Iran and Russia in Final of GR World Clubs Cup, Kayaalp Beats Semenov

Sunday, December 23, 2018 - 14:29 By Ali Feizasa

ARDABIL, Iran (December 23) -- Iranian and Russian teams advance to the final match of 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup in Ardabil, Iran’s Hossein Rezazadeh Sports Hall.

The nine teams were split into two groups. In group A, Iranian team Bimeh Razi Ardabil finished 3-0 to qualify for the final match. The most important match of group A was between Bimeh Razi Ardabil and Turkey, which Iranian side won, 8-2.

The first win for the Iranian side came with 2018 World Champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) from Azerbaijan who defeated Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) by technical fall, 8-0.

After four wins by Bimeh Razi team, Ahmet YILMAZ gave Turkey their first win by defeating Boroumand ASLAN (Bimeh) in 72kg.

In 77kg, Pejman PASHTAM had great performance as he beat U23 gold and bronze medal winner Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 6-3.

Former world champion and 2016 Olympics bronze medal winner Saeid Abdevali secured the victory of his side. Abdevali downed 2017 U23 world champion Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), 5-0.

Although the 130kg bout was not important for team results, it was a match between two titled wrestlers. nine-time Olympic and world medalist Riza Kayaalp (TUR) met 2018 world champion Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) which was in Bimeh Razi line up. Kayaalp which failed to win a medal in 2018 World Championships, succeed to earn a narrow 3-3 victory over world champion Semenov.

Despite the heavyweight result, Bimeh Razi Ardabil downed Turkey team 8-2, advancing to the final match with three consecutive victories.

In group B, Russia's team came strong by defeating another Iranian team, Sina Sanat Izeh

Lead by former world silver medalist Evgeni Saleev, Russian team won the match 6-4.

The Iranian side started with two wins but Russia came from behind with three victories from Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (63kg), Maksim SURKOV(67kg) and Denis MURTAZIN (72kg).

Keyvan REZAEI (77kg) tied the team score, 3-3 by defeating Dmitrii PETAIKIN, 9-2 but three victories in a row by Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (82kg), Evgeny SALEEV (87kg)and Murat LOKYAEV (97kg), made the Russian team the winner of the match, 6-4 and advanced to the final match.

Second day program:
Final match:Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) VS Russia
Third place match:Turkey VS Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI)
Fifth place match:Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI) VS Georgia
Seventh place match:Ukraine VS Serbia

Group Standings

Group A: 1- Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) 2-Turkey 3- Shohadaye Modafe Haram(IRI) 4- Serbia
Group B: 1- Russia 2- Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) 3- Georgia 4- Ukraine 5- Kyrgyzstan

Group stage results of 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup:

Round 1

Group A

Turkey df. Serbia, 9-1
55kg-Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) df. Kristijan GAZDAG (SRB), 8-1
60kg- Hammet RUSTEM (TUR) – No wrestler
63kg- Abdurahman ALTAN (TUR) df. Tamas NAD (SRB), 6-1
67kg- Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Atakan YUKSEL (TUR), 2-1
72kg- Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 3-3
77kg- Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) df. Viktor NEMES (SRB), 4-3
82kg- Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Oliver TOT (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0
87kg- Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Nikolai DOBEREV (SRB), 7-5
97kg- Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0
130kg- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0

Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) df. Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI), 9-1
55kg- Eldaniz AZIZLI (Bimeh) df. Mosayeb AKBARI (Shohadaye Modafe) by Tech Fall, 10-0
60kg- Mohammad NOURBAKHSH (Bimeh) df. Alireza NEJATI (Shohadaye Modafe), 7-2
63kg- Meysam DELKHANI (Bimeh) df. Shirza BEHESHTI TALA (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
67kg- Hossein ASADI (Bimeh) df. Mohammad Saeid AZIZI (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
72kg- Erfan SAADATIFAR (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Azim GARMSIRI (Bimeh), 9-4
77kg- Pejman PASHTAM (Bimeh) df. Mohammad SORKHENEJAD (Shohadaye Modafe), 4-4
82kg- Mahdi EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Mehdi MOHAMMADZADEH (Shohadaye Modafe), 4-4
87kg- Ramin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Iman ANSARI (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
97kg- Aliakbar HEYDARI (Bimeh) df. Mohammad BEYRANVAND (Shohadaye Modafe), 3-2
130kg- Amir GHASEMI MONJAZI (Bimeh) df. Mohsen FATAHI (Shohadaye Modafe), 4-0

Group B

Georgia df. Ukraine, 7-3
55kg- Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR), 6-3
60kg- Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) df. Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) df. Hevorh ARZUMANIAN (UKR), 7-6
67kg- Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR), 7-2
72kg- Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Saaino DAVITAIA (GEO) by Tech Fall, 11-2
77kg-Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0
82kg- Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df. Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR), 8-3
87kg- Serhii OMELIN (UKR) df. Lasha DEVIDZE (GEO), 8-4
97kg-Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) df. Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR), 4-1
130kg- Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO) df. Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) by FALL

Russia df. Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI), 6-4
55kg- Pouya NASSERPOUR (Izeh) df. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS), 5-2
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS), 4-4
63kg- Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) df. Shahin BODAGHI (Izeh), 6-1
67kg- Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (Izeh), 5-5
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Ramaz Zoidze (Izeh), 7-4
77kg- Keyvan REZAEI (Izeh) df. Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS), 9-2
82kg- Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS) df. Mehdi HODAEI (Izeh), 6-2
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Saman AZIZI (Izeh) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Murat LOKYAEV (RUS) df. Edris EBRAHIMI by FALL
130kg- Behnam MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS), 2-0

Round 2

Group A

Turkey df. Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI), 7-3
55kg-Mehdi GHORBANI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Muslim ALINLI (TUR), 11-8
60kg- Alireza NEJATI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Ahmet UYAR (TUR) by Tech Fall, 11-0
63kg- Shirzad BEHESHTI TALA (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Altan ABDURAHMAN (TUR) by Tech Fall, 11-2
67kg- Atakan YUKSEL (TUR) df. Bahram MAROOFKHANI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-6
72kg- Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Milad NEDAYI (Shohadaye Modafe) by Tech Fall, 10-0
77kg- Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR) df. Ali NOROUZI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-0
82kg- Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Hadi ALIZADE POURNIA (Shohadaye Modafe), 7-3
87kg- Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Reza MOHAMMAD ALIPOUR (Shohadaye Modafe), 2-1
97kg- Fatih BASHKOY (TUR) df. Mohammad BEYRANVAND (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-1
130kg- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Parsa NAZARI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-0

Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) df. Serbia, 8-2
55kg- Kristijan GAZDAG (SRB) df. MoslemNADERI KHADEM (Bimeh), 5-1
60kg- Mohammad NOURBAKHSH (Bimeh) – No wrestler
63kg- Saman ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Tamas NAD (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0
67kg-Mohammad ELYASI (Bimeh) df. Mate NEMES (SRB), 7-2
72kg- Boroumand ASLAN (Bimeh) df. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 4-3
77kg- Viktor NEMES (SRB)df. Rasoul GARMSITI (Bimeh), 5-0
82kg- Saeid ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Oliver TOT (SRB) by FALL
87kg- Mehdi FALLAH (Bimeh) df. Nikolai DOBEREV (SRB) by FALL
97kg- Mehdi ALIYARI (Bimeh) df. Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0
130kg- Amir GHASEMI MONJAZI (Bimeh) df. Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB), 6-0

Group B

Russia df. Georgia, 7-3
55kg- Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO)by Tech Fall, 9-0
60kg- Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) df. Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS), 6-3
63kg- Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) df. Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO), 7-1
67kg- Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Maksim SURKOV (RUS), 7-2
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Tornike JANGAVADZE (GEO), 8-4
77kg- Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) by Tech Fall, 12-3
82kg- Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df. Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS) by Tech Fall, 12-2
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Murat LOKYAEV (RUS)df. Irakli KAJAIA (GEO), 1-1
130kg- Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS) df. Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO), 7-3

Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Kyrgyzstan, 8-2
55kg-Reza KHEDRI (Izeh) df. Abdykarim KUTTUBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Ermek KANYBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
63kg- Mohammad Javad REZAEI (Izeh) df. Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
67kg- Manas USONOV (KGZ) df. MMajid KHALILI (Izeh) by Tech Fall, 9-0
72kg- Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ) df. Mohammad Amin AHMADPOUR (Izeh), 4-3
77kg- Keyvan REZAEI (Izeh) df. Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ) by FALL
82kg- Abbas MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
87kg- Saman AZIZI (Izeh) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) byTech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Mohammad YEGANEH (Izeh) df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-1
130kg- Masoud NEMAT CHEKANI (Izeh) df. Murad OMAROV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0

Round 3

Group A

Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI) df. Serbia, 7-3
55kg- Mehdi GHORBANI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Kristijan GAZDAG (SRB) , 5-2
60kg-Alireza NEJATI (Shohadaye Modafe) – No wrestler
63kg- Shirzad BEHESHTI TALA (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Tamas NAD (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0
67kg- Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Mohsen TAHERI (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
72kg- Erfan SAADATIFAR (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB) by FALL
77kg- Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Ali NOROUZI (Shohadaye Modafe), 2-0
82kg- Hadi ALIZEDH POURNIA (Shohadaye Modafe) – No wrestler
87kg- Reza Mohammad ALIPOUR (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Oliver TOT (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) df. Mohammad BEYRANVAND (Shohadaye Modafe), 2-1
130kg- Parsa NAZARI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB), 11-4

Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) df. Turkey, 8-2
55kg-Eldaniz AZIZLI (Bimeh) df. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
60kg- Mehrdad MARDANI (Bimeh) df. Hammet RUSTEM (TUR), 6-2
63kg- Saman ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Altan ABDURAHMAN (TUR), 3-1
67kg- Mohammad ELYASI (Bimeh) df. Atakan YUKSEL (TUR), 3-1
72kg- Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Boroumand ASLAN (Bimeh), 7-4
77kg- Pejman PASHTAM (Bimeh) df. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 6-3
82kg- Saedi ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), 5-0
87kg- Ramin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Metehan BASAR (TUR), 5-0
97kg- Mehdi ALIYARI (Bimeh) df. Cenk ILDEM (TUR), 3-1
130kg- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Sergey SEMENOV (Bimeh), 3-3

Group B

Russia df. Kyrgyzstan, 9-1
55kg- Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Abdykarim KUTTUBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0
60kg- Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS) df. Ermek KANYBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ) df. Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) by Tech Fall, 8-0
67kg- Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Manas USONOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ), 3-0
77kg- Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS) df. Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ), 6-1
82kg- Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) by FALL
97kg- Murat LOKYAEV (RUS)df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
130kg- Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS) df. Murad OMAROV (KGZ) by FALL

Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Ukraine, 6-4
55kg- Pouya NASERPOUR (Izeh) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Mohammad Javad REZAEI (Izeh) df. Hevorh ARZUMANIAN (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
67kg- Majid KAHLILI (Izeh) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
72kg- Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Mohammad Amin AHMADPOUR (Izeh), by FALL
77kg-Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR) df. Asghar Aali MOHAMMADI (Izeh) by Tech Fall, 8-0
82kg- Abbas MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR) , 4-0
87kg- Serhii OMELIN (UKR) df. Saman AZIZI (Izeh), 3-1
97kg- Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR) df. Mohammad YEGANEH (Izeh), 3-3
130kg- Masoud NEMAT CHEKANI df. Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0

Round 4

Group B

Ukraine df. Kyrgyzstan, 9-1
55kg- Abdykarim KUTTUBEK (KGZ) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR), 7-6
60kg- Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) df. Ermek KANYBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
63kg- Hevorh ARZUMANIAN (UKR) df. Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ), 5-3
67kg-Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR) df. Manas USONOV (KGZ), 11-10
72kg- Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 11-2
77kg-Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR) df. Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-1
82kg- Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by FALL
87kg- Serhii OMELIN (UKR) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ)
97kg- Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR) df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
130kg- Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) df. Murad OMAROV (KGZ) by FALL

Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Georgia, 8-2
55kg- VReza KHEDRI (Izeh) df. Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO), 5-4
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Mohammad Javad REZAEI (Izeh) df. Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0
67kg- Shmagi BOLKVADZE (Izeh) df. Otar ABULADZE (GEO), 4-0
72kg-Ramaz ZOIDZE (Izeh) df. Tornike JANGAVADZE (GEO), 6-1
77kg- Keyvan REZAEI (Izeh) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO), 5-0
82kg- Abbas MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO), 7-5
87kg- Lasha DEVIDZE (GEO) df. Saman AZIZI (Izeh) by forfeit
97kg- Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) df. Edris EBRAHIMI (Izeh) by forfeit
130kg- Behnam MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 8-0

Round 5

Group B

Russia df. Ukraine, 8-2
55kg- Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
60kg- Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS) df. Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR),4-0
63kg- Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) df. Hevroh ARZUMANIAN (UKR), 4-0
67kg- Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR), 5-5
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
77kg- Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS) df. Oleksanr KUKHTA (UKR) by FALL
82kg- Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR) df. Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS), 4-1
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Serhii OMELIN (UKR), 5-1
97kg- Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR) df. Murat LOKYAEV (RUS)by forfeit
130kg- Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS) df. Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) by forfeit

Georgia df. Kyrgyzstan, 8-2
55kg- Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO) – no wrestler
60kg- Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) – no wrestler
63kg- Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) df. Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ), 8-5
67kg- Otar ABULADZE (GEO) – no wrestler
72kg- Saaino DAVITAIA (GEO) df. Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
77kg- Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) by forfeit
82kg- Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by FALL
87kg- Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg-Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
130kg- Murad OMAROV (KGZ) df. Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO) b

#JapanWrestling

Rising star Onishi closes in on ticket to first World Championships

Thursday, June 19, 2025 - 13:28 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (June 19) -- A year after coming up just short of knocking off one of Japan's greatest stars that left her out of the senior World Championships, Sakura ONISHI is determined there will be no slip-ups this year. And certainly not another playoff.

Onishi, the reigning world U20 champion and one of Japan's top rising female wrestlers, moved one win away from securing a ticket to her first senior worlds when she advanced to the final at women's 59kg at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships on Thursday in Tokyo.

The 19-year-old Onishi chalked up a pair of 10-0 victories to make Friday's final, where she will face 2023 world U23 silver medalist Sena NAGAMOTO in a rematch of her gold-medal match victory at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December.

Others of note making their respective finals were unrelated namesakes and Asian champions Arash YOSHIDA at Freestyle 97kg and Taizo YOSHIDA at Greco 82kg, while four-time world medalist Miwa MORIKAWA went undefeated through four rounds of the round-robin at women's 65kg.

The two All-Japan tournaments are serving as qualifiers for the senior World Championships to be held September 13-21 in Zagreb. Victories at both tournaments automatically clinches a place on the team to Croatia; if the winners are different, a playoff will be held at the end of that day's session.

Only three of Japan's eight gold medalists at the Paris Olympics -- Sakura MOTOKI at women's 62kg, Nao KUSAKA at Greco 77kg and Kotaro KIYOOKA at Freestyle 65kg -- are entered in the four-day tournament at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym and thus eligible for the world team. Motoki could face a showdown with Nonoka OZAKI, a Paris 68kg bronze medalist, on the final day.

Although entries are limited, the tournament is organized to replicate the World Championships with each weight class run through the semifinals on the first day, and repechage and medal matches on the following day.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) Sakura ONISHI attempts to get behind against high schooler Sae NOGUCHI during their women's 59kg semifinal match. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp)

Onishi, who will defend her world U20 crown in August and has victories this year at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series tournament and Asian Championships, was a virtual unknown and just out of high school last year when she stunned two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO in the semifinals before going on to win the title.

But in the world team playoff, Kinjo fought back from a 5-0 deficit and scored a dramatic exposure in the last 10 seconds, then barely held off a near stepout in the last second to beat Onishi 6-6 on criteria. Kinjo then won her fourth world gold at the non-Olympic World Championships in Tirana.

This time, Onishi wants to avoid a playoff at all costs.

"Last year, I lost in the playoff to Kinjo, and that was really disappointing," Onishi said. "I really respect Risako. But it was hard to take that she went on to become the world champion. This time, I'm determined that I will win the title and get the ticket to the World Championships, without there being a playoff. This has been constantly on my mind for the past year."

For Onishi, it is a new challenge to go from newcomer to the one with the target on her back.

"Last year, this tournament is where I made my All-Japan debut," Onishi said. "So nobody was keeping an eye on me. Then I won the title, so from the Emperor's Cup to here, I know that I'm being targeted. Listening to those in the corners of the opponents, I get the feeling that they've been studying me.

"For my own part, I've only been watching videos of my own matches. I hardly watched any of the opponents. More than scouting my opponents, I want to exceed that with my own techniques and continue to progress. That I did that [today] to be honest is a relief."

There's also a chance Onishi might have familiar company in Zagreb. Her older brother, 2022 world U20 bronze medalist Taiga ONISHI, made the final at Greco 55kg, where he will face Sanshiro TAKAHASHI. Takahashi defeated Emperor's Cup and Asian champion Kohei YAMAGIWA in the semifinals, assuring there will be a playoff in the weight class.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) Arash YOSHIDA has Takuma TATEOKA in trouble during their freestyle 97kg semifinal. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp)

In freestyle, Arash Yoshida continued his dominance as Japan's biggest hope in the men's upper weights in decades, storming into the 97kg final with an 11-0 victory over Takuma TATEOKA that he finished at the first-period buzzer. It was his third win by fall or technical fall on the day.

"I was able to wrestle as usual and came out with wins," the Emperor's Cup and two-time Asian champion said. "It was good that there was nothing particularly bad about how I won."

Noah LEIBOWITZ (JPN) High schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ earned a place in the 97kg final with a win by technical fall over collegian Yuta SASAKI. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the final, Yoshida will face powerful high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ, who advanced to the gold-medal match with three technical falls.

Leibowitz is also the product of a mixed marriage, having been born to an American father and Japanese mother in the southern U.S. city of Atlanta. The family moved to Japan when he was 4.

"Just like today, I want to steadily score points, not take too much risk and notch a win without problems," Yoshida said.

Yoshida has been on a tear of sorts since finishing fifth at 92kg at the 2023 World Championships before moving up to 97kg and missing out on qualifying for the Paris Olympics.

The 21-year-old Nihon University student, whose Iranian father runs the kids club where he got his start in the sport, started the year with a victory at the Petko Sirakov-Ivan Iliev U23
tournament in Bulgaria, and followed that by taking the gold at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series.

He then won the Japan qualifier for the world U23 team, before striking gold at the Asian Championships in Amman in March, adding to his Asian gold from 2023.

"My objective is to compete internationally, so what I want to do here is put out on the mat what I have been working on in practice," Yoshida said. "My goal is to become the world champion."

Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) Taizo YOSHIDA scores a takedown in his Greco 82kg semifinal win over Tesshin HIGUCHI. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp)

The other prominent Yoshida, Taizo, has been electrifying crowds since he won the senior Asian title as a high schooler in 2024, just a year removed from winning the world U17 crown. A fifth-place finish at last year's senior worlds further boosted his stock, although he was dealt a setback in Amman when he failed to medal in his Asian title defense.

On Thursday, Yoshida made the 82kg final with a pair of 8-0 victories in a combined time of 2:38, and will face Reon KAKEGAWA with a chance to clinch his ticket to Zagreb outright.

"In today's matches, I went on the offensive and was able to score technical falls, which I feel shows that I'm at a good level," Yoshida said. "When the situation got a little messy, I was able to get the points in the end. More specifically, my body movement was good."

Yoshida, a freshman at Nippon Sports Science University, has never had to look far for a positive role model. He has been following in the footsteps of fellow Kagawa Prefecture native Kusaka since he first put on wrestling shoes.

"I have followed the same path as Nao-sempai from kids club to junior high school, high school and now college," Yoshida said, using the honorific for a respected predecessor. "He is entered for the first time since the Olympics, and I hope we can become fellow champions."

At women's 65kg, which has just five entries, Morikawa will aim to take the title in a de facto final on Friday against Nana IKEHATA. Both wrestlers won all three of their round-robin matches by 10-0 technical falls.

The 25-year-old Morikawa is aiming to regain the world title she won at 65kg in 2022. She also has a silver from 2021 and a bronze from last year, as well as a 72kg bronze from 2023 after she missed out on making Japan's Olympic team at 68kg. She won a second career Asian gold in March.

Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) Hayato ISHIGURO, left, fends off Yudai TAKAHASHI for a dramatic 5-4 victory at freestyle 86kg. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp)

Another sparse but highly competitive weight class is freestyle 86kg, where Paris Olympian and two-time world team member Hayato ISHIGURO went 3-0 in the five-man round robin.

Ishiguro notched a nail-biting 5-4 win over 2024 world U23 bronze medalist Yudai TAKAHASHI, who had previously defeated 2022 world U23 champion Tatsuya SHIRAI 5-0.

Ishiguro and Shirai face each other in the final round of a matches, and a win for Shirai, who is the Emperor's Cup champion, could leave the three of them with 3-1 records and the title decided by criteria.

A playoff is also on the cards at Greco 72kg, where Taishi NARIKUNI, still looking to add an elusive Greco world gold to the one he won at freestyle 70kg in 2022, knocked off Emperor's Cup champion Issei HONNA 6-0.

Narikuni will face Ryoma HOJO in the final, with the winner taking on Honna for the ticket to Zagreb.

At women's 72kg, 2022 world U20 champion Ayano MORO defeated Emperor's Cup and former world champion Masako FURUICHI by fall in their preliminary group match, and the two will go at it again after both advanced to the final.

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Day 1 Results

Freestyle

86kg (5 entries)
Standings through 4 rounds: 1. Hayato ISHIGURO, 3-0; 2. Yudai TAKAHASHI, 2-1; Tatsuya SHIRAI, 2-1; Hiroto NINOMIYA, 1-2; Satoshi MIURA, 0-4.

92kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Takashi ISHIGURO df. Shuichiro SATO by TF, 13-0, 3:40
SF 2: Takato UCHIDA df. Rintaro MOTOHASHI, 3-1

97kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Arash YOSHIDA df. Takuma TATEOKA by TF, 11-0, 3:00
SF 2: Noah LEIBOWITZ df. Yuta SASAKI by TF, 11-0, 4:22

125kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Hosei FUJITA, 4-4
SF 2: Hibiki ITO df. Ryusei FUJITA, 4-1

Greco-Roman

55kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Sanshiro TAKAHASHI df. Kohei YAMAGIWA, 5-3
SF 2: Taiga ONISHI df. Taketo NINOMIYA, 3-3

63kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Ayata SUZUKI df. Yuto NAGASAWA by TF, 10-1, 4:04
SF 2: Manato NAKAMURA df. Shoya ITO by TF, 9-0, 1:48

72kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Taishi NARIKUNI df. Issei HONNA, 6-0
SF 2: Ryoma HOJO df. Daigo KOBAYASHI, 4-3

82kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Taizo YOSHIDA df. Tesshin HIGUCHI by TF, 8-0, 1:58
SF 2: Reon KAKEGAWA df. Yudai KOBORI by Fall, :49 (5-0)

Women’s Wrestling

55kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Sowaka UCHIDA df. Narumi NAKAMURA by TF, 11-0, 4:28
SF 2: Umi IMAI df. Karina HONDA by TF, 11-0, 4:11

59kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Sakura ONISHI df. Sae NOGUCHI by TF, 10-0, 4:46
SF 2: Sena NAGAMOTO df. Miuna KIMURA by Fall, 5:21 (7-0)

65kg (5 entries)
Standings through 4 rounds: 1. Miwa MORIKAWA, 3-0, and Nana IKEHATA, 3-0; 3. Akari ASAI, 1-2; 4. Ayana HISHINUMA, 1-3; 5. Nana MOROHOSHI, 0-3.

72kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Ayano MORO df. Chisato YOSHIDA by TF, 16-4, 5:12
SF 2: Masako FURUICHI df. Mahiro YOSHITAKE, 5-2

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Rising star Onishi closes in on ticket to first World Championships