Matteo Pellicone freestyle preview

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 - 09:26 By Vinay Siwach

ROME, Italy (June 20) -- A year ago, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) was one of the most active wrestlers in the world. He competed in eight competitions including the Olympic Games, three World Championships and two continental ones. It seemed that Bayramov would be the go-to-wrestler for Azerbaijan at 74kg.

But at the beginning of 2022, Bayramov ran into Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) at the Dan Kolov tournament in Bulgaria. While the final was not action-packed, Gadzhiev scored two technical points against one of Bayramov to win the gold.

Still, Azerbaijan sent Bayramov to the senior European Championships in which he won bronze while Gadzhiev won the gold at the U23 European Championships.

Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) is returning to competition after one year. (Photo: UWW / Gabor Martin)

Azerbaijan is now entering the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event in Rome with both of them competing at 74kg. The battle is now three-way as Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) returns after being away for a year due to injury.

Gadzhiyev had qualified Azerbaijan for the Tokyo Olympics from the European Olympic Qualifiers but injured his knee in practice and Bayramov took his place on the team. But with Islamic Games in August and the World Championships in September, Azerbaijan is in a dilemma with the three wrestlers trying to make the same weight class.

Winning gold in Rome won't be a guarantee as European champion and world silver medalist Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) will be eyeing his second straight Ranking Series gold. He won the 74kg title at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in Almaty earlier this month.

The weight class is one of the deepest in the world and Azerbaijan may not want to suffer a slip on its part at the World Championships by not sending its best wrestler to Belgrade.

Horst LEHR (GER) will be competing at 57kg in Rome. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

With the same thought in mind, they have entered two wrestlers in the 57kg weight class as well. U23 world champion and European Championships silver medalist Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) will be the favorite to win the gold in Rome but compatriot Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) will be up for the task if he wants to make the team at 57kg.

World bronze medalist Horst LEHR (GER) is returning to competition since becoming Germany's first-ever U23 European champion in February. His experience and unique style of wrestling may upset the flow of the Azerbaijan pair.

Former U17 world champion Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) will also be raging to be competition ready in Rome. He last competed at the European Olympic Qualifiers in March last year.

Ukraine's two big stars, junior European champion Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) and Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) are entered at 65kg. While the 31-year-old Shuptar participated in the Oslo World Championships, a better result for Arushanian may see him make the cut for the Belgrade event.

But it won't be a cakewalk for him as European champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is eyeing his first Ranking Series gold medal of the year. The Hungarian defeated Olympic silver medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE) in the final in Budapest.

Apart from him, former world champion Beka LOMTADZE (GEO), Pan-Am silver medalist Sebastian RIVERA (PUR), U23 European bronze medalist Hamza ALACA (TUR) and Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), who is competing for the first time since Oslo, are entered at 65kg.

Haji ALIYEV (AZE) will be jumping up to 70kg for the Matteo Pellicone. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Aliyev had the opportunity to avenge his Budapest loss against Muszukajev but made a jump to 70kg for the tournament. Aliyev has wrestled in the weight class once before -- at the '21 Poland Open Ranking Series. He ended up winning bronze.

If he wants to win the gold now, he will have to go through two crafty wrestlers in European champion Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) and World and Asian silver medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ).

The Georgian has not competed since winning the 70kg title in Budapest after winning bronze at the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series at the start of the year.

Akmataliev failed to win a medal in Istanbul but returned to win silver at the Asian Championships. He suffered a 4-3 loss in the final against Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN). But Akmataliev will now be looking to win his second Ranking Series gold after he won the top medal in Almaty.

For Azerbaijan, world bronze medalists Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) and Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) will be the favorite to win the 86kg and 92kg respectively.

While European silver medalist Abakarov has Boris MAKOEV (SVK) and U23 world champion Mukhmammed ALIIEV (UKR) as his top opponents, Nurmagomedov may face Erhan YAYLACI (TUR).

The two wrestled at the '21 U23 European Championships and Nurmagomedov had all but sealed the gold medal. In the dying second, he resorted to keeping a distance from Yaylaci and on the final attack from the Turkey wrestler, Nurmagomedov committed a single-pull. The penalty point cost him the continental title.

The 97kg field for Rome can be dubbed as a mini European Championships. All the top six wrestlers from Budapest are entered for Rome led by gold medalist Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE). Silver to him in Budapest Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN) will be eyeing revenge if the two meet on the mat.

The two bronze medalists Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) and Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) will also look to reverse the results from Budapest. The Slovakia wrestler had lost to Baitsaev in the opening round while Baranowski suffered a semifinal loss to Magomedov.

In the bronze medal bouts, Tsakulov, who won the gold at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup, defeated Erik THIELE (GER) while Baranowski went past veteran Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO).

But entering his first Ranking Series event since 2018, Odikadze will hope to extend his perfect record at such tournaments. In 2018, he won gold at both Ranking Series events.

Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) will be the favorite to win the 125kg gold in Rome. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Another Georgian star and Olympic silver medalist Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) is the favorite to win the gold at 125kg. After losing to Taha AKGUL (TUR) in the European Championships final, Petriashvili would like to return to winning ways before the grand event in September.

But Robert BARAN (POL) may have other ideas. In a thrilling semifinal at the European Championships, Baran managed to hold off Petriashvili for the majority of the time. He ultimately suffered a 2-1 loss but in Rome, he would back himself to reverse the result.

U23 world silver medalist Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE) and former U23 European champion Anil KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) may finish at the podium.

At 79kg, U23 and senior European champion Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) will be the one to watch as he tries to prove that his two continental titles in two months were not flukes.

Freestyle action begins Friday and can be watched live at uww.org.

#WrestleBelgrade

Sidakov wins World Championships showdown with Dake; Micic, Aitmukhan claim historic golds

Monday, September 18, 2023 - 21:46 By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 18) -- After years on an inevitable collision course, Zaurbek SIDAKOV (AIN) and Kyle DAKE (USA) finally met on the mat. In a wild encounter that lived up to the billing, Sidakov landed a big first blow as a Possible Prelude to Paris.

Sidakov wrangled enough points fighting off Dake's counters to forge a 10-7 victory in a highly anticipated freestyle 74kg final on Monday, the third day of the World Championships that is also serving as the first qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"As you have all seen, the final match was really tough," Sidakov said. "Kyle is a worthy opponent. He is a four-time world champion and Olympic medalist, so I had this fighting spirit inside, I was going up there to wrestle for the whole six minutes."

While wrestling fans around the world got one of the dream matches they have been longing to see, it was also a day of celebration for the host country, which saw the crowning of its first-ever world champion in freestyle with the ascension of Stevan MICIC (SRB) at 57kg in Belgrade's Stark Arena.

Kazakhstan also saw the emergence of a first-ever freestyle gold medalist at a World Championships, with teenager Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) taking the title in the non-Olympic weight of 92kg, one of two decided on Monday.

Sidakov, in his first major competition since winning the gold at the Tokyo Olympics, was trailing on criteria when he took the lead with a mind-boggling scramble, then finished up the victory with a late exposure for his third career world title.

Sidakov and Dake had been world champions together in 2018 and 2019 when the American was competing at 79kg. But Dake moved down to 74kg ahead of the 2021 Olympics, and although they did not meet in Tokyo, where Dake took bronze, the two were destined to someday take the mat together.

That day came on Monday and did not disappoint.

Dake struck first, gaining a step out in the first period while on the activity clock. Sidakov came back in the second period with a double-leg takedown, just seconds before he received an activity clock point to go up 3-1. Midway through the period, Dake went ahead on criteria with a well-executed single-leg takedown.

With 40 seconds left, all hell broke loose. Sidakov came in low on a single, and a seated Dake went into his counter position, reaching over and wrapping up the chest. In a crazy scramble, bodies and limbs were tossed around and when it was all sorted out, Sidakov was awarded five points (two exposures and a reversal) and Dake four (two exposures), putting Sidakov up 8-7.

"I had very different thoughts going through my mind," Sidakov said of what he was thinking during the challenge. "Either keep the score or attack, but one should choose only one plan and follow it. Today my plan worked out. As you’ve seen, I won the match."

There was no way that this was going to end calmly, and another scramble that could have gone either way in the final seconds ended up adding 2 to Sidakov's tally.

"[It was] two years without wrestling much internationally," Sidakov said. "I wrestled six matches at this tournament, the last time I wrestled as many matches as I did this time I think was on a cadet level. I woke up in the morning today, and I felt this pain in my body, but I prepared for the fight."

Stevan MICIC (SRB) defeated Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) in the 57kg final to become Serbia's first-ever Freestyle world champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Micic, who defeated reigning world champion Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) and Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Zavur UGUEV (AIN) en route to the final, stepped up his game to another level to defeat 2016 Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) 7-4.

"This is insane," said the American-bred Micic, whose grandparents emigrated to the U.S. from the former Yugoslavia. "It feels like a dream... In reality, this is what I've been working for, and I think it's going to take a minute for this to actually set in. I'm so proud of myself, but also proud of all the support behind me."

Micic, who spent time training in Japan earlier this year, got on the scoreboard first with a go-behind takedown, but Higuchi came back with a blast double to go into the second period up 2-2 on criteria. Higuchi added a single-leg takedown to up the lead to 4-2, but Micic regained the lead with a takedown.

As Higuchi, the world champion last year at 61kg, pressed for the winning takedown, Micic used his long reach to score 2 with a counter. In the final seconds, Higuchi got in deep with a single at the edge, but a challenge failed to give him the points he was seeking.

"The biggest difference between Higuchi and the other opponents is that his offense is so crisp," Micic said. "For Higuchi, my guard had to be up always."

Micic said his 9-7 quarterfinal victory on Sunday over Uguev gave him the boost of confidence that propelled the 2022 bronze medalist to his greatest triumph.

"I felt a confidence in myself for Abakarov that maybe wouldn't have been if I didn't wrestle Uguev first," he said. "Maybe the Abakarov match [a 6-2 win in the semifinals] might have been different."

Akhmed USMANOV (AIN) won the 79kg gold medal after beating Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 4-1, in the final. (Photo: Amirreza Aliasgari)

There were also two finals in non-Olympic weight classes.

At 79kg, Akhmed USMANOV (AIN) made the most of his first tournament abroad since winning a world junior (U20) silver medal in 2016, winning the gold with a workmanlike 4-1 victory over world U23 champion Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO).

Usmanov was limited to an activity point in the first period but started the second with a lightning-quick high crotch takedown for a 3-0 lead. He added a stepout before Gamkrelidze added one of his own in the final seconds.

"The final match was really tough," Usmanov said. "In the first period, the score was 1-0 and in the 2nd period, I knew I had to attack to get the points and make the difference bigger."

Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) became Kazakhastan's first-ever Freestyle world champion. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

The other gold went to teenager Aitmukhan, who came from behind to deny two-time bronze medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) a first gold with a 5-2 victory at 92kg.

Nurmagomedov had a 2-0 lead from an activity point and stepout when Aitmukhan, the Asian silver medalist this year, finally got on the scoreboard with a stepout with 30 seconds left. But the referees deemed that Nurmagomedov had fled the action and tacked on another point to put Aitmukhan up 2-2 on criteria.

As Nurmagomedov pressed for a winning move, Aitmukhan whizzed him over at the edge for 2. An unsuccessful challenge added the final point.

Before Aitmukhan made it to the top of the podium, Kazakhstan had five wrestlers who made it to the final at a senior worlds, but each went down to defeat.

Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) qualified Serbia at 74kg for the Paris Olympics with bronze medal at World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Serbia adds bronze

In the bronze-medal matches in the Olympic weights, Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) gave the host country another ticket to Paris when he rallied to a 6-4 victory over Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) at 74kg for his third career world medal.

Bayramov was on the clock when he scored a takedown with a slick inside trip to lead 2-1. The Azeri side initiated a challenge, hoping to make the takedown a 4-pointer. That was denied, but still left Bayramov ahead on criteria.

But with 20 seconds left, Cabalov scored a single-leg takedown and added a roll to go up 6-2.

That gave him the leeway when he gave up a stepout and a fleeing point in the final seconds, allowing him to add the bronze medal to the silver he won in 2017 and gold in 2016.

The other bronze at 74kg went to Daichi TAKATANI (JPN), whose dramatic victory by fall over Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) allowed him to emulate his older brother Sohsuke as both a world medalist and Olympian.

Takatani found himself in an early 4-point hole before he cut the gap with a takedown at the end of the first period. In the second period, he got in deep on a single, transitioned to a cradle and worked Kougioumtsidis onto his back. He then stepped over and clamped down for the fall at 3:37.

The elder Takatani brother appeared in his third Olympics in Tokyo and won a silver medal -- also at 74kg -- at the 2014 World Championships. The Japan federation has decreed that any wrestler in an Olympic weight class who wins a medal will automatically fill the Olympic berth, meaning Daichi has a confirmed ticket to Paris.

Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) defeated Zavur UGUEV (AIN) in the bronze medal bout at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 57kg, Abakarov came out on top in his bronze-medal clash with Uguev, scoring a takedown and exposure in the final 40 seconds to win 4-4 on criteria.

Uguev, the gold medalist in Tokyo two years ago, looked in control after taking a 4-0 lead with an activity point, a stepout early in the second period, and a takedown while on the activity clock. But Abakarov, who last year became Albania's first-ever world gold medalist, stepped up when it counted and pulled off the victory.

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) captured his third straight world bronze and first at 57kg, which means a second chance for an Olympic medal. Having moved down from 61kg to the Olympic weight, Harutyunyan totally dominated Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) with an 11-0 technical fall.

Two-time world silver medalist Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) won the bronze medal at 79kg. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the non-Olympic weight classes, Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) wasn't able to improve on the silver medals he won the past two years at 79kg, but won't be leaving Belgrade empty-handed after taking bronze with a comprehensive 10-0 rout of Orkhan ABASOV (AZE).

Nokhodi seized the momentum from the opening whistle, scoring a takedown and a pair of gut wrenches for a quick 6-0 lead. He then picked up two snapdown takedowns, the second one ending the match at 2:50.

In a battle of reigning continental champions, Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) earned his second straight bronze at 79kg, scoring a takedown in the first period that proved decisive in a 3-1 victory over Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ).

Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) denied Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) a second straight world bronze medal at 92kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

At 92kg, two-time European champion Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) denied Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) a second straight world bronze in dramatic fashion, scoring the winning takedown with two seconds left for a 5-3 victory.

Akturk was leading 3-1 and squandered a takedown opportunity that kept the door open for Maisuradze, who then tripped Akturk out at the edge with 20 seconds left. The original call of a stepout was revised on a challenge to a takedown, putting the Georgian up 3-3 on criteria.

But Akturk wasn't going to go down easy and immediately secured a single leg, got it up in the air, and then took the action to the mat where he forced Maisuradze's knee down for the winning points.

Zahid VALENCIA (USA) celebrates after beating Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) in the 92kg bronze-medal bout. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Zahid VALENCIA (USA) added the other 92kg bronze to the U.S. tally, overwhelming teenaged Asian champion Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) by a 10-0 technical fall in 1:41.

Valencia led 3-0 after an exposure off a scramble and an unsuccessful challenge, then transitioned from a takedown to a high-thigh lock before reeling off three rolls to finish the match.

Zavur UGUEV (AIN) returned to win a Paris Olympic quota as an Individual Neutral Athlete. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Uguev, Kougioumtsidis prevail in playoffs

Uguev returned to the mat later in the fifth-place playoff for the Paris Olympic quota at 57kg and rode an early takedown to a 4-0 victory over Kartbay.

For now, Uguev has secured the Olympic spot as an Individual Neutral Athlete, but it hinges on a final determination by the International Olympic Committee on the eligibility of Russian and Belarussian athletes in Paris.

Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) clinched a Paris Olympic quota after he won in the playoff as Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) was cautioned out. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Kougioumtsidis gained the 74kg quota for Greece, coming back from an 8-point deficit to defeat Bayramov, officially by disqualification after a third caution. Kougioumtsidis kept chipping away at the lead as a fatigued Bayramova drew two cautions for fleeing.

But Bayramov, who had a 4-point throw in the first period, looked like he might still hang on when Kougioumtsidis scored a step out at the buzzer to tie the score 8-8. But the Greeks launched a challenge that Bayramov had grabbed Kougioumtsidis' singlet, and that was upheld, resulting in the disqualification.

Day 3 Results

Freestyle

57kg (33 entries)
GOLD: Stevan MICIC (SRB) df. Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), 7-4

BRONZE: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 3:59
BRONZE: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) df. Zavur UGUEV (AIN), 4-4

5th-Place Playoff: Zavur UGUEV (AIN) df. Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ), 4-0

65kg (45 entries)
GOLD: Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) vs. Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)

Semifinal: Iszmail MUSUKAEV (HUN) df. Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI), 6-5
Semifinal: Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) df. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), 10-9

74kg (45 entries)
GOLD: Zaurbek SIDAKOV (AIN) df. Kyle DAKE (USA), 10-7

BRONZE: Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) df. Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE), 6-4
BRONZE: Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) df. Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) by Fall, 3:37 (6-4)

5th-Place Playoff: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) by Disq.,
6:00 (8-8)

79kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Akhmed USMANOV (AIN) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 5-1

BRONZE: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) df. Orkhan ABASOV (AZE) by TF, 10-0, 2:50
BRONZE: Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 3-1

92kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 5-2
BRONZE: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 5-3
BRONZE: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) df. Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) by TF, 11-0, 1:41

97kg (35 entries)
GOLD: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) vs. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN)

Semifinal: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 6-1
Semifinal: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) df. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) by Inj. Def., 4:57 (9-2)

Women's Wrestling

55kg (19 entries)
GOLD: Haruna OKUNO (JPN) vs. Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)

Semifinal: Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 6-0
Semifinal: Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) df. Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) by TF, 10-0, 4:02

59kg (22 entries)
GOLD: Qi ZHANG (CHN) vs. Yuliia TKACH (UKR)

Semifinal: Qi ZHANG (CHN) df. Jennifer PAGE (USA), 5-1
Semifinal: Yuliia TKACH (UKR) df. Elena BRUGGER (GER) by Fall, 1:14 (2-0)

Matteo Pellicone freestyle preview

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Sidakov wins World Championships showdown with Dake; Micic, Aitmukhan claim historic golds