Weekly FIVE! December 10, 2019

Tuesday, December 10, 2019 - 13:00 By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing the three Olympic champions who had winning weekends and Chamizo announcing that he'll compete at January's Matteo Pellicone in Rome. Also looking next week's All Japan Championships and U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier.

1. Wiebe Outduels Di Stasio in Battle of Olympic vs. World Champion
Erica WIEBE outdueled Justina DI STASIO in two straight matches at the Canadian Wrestling Trials, as two other Olympians cemented their spots on Canada’s Pan-American Qualifier team.

Wiebe, the 2016 Rio Olympic champion, scored back-to-back victories over 2018 world champion Justina Di Stasio in a best-of-three series and punched her ticket to the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifier. The Olympic Qualifier is set to take place in her hometown of Ottawa on March 13-15. In her post-match interview, the Rio Olympic champion said, “It’s going to be different. I’ve never wrestled in my hometown of Ottawa, and a lot is on the line, and I’ll just do a lot of what I do every day – that is get one percent better.”

In the first match, Wiebe scored an inactivity point and held the 1-0 advantage, but Di Stasio scored a takedown and grabbed the 2-1 lead. Wiebe responded in a champion way, scoring four unanswered points and took match one, 5-2. Then, in the second match, Weibe grabbed a pair of one-point exchanges and locked up her spot on Canada’s Pan-American Qualifier team with the 2-0 victory.

Michelle FAZZARI and Danielle LAPPAGE, who represented Canada at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, also punched their ticket to the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifier in Ottawa.

Fazzari, who was returning from a horrific knee injury she suffered while wrestling Adeniyi OLUWAFUNMILAYO (NGR) in the 2018 Commonwealth Games finals, downed Jessica BROUILLETTE in two straight matches. She scored the 3-0 shutout win in the first match, then edged Brouillette, 3-2, in the second match.

Lappage, the 2018 world runner-up, dropped her first match against three-time Pan-American medalist Olivia DI BACCO, but earned her spot to the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifier after winning back-to-back matches. She won the second match, 9-0, and the third match, 4-2.

Meanwhile, Linda MORAIS, the 59kg world champion, dropped down to the Olympic weight of 57kg and easily punched her ticket to Ottawa with a pair of falls over Hannah TAYLOR.

RESULTS
Women’s Wrestling
50kg - Jessie MACDONALD df. Madison PARKS, two matches to none (7-2, 12-1)
53kg - Samantha STEWART df. Jade PARSONS, two matches to none (11-0, 2-2)
57kg - Linda MORAIS df. Hannah TAYLOR, two matches to none (via fall, via fall)
62kg - Michelle FAZZARI df. Jessica BROUILLETTE, two matches to none (3-0, 3-2)
68kg - Danielle LAPPAGE df. Olivia DI BACCO, two matches to one (5-8, 9-0, 4-2)
76kg - Erica WIEBE df. Justina DI STASIO, two matches to none (5-2, 2-1)

Freestyle
57kg - Ligrit SADIUKU df. Aso PALANI, two matches to one (3-4, 12-2, 4-1)
65kg - Dillon WILLIAMS df. Chris MCISAAC, two matches to none (5-2, 5-1)
74kg - Jasmit PHULKA df. Tyler ROWE, two matches to none (6-2, 6-5)
86kg - Clayton PYE df. Alex BROWN-THERIAULT, two matches to one (15-4, 2-9, 13-2)
97kg - Jordan STEEN df. Nishan RANDHAWA, two matches to none (13-2, 12-2)
125kg - Amar DHESI df. Korey JARVIS, two matches to none (11-0, 10-0)

2. Olympic Champs Ramonov and Snyder Win Alans International Tournament
Olympic champions Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) finished atop the podium at the Alans International Tournament in Vladikavkaz, Russia, as nine Russians claimed gold medals.

Ramonov, who has been wrestling at 70kg since 2017, returned to 65kg for the first time since his magical run to Olympic gold in Rio, and defeated Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS), 3-0, in the finals at 65kg.

The Alans was Ramonov’s third tournament back since undergoing back surgery over a year ago. The Olympic champion finished in second place at the Akhmed Kadyrov Cup and third place at the Vladimir Semenov Tournament.

Last November, Ramonov told United World Wrestling, “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.” Ramonov went on to say, “I expect to return to the mat in January, and hopefully enter a tournament at 65kg closer to the fall.”

America’s Kyle Snyder was the second Olympic champion who won an Alans gold medal. To win his gold, “Captain America” used a takedown and three one-point maneuvers to move past 2018 European champion Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS), 5-2, in the 97kg finals.

Meanwhile, Ahmed IDRISOV (RUS) and Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) were also apart of Russia’s gold-medal winning cast.

Idrisov, the younger brother of reigning world silver medalist Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS), scored a three-point win (5-2) over the two-time world bronze medalist ERDENEBAT Behbayar (MGL) in the 57kg finals.

Tsabolov, the 2014 world champion, defeated two-time world medalist James GREEN (USA), 7-4, in the 74kg finals. Up until the Alans, Tsabolov's finals opponent had competed down at 70kg for 20 consecutive tournaments and was making his first career appearance up at the Olympic weight class of 74kg.

In the finals, the Russian gave up an early takedown and trailed 2-0, but scored an inactivity point that was followed by a takedown and a pair of laces to win the match by three points.

Freestyle
57kg - Ahmed IDRISOV (RUS) df. ERDENEBAT Behbayar (MGL), 5-2
61kg - Ramazan FERZALIEV (RUS) df. Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 10-7
65kg - Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) df. Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS), 3-0
70kg - Chermen VALIEV (RUS) df. Ramazan RAMAZANOV (RUS), 4-2
74kg - Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) df. James GREEN (USA), 7-4
79kg - Khalil AMINOV (RUS) df. Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS), 8-6
86kg - Soslan KTSOEV (RUS) df. Georgy RUBAEV (MDA), 11-1
92kg - Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) df. Mohammad EBRAHIMI (IRI), 4-2
97kg - Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS), 5-2
125kg - Batraz GAZZAYEV (RUS) df. Baldan TSYZHIPOV (RUS), 10-0

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) will try to get back on Japan's women's wrestling team by winning next weekend's All Japan Championships. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

3. All Japan Championships Begin Next Week in Tokyo
Yui SUSAKI will join Rio Olympic silver medalists Shinobu OTA and Rei HIGUCHI next week on their quest to claim All Japan Championship gold and lock up their spots on Japan’s Asian Olympic Games Qualifier team.

The winners of the All Japan Championships, which will take place at Tokyo’s Komazawa Gymnasium on December 19-22, and will travel to China in March with hopes of doing what their fellow Japanese teammates couldn’t do at the 2019 World Championships -- qualify their respective weight for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Susaki, a two-time world champion, will be joined by career rival Yuki IRIE and Rio Olympic champion Erie TOSAKA in the 50kg bracket. Earlier this year, Susaki was stunned by Irie, which kept her from defending her world titles from 2017 and ’18.

Meanwhile, Rio Olympic runner-ups Ota and Higuchi will be moving weight classes in preparations to improve their silver medals from 2016.

Ota, this year’s 63kg world champion, will be moving up to 67kg. He planned on dropping down to 60kg, but Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) not only won the world title, but he also locked up his seat on Japan’s Olympic team at the weight. So that left Ota with no choice but to go up to 67kg.

Next weekend, Ota will challenge defending national champion Shogo TAKAHASHI, defending national runner-up Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA and last year’s U23 world champion Katsuaki ENDO, for the 67kg spot.

Rei HIGUCHI, who is dropping down to 57kg from 65kg, will have to get through Yuki TAKAHASHI if he has hopes of representing Japan in a second straight Olympics. The task won't be easy, as Takahashi has been one of the best wresters at the weight over the past three years. Higuchi's potential opponent was the world champion in 2017 and world bronze medalist in 2018. But after a disappointing 10th-place finish in Nur-Sultan, Takahashi left the door open for others to challenge, which is why Higuchi is making the change.

For more information about the All Japan Championships, visit http://www.japan-wrestling.org.

4. Chamizo Announces Plans to Compete at January’s Matteo Pellicone
In an interview with United World Wrestling, Italian superstar Frank CHAMIZO announced that he’ll wrestle at the first Ranking Series event of 2020, the Matteo Pellicone. “I’m going to Rome for the Ranking Series tournament. Right now, I’m training for there in New York,” said the two-time world champion. Chamizo went further, saying, “It will be good. It’s home!”

Chamizo has been one of the biggest supporters of UWW’s Ranking Series events. After winning a gold medal at the third Ranking Series tournament of the year, the Sassari City Tournament, Chamizo said, “I need the training and I need the matches. But the reason for competing so much is I need the Ranking Series points. That’s important.”

Chamizo has competed in four of the eight Ranking Series events since its inception in 2018 and has medaled in each of those four appearances. This year, Chamizo used the Ranking Series events to climb to the top of the world ranking, and ultimately the No. 1 seed at the World Championships, after collecting points at the European Championships, Dan Kolov, Sassari City Tournament and Yasar Dogu.

With the Olympics seeding the top-four wrestlers at each weight for the first time ever, you can bet that Chamizo will again have his eye on the top seed, and his quest to grab that top seed kicks off at the Matteo Pellicone, which takes place January 15-18.

Chamizo’s Ranking Series Resume
2018
Yasar Dogu – gold

2019
Sassari – gold
Yasar Dogu – silver
Dan Kolov – bronze

5. Fort Worth to Host U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier Next Week
The road to State College, Pennsylvania, for the Olympic Trials made its first stop in New York for the Bill Farrell Memorial and will make its second stop next weekend in Fort Worth, Texas, for the U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier. The Fort Worth Convention Center will host the two-day tournament from December 20-22.

According to USA Wrestling, “The Senior Freestyle top-5 finishers per weight category at the 2019 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier will earn a spot in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials,” which will take place in State College, Pennsylvania, on April 4-5.

Our friends at www.flowrestling.org have the streaming rights to the U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier. Wrestling kicks off at 11:00 (local time) on December 20.

Selection Process for 2020 Toyko Olympic Games

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1. Big Move Monday -- El Sayed M. (EGY)
2. Top-10 Throws from 2019
3. Top-Five Scrambles from 2019
4. Who scored on this exchange?
5. #TBT - Semenov Smashes Coon, Giving Russia Sixth GR World Gold

#WrestleTirana

Ghasempour buries ghosts of past to win Tirana gold; Yoshida stuns Snyder

Thursday, February 27, 2025 - 20:14 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 27) -- "Today when I was standing on the podium, I remembered it."

Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) replays the match in his mind as he speaks. He remembers the move and the loss clearly. At the World Championships in October last year, Ghasempour was four seconds away from upsetting Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) but the latter pulled off an incredible move to beat Ghasempour in the semifinal. While Sadulaev won the gold, Ghasempour returned empty-handed after losing his bronze-medal bout to David TAYLOR (USA).

Ghasempour may not be able to completely erase the memories of that loss with the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series gold medal he won on Thursday, but he says it will help him move on.

"Last year, in this very hall, it was a very bad scene for me," Ghasempour said. "Even today when I was standing on the podium, I remembered it. I should have gone to the Championship podium [at the World Championships]. The regret remained. But well, it's wrestling, and that's part of the events in sports. I tried to forget it and continue on my path."

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On Thursday, Ghasempour returned to Tirana at 92kg and showed once again why he is one of the best at 92kg in the world. Wrestling in three bouts, he did not give up a single point [28-0], and scored two technical superiority wins including the final.

"The competition went well," he said. "I was able to wrestle with three good opponents in this tournament and fortunately, I managed to achieve first place. The wrestler [in the final] was a good competitor. I had watched his matches beforehand and planned well. My goal was to put on a good performance, and thankfully, I succeeded."

Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) sees off Alan BAGAEV (UWW) in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In his first bout against world silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), Ghasempour ran to an 8-0 lead before moving to defense. He then gut-wrenched Feyzulla AKTURK (TUR) and in the final, he broke Alan BAGAEV (UWW) with ease to win with two minutes remaining.

"I've been wrestling in the 92 kg weight class for several years," he said. "Despite that unfortunate result [last year], this arena was a good field for me. I'm trying to increase my readiness and participate in the next competitions."

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) defeated Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (UWW) 10-0 in the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Paris Olympic silver medalist Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) added a second gold medal to Iran's tally on Thursday as he defeated Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (UWW) in the 125kg final.

Leading up to the final Zare, who had his elbow tapped, looked shaky in his movements on the mat but come the final, he made sure Khizriev wasn't much of a problem.

Zare scored a step out to open the final and then got a point for Khizriev's passivity. A takedown and turn later, Zare was up 6-0 and by the break, Zare had Khizriev struggling with conditioning. As soon as the second period began, Zare was not having any of Khizriev's flamboyance and scored a takedown and a gut to finish it in no time.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) blocks an attack from Erfan ALIZADEH (IRI) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

A third Iranian wrestler could have won gold medal but Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), who had perhaps his biggest day in international wrestling, denied Erfan ALIZADEH (IRI) in the 97kg final.

Yoshida led 1-1 on criteria at the break in the final after he scored the stepout after Alizadeh's stepout. In the second period, Yoshida got the point for Alizadeh's passivity and then scored a stepout to lead 3-1 with 90 seconds left on the clock.

Alizadeh managed to score a stepout with seven seconds on the clock but Yoshida closed it out to win 3-2 to cap off a remarkable day of wrestling for him.

"I can say that it was a great day because I won at 97kg category," Yoshida said.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) scores a takedown against Kyle SNYDER (USA). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

This final, however, was not Yoshida's biggest win of the day. Earlier in the semifinals, he defeated former world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) 5-5, his biggest win of the career.

Yoshida, however, dismissed that.

"That was kind a win by luck," he said. "Good technique at good timing but it was by chance I think."

Yoshida, who seems small for 97kg, was in all sorts of trouble for five minutes and 30 seconds of the match. Snyder clearly overpowered Yoshida and scored a takedown on the edge and as Yoshida was trying to sneak out of the hold, Snyder scored a pushout, all while Yoshida was on activity time.

Snyder led 4-0 before giving up a stepout and as both wrestlers maintained the intensity in the second period, Snyder's strength and positioning didn't let Yoshida get his on his attacks.

However, Yoshida managed to get a cut-back and a turn to lead 5-5 on criteria with 30 seconds on the clock. Despite Snyder's efforts, Yoshida managed to remain in contact and not get scored on to complete a top-class win.

"I compete in Bulgaria. I tried my best to prepare perfectly for this tournament also, but yeah I can say I still have tiredness from that," he said.

Despite the win over Snyder, Yoshida will continue training in his usual style to remain calm for big tournaments.

"I train like I always do," he said. "When I’m preparing for tournaments I become nervous but I think it’s important to do usual things to keep calm"

At 79kg, Gadzhimurad ALIKHMAEV (UWW) managed a perfect final to beat Paris Olympian Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 4-1, and claim the gold medal.

Alikhmaev as wrestling only at the his second Ranking Series event of the career, having wrestling last at the Yasar Dogu in 2022. Since, he has been out of action for three years.

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Japan dominated Women's Wrestling as usual winning two golds on offer on Thursday.

Umi ITO (JPN), who suffered her first international loss at the U23 World Championships in Tirana last year, made sure she took home better memories, winning the gold medal at 50kg.

Wrestling Paris Olympian Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in the final, Ito needed just 33 seconds to get a 10-0 technical superiority win, her fourth of the day.

Barring the quarterfinal against Nadezha SOKOLOVA (UWW) who threw Ito for a four-pointer using a headlock, the Japanese was in complete control of her bouts.

"In October, I lost at the U23 World Championships in Tirana and I felt extremely frustrated," Ito said. "But I'm very happy to be able to talk about that frustration on the same stage. After the U23s ended, I learned that I make small mistakes and give chances to my opponents, and that those kind of mistakes can affect the outcome of a match."

Despite her impeccable record internationally, Ito has not representated Japan at the senior World Championships as she is stuck behind Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN).

"Both Sasaki and Yoshimoto are opponents I have to defeat in order to participate in the Olympics," she said. "I believe that if I don't win at home first, we won't be able to win at the World Championships. So even after I return to Japan, I'll continue to practice and overcome the challenges so that I can win the Meiji Cup next June."

Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) defeated Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) in the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Japan won its second gold medal in Women's Wrestling through three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) defeated Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) 5-0 in the 55kg final.

She opened the day on a slow note, winning only 2-0 against Karla GODINEZ (CAN) but blanked former world silver medalist Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) 10-0.

In the final, Khoroshavtseva was cautioned when Maruyama scored a stepout. With a 2-0 lead, Maruyama was content to keep the lead but Khoroshavtseva used open hands on the face and was cautioned again which gave one more point to the Japanese. A takedown late in the bout made it 5-0 for Maruyama.

RESULTS

Freestyle

79kg
GOLD: Gadzhimurad ALIKHMAEV (UWW) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Ahmad MAGOMEDOV (MKD) df. Evan WICK (USA), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) df. Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM), 5-2

92kg
GOLD: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Alan BAGAEV (UWW), 11-0

BRONZE: Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA) df. Ahmed BATAEV (BUL), 3-1
BRONZE: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), via inj. def.

97kg
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Erfan ALIZADEH (IRI), 3-2

BRONZE: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Dato PIRUZASHVILI (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD) df. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 4-0

125kg
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) df. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 4-0
BRONZE: Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW) df. Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR), via inj. (8-6)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Umi ITO (JPN) df. Oksana LIVACH (UKR), 10-0

BRONZE: Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (UWW) df. Katie DUTCHAK (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE: Erin GOLSTON (USA) df. MEIDUOLAJI (CHN), 4-2

55kg
GOLD: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW), 5-0

BRONZE: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 10-0
BRONZE: Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) df. Karla GODINEZ (CAN), 3-1

Weekly FIVE! December 10, 2019

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Ghasempour buries ghosts of past to win Tirana gold; Yoshida stuns Snyder