97kg options, the aforementioned Sadulaev and 2018 European champion Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS), Russia won a pair of Yariguin medals at 97kg and knocked out Kyle SNYDER (USA), the two-time world champion and Rio Olympic gold medalist, in the opening round.

Shamil MUSAEV (RUS) reached the top of the podium, while Igor OVSIANNIKOV (RUS) finished with a bronze medal. They also scored a huge win from their “first-teamer” coming into Krasnoyarsk, Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS). Magomedov used a massive four-point throw to stun Snyder in the opening round but lost in the quarterfinals to Mongolia’s Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN, which ultimately knocked Snyder out of the tournament.

Post-Yariguin Russian 97kg Ladder
1. Abdulrashid Sadualev
2. Vladislav Baitsaev
3. Shamil Musaev
4. Igor Ovsiannikov
5. Rasul Magomedov

SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) was one of three Mongolian women who medaled at 68kg at the Ivan Yariguin. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

2. Mongolian Women Three Deep at 68kg

After their trio of remarkable performances this weekend, Mongolia wrestled themselves into a conundrum at 68kg. Mongolia showed that they have multiple women who can compete with the best wrestlers in the world, winning three of the four medals at 68kg, including qualifying a pair of wrestlers for the gold-medal bout.

SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL), ENKH AMAR Davaanasan (MGL), and ENKHSAIKHAN Delgermaa (MGL) finished the tournament in first, second, and third place respectively.

The trio of Mongolian women went 5-0 against non-Mongolian opponents and picked up wins over Russia’s four-time age-level world champion Khanum VELIEVA and Japan’s 2016 Olympian Rio WATARI (JPN), while also finishing ahead of Cuba’s U23 world champion Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUES.

Taha AKGUL (TUR)made his return to the mat after failing to medal in Budapest and left Krasnoyarsk with a silver medal. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

3. Taha Still Working on Getting Back to the Top

Turkey’s two-time world and Rio Olympic gold medalist Taha AKGUL (TUR) returned to competition after failing to medal at the world championships for the first time in his storied international career.

Akgul made it to the Yariguin finals after shutting out 2018 world finalist DENG Zhiewie (CHN), 10-0 in the semifinals, but showed he has work to do after falling to Russia’s Anzor KHIZRIEV (RUS) 7-3 in the gold-medal bout.

Akgul was in deep on several low-level shots, but Khizriev capitalized on a pair of crotch lifts in the final period and stopped the Turkish big man from winning his first Yariguin title.

Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) made his 2019 65kg debut and won the bronze medal. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

4. Russians Making Weight Changes Need Time to Adjust

Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) and Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) made their 2019 debuts at new weight classes, and even though they finished with bronze medals, they still need time to adjust to their new weight classes.

Rashidov, the two-time world runner-up, moved up from 61kg to 65kg and went 2-1 on the weekend. Rashidov’s only loss was to eventual champion, two-time world bronze medalist, Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) in the semifinals.

Magomed Kurbanaliev, the world and European champion, was the second world-class Russian who made his debut up at a new weight class. Kurbanaliev moved up from his 2018 European title-winning weight of 70kg to 74kg and went 3-1. His only loss was to Yakup GOR (TUR), Turkey’s two-time world medalist.

Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS), 61kg champion, was one of seven Dagestani wrestlers who won a gold medal at the Ivan Yariguin (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

5. Dagestani Dominance

Russia swept the freestyle competition in Siberia, winning all ten gold medals that were up for the taking, but Dagestan proved that they are the most dominant wrestling region, in the most dominant wrestling nation. Dagestani wrestlers led the way with a mind-blowing seven gold medalists. The three weight classes where a Dagestani wrestler didn’t win a gold medal were at 57kg, 74kg, and 125kg. Anzor KHIZRIEV (125kg) and Muslim SADULAEV (57kg) were the two Chechen gold medalists, and Zaurbek SIDAKOV, who is from Ossetia, won the final gold medal.

Ivan Yariguin Freestyle Champions
57kg - Muslim SADULAEV (Chechnya)
61kg - Magomedrasul IDRISOV (Dagestan)
65kg - Akhmed CHAKAEV (Dagestan)
70kg - Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (Dagestan)
74kg - Zaurbek SIDAKOV (Ossetia)
79kg - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Dagestan)
86kg - Dauren KURUGLIEV (Dagestan)
92kg - Magomed KURBANOV (Dagestan)
97kg - Shamil MUSAEV (Dagestan)
125kg - Anzor KHIZRIEV (Chechnya)

#WrestleTirana

Olympic medalists in strong field set to light up Tirana

Monday, February 24, 2025 - 12:21 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 24) -- After he won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) was asked his wrestling journey. He replied that he "had many problems" but will go through it again without second thoughts.

Taking his first step in the new Olympic cycle for 2028 LA Olympic, Novikov won the prestigious Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament in January and is now wrestling his first Ranking Series event of the year -- the Muhamet Malo in Tirana.

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Novikov is the only Paris Olympic champion who has returned to a UWW tournament since winning gold in August last year. He will be up against a top 87kg Greco-Roman field at the second Ranking Series of the year.

The tournament will be held in Tirana from February 26 to March 2 with important Ranking Series points up for grabs. The Zagreb Open, held two weeks ago, and Muhamet Malo will be crucial for wrestler hoping to get seeded at the continental championships that begin in March.

Novikov will be expecting rematches with David LOSONCZI (HUN) and Alireza MOHAMADIPIANI (IRI), both of whom he beat in Paris. Losonczi has Istvan TAKACS (HUN) and Tamas LEVAI (HUN) to watch out for as Hungary to second its pick for the European Championships.

Georgia is doing the same with Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO), Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) and Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) entered at 87kg while other strong contenders include Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB).

Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) is hoping to be Iran's mainstay at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake KIRKMAN)

Despite the dropouts in other weight classes across styles just days before the tournament, it still throws quite a strong field.

At 60kg, Iran is pushing for Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) as it's flagbearer after struggling to find a world-beater. His first senior test will see him go up against a few stars including world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA), Olympian Enes BASAR (TUR) and Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) among others.

Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) was at 60kg earlier and was about to retire after Paris Olympics. However, he is wrestling at 63kg in Tirana and Turkiye's Kerem KAMAL (TUR) is also returning to action.

At 72kg, Levente LEVAI (HUN), who surprisingly won Zagreb Open gold, will look to continue his run but has hurdles in the name of former world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) and European champion Selcuk CAN (TUR).

Paris Olympic bronze medalist Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is warming up for the Asian Championships and will be the favorite to win the gold medal at 130kg. He has Tokyo silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) and age-group world champion Hamza BAKIR (TUR) in the bracket as well.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB) is a Paris Olympic medalist at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Freestyle

Albania's star Freestyle trio of Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), Islam DUDAEV (ALB) and Chermen VALIEV (ALB) are wrestler in front of their home crowd. All three are returning to action since the Paris Games in which Dudaev and Valiev won bronze medals.

Abakarov will be tested by former European champion Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) and Artem GOBAEV (UWW) at 61kg.

Dudaev will have tougher challenges at 65kg. He is likely to have a Paris rematch with silver medalist Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) who is expected to be Iran's representative at the Asian Championships.

U23 world champion Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW) is also entered and is always the biggest threat for the gold medal. Amouzad and Dudaev will be cautious of the rising star.

For Valiev, Yones EMAMI (IRI) and Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) could be the trouble-makers at 74kg, a weight class he is expected to dominate. Valiev and Salkazanov match for styles but Valiev seems to always find a way to score points while Salkazanov is more of a tactical wrestler who can play the clock well.

Naychn KUULAR (KAZ) Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ), a former U23 world champion, wrestling in Bundesliga. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 70kg, former U23 world champion Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ) is turning up for UWW competition after six years, this time for Kazakhstan. Kuular, who represented Russia previously, has kept himself in the news with a win over Olympic champion Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) in the Bundesliga, albeit at 71kg.

Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) won't have great memories of Tirana as he lost the World Championships semifinal to Abdulrashid SADULAEV in the last second and returned empty-handed. But he is back in Tirana with less expectations and pressure at 92kg as he begins an Olympic cycle in which he may finally get to be at the Olympics.

At 125kg, Olympic silver medalist Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) will be in action and the favorite to win gold medal as well.

Kyle SNYDER (USA) will be wrestling at back-to-back Ranking Series events. He won the gold medal in Zagreb and is expected to be in Tirana as well. A second gold medal this year will push him to the top of the ranking at 97kg.

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) is the world champion at 55kg but wrestling at 53kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

Japan is sending its six Emperor's Cup winners to Tirana. The six include two world champions from last year as Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) and Ami ISHII (JPN) return to Tirana for another trip.

Others include former age-group world champion Umi ITO (JPN) who finished with a bronze at the U23 World Championships, will also be returning to Tirana. Former world champion Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) [nee OKUNO], is registered at 55kg, U20 world champion Sakura ONISHI (JPN) is at 59kg, world bronze medalist Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) at 65kg and Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) is at 76kg.

China too is sending a strong but a relatively new team. It will be led by former 59kg world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN) who is moving up to 62kg for this tournament. She will be wrestling for the Asian Championships spot as well against teammate LILI (CHN) who won world bronze medal in 2023.

Grace BULLEN (NOR) is returning to action at 62kg after Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

However, Paris Olympic bronze medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR) will be the favorite in this weight class which also Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) and Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL). Bullen will be wrestling at her first competition since winning the first Olympic medal for Norway in Women's Wrestling in Paris.

62kg silver medalist at Paris Olympic Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) is wrestling at 65kg for the Ranking Series. She will be up against former world champions Irina RINGACI (MDA) and Morikawa in her bracket which will be divided into two groups as the weight class has only seven wrestlers. There is a chance that all three wrestler end up in the same group.

Another loaded weight class is the 55kg in which Zagreb Open champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) will be looking to add a second gold medal of the Ranking Series. In Zagreb, she wrestled only one match -- final -- but Albania has a bigger bracket which also includes Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW), Okuno, Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) and Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR).

At 72kg, three-time world silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) will hope to win gold in Tirana as she lost the World Championships final here last year despite leading it at one point.

Her compatriot and former Asian champion Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) is registered at 76kg but her path to gold medal may not be as easy. The weight class also has Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) who will look to confirm her spot at 76kg for Ukraine in the new Olympic cycle.