#Yariguin2019

Sadulaev to Sit out Ivan Yariguin

Saturday, January 5, 2019 - 20:27 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (January 5) -- Gaidar GAIDAROV (RUS), the “Senior Coach of the Dagestan National Wrestling Team,” has confirmed to United World Wrestling that three-time world and Olympic champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) will sit out of the first Ranking Series event of the year, the Ivan Yariguin. Gaidarov simply told UWW “No, he will not be wrestling in Krasnoyarsk.” 

The news of Sadulaev not competing comes five days before registration closes, and 20 days before the first whistle at the Ivan Yariguin, which is often referred to as the “Toughest Wrestling Tournament in the World.”

Sadualev not making the trip to Krasnoyarsk eliminates the potential “Round 3” matchup with the two-time world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) after the pair split the 2017 and 2018 world finals. “Captain America” was victorious in 2017, but the “Russian Tank” got his revenge in 2018, pinning Snyder one minute into the 97kg gold-medal bout. 

The duo of superstars have recently gone back and forth on Instagram teasing a potential third match at the Ivan Yariguin. 

First, it was Snyder who tagged Sadulaev in a  post captioned, “Round 3. Let's do it. Krasnoyarsk, Russia." 

Sadulaev quickly responded, saying, ”Buddy Snyder, I understand your condition, but I advise you to approach the trilogy with a cool head. And then suddenly the psyche will suffer. On the way to Tokyo 2020, we will meet again.”

With the news of Sadulaev sitting out of the Yariguin, it looks like we’ll have to wait until the 2019 World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, for the third match-up. 

The Ivan Yariguin begins on January 24 and is the first Ranking Series for freestyle and women’s wrestling. 

#WrestleTirana

Takara Suda, Ono's training partner and Japan's new star

Wednesday, February 26, 2025 - 19:19 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (February 26) -- World champion Masanosuke ONO (JPN) has a rival and he knows him too well.

Takara SUDA (JPN), Ono's training partner since high school, won the Ranking Series gold medal at the Muhamet Malo in Tirana, Albania. Incidentally, it was in Tirana last year at the World Championships that an unheralded Ono rose to become the world champion.

READ MORE: Masanosuke Ono Takes Over Wrestling

Suda and Ono went to the same high school -- Tosu Tech -- and trained together before both joined the Yamanashi Gaikun University. Both training partners are quickly turning into rivals as Ono charts his own path while Suda can become the first choice at the university.

While the Ranking Series isn't the same as the stacked World Championships, Suda's style and quick movements can trouble even the best as it was evident on Wednesday.

Suda's quick movement aided his attacking style. Over the course of his four bouts, Suda made his opponents uncomfortable with forward pressure and catching them off guard. While defending, he was able to turn around from the zone.

Takara SUDA (JPN)Takara SUDA (JPN) defeated Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) in the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In the 61kg final, Suda was up against former U23 world champion Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) and despite a late comeback from Mongush, Suda held on to a very impressive 8-8 win and the gold medal.

"I feel happy," Suda said after his win. "Most of all I'm really grateful to all the people who support me on a daily basis, including my family, the manager and coaches, and my friends who practiced with me."

Suda was quick off the blocks and scored a stepout and then hit a double leg for a 3-0 lead. Mongush stopped Suda with a chestwrap and then exposed him for two points. A reversal made it 4-2 before Suda got a takedown to lead 6-2 at the break.

Mongush began the second period with an attempted headpinch but Suda blocked it and pinned Mongush on the mat for two points to lead 8-2. Just when it seemed like he will run away with the gold medal, Mongush mounted a comeback. He scored a stepout and Suda was cautioned for fleeing.

With the score 8-4, Mongush scored another stepout and managed a takedown with 31 seconds left on the clock. A stepout without fleeing made it 8-8 but Suda kept the criteria lead for four two-point moves. He held on for the remaining 11 seconds and won the gold medal.

Takara SUDA (JPN)Takara SUDA (JPN) with the gold medal after winning at 61kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

This was the second time Suda was wrestling a final at the international level. He won a silver medal at the U15 Asian Championships in 2019 but had not wrestled internationally since.

Perhaps the rust over the years of being away from international wrestling was visible as his conditioning worsened in the second period. 

"It's been a long time since I last played a final," he said. "It was my first overseas match in five [six] years. I was already taking on this match with a sense of challenge. I really didn't expect it to turn out like this."

The 20-year-old is now waiting for the Ono, who is in the United States for more than a month now, to return so he can train with the world champion.

"I train with Ono as a teammate not only at the university but also at the high school. Now he is in America but I want to train when he comes back."