Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! February 05, 2018

Monday, February 5, 2018 - 13:43 By Eric Olanowski

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Reviewing the first set of Freestyle and Greco rankings. Also taking a look at results from the Flatz Open and The Grand Prix of Zagreb.

1. Worldwide Freestyle and Greco-Roman Rankings Released February 1
United World Wrestling debuted the first set of world rankings for Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. The rankings were the first of their kind that were compiled using the new point system. 

The first women's rankings will be published on March 1 after the  the Klippan Lady Open which is the first women's ranking event of the season.

Freestyle Rankings
57kg: Zavur UGUEV (RUS) // 18 Points
61kg: Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) // 18 Points
65kg: Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) // 18 Points
70kg: Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) // 17 Points
74kg: Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) // 16 Points
79kg: Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) // 15 Points
86kg: David TAYLOR III (USA) // 20 Points
92kg: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) // 15 Points
97kg: Kyle SNYDER (USA) // 17 Points
125kg: Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS) // 18 Points

FULL RANKINGS

Greco-Roman Rankings 
55kg: Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) // 14 Points
60kg: K. ZHOLCHUBEKOV (KGZ) // 17 Points
63kg: K. SULAYMANOV (KGZ) // 15 Points
67kg: Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) // 18 Points
72kg: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) // 16 Points
77kg: Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) // 16 Points
82kg: Emrah KUS (TUR) // 17 Points
87kg: Saman AZIZI (IRI) // 15 Points
97kg: Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE) // 17 Points
130kg: Behnam ARPATAPEH (IRI) // 12 Points

FULL RANKING

2. Three Different Nations Win Multiple Golds In Zagreb
The Grand Prix of Zagreb took place last weekend in Zagreb, Croatia. Turkey, Romania, Belarus and Hungary walked away with a pair of champions. The remaining two gold medals were captured by France and Croatia.

Individuals who claimed gold included 2014 world finalist Yunus OEZEL (TUR), junior world champion Kazbek KILOV (BLR), Olympian Bozo STAREVIC (CRO) and multiple-time world medalist Viktor LOERINCZ (HUN).

*This was not a ranking series event.

RESULTS: Grand Prix of Zagreb 

3. Three-Time World Champ Gray Claims Flatz Open Gold
The United States finished the day at the Flatz Open by claiming five out of a possible ten gold medals. Austria and Czech Republic collected two golds each, with Hungary snagging the remaining gold medal.

Among the champions for the United States was three-time world champion, Adeline GRAY (USA). This is the fourth time Gray's competed after taking nearly a year off. She's also competed at the Dave Schultz Memorial International, Beat the Streets and the World Cup. 

Gray, along with the rest of Team USA are expected to make the trip to Klippan, Sweden next week to compete in the Klippan Lady Open. 

*This was not a ranking series event.

RESULTS: Flatz Open

4. Klippan Kicks Off Next Week 
We're a little over a week away from the start of the first women's ranking event of the season, The Klippan Lady Open. The tournament begins February 16 in Klippan, Sweden. 

The remaining three women's wrestling events are the Mongolia Open (MGL) and China Open (CHN) in June, and the Poland Open (POL) in September.     

5. Second Greco-Roman Ranking Series Event Heads To Cuba  
Cuba will be hosting the Cerro Pelado on February 15, but don't expect Mijain LOPEZ (CUB). The three-time Olympic champion is slated to compete at the Central and Caribbean Games (March 20-25) and the 2018 world championships in Budapest. Getting a little bit older has meant the giant Cuban will limit his competitions until Tokyo in 2020.

The final two Greco-Roman ranking series events will be the Hungarian GP (HUN) in June and the Vehbi Emre (TUR) in July.              

Weekly FIVE! in Social Media
Kyle SNYDER (USA), two-time world and Olympic champion announced via Instagram that Taha AKGUL (TUR), two-time world and Olympic champion will be headed to the Ohio RTC to train for the month of February. 

With the addition of 2016 world champion Logan STIEBER (USA), the OHIO RTC now has a combined five world titles and two Olympic golds training under one roof. 

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 2 Highlights: Yazdani in 97kg final

Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 09:21 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 5) -- The Ranking Series event, Zagreb Open, enters day two and it will be Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) making his 97kg debut for Iran. The Olympic champion at 74kg in 2016, and two-time Olympic silver medalist at 86kg, is chasing that second gold, this time at 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

13:45: 55kg WW semifinals - World silver medalist Verbina EKATERINA (UWW) with a 1-1 victory over Nagisa HARADA (JPN) in the semifinals. She got an activity point in the second period to keep the criteria lead. Ekaterina will face Karla GODINEZ (CAN) in the final after the Canadian defeated Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA), 2-1, in another low scoring semifinal.

13:30: 50kg WW semifinals - Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) with a controlled 8-2 win over Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) at 50kg. She will wrestle NEELAM (IND) for the gold medal. Neelam defeated MUSKAN (IND), 7-4, in an all-Indian semifinal

13:20: 125kg semifinals - A fall for Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) over Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) in just over two minutes as he reaches the final at 125kg. He will face Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) in the final after the U.S. wrestler scored an 11-1 win over Robert BARAN (POL).

13:10: 97kg semifinals - Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) with a quick fall over Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) in the first semifinal. Now he earns himself a chance to wrestle against Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) after Iranian managed another technical superiority win. While it's rare on Yazdani, Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) scored two takedowns on Yazdani but failed to keep the pressure before losing 14-4

12:55: 92kg semifinals - Mobin AZIMI (IRI) gets a dominant 11-0 win over Dustin PLOTT (USA) as he used a double-leg for four to finish. He earns a chance to avenge his 5-5 loss to Trent HIDLAY (USA) in the final after the American scored another come-from-behind victory. He defeated Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA), 3-3, to setup the gold medal bout against Azimi

12:40: 79kg semifinals - Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) is back in the Ranking Series final with a 10-1 victory over Otari ADEISHVILI (GEO). He looked in complete control of the bout. Khadjiev will face Dean HAMITI (USA) for the gold medal after he defeated Evan WICK (USA), 6-5, in a thrilling semifinal

12:15: Trent HIDLAY (USA) once again shows how to come back and win a bout. Down 6-0 against Abofazl RAHMANI (IRI), he scores a four-pointer and keeps the pressure on the Iranian to win 11-9 and make his spot in the semifinal at 92kg.

11:45: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) gives up a takedown against Richard VEGH (HUN) but that is the only slip in an otherwise dominant bout at 97kg. Two four point throws for Yazdani as he advances to the semifinals.

11:35: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) with a big four-pointer in her 5-0 win against Beatrice FERENT (ROU) at 55kg. The world silver medalist is the favorite to win gold here.

11:25: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) bounces back from his loss to Trent HIDLAY (USA) and beats Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) in his second bout at 92kg round robin. Azimi managed to score a takedown with less than 30 second left to beat Rahmani 4-3.

11:10: Two quick results at women's 50kg. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) beats Kendra RYAN (USA) 12-1 at 50kg before NEELAM (IND) also wins via technical superiority, 10-0, against Agata GOLUCHOWSKA (POL). 

11:00: 92kg world champion Trent HIDLAY (USA) makes a comeback from 5-0 down to beat Mobin AZIMI (IRI) 5-5 in the group stage bout. Hidlay scored a takedown in the second period before adding two stepouts. Iran challenged the second one but lost which gave the criteria lead to Hidlay

10:50: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) doesn't the trademark jump before entering the mat but his bout against Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) is a typical Yazdani bout. He uses the underhook to start scoring and then rallies to score takedowns at will before turning Suleimanishvili and winning his bout 11-0

10:45: Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) wrestled well but it is Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (UWW) who manages to win 6-4 at 97kg and win the opening bout.

10:30: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will be on Mat B but before that, a few big results in Zagreb. Richard VEGH (HUN) manages to hang on for a 3-0 victory over Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) at 97kg.