#WrestleBudapest

Higuchi, Kiyooka reach finals at Budapest Ranking Series

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- The final Ranking Series before the Olympics kicks off in Budapest. Seven weight classes in Freestyle will be in action with top wrestlers in all the weight categories. The ranking, and ultimately the seeds for the Olympics will be determined after this Ranking Series.

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13:25: Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) blanks Haji ALIYEV (AZE) 6-0 in the 65kg semifinal. Top win for the Iran wrestler who will now wrestle Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) for the gold medal. Kiyooka defended well against a storming Austin GOMEZ (MEX) in the second period to win 12-6.

13:00: AMAN (IND) moves into the final of the 57kg after a 14-4 technical superiority win over Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN). He will wrestle world silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) for the gold medal. Higuchi was in all sorts of trouble in his semifinal against Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) when the Azerbaijan wrestler used a high chest wrap to lead 8-0. But Higuchi managed to defend the last turn. He scores a takedown and uses a gut wrench to finish the bout 18-8 inside the first period.

12:45: An upset from Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) as he pins Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final. Petriashvili looks in some trouble with his elbow and has called for a medical timeout. But the pin takes him out of the final. 

12:40: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) with a stunning late exposure takedown to beat Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) 3-2 and enter the 97kg final. On Mat C, the 92kg world champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) looked like entering the final when he led 5-0 against Magomedkhan MAGOMEDGOV (AZE) but the Azerbaijani world silver medalist came back to beat him 15-7.

12:30: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) with a fall over Nahshon GARRETT (USA) after building a 10-1 lead in the 61kg semifinal. He will wrestle the winner of Shahdad Ali KHOSRAVI (IRI) and Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) for the gold medal.

12:15: That will sting Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) for some time. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) pins Abdullaev in the 57kg quarterfinal and sets up a semifinal against Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) who defeated Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) 11-0 in the quarterfinal.

12:12: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) cannot find a way past Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) at 65kg! After building a 4-1 lead at the break, he hits a huge four-pointer on Aliyev to steer clear and win 9-3.

12:00: Mason PARRIS (USA) was checked by Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) on different occasions but Parris won the 125kg bout 9-2. The Georgian, who qualified for the Paris Olympics at 97kg, is wrestling at 125kg in this Ranking Series.

11:45: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who got a walkover in his first bout, works to a technical superiority win over Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) at 125kg. Moments later, at 57kg, AMAN (IND) rolls to an 11-1 win over Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)

11:35: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) drops his Round 2 bout! Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) scores three technical points to lead 3-0 but Muszukajev's takedown cuts the lead to 3-2 with 30 seconds left on the clock. Kiyooka defends well and hits a counter takedown in the end, adding lace to win 7-2.  

11:27: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) does not show up for his Round 2 bout against Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg. A big result for Aliyev who is now poised to finish at the top of group A.

11:25: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) dominates Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO) at 61kg and wins 18-5 to advance. Harutyunyan will come down to 57kg for the Paris Olympics.

11:20: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), wrestling at 70kg instead of his preferred 65kg, rolls to an 11-0 victory at Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ). The ranking points won at 70kg will not be added to the ranking points of Tevanyan at 65kg.

11:15: Paris-bound wrestler Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) comes back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Ali Hossein MOMENIJOUJADEH (IRI) 6-2 at 57kg. He will wrestle Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) in the quarterfinals.

11:00: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) with a top 9-2 win over Evan HENDERSON (USA) at 70kg. The Armenian controlled the bout throughout for the win. 

10:50: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAKEV (HUN), wrestling for the first time since winning the World Championships, begins with a solid 6-2 win over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). He keeps it under control despite many attacks from Jalolov.

10:45: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) felt like a long bout! Aliyev got a 1-0 lead at the break for Kiyooka's inactivity. Kiyooka got one point in the second period but Aliyev scored a counter just after the clock expired to lead 3-1. A stepout for Kiyooka with 17 seconds left on the clock. He needed a takedown to win and tried for one but Aliyev bodylocked for a takedown to win 5-2.

10:35: Austin GOMEZ (MEX), qualified for the Olympic Games at 65kg, begins with a 10-0 rout of Gyoergy SZILAGYI (HUN). The 65kg wrestlers are drawn in round-robin and will be wrestling again.

10:30: The first bouts in Budapest are crazy. Austin GOMEZ (MEX) is on Mat C but on Mat B, it's world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and on Mat C, it's Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) vs Haji ALIYEV (AZE).

#WrestleLA

UWW Announces LA 2028 Olympic Qualification Calendar

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 1) -- United World Wrestling has announced the calendar for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification.

As previously announced, the LA 2028 qualification cycle will include four Ranking Series events, 2027 and 2028 continental championships, 2027 World Championships, the 2028 continental qualifiers and the 2028 World Olympic Qualifier.

The first event of the Olympic qualification cycle will be the 1st Ranking Series event in February 2027. The Ranking Series event will be held in a new seven-day format from February 15 to 21.

It will be followed by the 2027 continental championships beginning with Asian Championships from March 30 to April 4. European Championships will be held from April 5 to 11, followed by the African Champions from April 12 to 18.

The Oceania Championships will be held from April 23 to 25 and the Pan-American Championships will go on from April 28 to May 2.

LA 2028

Once the continental championships are done, the Ranking Series will return with the second stop to be held from May 31 to June 6. The third and final Ranking Series event of 2027 will be held from July 19 to 25. Both these events will also be held in a seven-day format.

The last event of 2027 that will offer ranking points will be the 2027 Senior World Championships, to be held from September 11 to 19. Medalists in the 18 Olympic weight classes at the 2027 World Championships will earn a LA 2028 quota for their respective NOCs.

2027 Events for Rankings Points

1st Ranking Series: February 15-21
Asian Championships: March 30-April 4
European Championships: April 5-11
African Championships: April 12-18
Oceania Championships: April 23-25
Pan-American Championships: April 28-May 2
2nd Ranking Series: May 31-June 6
3rd Ranking Series: July 19-25
World Championships: September 11-19

LA 2028

The qualification cycle will continue in 2028 with the first and only Ranking Series event. It will be held from January 17 to 23.

More ranking points will be awarded at the 2028 continental championships. The Oceania Championships will start from February 18 to 20, followed by the Pan-American Championships from February 24 to 27.

The European Championships will be next from February 28 to March 5 and soon after the Asian Championships will commence from March 6 to 12. The African Championships will be held from March 14 to 19.

2028 Events for Rankings Points

Ranking Series: January 17-23
Oceania Championships: February 18-20
Pan-American Championships: February 24-27
European Championships: February 28-March 5
Asian Championships: March 6-12
African Championships: March 14-19

The 2028 Los Angeles Olympic quotas based on rankings will be allocated after the end of the African Championships.

The qualification cycle will then move to continental Olympic qualifiers where the finalists will earn direct quotas for respective NOCs. At the World Olympic Qualifier, the gold medal winner will earn direct quota for the NOC.

The African & Oceania Olympic Qualifiers will kick-off this phase and it will be held from March 24 to 26.

The Pan-American Olympic Qualifiers will be held from March 31 to April 2 and the European Olympic Qualifiers from April 7 to 9. The last continental qualifiers will be the Asian Olympic Qualifiers to be held from April 14 to 16.

After a month's break, the World Olympic Qualifiers, the last chance, will be held from May 18 to 21.

LA 2028

Olympics Qualifiers

African & Oceania Olympic Qualifiers: March 24-26
Pan-American Olympic Qualifiers: March 31-April 2
European Olympic Qualifiers: April 7-9
Asian Olympic Qualifiers: April 14-16
World Olympic Qualifiers: May 18-21

Wresting at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games will be held from July 24 to 30.

The location of the all the events will be communicated by UWW in due time. For details of events, visit uww.org/events.