USA Battles Iran, Russia Tops Ukraine: Men's Freestyle World Cup Wrap and Results

LOS ANGELES (March 15) – The LA Forum is use to hosting world famous rock stars, but on Saturday night the flash bulbs, accolades and selfies weren’t for Selena Gomez or Aerosmith, but the Iranian men’s freestyle team.

Buoyed by a boisterous crowd waving their home flag and chanting encouragements in Farsi, the Iranian side powered past the United States, winning five matches to the American three. The Iranian and American wrestlers competed at such a high level and with intensity that the action, and crowd, looked like they may boil over.

’There is a certain amount of respect that is exchanged on the mat,” said USA men’s freestyle head wrestling coach Zeke Jones. “They know that after bleeding together on the mat, that when they step off they are friends. And the Iranian fans know that too, we both have great fans.”

The victory propelled the defending World Cup champions into top position in Pool A and should they make it past India Sunday at 11 am PST they should face Russia in the gold medal finals.

The Russians enjoyed a perfect first day, going 3-0 against Mongolia, Japan and Ukraine.

With the current situation in Crimea drawing the attention of the international media, the Ukranian and Russian coaches took time to meet with the media and let them know that their fight was only on the mat.

“This is a really great event, and a really great opportunity to bring us, Ukraine and Russia, closer together,” said Russian team leader and assistant coach Christakis ALEXANDRIDI.

It is a great chance to show respect and friendship when the two countries come together on the mat,” added Ukraine coach Yurii NAZARENKO.

The Russians blitzed past the Ukranians on the mat, winning seven of their eight matches, including an upset by Anzor URISHEV over defending World Champion Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR), 7-0 at 85kg.

The Russians did struggle to make it past neighbor Mongolia, needing criteria to make it past their 4-4 match score.

The Mongolian side finished their first day with an impressive 5-3 win over Georgia in addition to an earlier 4-4 criteria win over rival Japan.

But the message of the day remained a unified wrestling community. Lost in the mix was a peaceful, and exciting match between longtime rivals Turkey and Armenia. Add-in Ukraine, Russia, Iran and United States all competing, the day was ripe for interpretation, but in the end it was the accomplishments of the mat that impressed.

“This is the sport that bonds the world together,” said Jones. “It’s wrestling. It makes sense.”

Schedule, Full Standings, Results and Match Results:

Schedule, Sunday, March 16

Session III
11:00 – Iran vs. India, USA vs. Turkey
12:00 – Russia vs. Georgia; Ukraine vs. Mongolia
13:30 – Seventh-place match and Ninth-place match
14:30 – Fifth-place match

Session IV
17:00 – Third-place match
18:00 – First-place match and Award Ceremonies

Pool A Standings
Iran, 3-0
USA, 2-1
India, 2-1
Turkey, 1-2
Armenia: 0-3

Pool A Results
Iran 5, USA 3
Iran 8, Armenia 0
Iran 7, Turkey 1
USA 7, Armenia 1
USA 6, India 2
India 5, Turkey 3
Turkey 5, Armenia 3
India 4, Armenia 4 (India wins on criteria)

Pool B Standings
Russia: 3-0
Mongolia: 2-1
Ukraine: 2-1
Georgia: 1-2
Japan: 1-2

Pool B Results
Russia 4, Mongolia 4 (Russia wins on criteria)
Russia 7, Ukraine 1
Russia 7, Japan 1
Mongolia 4, Japan 4 (Mongolia wins on criteria)
Mongolia 5, Georgia 3
Japan 5, Georgia 3
Ukraine 7, Japan 1
Ukraine 5, Georgia 3

Pool B Round III

Mongolia 5, Georgia 3
57 kg – Batbold NOMIN (MGL) df. Otari GOGAVA (GEO), 11-7
61 kg – Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) df. Enkhsaikhan NYAM-OCHIR (MGL), 11-7
65 kg – Ganzorig MANDAKHNARAN (MGL) df. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), 8-1
70 kg – Ankhbayar BATCHULUUN (MGL) df. Levan KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO) by TF, 10-0
74 kg – Purevjav UNURBAT (MGL) df. Giorgi MARSAGISHVILI (GEO), 6-4
86 kg – Orgodol UITUMEN (MGL) df. Levan GOGRITCHIANI (GEO) by TF, 11-0
97 kg – Nodar EGADZE (GEO) dec. Dorjkhand KHUDERBULGA (MGL), 5-2
125 kg – Geno PETRIASHVELI (GEO) dec. Jargalsaikhan CHULUUNBAT (MGL), 4-1

Ukraine 7, Japan 1
57 kg – Sergiy RATUSHNY (UKR) won by forfeit
61 kg – Vasyl FEDORYSHYN (UKR) df. Katsuyoshi KAWASE (JPN) by TF, 11-0
65 kg – Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) df. Ivan Petriv (UKR) by TF, 10-0
70 kg – Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR) df Ken HOSAKA (JPN), 5-0
74 kg – Giya CHYKHLADZE (UKR) df. Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN), 6-1
86 kg – Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR) df. Atsushi MATUSMOTO (JPN) by TF, 12-0
97 kg – Pavlo OLIIYNK (UKR) df. Koki YAMAMOTO (JPN) by TF, 12-1
125 kg – Alen ZASIEIV (UKR) df. Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA (JPN), 8-4

Russia 7, Japan 1
57 kg – Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) won by forfeit
61 kg – Murad NUKHKADIEV (RUS) won by forfeit
65 kg – Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) df. Alibeggadzhi EMEEV (RUS), 6-4
70 kg – Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) df. Ken HOSAKA (JPN) by FALL, 1:10
74 kg – Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN), 3-1
86 kg – Shamil KUDIAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN) by TF, 10-0
97 kg – Yuri BELONOVSKY (RUS) df Koki YAMAMOTO (JPN) by FALL, 0:57
125 kg – Arslanbek Aliev (RUS) df.  Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA (JPN) by TF, 10-0

Ukraine 5, Georgia 3
57 kg – Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) df. Sergiy RATUSHNY (UKR), 6-5
61 kg – Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) df. Vasyl FEDORYSHYN (UKR), 13-6
65 kg – Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) df. Ivan PETRIV (UKR), 7-0
70 kg – Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR) df. Giorgi TSURSKIRDZE (GEO), Default
74 kg – Giya CHYKHLADZE (UKR) df. Giorgi MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) by FALL, 5:07
86 kg – Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR) won by forfeit
97 kg – Pavlo OLIINYK (UKR) df. Nodar EGADZE (GEO) by TF, 11-0
125 kg – Alen ZASIEIEV (UKR) df. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 15-9

Pool A Round III

Iran 7, Turkey 1
57 kg – Mehran REZAZADEH (IRI) df. Nebi UZUN (TUR) by TF, 20-8
61 kg – Masoud ESMAILPOOR (IRI) df. Recep TOPAL (TUR) by FALL, 5:25
65 kg – Sayed Ahmad PAHNEHKOLAIE (IRI) df. Selahattin KILISALAYAN (TUR) by TF, 11-0
70 kg – Mustafa KAYA (TUR) df. Peyman YARAMADI (IRI), 11-9
74 kg – Reza AFZALIPAEMANI (IRI) df. Murat ERTURK (TUR) by TF, 11-0
86 kg – Ali Reza KARMIMACHIANI (IRI) df. Fatih ERDIN (TUR) by TF, 11-1
97 kg – Hamed Talebi ZARINKAMAR (IRI) df. Ali BONCEOGLU (TUR) by TF, 10-0
125 kg – Parviz Hadi BASMANO (IRI) df. Hamza OZKARHDENIZ (TUR) by TF, 11-0

India 4, Armenia 4 (India wins on criteria)
57 kg – Amit KUMAR (IND) df. Artak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM), 11-6
61 kg – Valodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) df. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), 10-8
65 kg – Rajneesh RAJNEESH (IND) df. Artur ARAKELYAN (ARM ) by FALL, 2:00
70 kg – Davit APOYAN (ARM) df. Amit Kumar DHANKAR (IND) by FALL, 5:00
74 kg – Parveen RANA (IND) df. Artak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM) by FALL, 3:00
86 kg – Vahe TAMRAZYAN (ARM) df. Pawan KUMAR (IND)by FALL, 3:00
97 kg – Saywart KADIAN (IND) df. Viktor KAZISHVILI (ARM) by FALL, 3:00
125 kg – Andranik GALSTYAN (ARM) won by forfeit

Iran 5, USA 3
57 kg – Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) df. Angel ESCOBEDO (USA), 8-0
61 kg – Masoud ESMAILPOOR (IRI) df. Reece HUMPHREY (USA), 10-8
65 kg – Brent METCALF (USA) df. Meisam NASIRI (IRI), 11-8
70 kg – Mostafa HOSSEINKHENI (IRI) df. Nick MARABLE (USA), 1-0
74 kg – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Ezzatollah AKBARI (IRI), 7-1
86 kg – Clayton FOSTER (USA) df. Ehsan LASHGARI (IRI), 7-5
97 kg – Reza YAZDANI (IRI) df. J.D. BERGMAN (USA), 8-0
125 kg – Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) df. Tervel DLAGNEV (USA), 1-0
Turkey 5, Armenia 3
57 kg – Artak HOYHANNISYAN (ARM) df Nebi UZUN (TUR) by FALL, 15-4
61 kg – Recep TOPAL (TUR) df. Valodya Frangulyan (ARM), 7-1
65 kg – Selahattin KILISASLYAN (TUR) df. Artur ARAKELYAN (ARM), 12-4
70 kg – Mustafa KAYA (TUR) df. Davit APOYAN (ARM), 16-12
74 kg – Murat ERTURK (TUR) df. Varuzhan KAJOYAN (ARM) by FALL, 16-5
86 kg – Fatih ERDIN (TUR) df. Vahe TAMRAZYAN (ARM), 7-0
97 kg – Viktor Kazishvili (ARM) df. Ali BONCEGULO (TUR) by FALL, 1:16
125 kg – Andranik Galstyan (ARM) df. Hamza OZKARHDENIZ (TUR) by FALL, 4:09

Pool B, Round II

Mongolia 4, Japan 4 (Mongolia wins on criteria)
57 kg – Fumitaka MORISHITA (JPN) df. Batbold NOMIN (MGL), 7-6
61 kg – Enkhsaikhan NYAM-OCHIR (MGL) df. Katsuyoshi KAWASE (JPN), 5:41
65 kg – Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) df. Ganzorig MANDAKHNARAN (MGL), 12-2
70 kg – Ken HOSAKA (Japan) df. Ankhbayar BATHULUUN (MGL), 11-1
74 kg – Purevjav UNURBAT (MGL) df. Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN), 3-2
86 kg – Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN) df. Orgodol UITUMEN (MGL), 8-4
97 kg – Dorjkhand KHUDERBULGA (MGL) df. Koki YAMAMOTO (JPN) by TF, 10-0
125 kg – Jargalsaikhan CHULUUNBAT (MGL) df. Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA (JPN), 4-0

Russia 7, Ukraine 1
57 kg – Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) df. Sergiy RATUSHNY (UKR), 8-1
61 kg – Aleksandr BOGOMEV (RUS) df. Vasyl FEDORYSHYN (UKR), 6-1
65 kg – Soslan ROMANOV (RUS) df. Ivan PETRIV (UKR) by TF, 13-3
70 kg – Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) df. Andriy KVYATKOVSKY (UKR), 6-0
74 kg – Atsamaz SANAKOEV (RUS) df. Giya CHYKHLADZE (UKR), 6-5
86 kg – Anzor URISHEV (RUS) df. Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR), 7-0
97 kg – Yuri BELONOVSKY (RUS) df. Pavlo OLIINYK (UKR), 2-2
125 kg – Alen ZASIEIEV (UKR) df. Arslanbek ALIEV (RUS), 7-0

Pool B, Round I

Japan 5, Georgia 3
57 kg – Fumitaka MORISHITA (JPN) df. Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) by FALL, 2:45
61 kg – Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) df. Katsuyoshi KAWASE (JPN) by TF, 10-0
65 kg – Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) df. Zurabi LAKOBISHVILI (GEO), 9-3
70 kg – Ken HOSAKA (JPN) df. Levan KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO), 7-6
74 kg – Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) df. Giorgi MARAGISHVILI (GEO), 9-4
86 kg – Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN) df. Levan GOGRITCHIANI (GEO), 3-2
97 kg – Eldar KURTANIDZE (GEO) df. Koki YAMAMOTO (JPN), 4-2
125 kg – Giorgi SAKANDELIDZE (GEO) df. Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA (JPN) by TF, 10-0

Russia 4, Mongolia 4 (Russia wins on criteria)
57 kg – Batbold Nomin (MGL) df. Viktor Lebedev (RUS), 10-6
61 kg – Murad Nukhkadiev (RUS) df. Enkhsaikhan Nyam-Ochir (MGL), 12-4
65 kg – Ganzorig Mandakhnaran (MGL) df. Alibeggadzhi Emeev (RUS), 4-0
70 kg – Ankhbayar Batchuluun (MGL) df. Ramazan Shamsutdinov (RUS), 6-1
74 kg – Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov (RUS) df. Purevjav Unurbat (MGL), 11-5
86 kg – Shamil Kudiamagomedov (RUS) df. Orgodol Uitumen (MGL) by TF, 10-0
97 kg – Vladislav Baicaev (RUS) df. Dorjkhand Khuderbulga (MGL) by TF, 10-0
125 kg – Jargalsaikhan Chuluunbat (MGL) df. Anzor Khezriev (RUS), 6-6

Pool A, Round II

USA 6, India 2
57 kg – Amit KUMAR (IND) df. Andrew HOCHSTRASSER (USA), 4-3
61 kg – Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) df. Jimmy KENNEDY (USA), 10-6
65 kg – Brent METCALF (USA) df. Rajneesh RAJNEESH (IND), 7-6
70 kg – Moza FAY (USA) df. Amit Kumar DHANKAR (IND), 11-0
74 kg – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df Parveen RANA (IND) by fall, 2:44
84 kg – Clayton FOSTER (USA) df. Pawan KUMAR by TF, 10-0
97 kg – J.D. BERGMAN (USA) df. Saywart KADIAN (IND)
125 kg – Tervel DLAGNEV (USA) won by forfeit

Iran 8, Armenia 0
57 kg – Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) dec. Artak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM) by TF, 10-0
61 kg – Masoud ESMAILPOOR Jouybari (IRI) dec. Valodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) by TF, 11-1
65 kg – Meisam NASIRI (IRI) dec. Artur ARAKELYAN (ARM) byt TF, 14-4
70 kg – Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) dec. Davit APOYAN (ARM) by TF, 11-0
74 kg – Ezzatollah AKBARI (IRI) dec. Varuzhan KAJOYAN ( ARM ) by TF, 11-1
84 kg – Ehsan LASHGARI (IRI) dec. Vahe TAMRAZYAN (ARM) by TF, 10-0
97 kg – Reza YAZDANI (IRI) dec. Viktor KAZISHVILI (ARM) by FALL, 2:33
125 kg – Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) dec. Andranik GALSTYAN (ARM) by TF, 15-4

Pool A, Round I

USA 7, Armenia 1
57 kg – Angel ESCOBEDO (USA) df. Artak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM), 11-4
61 kg – Reece HUMPHREY (USA) df. Valodya FRANGULYAN (ARM), 5-4
65 kg – Brent METCALF (USA) df. Artur ARAKELYAN (ARM) via TF, 11-1
70 kg – Davit APOYAN (Armenia) df. Nick MARABLE (USA), 10-7
74 kg – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df Varuzhan KAJOYAN (ARM) via fall, 3:38
86 kg – Keith GAVIN (USA) df. Vahe TAMRAZYAN (ARM), 6-1
97 kg – Dustin KILGOR (USA) df. Viktor KAZISHVILI (ARM), 10-0
125 kg – Tervel DLAGNEV (USA) df. Andranik GASTYAN (ARM), 11-0

India 5, Turkey 3
57 kg – Amit KUMAR (IND) df. Nebi UZUN (TUR), 7-0
61 kg – Bajrang BAJRAN (IND) df. Recep TOPAL (TUR), 4-2
65 kg – Selahattin KILISALAYAN (TUR) df. Rajneesh RAJNEESH (IND), 15-7
70 kg – Amit Kumar DHANKAR (India) df. Mustafa KAYA (TUR), 8-4
74 kg – Parveen RANA (IND) df. Murat ERTURK (TUR), 8-6
86 kg – Fatih ERDIN (TUR) df. Pawan KUMAR (IND), 6-1
97 kg – Saywart KADIAN (IND) df. Ali BONCEOGLU (TUR), 6-2
125 kg – Hamza OZKARHDENIZ (TUR) win by forfeit