#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest: Muszukajev brings Aliyev down to claim historic gold for Hungary

Tuesday, March 29, 2022 - 20:23 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 29) -- Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) may have broken his infamous curse of fizzling out in the second period of the bout.

What fans witnessed Tuesday was a different Muszukajev who not only ended Hungary's 19-year wait for a freestyle European champion, he destroyed two-time Olympic medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE) with a 12-1 victory in the 65kg final.

For long, Muszukajev has been an unpopular wrestler for his second-period conditioning. Many of his losses have been a result of him not being able to match the pace of his opponents. In one of those losses, he was up 9-0 at the break.
 
So when he set up a final against Aliyev at the European Championships in Budapest, a similar fate was expected -- Muszukajev would give up after the initial burst.
 
"I didn’t expect that score," Muszukajev said. "The opponent is really good and last time it was really difficult to win. This time I was in a better shape, after the Olympics I got down to training straight away and I was mentally preparing for the European Championships."

Iszmail MUSZAKAJEVIszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) ended Hungary's 19-year wait for a gold medal at the European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Muszukajev was referring to their semifinal bout at the 2020 Individual World Cup which he won 7-6. He had built a 6-1 lead in that semifinal but Aliyev mounted a comeback with three takedowns and leveled it 6-6 with five seconds remaining. A tired Muszukajev somehow managed to hold on for the win.

Just over a year later, the stakes had changed. Aliyev was now a two-time Olympic medalist while the Hungary wrestler was becoming a flash in the pan after his 2019 World bronze medalist.
 
Before the final, Aliyev was warming up with his coach while Muszukajev was zen-like in the warm-up room. As the announcers called for their names, Azerbaijan fans let out a loud cheer to welcome their three-time world champion. But seconds later, the local Hungary fans with their vuvuzelas made the atmosphere electric.
 
As he waited for Muszukajev to reach the mat, Aliyev jogged around, making it obvious that he is ready for the final. Muszukajev sprinted to the center.

It was all going according to Aliyev's game plan of keeping Muszukajev busy with hand-fighting and not allowing him to get to his legs. The referees called the Hungary wrestler passive. Aliyev got the first point.
 
From there on, it was a flashback to the Belgrade final. A funky Muszukajev moved around on his knees trying to find an opening. He finally got one in the third minute when he scored a takedown after getting to the far ankle of Aliyev when the two were involved in a hip-to-hip position. He stayed low and worked a leg lace to build a 6-1 lead at the break.
 
Aliyev needed to get going from the word go in the second period and he got a takedown but the referee penalized him for a singlet-pull. When he got another takedown, the referee once again cautioned him for another singlet-pull. Muszukajev now led 8-1 with 1:40 remaining.

"I don't know how my mind was working," Aliyev said as he stared at the empty warm-up hall. "But such is wrestling. I can't explain what happened."
 
Aliyev's desperation had reached a level where he tried to trip Muszukajev but the Hungary wrestler sent Aliyev to his back to get the four points and the technical superiority win.
 
"You can never know how much you score," he said. "I was mentally preparing for the match because you never know what to expect, you’re just focusing on the win, so to not lose even a position."
 
Outscoring his opponents 33-1 in Budapest, Muszukajev has once again put himself in the mix of top wrestlers at the deepest weight category in the world. While he could not win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics after losing the bronze medal bout to the then world champion Gazdhimurad RASHIDOV (RWF), he still has the ambition to win a Games medal.
 
"I was definitely going for gold at the Olympics. Since I had many different injuries I couldn’t perform in my best shape," he said.

But just seven months later, he is now a European champion in Hungary, ending the 21-year wait for the host nation. Hungary last had a European champion in 2003 when Arpad RITTER (HUN) won the gold at 74kg.
 
"I didn’t know that it hadn’t happened for 21 years," he said. "I knew it was quite a while. I am glad I could make Hungarian fans happy."

Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOVMagomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) gave Azerbaijan the first gold medal of the '22 European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan) 

Historic wins

The result was reversed in the other Hungary-Azerbaijan final. At 97kg, Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) wrestled Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN) in the summit clash and used two four-point throws in his 11-5 win. That result gave Azerbaijan its first gold of the night, the only out of the four finals its wrestlers were competing in. 
 
"I have wrestled Baitsaev before," Magomedov said. "I understood his wrestling and thankfully I was able to win my first gold."

Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), red, defeated Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) in the 79kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)
 
In two other historic finals, Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) became Greece's first-ever freestyle European champion after he won the 79kg gold while Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) won the 57kg gold to end North Macedonia's 23-year wait for gold at the continental championships.
 
Two weeks earlier, Kougioumtsidis had won the U23 European Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and was unsure of participating in the senior event. But after the perusal of his father and trainer, he accepted the challenge.
 
"They told me that this experience can help me later in my career," Kougioumtsidis said. "I am so proud and happy to be my country's first-ever gold medalist."
 
He wrestled Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) in the final and began with a takedown and added a gut-wrench. A step-out helped him lead 5-0 at the break.
 
But after the first minute of the second period, he struggled to keep up with the pace of Ashirov and was taken down on the edge. A head-pinch exposure cut his lead to 5-4. In the final 10 seconds, Ashirov went for another head-pinch and got the two points but was also held to his back to give up two. That helped the Greece wrestler win 7-6.

Vladimir EGOROVVladimir EGOROV (MKD) celebrates with his coach after winning the 57kg gold. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)
 
In the 57kg final, Egorov had U23 world champion Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) and began with a takedown. That was the only action in the first period and he led 2-0 at the break. But the second period saw him come out with an arm-trap and he scored six straight points to lead 8-0.
 
Rzazade did try to make it interesting with six points in the second period but the bout was not as close as the 8-6 scoreline suggests.

IAKOBISHVILIZurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) won his first gold at the European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

At 70kg, 2017 world champion Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) captured his first-ever European title when he defeated Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) in the final, 2-1. All three points in the bouts were non-action ones.
 
"I had the gold medal of the Worlds but not a European gold," Iakobishvili said. "That's why I came here to Hungary and I am happy I’ve won it. 
 
"In 2017, it was the first time I wrestled at a World Championships. Back then I was much happier since it was my first time winning the world title."
 
The remaining five freestyle gold medals will be decided Wednesday with Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) wrestling for the top medal at 125kg.
 
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) will have a chance to avenge his last year's loss to Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) as the two meet in the 74kg final.
 
Women's wrestling also begins Wednesday with 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg.

photo

Results

Day 2 Medal Bouts

57kg
GOLD: Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) df Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), 8-6 

BRONZE: Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM) df Niklas STECHELE (GER), 6-2 
BRONZE: Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) df Mikyay NAIM (BUL), 11-0

65kg
GOLD: Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) df Haji ALIYEV (AZE), 12-1

BRONZE: Munir AKTAS (TUR) df Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), via fall
BRONZE: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) df Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), 5-0

70kg
GOLD: Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) df Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 2-1

BRONZE: Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) df Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL), via fall
BRONZE: Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) df Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR), via fall

79kg
GOLD: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE), 7-6

BRONZE: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df Arman AVAGYAN (ARM), 9-7
BRONZE: Alans AMIROVS (LAT) df Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR), via inj. def.

97kg
GOLD: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN), 11-5 

BRONZE: Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) df Erik THIELE (GER), 7-0 
BRONZE: Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) df Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), 4-2

Day 2 Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) vs Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) df Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 6-3
SF 2: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df Eduard GRIGOREV (POL), 13-8

74kg
GOLD: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) vs Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)

SF 1: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM), 7-1
SF 2: Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE), 8-2 

86kg
GOLD: Myles AMINE (SMR) vs Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)

SF 1: Myles AMINE (SMR) df Osman GOCEN (TUR), 6-6
SF 2: Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL), 3-1

92kg
GOLD: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) vs Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)

SF 1: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 5-2
SF 2: Ahmed BATAEV (BUL) df Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 4-4

125kg
GOLD: Taha AKGUL (TUR) vs Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)

SF 1: Taha AKGUL (TUR) df Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df Robert BARAN (POL), 2-1 

#WrestleParis

10 seeded showdowns we need to see at Paris 2024 (No. 6-10)

Wednesday, July 17, 2024 - 14:29 By Eric Olanowski

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PARIS, France (July 17) – We’re still a few weeks out from the Paris 2024 draws taking place on August 4. However, with the release of the top eight seeds per style, we can start to project potential matches that could take place as early as the quarterfinals.

SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024 EVENT PAGE 

The top eight Ranking Series point collectors from the 2023 World Championships, 2024 Continental Championships, and the Croatian and Hungarian Ranking Series events earned a top eight seed. The remaining eight wrestlers will be randomly drawn into their respective brackets.

Here are the top ten matches that we could see between seeded wrestlers from the quarterfinals on:

10. WW 68kg QUARTERFINAL - No. 3 Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) vs. No. 6 Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Koumba Larroque has been a prominent figure in French wrestling since her bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships at just 19 years old. Now in the prime of her career, she’s France’s best shot at a medal.

Larroque’s path to an Olympic medal will be bumpy, to say the least. She’s the third-seeded athlete in a bracket with six world champions and includes a potential quarterfinal clash with  familiar foe No. 6 Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR).

Larroque and Oborududu met twice in their career, splitting their pair of previous encounters.

Oborududu won their opening meeting at the 2020 Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event, but Larroque returned the favor a year later at the Poland Open, evening the score at 1-1.

If Larroque and Oborududu win their first match, their third career meeting would take place August 5 in the 68kg quarterfinals.

9.  FS 65kg SEMIFINAL –  No. 2 Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) vs. No. 3 Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN)
Amouzad and Musukaev are nightmare opponents for each other and are stylistically opposites.

Amouzad, the 65kg world champ from two years ago, is a guy who wants to close the gap with his right-side underhook and fill as much space as possible. Conversely, Musukaev, the reigning 65kg world champion, wants as much space as possible to flow freely.

In their first meeting—the semifinals of the 2022 World Championships-- Musukaev fell victim to Amouzad’s pace and was shut out 6-0. In their second matches—the semifinals of the 2023 World Championships—Musukaev weathered the first period storm, saved enough energy for a last-ditch effort and stole the world finals spot, 6-5, with less than 10 seconds remaining.

If Amouzad and Musukaev meet for a third time, it’ll be on August 10 in 65kg semifinals.

8. 57kg SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) vs. No. 3  Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
The Nichita and Adekuoroye rivalry is one that dates back to the 2019 World Championships but has since changed hands from their pre-COVID meeting.

The seasoned vet Adekuoroye is an anomaly in the wrestling world. Her style can’t be mimicked or replicated. She’s the tallest and lengthiest 57kg wrestler in the world but has also learned to use her leverage to become one of the most powerful wrestlers in the weight.

Adekuoroye’s unique style gave Nichita fits in their first meeting, as the four-time world medalist opened their three-match series with a dominant 10-0 win.

But Nichita carried what she learned from their first meeting into their next matches and had her hand raised on subsequent occasions.

In Tokyo, Nichita fell behind early but capitalized on an uncharacteristic Adekuoroye’s mistake and picked up a dramatic come-from-behind fall while trailing 8-2. Their next meeting came at the 2023 World Championships, where Nichita doubled Adekuoroye before ending the match in the first period with a left-sided trap arm gut, 10-0.

The fourth meeting between Nichita and Adekuoroye will take place August 8 in the 57kg semifinals.

7. GR 67kg QUARTERFINAL – No. 2 Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) vs. No. 7 Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)
If there were ever a lesson from losing a match, Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) certainly learned it the hard way.

Earlier this year at the Hungarian Open Ranking Series event, Esmaelil led reigning Olympic champion Orta, 7-5, with 0.4 seconds left in the match.

But before we get to the ending of the match, it’s important to note that Esmaeili was in a domestic battle with reigning Olympic gold medalist Reza GERAEI (IRI) for Iran’s 67kg Paris Olympic spot. If Esmaeili beat Orta, he cemented his spot on Iran’s Olympic team. If he lost, Esmaeili and Geraei would go to a three-match wrestle off and the winner goes to Paris.

Now, circling back to the match: With less than a second to go in the match, Esmaeili began celebrating as he thought the clock expired.

During Esmaeili’s lapse of judgement, Orta, being the experienced guy, continued to wrestle through the whistle. Orta took a peek at the clock, saw there was still time left, locked up a throw and picked up four points, stealing the match, 9-7.

Esmaeili will try to get his revenge on Orta August 7 in the 67kg quarterfinals.

*Esmaeili ended up beating Geraei in two straight matches to earn the Olympic spot.

6. WW 57kg SEMIFINAL - No. 1 Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) vs. No. 5 Helen MAROULIS (USA)
Through the first two meetings between Sakurai and Maroulis, it’s been a one-sided affair. Sakurai is 2-0 against Maroulis, outscoring the Rio Olympic champion, 9-0, while picking up four offensive takedowns and not surrendering a single point.

Sakurai and Maroulis’ meeting at the 2022 World Championships was a slow-paced match, where the Japanese wrestler did enough to win but didn’t really establish her dominance.

That came in the second match.

In their second meeting, the biggest difference was Sakurai’s tatical use of her right hand when tied up with Maroulis. She used it to score three takedowns—one from an underhook front headlock, one from a underhook throw-by and the final one coming from a two-on-one—besting the American, 6-0.

The third meeting between Sakurai and Maroulis would take place August 8 in the 57kg semifinals.

Wrestling at the Paris Olympic Games starts Agust 5-11 and can be followed on www.uww.org.