Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! April 16, 2018

Monday, April 16, 2018 - 11:43 By Eric Olanowski

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Reviewing the 2018 Commonwealth Games, European Championships, and the remaining dates that Burroughs and Chamizo could possibly wrestle. 

1. Erasmus and Charig Make History 
South Africa’s Martin ERASMUS (RSA) and Whales’ Kane CHARIG (WAL) made history for their countries at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. 

Erasmus, the 22-year-old 2018 African champion used two massive four-point throws in the 97kg finals to nullify Mausam KHATRI’s (IND) inside trip attempts, taking the commanding 8-0 lead. Erasmus tacked on another takedown to seize South Africa's first Commonwealth Games wrestling gold medal since 1958.

Kane Charig’s 10-0 victory in the semifinals over Jean BANDOU (MRI) not only locked up his spot in the finals but also acquired his country’s highest Commonwealth Games finisher ever. 

Before the 26-year-old won his 2018 silver medal, Wales’ highest finish came from Sarah CONNOLLY (WAH), Curtis DODGE (WAH), and Craig PILLING (WAH) who each finished with bronze medals. 

2. Four Women Win Back-to-Back Titles 
Six women came into the 2018 Commonwealth Games with hopes of repeating as champions, yet only four were able to do so. 

Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), Aminat ADENIYI (NGR), Vinesh VINESH (IND) and Erica WIEBE (CAN) all won back-to-back crowns this past weekend in Gold Coast, Australia. 

Adekuoroye, the 2018 African champion sang and danced her way to the tune of a second consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal and third overall as she routed Pooja DHANDA (IND), 7-5. 

Adeniyi, the 24-year-old Olympian and three-time African champion reached the pinnacle of the 62kg weight category with an injury default victory over Canada’s 2017 world bronze medalist, Michelle FAZZARI (CAN). 

Vinesh captured India’s lone women’s wrestling gold by thrashing 2012 world champion Jessica MACDONALD (CAN), 13-3. 

The fourth wrestler to defend her Commonwealth Games title was 2016 Olympic Champion, Erica Wiebe. Wiebe, who was selected as Team Canada’s closing ceremony flag bearer picked up a fall over Blessing Joy ONYEBUCHI (NGR) in the opening period after trailing 2-0. 

3. India Wins Four In Men’s Freestyle 

Indian men seized an impressive four of a possible six gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Their 2018 performance was an improvement from their trio of gold medal achievements at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

The four Indian’s who clutched gold medals were Rahul Balasaheb AWARE (IND), Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), Kumar SUSHIL (IND) and Sumit SUMIT (IND). 

For Sushil, this was his third Commonwealth Games gold medal, but the first time winning gold for the three remaining wrestlers. 

4. European Championships Rosters Set To Be Released Tuesday 

The European Championships commence in less than two weeks in Dagestan, Russia. Though line-ups are not official, preliminary line-ups have been submitted to United World Wrestling and will begin to be released starting this Tuesday. 

Greco-Roman line-ups will be released on Tuesday, followed by women’s wrestling on Wednesday and closed out with freestyle on Thursday. 

5. Time Running Out for Burroughs v. Chamizo Super Match 
The social media war between Olympic champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and 2017 world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) continues as possible match-up dates run out with the continental championships on the horizon. 

The two dates that make the most sense would be May 17, 2018, in New York, New York at Beat the Streets or July 30 - August 5 in Rome, Italy at the Junior European Championships. Either would work for Chamizo as he trains part-time at the NYAC but also lives in Italy. 

Weekly FIVE! in Social Media

1. Big Move Monday!

#OnThisDay : Vladimir Khinchegashvili (GEO), known for his unorthodox counter style of wrestling, gave up a five-point back-arching throw to world bronze medalist Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) late in the first period of their 61kg 2017 European championships bout.

2.#dagestan will host the next #wrestling #european#championships in two weeks!! Федерация борьбы @wrestrus_ru

3. “@wrestlersushilwouldn’t let me pick him up this time ?? #4yearslater #gc2018wrestling” @eweebz

4. 74kg BRONZE - Curtis DODGE (WAL) picks up the fall after being down 8-0 to Ebimienfaghe ASSIZECOURT (NGR).

5. Overcome with emotion after the final whistle, Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) barrel rolled from the center of the mat to the coach's corner where she had to be carried back to have her hand raised. #gc2018wrestling ?: @jackoadams94

Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! November 13, 2018

Tuesday, November 13, 2018 - 14:39 By Eric Olanowski

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Reviewing Tuesday's U23 Greco-Roman finals and Olympic champion Ramonov's recent back surgery. Also looking at the American Wrestling League's matchups and the final point-base rankings of the year. 

1. Cartaraga and Pataridze Return to U23 World Finals in #BuchaWrestU23
The first day of the 2018 U23 World Championships have come to a close, but not before two wrestlers earned their second-consecutive U23 World finals bids.

2017 U23 World champion at 71 kg Daniel CARTARAGA (MDA) made his second-straight U23 World finals, this time at 77 kg, pinning 2018 Junior World silver medalist and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Sajan SAJAN (IND) in the first period.

In the finals, Cartaraga will meet 2018 U23 European champion Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN), who knocked off reigning U23 World champion Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) with a 4-1 decision.

Also advancing to his second U23 World finals was Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), who is a five-time age-group World champion, winning three Junior World titles and two Cadet World titles.

To earn a spot in the finals, the Georgian finished off 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) with an 8-0 technical fall in 56 seconds.

Pataridze looks to improve on his silver-medal finish from last year. To do so, he will have to go through 2016 Junior World silver medalist and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) in the 130 kg finals.

The Greco-Roman finals begin on Tuesday at 18:00 local time.

Click HERE to see all Greco-Roman finals matchups. 

Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) carries his regional flag along with the Russian flag after winning the 2016 Rio gold medal. (Photo by Gabor Martin) 

2. Olympic Champion Ramonov Undergoes Back Surgery 
Rio Olympic champion Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) is expected to miss three to six months after undergoing spinal surgery to correct a back issue that has long troubled him. Ramonov said, “It’s true that I had an operation on my back last week, but I’ve already got back to work and started physical therapy.”

The timing of the surgery could not have come at a worse time for the two-time world medalist, as it’ll sideline him for two of Russia’s most significant tournaments, the 2018 Alans and next January’s Ivan Yarygin. 

“I expect to return to the mat in January, and hopefully enter a tournament at 65kg closer to the fall.” 

This statement should raise eyebrows of wrestling fans because Ramonov was arguably the most dominant wrestler in the world during his run to the 65kg Rio Olympic gold medal. After that win, he bumped up to 70kg and failed to make it back on the Russian world team in back-to-back years after earning medals at three consecutive medals at the World Championships and Olympic Games. 

David Taylor carries the American flag around the mat after winning the 2018 world championship.(Photo by Gabor Martin) 

3. Starting Line-ups announced for November 30 American Wrestling League 
Reigning world champions Kyle DAKE (USA) and David TAYLOR (USA) drafted their teams two weeks for the inaugural “American Wrestling League I The Beginning,” and this weekend, the pair of gold-medal winners finalized their rosters for the event that will take place on for November 30 at U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

The premier bout of the ten match card comes at 65kg where Jordan OLIVER (USA) will meet Zain RETHERFORD (USA). Team Dake’s Oliver is coming back from a year-long suspension, while Team Taylor’s Retherford returns after sitting out the 2017 season. 

This will not be the last time these two meet, as they are expected to both compete for the 2019 world team spot at 65kg. 

Each of the starters from Team Dake and Team Taylor will pick up $2,500 to show, and $5,000 to win. Fans can follow all of the AWL action live on trackwrestling.com on November 30.

AWL I Matchups
Team Dake vs. Team Taylor 
57kg - Frank PERRELLI vs. Nico MEGALUDIS 
61kg - Tony RAMOS vs. Cory CLARK 
65kg - Jordan OLIVER vs. Zain RETHERFORD 
70kg - James GREEN vs. Brandon SORENSEN 
74kg - Richie LEWIS vs. Tommy GANTT 
79kg - Isaiah MARTINEZ vs. Alex DIERINGER 
86kg - Nick HEFLIN vs. Sam BROOKS 
92kg - Deron WINN vs. Mike MACCHIAVELLO 
97kg - Jacob KASPER vs. Kyven GADSON 
125kg - Dom BRADLEY vs. Adam COON 

RONG Ningning (CHN), this year's 57kg world champion is entered at 59kg. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

4. Women’s Wrestling at the U23 World Championships Begins Tomorrow 
Greco-Roman wrestling at the U23 World Championships is wrapping up and women’s wrestling is next in line to shine at the Polyvalent Hall in Bucharest, Romania. 

Highlighting the women’s wrestling field is Yukako KAWAI (JPN), RONG Ningning (CHN), and Khanum VELIEVA (RUS). 

Rong, who will be up 2kg from her world championship weight of 57kg, will try to cap off 2018 with another world title. Last month, Rong grabbed the senior-level gold medal, adding to her impressive twelve-month run where she reached the top of the podium at the Asian Championships, China Open, Ivan Yarygin, and Poland Open. 

Another 2018 world champion that’ll be competing this week is Russia’s junior world champion Khanum Valieva. Two months ago, Valieva captured her fourth age-level when she won her second straight junior world gold medal at the 2018 Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia. 

Though she fell short in the 2018 senior-level gold-medal bout, Japan’s Kawai is fresh off a second-place finish at the senior-level World Championship two weeks ago in Budapest, Hungary. In the finals, Kawai lost to Bulgaria's Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), 6-2 in the 62kg gold-medal bout, improving on her 2017 eighth-place finish.

Click here for the full schedule.

 Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) fist-pumps after making it to the gold medal bout of the 2018 World Championships. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

5. Post World Championship Rankings Published 
The final point-base rankings of the 2018 calendar year are posted on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

In freestyle, eight different nations finished the year with a top-ranked wrestler, as Russia led the way with a trio of No. 1 ranked guys. Of the ten wrestlers who own a freestyle top ranking, Zavur UGUEV (RUS) is the only one who claimed a gold medal at the 2018 World Championships. 

In Greco-Roman, seven different nations have a wrestler ranked in the top position to end the season. Hungary is the front-runner, having three wrestlers in the first spot. The two Greco-Roman world champions that end the season as the top-ranked wrestler are Sergey EMELIN (RUS) and Artem SURKOV (RUS). 

Ukraine and Turkey lead the way in women's wrestling with a pair of wrestlers sitting atop of the final rankings. Of the ten world champions, only Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), Petra OLLI (FIN) and Ningning RONG (CHN) end the year in the top spot of the final 2018 point-base rankings. 

Freestyle
57kg - Zavur UGUEV (RUS)
61kg - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)
65kg - Bajrang BAJRANG (IND)
70kg - Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR)
74kg - Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
79kg - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
86kg - Fatih ERDIN (TUR) 
92kg - Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) 
97kg - Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) 
125kg - Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)

Greco-Roman 
55kg - Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
60kg - Sergey EMELIN (RUS) 
63kg - Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) 
67kg - Artem SURKOV (RUS) 
72kg - Balint KORPASI (HUN) 
77kg - Tamas Lörincz (HUN) 
82kg - Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) 
87kg - Islam ABBASOV (AZE) 
97kg - Balazs KISS (HUN) 
130kg - Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) 

Women's Wrestling 
50kg -  Mariya STADNIK (AZE) 
53kg - Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) 
55kg - Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) 
57kg - Ningning RONG (CHN) 
59kg - Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR) 
62kg - Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) 
65kg - Petra OLLI (FIN) 
68kg - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) 
72kg - Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) 
76kg - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Mihut (ROU) is an arm throw wizard ?‍♂️. #unitedworldwrestling #uww #wrestling
2. Who do you think wins the race? Comment?1, 2, 3 or 4!
3. Highlights from the Greco-Roman qualification round at #buchawrest2018
4. You’re rubbing off on the kids, @aligaraii!
5. Kozliuk (UKR) makes his way to the next round ?? ?‍♂️ . #wrestling #uww #unitedworldwrestling