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Thursday's Matteo Pellicone finals set

Thursday, June 23, 2022 - 08:18 By Eric Olanowski

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ROME, Italy (June 23) -- After Azerbaijan dominanted day one action, winning four Greco-Roman gold medals, the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series enters day with the remaining three Greco-Roman and four women's weight in action. A titanic clash of world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) and Olympic silver Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) awaits in the 68kg semifinal.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

Thursday's final matches (as they come in):

Women's Wrestling 
57kg - Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) vs. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) 
62kg - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) vs. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) 
68kg -  Alla BELINSKA (UKR) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA) 
76kg - Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) vs. Yelena Ivanovna MAKOYED (USA) 

Greco-Roman
72kg - Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) vs. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) 
77kg - Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) vs. Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) 
82kg - Rasoul Sadegh GARMSIRI (IRI) vs. Mihail BRADU (MDA) 

1:15: Ana Paula GODINEZ just let a late second-period lead slip for a second time today. She was beating Olympic bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) by two points but gave up a headlock and trails 7-6 with short time left.

12:45: Are you serious? What a statement!

Ringaci stopped an Oborududu head-outside single with her judo-esk whip over and picked up the 33 second fall. She just pinned the reigning Olympic silver medalist in 33 seconds. 

12:40: Here. We. Go! It's Oborududu and Ringaci on Mat C.

12:15: The headlining matchup between world champ Ringaci and Olympic silver medalist Oborududu just got assigned to Mat C. They'll wrestle in four matches (Bout 148) 

12:11: The Hungarian 77kg world team wrestle off between Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN) vs. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) will take place next on Mat B.

12:05: Two of the biggest women's wrestling stars are on the Mat now. European champion Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) is wrestling now on Mat B and Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) is on Mat C.

Keep in mind: if Oborududu wins, it'll set up a match against world champ Ringaci in the 68kg semifinals.

11:55: We're already calling semifinals matches to Mat B. We still have a few matches on Mats A and C, but we'll roll right into the semifinal once these quarterfinal and pool-play matches wrap up.

11:44: What is happening? Who is Yelena Makoyed and where did she come from?

Makoyed beat world bronze medalist Kuenz in the first round and just took down European champ Mae twice in 25 seconds to win, 8-6.

11:29: World No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) is up on now on Mat B. He's wrestling Turkey's two-time Matteo Pellicone runner-up, Selcuk CAN (TUR).

11:05: Reigning world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) will be up in six matches on Mat B. She'll wrestle Grabriela PEDRO DA ROCHA (BRA) this round, and if she wins, she'll likely have Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) in the 68kg semifinals.

11:03: Similar to the scenarios that we had yesterday with the Hungarian wrestle offs at 87kg and 97kg, Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN) and Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) will be wrestling for the world team spot at 77kg.

10:58: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) hasn't wrestled since the Tokyo Olympic Games, when she defeated Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) to win Tokyo bronze. She'll re get acclimated to the wrestling scene today against Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE).

*She did attend the European Championships in Budapest as a coach.

10:51: Welcome to the senior-level, Yelena Ivanovna MAKOYED (USA). The American just made her international debut, announcing her presence with a shocking 10-2 win over world bronze medalist Martina KUENZ (AUT).

Her next test: European champion Epp MAE (EST).

10:37: Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) just stole an Round One win against U23 world champion Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) late in the second period. The Ukrainian wrestlers picked the perfect time to strike, scoring a takedown and a turn to win the match, 6-4.

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Wednesday night's Matteo Pellicone finals set

Wednesday, June 22, 2022 - 01:46 By Eric Olanowski

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ROME, Italy (June 21) --- We've finally reached the opening day of action at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event. Wednesday's action will feature Greco-Roman stars at 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 87kg, 97kg and 130kg. 

Stars in Action on Wednesday:
- Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) - '21 world bronze
- Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) - '18 world champ 
- Victor CIOBANU (MDA) - '21 world champ
- Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)- '22 U23 and junior world champ
- Morten THORESEN (NOR) - '20 European champ
- Tamas LEVAI (HUN), Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) and Istvan TAKACS (HUN) - Potential Hungarian wrestle-off for the 87kg world team spot. 
- Alex BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE) - '19 world silver
- Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) - '22 European silver, Olympic fifth place
- Felix BALDAUF (NOR) - '17 European champ
- Oskar MARVIK (NOR) -  '21 world bronze

Biggest Upset of the Day (thus far): At 97kg, Aleksandar Georgije STJEPANETIC (SWE) df. Felix BALDAUF (NOR), 5-2.

FINALS MATCHES:
55kg: Nordic-style bracket
60kg: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
63kg: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) vs. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) 
67kg:  Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) vs. Furkan YILDIZ (TUR) 
87kg:  Islam ABBASOV (AZE) vs. Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) 
97kg:  David LOSONCZI (HUN) vs.  Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) 
​​​​​​​130kg:  Sabah Saleh SHARIATI (AZE) vs. Riza KAYAALP (TUR) ​​​​​​ 

1:56: I'm not too sure what's going on over on Mat B, but Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN) is complaining about Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) being slippery while in par terre. I think he's saying there's a foreign substance stopping him from gripping the Italian.

1:51: I won't lie, I was selfishly rooting for a 130kg rematch between Kayaalp and Beka KANDELAKI (AZE). Sabah Saleh SHARIATI (AZE) had different plans, as the Rio Olympic bronze medalist edged Kandelaki on criteria to punch his ticket to the gold-medal match.

1:40: Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU) leads '21 world champ  Victor CIOBANU (MDA) by four points heading into the second period. That match is underway on Mat B.

1:12: In what is likely the determining competition in the fight for the Belgrade spot, Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) sends Tamas LEVAI (HUN) packing his bags after picking up the 2-1 win.

12:55: We have one or two matches left on each mat then will roll directly into the Day One semifinals.

12:51: Kayaalp, the four-time world champion from Turkey, is up now on Mat B. He trailed Knystautas 1-0 after the first but scored a gut wrench after picking up an inactivity point. It looks like he'll close out the match with a two point win and take on reigning world bronze medalist Oskar MARVIK (NOR).

12:43: How are they going to call this? Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA) was down 7-0 against Sabah Saleh SHARIATI (AZE) when the Azeri gutted him for two more points. But things got interesting when the American put Shariati to his back. The refs stop the match and are now reviewing the call. This should be interesting.

12:32: The scoreboard reads 9-4 in favor of Islam ABBASOV (AZE) over Istvan TAKACS (HUN). After Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) and Tamas LEVAI (HUN) both reached the semifinals on the other side of the bracket, this likely ends Takacs' quest for a world team spot at 87kg for Hungary.

12:25: This Jafarov kid from Azerbaijan is going to be a star. The 2021 junior and U23 world champion has picked up back-to-back technical superiority victories and is awaiting the winner of Mohammad Javad Saadat REZAEI (IRI) and Morten THORESEN (NOR).

12:18:  In a clash of world medalist Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) scored a remarkable comeback against Hossein Ahmad NOURI (IRI). The Swedish wrestler trailed 7-2 but scored seven consecutive points and will take on the winner of Istvan TAKACS (HUN) vs. Islam ABBASOV (AZE).

12:01: Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN) eeks past Artur OMAROV (CZE), 3-1, in what was a battle of Tokyo Olympians.

11:49: Mohammad Hajiali HOSSEINVAND PANAHISANI (IRI) just erased a 7-0 first-period deficit against Florin TITA (ROU) by scoring 11 unanswered points.

11:41: We still haven't seen Turkish legend Riza KAYAALP (TUR) take the mat yet. He's still a ways out, but will take on Knystautas in eight matches on Mat B (Bout 43).

11:31: Keep an eye out for world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) on Mat A. He's coming up in three matches and will wrestle Teodor HORATAU (ROU).

11:27: In a battle of Tokyo Olympians Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) picked up the 2-0 opening-round win over Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU).

11:07: Reigning world champ Victor CIOBANU (MDA) just made Taleh MAMMADOV'S (AZE) feet touch the ceiling at the Palla Pellicone with a back-arching throw!

10:59: This should be a great one over on Mat B. Youngster Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is climbing the ranks at 67kg while Erik TORBA (HUN) is an established vet.

10:55: As the day progresses, we'll be paying close attention to Hungarian 87kg wrestlers Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), Istvan TAKACS (HUN) and Tamas LEVAI (HUN), who are all in contention to hold the world championship spot in Belgrade.

10:52: Norway's second European champ of the day Morten THORESEN (NOR) is now on the middle mat. He's wrestling Italy's Giovanni Paolo ALESSIO (ITA) on Mat B.

10:41: Mammadov looked really impressive in his first-round match, defeating Ozturk, 14-1. I'm not sure where the Turking wrestler goes for the World Championships, but I'm sure there's talk about him moving back down to 55kg. I think that's what give Turkey the best shot at a medal at 55kg and 60kg, with European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) taking over the 60kg position.

10:37: It's nice to see European champion Felix BALDAUF (NOR) wrestling over on Mat C. While at the European Championships in Budapest earlier this year, we were shooting out Question of the Day with fans, wrestlers and coaches when someone ran past and said, "Felix just broke his leg on the mat. He's done for a while." Luckily that turned out to be false and it was just a minor injury and he's back to looking like the early 2022 Baldauf.

10:30: We'll kick the day off with hammers Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) and Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) wrestling on Mat A. This is Ozturk's sixth Ranking Series event. He's reached the finals in all five of his previous Ranking Series outings.