Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! February 26, 2019

By Eric Olanowski

Discussing this week's Dan Kolov and Russia's 2019 Freestyle World Cup Rosters. Also reviewing results from the Hungarian and German Grand Prix' and the Cerro Pelado. 

1. Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Begins Thursday 

Four Olympic gold medalists and four world champions have entered this week’s Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament, United World Wrestling’s second freestyle and women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the 2019 season.

Two-time defending world champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Olympic champions Taha AKGUL (TUR), Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA), and Hassan YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) have each signed up to compete in Ruse.

While on the women’s side defending world champions Petra OLLI (FIN), RONG Ningning (CHN), and Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL) are all scheduled to wrestle.

Winner of the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov will be awarded eight (8) points, with second, third and fifth place grabbing six (6), four (4), and two (2) points respectively.

In addition to the placement points, wrestlers will receive additional points based on the number of participants in their bracket. For weight categories with 10 or fewer entries, an additional six (6) points will be added. For categories with 11-20 wrestlers entered an additional eight (8) points will be added. Ten (10) points will be added to any weight category with more than 20 entries.

The two remaining freestyle and women's wrestling Rankings Series events are the Sassari (May 24), and the Yasar Dogu (July 12).

If you missed the first Ranking Series event, the Ivan Yariguin, click here to view the event hub. 

2. Lorincz Lifts Host Nation to Hungarian Grand Prix Title  

Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) picked up his second Ranking Series title of the year with a 6-0 shutout victory over Algeria's Ivan LIZATOVIC in the 87kg Hungarian Open finals, catapulting the host nation to the top of the leaderboard, five points above Iran, who led after the first nine weight classes.

In the finals, the Hungarian exposed his Algerian opponent twice with a pair of gut wrenches after the Lizatovic was dinged for passivity, and owned the 5-0 lead. A second period step out gave Lorincz the 6-0 advantage and his second Ranking Series gold of the season. The Hungarian also had a title-winning performance at the Zagreb Open two weeks ago. 

Lorincz is quietly building a case to be looked at as one of the most dominate Greco-Roman wrestlers in the world after the first two Ranking Series events. Lorincz has an undefeated 9-0 record this season and has scored six shutout victories while outscoring his opponents 45-8.

The host nation Hungary (91 points), who wasn’t even in the top-five after the opening day of wrestling, edged Iran (86 points) by five points to win the team title. Ukraine (83points), Turkey (68 points) and Korea (65 points) rounded out the top-five, respectively.

FINALS RESULTS
55kg - Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) df. Reza Kheirollah KHEDRI (IRI), 6-4
60kg - Seunghak KIM (KOR) df. Firuz TUKHTAEV (UZB), via inj. def. 
63kg - Shinobu OTA (JPN) df. Erbatu TUO (CHN), 6-0 
67kg - Hansu RYU (KOR) df. Ruslan KUDRYNETS (UKR), 8-1 
72kg - Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Sachino DAVITAIA (GEO), via inj. def. 
77kg - Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR), 2-1 
82kg - Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN), 7-1
87kg - Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) df. Bachir SID AZARA (ALG), 6-0 
97kg - Tracy Gangelo HANCOCK (USA) df. Fatih BASKOY (TUR), 3-3 
130kg - Heiki NABI (EST) df. Georgi CHUGOSHVILI (BLR), 2-0 

Day One Wrap 
Day Two Wrap 

3. Russia Releases World Cup Roster 
World champions Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (70kg) and Zaurbek SIDAKOV (74kg) lead the Russian Federation’s 20-man roster for the 2019 Freestyle World Cup. 

The 2018 freestyle world champions will be without world champions Zaur UGUEV (57kg) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (97kg), and two-time world runner-up RASHIDOV Gadshimurad (61kg),  but their lineup will feature 2018 third-place finishers Akhmed CHAKAEV (65kg) and Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (79kg). 

For Russia to earn top-billing in 2019, the home side will need to win a Group A side which includes a resurgent Cuban team, Japan, and Turkey. 

The United States heads up Group B but faces steep competition from a Georgia squad rife with former world and Olympic champions, including two-time defending heavyweight world champion Geno PETRIASHVILLI. A young Iranian team and ever-improving Mongolia squad fill out Group B. 

Group A - RUS (1), CUB (4), JPN (5), TUR (8)
Group B - USA (2), GEO (3), IRI (6), MGL (7)

The 2019 Freestyle World Cup beings on March 16 in Yakutsk, Russia, and will be live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

Russia’s World Cup Roster
57kg - Muslim SADULAEV                   
57kg - Aryian TIUTRIN             
61kg - Eduard GRIGOREV                   
61kg - Magomedrasul IDRISOV                      
65kg - Akhmed CHAKAEV                   
65kg - Nachyn KUULAR                       
70kg - David BAEV                  
70kg - Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV    
74kg - Zaurbek SIDAKOV                    
74kg - Magomed KURBANALIEV         
79kg - Magomed RAMAZANOV          
79kg - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV                      
86kg - Vladislav VALIEV                      
86kg - Dauren KURUGLIEV                  
92kg - Magomed KURBANOV             
92kg - Alikhan ZHABRAILOV               
97kg - Rasul MAGOMEDOV                
97kg - Igor OVSIANNIKOV                   
125kg - Anzor KHIZRIEV                      
125kg - Said GAMIDOV                       

4. Cuba Wins Six Cerro Pelado International Golds 
Cuban wrestlers won six of eight freestyle gold medals at last weekend’s Cerro Pelado in Havana, Cuba. United States’ Ben WHITFORD and Brandon SORENSEN won the 61kg and 70kg gold medals respectively and were the only two non-Cubans to win a gold medal.

Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN) was the only wrestlers not from Cuba or the United States to medal at the Cerro Pelado. He won a bronze medal at 57kg. 

RESULTS
57kg 
GOLD - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB)
SILVER - Alexei ALVAREZ BLANCO (CUB)        
BRONZE - Frank PERELLI (USA) 

BRONZE - Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN)

61kg
GOLD – Ben WHITFORD (USA)            
SILVER - Cory CLARK (USA)

BRONZE - Aleynier HERNANDEZ GUILARTE (CUB)

65kg
GOLD - Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) 
SILVER – Evan HENDERSON (USA)
BRONZE – Dean HEIL (USA) 

Cristian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB) 

70kg    
GOLD – Brandon SORENSEN (USA)    
SILVER Lavion MAYS  (USA)    
BRONZE - David CARR (USA) 
BRONZE Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB)

74kg    
GOLD - Geandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB)
SILVER - Thomas GANTT (USA)           
BRONZE Joey LAVALLEE (USA)
BRONZE - Dan VALIMONT (USA)

79kg - No competition                                                           

86kg    
GOLD - Yurieski TORREBLANCE QUERALTA (CUB)      

SILVER - Kenneth COURTS (USA)        
BRONZE - Brett PFARR (USA) 
BRONZE - Lazaro HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB)

92kg - No competition                                               

97kg    
GOLD - Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB)   
SILVER - Yongen BASTIDAS (CUB)
BRONZE - Kevyn GADSON (USA)

125kg  
GOLD -  Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVES (CUB)

SILVER - Dominique BRADLEY (USA)
BRONZE - Lazaro SILVA (CUB)

BRONZE - Tanner HALL (USA)

5. Grand Prix of Germany Wraps Up in 
Five different nations won a women’s wrestling gold medal at the last weekend’s German Grand Prix, but Canada and the United State were the frontrunners with three gold medalists each. 

The host nation Germany had a pair of champions, while Nigeria and Russia each had a solo gold-medal winner.

The most notable championship performance came from Russia’s 2012 Olympic champion Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS). Vorobieva, who made her return to the mat three weeks ago at the Henri Deglane Challenge, made only her second tournament appearance since her runner-up finish at the Rio Olympics. Vorobieva absence was due to the birth of her son shortly after the 2016 Olympic Games. 

In the finals, Vorobieva defeated Martina KUENZ (AUT) to win her first gold medal since the 2015 Golden Grand Prix. 

RESULTS
50kg 
GOLD - Whitney CONDER (USA)         
SILVER - Katharina BAUMGARTNER (GER)     
BRONZE - Victoria ANTHONY (USA)
BRONZE - Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA) 

53kg    
GOLD - Diana WEICKER (CAN)
SILVER - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE)        

BRONZE - Jessica BLASZKA (NED) 
BRONZE - Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP) 

55kg
GOLD - Cameron GUERIN (USA)

SILVER - Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
BRONZE - Jeannie  KESSLER (AUT)

57kg    
GOLD - Adekuoroye ODUNAYO (NGR)           
SILVER - Anna Hella SZEL (HUN)         
BRONZE - Elena BRUGGER (GER)
BRONZE - Francesca INDELICATO (ITA) 

59kg    
GOLD - Andrea GRASRUECK (GER)
SILVER - Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ) 

BRONZE – Debora LAWNITZAK (GER)

62kg
GOLD - Luisa LIEMESCH (GER)

SILVER - Johanna MATTSSON (SWE)
BRONZE - Marwa AMRI (TUN) 
BRONZE - Mallory VELTE (USA) 

65kg
GOLD - Braxton STRONE-PAPADOPOULOS (CAN)
SILVER - Amanda HENDEY (USA)
BRONZE - Macey KILTY (USA)
BRONZE - JuliaSALATA (USA) 

68kg    
GOLD - Olivia DIBACCO (CAN)
SILVER - Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN)       
BRONZE - Anna SCHELL (GER)
BRONZE -Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)

72kg    
GOLD - Guilford, Dymond GUILFORD (USA)
SILVER - Sennett, Andrea Rose SENNETT (USA)         
BRONZE -Molnar, Zsuszanna  MOLNAR (SVK)

76kg    
GOLD - Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS)
SILVER - Martina KUENZ (AUT)           
BRONZE - Francy RAEDELT (GER)

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday -- Ibragim Ilyasov (RUS) -- 2018 U-23 Europe @ilyasov_57
2. RYU Hansu with a nasty front head! Team Korea took two titles on the weekend which was good enough for a 5th place team finish! #grecoromanwrestling #wrestling ? @martin_gabor__
3. Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo ?? gets an early win #hungariangp2019 .
4. Great early action on Day 1 at the #hungariangp2019 #unitedworldwrestling #wrestling#grecoromanwrestling
5. Happy @alliseeisgold Day (2/22)! Счастливого @alliseeisgold дня!

Wrestling 2026 Season Preview: Freestyle, Women's Wrestling, Greco-Roman

By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 2) -- The 2025 World Championships in Zagreb marked a turning point in international wrestling as 18 first-time world champions were crowned, signaling the arrival of a new generation well before the qualification cycle for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games begins.

A few scenes in Zagreb showed what the titles meant. A women’s champion hugging anyone she could find, a Freestyle winner delivering revenge, and a Greco-Roman champion lifting a nation’s pride. Now, 2026 will determine whether those champions can turn a breakthrough into sustained dominance, or if the veterans will reclaim control.

For traditional powers like the United States, Iran, and Japan, maintaining dominance will be harder than ever as more countries close the gap.

In Women’s Wrestling, Japan is being challenged by the DPR Korea, while in Freestyle the U.S. and Iran remain the central rivalry. In Greco-Roman, Iran is undoubtedly the best team in the world but Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are closing the gap as another strong season approaches.

As wrestling moves toward LA 2028, 2026 becomes the year where storylines start to stick. The UWW Pro Series is part of that shift, taking its final shape before launch. Wrestlers will be rewarded for their ranks for the year and will stand a chance to win a grand prize.

The fans can follow wrestling with United World Wrestling through UWW+ on uww.org, Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube.

Freestyle

A Sadulaev vs Yazdani final at the World Championships. A match-up like no other can happen in 2026.

The 2026 season begins with a question: when will Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) return? A dream match against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) is now firmly on the cards. Yazdani, the 2016 Olympic champion at 74kg, is now competing at 97kg, ten years later. Sadulaev, who won Olympic gold at 86kg in Rio, moved to 97kg soon after that gold.

The Iranian may compete at the Zagreb Open or at the Tirana Ranking Series. If the return is delayed, world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) will likely carry the weight for Iran early in the season.

At the same time, several major stars are preparing comebacks. Olympic champion Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) is expected to return after recovering from shoulder surgery, while Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) is also set to resume competition, most likely around May.

READ THE FULL FREESTYLE PREVIEW HERE

Women’s Wrestling

Japan captured five of the 10 medals on offer at the World Championships and nothing less is expected from its wrestlers. But out of the first four weight classes, it managed to win only one gold and missed out on medals in two of them.

Missing a medal at 50kg is rare for Japan. It happened in 2009, then in 2019 and in 2025. So what can be expected from the best country in Women's Wrestling or perhaps wrestling?

The DPR Korea, China, India, Ukraine and the United States keep challenging Japan at various competitions but it has managed to hold its own. With the gap closing, 2026 will be a similar story.

Continental Championships will be the first test for countries building towards the year-ending World Championships. But these tournaments can also witness the returns of a few wrestlers. Yui SUSAKI (JPN), Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), Amit ELOR (USA), Maria YEFREMOVA (UKR), and possibly VINESH (IND).

Additionally, several medal contenders are shifting weight classes in 2026, opening their paths to medals at the World Championships and later at the Olympics.

READ THE FULL WOMEN'S WRESTLING PREVIEW HERE

Greco-Roman

Iran ruled Greco-Roman in 2025 with dominant performances at all levels, and it was not even close. Barring that one battle with Uzbekistan at the U17 World Championships, Iran remained untouched. In 2022 and 2023, it showed signs of long-term dominance and in 2024, it won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Then in 2025, it won team titles at all age-group levels.

At the World Championships in Zagreb, it won four gold, two silver and two bronze medals. Out of the 10 wrestlers, eight won medals, missing only at 77kg and 60kg. Will 2026 be Iran's year again?

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) and Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) make the core team. World champion Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) has been the latest sensation, going unbeaten in 2025 and winning the U23 world gold at 87kg. Alireza MOHAMADI (IRI) is also a proven wrestler at 87kg having won an Olympic and world silver.

Iran has a second team which can challenge any established star in the world. U20 and U23 world champion Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) is a wrestler waiting for his turn at 130kg. Hedayati is getting closer to beating Mirzazadeh in selection for the Iran team.

Payam AHMADI (IRI), Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) and Ahmadi VAFA (IRI) are already part of the team while younger stars wait for their turns.

But there has been an influx of talent in Greco-Roman in the new cycle especially with Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Japan, Armenia and UWW wrestlers stepping up.

READ THE FULL GRECO-ROMAN PREVIEW HERE