#WrestleOttawa

Pan-American OG Qualifier Entries

By Eric Olanowski

OTTAWA, Canada --- The Pan-American OG Qualifiers kick off March 13-15 in Ottawa, Canada, and feature 158 wrestlers from 18 different nations. The top-two finishers in each respective weight class lock up their nation's spot for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Freestyle
57kg

Bryan Lucas DE OLIVEIRA PEREIRA (BRA)
Ligrit SADIKU (CAN)
Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL)
Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB)
Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM)
Edwin Alexi SEGURA GUERRA (GUA)
Roberto ALEJANDRO BLANCO (MEX)
Thomas Patrick GILMAN (USA)
Pedro Jesus MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

65kg
Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG)
David Washington DOS SANTOS MOREIRA (BRA)
Dillon Emmanuel WILLIAMS (CAN)
Wber Euclides CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB)
Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM)
Mauricio Javier SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU)
Brandon Disair DIAZ RAMIREZ (MEX)
Sixto Miguel AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER)
Jose Javier RODRIGUEZ COLON (PUR)
Zain Allen RETHERFORD (USA)
Wilfredo Aogusto RODRIGUEZ BOCANEY (VEN)

74kg
Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG)
Ranico  Ikkesh HOWARD (BAR)
Marcus Vinicius CALASANS CAMARGO (BRA)
Jasmit Singh PHULKA (CAN)
Leon Juan Carlos PERALTA LANAS (CHI)
Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL)
Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB)
Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM)
Victor Eduardo HERNANDEZ LUNA (MEX)
Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR)
Anthony Jose MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)

David TAYLOR III (USA), a 2018 world champion, is returning to the mat for the first time in nearly a year after undergoing knee surgery. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

86kg
Ricardo Adrian BAEZ (ARG)
Reuben Leroy WILTSHIRE (BAR)
Clayton Steven PYE (CAN)
Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB)
Gino Tanislado AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Angus Patrick ARTHUR (JAM)
Noel Alfonso TORRES CHACON (MEX)
Pool Edinson AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER)
Ethan Adrian RAMOS (PUR)
David Morris TAYLOR III (USA)
Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN)

97kg
Jordan STEEN (CAN)
Maxwell Lemar LACEY GARITA (CRC)
Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB)
Luis Miguel PEREZ SOSA (DOM)
Miguel Javier SANCHEZ GERALDO (MEX)
Evan Amadour RAMOS (PUR)
Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)

125kg
Amarveer DHESI (CAN)
Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB)
Eduardo Maximiliano GARCIA BETANZOS (MEX)
Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR)
Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)
Luis Felipe VIVENES URBANEJA (VEN)

Last year's Pan-American chapmion Luis Eduardo AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN) is on a quest to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time in his career. He'll wrestle at 87kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Greco-Roman
60kg

Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
Adam Takahashi MACFADYEN (CAN)
Dicther Hans TORO CASTANEDA (COL)
Luis Alberto ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB)
Jancel Miguel PIMENTEL GONZALEZ (DOM)
Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Emerson Isaias FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA)
Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX)
Joshua Xavier MEDINA (PUR)
Ildar HAFIZOV (USA)
Gustavo Jesus RODRIGUEZ MARTINEZ (VEN)

67kg
Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA)
Daniel Troy COLES (CAN)
Cristobal Alonso TORRES NUNEZ (CHI)
Julian Stiven HORTA ACEVEDO (COL)
Enyer Manuel FELICIANO (DOM)
Cristhian Alberto RIVAS CASTRO (ECU)
Manuel Alejandro LOPEZ SALCEDO (MEX)
Nilton Gonzalo Marcos SOTO GARCIA (PER)
German Manuel DIAZ MALDONADO (PUR)
Ellis E COLEMAN (USA)
Anthony Javier PALENCIA PUENTES (VEN)

Reigning Pan-American champion Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) is tasked with trying to qualify Cuba for the Olympic Games at 77kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

77kg
Angelo Rafael MARQUES MOREIRA (BRA)
John YEATS (CAN)
Jair Alexis CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB)
Jose Andres VARGAS RUEDA (MEX)
Marciano George ALI (PUR)
Patrick Harrison SMITH (USA)
Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN)

87kg
Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA)
Ioannis NARLIDIS (CAN)
Carlos Andres MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL)
Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB)
Carlos Alberto ADAMES PALMER (DOM)
Ariel Andres ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Lesyan Osvaldo COUSIN OTOMURO (JAM)
Daniel VICENTE GOMEZ (MEX)
Josef Patrick RAU (USA)
Luis Eduardo AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN)

97kg
Guilherme EVANGELISTA DIAS (BRA)
Thomas Rahontsiiosta BARREIRO (CAN)
Gabriel Alejandro ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB)
Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
Luis Gerardo RIVERA ALVARADO (MEX)
Tracy Gangelo HANCOCK (USA)
Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN)

130kg
Luciano DEL RIO (ARG)
Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA)
Bradley Thomas HILDENBRANDT (CAN)
Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
Leo Dalis SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM)
Luis Alberto ROMAN BARRIOS (MEX)
Adam Jacob COON (USA)
Moises Salvador PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN)

Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), last year's 55kg world champion, will make her international debut down at the Olympic weight of 53kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling
50kg

Patricia Alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG)
Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA)
Jessica Anne Marie MACDONALD (CAN)
Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL)
Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB)
Jacqueline Del Rocio MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU)
Rita Fatima ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX)
Thalia Jihann MALLQUI PECHE (PER)
Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA)
Genesis Rosmary MILANO OLIVIO (VEN)

53kg
Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN)
Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU)
Zeltzin HERNANDEZ GUERRA (MEX)
Gabriela Nicole RAMOS DIAZ (PUR)
Jacarra Gwenisha WINCHESTER (USA)
Amy Ann FEARNSIDE (USA)

Reinging 59kg world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) is making her second appearance down at 57kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

57kg
Giullia RODRIGUES PENALBER DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Linda MORAIS (CAN)
Lianna de la Caridad MONTERO HERRERA (CUB)
Lissette Alexandra ANTES CASTILLO (ECU)
Alma Jane VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX)
Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR)
Helen Louise MAROULIS (USA)
Betzabeth Rebeca SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

62kg
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Michelle Christina FAZZARI (CAN)
Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL)
Yessica Coraima OVIEDO PEREZ (DOM)
Alejandra ROMERO BONILLA (MEX)
Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA)
Nathaly Josefina GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN)

68kg
Luz Clara VAZQUEZ (ARG)
Dailane GOMES DOS REIS (BRA)
Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN)
Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL)
Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB)
Leonela Aleyda AYOVI PARRAGA (ECU)
Virginia Jaqueline FERNANDEZ SALAZAR (MEX)
Yanet Ursula SOVERO NINO (PER)
Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN)

76kg
Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA)
Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN)
Andrea Carolina OLAYA GUTIERREZ (COL)
Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Gabriela Renata CANALES HERRERA (MEX)
Andrimar Daniela LAZARO DIAZ (VEN)

#WrestleTirana

Muhamet Malo 2025 Ranking Series Day 5 Recap

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (March 2) -- The final day of Muhamet Malo 2025 Ranking Series will see Greco-Roman action in six weight classes. 55kg, 60kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg and 130kg wrestlers will be on the mat.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

16:15: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) and Hamza BAKIR (TUR) enter the final at 130kg. Mirzazadeh scores a gut wrench from par terre against Wenhao JIANG (CHN) to lead 3-0 at the break. Jiang gets the forced par terre advantage in the second period but no points from the position for him. Mirzazadeh wins 3-1.

Bakir had Tokyo silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) in the semifinal. Kajaia gets the par terre in first period but doesn't turn Bakir, who got the par terre position in the second period but can't turn. Bakir holds the 1-1 criteria lead for the win.

16:00: Kiril MILOV (BUL) with a front headlock exposure for two and he led Alex SZOKE (HUN) 3-1. Szoke got the third passivity and as he tried to gut wrench Milov, he got stuck on the mat and Milov pinned him to enter the 97kg final.

He will take on Giorgi MELIA (GEO) in final after the Georgian defeated Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) 5-2. Melia blocked a turn from Ragginger and got two points. Ragginger got both the passivity calls and led 2-0 before the defended throw from Melia. Ragginger challenged for a defensive foul but lost it as Melia got another point and lead 3-2 with 1:30 remaining on the clock. Ragginger needs two points for a win. Melia with a stepout with 54 seconds remaining to lead 5-2. Ragginger fails to breakthrough and drops the semifinal.

15:50: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) defends from par terre when Ramon BETSCHART (SUI) got the third passivity and keep his 2-1 lead to enter the 82kg final. He will face Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) in the final after he got a gift from Svetoslav NIKOLOV (BUL) who committed two offensive leg fouls and was cautioned out of the semifinal.

15:35: Mehmet SAHIN (TUR) enters the 72kg final with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ). He will face Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) who beat Otar ABULADZE (GEO) 6-3 which may give him a look in the Georgian team for the European Championships.

15:20: Quick finishes to the 60kg semifinals! Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO) with two headpinch front throws to beat Haodong TAN (CHN) 8-0 and enter the final.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) brings out two reverse suplexes from par terre to beat Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ) 9-0. Lost challenge from Kyrgyzstan makes it 10-0

15:10: Emre MUTLU (TUR) with a huge four-point throw and then a turn from par terre as he leads Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ) 7-0 at the break in the 55kg semifinals. But Mamyrbekov storms back with two suplexes for two points each to make it 7-5. A challenge from Kazakhstan asking for a foul from Mutlu but there isn't any. A lost challenge makes it 8-5 for Mutlu with a minute remaining. Mutlu defends his lead and wins 8-5.

In the other semifinal, Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) was attacking from the start and earned two turns from par terre to lead 6-0 at the break Yersin ABYIR (TUR). Lolua also pulls out a good defense to keep it 6-1 when he was put on par terre in the second period. Abyir scores three points but a 6-4 win for Lolua.

The semifinals begin at 15:00 hours local time

14:40: Two turns from par terre for Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) to lead 5-1 and he may have thought that it was enough for a win. However, Shahin BADAGHI (QAT), of Iranian origin, scores a takedown to make it 5-4. Bolkvadze scores a stepout however Badaghi challenges and wins as Bolkvadze pulled his singlet. Badaghi down 5-4 with 1:21 left in the 82kg quarterfinal. Badaghi challenges for a headbutt but this time loses the challenge which makes Bolkvadze's score 6-4 whihc is also the winning score.

14:30: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) with a five-pointer as he moves into the semifinals at 60kg! Shiotani blanks Ziyue XI (CHN) 11-0. 

14:20: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) with a grand-amplitude over Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) for five points. Sleiva blocked with his hands which gives to more to Lomadze who leads 7-0 at the break. Sleiva can manage only two points in the second period as Lomadze wins 7-2

14:10: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) pulls out his best defense from par terre and stops Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) from turning him in the second period. A turn would have surely given Knystautas a 3-3 criteria lead. But Mirzazadeh wins 3-1

14:00: China has brought some hammers here! Haodong TAN (CHN) pins Paris Olympian Enes BASAR (TUR) at 60kg. Tan got the third passivity [no points are awarded for third passivity in Greco] and got a defensive foul from Basar. He then turned him and held Basar on the mat for a fall.

13:45: Ziyue XI (CHN) takes out Victor CIOBANU (MDA) at 60kg! What a performance from Xi. He defended his par terre position before scoring a correct throw from par terre in the second period to lead 3-1. Ciobanu gave up a stepout with 40 seconds remaining to fall behind 4-1. Ciobanu challenged so a foul but there was none. Xi gets a 5-1 lead. Ciobanu could not find a way to break Xi who wins 5-1 at 60kg.

13:35: Hamza BAKIR (TUR) scores an 8-0 win over Yuta NARA (JPN) at 130kg. Bakir has been impressive so far as he prepares himself for the big challenge at the European Championships. 

13:25: Tokyo Olympic silver medalist at Greco-Roman 130kg Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) turns Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) from par terre to lead 3-0 at the break before defending his position from forced par terre in the second and win 3-1 at 130kg.

13:10: The world is missing out on Yu SHIOTANI (JPN). A series of reverse lifts from par terre and Shiotani has Ergi UKU (ALB) in all sorts of trouble. An 11-0 win for Shiotani.

13:07: Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) brings out a reverse lift slam on Ji LENG (CHN) to score four points and snatch the win 4-2 against Leng who is a little dumbfounded with that move. Top move from Sleiva

13:05: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) can't find a way to break Iuri LOMADZE's (GEO) defense and drops his 72kg bout 5-1. Lomadze with a defensive block when Arsalan was trying to score on him.

12:50: Kyrgyzstan wrestlers are out here demoralising big star. Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ) takes out Selcuk CAN (TUR) at 72kg. After leading 5-0, Khamzaev defended well from par terre and gave up only two points. Can made it 5-5 with a push out but Khamzaev keeps the criteria win.

12:40: Former European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL), who wrestled at Paris Olympics at 130kg, drops down to his natural 97kg, and he dominates Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) 6-1. He scored two turns from par terre in the first period while Sterkenburg failed to do so in the second.

12:05: Hamza BAKIR (TUR) gets two par terre positions in the match and he scored three turns to beat 8-0 Laga BAYI (CHN) at 130kg. He expected to be the heir apparent to Riza KAYAALP (TUR) for Turkiye

11:50: Olympic bronze medalist Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) using his aggressive style against Heiki NABI (EST) for a 4-0 win at 130kg. While he did the par terre in the first period, he asked for standing in the second.

11:45: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) gives a reality check to U20 world champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) of the senior level. Shiotani was in forced par terre in the first period but he didn't let Ahmadi Vafa score. The referees were about to give Ahmadi Vafa the second par terre which may have made Ahmadi Vafa relax as he gave up a takedown. A reversal in the same sequence was scored one point for Ahmadi Vafa. But Shiotani with a big lift and throw for two points. Shiotani challenges and gets two more points for a foul from Ahmadi Vafa to lead 6-2. From par terre, Shiotani would score three more points and lead 9-4 with 35 seconds on the clock.

Ahmadi Vafa threatened to cause an upset as he scored a takedown and a turn to make it 9-6 before Shiotani blocked the next turn for two points. He then score another exposure and held Ahmadi Vafa on the mat for a fall.

11:35: Ali ARSALAN (SRB), world bronze medalist at 72kg, impresses with a 4-4 win over Levente LEVAI (HUN). Levai led 3-0 at the break but Arsalan with a headpinch for four. Levai blocked his second attempt. A stepout in the end gave Levai another point but Arsalan won 4-4 on criteria.

11:31: Selcuk CAN (TUR), wrestling at 72kg, with an impressive 7-3 win against Mikko PELTOKANGAS (FIN). Can with a top defense from par terre to keep Peltokangas at bay

11:25: Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) needed two successful challenges to remaining in the opening match at 97kg against Alex SZOKE (HUN) who committed two offensive leg fouls. Szoke still had a 7-1 lead at the break. Savolainen managed two points in the second period but failed get a move on. Szoke with a 7-3 win.

11:00: Greco-Roman all day as the final day of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series is here. Long day ahead but some classic match ups in various weight class. By the way, rain is back in Tirana.