Weekly FIVE! January 07, 2019

Monday, January 7, 2019 - 13:37 By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing why Sadualev will miss the Ivan Yarygin, and Gadisov's coaching promotion. Also looking at the Indian Pro League roster and the Best Wrestlers of the Year award winners.

1. Sadulaev to Miss First Ranking Series Event of the Year, Ivan Yarygin
Gaidar GAIDAROV (RUS), the “senior coach of the Dagestan national wrestling team”, has confirmed to United World Wrestling that four-time world and Olympic champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) will sit out of the first Ranking Series event of the year, the Ivan Yarygin. Gaidarov simply told UWW “No, he will not be wrestling in Krasnoyarsk.” He later said, "Russia's head coach freed him from the tounrament in Krasnoyarsk."

The news of Sadulaev not competing came five days before registration closes, and 20 days before the first whistle at the Ivan Yarygin, which is often referred to as the “Toughest Wrestling Tournament in the World.”

Sadualev not making the trip to Krasnoyarsk eliminates the potential “Round 3” matchup with the three-time world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) after the pair split the 2017 and 2018 world finals. “Captain America” was victorious in 2017, but the “Russian Tank” got his revenge in 2018, pinning Snyder one minute into the 97kg gold-medal bout.

The duo of superstars have recently gone back and forth on Instagram teasing a potential third match at the Ivan Yarygin.

First, it was Snyder who tagged Sadulaev in that post that was captioned, “Round 3. Let's do it. Krasnoyarsk, Russia."

Sadulaev quickly responded, saying, ”Buddy Snyder, I understand your condition, but I advise you to approach the trilogy with a cool head. And then suddenly the psyche will suffer. On the way to Tokyo 2020, we will meet again.”

With the news of Sadulaev sitting out of the Yarygin, it looks like we’ll have to wait until the 2019 World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, for the third match-up.

The Ivan Yarygin begins on January 24 and is the first Ranking Series for freestyle and women’s wrestling.

India's brightest young star and 2018 world runner-up, Bajrang PUNIA , will compete for the NCR PUNJAB ROYALS at the 2019 Indian Pro League.

2. Indian Pro Wrestling League Rosters Announced
For the fourth straight year, wrestling’s biggest stars will travel to India to compete in arguably the world’s most popular professional wrestling league, the Indian Pro League (IPL).

Last week, the Indian Pro League announced the rosters for the six teams that feature five men and four women. Each team will have five Indian wrestlers and four international wrestlers.

Last season, the NCR Punjab Royals knocked off the returning champions, Haryana Hammers, 44-35, to win their first Indian Pro League title. This was the third year in a row that the Haryana Hammers made the finals. The three-time finalists won the team title in Season 2, but fell short in the Season 1 and Season 3 finals.

The daily matches from India last three weeks and begin on January 14 and go through January 31.

DELHI SULTANS
Women's Wrestling
53kg - Pinki PINKI (IND)
57kg - Katherina ZHYDACHIVSHA (ROM)
62kg - Sakshi MALIK (IND)
76kg - Shustova ANASTASIA (UKR)

Freestyle
57kg - Rahul AWARE (IND)
65kg - Andrey KVIATKOVSKI (UKR)
74kg - Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS)
84kg - Praveen PRAVEEN (IND)
125kg - Sumit Malik (IND)

HARYANA HAMMERS
Women's Wrestling
53kg – Seema SEEMA (IND)
57kg - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
62kg - Tayana OMELCHENKO (AZE)
76kg – Kiran KIRAN (IND)

Freestyle
57kg - Ravi KUMAR (IND)
65kg – Rajneesh RAJNEESH (IND)
74kg - Parveen RANA (IND)
86kg - Ali SHABANOV (BLR)
125kg - Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (UKR)

MUMBAI MAHARATHI
Women's Wrestling
53kg - Vinesh PHOGAT (IND)
57kg - Angelica BETZABETH (VEN)
62kg - Shilpi YADAV (IND)
76kg - Zsaneet NEMETH (HUN)

Freestyle
57kg - Ibragim ILYASOV (RUS)
65kg – Harphool HARPOOL (IND)
74kg - Sachin RATHI (IND)
86kg - Deepak PUNIA (IND)
125kg - Vladislav BAITSEEV (RUS)

NCR PUNJAB ROYALS
Women's Wrestling
53kg – Anju ANJU (IND)
57kg - Mimi HRISTOVA (BGR)
62kg – Anita ANITA (IND)
76kg – Alina STADNIK(UKR)

Freestyle
57kg - Nitin RATHI (IND)
65kg - Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
74kg - Amit DHANKAR (IND)
86kg - Dato MARSAHISHVILI (GEO)
125kg - Korey JARVIS (CAN)

UP DANGAL
Women's Wrestling
53kg - Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR)
57kg – Sarita SARITA (IND)
62kg - Navjot Kaur (IND)
76kg - Epp MAE (EST)

Freestyle
57kg - NaveenNAVEEN (IND)
65kg - Pankaj RANA (IND)
74kg - Jitender JITENDER (IND)
86kg - Irakli Misituri (GEO)
125kg - Georgi SAKANDELIDZE (QAT)

MP YODHA
Women's Wrestling
53kg - Ritu PHOGAT (IND)
57kg - Pooja DHANDA (IND)
62kg - Elise MANOLOVA (AZE)
76kg- Andrea CAROLINA (COL)

Freestyle
57kg - Sandeep TOMAR (IND)
65kg - Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
74kg - Vasil MIKHAILOV (URK)
86kg - Deepak DEEPAK (IND)
125kg - Akash ANTIL (IND)

Russia's Abdulsalam GADISOV, the 2014 world champion, has been promoted to head coach of the junior freestyle team. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

3. World Champ Gadisov Named Head Coach of Russian Junior Freestyle Team
Dshambulat TEDEEV, the head freestyle coach of the Russian Federation, announced that a pair of world champion wrestlers turned coaches received promotions this weekend. First, Abdulsalam GADISOV, a 2014 world champion and 2015 world runner-up for the Russian Federation, has been named the head coach of Russia’s junior freestyle team, and Magomed AZIZOV (RUS), a 1994 world champion, has been promoted to the 65kg coach for the senior-level team.

Coach Tedeev made the announcement on Instagram, saying, “There have been small changes in the coaching staff of the Russian national team in freestyle wrestling. Magomed Azizov, who was previously at the position of senior coach of the Russian wrestling team among juniors under 20, was transferred to an adult team, where he will be responsible for the weight category up to 65 kg And Abdusalam Gadisov became the head coach of the junior team. Congratulations to my brother and wish us success in future work!”

4. Taylor, Olli, and Bacsi Named Best Wrestlers of the Year
With the 2018 wrestling season officially at a close, United World Wrestling has awarded “Best Wrestler of the Year” honors to David TAYLOR (USA) in freestyle, Petra OLLI (FIN) in women’s wrestling, and Peter BACSI (HUN) in Greco-Roman.

The award was based on the number of ranking points each of the wrestlers attained over the course of the 2018 season. A majority of points were earned at the world and continental championships, with additional points earned at a number of style-specific Ranking Series tournaments around the world.

For their efforts, Taylor, Olli, and Bacsi each received a 10,000 CHF prize from United World Wrestling.

Click here to watch the Best Wrestlers of the Year videos.

Two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) has won six world titles across all divisions. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

5. Meet Yui Susaki, Japan's 20-Year-Old Six-Time World Champion
At just 20 years of age, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) has reached the top of the world stage six times across all age-levels. Her international resume remains unblemished and includes a trio of cadet world titles, a junior world championship and a pair of senior-level world gold medals.

Susaki’s international debut came at the 2014 Cadet World Championships in Snina, Slovakia, where she went undefeated and claimed the 43kg world title. She ultimately went on to win back-to-back-to-back cadet world titles, claiming the 46kg and 49kg world titles in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Surprisingly, in 2017, the Waseda University freshman (who's studying Sports Science) bypassed the junior-circuit and made her senior-level debut at the “Toughest Wrestling Tournament in the World,” the Ivan Yarygin, where she outscored her five opponents 48-0 and grabbed her first-ever senior-level gold medal.

Susaki continued her dominance through 2017, winning the Klippan Lady Open and the Asian Championships before heading to Paris, France to make her World Championship debut. In her rookie debut, Susaki went 5-0, finished four of those five matches early with technical superiority victories and outscored her opponents 53-8.

In 2018, Susaki failed to make Japan’s Asian Games and Asian Championship teams and decided to circle back and compete at the 2018 Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia. The Japanese superstar won her first junior world title and fifth overall world championship with a quartet of 10-0 wins before booking her trip to Budapest, Hungary, to defend her senior-level world title.

Susaki proved that she belongs in the discussion as one of the most dominant wrestlers across all styles, in all divisions after successfully defending her world title in Budapest. To win back-to-back senior-level world titles, Susaki shutout reigning world finalist Emilia VUC (ROU), world bronze medalist Oksana LIVACH (UKR), and the eight-time world and Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE).

After winning her second straight world title, Susaki was forced to withdraw from Japan's Emperor's Cup due to a dislocated elbow suffered at the national team training camp last month. This means that Susaki will have to win the All-Japan Invitational Championships, also known as the Meiji Cup, next spring, then defeat the winner of this tournament (known as the Emperor’s Cup) in a playoff.

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1. There’s only one more day until the weekend! Why not throw everything you have into it?
2. The pain of defeat.
3. How do you spend the winter?? А как ты проводишь эту зиму? Video from Kazakhstan @daniyarkaisanov
4. “Hayatımın en unutulmaz günlerinden biriydi..#Kareografi #Teşekkürler #Sivasspor #Yiğidolar #YiğidoGençlik @yigido.genclik @sivasspor @sivassporsk” “It was one of the most memorable days of my life.” - @tahakgul
5. Doesn’t get much cooler than this! Here’s three-time Olympic champion @saori___yoshida rolling with Rio Olympic champion @eri_tosaka!

Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! June 11, 2019

Tuesday, June 11, 2019 - 13:06 By Eric Olanowski

Discussing Final X results plus Russia and the USA sweeping their continental c'ships. Also looking at the newest set of world rankings and Russia's European Games roster.

1. First Set of Final X Matches Wrap up in New Jersey
The United States wrapped up the first of two Nur-Sultan World Team selection tournaments, dubbed “Final X,” last weekend on the campus of Rutgers University. Nearly 5,400 fans were in attendance on Saturday to watch the 14 wrestlers who punched their ticket to the 2019 World Championships.

The biggest storyline wasn’t reigning world J’den COX or two-time world bronze medalist Gable STEVESON sweeping their opponents, or David TAYLOR forfeiting his Nur-Sultan spot to Pat DOWNEY. What caused the most chatter at Final X was the 65kg matchup between USA’s 2017 world team member Zain RETHERFORD and Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS, who is coming off a win over No. 1-ranked Bajrang PUNIA (IND).

Retherford won the first match, 10-4, and also won the second match, but that match is currently under protest.

Diakomihalis, clearly unhappy with the timing of a late challenge that awarded Zain the second match on criteria, announced on his twitter that he’s protesting the match, saying, “Currently protesting the call to potentially have a wrestle-off to decide match 3/who wrestles at the world championships.”

The controversial moment of the match came with 65 seconds left in the second match.

Retherford, trailing 6-4, shot a head outside single and got chest wrapped. Two points were awarded to each wrestler, which meant Diakomihalis controlled the 8-6 advantage and tied the series at one match apiece. But, after the final scramble that lasted over a minute, Retherford’s corner, manned by Olympic champion Cael SANDERSON, threw the brick to review the two-and-two. Ultimately, the call was overturned and instead of awarding both wrestlers two, Diakomihalis’ two was erased, giving Retherford the 6-6 victory on criteria.

It’s not clear if Diakomihalis will be awarded the third match, but if he does, the winner of that rubber match will punch their ticket to the 2019 Nur-Sultan World Championships.

The second and final set of matchups will take place this Saturday on the campus of the University of Nebraska.

RESULTS

Men’s freestyle
65kg - Zain RETHERFORD df. Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS, two matches to none (10-4, 6-6)
86kg - Pat DOWNEY df. David TAYLOR, two matches to none (injury default)
92kg - J’den COX df. Bo NICKAL, two matches to none (4-2, 5-0)
125kg - Nick GWIAZDOWSKI df. Gable STEVESON, two matches to none (4-4, 3-3)

Women’s freestyle
50kg - Whitney CONDER df. Victoria ANTHONY, two matches to none (7-4, fall)
57kg - Jenna BURKERT df.  Becka LEATHERS, two matches to none (4-2, 5-0)
65kg - Forrest MOLINARI df.  Maya NELSON, two matches to one (3-5, 12-2, 4-1)
68kg - Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK df. Alexandria GLAUDE, two matches to none (fall, 10-0)
72kg - Victoria FRANSIS df.  Alyvia FISKE, two matches to none (7-2, fall)

Greco-Roman
55kg - Max NOWRY df. Brady KOONTZ, two matches to none (3-0, 11-5)
67kg - Ellis Coleman df. Jamel Johnson, two matches to none (9-1, 6-0)
77kg - Pat SMITH df. Kamal BEY, two matches to one (2-11, 2-1, 6-3)
82kg - John STEFANOWICZ df. Kendrick SANDERS, two matches to none (8-5, 3-2)
87kg - Joe RAU df. Ben PROVISIOR, 2 two matches to none (2-1, 5-1)

Saipudin MAGOMEDOV (RUS) was one of Russia's nine Junior European champions. He was the 125kg title. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

2. Russia Sweeps Team Titles at Junior European Championships
The Russian Federation swept the freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women’s wrestling team titles at the 2019 Junior European Championship -- doing so by winning a combined nine gold medals. Their freestyle and women’s wrestlers each won a quartet of titles, and their Greco-Roman squad grabbed a solo gold medal.

In freestyle, Russia (205 points) medaled at all ten weight classes and captured the team title 89 points ahead of second place Moldova (116 points). Though Azerbaijan had two champions, which was one more than Moldova, they finished in third place with 115 points.

The Russian women had 154 points, won four golds and two bronzes, and edged a Ukrainian (144 points) team that medaled in seven weight classes by ten points. Belarus had two champions and closed out the women’s wrestling portion of the tournament in third place with 126 points.

Russia’s Greco-Roman team inserted four wrestlers into gold-medal bouts, but only won one of those four finals matches. They finished with 159 points and narrowly edged Georgia (151 points), who won three individual titles, by eight points. Hungary, who had a trio of women reach the top of the podium in Spain, rounded out the top three with 124 points.

3. USA Wins Freestyle, Greco-Roman, and Women's Wrestling Junior Pan-American Team Titles
The United States dominated the Junior Pan-American Championships in Guatemala, City, Guatemala, and won team titles in freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling.

Their freestyle wrestlers reached the finals in all ten weights and won eight gold medals. The United States (240 points) doubled second place Canada’s (120 points) point total. Canada had five wrestlers medal and finished seven points ahead of Mexico, who had 113 points.

Mexico’s Greco-Roman team won four of the ten titles but had to settle for a second-place finish after the American wrestlers medaled in all ten weight classes. The United States ended the Greco-Roman competition with 190 points, Mexico finished with 130 points, and Colombia, with their pair of golds, finished in third with 122 points.

The American women placed nine wrestlers into the finals, won three gold medals, and won the team title with 210 points. Canada won a silver and six bronzes and finished in second place with 134 points. Brazil, who had 102 points, captured a pair of golds and two bronze medals and finished in third place.

4. Russia Released European Games Lineup
The Russian Federation recently released their roster for the upcoming European Games, which takes place in Mink, Belarus (June 25-30). Their six-man roster features returning world champions Zavur UGUEV (57kg), Zaurbek SIDAKOV (74kg), and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (97kg).

They’ll be led by No. 1-ranked three-time world and Rio Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Sadulaev, the pound-for-pound best wrestler in the world, is coming off winning his fourth European Championship gold medal and will be looking to defend his European Games title from 2015.

Uguev will be making his second appearance since winning the 57kg world title in Budapest. He sat out the majority of the year with an apparent knee injury but made his return at the Ali Aliev Tournament where he won the gold medal.

Sidakov, the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the world at 74kg, will be making his third appearance of the year. In January, Sidakov won the Ivan Yariguin, then competed in the World Cup where he went 2-0.

The team also features two-time world bronze medalist Ahmed CHAKAEV (65kg), and world fifth-place finishers Dauren KURUGLIEV (86kg) and Anzor KHIZRIEV (125kg).

Russia’s European Games Team
57kg - Zavur UGUEV – 2018 world champion
65kg - Ahmed CHAKAEV - two-time world bronze medalist
74kg - Zaurbek SIDAKOV - World Champion
86kg - Dauren KURUGLIEV - 2017 European Champion
97kg - Abdulrashid SADULAEV - Olympic champion, three-time world champion.
125kg - Anzor KHIZRIEV – European bronze medalist

Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) won the Sassari in his home country of Italy and jumped to the No. 2 spot at 74kg in the latest world rankings. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

5. Updated World Rankings Published on UWW's Homepage
United World Wrestling has released the latest set of point-based rankings. This month’s rankings have been updated with the points from the third Ranking Series event, the Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial, which took place on the Italian island of Sardinia.

After June’s set of rankings, the point-based rankings will only be updated one additional time before September’s 2019 Nur-Sultan World Championships. They’ll be updated after the final freestyle and women’s wrestling Ranking Series event of the year, the Yasar Dogu (July 11-14), and the last Greco-Roman Ranking Series event, Oleg Karavaev (July 26-28).

Though several wrestlers have locked up their top four seed at the World Championships, many are still within contention to slide into a top-four seed. With that being said, you can expect the final two Ranking Series events to be stacked with loads of talented wrestlers who are looking to solidify one of the top-four seeds at their respective weight classes.

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1. Big Move Monday -- BANDARENKA M. (BLR) -- 2019 Junior European C'ships
2. Scenes from our upcoming Wrestling 360 Documentary on the Canadian women's team featuring Olympic champion @eweebz .
3. Big Move From Day 3 // Junior Panams #WrestleGuatemalaCity
4. Kerymov (UKR) Wins in athletic fashion in the early rounds of freestyle competition.
5. Big Move from Day One of #wrestleguatemalacity ... Gabriel ROSILLO KINDLEAN (CUB)

Weekly FIVE! January 07, 2019

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

Comments

Weekly FIVE! June 11, 2019