Klippan Ladies

Gray Defeats Adar to Reclaim Top Spot

By Eric Olanowski

The stars aligned for wrestling fans Sunday afternoon in Klippan, Sweden as an anticipated bout between three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) and defending world champions Yasemin ADAR (TUR) delivered on the hype as the two 76kg wrestlers combined for a whopping 15 points in the finals of the Klippan Ladies Open.

Gray picked up an early 2-0 lead after scoring the first takedown of the match. “I was expecting a defensive match, but when I got in so deep and knew I could get to her legs, I adjusted the game plan,” said Gray.

Adar returned fire late in the first after hitting Gray with a beautiful four-point arm spin to take the 4-2 lead. When asked about the arm-spin, Gray said “We practiced it in the warm-up. We knew she had a great arm-spin, so kudos to her for hitting it when it mattered.”

Gray picked up the pace in the second, outscoring Adar 7-2 to win the match 9-6 and reclaim her No. 1 spot in the United World Wrestling world rankings.

“I knew I always deserved to be there," said Gray. "It was just a matter of earning it and proving it when it counted.”

Team Japan kicked off the day's finals winning back-to-back titles at 50kg and 53kg.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) captured the 50kg title by defeating Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the two-time world and Olympic silver medalist, 2-1.

Trailing on criteria with less than 30-seconds remaining, Susaki shot a high crotch but ran out of mat space before finishing. The wrestlers barreled into the official's table with Stadnik stepping out first, giving Susaki the 2-1 lead and ultimately the win.

“I was so excited after the match because it was my first win after my December loss," said Susaki. "I knew this would be a one exchange match and I capitalized on that one exchange!”

Junior world champion Nanami IRIE (JPN)used a pair of takedowns to win the Japan-on-Japan 53kg final against Umi IMAI (JPN), 4-2.

In the 55kg finals, Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) stole the gold medal from Bediha GUN (TUR) after picking up a push out with one-second left. After a failed challenge from Gun, Orshush walked away with the 3-2 victory.

At 57kg, defending junior world champion Sae NANJO (JPN) scored four unanswered points to win a tightly contested battle with 2016 world silver medalist and 2017 European champion, Tetyana KIT (UKR), 2-2.

After claiming silver and bronze medals, Grace BULLEN (NOR), the 2017 European champion captured her first Klippan Lady Open title by beating Asian Indoor Games bronze medalist Akie HANAI (JPN), 3-2.

When asked about what she was looking for in the 59kg finals, Bullen said “I’ve wanted a Klippan Lady Open title for a long time. Everyone here is wrestling at their highest level.” 

Dave Schultz Memorial champion Kayla MIRACLE (USA) earned Team USA's second gold medal of the tournament after challenging a four-point call in favor of 2014 world champion Yulia TKACH (UKR). Miracle
captured the 62kg title, 3-2.

In the 65kg finals,2015 world silver medalist Petra OLLI (FIN) defeated Japan’s Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), 5-4. 


In the all-Olympian final at 68kg, Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) remained unbeaten as she bested Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) in dominant fashion, 9-4. Lappage wrapped up the tournament by outscoring her opponents 24-6. 

Sweden’s lone champion was Jenny FRANSSON (SWE). The 2016 Olympic bronze medalist brought the crowd to their feet by scoring a 10-0 technical superiority victory over Russian runner-up, Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA MOROZOVA (RUS) in the finals at 72kg. 

RESULTS: http://uww.io/j9cru

MEDAL MATCHES
50kg
 
GOLD - Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Mariya STADNIK (AZE), 3-2

BRONZE - Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS) df. Patricia alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG), 15-4
BRONZE - Emilia alina VUC (ROU) df. Amy ann FEARNSIDE (USA), 11-8

53kg
GOLD - Nanami IRIE (JPN) df. Umi IMAI (JPN), 4-2 

BRONZE - Natalia MALYSHEVA (RUS) df. Jade mariah PARSONS (CAN), 11-3
BRONZE - Sarah ann HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Aysun ERGE (TUR), 10-0 

55kg
GOLD -  Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), 3-2 

BRONZE -  Nina MENKENOVA (RUS) df. Jacarra gwenisha WINCHESTER (USA), 5-4
BRONZE - Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) df. Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN), 2-1

57kg
GOLD -Sae NANJO (JPN) df. Tetyana KIT (UKR), 2-2

BRONZE - Alexandra ANDREEVA (RUS) df. Laura MERTENS (GER), 10-0 
BRONZE - Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) df. Simona PRICOB (ROU), 0-0 

59kg
GOLD - Grace jacob BULLEN (NOR) df. Akie HANAI (JPN), 3-2

BRONZE - Elif jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) df. Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS), 6-3
BRONZE - Lauren nora LOUIVE (USA) df. Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU), 8-2

62kg
GOLD - Kayla colleen kiyoko MIRACLE (USA) df. Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR), 3-2

BRONZE - Olivia louise HENNINGSSON (SWE) df. Luzie MANZKE (GER), 10-5
BRONZE - Luisa helga gerda NIEMESCH (GER) df. Naomi RUIKE (JPN), 6-0

65kg
GOLD - Petra maarit OLLI (FIN) df. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), 5-4

BRONZE -  Henna katarina JOHANSSON (SWE) df. Braxton rei STONE (CAN), 10-9
BRONZE - Yulia PRONTSEVITCH (RUS) df. Forrest ann MOLINARI (USA), 2-1

68kg
GOLD Danielle suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN) df. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), 9-4

BRONZE - Olivia grace DI BACCO (CAN) df. Maria SELMAIER (GER), 10-0
BRONZE -  Tamyra mariama MENSAH (USA) df. Laura SKUJINA (LAT), 0-0

72kg
GOLD -  Anna jenny eva maria FRANSSON (SWE) df. Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA MOROZOVA (RUS), 10-0

BRONZE - Victoria christine FRANCIS (USA) df. Alexandra nicoleta ANGHEL (ROU)  , 4-0
BRONZE -  Rachel ann WATTERS (USA) df. Burcu UGDULER ORSKAYA (TUR), 9-3

76kg
GOLD  Adeline maria GRAY (USA) df. Yasemin ADAR (TUR), 9-6

BRONZE - Epp MAE (EST) df. Denise sabina MAKOTA STROEM STRÖM (SWE), 7-4
BRONZE -  Erica elizabeth WIEBE (CAN) df. Francy RAEDELT (GER), 10-1

#WrestleAlexandria

Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series day four finals set

By Vinay Siwach

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (February 26) -- The second Ranking Series of the year enters its final day. Eight freestyle weight classes will compete today with some of the biggest names in wrestling including Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB), Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and Zahid VALENCIA (USA) among others. 

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

Here are the gold medal bouts for the evening session which will be delayed because of the insane amount of wrestling we had. No one is complaining

57kg
Suleyman ATLI (TUR) vs. Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)

61kg
Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) vs. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ)

65kg
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) vs. Joseph MC KENNA (USA)

70kg
Lucas CHITTUM (USA) vs. Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)

74kg
Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU) vs. Vincenzo JOSEPH (USA)

79kg
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) vs. Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI)

86kg
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) vs. Zahid VALENCIA (USA) 

92kg
Kollin MOORE (USA) vs. Nathan JACKSON (USA) 

16:50: Jo MCKENNA (USA) with back-to-back semifinals at Ranking Series events. He completes dominates the semifinals against Sebastian RIVERA (PUR). Mckenna wins 10-2. He will take on Vagzen TEVANYAN (ARM).

16:45: Nick SURIANO (USA) reached the semifinal but bumped into Suleyman ATLI (TUR) who got a takedown and then gut wrenched Suriano for an 8-0 lead. Suriano tried hard but goes down 9-3. Atli will face Andri YATSENKO (UKR) in the final. 

16:25: Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU) with a takedown with 12 seconds left to beat Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) 4-3 in the 74kg semifinal. Great comeback from Shikhdzhamalov after giving up three points in the first period.

16:05: Vagzen TEVANYAN (ARM) shuts down Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) in the 65kg semifinal. Two stepouts, a point for passivity and another for a lost challenge. That is enough for Tevanyan to win 4-0

15:30: Intense bout between Patricio LUGO (USA) and Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB).at 65kg which was dominated by Jalolov for the first four minutes. He took a 5-0 lead but was clearly struggling with conditioning. Lugo tried to utilize that but Jalalov had enough in the tank to win 5-2.

15:05: Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) has turned it around with stunning counterattacks late in the bout against SUJEET (IND). After a 7-2 and under a minute left, Sujeet should have had no business losing it. But Rivera scored a takedown and then two stepout to take the criteria lead before a desperate attempt from Sujeet ended in Rivera winning 9-7

14:45: Soner DEMITRAS (TUR) proved too much for the young Sagar JAGLAN (IND). Demitras with some top defense after leading 5-0 to let Jaglan take any space back in the bout. Jaglan did get on some positions but failed to finish even a single one of them.

14:30: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) pins Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) at 70kg! The Kyrgyz wrestler used an arm throw but also gave up a few takedowns. However, Elbakidze did not match the conditioning and Akmataliev won via fall in the second period.

14:15: In the rematch of the U23 world championships final, Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) was up against Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU KGZ). Harutyunyan won the U23 world title but Zhumashbek Uulu was in no mood to give anything to Harutyunyan here. He gut wrenches his way to a 10-0 at 61kg.

13:55: Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), a hammer at 79kg, has moved up to 86kg. He puts on a show to come back and beat Boris MAKOEV (SVK) 7-5. 

13:25: Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) countered Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) cradle with his own and got the four on a challenge while Kougioumtsidis got two. Kentchadze led 6-3. He kept the lead despite trading takedowns to win 9-6 at 79kg.

13:05: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) got to passivity points against Anthony ASHNAULT (USA) and completely shut off in the second period to get a 2-0 win at 65kg.

12:55: SUJEET (IND) has managed to shut down Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB). Exceptional scrambling from the two but Sujeet wins 6-0

12:45: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) looks solid today. He takes out Omar MOURAD (EGY) 11-0 with a strong show. He has a very strong gut wrench in the game.

12:30: The 2-1 scoreline does not do justice to that Nicholas SURIANO (USA) vs Minghu LIU (CHN) bout. Suriano wins 2-1 after a stepout which proved decisive.

12:00: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) rocks and rolls over Arslan RAKHIMOV (UZB) to continue his exciting run at 57kg. He moves into the quarterfinal with an 11-0 win.

11:40: Sagar JAGLAN (IND) and Joseph LAVALLEE (USA) are not giving up. Lavallee ran to a 14-8 lead but was not up to the conditioning of Jaglan. A takedown and lace for Jaglan as he wins 26-14.

11:25: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) comes back from 5-2 to beat Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB) 6-5 in a thriller at 70kg. Otakhanov used a slick duck under to lead 5-2 but Akmataliev scored a takedown and then a stepout to make it 5-5 with 16 seconds left. Otakhnov failed to stop another stepout, he challenged and lost, which gave Akmataliev the win 7-5

10:55: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) with a powerful throw for four. Great execution as he got behind and as Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO) tried running to save himself, Tevanyan used that momentum to hit a big one. He wins his first bout at 65kg 9-0.

10:25: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) is back at 57kg as the Olympics approach. He opens his day against Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO). He builds a 6-0 lead before moving into a massive suplex to win 10-0. You can watch it here.

10:00: Welcome to the final day of the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series event. Eight freestyle weight classes will be on the mat. We have some advice -- don't miss any!