Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! November 13, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing Tuesday's U23 Greco-Roman finals and Olympic champion Ramonov's recent back surgery. Also looking at the American Wrestling League's matchups and the final point-base rankings of the year. 

1. Cartaraga and Pataridze Return to U23 World Finals in #BuchaWrestU23
The first day of the 2018 U23 World Championships have come to a close, but not before two wrestlers earned their second-consecutive U23 World finals bids.

2017 U23 World champion at 71 kg Daniel CARTARAGA (MDA) made his second-straight U23 World finals, this time at 77 kg, pinning 2018 Junior World silver medalist and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Sajan SAJAN (IND) in the first period.

In the finals, Cartaraga will meet 2018 U23 European champion Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN), who knocked off reigning U23 World champion Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) with a 4-1 decision.

Also advancing to his second U23 World finals was Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), who is a five-time age-group World champion, winning three Junior World titles and two Cadet World titles.

To earn a spot in the finals, the Georgian finished off 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) with an 8-0 technical fall in 56 seconds.

Pataridze looks to improve on his silver-medal finish from last year. To do so, he will have to go through 2016 Junior World silver medalist and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) in the 130 kg finals.

The Greco-Roman finals begin on Tuesday at 18:00 local time.

Click HERE to see all Greco-Roman finals matchups. 

Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) carries his regional flag along with the Russian flag after winning the 2016 Rio gold medal. (Photo by Gabor Martin) 

2. Olympic Champion Ramonov Undergoes Back Surgery 
Rio Olympic champion Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) is expected to miss three to six months after undergoing spinal surgery to correct a back issue that has long troubled him. Ramonov said, “It’s true that I had an operation on my back last week, but I’ve already got back to work and started physical therapy.”

The timing of the surgery could not have come at a worse time for the two-time world medalist, as it’ll sideline him for two of Russia’s most significant tournaments, the 2018 Alans and next January’s Ivan Yarygin. 

“I expect to return to the mat in January, and hopefully enter a tournament at 65kg closer to the fall.” 

This statement should raise eyebrows of wrestling fans because Ramonov was arguably the most dominant wrestler in the world during his run to the 65kg Rio Olympic gold medal. After that win, he bumped up to 70kg and failed to make it back on the Russian world team in back-to-back years after earning medals at three consecutive medals at the World Championships and Olympic Games. 

David Taylor carries the American flag around the mat after winning the 2018 world championship.(Photo by Gabor Martin) 

3. Starting Line-ups announced for November 30 American Wrestling League 
Reigning world champions Kyle DAKE (USA) and David TAYLOR (USA) drafted their teams two weeks for the inaugural “American Wrestling League I The Beginning,” and this weekend, the pair of gold-medal winners finalized their rosters for the event that will take place on for November 30 at U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

The premier bout of the ten match card comes at 65kg where Jordan OLIVER (USA) will meet Zain RETHERFORD (USA). Team Dake’s Oliver is coming back from a year-long suspension, while Team Taylor’s Retherford returns after sitting out the 2017 season. 

This will not be the last time these two meet, as they are expected to both compete for the 2019 world team spot at 65kg. 

Each of the starters from Team Dake and Team Taylor will pick up $2,500 to show, and $5,000 to win. Fans can follow all of the AWL action live on trackwrestling.com on November 30.

AWL I Matchups
Team Dake vs. Team Taylor 
57kg - Frank PERRELLI vs. Nico MEGALUDIS 
61kg - Tony RAMOS vs. Cory CLARK 
65kg - Jordan OLIVER vs. Zain RETHERFORD 
70kg - James GREEN vs. Brandon SORENSEN 
74kg - Richie LEWIS vs. Tommy GANTT 
79kg - Isaiah MARTINEZ vs. Alex DIERINGER 
86kg - Nick HEFLIN vs. Sam BROOKS 
92kg - Deron WINN vs. Mike MACCHIAVELLO 
97kg - Jacob KASPER vs. Kyven GADSON 
125kg - Dom BRADLEY vs. Adam COON 

RONG Ningning (CHN), this year's 57kg world champion is entered at 59kg. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

4. Women’s Wrestling at the U23 World Championships Begins Tomorrow 
Greco-Roman wrestling at the U23 World Championships is wrapping up and women’s wrestling is next in line to shine at the Polyvalent Hall in Bucharest, Romania. 

Highlighting the women’s wrestling field is Yukako KAWAI (JPN), RONG Ningning (CHN), and Khanum VELIEVA (RUS). 

Rong, who will be up 2kg from her world championship weight of 57kg, will try to cap off 2018 with another world title. Last month, Rong grabbed the senior-level gold medal, adding to her impressive twelve-month run where she reached the top of the podium at the Asian Championships, China Open, Ivan Yarygin, and Poland Open. 

Another 2018 world champion that’ll be competing this week is Russia’s junior world champion Khanum Valieva. Two months ago, Valieva captured her fourth age-level when she won her second straight junior world gold medal at the 2018 Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia. 

Though she fell short in the 2018 senior-level gold-medal bout, Japan’s Kawai is fresh off a second-place finish at the senior-level World Championship two weeks ago in Budapest, Hungary. In the finals, Kawai lost to Bulgaria's Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), 6-2 in the 62kg gold-medal bout, improving on her 2017 eighth-place finish.

Click here for the full schedule.

 Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) fist-pumps after making it to the gold medal bout of the 2018 World Championships. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

5. Post World Championship Rankings Published 
The final point-base rankings of the 2018 calendar year are posted on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

In freestyle, eight different nations finished the year with a top-ranked wrestler, as Russia led the way with a trio of No. 1 ranked guys. Of the ten wrestlers who own a freestyle top ranking, Zavur UGUEV (RUS) is the only one who claimed a gold medal at the 2018 World Championships. 

In Greco-Roman, seven different nations have a wrestler ranked in the top position to end the season. Hungary is the front-runner, having three wrestlers in the first spot. The two Greco-Roman world champions that end the season as the top-ranked wrestler are Sergey EMELIN (RUS) and Artem SURKOV (RUS). 

Ukraine and Turkey lead the way in women's wrestling with a pair of wrestlers sitting atop of the final rankings. Of the ten world champions, only Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), Petra OLLI (FIN) and Ningning RONG (CHN) end the year in the top spot of the final 2018 point-base rankings. 

Freestyle
57kg - Zavur UGUEV (RUS)
61kg - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)
65kg - Bajrang BAJRANG (IND)
70kg - Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR)
74kg - Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
79kg - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
86kg - Fatih ERDIN (TUR) 
92kg - Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) 
97kg - Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) 
125kg - Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)

Greco-Roman 
55kg - Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
60kg - Sergey EMELIN (RUS) 
63kg - Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) 
67kg - Artem SURKOV (RUS) 
72kg - Balint KORPASI (HUN) 
77kg - Tamas Lörincz (HUN) 
82kg - Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) 
87kg - Islam ABBASOV (AZE) 
97kg - Balazs KISS (HUN) 
130kg - Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) 

Women's Wrestling 
50kg -  Mariya STADNIK (AZE) 
53kg - Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) 
55kg - Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) 
57kg - Ningning RONG (CHN) 
59kg - Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR) 
62kg - Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) 
65kg - Petra OLLI (FIN) 
68kg - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) 
72kg - Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) 
76kg - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Mihut (ROU) is an arm throw wizard ?‍♂️. #unitedworldwrestling #uww #wrestling
2. Who do you think wins the race? Comment?1, 2, 3 or 4!
3. Highlights from the Greco-Roman qualification round at #buchawrest2018
4. You’re rubbing off on the kids, @aligaraii!
5. Kozliuk (UKR) makes his way to the next round ?? ?‍♂️ . #wrestling #uww #unitedworldwrestling

#wrestlebishkek

Asian Championships Day 4 Women's Wrestling Finals Set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 14) -- Women's Wrestling will continue at the Asian Championships on day four with world champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) wrestling in front of the home crowd for the first time. Japan will look to build on its three gold medals from day three.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 REPORT

14:27: Anastassiya PANASSOVICH (KAZ) was frantic at the start of the 72kg semifinal against HARSHITA (IND) but the Indian remained calm. Harshita with a double-leg and gets the four-pointer. Panassovich is put on the activity clock in the second period, making it 5-0 for Harshita. No more points in the semifinal as Harshita enters the 72kg final with a 5-0 win.

14:24: Qian JIANG (CHN), an Asian junior champion in 2019, will get a chance for a first senior gold by advancing to the 72kg final with a victory by fall over Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL). Jiang had a pair of 4-point takedowns in the match. First, she used a single-leg tackle to send Zoright directly to her back, although the Mongolian rolled through to get 2 points of her own. Jiang then used a 2-on-1 to whip Zorigt down for 4, but finished her off with the fall in 1:08.

14:07: Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) with a fall over Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) in the 65kg semifinal with 3:33 left on the clock. In a dramatic turn of events, Kazakhstan challenged for a stepout at 4:14. The result is reversed and Kazakhstan is given a point for stepout and the pin is canceled. Kazyulina with a takedown and a 4-0 lead at the break. Tuvshinjargal gets exposure in the second period to cut the lead to 4-2 and a go-behind soon to lead 4-4 on criteria. Kazyulina is out of steam and Tuvshinjargal has another takedown to lead 6-4. No more scores in the bout and Tuvshinjargal heads into the 65kg final with a 6-4 win.

14:06: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) will get a chance to improve on her silver-medal performance from a year ago when she barged to a first-period fall over teenager ANTIM (IND) in their 65kg semifinal. Yoshitake, a 2022 world U20 champion, scores a takedown and exposure for a 4-0 lead. She keeps the pressure on and flips Antim onto her back and records the fall at 1:31.

14:02: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) sets up the highly anticipated clash in the 62kg final with Motoki, after using her counter lifts to great effect to build a big lead in a 13-3 victory over Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL). Her lone takedown in the second period led to a pair of rolls that ended the match.

13:56: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) was slow off the blocks but she pins MANISHA (IND) after the Indian was called for fleeing and was put in forced par terre. An arm-bar and pin for the victory.

13:51: Three-time world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) is taken into the second period by Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ) in their 57kg semifinal, but the outcome is as expected as the Japanese records a fall with just over two minutes left. Sakurai gets an activity point, then fights through Almaganbetova's defenses late in the first period to score a takedown and two exposures for a 7-0 lead. In the second period, she gets a single-leg takedown and gains a lace lock. But instead of rolling, she lifts and pressures Almaganbetova onto her back for the fall.

13:44: Yongxin FENG (CHN) with that super strong Chinese gut wrench to take out Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) 10-0 in just 30 seconds. Feng will wrestle for the 57kg gold medal.

13:42: ANJU (IND) into the 53kg final! A stepout and fleeing from Chun LEI (CHN) gives Anju a 2-0 lead. But Lei answers with a low single and gut wrench to take a 6-2 lead at the break. Anju gets a stepout and another point for Lei's passivity in the second period to close the gap to 6-4. With 20 seconds left, Anju hits a cradle for two and two and holds Lei in danger as the clock expires. China challenged the call but lost and Anju won 9-6.

13:37: Ji Hyang KIM (PRK) is into the 53kg final with a victory by fall over Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE). Kim, a 2019 Asian cadet champion, gets a pair of takedowns, adding a gut wrench after the first one. Kim then uses a fireman's carry to put Nguyen directly to her back, transitions to a headlock and secures the fall at 2:44.

The semifinals begin at 13:30 local time. Mongolia and India lead with four wrestlers in the semifinals. Japan, China and Kazakhstan have three each in the semifinals. Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam and DPR Korea enter one each.

12:58: Returning silver medalist Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) takes back the lead in the second period, only to lose it and suffer a 10-6 defeat by Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) in their 72kg quarterfinal. Niikura led 4-4 on criteria going into the second period when Zorigt scored a takedown with 1:12 left. Niikura came back with a stepout, and a fleeing point tacked on made it 6-6, her advantage. With :24 on the clock, Niikura loses her balance and Zorigt takes advantage to score the go-ahead takedown. A stop on a desperation throw accounts for the final score.

12:50: Qian JIANG (CHN) defies the home crowd and hangs on for a 10-8 victory in her 72kg quarterfinal over Asian Games 68kg silver medalist Nurzat NURTAEVA.

12:47: Paris-bound two-time world medalist Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) gets started at 62kg with a 10-0 victory over Arian CARPIO (PHI) to advance to the semifinals. Motoki opens with a double-leg takedown. She then uses a nice ankle pick for 2, then applies the lace lock and ends the match with three quick rolls.

12:41: Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), a three-time bronze medalist and 2015 world silver medalist, is into the 62kg semifinals with a 5-0 victory over LILI (CHN), a world bronze medalist last year at 65kg.

12:40: A U20 world bronze medalist HARSHITA (IND) rolls to a 13-3 win over Ozoda ZARIPBOEVA (UZB) to enter the 72kg semifinals.

12:36: In a battle of 2021 world bronze medalists (in different weight classes), Gantunya ENKHBAT (MGL) used a whizzer counter to great effect to defeat SARITA (IND) 8-4. Ehkhbat's 4-point throw off a whizzer in the first period had her ahead on criteria when Sarita tied the match in the second period. As Sarita pressed for a go-ahead point, Ekhbat hit another whizzer for 4 at the buzzer.

12:31: In one of the wildest bouts of the session with the unlikeliest of finishes, MANISHA (IND) came out a winner on cautions over Su Gyong CHOE (PRK) in their 62kg quarterfinal. Manisha overcame an 8-2 deficit to lead 10-8, and then a flurry of action, including a 4-point takedown by Choe, put the Korean up 13-12. With 10 seconds left, Manisha charged Choe out of the ring, gaining a stepout point and a fleeing point to lead 14-13. But that was the third caution on Choe, ending the match.

12:30: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) may be donning a new hairstyle but her dominance on the mat is still old. The world champion entertains the home crowd with a victory by fall over Subeen JO (KOR) and enters the 62kg semifinal.

12:25: Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ), a bronze medalist back in 2018, hangs on for a 4-3 victory over Dinora RUSTAMOVA (UZB) to advance to the 65kg semifinals.

12:23: A stepout to start but ANTIM (IND) gets a flurry of takedowns and counters to beat Dilnaz SAZANOVA (KGZ) 11-0 in four minutes and 19 seconds and advance to the 65kg semifinals.

12:19: Two-time reigning world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) opens her campaign at 57kg for a second Asian gold (she also won in 2022) with a 37-second victory in the quarterfinals over Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ). A takedown to a lace lock, four rolls and that was it.

12:17: Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE), a U17 Asian bronze medalist, moves into the semifinals of 53kg with a 4-1 win over Yi Jing CHEN (TPE).

12:17: ANJU (IND) has her hands full with Nethmi PORUTHOTAGE (SRI) in their 53kg quarterfinal and trails in the second period. But a 4-point takedown opens the floodgates and the Indian posts a 14-4 victory.

12:08: Yongxin FENG (CHN) with a quick 10-0 win over Hyon Ju YUN (PRK). A strong gut wrench to finish the bout at 57kg.

12:06: Ji Hyang KIM (PRK) is looking impressive at 53kg, rolling to a 12-2 victory over two-time Asian U20 silver medalist Dilshoda MATNAZAROVA (UZB).

12:05: A mixed result for Korea and Kazakhstan on MAt C. In the 62kg bouts, Subeen JO (KOR) pins Tynys DUBEK (KAZ) but in the 57kg bout, Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ) pins Bogyeong KIM (KOR).

11:59: A sad end for Soobin KIM (KOR) in her 65kg quarterfinal match with Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN). Yoshitake gets in on single second into the match and wrenches Kim's knee inward, causing her to cry out in pain. She is taken off the mat on a stretcher.

11:55: A quick pin for Qian JIANG (CHN) over Oguljan EGEMBERDIYEVA (TKM) at 72kg.

11:54: Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), 2021 world junior bronze medalist, goes ahead with a takedown and gut wrench midway through the second period, then adds a pair of late takedowns for a 10-4 victory over Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) at 57kg.

11:51: To the thrill of the home crowd Dilnaz SAZANOVA (KGZ) with a 12-0 win over Naziya JORAYEVA (TKM) at 65kg. Great start for the home wrestlers today.

11:45: Unheralded Nagisa HARADA (JPN), a late replacement on the Japan squad at 53kg for injured world champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), falls at the first hurdle, losing 4-0 to 2018 champion Chun LEI (CHN). In the first period, Lei uses an underarm spin for a takedown, adds a gut wrench, and fends off the attacks from Harada, a silver medalist at the 2023 Klippan Lady Open.

11:43: A rare and impressive victory for Sri Lanka on Mat B, as Nethmi AHINSA (SRI) chalks up a 12-1 victory over Ayazhan MARKASHEVA (KAZ) at 53kg. Sri Lanka is still looking for its first-ever senior Asian Championships medal.

11:36: In the opening match on Mat A, 2019 Asian cadet champion Ji Hyang KIM (PRK) scores a pair of takedowns in the first period, with a 2-point exposure after the second one, to lead 6-0 against Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL), the silver medalist last year at 55kg. Kim gains another takedown and exposure combination to end the match 10-0 with 25 seconds to spare.

11:30: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) will be wrestling in Bishkek and she will renew her rivalry with Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) at 62kg. Tynybekova has won both the matches the two have wrestled. A potential third meeting in the final is on the cards.