Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! July 01, 2018

Sunday, July 1, 2018 - 18:22 By Eric Olanowski

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Reviewing the Cadet World Championships and the Tbilisi Grand Prix. Also looking at Chamizo's Mediterranean Games championship performance, along with Lamont making his sixth age-level world team.  

1. Cadet World Championships Begin Monday 
The 2018 Cadet World Championships kick off July 2-8 in Zagreb, Croatia and features six returning world champions from the 2017 Athens World Championships. 

Women’s wrestling begins Wednesday and is highlighted by three returning champions, two of which hail from Japan. Freestyle begins on Monday and boasts a pair of champions from a season ago, while Azerbaijan's Gurban GURBANOV closes out the Greco-Roman portion of the Croatian championships.

Returning Champions 
Freestyle 
48kg - Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE)            
110kg - Daniel KERKVLIET (USA) 

Greco-Roman 
45kg - Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) 

Women’s Wrestling 
43kg - Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE) 
65kg - Honoka NAKAI (JPN) 
73kg - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) 

SCHEDULE 
Monday (July 2)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg
6:00 PM - Semi Final FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Tuesday (July 3)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg
5:00 PM - Opening Ceremony
5:30 PM - Semi Final FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg
6:00 PM - Finals FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Wednesday (July 4)
10:30 AM – Qualification rounds WW – WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg
6:00 PM - Finals FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg

Thursday (July 5)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg
6:00 PM - Finals WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg

Friday (July 6)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final GR – 48-55-65-80-110kg
6:00 PM - Finals WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg 

Saturday (July 7)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg
6:00 PM - Finals GR – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Sunday  (July 8)
6:00 PM - Finals GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg

Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) won the 2018 Mediterranean Championships, making it his third gold medal performance of the year. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

2. Chamizo Wins Third Gold of the Year at the Mediterranean Games
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), the two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist defeated Samy MOUSTAFA (EGY) in the Mediterranean Games finals, capturing the 74kg gold medal.

Chamizo’s first-place finish in Tarragona, Spain added another championship to his winning performances at the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament and International Ukrainian Tournament. 

He also grabbed a bronze medal at the 2018 European Championships in Dagestan, Russia after dropping his semifinal bout to Turkey’s eventual champion, Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR). 

Mediterranean Games RESULTS 

Roman VLASOV (RUS), the two-time Olympic champion is set to compete at the Tbilisi Grand Prix. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

3. Ten Olympic Medalists Set to Compete at Tbilisi Grand Prix
Tbilisi, Georgia will host United World Wrestling’s second freestyle Ranking Event of the year, the Tbilisi Grand Prix July 3-5 and ten former Olympic medalists from both freestyle and Greco-Roman will share the stage at the New Sports Palace.

Though loads of Freestyle and Greco-Roman talent take the mat this Tuesday in Tbilisi, only those placing in Freestyle will be awarded Ranking Series points. 

Olympic Medalists in Action 
GR 77kg - Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) – 2012 Silver 
GR 77kg - KIM Hyeon-woo (KOR) – 2012 Gold and 2016 Bronze 
FS 92kg - Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – 2012 Bronze 
FS 125kg – Davit MODZMANASHVILI (UZB) – 2012 Silver 
FS 70kg - Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) – 2016 Bronze 
FS 125kg - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) – 2016 Bronze 
FS 74kg - Kumar SUSHIL (IND) – 2008 Bronze and 2012 Silver 
GR 82kg - Roman VLASOV (RUS) – 2012 and 2016 Champion 
FS 86kg - Selim YASAR (TUR) – 2016 Silver 
GR 130kg - Heiki NABI (EST)  – 2012 Silver 

Tbilisi Grand Prix Schedule 

Taylor LAMONT (USA) became the first American to make six straight age-level world teams. (Photo by Justin Hoch) 

4. Lamont Makes Record Sixth Age-Level World Team 
Taylor LAMONT (USA), the 2016 junior world bronze medalist made his third straight junior Greco-Roman world team and sixth straight age-level world team after Benji PEAK (USA) failed to miss weight for their special wrestle-off.

According to USA Wrestling,” It is believed that he is the first athlete to make the U.S. World Team at his age-group for six straight years.”

RONG Ningning (CHN) won her third gold medal of the year after winning the China Open. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

5. New Rankings To Be Released This Week 
The seventh installment of United World Wrestling’s point-based rankings will be released later this week.

The biggest leaps in this month's rankings will be seen in Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling as June featured the Hungarian Grand Prix (Greco-Roman) and the Mongolia and China Opens (women's wrestling). 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 


1.Unexpectedly? Would you try it with your friend? Неожиданно? Повторишь со своим другом? 
Video from @alpadastanov #coolvideo#wrestling#sport#kazakhstan#wrestlers#vacation#summer#supplex#uww#beach#борьба#борцы#пляж#отдых#прогиб#неожиданно

2. Wrestling is my passion!  Борьба - моя страсть!

3. 2018 Cadet Worlds Start in 1 Day in #zagreb #croatia

4. Official Teaser Video Of The 2018 Cadet Worlds 
تیزر رسمی مسابقات نوجوانان جهان در کرواسی
| #zagreb #croatia #hrvatska #olympic#wrestling

5. Be the best version of yourself! 
Будь лучшей версией себя! ? @kadircaliskan 
#wrestling#motivation#sport#спорт#мотивация#борьба

#WrestleZagreb

Azarpira ends Tazhudinov's two-year dream run in Zagreb

Monday, September 15, 2025 - 16:07 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 15) -- Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) burst on to the wrestling scene with stunning victory over Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) and eventually becoming world champion in 2023.

He followed that up with gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Unbeaten since 2023, it seemed Tazhudinov will dominate the weight classes for the coming years.

Enter Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI).

The Paris Olympic bronze medalist ended Tazhudinov's two-year dream run with victory in the semifinal of the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb on Monday.

During this two-year reign, Azarpira was the only wrestler who came close to beating Tazhudinov. The two faced each other in the Paris Olympics and the Iranian had a 3-0 lead before giving up four points in the second period to lose 4-3.

There were no such comeback in the second period on Monday. Azarpira took a 2-0 lead with two stepouts but Tazhudinov took criteria lead with a takedown. But Azarpira kept his calm and scored a stepout to make it 3-2.  

Tazhudinov tried reaching for Azarpira's legs with his long reach but the Iranian seemed in no trouble at all defending his lead. After one of Tazhudinov's attack, he scored a go-behind and won the bout 5-2.

It is after 12 year that an Iran wrestler has reached the final of the 96/97kg weight class. Reza YAZDANI (IRI) won gold at 96kg at the 2013 World Championships in Budapest.

Azarpira will try to match with Yazdani when he takes on Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the final on Tuesday after the United States wrestler defeated upcoming star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) in the other semifinal.

Snyder, who had lost to Yoshida at the Tirana Ranking Series, dominated the semifinal, winning 9-1. He scored four different takedowns and looked liked the Snyder of old. Since 2015, Snyder has won a medal at all World Championships including gold in 2015, 2017 and 2022.

Azarpira has two wins over Snyder in the past, the first coming in Zagreb in 2023 at the Ranking Series. The second win came at the Paris Olympics in the bronze-medal bout.

In the other Freestyle weight class -- 65kg -- on Monday, the Olympic final will be replayed after champion Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) and silver medalist Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) made it to the final at the World Championships.

Amouzad saw off Paiman BIABANI (CAN), 5-0, scoring three stepouts and a takedown while Kiyooka managed to score two takedowns in his 5-0 win over Umidjon JALALOV (UZB).

Onishi on track for first gold

A month after winning gold at the U20 World Championships, Sakura ONISHI (JPN) is on the verge of winning her first senior world title after she made it to the final at 59kg.

Like the age-group World Championships, Onishi has not given up a point so far in three bouts in Zagreb. In the semifinals, she wasted no time to secure a fall over Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL).

"While keeping in mind what the opponent would do, I made it clear what I wanted to do," Onishi said. "I was able to execute and that [pin] was the result. I think it creates good momentum going into tomorrow [for final]."

In the final, Onishi will face European U23 silver Maria VYNNYK (UKR) who used a big four-pointer in her 9-5 victory over Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN).

"From the warmup before the first match, I felt like my legs were moving well," she said. "The way I dictated the flow of the matches also was pretty good, so I think I can do it my own way. I feel peace of mind to make it to the final. I came here to become the senior world champion and tomorrow, I want to win and set off on a winning run (around the mat)."

At 55kg, Asian 53kg champion Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) reached the final after pinning Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), who was making her senior debut. Oh scored a huge under-over and kept Uchida on the mat until the fall was called.

The DPR Korea is returning to the World Championships after six years; last appearance coming in 2019. The nation had one champion in women's wrestling in Astana.

For a gold medal on Tuesday, Oh will face European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) who survived a late attack from Andreea ANA (ROU) to beat the Romanian 5-3.

RESULTS

Freestyle

65kg
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) vs. Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)

SF 1: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Peiman BIABANI (CAN), 5-0
SF 2: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Umidjon JALALOV (UZB), 5-0

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) vs. Kyle SNYDER (USA)

SF 1: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), 5-2
SF 2: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-1 

Women's Wrestling

55kg
GOLD: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) vs. Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)

SF 1: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), via fall
SF 2: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Andreea ANA (ROU), 5-3

59kg
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) vs. Maria VYNNYK (URK)

SF 1: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL), via fall
SF 2: Maria VYNNYK (URK) df. Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN), 10-5