#WrestleNewDelhi

Punia, Otoguro Set up Long-Awaited Rematch for 65kg Asian Gold

Saturday, February 22, 2020 - 10:47 By Ken Marantz

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NEW DELHI (Feb. 22)---It took a few extra months, but the wrestling world will finally be treated to the greatly anticipated rematch between Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN). 

Punia and Otoguro will battle it out for the 65kg gold as host India put four wrestlers into the five finals to be held in the evening session at the Asian Championships on Saturday in New Delhi.

The clash between the two stars in the final at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest was named the UWW’s match of the year, as Otoguro held on for a nail-biting 16-9 victory to become Japan’s youngest-ever freestyle world champion.

A rematch at last year’s World Championships in Nur-Sultan never came about, as Otoguro lost in the second round to eventual gold medalist Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS). Punia, who lost in the semifinals to silver medalist Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ), finished with a bronze medal, while Otoguro placed fifth to ensure that both will be at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

“I remember the 2018 final and all I want to is avenge that loss,” Punia said. “All I’m thinking about is the final.”

Iran will have two wrestlers in the finals, while Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan join Japan with one each.  

Punia won all three of his matches in the afternoon session by technical fall, including a 10-0 win over Amirhossein MAGHSOUDI (IRI) in the semifinals. “It was a great start in the first session for me,” he said.

Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) will wrestle Bajrang PUNIA (IND) in a rematch of the 2018 world finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Otoguro had one big hurdle to clear en route to final, as he faced Niyazbekov in the quarterfinals. After giving up a forceout to fall behind 3-2 early in the second period, Otoguro put on a takedown clinic and rolled to a 10-3 win over the 2018 Asian champion.

“He’s also a strong opponent,” Otoguro said. “It was a good spark to get me going.”

In the semifinals, he backslammed Nyamdorj BATTULGA (MGL) for 4 points to finish up an 11-1 technical fall. 

“I wrestled very well and, as the lead up to the Tokyo Olympics, I’m able to use what I have been working on,” Otoguro said. “I think the final will be a wide open affair, and I can’t forget to stay strong-minded.”

Also revving up the largest crowd of the tournament so far at K.D. Jadrav Wrestling Stadium was world bronze medalist Kumar RAVI (IND), who had to get past former world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) and fellow world bronze medalist Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) to reach the 57kg final. 

“When I saw the draw I knew it would be difficult,” Ravi said. “But I have faced both of them before, so I was confident of beating them. No new things, just did the same things to beat them. Because this tournament is in front of my home crowd, I want to win the gold and get ready for the Olympics.”

Kumar RAVI (IND) will square off against Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK) in the 57kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

In one of the matches to start the session, Ravi spotted Takahashi a 4-0 lead before going on the attack and forging a 14-5 victory. That was a repeat of their quarterfinal clash in Nur-Sultan, which Ravi won 6-1.  

After pulling off another come-from-behind victory in the quarterfinals, securing a fall off a counter while trailing 3-2 against Tugs BATJARGAL (MGL), Ravi was in control the whole way in ousting Sanayev 7-2.

Ravi had beaten Sanayev 6-0 a month ago at 61kg at the Matteo Pellicone ranking series event in Rome. 

In the final, Ravi will face Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK), who will attempt to become Tajikistan’s second Asian gold medalist ever, joining Yusup ABDUSALAMOV (TJK), won the 74kg freeestyle title in 2003—also in New Delhi.

At 79kg, Baliyan GOURAV (IND) will face Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) in the final. Gourav advanced with a 6-5 win over Shinkichi OKUI (JPN), while Budazhapov slipped by Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) , 3-1.

The 97kg final will also be an India-Iran affair, with 2019 Asian bronze medalist Salywart KADIAN (IND) facing off against world U-23 champion and 2018 Asian silver medalist Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI). 

Kadian needed just 44 seconds to oust Rustam ISKANDARI (TJK) with a 10-0 technical fall, while Goleij chalked up a 12-2 technical fall over Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ).

Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB) will take on Amirhossein HOSSEINI (IRI) in the 70kg finals for a shot at adding an Asian title to his resume. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

The only final missing an Indian is at 70kg, in which Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB) has already assured he will add an Asian medal to the European ones he captured while competing for Russia.

The 2018 European silver medalist advanced to the final when Temuulen ENKHTUYA (MGL) suffered a severe knee injury early in their semifinal, setting up a clash with Amirhossein HOSSEINI (IRI), a 3-2 winner over Naveen NAVEEN (IND). 

Day 4 Results

Freestyle

57kg (11 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK) df. Sardor RUZIMOV (UZB), 3-2
SEMIFINAL – Kumar RAVI (IND) df. Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ), 7-2

65kg (14 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) df. Nyamdorj BATTULGA (MGL) by TF, 11-1, 5:11
SEMIFINAL – Bajrang PUNIA (IND) df. Amirhossein MAGHSOUDI (IRI) by TF, 10-0, 4:19

70kg (9 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Amirhossein HOSSEINI (IRI) df. Naveen NAVEEN (IND), 3-2
SEMIFINAL – Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB) df. Temuulen ENKHTUYA (MGL) by Inj. Def., :35 (4-2)

79kg (8 entries) 
SEMIFINAL – Baliyan GOURAV (IND) df. Shinkichi OKUI (JPN), 6-5
SEMIFINAL – Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) df. Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI), 3-1

97kg (11 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Salywart KADIAN (IND) df. Rustam ISKANDARI (TJK) by TF, 10-0, :44
SEMIFINAL – Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) df Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ), by TF, 12-2, 4:58

#JapanWrestling

Gomi Takes Big Strides as Japan’s Next Greco-Roman Hope

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - 13:33 By Vinay Siwach

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JAPAN (February 18) -- Koto GOMI (JPN) has been racking up titles in recent times. Last year, he won the U23 world title, the first for Japan in six years. He then won the All-Japan Championships gold in December for the first time.

Making his senior debut in 2026, the 21-year-old had an extraordinary run at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event, winning the 60kg gold medal and giving up only three points in four bouts. In the final, Gomi defeated world silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 10-0, using three arm-throws to secure the victory inside the first period.

Koto GOMI (JPN)Koto GOMI (JPN) defeated Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the Zagreb Open final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

While it may be too early to call Gomi a protégé, he may have already ended Japan's search for a new star at 60kg and a replacement for Olympic champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN).

The 30-year-old Fumita is a two-time world champion and won silver at the 2023 World Championships. A silver medalist from the Tokyo Olympics, he turned it into gold at Paris 2024.

But Fumita has not stepped on the mat since. He took time off and was entered in the All-Japan Championships at 63kg, but later pulled out. Though he did not mention it, most in Japan cite weight-cut issues for his delayed return.

That leaves Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), Kaito INABA (JPN) and Gomi as the front-runners for the spot if Fumita cannot make it. Gomi pinned Shiotani and then beat Inaba via technical superiority at the National Sports Festival in October.

Two months later in December, he again beat Shiotani to earn a spot on Japan’s Asian Championships team.

Koto GOMI (JPN)
Koto GOMI (JPN), left, after winning the All-Japan University Championships. (Photo: Koto Gomi / Instagram)

Early start

Gomi was born in the Yamanashi Prefecture, west of Tokyo. The prefecture has given wrestling some of its biggest stars including Olympic champions Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) and Tatsuhiro YONEMITSU (JPN).

He was introduced to wrestling by his father Joe, a kickboxer. Joe would take his eldest son Koto to far away tournaments to compete. Though the results were not always satisfying, Shiro wanted his son to face high-level competition every year.

"Wrestling has few injuries," he was quoted as saying by Japan Wrestling Federation in 2010. "It's a sport that develops physical ability and trains both the body and mind. I think it's the perfect martial art for children.

"It's a sport where older students take care of younger students. They naturally take care of you without you having to teach them." 

It's true in Gomi's case. Like Gomi, both Fumita and Inaba hail from the same prefecture and attended the same high school.

Fumita's father, Toshiro, introduced most wrestlers to Greco in their high school. While Fumita and Inaba moved to Nippon Sports Science University, Gomi is at the Ikuei University, same as the world and Olympic champions in women's Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) and Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN).

Koto GOMI (JPN)Koto GOMI (JPN), blue, at the 2022 U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Gomi began competing exclusively in Greco-Roman around 2022 but did not get satisfactory results internationally, finishing fifth and ninth at the two U20 World Championships.

In one of the memorable matches early in his career, Gomi had troubled the now Olympic Saied ESMAEILI (IRI). At the 2022 U20 Worlds, he was led 6-4 and then 9-4 at one point in the match against the Iranian but he lost it 13-9.

Two years later, Gomi emerged as a dominant force. He won the gold medal at the U20 Asian Championships and all age-group domestic competitions. His only losses came at the senior All-Japan Championships, winning bronze at three of them.

Gomi said his recent success was the result of years of hard work, particularly at university.

"I don't seem to be the athletic type, but rather a refreshing liberal arts type, and that's how I'm often seen," Gomi said. "I'm competitive. I get really annoyed and frustrated when I lose in practice. The hard work I've put in over the past four years at university is starting to show in the past year."

Domestic challenges

In 2025, Gomi suffered only one loss in five tournaments -- a 10-0 humiliation to Shiotani in May. But in December, he avenged that loss in the final of the All-Japan Championships and earned a chance to represent Japan at the 2026 Asian Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in April.

The December win also put Gomi a step closer to the 2026 World Championships and Asian Games. He now has to win the Japan National Championships in May to qualify for both. If he fails to win, he will have a wrestle-off with the winner on the same day.

Both the U23 World Championships and the Zagreb Open showcased Gomi's technical excellence. He often uses a two-on-one to set up his arm-throws and arm-drags. It is his swiftness, rather than brute force, that allows him to complete his attacks.

In par terre, Gomi has an excellent high gut-wrench, which he used effectively against Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI) in Zagreb and Maxwell BLACK (USA) at the U23 Worlds.

"I'm starting to find my strengths, like in terms of technique, so I think that's a good thing," he said.

Despite his rapid rise, Gomi is cautious about calling himself the best yet. He knows he still needs to get past several domestic rivals before becoming Japan’s first-choice wrestler at 60kg.

"It's not like that, but I was conscious of focusing on my strengths and techniques and taking the initiative to attack," he said. "But, there are many other players in Japan, like Fumita and Inaba, and I don't think I can beat them yet, so I'll continue to practice hard."

But if Zagreb was any indication, it may not take long.