#wrestlebishkek

Saturday's Bishkek Ranking Series finals set

By Eric Olanowski

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (June 2) --- The third day of wrestling at the Bishkek Ranking Series event will welcome in 97kg and 125kg in freestyle and the final six women's wrestling weights--50kg, 53kg, 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg. 

Everything you need to know:
📍Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬
🗓️: June 1-4
🕙: Qualification = 10:30
🥇🥈🥉= 18:00
#️⃣#WrestleBishkek
🖥️: http://uww.org 
📱: UWW App

Saturday's final matches:

Freestyle 
97kgAwusayiman HABILA (CHN) vs. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) 
125kg: Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB) vs. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) 

Women's Wrestling
50kg: Meng FAN (CHN) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) 
53kg: Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) vs. Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) 
55kg:  Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) vs. Karla Lorena GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) 
59kg: Yuliia TKACH (UKR) vs.  Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
65kg: Nordic-style bracket
72kg: Nordic-style bracket

1:42: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) just punched her ticket to the finals with a four-point throw with 5 seconds left. She trailed Ziqi FENG (CHN), 4-1, winning the match 5-4 after the late throw.

1:27: Petriashvili puts in a gutsy performance in the semifinals and fishes off Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB), 10-0, before the mid-match break. He'll wrestle tonight for gold against the winner of Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB) and Buheeerdun BUHEEERDUN (CHN)

1:07: The first semifinal is about to be called to Mat A. We have nine matches left--including repechage--on each mat before the end of the morning session. 

12:42: Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) is in a tight race over on Mat A against Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR). They put up 14 points in the first period with the Mongolian leading the Ukrainian, 8-6.

12:40: We're going to roll right into the women's wrestling quarterfinals across all mats now.

12:38: Geno won, but something went wrong with his right knee. It clearly bothered him throughout the entire second period as he continued to favor it. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the last match that we see today from the three-time world champ.

12:28: Three-time world champion Petriashvili making his way to Mat B where he'll wrestle Georgian teammate Manashvili. 

12:11: This is my first time seeing Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), the 20-year-old Asian champion from Bahrain, in person. His length and athleticism is impressive for a 97kg guy. With time, I could see him giving the top guys at 97kg trouble in a few years. 

12:05: Feng picked up a point for a Demirhan hair pull and moved into the 50kg quarterfinals, 8-4, where she'll meet Chinese teammate Chun LEI (CHN).

11:59: European bronze medalist Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) is in trouble over on Mat A. She's down 7-4  Ziqi FENG (CHN) has a 7-4 lead with :43 second in the second period.

11:49: Yepez breaks the Pan-Am champ losing streak in Bishkek, scoring the 11-0 win over Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) in the first round at 53kg. Her 53kg quarterfinals match will be against Min ZHANG (CHN).

11:34: Petriashvili and Deng lived up to the hype, with the Georgian big man edging his Nur-Sultan world finals opponent, 4-3. 'Petro' will face fellow Georgian Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) next.

11:30: After a slight wifi issue, we're back. While we were down, reigning Asian champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) picked up a 10-0 win over Serik BAKYTKHANOV (KAZ). He'll  meet Nursultan AZOV (KAZ), who scored a late four-point to narrowly move past Mostafa Aly Elsayed Gabr ELDERS (EGY).

11:00: The headliner of the competition, Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) is coming up in two matches on Mat B. The three-time world champ opens up his day in Bishkek against his 2019 world finals opponent, DENG Zhiwei (CHN).

10:56: Let's see if  Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) can turn around the luck for the Pan-American champions. Yesterday, Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) and Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) fell in their opening round matches. 

Yepez will wrestle in four matches on Mat A against Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB).

10:49: In the opening round 55kg Nordic bracket, Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) just handled European bronze medalist Othelie HOEIE (NOR), 12-1. She'll have Round 2 off, then will meet fellow Ukrainian and former world champion Yuliia TKACH (UKR).

10:40: Godinez holds off Vynnyk and wins the opening round bout in the 55kg Nordic bracket. 

10:36: Karla Lorena GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) and Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) are in a close battle over on Mat A. The Canadian leads 4-2.

Godinez has been the aggressor, taking the only shots of the bout, but there's only 30 seconds left so expect Vynnyk to get the motor running. 

10:16: We're 15 minutes away from the first whistle here at the Bishkek Arena. The hockey arena turned wrestling hot bed is freezing this morning, so the goal for the next 15 minutes is to stay as warm as possible.

#WrestleCoralville

U.S. Kicks Off Pan-American Championships with Six Greco Golds

By Vinay Siwach

CROALVILLE, IOWA, United States (May 8) -- The United States opened the 2026 Pan-American with six golds medals out of eight on offer on day one of the tournament in Coralville, Iowa. The two other golds went to Cuba, who suffered two losses as well in the finals.

The most significant gold medal for the U.S. came at 130kg as Cohton SCHULTZ (USA) upset defending champion Oscar PINO (CUB) in the final, avenging his last year's loss, to win gold. Though it was an actionless final with both wrestlers exchanging passivity points, it was Schultz who got the first one which gave him the criteria win.

Both wrestlers had their chances to score from the top with Schultz trying to do a front headlock throw and Pino trying the classic gut-wrench. However, both failed in their moves and the American defend his criteria to claim his first-ever Pan-Am gold.

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Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) also had to battle it out against a former Pan-Am champion Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) for his 8-6 win and the 82kg gold medal. Melelashvili raced to a 7-0 lead from par terre but as he was trying the match-winning turn on Gregorich, the Cuban blocked him and held him in danger for two points. Melelashvili led 7-2 at the break.

As no passivity was awarded in the second period, Gregorich made a desperate headlock throw for four points but Melelashvili scored a reversal and led 8-6 with 42 seconds remaining. He defended his lead till the end to beat Gregorich for the second time in the day as he also won 1-1 on criteria in the Nelson bracket.

 

Former U17 world champion Joel ADAMS (USA) turned the 77kg final on its head from par terre in the second period to beat Oscar BARRIOS (HON), 10-1. When Adams got the par terre 1:52 remaining, he lifted Barrios and slammed him on the mat for a four-pointer. He continued the sequence and thew Barrios for another four-pointer to finish 9-1. Honduras challenged the second throw as it may have come after Adams moved outside the zone but on review the throw was changed to five points.

At 82kg, as only two wrestlers were entered, Kamal BEY (USA) and Diego MACIAS (MEX) wrestled in the final and former displayed his big-throwing ability to win the bout and gold 9-1.

The first scoring sequence was rather lame when Bey pushed Macias towards the zone and the Mexican just fell on his back, giving Bey four points. The two traded stepouts and Bey led 5-1 at the break. 15 seconds into the second period, Bey launched Macias for a big body throw, finishing the bout 9-1.

Landon DRURY (USA)Landon DRURY (USA) tries to score on Angel SEGURA (MEX) during their 63kg bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Landon DRURY (USA) and Max NOWRY (USA) won all their round-robin bouts to win gold medals at 63kg and 55kg, respectively.

Drury won four bouts with varied dominance but his first win, 9-3 over Jeremy PERALTA (ECU) in Round 1, proved crucial as Peralta did not lose any other bouts and finished with a silver medal.

Returning to international wrestling after four years, 36-year-old Nowry won his fourth Pan-Am title to go along with his golds in 2013, 2019 and 2020. He won all three bouts in the 55kg round-robin via technical superiority to claim gold.

Luis ORTA (CUB)Luis ORTA (CUB), red, wrestles Otto BLACK (USA) during the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Orta Wins 5th Pan-Am Gold

Former Olympic and world champion Luis ORTA (CUB) continued his undefeated streak at the continental championships, winning his fifth gold medal on Thursday. In a thrilling final against Otto BLACK (USA) at 67kg, Orta barely held on for a 5-3 victory.

Orta opened the scoring with stepout before getting the passivity call. He scored a turn using high gut-wrench for two and then added another for a 6-0 lead. However, the U.S. challenged and the second turn was cancelled as Orta committed an offensive leg foul to run Black.

Black got the par terre in the second period and foxed Orta with a turn. He initiated the attack towards his right before switching direction to neutralize Orta's defense. Black's two-point turn but Orta's lead to 4-3 with 1:59 remaining.

Luis ORTA (CUB)Luis ORTA (CUB) won his fifth Pan-American gold medal on Thursday. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

But Orta was not done. He used a drag to score a takedown but the referee blew the whistle before he could complete it. Orta was awarded one point for a stepout which did not please him but he led 5-3.

The victory extended Orta's unbeaten streak at Pan-Ams to 16 wins and he has outscored his opponents 99-15 in those matches.

The second gold medal for Cuba was won by Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB) as he blanked Clisman CARRACEDO (ECU), 11-0, in the 60kg final.

On his Pan-Am debut, De Armas faced the youngster Carracedo but showed no mercy, scoring two front headlock turns for a 4-0 lead. He then got the par terre position and using a high gut-wrench, got two more points. He then lifted Carracedo and slammed him on the mat for four points that confirmed his technical superiority win.

Photo

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Max NOWRY (USA)
SILVER: Isaac MARIN MATA (MEX)
BRONZE: Moises PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)

60kg
GOLD: Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB) df. Clisman CARRACEDO (ECU), 11-0

BRONZE: Pedro DE SOUZA (BRA) df. Carlos HERRERA (VEN), 5-3
BRONZE: Yerony LIRIA (DOM) df. Abel SANCHEZ (PER), 10-1

63kg
GOLD: Landon DRURY (USA)
SILVER: Jeremy PERALTA (ECU)
BRONZE: Angel SEGURA (MEX)

67kg
GOLD: Luis ORTA (CUB) df. Otto BLACK (USA), 5-3

BRONZE: Nilton SOTO (PER) df. Irving SALAZAR (MEX), 5-5
BRONZE: Julian HORTA (COL) df. Jose VARELA (GUA), 9-0

77kg
GOLD: Joel ADAMS (USA) df. Oscar BARRIOS (HON), 10-1

BRONZE: Eduardo BERNAL (CHI) df. Justin BOYCE (BAR), 8-0
BRONZE: Joilson DE BRITO (BRA) df. David CHOC HUOC (GUA), 3-1

82kg
GOLD: Kamal BEY (USA) df. Diego MACIAS (MEX), 9-1

87kg
GOLD: Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) df. Daniel GREGORICH (CUB), 8-6

BRONZE: Luis AVENDANO (VEN) df. Johan BATISTA (DOM), via inj. def.

130kg
GOLD: Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) df. Oscar PINO (CUB), 1-1

BRONZE: James FORD (PUR) df. Jose NUNEZ (DOM), via fall
BRONZE: Guilherme EVANGELISTA (BRA) df. Tyrece THOMPSON (JAM), via fall