Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! February 12, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing the African Championships and Taha in Ohio. Also reviewing this weeks ranking series events, and much more. 

1. Diatta and Obroududu Crowned For Eighth Time 
Adama DIATTA (SEN) and Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) made the trek to Port Harcourt, Nigeria with hopes of returning home with their eighth African gold medals.

Diatta outscored his opponents 34-4 and picked up his eighth African gold by defeating Firstman VICTOR (NGR), 7-1 in the semifinals and Chedli METHLOUTHI (TUN), 5-2 in the finals.

In the finals, Oborududu trailed 2017 African third-place finisher Anta SAMBOU (SEN) 3-0 halfway through the first period. She flipped the offensive switch and finished the match on a 14-0 run, winning her eighth African crown

FINAL RESULTS
Freestyle
Results:
  http://uww.io/l82RM
Medal Summary: http://uww.io/4Su8r

Women's Wrestling 
Results: http://uww.io/2D8B6
Medal Summary: http://uww.io/cCGUX

2. Boudjemline Shocks Africa 
Zied AIT OUAGRAM (MAR), the nine-time African champion was the most heavily favored wrestlers competing in the African Championships. Before last weekend, it had been over a decade since AIT OUAGRAM had faced defeat at an African championship.

In the 77kg Greco-Roman finals, Akrem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) was leading 1-0 when Ait Ouagram was forced to go down in par terre. Boudjemline extended his lead to 5-0 after picking up a huge four-point throw before the end of the first period. 

Ait Ouagram would fight back and tie the score at five, but Boudjemline's four-point move was the differentiating factor in the match, giving Boudjemline his second African gold medal. 

Greco-Roman 
Results: 
http://uww.io/rhunL
Medal Summary: http://uww.io/Tti9V

3. Taha Takes Ohio
Last week, Kyle SNYDER (USA), the two-time world and Olympic champion announced on his  Instagram that Taha AKGUL (TUR), another two-time world and Olympic champ will be headed to the Ohio RTC to train for the month of February. 

This week, Snyder posted updates of the world championship duo training, even tagging Akgul in a photo with the caption "This guy is a monster." 

4. Iran Wins Four Golds At Tahkti Cup
The Freestyle Tahkti Cup wrapped up this weekend in TABRIZ, Iran.

The host nation, Iran closed out the 2018 Freestyle Tahkti Cup by winning four of the final five weight classes.

Iran’s gold medal run started at 79kg when Omid HASSANTABAR (IRI) knocked off Mihály NAGY (HUN), 8-0. Prior to the 2017 Tahkti Cup, Hassantabar's highest Tahkti Cup finished was fifteenth place.

In his first senior-level event, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) claimed the 86kg title by defeating Ahmet BILICI (TUR), 5-4

At 97kg, Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI) beat Riza YILDIRIM (TUR), 6-1 giving him his second title in as many years. In the gold medal bout at 125kg, Parviz HADI (IRI) outscored Jafar SHAMS NATERI (IRI), 3-0 to win his fourth title.

Mongolia and Turkey each won a pair of gold medals as two-time world bronze medalist ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL), TUMUR-OCHIR Tulga (MGL), 2016 junior world champion Enes USLU (TUR) and 2016 Olympian Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) were all successful in their final bouts. 

In the most shocking finals match, Ali-Pasha UMARPASHAEV defeated 2016 world silver medalist, Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ), 10-0 to take the 74kg title. 

The Remaining gold medals went to Niurhun SKRABIN (BLR) and Ali-Pasha UMARPASHAEV (BUL).

5. Klippan and Cerro Pelado
The wait is almost over the first women's wrestling ranking event of the year. We're a little under a week away from the start of The Klippan Lady Open, which begins February 16 in Klippan, Sweden.

The second ranking event that's taking place this week is the Granma y Cerro Pelado, which begins on February 15 in Havana, Cuba.

Here are the current Greco-Roman rankings that were released on February 1. 

Weekly FIVE! in Social Media

Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! Yarygin, Takhti and Burroughs or Chamizo

By Eric Olanowski

What happened last week? 
74kg No. 1 Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) v. 70kg No . 1 Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) 

Are you interested in sparking an international wrestling debate? Start by challenging a two-time world champion to a match. That is, if you're willing to wrestle him, which Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) is willing to do. 

Burroughs took to twitter to say "I’m inspired to wrestle a super match/world #1 now. What do you say @ChamizoFrank ? Shall we?"

Chamizo quickly responded via Instagram by saying "Hey my friend @alliseeisgold are you sure you want this battle? Do you think you can handle my defense? ?? I think it would be a great battle. ??????.."  

Burroughs then posted a photo of the two with the caption "who ya got?" 

After seeing the social media exchange, and if the match happens, "who ya got?" 

What's New Around The Wrestling World? 
In order to promote more active and offensive, United World Wrestling announced rule modifications to Greco-Roman wrestling. 

The recently announced rule modifications that went into effect on January 1, 2018 were updated with hopes to discontinue "negative wrestling, which includes things such as blocking, pushing, and interlocking fingers." 

Looking Forward To This Week
Two of United World Wrestling’s major ranking series events begin later this week. The Ivan Yarygin starts Friday in Krasnoarsk, Russia, and the Takhti Cup begins Thursday in Mahshahr, Iran.

The top five finishers for non-continental or world championship rankings series tournaments will be award eight points for first place, six points for second place, four points for third place and two points for fifth place.

THE IVAN YARYGIN
The Ivan Yarygin, which is widely regarded as the toughest freestyle tournament in the world is the first of the four freestyle specialty ranking tournaments. The additional specialty tournaments include the Tbilisi GP (GEO), South Africa Open (RSA) and the Medved (BLR)

Schedule
Friday, January 26:

Women's wrestling: 50kg, 55kg, 59kg and 65 kg.
Freestyle: 57kg, 61kg and 70kg

Saturday, January 27:
Women's wrestling: 53kg, 57kg, 62kg and  68 kg. 
Freestyle: 65kg,79kg and 125kg

Sunday, January 28:
Women's wrestling: 72kg and 76kg.
Freestyle:  74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 97kg

TAKHTI CUP 
Mahshahr, Iran will host the 38th annual Takhti Cup, which is the first Greco-Roman specialty ranking tournament of the year. The other three tournaments are the Granma y Cerro Pelado (CUB)Hungarian GP (HUN) and Vehbi Emre (TUR)

SCHEDULE
Thursday, January 25:
Qualification rounds until semi-finals for all weight categories. 

Friday, January 26: 
Repechage and final matches. 

TWEETS OF THE WEEK!