Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! March 19, 2019

Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 13:04 By Eric Olanowski

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Discussing Russia winning the Freestyle World Cup on home soil and looking at theThor Masters results. Also looking at the upcoming U23 Asian Championships, "Hollywood wrestles Bollywood" and the European Championships. 

1. Russia Wins Freestyle World Cup on Home Soil  
The Russian Federation closed out the Freestyle World Cup with an impressive 9-1 win over Iran to claim their first team title since the 2011 Makhachkala World Cup. This was their seventh Freestyle World Cup title, but first in eight years. 

Overall, Russia went 4-0 on the weekend and compiled a combined individual record of 36-4 over their 40 matches. In addition to their finals win over Iran, they also picked up wins over Cuba (10-0), Japan (8-2), and Turkey (9-1). 

Meanwhile, in the third-place bout, the defending champion the United States edged Japan, 6-4. 

The pair traded blows and were tied three-all after the first six matches. Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) broke that tie after his 14-3 routing of Samuel Joseph BROOKS (USA), but three consecutive American wins from Hayden ZILLMER, Kyven Ross GADSON, and Anthony NELSON gave the Stars and Stripes the 6-4 advantage, and ultimately the third-place finish. 

Cuba finished fifth place after they defeated Mongolia, 6-4, and Georgia claimed seventh place after beating Turkey, 8-2.

RESULTS 
GOLD - Russia df. Iran, 9-1
BRONZE - United States df. Japan, 6-4 
Fifth - Cuba df. Mongolia, 6-4
Seventh - Georgia df. Turkey, 8-2

2. U23 Asian Championships Starts Thursday 
The U23 Continental Championships train continues to roll this weekend and will make its stop in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, for the 2019 U23 Asian Championships. 

The four-day tournament begins on Thursday and will go through Sunday.

SCHEDULE

Thursday (March 21) 
9:30 - Medical examination and Weigh-in GR - 60,67,72,77,82,97,130kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds and repechage GR - 60,67,72,77,82,97,130kg
14:45 - Draw - GR - 55,63,87kg / WW - 55,59,72kg / FS – 61,92kg
17:30 - Opening Ceremony
18:00 - Finals GR – 60,67,72,77,82,97,130kg

Friday (March 22) 
9:30 - Medical examination and Weigh-in (GR - 55,63,87kg / WW - 55,59,72kg / FS – 61,92kg)
11:30 - Qualification rounds and repechages - GR - 55,63,87kg / WW - 55,59,72kg / FS – 61,92kg 
14:45 - Draw WW – 50,57,65,68kg / FS – 57,65,74,125kg
18: 00 - Finals GR - 55,63,87kg / WW - 55,59,72kg / FS – 61,92kg

Saturday (March 23) 
19:30 - Medical examination and Weigh-in - WW – 50,57,65,68kg / FS – 57,65,74,125kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds and repechages - WW – 50,57,65,68kg / FS – 57,65,74,125kg
14:45 - Draw WW – 53,62,76kg / FS – 70,79,86,97kg
18: 00 - Finals WW – 50,57,65,68kg / FS – 57,65,74,125kg

Sunday (March 24) 
9:30 - Medical examination and Weigh-in - WW – 53,62,76kg / FS – 70,79,86,97kg
11:30 - Qualifications rounds and repechage WW – 53,62,76kg / FS – 70,79,86,97kg 
18:00 - Finals WW – 53,62,76kg / FS – 70,79,86,97kg

Roland SCHWARZ was one of three German wretlers who won a gold medal at the 2019 Thor Masters last weekend. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

3. Germany win Three Thor Masters Golds 
The Thor Masters, an all-Greco-Roman tournament, wrapped up last weekend in Nykobing Falster, Denmark, and Germany was the frontrunner, winning three of the ten gold medals. Denmark and Ukraine had a pair of gold medalists, while Finland, Norway, and Sweden each had a solo gold medalist. 

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD  - Fabian SCHMITT (GER)
SILVER - Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
BRONZE - Anders ROENNINGEN (NOR)

60kg
GOLD - Etienne KINSINGER (GER)
SILVER - Christoph KRAEMER (GER)     
BRONZE - Lauri MAEHOENEN (FIN)

63kg
GOLD - Stig ANDREW BERG (NOR)
SILVER - Lenur TEMIROV (UKR)
BRONZE - Nasrullakh NASIBO (UKR)

67kg
GOLD - Fredrik BJERREHUUS (DEN)
SILVER - Ruslan  KUDRYNETS (UKR)      
BRONZE - Aleksey  KALINICHENKO (UKR)

72kg
GOLD - Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)  
SILVER - Vegard JOERGENSEN (NOR)    
BRONZE - Michael WIDMAYER (GER) 

77kg
GOLD - Roland SCHWARZ (GER)
SILVER - Florian NEUMAIER (GER)
BRONZE - Vladimir YAKOVLEV (UKR)

82kg
GOLD - Raibek BISULTANOV (DEN)        
SILVER - Hannes WAGNER (GER)          
BRONZE - Bogdan KOURINNOI (SWE)

87kg
GOLD - Zakarias BERG (SWE)   
SILVER - Denis KUDLA (GER)    
BRONZE - Amer HRUSTANOVIC (AUT) 

97kg
GOLD - Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN)        
SILVER - Felix BALDAUF (NOR)  
BRONZE - G'Angelo HANCOCK (USA)

130kg          
GOLD - Nikolai  KUCHMIY (UKR)          
SILVER - Eduard POPP (GER)   
BRONZE - Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN)

4. "Hollywood wrestles Bollywood" Begins March 31 
Women's Wrestling stars from the United States and India will face off against each other on Sunday, March 31 in the 'Hollywood Wrestles Bollywood' at Los Angles' historic Wiltern Theater.

According to www.beatthestreets-la.org, "The dual will be apart of Beat the Streets Los Angeles’ 5th Annual Benefit and International Competition, which is a yearly fundraising and awareness event for the LA-based wrestling non-profit."

There will be eleven top-15 ranked wrestlers in action, with six of those being ranked in the top-5 of the latest world rankings. (The latest rankings can be found on www.unitedworldwrestling.org 's homepage) 

Of the ten star-studded bouts, the most intriguing matchup comes at 53kg, where returning world runner-up and top-ranked Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) will take on No. 11 Vinesh VINESH (IND). 

This will be a rematch of last months Dan Kolov semifinals, where Vinesh stuck Hildebrant to put herself in the Ranking Series tournament finals. She ultimately fell to China's PANG Qianyu in the finals. 

The dual starts at 15:00 on March 31. 

United States vs. India 
50kg: No. 15 Whitney CONDER vs. Sheetal TOMAR 
53kg: No. 1 Sarah HILDEBRANDT vs. No. 11 Vinesh VINESH
55kg: No. 6 Jacarra WINCHESTER vs. Pinki PINKI
57kg: Jenna BURKERT vs. No. 6 Pooja DHANDA
59kg: Alli RAGAN vs. No. 4 Sarita SARITA
62kg: No. 5 Mallory VELTE vs. Sakshi MALIK  
65kg: No. 2 Forrest MOLINARI vs. Navjot KAUR 
68kg: No. 2 Tamyra MENSAH vs. Divya KAKRAN 
72kg: Rachel WATTERS vs. No. 12 (at 76kg) Kiran KIRAN 
76kg: No. 1 Adeline GRAY vs. Sudesh SUDESH 

Abdulrashid SADUALEV (RUS) is expected to compete for Russia at the 2019 European Championships. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

5. European Championships Less Than Three Weeks Away 
In less than three weeks, 20 days to be exact, Bucharest, Romania, will be the host site for the 2019 European Championships. Europe proves year in and year out to be the deepest wrestling continent in the world when it comes to placing wrestlers on the podium at the World Championships. 

In total, eighteen of last year’s thirty world champions hailed from Europe. Ten Greco-Roman, five freestyle and three women’s wrestling world champions came from Europe.

The tournament begins on April 8 and will go until April 14 and can be watched on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

SCHEDULE 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 
1. Big Move Monday -- Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) -- 2019 U-23 Europe
2. Big Move from Day 2 at the Freestyle World Cup • Yakutsk 2019
#wrestleyakutsk
3. Big Move from Day 1 at the Freestyle World Cup • Yakutsk 2019
#wrestleyakutsk
4. MARGHZARI (IRI) comes back from near loss with a throw straight into a pin!! ?? ? #unitedworldwrestling #wrestling#wrestleyakutsk
5. Big Throw in round 3 from GHIASI CHEKA (IRI) ???#wrestleyakutsk #uww #wrestling

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open: Six Paris medalists in action; Blades drops to 68kg

Saturday, February 1, 2025 - 17:26 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 1) -- With a couple of factors determining her decision, Kennedy BLADES (USA) will be moving down to 68kg, six months after winning the Olympic silver medal at 76kg in Paris.

Blades will make her 68kg debut at next week's Zagreb Open which coincides with her college wrestling season in which she wrestles at 160 pounds (around 72kg).

"Since I am in the middle of the college wrestling season and I am close to the weight (160lbs), I wanted to see how I felt," Blades told UWW.

Zagreb Open has a two-kilogram weight allowance and Blades revealed that she weighs around 72kg-73kg which makes it ideal for her to wrestle at 68kg in Zagreb. Even in Paris, Blades was wrestling under 76kg.

"I was naturally 2-4 kilograms under 76kg," she said. "So I wanted to see how I feel at my natural weight. Depending on how I feel, I'll determine if I want  to stay at 68kg or go back to 76kg."

Over her international career, Blades has never wrestled below 69kg, winning gold at the U17 Pan-Am Championships in 2018. She moved to 73kg for the U17 World Championships a year later and 72kg for the U20 World Championships in 2021. For her senior debut, Blades moved up to 76kg for the Henri Deglane in 2023 and competed at all tournaments for two years at that weight.

At 68kg in Zagreb, Blades will have to face a few long-timers.

World silver medalist from 2023 Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) and world bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) will be her biggest challenge. Former Asian silver medalist RADHIKA (IND) is also in the mix.

The United States will bring a solid team in Women's Wrestling with Blades, former world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Michaela BECK (USA), Sofia MACALUSO (USA), Skylar GROTE (USA) and Yelena MAKOYED (USA).

PRIYA (IND)PRIYA (IND) is a U20 world champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

India has a full squad going to Zagreb with a few young stars. Former U17 and U20 world champion PRIYA (IND) will be at 76kg, along with Asian medalist MANISHA (IND).

Azerbaijan will be pinning hopes on its first-ever U23 world champion in Women's Wrestling Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) to shine in the 57kg which also has Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN), Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) and TAPSYA (IND). It also has Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) wrestling in Zagreb.

Paris Olympian Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) will be at 62kg a week after winning the Dan Kolov tournament in Varna. She will face challenges from Ameline DOUARRE (FRA), Nikolett SZABO (HUN), Bhagyashree FAND (IND) and Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA).

Freestyle

A battle of two Olympic medalists at 57kg is on the cards as Spencer LEE (USA) and AMAN (IND) are registered for the tournament. Lee won a silver medal at the Paris Games while Aman came home with a bronze medal.

While these two are the biggest achievers in the field, former European champion Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) will pose a significant challenge as he continues to find his space since he changed his nationality to Serbia. Paris Olympian Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) is also in the fray, giving a mouth-watering clash for the U.S. fans between him and Lee.

Iran is debuting Ahora KHATERI (IRI) at the senior level. He won the 2023 U17 World Championships at 45kg but moved to 60kg in one year and finished eighth at the U17 World Championships in 2024.

Iran's struggle at the lower weights has continued over a decade now and Khateri is touted as the most promising of the new lot. It is also trying its new batch at 61kg, sending Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), Ebrahim KHARI (IRI) and Reza Hossein MOMENI (IRI) to Zagreb.

But the star of the Iran line-up will be Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) who won the U20 and U23 World Championships gold medals at 125kg. He is likely to go unchallenged in Zagreb but the field includes Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO), Hayden ZILLMER (USA) and Mason PARRIS (USA) to name a few.

More closely contested battles will be on display at 92kg as Aaron BROOKS (USA) moves up from 86kg, a weight class he won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. He will have his hands full with Asian champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) and former U20 world champion Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI).

World silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) will be among the favorites for the gold along with former world silver medalist and Paris Olympian Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) who is returning to 92kg and will be joined by compatriot Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE). Boris MAKOEV (SVK) is also listed at 92kg for the competition.

Former Olympic and world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) will kick off his season in Zagreb and hope to reclaim the gold he lost in 2024 to Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI). The field at 97kg is a little thin but still has Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), Radu LEFTER (MDA) and Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) among others.

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is entered at 70kg for the Zagreb Open. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

2023 world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is entered at 70kg. He finished fifth at the same tournament in 2023 but will be the most experienced wrestler in the field this year. He will have a few known rivals in the field including James GREEN (USA), Alec PANTALEO (USA) and Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE).

Iran has gone with 2022 U17 world champion Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) and Sina KHALILI (IRI), a 2023 U17 world champion who finished seventh at the World Championships in Tirana last year.

Greco-Roman

Azerbaijan is all out with their Greco-Roman team in the first Ranking Series of the year. Three recent world champions, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) and Uvli GANIZADE (AZE) are part of a 22-member strong squad that also has Paris Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), Tokyo bronze medalist Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) among other younger stars.

Jafarov will be back in action at 67kg and hopes to start his season on a high. The wrestlers trying to stop him include teenager Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI) and U20 world champion Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI). The field also has former world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Morten THORESEN (NOR).

At 60kg, defending champion Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) leads the field, followed by Mammadli, the newly crowned world champion at 63kg. However, as Azerbaijan's first choice at the Olympic weight class, he is moving down to 60 kg. Paris Olympian Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) is also entered, along with U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB), who is known for his big moves.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) will face a tough challenge from the Iranian duo of Danial SOHRABI (IRI) and Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI). World champion Ganizade is the defending champion at 72kg but Geraei will be keen on getting on top of the podium at an international event, a feat he hasn't achieved since winning gold at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in June 2022. Sohrabi too has blown hot and cold since winning gold at the U23 World Championships in 2022.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Zagreb Open will be a big test for Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) at 77kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The two of the highly competitive weight classes in Greco-Roman are 77kg and 87kg and the Zagreb Open will be no different.

At 77kg, Sergei KUTUZOV (AIN) will be back in action, facing a few of the mainstays of this weight class. Suleymanov will be looking to shake off his disappointment of missing a medal in Paris with a better showing in Zagreb.

But there are a few challenges. Paris Olympians Amin KAVIYANI (IRI) and Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) are competing in Zagreb and so is Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) who continues to build his profile. Gutu narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Paris Olympics but is one of the most dynamic wrestlers in the weight class. Surprisingly, former U17 world champion and Gutu's teammate Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) is also at 77kg.

Hungary has also sent Robert FRITSCH (HUN) and Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) at 77kg while Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) is a dark horse.

Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) is likely to have his Olympic bronze-medal bout rematch against David LOSONCZI (HUN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The 87kg weight class will see Paris bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) and a few other Paris Olympians as well. Bisultanov may have a rematch of his bronze-medal bout against David LOSONCZI (HUN) who is one of three Hungarian wrestlers entered. Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Istvan TAKACS (HUN) will also try to claim their stake for the spot on the Hungarian national team in this weight class.

Aues GONIBOV (AIN) and Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) are the two neutral athletes with decorated resumes. Former world champion Huseynov is also entered along with Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), Naser ALIZADEH (IRI), Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), Marcel STERKENBURG (NED), Exauce MUKUBU (NOR), Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) and Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB).