#WrestleRome

Matteo Pellicone Preview

Sunday, January 12, 2020 - 23:49 By Eric Olanowski

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ROME, Italy (January 10) --- The first stop on the road to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games travels through Rome, Italy, for the first of two Ranking Series events, the Matteo Pellicone. The four-day tournament kicks off January 15-18 in Ostia, a port city of ancient Rome, located 30km away from the city center.

The stacked entry list includes seven reigning world champions, all three 2019 Wrestlers of the Year and over 30 world medal holders from the 2019 World Championships.

Freestyle boasts nine world medalists, one of which is a two-time world champion. Greco-Roman features four podium finishers from Nur-Sultan, and women's wrestling rounds out the tournament with an astonishing six reigning world champs and 18 medalists from Kazakhstan.

World Champions That Are Registered:
FS 74kg - Kyle Douglas DAKE (USA) – two-time world champion at 79kg
WW 57kg - Linda MORAIS (CAN) – world champion at 59kg
WW 62kg - Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) – world champion at 65kg 
WW 62kg - Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
WW 69kg - Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA)
WW 76kg - Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) – world champion at 72kg 
WW 76kg - Adeline Maria GRAY (USA)

Trio of Wrestlers of the Year Entered
The trio of United World Wrestling's 2019 Wrestlers of the Year Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) and Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) will all be in action at the Matteo Pellicone. 

 Frank Chamizo, the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year and two-time world champion, is searching for his third Ranking Series title since 2018. He competed in three Ranking Series events last season and captured gold at the City of Sassari Tournament in front of a friendly Italian crowd. He also finished with a silver medal at the Yasar Dogu and a bronze at the Dan Kolov before dropping his world finals match to Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS).

Viktor Lorincz, Greco-Roman's Wrestler of the Year, is making his sixth Ranking Series appearance of his storied career. Through his five previous showings, the 2019 world runner-up has tallied a perfect 19-0 record while reaching the top of the podium in each outing.

Tamyra Mensah-Stock, the 2019 Women's Wrestler of the Year and reigning 68kg world champion, will scrap in her seventh career Ranking Series event. Last year, she wrestled at three of the four Ranking Series events and claimed gold medals at the City of Sassari Tournament, Dan Kolov and Ivan Yariguin.

Potential Dake and Chamizo Matchup 
Some of the biggest personalities in the sport already reside at 74kg. Well, Kyle DAKE (USA) just added his name to the likes of Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), Frank Chamizo and Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS), among many others.

The weight gained massive depth after Dake announced he's moving down from 79kg, a weight where he's the reigning two-time world champion.

The timing of Dake's move couldn’t have come at a better time for wrestling fans, especially heading into the Matteo Pellicone where there’s a long list of renowned wrestlers entered, including Italy's own Frank Chamizo.

Dake and Chamizo is a must-see potential matchup that wrestling fans can't miss. Although Dake is fairly defensive at times, he is one of the best offensive wrestlers on earth when it comes to unconventional positions. Coupling that with Chamizo being one of the toughest wrestlers to score on because of his unorthodox defensive style of wrestling; it’s a match that could light up the scoreboard.

In addition to the above-mentioned pair of two-time world champions, 74kg will also feature Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), James GREEN (USA) and Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI). Demirtas is a Rio bronze medalist, Green is a two-time world medalist, and Emamichoghaei is a reigning world bronze medalist, though that was down at 70kg.

Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) begins his quest to the Tokyo Olympic Games at the 2020 Matteo Pellicone where he's entered at 65kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Indian Stars Making the Trip to Rome 
Reigning world medalists Kumar RAVI, Bajrang BAJRANG, and Deepak PUNIA will lead a loaded freestyle squad into the Matteo Pellicone.

Ravi qualified India for the 2020 Olympic Games at 57kg with a bronze-medal finish in Nur-Sultan and quite possibly has the toughest road to gold in Rome. Ravi's road could weave through a trio of seasoned American wrestlers with past senior or age-group world medals and a 2020 Olympian.

The United States is sending Joseph COLON (USA), Daton FIX (USA) and Thomas GILMAN (USA). 

Colon medaled (bronze) at 61kg in 2018, while Gilman was a 2017 world runner-up in Paris and finished in fifth place in 2018. But it's the youngster Fix who is the leading man at the weight for the Stars and Stripes after downing Gilman for the world championship starting sport. Fix was a junior world champion back in 2017

Serbia's Stevan MICIC will also be competing at 57kg. Micic became his nation's first freestyle Olympian after finishing in fifth place at the 2019 World Championships. 

Bajrang, a 2018 word silver medalist and 2019 world bronze-medal finisher, could see Iran's reigning world bronze medalist Behnam EHSANPOOR on his road to a potential fourth career Ranking Series gold. 

India’s inserted junior world champion Deepak Punia at 86kg. The 2019 Junior Wrestler of the Year qualified India for the Olympic Games after finishing the 2019 World Championships with a silver medal.

Punia's toughest competition at the weight will be 2018 world silver medalist Fatih ERDIN (TUR) and 2020 Olympian Myles AMINE (SMR).

U23 world champion Bo NICKAL (USA) will be bumping up from 92kg to 97kg with hopes of making USA's Olympic team. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

U23 World Champion Nickal Moving up to Challenge Snyder at 97kg 
Three months after bulldozing his way to a U23 world title at 92kg, Bo NICKAL (USA) is bumping up to the Olympic weight of 97kg with hopes of dethroning two-time world and Rio Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) for the starting spot. Snyder, known by American fans as "Captain America," qualified the weight for the 2020 Olympic Games with a bronze-medal finish in Nur-Sultan. He's been America's starter since 2015 when he became the youngest American to win a world title.

Six of Ten Women's Wrestling World Champs Set to Scrap in Rome
Over a handful of women's world champions from Nur-Sultan will be in action in Rome – six to be exact – but of those six reigning champs, there's a trio of women moving from non-Olympic weights to Olympic weight in preparation for a run at Olympic gold. 

The six Nur-Sultan winners are: Linda MORAIS (CAN), Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS), Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA), Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) and Adeline Maria GRAY (USA). But Morais, Trazhukova and Vorobeva will all be moving from their non-Olympic winning weights to Olympic weight classes. 

Morais, who won world gold in 2019 at 59kg, is on her way down to already stacked 57kg. In early December, Morais defeated Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) in two straight matches at the Canada Wrestling Trials and will be Canada’s starter for the 2020 season.

The addition of Morais bolsters a weight class that now features three-time world and Olympic champion Risako KAWAI (JPN) and RONG Ningning (CHN), who fell short of defending her 2018 world title in this year's gold-medal bout. Although Kawai won't be in action in Rome, Rong will be.

Another star who competed at 59kg in Kazakhstan, Pooja DHANDA (IND), will also be making her descent down to 57kg. Dhanda was a bronze medalist at 57kg back in 2018 but moved up to 59kg in 2019, where she finished in fifth place at the World Championships. 

Also in the field at 57kg are past world medalists Emese BARKA (HUN), Iryna CHYKHRADZE KHARIV (UKR) and Allison RAGAN (USA).

Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) is the second world champion that's switching weights. She was the 65kg world champion but has decided that moving down to 62kg gives her the best shot at making Russia’s Olympic team. But Trazhukova won't have to wait long to see how she stacks up against the world's best at the weight as Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) is set to make an appearance at the first Ranking Series event of the year. Tynybekova, the reigning 62kg world champion, was named a United World Wrestling History Maker after becoming the first wrestler from Kyrgyzstan to win a senior-level world title. 

Marianna SASTIN (HUN) and Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR), who both have world gold on their resumes, will also compete at 62kg.  Sastin, a four-time world medalist, won her world gold in 2013, while Tkach Ostapchuk, who is also a four-time world medalist, won her world title in 2014. 


 

Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) is the third and final reigning world champion leaping from a non-Olympic weight class to an Olympic weight. The 2019 Comeback Wrestler of the Year is moving from 72kg up to 76kg. 

Vorobeva joins fellow Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) on the entry list at 76kg. 

But it isn't either of the Olympic champions who are the favorite coming into Rome. The clear favorite to win the weight is Adeline GRAY (USA), who made United States history by winning her unprecedented fifth world title at the Nur-Sultan World Championships late last year.

Past, Present and Future Greco-Roman Stars Set to Compete at Matteo Pellicone
Although Greco-Roman lacks the presence of a reigning world champion in the entries, there isn't a shortage of current and future stars that'll be looking to make some noise in Rome.

World runner-ups Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) and Viktor Lorincz will wrestle at 72kg and 87kg, respectively. 

Meanwhile, rising stars Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY), Kerem KAMAL (TUR) and Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) are looking to make some noise on the senior-level after climbing to the summit of world ranks at the age-group World Championships in 2019.

Meanwhile, rising stars Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY), Kerem KAMAL (TUR) and Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) are looking to make some noise on the senior-level after climbing to the summit of world ranks at the age-group World Championships in 2019.

El Sayed, who is wrestling at 67kg, has been extremely active since qualifying Egypt for the 2020 Olympic Games at arguably the toughest weight class in Nur-Sultan, 67kg. Shortly after the 21-year-old finished in fifth place at the 2019 World Championships, he won gold at the World Military Games then tacked on a second U23 world title to his resume. 

Kerem Kamal, who was named United World Wrestling's Junior Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year after winning his third consecutive junior world title, is entered at 60kg. The young Turkish spark plug is no stranger to the senior level. Last year, he won the Grand Prix of Zagreb, which was a Ranking Series event. He finished with a bronze medal at the European Championships before representing Turkey at the World Championships in Kazakhstan.

Kamal's most significant competition at 60kg will be China's Sailike WALIHAN, who was a world bronze medalist in 2018. 

U23 world champion Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) highlights the entries at 97kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan) 

Semen Novikov, a 2019 U23 world champion, rounds out the Greco-Roman rising stars that are on the entry list. He'll be accompanied at 97kg by three-time 2019 Ranking Series medalist Tracy Gangelo HANCOCK (USA). Last season, Hancock won the Grand Prix of Hungary, took second place at the City of Sassari Tournament and third place at the Grand Prix of Zagreb. At the World Championships, Hanock fell to France's 2014 world champion Mélonin NOUMONVI, who is also plugged in at 97kg. 

The Matteo Pellicone begins on January 15-18 and can be followed at www.unitedworldwrestling.org or flowrestling.org. 

SCHEDULE 
Wednesday (January 15)
08:00 - Medical Examination, Weigh-in & Draw GR55-60-63-67-87-97-130kg 
10:30 - Qualification rounds & repechage GR – 55-60-63-67-87-97-130kg 
17:00 - Opening Ceremony 
18:00 - Finals GR – 55-60-63-67-87-97-130kg / Award ceremonies

Thursday (January 16)
08.00 -  Medical Examination, Weigh-in and Draw GR – 72-77-82kg & WW – 57-62-68-76kg
10.30 - Qualification rounds & repechage GR – 72-77-82kg & WW – 57-62-68-76kg 
18:00 -  Finals GR – 72-77-82kg & WW – 57-62-68-76kg  / Award ceremonies 

Friday (January 17)
08:00 - Medical Examination, Weigh-in and Draw WW – 50-53-55-59-65-72kg & FS – 97-125kg 
10:30 - Qualification rounds & repechage WW – 50-53-55-59-65-72kg & FS – 97-125kg 
18:00 - Finals WW – 50-53-55-59-65-72kg & FS – 97-125kg / Award ceremonies 

Saturday (January 18)
08:00 - Medical Examination, Weigh-in and Draw FS – 57-61-65-70-74-79-86-92kg 
10:30 - Qualification rounds & repechage FS – 57-61-65-70-74-79-86-92kg 
18:00 - Finals FS – 57-61-65-70-74-79-86-92kg / Award ceremonies

#WrestleNoviSad

Yakushenko levels up with first U23 World Championships gold

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 - 15:49 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 22) -- Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) has lost only one bout in 2025 but that one loss remains tied to him when he steps on the mat.

At the U20 European Championships final, Yakushenko lost to Darius KIEFER (GER), 5-3, losing his gold medal to the German wrestler. But using that loss as a lesson and motivation, Yakushenko has now won two world titles in the space of two months.

The 19-year-old won gold at the U20 World Championships in August and on Wednesday at the U23 World Championships in Novi Sad, Yakushenko won his first U23 world title.

"If I hadn’t lost at the Europeans, I wouldn’t have won at Worlds," Yakushenko said. "Sometimes a loss can be for the better. It motivated me and helped me mentally."

Yakushenko, who avenged that loss to Kiefer at U20 Worlds, wrestled with great temperament at the U23 Worlds despite carrying an injury after his first bout. In four matches, he began with a win over Luka GABISONIA (GEO), held off Abubakar KHASLAKHANU (UWW) and defeated Richard KARELSON (EST) in the semifinals.

Facing senior Asia silver medalist Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) in the final, Yakushenko used a stepout and turn from par terre to lead 4-0. Matsiyev was docked two points for a defensive foul as Yakushenko extended his lead to 6-0.

When Matsiyev got the par terre position in the second period, Yakushenko easily defended it and managed to win the final 6-1, thus claiming gold.

"I’m euphoric right now," he said. "I feel that it really wasn’t that easy. I guess I just worked hard and prepared well, went through good training. My shoulder hurts a little. But I think it’s actually from the rib."

Yakushenko was in Porec, Croatia at the preparatory camp for senior World Championships. Though he did not participate in the tournament, Yakushenko was part of the Ukraine team and watched the matches in Zagreb.

"We had a camp in Croatia, where many countries were present," he said. "I watched, got motivated, I was overwhelmed with emotions. My weight category is very strong, but I think everything is within my reach."

The two-time U20 world champion believes that needs to build more strength to be ready for the senior level but will not shy from a chance to earn his spot on the senior Ukrainian team next year.

"I still need to build more physical strength," he said. "But technically, I don’t think I have problems, and my endurance is good too. 

"There should be the Ukrainian Cup in November, I’m not sure yet. It’s the qualification event for the European Championships. Maybe I’ll compete there, give our senior team a bit of a shake-up. I don’t know yet, I’ll depend on what my coach says. Whatever he decides, I’ll do."

Iran closer to cleansweep

Iran won its third gold medal in Greco at the U23 World Championships and has now all-but-confirmed the team trophy. With the team title in Novi Sad, Iran will assert its domination in Greco as it won team titles in all World Championships -- U17 in Athens, U20 in Samokov and senior in Zagreb -- to go with the one in Novi Sad, Serbia.

It consolidated its position on the top when former U23 world champion at 63kg, Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) won gold at 72kg on Wednesday. Mohammadi defeated Abror ATABAEV (UZB), 5-1, in the final.

Mohammadi was awarded the par terre in he first period and he hit a front headlock which was scored two and one more point was awarded for a stepout. But Iran challenged, claiming four points on the throw, which was confirmed on review but the stepout point was removed as it was a push.

After the challenge, Mohammadi led 5-0 and when Atabaev was given par terre in the second period, Mohammadi defended that position with ease and went on to win the gold medal.

Azerbaijan won its second gold medal in Greco-Roman after Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) held off Alibek AMIROV (UWW), 3-2, in the 55kg final. With the win, he also avenged his U23 European Championships semifinals loss to Amirov.

Egypt got its first world title at any level since 2023 and first at U23 in six years after Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY) blanked Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO), 3-0, in the 67kg. Incidentally, Egypt's other two U23 world titles, both won by Mohamed EL SAYED (EGY) in 2018 and 2019, have come at 67kg.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) completes a five-pointer. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Gutu in third straight final

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) is a win away from becoming the first three-time U23 world champion after he reached the 82kg final in Novi Sad.

Gutu, wrestling at the U23 Worlds for the fifth time, reached the his fourth straight final after beating Ibrahim TABAEV (BEL) in the semifinals. Gutu won gold medals in 2023 and 2024 and has a silver medal from 2022.

He began with a takedown before adding a stepout for a 3-0 lead. The par terre gave him one more point and he threw Tabaev out-of-bounds for one more point and lead 5-0. The second period saw him add one stepout as he won the semifinal 6-0.

For his third straight gold medal, Gutu will face Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR) who defeated Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO), 1-1, in the other semifinal, thanks to the first-point criteria in a 1-1 finish.

Koto GOMI (JPN)Koto GOMI (JPN) celebrates after winning the 60kg semifinal against Maxwell BLACK (USA). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 60kg, Koto GOMI (JPN) will try to the six-year gold medal drought for Japan after he reached the 60kg final on Wednesday after a dominant performance. He faced Maxwell BLACK (USA) in the semifinals and like his previous bouts, he began by scoring as soon as the match began.

An arm-drag to takedown gave him a 2-0 lead before he got the par terre position and scored three rolls using high gut-wrench and win 9-0.

He will face Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI) for gold after he made a remarkable comeback in the final 20 seconds. Down 3-1 against Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB), Abbaspour scored a stepout which was also called fleeing with 13 seconds left. However, Bakhramov still held the criteria at 3-3 as he had a two-point move.

But Abbaspour did not give up and scored another stepout with five seconds left, giving him a match-winning 4-3 lead. Uzbekistan challenged it but only to lose it and add one more point to Abbaspour's score.

The 5-3 defeat left the teenager Bakhramov in tears while the Iran corner celebrated the unexpected win in the semifinals.

U.S. perfect

Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) will get another chance of winning her first-ever world title after she reached the 50kg finals after posting a controlled 5-2 win against Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) in the semifinals. Jiminez, who had four age-group world silver medals, scored a takedown and one turn in the second period to overcome a 2-1 deficit and post the win.

She will face Jinyue LIANG (CHN) for that much-awaited gold after Liang saw off Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) in the other semifinal. Liang scored a takedown in the second period to lead 2-1 and then got in scramble which that scored two points each. She then hit a headlock for four to make the score 8-3, her winning score in the final.

Former U20 world champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) reached the final at 72kg with her third technical superiority win in three bouts. She defeated former U17 world champion Veronika VILK (CRO), 10-0, in the semifinals using her trademark double blasts.

Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) will look to stop Robinson from winning her first U23 world title after she reached the final at 72kg after beating Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN), 6-3.

Returning champion at 72kg, Kylie WELKER (USA), who moved up to 76kg, reached the final after a 16-6 technical superiority win over Edna JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX).

Welker began with a four-pointer before two turns made it 8-0. But Villalba also hit a four-pointer to cut the lead to 8-4. She then had Welker in danger to make it 8-6 bit a reversal and three lace turns tilted the semifinal 15-6 in favor to Welker, who scored a stepout in the second period for the win.

She will take on returning bronze medalist Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) who posted a 4-1 win over Elmira YASIN (TUR) in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) df. Alibek AMIROV (UWW), 3-2

BRONZE: Khojiakbar KUCHKAROV (UZB) df. Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI), 8-0
BRONZE: Vishvajit MORE (IND) df. Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ), 5-4

67kg
GOLD: Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY) df. Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO), 3-0

BRONZE: Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) df. Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW), 7-1
BRONZE: Otto BLACK (USA) df. Attila JOZSA (HUN), via inj. def.

72kg
GOLD: Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Abror ATABAEV (UZB), 5-1

BRONZE: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM), 3-1
BRONZE: Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ) df. Danil GRIGOREV (UWW), 10-0

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ), 6-1

BRONZE: Richard KARELSON (EST) df. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (UWW), 7-7
BRONZE: Maksim AVERIN (UWW) df. Arshak GEGHAMYAN (ARM), 1-1

Greco-Roman Semifinals

60kg
GOLD: Koto GOMI (JPN) vs. Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI)

SF 1: Koto GOMI (JPN) df. Maxwell BLACK (USA), 9-0
SF 2: Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI) df. Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 5-3

82kg
GOLD: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) vs. Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR)

SF 1: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Ibrahim TABAEV (BEL), 6-0
SF 2: Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR) df. Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO), 1-1

Women's Wrestling Semifinals

50kg
GOLD: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) vs. Jinyue LIANG (CHN)

SF 1: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) df. Aida KERYMOVA (UKR), 5-2
SF 2: Jinyue LIANG (CHN) df. Natalia PUDOVA (UWW), 8-3

72kg
GOLD: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) vs. Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ)

SF 1: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) df. Veronika VILK (CRO), 10-0 
SF 2: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) df. Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN), 6-3

76kg
GOLD: Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) vs. Kylie WELKER (USA)

SF 1: Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) df. Elmira YASIN (TUR), 4-1
SF 2: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Edna JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX), 16-6