Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! April 23, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing next weeks European Championships, the Burroughs and Chamizo super match-up and Pan-American line-up release date. 

1. Burroughs, Chamizo Match-Up Set for May 17
Last week, Beat the Streets New York announced that the colossal match-up between reigning superstar world champions Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), and Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) has been set for May 17 in New York City. 

Burroughs, the 29-year-old offensive juggernaut is a five-time world medalist and the reigning world champion at 74kg. Since stepping on the international scene in 2011, the 2012 London Olympic champion has dominated the 74kg weight category, winning four gold medals at the World Championships. 

Chamizo, the 25-year-old defensive wizard and reigning world champion at 70kg has since moved up to 74kg in preparation for the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungry.  Since moving up this season, Chamzio has produced 74kg gold medals at the International Ukrainian Tournament where he beat 2011 world silver medalist, Franklin GOMEZ (PUR) and the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament where he bested reigning European Champion, Soener DEMIRTAS (TUR). 

 

Two-time Olympic champion, Roman VLASOV (RUS). Photo by Tony Rotundo. 

2. European Championships – Greco-Roman Begins Next Monday
Steered by the duo of Olympic champions in Roman VLASOV (RUS) and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), the Greco-Roman field at the European Championships is littered with Olympic medalists.

Rio finalist Riza KAYAALP (TUR), the three-time world champions from Turkey will be looking for his seventh European title. Other medalists from the Rio Game include bronze medalists Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR), Cenk ILDEM (TUR)Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), Denis Maksymilian KUDLA (GER) and Sabah SHARIATI (AZE).

April 30 - 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg, and 130kg
May 1 - 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg, and 97kg

LINE-UPS: uww.io/Zm1A3 

2017 world champion, Yasemin ADAR (TUR). Photo by Tony Rotundo.

3. European Championships – Women’s Wrestling Starts Next Wednesday
The women’s wrestling field is guided by returning world and European champions, Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) and boasts entries from seven of the eight defending champions. Last year’s 60kg champion, Lyubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) is the singular 2017 titleholder who will not be competing next week in Dagestan, Russia. 

Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the Olympic silver medalist and 2011 world champion will be looking for her seventh European championship. Stadnik hasn't suffered a defeat at the European championships during her time at the senior-level. 

The four remaining defending champions are Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS), Grace BULLEN (NOR), Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) and Monika MICHALIK (POL). 

May 2 - 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg, and 76kg
May 3 - 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 65kg, and 72kg

LINE-UPS: http://uww.io/jLeYc 

Olympic champion, Taha AKGUEL (TUR). Photo by Tony Rotundo. 

4. European Championships – Freestyle Actions Opens up Next Friday
Headed by the trio of Olympic gold medalists, Taha AKGUEL (TUR), Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS), freestyle features seven of the eight returning champions. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) is the lone champion who does not return from the 2017 Novi Sad European Championships.

Other notable wrestlers that'll be competing in Dagestan are returning champions, Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS), Frank Chamizo, Soner Demirtas, Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) and Riza YILDIRIM (TUR). 

In addition to the returning champions, Azerbaijan's three Olympic medalists in Haji ALIYEV (AZE), Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE), and Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) are expected to be in the hunt for a gold medal. 

May 4 - 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, and 97kg
May 5 - 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg, and 125kg

LINE-UPS: uww.io/b3kNR 

Three-time world and Olympic champion, Kyle SNYDER (USA). Photo by Tony Rotundo. 
5. Pan-American Championship Rosters to be Released Tuesday
The Pan-American championships preliminary line-ups which feature the threesome of Olympic champions in Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB), Jordan Burroughs and Kyle SNYDER (USA) will be released on Tuesday, April 24. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 
1. 2018 European C'ships - Official Teaser #kaspeuro2018@wrestrus_ru @wrestrus.ru@dagestan.wrestling @wrestdag_rd@wrestling.dagestan

2. 7 Days To Go #kaspeuro2018 
@sadulaev_abdulrashid @sadulaev_86@wrestling.dagestan @dagestan.wrestling@wrestdag_rd @wrestrus.ru @wrestrus_ru 
#dagestan #russia #freestyle #wrestler#olympic #champion #wrestling

3. @alliseeisgold and @frankchamizo92 set to headline @beatthestreets on May 17.

4. When you love wrestling too much?
TAP WITH WHO YOU WANNA TRY IT
Когда ты сильно любишь борьбу?
ОТМЕТЬ ТОГО С КЕМ ХОТЕЛ БЫ ПОВТОРИТЬ 
Video by @kazwrestlingonline @amonya65

5. ?“Endure the hardships
 When you succeed
Have a fantastic story to define 
سختی ها رو تحمل کن
وقتی به موفقیت رسیدی
یه داستان فوق العاده برا تعریف داری 
#greco_roman #77 #wrestling#Tokyo2020” @aligaraii ?

#UWWAwards

Ono, Bondar, Hedayati named UWW's Rising Stars for 2024

By Vinay Siwach

United World Wrestling has named Masanosuke ONO (JPN), Iryna BONDAR (UKR) and Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) as the Emerging Stars of the Year in Freestyle, Women's Wrestling and Greco-Roman for 2024.

Masanosuke ONO (JPN)

A storm hit the wrestling world late in the season. 20-year-old Masanosuke ONO (JPN) went on a rampage at the U20 and senior World Championships, winning both titles.

He first competed internationally at the Yasar Dogu tournament in March this year, winning the gold medal in a 28-wrestler 61kg bracket. Then he moved up to 65kg for the Asian Championships in Bishkek. However, he suffered a fall against Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) in his first bout. He returned to win the bronze medal.

That loss against Tumur Ochir would be a distant memory as Ono went on to win gold at the U20 World Championships, winning three out of four bouts via technical superiority. Then came the World Championships Tirana with Ono being a dark horse.

He quickly changed that to the favorite to win the gold medal as he opened with a huge 10-2 win over Tokyo Olympic champion Zavur UGUEV (AIN). He went on to add four more wins for the gold medal with scores reading 12-0, 11-0, 12-0 and 10-0.

Ono, currently a student at Yamanashi Gakuin University, earned new fans in Tirana with his dynamic style of wrestling and his celebrations. Most fans are glued to their seats when Ono is on the mat as in Tirana as he showed his range of attacks, from leg attacks to par terre and from upper body throws to leg laces.

Iryna BONDAR (UKR)Iryna BONDAR (UKR) won six gold medals, including two at world championships, this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

Among one of the most active wrestlers this year, Iryna BONDAR (UKR) clearly emerges as the future star in the making.

Bondar has competed at a staggering eight tournaments this year and won gold medals at six. Bondar began the year with an eighth-place finish at the Zagreb Open, her first senior competition, but then began a prolific run of winning gold medals at all age-group tournaments.

Bondar began with the U23 European Championships, added the second at the Budapest Ranking Series before adding the gold at the U20 European Championships. Then came the World Championships season. She won the U20 World Championships gold medal at 62kg, a month later she added the U23 World Championships gold medal at 62kg.

She could have capped off her season on a high but she participated in her first senior World Championships days after the U23 event. Wrestling at 65kg, she suffered a close loss to Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN).

In the four championships this year, Bodnar has outscored her opponents 155-25 in 18 bouts. Before that loss in Tirana, she was on a 24-0 winning run this year.

Bondar has been an active wrestler on the tour and won medals at the U20, U23 World Championships before, finishing with silvers and bronzes. However, the gold rush came this year.

Her form at 62kg makes her the heir apparent to two-time Olympic medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) who recently won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) won the 130kg gold at the U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)

While a lot can be said about Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) and his age-group world titles, his stunned the wrestling world in Budapest this year.

At the Budapest Ranking Series in July, a tune-up tournament for the Paris Olympics, Hedayati shocked world and Olympic champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) at Greco-Roman 130kg with a 4-0 win. Hedayati broke the Turkish legend in the six-minute bout and claimed the most famous win of his career so far.

Hedayati has been knocking on the 130kg door of the Iran team for long but Olympic bronze medalist Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is still holding the spot. But the 2024 year has further Hedayati's claim over it.

Beginning the year with the Zagreb Open Ranking Series, Hedayati won he gold medal at 130kg with victories over Laszlo DARABOS (HUN), Wenhao JIANG (CHN), Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) and Lingzhe MENG (CHN).

Then came the 2024 Vehbi Emre tournament in which he challenged Mirzazadeh for the spot on Iran team but suffered a loss, his only of the season. He bounced back quickly from that and won the Budapest Ranking Series gold medal. Hedayati's style an be gauged with the fact that he did no give up a single point in three bouts in Budapest, making him a highly active wrestler.

He capped off the year with his first U23 World Championships gold medal at 130kg in Tirana. Hedayati's golden run included victories over some of the biggest names in age-group wrestling like Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN), Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), Hamza BAKIR (TUR).

Only Vyshnyvetskyi, who defeated Hedayati for the gold at the U20 World Championships in 2022, was able to score points on Hedayati when he hit an arm-throw. However, even in that bout, the Iranian never looked in any trouble.

Hedayati's active wrestler makes it difficult for his opponents to get him in forced par terre, making it difficult for them to score.