World Cup, Iran

With Raucous Support in Los Angeles, Iran Tops Host United States to Win Freestyle World Cup

Monday, April 13, 2015 - 02:34 By Jason Bryant

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LOS ANGELES (April 12) – Anywhere Iran wrestles, the horns, the chants and the singing follows. Whether it be at World Championships in Turkey or World Cups in Los Angeles, Iran is regarded as having some of the most engaged wrestling fans in the world.

On Sunday at the Forum in Los Angeles, the pattern would hold as hundreds of Iranian wrestling fans waved flags, blew horns and sang as Iran would defeat the United States 5-3 to win the championship at the United World Wrestling Freestyle World Cup.

“We see more Iranians here in Los Angeles than any other City,” said Iranian 61kg wrestler Behnam EHSANPOOR. “The crowd helped me 100 percent. It’s like wrestling in Tehran.”

While tensions between the United States and Iran are strictly political, there have been epic battles between wrestlers from both nations throughout the course of history. The way things started and then finished on Sunday night, that list of epic battles grew.

Iran’s Hassan RAHIMI gave his nation the first win of the finals with a tight 6-5 victory over Tony RAMOS at 57kg. The key sequence occurred in the second period where Ramos, trailing 2-1, looked to score a two-point takedown, then give up two points on a roll and then settled back on top for two more exposure points. After a challenge and a review, Ramos trailed 5-3 after losing a point for the lost challenge. Rahimi gave up a caution point to cut his lead to 5-4. Rahimi scored a pushout countering a Ramos attack to extend his lead to 6-4 and held on despite some question marks surrounding the finish of the bout.

The U.S. looked to steal one quickly at 61kg as 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Coleman SCOTT jumped out to a 5-0 lead against Iran’s Behnam EHSANPOOR, but the Iranian persevered. Trailing 7-2, the 18th-ranked Ehsanpoor closed the gap with takedowns and exposure points. Ehsanpoor completed the comeback with a single leg takedown with 17 seconds left in the second period, sending the Iranian fanbase into boisterous applause.

“It was good wrestling,” said Ehsanpoor. “Scott is an Olympian and I really, really worked hard to get here. The biggest help during the match was the tips my coach gave me. He was watching and made important tips to me on how to change my wrestling.  The coaching was important and made the difference.”

 

Brent METCALF gave the United States its first win with a 3-1 victory at 65kg over World No.2 (at 61kg) Masoud ESMAILPOUR. Metcalf converted a takedown midway through the first period, but Esmailpour, last year’s World silver medalist at 61kg, was unable to muster any offense.

Iran would take a key swing match at 70kg as World No.10 Hassan YAZDANI would show keen mat awareness to defeat No. 11 Nick MARABLE 3-1. Marable came close to scoring a tying takedown in the final minute, but Yazadani’s flexibility allowed him to defend as Marable feverishly tried to drop one of Yazdani’s knees to the mat for the tying score. Yazdani fought off the attack and prevailed to give Iran a 3-1 lead after four weights.

Iran’s Morteza REZAEI had defeated two World medallists already in the tournament, but with World No.2 Jordan BURROUGHS of the United States looming, Rezaei would have to wrestle a perfect match. Burroughs wasn’t going to allow that.

Burroughs struck in the first 10 seconds with a takedown and then scored a two-point exposure and three additional takedowns to earn a 10-0 technical fall to run his international record to 102-2 and bring the U.S. within 3-2 after the first five matches.

 

World No.4 Meisam MOSTAFA JOUKAR (IRI), the reigning World University champion, would face American Clayton FOSTER at 86kg. Foster wrestled both matches on Sunday after American No.1 Ed RUTH was injured in Saturday’s competition.

Foster, ranked No.10 in the world, struck first with a takedown, but MOSTAFA JOUKAR came right back with a big four-point move 30 seconds later. The Iranian would lift and return the American again in the first period for another four points, building an 8-2 lead after 120 seconds of wrestling. Mostafa Joukar would use the same single leg attack to score a pushout to extend his lead to 10-2 after a pair of pushouts. Mostafa Joukar would finish off Foster with another single leg, but he’d double off for two points and earn the 12-2 technical fall and give Iran a 4-2 lead with two bouts remaining.

After an up-and-down performance all weekend, 2012 Olympic champion Jake VARNER (USA) picked the last three seconds to strike and steal a victory away from 2014 World bronze medalist Mohammad HOSSEIN MOHAMMADIAN. Varner led 1-0 after scoring a caution point in the first period for Mohammadian, normally an 86kg wrestler, failing to score on his 30-second shot clock. Mohammadian scored a takedown and a pushout in the second period to take a 3-1 lead before Varner hit a duckunder and converted the takedown attempt with just four seconds remaining to earn a 3-3 criteria victory and send championship down to the event’s last match.

 

World and Olympic medalist Khomeil GHASEMI (IRI) stepped to the mat at 125kg to try to bring the World Cup title back to Iran. He’d face off with World No.15 Zach REY of the United States.

Rey took a 1-0 lead, scoring a caution point after Ghasemi was unable to score during the 30-second shot clock window in the first period. Ghasemi would match Rey’s caution point in the second and would hold criteria as the two were tied 1-1 with a minute remaining in the bout. Ghasemi scored a pivotal takedown with 25 seconds remaining in the match, countering a Rey attempt with a go-behind. After a restart, Ghasemi prevented any Rey attack to give Iran the 5-3 team victory.

Both the U.S. and Iran won their respective pools. Iran won what was essentially a pool final on Sunday afternoon 7-1 over rival Azerbaijan. Iran jumped out to a 6-0 lead before dropping the only match of the dual. Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) would lay a 9-1 loss on two-time world champion Reza YAZDANI at 97kg.

Azerbaijan, which has become a world power in wrestling the past decade, has strong ties to Iran and the two nations have developed a fierce rivalry on the mat in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.

One of the key victories came from World No.2 Sayed MOHAMMADI (IRI) at 65kg. Mohammadi had a wild 14-10 victory over 2012 Olympic champion Toghrul ASGAROV (AZE), who was wrestling down at 65kg for the first time in a year.

“I managed to win due to the tough training we do in Iran,” said Mohammadi. “We prepare for a day like this.”

Coming into the finals, Mohammadi wasn’t worried about his individual outcomes.

“The performance is not about me, it’s about the team,” he said. “I’m happy that I played my role on the team.”

Azerbaijan topped Russia by criteria for third place. The two teams were deadlocked at 4-4 and classifcation points were tied at 15-15 sending the match to technical points, which Azerbaijan won 34-28.

Belarus defeated Mongolia 5-3 for fifth place and Cuba defeated Turkey 5-3 for seventh place.  

Final Pool A Standings: United States 3-0, Russia 2-1, Mongolia 1-2, Cuba 0-3
Final Pool B Standings: Iran 3-0, Azerbaijan 2-1, Belarus 1-2, Turkey 0-3

CHAMPIONSHIP
IRAN 5, UNITED STATES 3
57 kg - No.8 Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) df. No.19 Tony RAMOS (USA), 6-5
61 kg - No.18 Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) df. Coleman SCOTT (USA), 9-7
65 kg - No.8 Brent METCALF (USA) df. No.2 Masmoud ESMAILPOUR (IRI), 3-1
70 kg - No.10 Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) df. No.11 Nick MARABLE (USA), 3-1
74 kg - No.2 Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Morteza REZAEI GHALEH (IRI) by TF, 10-0
86 kg - No.4 Meisam MOSTAFAJOUKAR (IRI) df. No.10 Clayton FOSTER (USA) by TF, 12-2
97 kg - Jake VARNER (USA) df. No.3 Mohammad HOSSIEN MOHAMMADIAN (IRI), 3-3
125 kg - No.2 Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) df. No.15 Zach REY (USA), 3-1

THIRD PLACE
AZERBAIJAN 4, RUSSIA 4 (15-15)
Azerbaijan wins by technical points 34-28
57 kg - Viktor RASSADIN (RUS) df. Yashar ALIYEV (AZE), 8-1
61 kg - No.12 Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. No.15 Murshid MUTALIMOV (RUS), 9-4
65 kg - No.4 Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS), 6-0
70 kg - No.8 Israil KASUMOV (RUS) df. No.12 Ruslan DIBIRGADZHIYEV (AZE), 6-4
74 kg - Iakubali SHIKHDZHAMALOV (RUS) df. Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE), 4-1
86 kg - Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) df. Aleksandr GOSTIYEV (AZE), 4-0
97 kg - No.5 Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) df. No.13 Yury BELONOVSKIY (RUS), 1-1
125 kg - No.11 Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Timur KOTSOEV (RUS) by TF, 12-1

FIFTH PLACE
BELARUS 5, MONGOLIA 3
57 kg - No.10 Tsogtbaatar DAMDINBAZAR (MGL) df. No.7 Vladzislav ANDREEV (BLR) by FALL
61 kg - Dzianis MAKSIMAV (BLR) df. Nemekhbayar BATSAIKHAN (MGL), 10-10
65 kg - No.6 Mandakhnaran GANZORIG (MGL) df. No.5 Azamat NURIKOV (BLR), 11-5
70 kg - Ankhbayar BATCHULUUN (MGL) df. Zhan SAFYAN (BLR), 11-9
74 kg - No.4 Ali SHABANOV (BLR) df. No.14 Unurbat PUREVJAV (MGL), 8-2
86 kg - Amarhajy MAHAMEDAV (BLR) df. Usukhbaatar PUREVEE (MGL), 8-5
97 kg - Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) df. No.9 Khuderbulga DORJKHAND (MGL), 7-5
125 kg - No.7 Aleksei SHEMAROV (BLR) df. No.9 Chuluunbat JARGALSAIKHAN (MGL), 11-1

SEVENTH PLACE
CUBA 5, TURKEY 3
57 kg - No.4 Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) df. Sezar AKGUL (TUR) by TF, 10-0
61 kg - Munir RECEP AKTAS (TUR) won by forfeit
65 kg - Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB) df. Mustafa KARTAL (TUR) by TF, 10-0
70 kg - Andy YOAN MORENO GONZALEZ (CUB) df. Sefa AKSOY (TUR), 4-2
74 kg - No.5 Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) won by forfeit
86 kg - Serdar BOKE (TUR) won by forfeit
97 kg - No.7 Javier CORTINA LACERRA (CUB) df. Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) by FALL
125 kg - Tanju GEMICI (TUR) won by forfeit

Day 1 & 2 Results, Notes & Standings: http://uww.io/zuR7L
Event Information page (Photos, Live Stream, Results):
 https://unitedworldwrestling.org/event/world-cup-senior-7

#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships WW 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg semis set

Wednesday, September 20, 2023 - 00:32 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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BELGRADE, Serbia (September 20) -- All women's wrestling day as the World Championships enters its fifth day. Three Olympic and one non-Olympic weight classes were in action on Tuesday and three more Olympic weight classes, 53kg, 62kg and 68kg, will be in action on Wednesday. One non-Olympic weight class in action is 72kg.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

14:38: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) gains a first-period takedown, and that proves to be the minimum to get her over the line and into the 62kg semifinals with a 2-2 victory over Iryna KOLIADENKO (URK). Koliadenko scores a stepout with one second left on the activity clock, then Tynybekova comes back with a double-leg takedown. In the second period, Koliadenko gains another stepout, but it is not enough to keep Tynybekova from winning on criteria. The result was far different than their semifinal at the Tokyo Olympics, which Tynybekova won 10-0.  Tynybekova will next face Luisa NIEMESCH (GER), pulled off a last-second victory over Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL).

14:27: Grace BULLEN (NOR) is into the semifinals at 62kg! She blasts Kriszta INCZE (ROU) 10-0 in the quarterfinals. She will have to get through Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) in the semifinals after the Japanese beat Lias NUNES (BRA) 10-0.

14:22: Having taken one major scalp already, Bose CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR) will get a chance for another after whipping Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) 8-0 in their 68kg quarterfinal. That puts Cavusoglu Tosun into the semifinals against Ishii. The Turk pulled off a major upset in the first round when she ousted Irina RINGACI (MDA)

14:22: A double 2-1 win at 68kg! Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) takes out Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) while Emma BRUNTIL (USA) beats Vusala PARFIANOVICH (AIN). They both face each other

14:15: Ami ISHII (JPN) gets a free pass into the 68kg semifinals with a victory by injury default over Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) who injured her knee in her previous bout

14:10: Teen star Amit ELOR (USA) proves too much for fellow 2022 world champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), scoring a pair of takedowns and two activity points in a 6-0 victory to advance to the 72kg semifinals. Elor is the defending champion, while Morikawa triumphed at 65kg last year.

14:08: At 72kg, Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) beats Sofia GEORGIEVA (BUL) and she will now take on two-time silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) in the semifinal. Bakbergenova defeated Kseniia BURAKOVA (AIN)    

13:58: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) survives the biggest scare of her international career when Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) comes roaring out of the gate in their 53kg quarterfinal and tags the Japanese for five points. Fujinami recovers from the shock to notch three takedowns to go into the break up 6-5. In the second period, she gains a takedown and three lace-lock rolls to move one point from a technical fall, but Yepez Guzman fires back with a double-leg takedown. Fujinami responds with a barrel roll to the back, then gets a headlock and scores a fall. It was the most points ever scored against Fujinami by a non-Japanese opponent. Fujinami had beaten Yepez Guzman twice before, including a 10-0 win at this year's Zagreb Open in February.

13:55: Emma MALMGREN (SWE) with a big four over Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN) but the Tokyo bronze medalist comes back to score a takedown and a stepout to win 6-4. Kaladzinskaya is into the semifinals and she will take on ANTIM (IND). On Mat A, Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) is back in the semifinal with a 1-1 win over Andreea ANA (ROU).

13:45: Grace BULLEN (NOR) saved her big four-pointer for the second period. She hits Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) with a big throw and confirms the fall to move into the 62kg quarterfinals.

13:40: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) uses her big throws to put Ana GODINEZ (CAN) on her back and secure a 13-7 win at 62kg. She moves into the quarterfinal and will face Luisa NIEMESCH (GER).

13:28: No wasting any time for Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ). The two-time champion gets a 4-point takedown right off the bat against Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA), then stacks her up for a fall in 49 seconds that puts her into the 62kg quarterfinals.

13:25: At 62kg, Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) joins her Ikuei University teammate Ishii in the quarterfinals by also beating a Bulgarian opponent. Motoki, the 59kg champ last year, scores two takedowns in the first period and concedes nothing in a 4-0 victory over 2021 59kg gold medalist Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL).

13:20: Emma BRUNTIL (USA) takes on Feng ZHOU (CHN) at 68kg. She moves into the quarterfinals. Bruntil's 6-3 win over Zhou puts her against Vusala PARFIANOVICH (AIN) who just upset Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) with a late takedown and win 2-2

13:14: Ami ISHII (JPN) survives a late rally and a tenuous situation at the hands of European champion Yuliana YELEVA (BUL) to advance to the 68kg quarterfinals with an 8-4 victory. Ishii had gone up 8-0 in the second period with a takedown and a pair of gut wrenches, when Yeleva scored a takedown and was on the verge of turning Ishii over. But the Japanese managed to hold firm and squirm out of the predicament, enabling her to keep a big lead which came into play when Yeleva scored a late takedown.

13:02: Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN) with a huge 9-2 win over Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN) in the 53kg 1/16 finals. She will face Malmgren in the quarterfinals

12:55: Young Amit ELOR (USA) begins defense of her 72kg title by scoring three takedowns in a 7-0 victory over Nesrin BAS (TUR), the 2022 world U23 champion at 68kg. That sets up a final-worthy quarterfinal with Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), the 65kg champion a year ago who held off QIANDEGENCHAGAN (CHN) 5-2 on the adjacent mat.

12:52: European champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) scores a second passivity point to see off Samantha STEWART (CAN) 2-1 and reach the 53kg semifinals. On Mat A, Andreea ANA (ROU) with a 9-0 shutout over Iulia LEORDA (MDA) to reach the semifinal against Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)

12:44: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) with a fall over Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) and she moves into the quarterfinals at 53kg. She will have to beat Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) to book her spot to the semifinals.

12:33: Olympic silver medalist Qianyu PANG (CHN) becomes the latest victim of the upset bug. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), a bronze medalist last year, scores a 4-point takedown in the final seconds to pull out an 8-4 victory.

12:32: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) cruises into the 53kg quarterfinals, adding two lace-lock rolls to her third takedown in a 10-0 victory over Jeongbin OH (KOR) in 1:32. Her winning streak is now at 124.

12:31: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) hangs on for a 75- win over Jia LONG (CHN) in the 62kg 1/16 final. Purevdorj is an Asian silver medalist while Long was the champion at 65kg at the Asian event

12:25: Grace BULLEN (NOR) with a fall over Angelina RODRIGUES (CPV) at 62kg. Bullen was a silver medalist at 59kg last year. Rodrigues is the first-ever woman wrestler from Cape Verde

12:21: Olympic silver medalist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA, aiming for her third world title at 62kg, has her hands full with  Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL). Tynybekova leads 4-2 in the second period when she powers a double-leg takedown to the back for 4, then stacks up Wolczynska for a fall.

12:10: Quick win at 62kg for Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), the 59kg champion last year who moved up to the Olympic weight and beat out world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) for the spot on the Japan team to Belgrade. A takedown to the back and three lace-lock rolls give Motoki a 10-0 win over Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB) in 46 seconds. Next up is Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) in a clash of the last two gold medalists at 59kg

12:09: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) with a fall over Tokyo bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) after leading 14-7 in the 57kg repechage. Adekuoroye will now wrestle for bronze and an Olympic quota.

12:03: Adeline GRAY (USA) secures a fall at the first-period buzzer in her 76kg repechage match against Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN) to earn a place in the bronze-medal match later tonight. Not only will the six-time champion Gray be going for her ninth career world medal, and first bronze since 2011, but just as importantly the Paris Olympic quota that goes with it.

11:46: The first major shock of the day comes on Mat C, and Irina RINCACI (MDA) is the victim. Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR) takes Rincaci down with a half-nelson right to her back, then clamps down for a fall at 68kg. Rincaci had started off with a takedown, but paid the price for letting her guard down. Rincaci made history in 2021 when won the 65kg title to become Moldova's first-ever female world champion, and won a bronze last year at 68kg.

11:42: Ami ISHII (JPN) launches her bid to improve on her 68kg silver from last year by quickly dispatching Dieu Thuoug LAI (VIE). An ankle pick to the back and Ishii with the fall in 26 seconds.

11:36: Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), back at the Olympic weight of 68kg after winning her third world medal last year with a bronze at 65kg, gets a 4-point takedown to go up 10-0 but secures the fall anyway against Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK).

11:30: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), last year's world champion at 65kg, begins her quest for a second world title, this year at 72kg, with a 3-0 win over Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ).

11:16: Dominique PARRISH (USA), who won the 53kg title last year in Fujinami's absence, has seen her reign end after one match. With Parrish on the activity clock, Asian silver medalist ANTIM (UWW) scores a takedown with 1:20 left and holds on for a 3-2 victory.

11:02: Tokyo Olympic silver medal Qianyu PANG (CHN) is up against Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) on Mat A. After they traded passivities, Pang with a stepout to win 2-1

10:55: A fall on Mat C for Iulia LEORDA (MDA), the losing finalist at 53kg in 2021 to Fujinami, over Sandy PARRA (COL). She and Fujinami could meet in the semifinals this time.

10:53: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) gets off to a roaring start in her bid to regain the 2021 title at 53kg that she had to give up when she was injured last year. She scores an early single-leg takedown against Tuba DEMIR (TUR), then after a spin-behind takedown, applies the lace lock and spins three times for a 10-0 win in 1:19. The win runs her current winning streak to 123 matches.

10:30: Big day for women's wrestling as three more Olympic weight classes go on mat today. Wrestlers in 53kg, 62kg and 68kg will try to win a spot for the Paris Olympics.