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Live Blog: #WrestleUlaanbaatar Asian Championships day two

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (April 20) -- The second day of the Asian Championships will see the five Greco-Roman weights in action. After Kyrgyzstan won two gold and Kazakhstan, Japan, and Iran had one each, Wednesday will decide the team title race.

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13:23: That's it for the morning session on Day 2 at the Buyant Ukhaa Sports Palace. Iran has four wrestlers in the five finals in the evening session to start at 18:00 local time. Korea and Kazakhstan have two finalists each, while Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have one each. 

13:20: Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) was trailing 1-1 on criteria against Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) with 40 seconds remaining but scores a takedown to lead 3-1. Kyrgyzstan challenged it but lost. Balihamzehdeh sets up a final against Assakalov

13:14: Ryu builds up an early lead and chalks up a hard-fought 6-2 victory over Endo to make the final at 67kg against Shermakhanbet--a rematch of the 2019 final won 3-1 by Ryu. Shermankhanbet advances with a 6-3 win over 2020 silver medalist Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB )

13:05: Rasoul GARMSIRI (IRI) goes for a reverse lift from par terre to get five points and ultimately pin Harpreet SINGH (IND). That was a stunning move from Garmsiri

13:00: Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) is into the finals at 97kg. He beats Sanzhar SERIKKAN (KAZ) 8-0 to secure his spot in the gold medal bout.

12:55: Sharshenbekov sets up a final against Mohsen Nejad with a 6-1 win in the other 60kg semifinal over Fidakhmetov. 

12:53: Mohsen Nejad beats Suzuki for the second year in a row in the semifinals at 60kg, but it was much more difficult than last year's 9-1 win. Mohsen Nejad scores 5 points in the first period in par terre, then holds off the Japanese for a 5-4 win.

12:40: Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB ), the 2020 silver medalist, fills the final semifinal spot at 67kg with a 14-5 technical fall over a gutsy Nyamdorj BATTULGA (MGL). He next faces 2018 world bronze medalist Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ), who pulled off one of the most intriguing moves of the session in beating Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND), gaining an arm lock and somersaulting the Indian onto his back before getting a headlock for a fall.

12:25: Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) did get hit for four but Jewoo PARK (KOR) cannot get out of the lock after hitting the drop. Balihamzehdeh secures the fall at 97kg

12:22: Ryu twice hits the same slick lateral drop as he's backed to the edge for 4, and that's it for Badaghimofrad in 2:38. He'll face 2018 world U23 champion Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) in the semifinals. 

12:10: Yuya OKAJIMA (JPN) had no wins in three Asian Championships in his career but he snubs that trend by beating a silver medalist from Almaty Kalidin ASYKEEV (KGZ) 5-3 at 82kg in Ulaanbaatar.

12:07: Mohammadreza MOKHTARI (IRI) gets four points from par terre in the first period to lead 5-0 before a takedown and stepout in the second period makes it 8-0 against Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ) at 72kg

12:06: On deck at 67kg on Mat C, veteran Hansu RYU (KOR), who won his fourth Asian title in 2021 at 72kg, against Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (IRI), a 2019 world junior bronze medalist at 63kg. 

12:05: Top seed Dias KALEN (KAZ) gets the par terre in the second period and gets the guts going to win 9-1 against Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB)

11:55: Ayata SUZUKI (JPN), a bronze medalist in 2021, will get a chance to avenge his semifinal loss last year in Almaty to Mohsen Nejad after notching a 12-3 technical fall over Firuz TUKHTAEV (UZB)

11:55: Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) goes four gut wrenches from par terre to win his quarterfinal at 97kg 10-0 against Takahiro TSURUDA (JPN). He is looking for his first gold at 97kg

11:45: At 60kg on Mat A, world silver medalist Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) both won handily. The two are favorites to meet in the final

11:42: Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) scores a 2-point takedown at the edge with :05 left to knock off Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) in the 60kg quarterfinals. 

11:32: Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB ) needed little time to finish off Vikas VIKAS (IND) at 72kg, gaining a takedown and four back-and-forth gut wrenches for an 8-0 technical fall in :40.

11:30: The action is ready to start on Day 2 in chilly Ulaanbaatar, with the final five weight classes in Greco, 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg.

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Ulaanbaatar Open Day 3: Women's Wrestling & Freestyle Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 6) -- The Ulaanbaatar Open action will see five Women's Wrestling and three Freestyle weight classes on day three in the Mongolian capital. Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) will also be marking his return to competition after a year.

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14:30: Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) beats Punit KUMAR (IND), 10-0, to enter the final at 92kg. He will face defending champion Askhab SAADULAEV (RUS) who moved into the final after a 5-0 win over Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL). 

14:15: Top tier final at 86kg as Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) and Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) reach the gold medal bout. Ramazanov rolls Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL), 10-0, in the semifinal while Nokhodi has to work harder for his win against Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ). Nokhodi scored a stepout before getting a point for Shavaev's passivity to lead 2-0. But the Kyrgyzstan wrestler hit a quick leg attack to score a takedown and then a turn. Nokhodi managed to toss Shavaev as well and then a gut-wrench to lead 6-4 after the scramble. In the second period, Nokhodi used a duckunder to score two points but as he tried to turn Shavaev, he gave up a reversal. He still led 8-5, the winning score. 

14:05: Sagar JAGLAN (IND) makes it to the final at 74kg after a 10-0 win over Tolui MUNKHBAT (MGL) and awaits his toughest test yet in Tamir ESHINIMAEV (RUS) who held on for a 2-1 win over Tumen BODIEV (RUS).

Freestyle Semifinals

13:55: KAJAL (IND) with a fall over Elmira SZYDYKOVA (KAZ) to enter the final at 76kg. But it won't be an all-India final as Damola OJO (NGR) beats PRIYA (IND), 5-1, to put breaks to Priya's run.

13:45: It would have been perfect for DPR Korea will all eight wrestlers in the final in Women's Wrestling but former world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) denies that by beating Sol Gum PAK (PRK) in the 68kg semifinals, 7-3. In the other semifinal, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS) stuns European champion Nesrin BAS (TUR), 9-8. The U23 world champion gave up the first takedown but managed to lead 2-2 on criteria at the  break. She brought Bas down for four points in the second period to extend the lead to 6-4. As Bas hit a leg-attack, Petliakova scored epxosure points for an 8-4 lead before Bas reversed for a takedown and cradle looking for a fall. Leading 8-8 on criteria, Petliakova managed to get out of the position and Bas could not score in the remaining 30 seconds. Bas challenged for a turn but it was not complete and the lost challenge gave one more point to the Russian.

13:30: Another DPR Korea wrestler in the final! Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) holds off Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) 5-3 in the 65kg semifinal. After getting a point for Tuvshinjargal's passivity, Mun scored a takedown and trap-arm gut to lead 5-0. However, Tuvshinjargal blocked her in danger to get two points before the break. Mun was called passive in the second period but one point was all Tuvshinjargal got. Mun will face Shuai ZHANG (CHN) in the final after the China wrestler pinned PULKIT (IND). The Indian led 4-2 with 24 seconds left when Zhang brought her down from standing and secured the fall.

13:20: At 62kg, Ok Ji KIM (PRK) becomes the sixth wrestler from DPR Korea to reach the women's final in Ulaanbaatar. She beats Huan YANG (CHN), 10-0 in the semifinals. For the gold medal bout, she will face Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) after she defeated MANSI (IND), 6-4. The first period saw Mansi score a takedown to lead 2-0 but Dudova fired one back during her activity clock in the second period to lead 2-2 on criteria. She also turned Mansi to extend the lead to 4-2. The lead changed hands when Mansi scored using a slideby. Leading 4-4 on criteria, Mansi had 19 more seconds to defend when Dudova used a two-on-one grip to bring her down and score the match-winning takedown.

13:10: Leg lace is the weapon that Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) uses to complete a 10-0 win over Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) in the 55kg semifinals. She will face Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) for the gold medal after the Japanese wrestler humbled age-group world medalist Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 14-4, in the other semifinal

13:00:Semifinals begin with Women's Wrestling

12:55: Last match of the qualification rounds and Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) stuns Abofazl RAHMANI (IRI) at 92kg! Rahmani led 4-0 with just 15 seconds left but had Dauletbekov in the zone when the Kazakhstan wrestler hit a chest wrap throw for four points and take a 4-4 criteria lead based on his bigger technique to score. Rahmani had 11 seconds to score but failed.

12:31: Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) was slightly troubled by Abdulmuslim ABULMUSLIMOV (RUS) but he controls the bout at 86kg to win 5-0. He got a point for Abulmuslimov's passivity before scoring a takedown in the second period to lead 3-0. The second takedown came just before the clock expired.

12:27: Sagar JAGLAN (IND) defeated JAIDEEP (IND) in the domestic selection trials for the Asian Games in India. He repeats his victory in Ulaanbaatar and beats Jaideep 7-2 on Saturday. Leading 3-0, he scores a takedown and turn to extend his points while Jaideep was able to score only a takedown.

12:25: Nesrin BAS (TUR) with three turns using the lace over Odzaya ERDENEBAT (MGL) to lead 8-0 before she finishes the match with a takedown. A 10-0 win inside the first period for Bas to start her campaign in Mongolia

12:10: PRIYA (IND) takes out Urtnasan GAN OCHIR (MGL) in under a minute. She beats the Mongolian 10-0 in just 54 seconds. She makes it to the semifinals.

12:05: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) survives against Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) at 62kg! Leading 5-2, Kim gives up a takedown in the final 10 seconds but Kolawole runs out of time to score that one point needed for victory.

12:00: KAJAL (IND) with some relentless pressure wrestling and she beats Saihan AO (CHN) at 76kg, 12-1. Ao could not find a single way to stop a barging Kajal.

11:45: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) becomes a rock in the second period after taking a 4-0 lead against NITIKA (IND). She gives up one takedown but manages to hold her off 4-2 and win at 62kg

11:22: Not the results Asian silver medalist Mukul DAHIYA (IND) would have expected in his first bout. Up against Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ), Dahiya gives up a takedown in the first period but keeps it close to be down only 2-0 at the break. Shavaev keeps his distance from Dahiya in the second period. Dahiya is forced to attack and Shavaev manages to catch his leg and complete a takedown after some resistance from Dahiya. He then completes three turns using a gut-wrench and wins 10-0

11:15: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), who has moved up from 79kg to 86kg, takes two minutes and 37 seconds to complete a 10-0 victory over Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL). A trusts the gut-wrench to score his points.

11:12: Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) opens his day with an 8-2 win over Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) at 86kg. Ramazanov with a slow first period and gets a point for Sakayev's passivity. But he begins the second with a duck under to suplex and gut wrench and races to 7-0 lead. Kazakhstan challenge but lose it and that gives one more point to Ramazanov. Sakayev gets a takedown but that is all as Ramazanov keeps his distance to win.

11:00: KAJAL (IND) with a slow start but she manages to score three takedowns and beat Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA  (KAZ), 7-1 at 76kg.

10:45: European silver medalist Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) cannot match the power of world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), who blanks Tandelova 6-0 at 62kg.

10:40: Quick results at 62kg as European bronze medalist Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) rolls to an 11-0 victory over Subeen JO (KOR) in just a minute and 47 seconds.

10:30: Third day of the Ulaanbaatar Open and weights in action are Women's 55kg, 62kg, 65kg, 68kg and 76kg. In Freestyle it will be 74kg, 86kg and 92kg