Weekly FIVE! March 26, 2019

Tuesday, March 26, 2019 - 13:38 By Eric Olanowski

Discussing Russia's European C'ship lineups and the 12 reigning world champions who will compete in Bucharest. Also looking at the U23 Asian C'ship results and this week's African C'ships and Hollywood Wrestles Bollywood.

1. World Champs Sadulaev, Sidakov, and Uguev to Sit Out European C'ships
Registration for the 2019 European Championships has closed, and the Russian Federation has elected to sit out the majority of their No. 1 wrestlers. The reasoning behind the decision to sit their top wrestlers seems to be they'll be preparing for the European Games, which take place June 25-30 in Minsk, Belarus.

Most notably, reigning world champions Abdulrashid SADULAEV, Zaurbek SIDAKOV, and Zaur UGUEV will sit out of the European Championships. Muslim SADULAEV, Magomed KURBANALIEV, and Vladislav BAITCAEV will be replacing the defending world champions at 57kg, 74kg, and 97kg respectively.

This will be Muslim Sadulaev's first trip to the European Championships, but Kurbanaliev and Baitcaev both represented Russia at last year’s European Championships, where they reached the top of the podium and claimed gold medals.

*The European Championships happen yearly, while the European Games only happen every four years.

Russia’s European Lineup
57kg - Muslim SADULAEV
61kg - Magomedrasul IDRISOV
65kg - Nachyn KUULAR
70kg - Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV
74kg - Magomed KURBANALIEV
79kg - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV
86kg - Dauren KURUGLIEV
92kg - Magomed KURBANOV
97kg - Vladislav BAITCAEV
125kg - Anzor KHIZRIEV

2. Iran and Mongolia Capture Titles at First U23 Asian Championships
The host country Mongolia captured the women’s wrestling title at the first edition of the U23 Asian Championships, while Iran shined, winning team titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

In women’s wrestling, the host country Mongolia won four gold medals and captured the team title. India also won four gold medals, and the other two titles went to Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei.

Iran claimed the freestyle and Greco-Roman team titles.

In freestyle, Iran had seven finalists and ended up taking home four golds to win the team title with 200 points (4 gold, three silver, two bronze).

In Greco-Roman, Iran battled Kyrgyzstan but ultimately came out on top of the team race.

Both countries had four golds and two bronze medal winners, but Iran grabbed one more silver medal and captured the title with 202 points (four gold, three silver, two bronze). Kyrgyzstan placed second with 182 points (four gold, two silver, two bronze), and Kazakhstan came third with 167 points (two gold, two silver, three bronze).

FULL RESULTS

3. African Championship Underway in Tunisia
The African Championships kicked off Monday in Hammamet, Tunisia, and will last until Sunday (March 31).

The cadets and juniors wrestle until Thursday, and the senior-level competition begins on Friday.

The African Championships will be the first senior-level continental championships where the revamped point system will be used. The winner of the continental championships will receive 12 Ranking Series points, with the second, third, fifth, seventh, and eighth-place finishers receiving 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2 points respectively.

In addition to the placement points, wrestlers will also receive additional entry points based on the number of wrestlers in their brackets.

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.

SCHEDULE

4. Hollywood Wrestles Bollywood This Sunday
Women's Wrestling stars from the United States and India will battle each other on Sunday in the 'Hollywood Wrestles Bollywood' at Los Angles' historic Wiltern Theater.

According to www.beatthestreets-la.org, "The dual will be a part 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 month’s 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

Reigning world and European champion Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN) is set to compete at the 2019 European Championships. She'll wrestle her world championship weight of 65kg.

5. European Championships Begin April 8
The most dominant wrestling continent on the plant, Europe, begins its continental championships on April 8. The early registration closed and of last year's eighteen defending world champions who hailed from Europe, 12 are set to compete in Bucharest, Romania.

The three women's wrestling European world champions will wrestle, but only two of the five freestyle world champions have entered their names into the field. As mentioned above, Russia's Abdulrashid Sadualev, Zaurbek Sidakov, and Zaur Uguev are the reigning freestyle world gold medalists who won't make the trip to Romania.

Of the ten European Greco-Roman world champions, seven will wrestle in Bucharest. The three who won't be in action will be Peter BACSI (HUN), Aleksander CHEKHIRKIN (RUS), and Frank STAEBLER (GER).

Though Russia will be without 77kg Greco-Roman world champion Aleksander Chekhirkin, they've entered two-time Olympic champion Roman VLASOV (RUS), who will make his return after missing the 2018 world championships after having knee surgery.

SCHEDULE

Returning World Champions Competing
55kg (GR) - Eldaniz AZIZLI(AZE)
60kg (GR) - Sergey EMELIN (RUS)
62kg (WW) - Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)
63kg (GR) - Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS)
65kg (WW) - Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN)
67kg (GR) - Artem SURKOV (RUS)
68kg (WW) - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)
70kg (FS) - Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV
82kg (GR) - Metehan BASAR (TUR)
97kg (GR) - Musa EVLOEV (RUS)
125kg (FS) - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
130kg - (GR) - Sergey SEMENOV (RUS)

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1. Big Move Monday -- Vladen KOZLIUK (UKR) -- U23 Europe
2. Highlights from the 2019 Freestyle World Cup #wrestleyakutsk #uww #wrestling
3. Freestyle wrestlers started competing today at #U23AsianChampionship in Mongolia.?61 kg - Ulukbek Zholdoshbekov?? ?92 kg - Arashk Mohammadkazem Mohebi??
4. Egypt's Yassar NASR punches his ticket to the 65KG final tonight with a powerful preformance in the Semifinal. #wrestling #uww #unitedworldwrestling #WrestleHammamet
5. Day 1 Wrestlers preparing to take to the mats at the 2019 African Championship. #wrestling #uww #unitedworldwrestling #WrestleHammamet

Weekly FIVE!

Weekly Five! November 19, 2019

Tuesday, November 19, 2019 - 14:18 By Eric Olanowski

Discussing results from Women's World Cup, four matches you may have missed, and the top-three upsets. Also, looking at Snyder's run to a Bill Farrell title and the upcoming Greco-Roman World Cup.

1. Japan Wins Fifth Consecutive World Cup
Japan won its fifth consecutive Women’s World Cup and tied China (2007-’11) for the annual dual meet event’s longest win streak. The host nation defeated the United States in the gold-medal dual after taking out rival China and a young Ukrainian team in pool play.

The four-time defending champions kick-started their day with an impressive 9-1 routing of Ukraine. Japan won the first seven matches before Alla BELINSKA, a 2019 World Military Games bronze medalist, put Ukraine on the board with a fall over Mei SHINDO (JPN) in their 72kg meeting. Japan’s domination in the dual was highlighted by Sae NANJO’s (JPN) 10-0 blanking of last year’s U23 world bronze medalist, Olena KREMZER (UKR).

Japan’s win over Ukraine set up an all-star dual between them and China – who combine for 17 of the 18 Women’s World Cup titles.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN), a two-time world champion, returned to Japan’s lineup with a massive bang -- taking down world champion and Rio Olympic bronze medalist, Yanan SUN (CHN), 3-2. Japan followed Susaki’s 3-2 victory over Sun by winning five straight matches before dropping the final four matches. Japan's strong early lead cemented their spot in the finals against the USA with the 6-4 advantage over China.

In the gold-medal dual, Japan won seven of ten matches and captured their fifth straight Women’s World Cup title -- tying China’s run, which lasted from 2007-’11.

The only three losses Japan suffered in the finals came from the Stars and Stripes trio of world champions, Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Tamyra MENSAH (USA) and Adeline GRAY (USA).

China closed out the tournament with a 7-3 win over Mongolia in the bronze-medal match, and Ukraine edged Russia, 5-5 on criteria, in the fifth-place match.

Japan df. The United States, 7-3
50kg: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Whitney CONDER (USA) by TF, 10-0, 3:17
53kg: Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) by TF, 10-0, 5:32
55kg: Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) df. Akie HANAI (JPN), 5-1
57kg: Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA) by TF, 11-0, 4:10
59kg: Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Desiree ZAVALA (USA) by TF, 10-0, 4:12
62kg: Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Macey KILTY (USA), 7-0
65kg: Naomi RUIKE (JPN) df. Forrest MOLINARI (USA), 5-1
68kg: Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) df. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 8-1
72kg: Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) df. Victoria FRANCIS (USA), 3-1
76kg: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) by Fall, 5:04 (3-1)

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Yanan SUN (CHN) trade gifts before clashing at the 2019 Women's World Cup. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

2. Four Women’s World Cup Matches You May Have Missed
With 17 returning world medalists entered at this weekend’s Women’s World Cup, it wasn’t a question if there would be good matches; the question is when they would take place.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Yanan SUN (CHN), 3-2
Yui SUSAKI (JPN) downed Yanan SUN (CHN) for the second time in three years at the Women’s World Cup and improved her career record against the Chinese world champion to 3-0. Outside of their two World Cup meetings, their third meeting came at the 2017 Asian Championships, where Susaki defeated Sun 9-4 in the quarterfinals. She ultimately went on to grab the continental title.

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Milana DADASHEVA (RUS), 10-7
Maybe one of the most confusing endings to a match that I’ve ever seen, but after a challenge that lasted nearly five minutes, Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) defeated Milana DADASHEVA (RUS), 10-7.

The 2018 world runner-up fought off a late flurry of attacks and scored the three-point victory over last year's U23 world silver medalist, Milana Dadasheva.

Adeline Maria GRAY (USA) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN), via fall
One of the most highly anticipated matches coming into the tournaments that left wrestling fans licking their chops was the potential 76kg world finals rematch between Adeline Maria GRAY (USA) and Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN).

Both Japan and the United States went undefeated in pool play, which set up the Gray and Minagawa matchup that we were all waiting for. But, this match was much different than the six-point match the two put in the world finals. In their World Cup matchup last weekend, Gray went big early and scored the fall over Minagawa and handed the United States their third win of the dual.

Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), 11-6
Adeline Gray may have more world medals than Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), but the Russian has one thing that the American is still searching for -- an Olympic medal. But that wasn’t on Gray's mind this weekend when the two heavyweights closed out the United States and Russian dual with an impressive back and forth 17-point showing.

3. Top-Three Upsets from the Women’s World Cup
1. Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) df. Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), via fall
The four reigning world champions who wrestled in Narita last weekend went 10-1, and the only wrestler who scored a victory over a Nur-Sultan gold medalist was BAT OCHIR Bolortuya (MGL). Bat Ochir, this year's world bronze medalist, stuck 55kg world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA).

Bat Ochir gave up a takedown but strung together a pair of step-outs and trailed 2-2 on criteria mid-way through the first period. A second American takedown put the Mongolian down 4-2, but Bat Ochir remained calm and caught Winchester on her heels during an underhook throw by attempt -- pancaking the world champion to her back for the fall.

2. Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Ningning RONG (CHN), 2-0
Although it wasn’t flashy or high scoring, high schooler Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) struck down reigning two-time world finalist RONG Ningning (CHN), 2-0, in their 59kg meeting.

Inagaki, this year’s junior and U23 world champion, scored both points while the Chinese wrestler was on the activity clock and picked up the 2-0 win.

It should be noted, to avoid a 57kg world finals rematch with rival Risako KAWAI (JPN), the three-time world and Olympic champion, Rong bumped up to 59kg from her Nur-Sultan world silver-medal winning weight of 57kg.

3. ZHOU Qian (CHN) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN), 7-0
ZHOU Qian (CHN) and Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) have been going back and forth for years, and after the Chinese wrestler “upset” the Japanese wrestler last weekend, it doesn’t look like the rivalry is dying down anytime soon.

Zhou lost to Minagawa 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the World Championships but avenged her loss with a 7-0 shutout win in the second round at the Women’s World Cup.

4. Snyder Highlights Bill Farrell Memorial Champions
The first Olympic Team Trial qualification tournament, the Bill Farrell Memorial, wrapped up at the historic New York Athletic Club and the two-time world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) highlighted the list of six American champions.

Kyle SNYDER (USA) highlighted the list of six American Bill Farrell Memorial champions. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Snyder only needed just over two and a half minutes to demolish Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA), 10-0, in the 97kg finals.

He kicked off the match with monstrous double to his feet for the opening takedown then quickly extended his lead to six points with a pair of right side gut wrenches. The Rio Olympic used a counter-offensive spin behind to push his lead to eight points before closing the match out with an uncharacteristic open double leg.

Other notable Bill Farrell Memorial champions were Alex DIERINGER (USA) and Gable STEVESON (USA).

Dieringer, the Alexander Medved, Dan Kolov and Yasar Dogu champion added a second Bill Farrell Memorial gold medal to his resume after taking down Myles MARTIN (USA), 7-2, in the 86kg finals, which is a weight up from his normal weight of 79kg.

At 125kg, Gable STEVESON (USA), a three-time age-group world champion, won his first senior-level gold medal with a three-point finals win over Dominique BRADLEY (USA).

The highest finisher at each weight class qualified their spot for April's Olympic Trials. In cases where the highest finished already qualified for the Olympic Trials (97kg), the next highest finisher earned the qualification spot.

RESULTS
57kg - Seth GROSS (USA) df. Nathan TOMASELLO (USA), 11-1
65kg - Jordan OLIVER (USA) df. Frank MOLINARO (USA), 8-6
74kg - Isaiah MARTINEZ (USA) df. Jason NOLF (USA), 12-0
86kg - Alex DIERINGER (USA) df. Myles MARTIN (USA), 7-2
97kg - Kyle SNYDER df. Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA), 10-0
125kg - Gable STEVESON (USA) df. Dominique BRADLEY (USA), 4-1

Two-time world and Olympic champion BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) highlights the entries for the 2019 Greco-Roman World Cup. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

5. Greco-Roman World Cup Begins Next Friday
The third and final World Cup begins next Friday (November 28-29) in Tehran, Iran's Azadi Stadium. As the entries sit heading into this week, there are six reigning world gold medalists who will travel to Tehran to compete in the Greco-Roman World Cup.

The schedule and the full set of entries for the Greco-Roman World Cup will be released later this week.

Reigning World Champions Entered
55kg - Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
60kg - Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)
67kg - Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB)
67kg - Shinobu OTA (JPN)
72kg - Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS)
82kg - Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1. Big Move Monday -- Wang J. (CHN) -- Women's World Cup 2019 #wrestlenarita
2. World Championship Highlights: Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
3. Two trips to the World Championships. Two gold medals for @kyledake444.
4. 1/2 Final Matches | Women's Wrestling World Cup 2019
5. ‪Happy Friday, wrestling fans!

Weekly FIVE! March 26, 2019

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Weekly Five! November 19, 2019

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