#WrestleBaku

Iran beats Azerbaijan to win Greco-Roman World Cup

By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (November 6) -- What a Greco-Roman World Cup that was. Iran and Azerbaijan were neck-to-neck with both winning five bouts. But the classification points gave Iran the win. Iran claims the World Cup it last won in 2016. Azerbaijan finishes second for the second time in a row.

The All-World team finishes third.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

21:10: Iran wins the Greco-Roman World Cup! Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) with a barrage of stepouts to beat Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) 6-3 and win the title for Iran on classification points. Kandelaki led 3-1 at the break but Yousofi broke Kandelaki and scored four stepouts in the second period along the fleeing point. Iran finishes with 21 classification points to 19 of Azerbaijan.

21:00: It all comes down to this bout. Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) vs Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) at 130kg for the World Cup title. Both teams are tied for classification points with 18 each. The winner takes it all. Kandelaki begins with a turn from par terre to lead 3-0. Yousofi gets a stepout just before the break. He begins the second period with a stepout. Kandelaki's lead is cut to 3-2. A tiring Kandelaki can't stop the stepouts. He trails 5-3 with two minutes remaining. Another stepout and the win for Yousofi.

20:45: Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) beats Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE) and Iran has cut it down to 5-4. Balihamzehdeh was trailing 2-1 but a takedown and turn to lead 5-2 and the win. The title comes down to the final bout at 130kg. A win is all that is needed.

20:33: Abolfazl CHOUBANI (IRI) the hero for Iran! He keeps Iran in the match with a 2-1 win over Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE). Azerbaijan still leads 5-3 but Iran will hope to win the final two bouts and make it 5-5 to stand a chance.

20:20: Now at 82kg, Mohammadhossein MAHMOODI (IRI) will look to bring back Iran in this. But Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) with exposure when he was put in par terre to lead 2-1. He locked Mahmoodi's elbow to get the points. A par terre position for Huseynov in the second period. Mahmoodi is cautioned for two points but no more damage was done. Huseynov wins 5-1. Azerbaijan leads 5-2.

20:10: This is now turning out to be a difficult one for Iran. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) with a controlled 7-1 win over Aref HABIBOLLAHI (IRI) at 77kg. The win has propelled Azerbaijan to a 4-2 lead. Two more wins out of four bouts will seal it for Azerbaijan.

19:50: A challenge that Iran will regret if the final result doesn't go in its favor. Mohammadreza ROSTAMI (IRI) was leading Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) 3-3 with over a minute remaining. A challenge for negative wrestling but it was clean. Ganizade got the 4-3 lead and the win. Azerbaijan is now in the lead 3-2.

19:35: Two young stars. Two of the best at 67kg. Two wrestlers who will be dominant for a long time. Seyed SOHRABI (IRI) and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) on the mat now. Sohrabi gets the early call for passivity. But he doesn't get any turn from par terre. Relentless from both wrestlers. Sohrabi will go at the break leading 1-0. Sohrabi with a body lock and tries to throw Jafarov but, are you kidding me, Jafarov with a one-handed counter for four! Iran challenges the call but it is a clear four. Jafarov leads 5-1. A victory for Jafarov at 67kg over Sohrabi. The crowd is electric.

19:25: World bronze medalist Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) now wrestling Iman Hossein Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) at 63kg. He is cautioned for two points for negative wrestling. 2-0 lead for Khoon Mohammadi who scores a takedown as well to lead 4-0 at the break. The second passivity against Mammadov and Khoon Mohammadi asks for standing. Mammadov is cautioned again and Khoon Mohammadi leads 7-0. A stepout to complete an 8-0 win for Iran which leads 2-1 now.

19:15: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) replaces an injured Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) at 60kg. He is facing Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI). A passivity call against Mammadli but Mohsen Nejad doesn't get the turn. A stepout for Mohsen Nejad as he leads 2-0 at the break. In the second period, Mohsen Nejad gets the advantage again. This time he turns Mammadli but gets stuck on the second attempt. Mammadli with a turn as well to make it 5-4. But Mohsen Nejad hangs on for the win. It's tied 1-1.

19:05: The first match is at 55kg. Two-time world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) takes on U23 world champion Poya DAD MARZ (IRI). Azizli wins 4-1 and puts Azerbaijan in the lead.

Now it is time for the big match! Iran is taking on Azerbaijan in Baku for the World Cup. 

18:55: U23 world champion Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) beats Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (UWW) 3-1 but it doesn't matter as the All-World team wins the bronze medal via classification points. Both teams have five wins but the All-World team has 22 points to Turkiye's 19. What a performance from the All-World team.

18:40: What a win for Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (UWW)! He beats two-time world champion Metehan BASAR (TUR) 1-1 at 97kg. The win all but confirms the third place for the All-World team. Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (UWW) has to avoid getting pinned at 130kg.

18:30: Ali CENGIZ (TUR) ties with for Turkiye! He beats Alex KESSIDIS (UWW) 4-2 at 87kg and it has become a thriller. The All-World team was looking very close to winning this but it has turned around.

18:20: A rematch of the World Championships final coming up at 82kg between Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) and Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UWW). The first passivity is against Akbudak and Berdimuratov scores a turn to lead 3-0. He starts the second period with a stepout. Akbudak then goes behind and scores a four before two turns make it 8-4. A point against Akbudak for being passive but that doesn't change the final result of the bout as Akbudak wins 8-5. The All-World team still leads Turkiye 4-3.

18:10: A long bout between world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) and Yunus BASAR (TUR) and it is the Turkiye wrestler who comes out on top 7-6. Basar first got the turn from par terre before a surprise arm throw for a 7-3 lead. Levai did score a takedown but Basar held on top a 7-6 win. Turkiye now has two wins from six bouts.

17:55: A battle between the two world bronze medalists and Selcuk CAN (TUR) looked like winning the bout after he got the turn from par terre against Andrii KULYK (UWW). But Kulyk jumped over and pinned Can for the win. The All-World team now leads 4-1.

17:40: Murat FIRAT (TUR) brings Turkiye back into this match. He beats Joni KHETSURIANI (UWW) 1-1 as the two exchanges passivity points in this 67kg bout. The All-World team still leads 3-1 but Turkiye is crawling back.

17:32: World silver medalist Leri ABULADZE (GEO) makes it 3-0 for the All-World team. He beats Ahmet UYAR (TUR) 3-1 after getting a turn in par terre.

17:20: At 60kg, Mukremin AKTAS (TUR) and Aidos SULTANGALI (UWW) going up against each other. Aktas gets the 1-0 lead for the passivity. But he fails to get any action. Sultangali goes behind and scores a throw for four. He continues the action for a gut wrench to lead 6-1 at the break. Aktas is called passive in the second period and Sultangali was happy to get the 7-1 win. A 2-0 lead for the All-World team.

17:05: The first bout of the Turkiye vs All-Star team is at 55kg between Muhammet CAKIR (TUR) and world silver medalist Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO). Early action in the bout as Tsurtsumia takes a 4-0 lead. But he tries an arm throw which Cakir defends and scores a takedown. He then goes for an arm throw and gets four to lead 6-4. A stepout makes it 7-4. Just before the break, Tsurtsumia gets a takedown on the edge. Turkiye challenges the call but loses. Cakir leads 7-7 on criteria at the break. Tsurtsumia is on the attack in the second period and scores a stepout. Cakir struggling with his conditioning now. A takedown for Tsurtsumia as he builds a 10-7 lead. No more scoring action in the bout and Tsurtsumia gives All-World team the lead.

17:00: Welcome to the medal bouts of the Greco-Roman World Cup in Baku. Turkiye will take on the All-World team for third place.

#WrestleParis

Which nations have qualified in women's wrestling for Paris Olympics

By Eric Olanowski

PARIS, France (May 9) -- The ultra-competitive and uber-emotional final stage of the Paris Olympic Qualifiers is set to take place in Istanbul, Turkiye, May 9-12.

After next week’s Battle on the Bosporus -- which is the sixth and final event on the Olympic qualification calendar -- all 288 tickets to Paris 2024 will be booked and the nations wrestling in Paris will be set.

Breakdown of quotas allocations for Paris 2024:
- World Championships = 30 freestyle, 30 women’s wrestling and 30 Greco-Roman = 90 quotas
- Continental Olympic Qualifiers (x4 continents) = 12 freestyle, 12 women’s wrestling and 12 Greco-Roman = 36
- World Olympic Qualifier = 18 freestyle, 18 women’s wrestling and 18 Greco-Roman = 54
- Total = 96 freestyle, 96 women’s wrestling and 96 Greco-Roman = 288 wrestlers in Paris

It’s worth noting, and as you’ll see below, the induvial wrestler who earns the ticket to the Olympic Games does not own the right to compete in Pairs. Ultimately, it’s the National Olympic Committee / country who selects their entry for the Games.

For example: David TAYLOR (USA), through his world-title winning performance in Belgrade, punched the United States’ ticket at 86kg. But after going through their Olympic Trails, and with Taylor falling in the finals, the Stars and Stripes will send Aaron BROOKS (USA) to Paris at 86kg.

Over the last 288 days, wrestles have gone through two of three stages vying for their opportunity to earn their nation’s berth to Pairs.

The beginning stages of the qualification process took place last September at the 2023 World Championships, in Belgrade, Serbia, where there was a total of 90 quotas up for the taking. Wrestlers who won a medal--gold, silver or bronze (x2)-- earned a ticket for their country.

Additionally, the two losers of the bronze-medal matches faced off in an Olympic playoff match, determining the fifth allocation in Belgrade.

Then came the Continental Olympic Qualifiers, where 36 quotas per continent were handed out.

Those athletes who reached the finals of their respective weight classes at the Pan-American, African & Oceania, European and Asian Olympic Qualifiers booked their nation’s ticket to Paris.

Now, after traveling through Belgrade, Acapulco, Alexandria, Baku and Bishkek, we’ve reached Istanbul for the “Last Chance Qualifier.”

There will be a slight adjustment to the number of allocations given in Istanbul, where in addition to the finalists earning berths to Paris, there will be an Olympic playoff between the winners of the bronze-medal matches to determine the final entries for the Olympic Games.

The draws for the World Olympic Qualifier will take place on May 8, with wrestling beginning the following day. Greco-Roman will compete live on UWW+ on May 9-10, women’s wrestling on May 10-11 and freestyle on May 11-12.

 

Here are the women’s wrestling nations that have qualified for the Paris Olympics before the start of the World Olympic Qualifier (May 9-12).

50kg
From World Championships
Japan (Yui SUSAKI)
Mongolia (Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV)
China (Ziqi FENG)
United States (Sarah HILDEBRANDT)
Turkiye (Evin DEMIRHAN)

From Pan-Am OG Qualifier
Colombia (Alisson CARDOZO REY)
Cuba (Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ)

From African & Oceania OG Qualifier
Egypt (Nada MOHAMED)
Algeria (Ibtissem DOUDOU)

From European OG Qualifier
Ukraine (Oksana LIVACH)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA as Individual Neutral Athlete

From Asian OG Qualifier
Uzbekistan (Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA)
India (Vinesh VINESH)

From World Olympic Qualifier
Germany (Anastasia BLAYVAS)
DPR Korea (Son hyang KIM)
Azerbaijan (Mariya STADNIK) 

53kg
From World Championships
Japan (Akari FUJINAMI)
Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA as Individual Neutral Athlete
ANTIM for Indian Olympic Association
Ecuador (Lucia YEPEZ)
Sweden (Jonna MALMGREN)

From Pan-Am OG Qualifier
United States (Dominique PARRISH)
Venezuela (Betzabeth AGUELLO)

From African & Oceania OG Qualifier
Nigeria (Christianah OGUNSANYA)
Guam (Mia AQUINO)

From European OG Qualifier
Romania (Andreea ANA)
Natalia MALYSHEVA as Individual Neutral Athlete

From Asian OG Qualifier
China (PANG Qianyu)
DPR Korea (Hyogyong CHOE)

From World Olympic Qualifier
Mongolia (Khulan BATKHUYAG)
Moldova (Mariana DRAGUTAN)
Turkiye (Zeynep YETGIL)

57kg
From World Championships
Japan (Tsugumi SAKURAI)
Moldova (Anastasia NICHITA)
United States (Helen MAROULIS)
Nigeria (Odunayo ADEKUOROYE)
Poland (Anhelina LYSAK)

From Pan-Am OG Qualifier
Canada (Hannah TAYLOR)
Ecuador (Luisa VALVERDE)

From African & Oceania OG Qualifier
Algeria (Chaimaa AOUISSI)
Guam (Rckaela AQUINO)

From European OG Qualifier
Germany (Sandra PARUSZEWSKI)
Iryna KURACHKINA as Individual Neutral Athlete

From Asian OG Qualifier
China (Kexin HONG)
India (Anshu ANSHU)

From World Olympic Qualifier
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA as Individual Neutral Athlete
Brazil (Giullia OLIVEIRA)
Italy (Aurora RUSSO)

62kg
From World Championships
Kyrgyzstan (Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA)
Japan (Sakura MOTOKI)
Norway (Grace BULLEN)
Ukraine (Iryna KOLIADENKO)
Germany (Luisa NIEMESCH)

From Pan-Am OG Qualifier
United States (Kayla MIRACLE)
Canada (Ana GODINEZ)

From African & Oceania OG Qualifier
Nigeria (Esther KOLAWOLE)
Tunisia (Siwar BOUSETA)

From European OG Qualifier
Bulgaria (Bilyana DUDOVA)
Alina KASABIEVA as Individual Neutral Athlete

From Asian OG Qualifier
DPR Korea (Hyon Gyong MUN)
Mongolia (Orkhon PUREVDORJ)

From World Olympic Qualifier
Turkiye (Nesrin BAS)
Romania (Kriszta INCZE) 
Veranika IVANOVA as Individual Neutral Athlete

68kg
From World Championships
Turkiye (Buse TOSUN)
Mongolia (Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN)
Moldova (Irina RINGACI)
France (Koumba LARROQUE)
Japan (Ami ISHII)

From Pan-Am OG Qualifier
Venezuela (Soleymi CARABALLO)
United States (Amit ELOR)

From African & Oceania OG Qualifier
Nigeria (Blessing OBORUDUDU)
New Zealand (Tayla FORD)

From European OG Qualifier
Poland (Wiktoria CHOLUJ)
Khanum VELIEVA as Individual Neutral Athlete

From Asian OG Qualifier
DPR Korea (Sol Gum PAK)
Kyrgyzstan (Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA)

From World Olympic Qualifier
China (Feng ZHOU)
India (Nisha NISHA) 
Canada (Linda MORAIS)

76kg
From World Championships
Japan (Yuka KAGAMI)
Kyrgyzstan (Aiperi MEDEY KYZY)
United States (Adeline GRAY)
Colombia (Tatiana RENTERIA)
Cuba (Milaimys MARIN)

From Pan-Am OG Qualifier
Canada (Justina DI STASIO)
Ecuador (Genesis REASCO)

From African & Oceania OG Qualifier
Nigeria (Hannah RUEBEN)
Tunisia (Zaineb SGHAIER)

From European OG Qualifier
Hungary (Bernadett NAGY)
Turkiye (Yasemin ADAR)

From Asian OG Qualifier
India (Reetika REETIK)
China (Juan WANG)

From World Olympic Qualifier
Romania (Catalina AXENTE)
Bulgaria (Yuliana YANEVA)
Mongolia (Davaanasan ENKH AMAR)