#JapanWrestling

Olympic champ Higuchi on fact-finding mission to get grasp on American folkstyle

Thursday, March 6, 2025 - 11:32 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (March 6) -- The conventional wisdom is that domestic folkstyle hampers American wrestlers trying to make the transition to the international stage. Paris Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), however, finds the opposite to be true, saying his toughest matches have come against opponents with such a background.

And the Japanese star has been on a fact-finding mission to find out why. Higuchi has been spending the winter learning American folkstyle while training at Lehigh University in the eastern U.S. in an attempt to find out what makes that version of the sport tick, and how he might be able to integrate its techniques into his own reportoire.

"When I face opponents who had done American style, I always have a hard time," Higuchi said in an interview last year prior to departing on his journey.

Higuchi, the freestyle 57kg gold medalist in Paris, cites the difficulty he had in the final with Spencer LEE (USA), the American sparkplug whom he defeated 4-2 with a late takedown off a scramble -- the aspect of the sport that Higuchi notes Americans are particularly adept at.

"It was the same with Seth GROSS [USA]," he added, referring to his opponent in a wild 15-7 semifinal victory en route to the 61kg world title in 2022. "It's a different culture, isn't it? The difference in styles, what makes them strong, that's something I haven't yet figured out. By not knowing, I feel I still have room for growth and that's exciting."

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) wrestling at the Lehigh University. (Photo: Courtesy of Lehigh University)

The biggest difference between American folkstyle and the freestyle used around the globe is the emphasis on control in the former. Takedowns are generally the same, but what comes after that is how the two styles greatly differ.

In a loose equivalent of par terre, there is no returning the wrestlers to their feet after an allotted time for gaining exposure points, and the bottom wrestler is obligated to be on the move and try to escape or reverse. And there are no points for just exposing the back; the opponent must be held down on the mat for a certain count for points to be given.

"In college style, on the ground, they don't use the body lock, so their forearms are incredibly strong," Higuchi noted. "Maybe it was just Spencer Lee, but I feel like I have to train harder to get that strength in my forearms.

"Instead of a body lock, I think I can raise my level by learning how to maintain control [on top], how to get takedowns and how to use my body. I want to practice a lot."

Regarding his first impression of the differences, Higuchi said in a message earlier this winter, "I feel that in folkstyle, there are a lot of scramble situations. In freestyle, you wrestle trying to keep your legs from getting touched. But these guys don't seem to care if someone gets in on a tackle.

"From the time the leg is touched, they are thinking about how to get control of the opponent. In that way, the American wrestlers are far superior in scrambles then those from other countries."

Lehigh UniversityLehigh University wrestling training room.

Lehigh comes calling

While it was Higuchi who would go off in search of enlightenment, it was actually Lehigh that came to him and proferred an invitation to practice with the team in the middle of the U.S. collegiate wrestling season.

The 29-year-old Higuchi, who defeated Lehigh alumnus Darian CRUZ (PUR) in the quarterfinals in Paris, said he was approached in September after the Olympics. He needed little persuasion.

"For them to think so highly of me, I was really happy," said Higuchi, who was allowed to bring his wife and baby daughter. "I want to help them produce NCAA champions."

The final arrangements were made by Sanshiro ABE (JPN), a former NCAA champ at Penn State currently living in Pennsylvania where Lehigh is located, via Shingo MATSUMOTO (JPN), the head coach at Nippon Sports Science University, Higuchi's alma mater where he continues to train.

From the start, Lehigh coach Pat SANTORO (USA), along with Kerry MCCOY (USA), the head coach of the Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club, were on board with Higuchi's coming.

"When Kerry McCoy and I were approached we were obviously very excited," Santoro said in an interview by email. "Kerry spent some time in Japan last year with Darian Cruz and learned so much. I have been a huge fan of Rei's for many years, so it was an easy decision."

Lehigh's timing was just right, because soon after other teams came calling for Higuchi. But he said he had already made a commitment and would stick to it.

"Actually, from [Tadaaki] HATTA I heard that Oklahoma [State] definitely wanted me to come," Higuchi said. "But I had already decided to accept Lehigh's offer, so I thought maybe I could go after that had finished. Oklahoma [State], Penn State, Iowa. Well, Iowa, I'm not sure, with the connection with Spencer Lee," he said with a grin.

Lehigh, which has a traditionally strong wrestling program, is an academically select private university with an enrollment of 5,800 located in the town of Bethlehem, about 90 kilometers north of Philadelphia and 130 kilometers west of New York City.

Higuchi is one of a number of top Japanese who have taken "sabbaticals" at U.S. universities this winter, after the country's wrestlers suddenly became hot commodities when they came away from Paris with a stunning haul of eight gold medals, a silver and two bronzes.

Reigning world 61kg champion Masanosuke ONO has been training at No. 1-ranked Penn State, while Paris 74kg silver medalist Daichi TAKATANI and Tokyo Olympic 65kg champion Takuto OTOGURO mixed it up at Ohio State.

But unlike Higuchi, the others went for exposure to American training methods, not to learn folkstyle. "I think it can be applied to freestyle," Higuchi said. "When we tied up, Seth was really strong in that position. His ability to be in control is higher than in freestyle now. I want to be able to do that part of it."

Higuchi said he knew going into the venture that, while his aim was to learn the American style, his hosts were not going to let the opportunity to pick the brain of an Olympic champion go to waste. As such, it natually evolved into a mutually beneficial arrangement for both sides, one in which Higuchi has already participated in a clinic for local wrestlers.

"I want to share the techniques I have with the Lehigh students, and conversely, I want to learn and absorb much from the Lehigh students that I can take back with me," Higuchi said. "I want it to be a fruitful three months."

Said coach Santoro: "Our staff and team ask a lot of questions about his training, learning new techniques and his mindset.

"I believe that freestyle and folkstyle are very similar and making a few minor adjustments will allow you to adapt to each style. At the end of the day, wrestling is wrestling and fundamentals are what wins at the highest level."

Higuchi said one thing he has he noticed is that American training sessions feature more live wrestling, while Japan's lean toward a more drill-oriented approach. "It's not a matter of which way is better, but the difference in culture seems to come out in the wrestling styles."

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) with wife Yuki and daughter Nagi at the airport before flying to the United States. (Photo: Rei Higuchi / X)

Longest stay abroad

Aside from international tournaments and overseas training camps, it marks the longest time Higuchi has spent overseas. "The longest up to now has been about three weeks," he said.

"I've been on extended practice tours to Russia, Mongolia and other places. But the max has been three weeks."

Ever since he attended the 2017 NCAA Championships in the midwestern city of St. Louis in 2017 ("They had massive crowds. Everyone eats popcorn as they watch," he recalls), Higuchi has been enamored with the fervor that Americans show for the sport.

He plans to stay through this year's NCAA Championships, to be held in nearby Philadelphia on March 20-22, and might consider a future stay in the States if the opportunity arises.

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Posing with Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and others at the 2017 NCAA Championships in St. Louis. (Photo courtesy of Rei Higuchi)

"I've always wanted to go [to America]," Higuchi said. "But it was dependent on my putting up good results...In the future, I may be a coach in Japan, or perhaps a coach of a wrestler in America. I don't know how many years I will continue as an athlete.

"But I want to find a future work place that values the skills I have acquired, the passion I have for wrestling and my way of thinking."

In Japan, Higuchi has earned a reputation for being professional, polite and, for a Japanese athlete, outgoing in his own way. Coach Santoro said that that description fits the wrestler who has shown up in the wrestling room.

"Rei is extremely polite and friendly, what I noticed right away is how much he really enjoys wrestling," Santoro said. "He works extremely hard, but he often is smiling or laughing after a great scramble.

"His technique is some of the best I've seen in the world, he is fundamentally sound in so many positions. He is also very good at explaining his thought process of positional wrestling and technique."

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Playing the role of the typical tourist at the Statue of Liberty in New York in February. (Photo courtesy of Rei Higuchi)

Higuchi preceded his Lehigh adventure with a short stay at Cornell University, the alma mater of four-time world champion and two-time Olympic bronze medalist Kyle DAKE (USA) in upstate New York.

He arrived at Lehigh in December, but returned to Japan in early January to attend the wedding ceremony of fellow Olympic gold medalist and Nippon Sports Science alumnus Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN). When he returned to Lehigh, he was accompanied by his wife Yuki and daughter Nagi, who turned 1 in February.

The family, which took a sightseeing trip to New York City last month, has been staying at the home of Lehigh junior Ryan CROOKHAM (USA), who finished third at last year's NCAAs at 133lbs (60.3kg). Crookham is a local star from Hellertown, a neighboring town of Bethlehem.

"Our team loves having Rei around, they understand how elite he is and all of his accomplishments," Santoro said. "Seeing how well he prepares and how his mind works is very valuable for our guys. Some of the wrestlers on our team aspire to be World and Olympic champions, too."

Overcoming setbacks

Higuchi's determination enabled him to bounce back stronger from several devastating setbacks and ascend to the apex of the sport, the Olympic gold.

A native of Osaka in central Japan, Higuchi was pushed into the sport at age 3 by his mother, who was concerned he would be bullied because of his small size. His own stubbornness soured him on team sports, but was a good fit for an individual sport like wrestling.

"I was the type who would say, 'We lost because that guy stinks,'" Higuchi said in a 2019 interview with The Japan News. "In that way, wrestling is great. Everything depends on you. If you lose, it's you own fault. I think that is way it suits me."

His first setback came as an elementary school first-grader in 2002, when he lost in the final of that age group at the national championships. It's a loss that left a lifetime impression on him and solidified a distaste for losing that continued throughout his career. He went on to win his age group for the next five years.

He won his first senior national title in 2015 and qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he was dealt his second big disappointment. In the 57kg final, he suffered a heart-breaking and frustrating 3-3 criteria loss to Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) in a match he had led 3-0.

Higuchi's bid to make amends for that loss led to perhaps the most devastating calamity of his career. After an unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at 65kg, he moved back down to 57kg, only to infamously fail to make weight at the Asian Qualifying Tournament. He then lost a playoff for the Japan team spot to Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN).

Getting married -- his wife was a former national high school champion, and they had a long-distance relationship starting as high schoolers -- helped add structure to his life, and enabled him to better manage his nutrition and weight control. From there, there was no stopping him as he stormed to the gold in Paris.

The path ahead

So, what lies ahead for Higuchi? Like the vast majority of Japan's Paris medalists, he has not seen action since the Olympics, spending the time recovering and taking advantage of invitations to take part in TV variety shows and other frivolities.

Higuchi had toyed with the idea of entering the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in June, which will serve as the second of two qualifiers for this year's World Championships, but has indicated he will give that a pass.

His more immediate aim is to make the team to the 2026 Asian Games, a tournament that he has yet to compete in and which Japan will host in the fall of that year. He would likely have to begin the qualifying process for that at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December.

"The next objective is to win a tournament that I haven't won before, which is the Asian Games," Higuchi said. "That's what I'm shooting for."

Beyond that, including defending his Olympic title, remains undecided. "As an athlete, I think I'll want to keep going up to Los Angeles," he said. "I still don't know about that."

#wrestlebishkek, #WrestleParis

Ageless Abdurakhmonov gains ticket to Paris 2024, third Olympics

Friday, April 19, 2024 - 17:09 By Ken Marantz

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 19) -- Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) had to battle the altitude, the home crowd and a determined opponent. The Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist showed his 34-year-old body could still work its wonders.

Abdurakhmonov earned a ticket to his third straight Olympics with a masterful 6-0 victory over home favorite Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) at 74kg as the freestyle quotas for Paris were decided at the Asian Olympic Qualifier on Friday in Bishkek.

"This win is not just mine," said Abdurakhmonov, who has two Asian golds and two world bronze medals from the last decade to his credit. "Wrestling is such a tough sport that it is not just you. You need the whole team, country to push you forward, to do better. I am very blessed to have these fans and friends, teammates, coaches and people at my home. So I am very excited."

Combined with a one-sided victory earlier at 57kg by Tokyo Olympian Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), Uzbekistan was one of six nations that evenly split the 12 available tickets to Paris with two each and now has three Olympic places overall.

The others winning two quotas were Iran, host Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

Iran has now filled five of the six freestyle weight classes with just the World Olympic Qualifier in May remaining.

Bekzod ABDURAKHAMONOV (UZB)Bekzod ABDURAKHAMONOV (UZB) clashes with Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) in the 74kg Paris qualification bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In a clash between the bronze medalists at last October's Asian Games, Abdurakhmonov came out firing from the opening whistle to score a single-leg takedown which, despite lifting Toktomambekov full into the air and slamming him to the mat, was good only for two points. No matter, because Abdurakhmonov secured a high chest lock and easily rolled Toktomambekov for a 4-0 lead.

In the second period, Toktomambetov, who is 11 years Abdurakhmonov's junior, got in on a deep single, but Abdurakhmonov doesn't concede points easily. He initiated a counter scramble that ended with him on top for a takedown.

Despite how it appeared on the mat, the ever-moving Abdurakhmonov said he had trouble with his stamina. "I don't know what it is," he said. "I came here in very good shape but the altitude, the mountains are killing me a little bit. It's hard to wrestle here."

Even so, Abdurakhmonov managed to make both of his previous matches entertaining, as he won his opener against Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) 10-4 after surviving a cradle and near fall situation, then built up a 15-9 lead before securing a late fall over Feng LU (CHN).

In addition to the thin air, Abdurakhmonov also had to contend with facing an opponent wrestling on home soil.

"You have to [step it up]. When it's your hometown, even the walls help you. There was a lot of crowd cheering for him. But thank God I found a way to beat him."

Abdurakhmonov, who attended and competed at Clarion University in the United States and speaks fluent English, finished fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he famously beat Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) 11–1 but lost in the bronze-medal match to Jabrayil HASENOV (AZE). He made amends by taking home a bronze from Tokyo in 2021.

Among the more amazing aspects of Abdurakhmonov's colorful career is that his return to 74kg for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics included stops at weights as high as 86kg.

"I moved around a bit," he said. "I went up to 79kg and I was trying up to 86kg. I went to a couple of tournaments but 86kg guys are monsters. I feel better at 74kg. So I moved back down. We have an 86kg wrestler [Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB)] who is very good and qualified for the Olympics. So it's good we have one more weight qualified."

Yones EMAMI (IRI)Yones EMAMI (IRI) defeated Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) to win the Paris quota at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Iran's Asian Games champion Yones EMAMI (IRI) secured the other spot at 74kg, just as he did in 2021, but this time will be hoping that he gets to use it after cruising to a 10-0 rout of the 2021 Asian champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ).

In a clash between world 70kg medalists in 2019, Emami puts on a takedown clinic with three in the first period, then opens the second period with a stepout. He then scores two more points with a driving takedown, then immediately finishes off the match with a gut wrench at 3:49.

In 2021, Emami won the Asian qualifier in Almaty but was not on the team to Tokyo. He missed a chance to qualify this time at last year's World Championships in Belgrade, where he lost to eventual champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (AIN) before falling to Hetik CABALOV (SRB) in the repechage.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) won Iran's fifth Freestyle quota for the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling.)

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI), a two-time world U23 champion, gave Iran its fifth Paris berth with a 3-0 victory over Asian Games bronze medalist Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) at 97kg, clinching the victory with a takedown in the second period while on the activity clock.

"Today's competition was very difficult because it was the Olympic quota and there was no place for mistakes," Azarpira said. "I could be better than this but I was careful because I wanted the Olympic quota. The selection for the Olympics for Iran was in this competition, so it was highly sensitive."

In his only other match before the qualifier, Azarpira ousted rising Japanese star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), whose father is Iranian and runs the kids club where he got his start in the sport, in a bout that was close until the Iranian pulled away for a 9-1 win.

"I was wrestling Japan [Yoshida] for the first time," Azarpira said. "Yoshida is a very great opponent and it was a hard match. It was my first wrestling, my body hadn’t yet started and I wasn’t in the condition of the competition. But whatever the circumstances were, I had come to win and I was able to win."

Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) scores the winning takedown to secure the Paris 2024 ticket for Kyrgyzstan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the opening match of the night session, two-time world U23 bronze medalist Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) electrified the crowd by pulling a ticket to Paris out of his hat, scoring a counter takedown with 14 seconds left to edge Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) 3-3 on criteria at 57kg.

Each wrestler had received an activity point that gave Almaz Uulu the lead on criteria. In the second period, Batkhuyag fought out of Almaz Uulu's deep double-leg shot to score a takedown with a minute left for a 3-1 lead.

Batkhuyag looked like he might run out the clock when he grabbed a single leg and hung on for dear life, but Almaz Uulu, the winner of this year's Yasar Dogu tournament in Turkey, broke the hold and spun behind for the victory.

Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) hits a fireman carry against AMAN (IND). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Abdullaev's overwhelming victory by fall over AMAN (IND) for the other 57kg berth could not have contrasted more with the preceding match.

Abdullaev, who finished seventh at the Tokyo Olympics, started things off with a low-single takedown, then tripled the lead with a slick 4-point fireman's carry. He then added a pair of 2-point exposures, the second of which gave him a 10-0 lead and would have ended the match had he not secured the fall at 2:17.

Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) celebrates after winning the 65kg Paris quota for Kyrgyzstan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Former world 70kg silver medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), who is back at 65kg after three years, put together a controlled 5-3 win over Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) to win the Olympic qualifier for the second time in a row.

"Words can’t describe my emotions," Akmataliev said. "You saw the support I had. The stands were full of our fans, my friends and relatives and I had to win. Our main goal is not just the quota, but the Olympic gold."

Trailing 2-1 at the break, Akmataliev got a pair of stepouts in the second period, with the second coming with Kim on the activity clock. The two then exchanged stepouts and Akmataliev held on for the victory.

Akmataliev recorded an amazing comeback in the previous round when he overcame a six-point deficit in the second period in a 12-6 win over Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL). Now he will look to do better in Paris than he did in Tokyo, where he lost in the first round to Bajrang PUNIA (IND).

"This will be my second Olympics," he said. "In the first one, I lost to an experienced wrestler. This time we will take into account all of the mistakes and not repeat them and bring back an Olympic medal."

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) qualified the 65kg weight class for Japan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) picked up the other 65kg berth -- and the chance to keep the Olympic gold in Japanese hands -- with a comprehensive 11-0 victory over Shaohua YUAN (CHN).

Kiyooka used a low single to maximum effect to score two takedowns in the first period which, combined with an activity point, gave him a 5-0 lead. In the second, he landed a double-leg takedown, applied the lace lock and rolled twice to end the match in 4:29.

"I'm happy to clinch [the quota], but looking at my performance overall, it's filled with issues that need to be worked on," Kiyooka said. "My goal is the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. It's good that the issues came to light, but I can't give my performance full marks. I think it was about a 50 [out of 100]."

Kiyooka, who earned the right to represent Japan in Bishkek by knocking off Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), had his toughest test in the first round when he held on for a 10-7 win over Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK).

Kiyooka is a recent graduate of Nippon Sports Science University, where among his training partners is 2016 Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), who will be among the medal favorites in Paris at 57kg. He said that helped him against Yuan, who assumes a left-foot-forward stance.

"He uses a left-handed stance, well, my teammate Rei Higuchi also does that -- and honestly speaking, Higuchi is the best -- so it was no problem," Kiyooka said.

The 23-year-old Kiyooka, whose victory came six days after younger sister Moe won the women's 55kg gold at the Asian Championships in the same venue, came into the tournament with little international experience. He won the Kolov-Petrov tournament in Bulgaria in 2023, then finished ninth that year at the World U23.

"I've become more mentally strong," Kiyooka said. "The World U23 last year was a good experience for me. Today I watched videos of past matches and I was able to stay composed when I gave up points."

Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN), left, and Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) secured the Paris quota at 86kg for Japan and Mongolia respectively. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Japan's other win came at 86kg, where 2023 Asian bronze medalist Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) spent all of 33 seconds on the mat the entire day booking his ticket to Paris.

That was all the time it took Ishiguro to score a takedown on Gwanuk KIM (KOR), then reel off four quick gut wrenches for a 10-0 win. Ishiguro did not have to wrestle in the afternoon session as he received a victory by default in his lone match.

Sources said that Deepak PUNIA (IND) was unable to wrestle because he was late to the weigh-in after his flight from Dubai was delayed. He was stuck in Dubai for two days because of flooding.

"In the first match, you're usually pretty tight," said Ishiguro, the 2018 world junior (U20) champion at 79kg and 2019 world U23 bronze medalist who is a product of the same Tokyo kids wrestling club that produced Otoguro. "So there was a bit of anxiety. But everyone around me encouraged me, and that lifted my mood."

Mongolia secured the other Paris ticket at 86kg, when Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) defeated Tokyo Olympian Zushen LIN (CHN) 1-1 on criteria, with both points scored on the activity clock in a dull match.

Three-time Asian medalist Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) earned a place for Kazakhstan in Paris and a possible second Olympics for himself at 97kg by edging Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) 3-2 at 97kg.

Yergali scored an activity point and stepout to take a 2-0 lead into the break. In the second period, Habila was on the clock again when he got in on a single-leg, but time ran out before the Chinese could finish the takedown, leaving Yergali ahead 3-2. It was a similar outcome to Yergali's 2-1 win over Habila in the first round at last year's World Championships.

Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) defeated Zhiwei DENG (CHN) to win the 125kg quota for Mongolia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Two-time world medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) made China 0-for-4 on the night when earned a ticket to a second straight Olympics at 125kg, while denying Zhiwei DENG (CHN) what would be his third trip by scoring an activity point in each period for a 2-0 win.

The match was a clash between the losers of the bronze-medal matches at the Tokyo Olympics and a rematch of Deng's 2-1 win in the first round at last year's World Championships.

"The match was hard," Munktur said. "At the World Championships, Deng beat me, but today I won so I am happy about it. I am going for the gold in Paris. Everything is possible. Why not?"

Tokyo Olympian Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) capped the night with a second-period scoring spree to defeat Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) 7-3 in the other 125kg match.

Batirmurzaev, the 2021 Asian champion who finished third last year, received an activity point in the first period. In the second, he scored back-to-back 2-point counter lifts from a front body lock, then added a gut wrench for a 7-0 lead.

Sharipov, one of a handful of wrestlers who also competed at last week's Asian Championships -- where he won a bronze -- came back with a takedown and stepout, but it was too little, too late.

 

df

Paris 2024 Qualification Matches

57kg
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) 3-3
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. AMAN (IND) by Fall, 2:17 (10-0)

65kg
Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Shaohua YUAN (CHN) by TF, 11-0, 4:29
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Kwang Jin KIM (PRK), 5-3

74kg
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 6-0
Yones EMAMI (IRI) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) by TF, 11-0, 3:49

86kg
Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) df. Gwanuk KIM (KOR) by TF, 10-0, :33
Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) df. Zushen LIN (CHN), 1-1

97kg
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) df. Awusayiman HABILA (CHN), 3-2
Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), 3-0

125kg
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Zhiwei DENG (CHN), 2-0
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), 7-3