#WrestleTokyo

#WrestleTokyo: Aleksanyan, Evloev Remain on Collison Course

Monday, August 2, 2021 - 04:26 By Vinay Siwach

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CHIBA, Japan (August 2) --- If there was a manual about how to wrestle at Olympic Games, performances of Musa EVLOEV (ROC) and Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) on Monday would be the top ones in it.

On the second day of wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics, the two reached the semifinals at 97kg Greco-Roman weight classes as expect on either side of the bracket. While world champion Evloev will wrestle Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) in the semifinal, Saravi faces defending Olympic champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM). It will be a rematch of the 2019 Worlds quarterfinal which the Armenian won 4-3.

The morning session at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba was highlighted with stunning throws, lifts and some quick techniques as Greco-Roman 77kg and 97kg and women's wrestling 68kg weight classes got their semifinalists.

Evloev was in different as he wrestled at will, controlling most of the action even if he did not close out the bouts with technical superiority.

He began the day with a 3-1 win over Giorgi MELIA (GEO) and then Alex SZOKE (HUN) was dumped 6-2 in the quarterfinals. His opponent in the semifinal, Saravi was more dominant as he began with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) before securing a 6-0 win over Kiril MILOV (BUL).

Artur ALEKSANYANArtur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) reached the semifinal at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Aleksanyan had some hiccups on the way but he was clinical in the 4-1 opening round win over Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ). His strategy to begin slow against Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) played out perfectly and he won 5-1. He decided to give up the passivity point in the first half but got one in the second. He used two guts from par terre for the win.

Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) reached the semifinal after a hard-fought win over Tracy HANCOCK (USA). Hancokc will rue the challenge that his corner throw looking at the final scoreline of 4-3.

Mohammadali GERAEIMohammadali GERAEI (IRI) won his quarterfinal. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

At 77kg, world champion Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) had a quite morning as he won his first bout via forfeit while the second was an easy 3-1 win over Shohei YABIKU (JPN). But the Hungarian will need to be at the top of his game as he faces World bronze medalist Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) in the semifinal.

Geraei was training 5-1 against Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) but he kept the pressure and forced a pushout which was scored fleeing by the referees giving two points to Geraei. With less than 25 seconds left, Geraei went for his trademark jump over the head move and landed Starcevic in exposure position to get two points. At 5-5, he held the criteria for the last point scored.

On the other side of the bracket, young star Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) is looking to become his country's only third Greco-Roman Olympic finalist as he reached the semifinal against Karapet CHALYAN (ARM).

Akzhol MAKHMUDOVAkzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) will wrestle in the 77kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Makhmudov made a mess of Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) in the quarterfinal, launching him for a big throw and two exposure to win 9-1. He won his first bout 11-0.

Chalyan upset 2018 world champion Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (ROC) 2-1 after he humbled Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) 5-0 in the first bout.

In the women's section, world champion Taymra MENSAH STOCK (USA) in on her way to the final at 68kg as he made her way through a minefield to reach the semifinal against 2018 world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR).

Mensah Stock began her day with a 10-0 shutout of defending Olympic champion Sara DOSHO (JPN). In a rematch of the 2019 World Championships quarterfinal which the American won, she used her double-leg takedowns to leg lace to great affect. She then avenged her Matteo Pellicone final loss to Feng ZHOU (CHN) with another 10-0 win.

MENSAH STOCKTaymra MENSAH STOCK (USA) reached the semifinal at 68kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Cherkasova has also not given up a single point in her two bouts, beating Agnieszka WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL) 11-0 and a victory via fall over Anna SCHELL (GER).

Mongolia had a semifinalist as Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) set up a clash against Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR). The two had tough quarterfinals but hung in there to come out as winners.

Soronzonbold handed Khanum VELIEVA (ROC) a 8-5 defeat in the quarterfinal but it was her opening round bout against Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) where she had to come up with a big four in the final moments and win via fall. The French wrestler was leading 3-0 at that time.

Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL)Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) will wrestle in the 68kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Oborududu also put on a show as she first handed Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) a 13-2 thrashing before carving a tough 3-2 win over Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) in the semifinals.

Wrestling will return for the evening session at 1815 hours local time here in Japan.

#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships GR 60kg, 72kg, 97kg semis set

Friday, September 22, 2023 - 06:51 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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BELGRADE, Serbia (September 22) -- With only three weight classes on Friday, the World Championships is entering its final days. Greco-Roman stars in 60kg, 72kg and 97kg will take the mats with 60kg and 97kg being the Olympic weight classes.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

The semifinals for the evening session:

72kg
Robert FRITSCH (HUN) vs. Shingo HARADA (JPN)
Selcuk CAN (TUR) vs. Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)

60kg
Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) vs. Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) vs. Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)

97kg
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU)
Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) vs. Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)

14:50: Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) overpowers U20 world champion Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) 8-5 in the 97kg quarterfinal. Both exchanged four-pointers before Khaslakhanau was awarded a point for Rosillo's foul. But the Cuban hit another four and was close to a fall but ultimately won 8-5

14:47: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) returns to the semifinals at 97kg as he beats Felix BALDAUF (NOR) 4-1. Saravi got a turn from par terre to lead 3-0. Baldauf got two passivity advantages in the second period but failed to score. During the second par terre, Saravi stopped him mid-turn and scored a reversal. 

14:42: Once again, Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) was put on top of par terre first and never gave his opponent a chance to be on offense again. Aleksanyan reeled off four rolls against Artur OMAROV (CZE) to end their 97kg semifinal 9-0 in just under two minutes. Later today, Aleksanyan, who last year won his fifth career title, will attempt to make his eighth world final against Mindaugas VENCKATITIS (LTU), who ended the gold-medal hopes of local favorite Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) with an 8-0 technical fall.

14:35: Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) jumps out to a 7-0 lead in the first period against Christopher KRAEMER (GER), and that's how it ends as he advances to the 60kg semifinal and a shot a defending world champion Sharshenbekov.

14:34: Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) got a turn from par terre and then defended his par terre position against Liguo CAO (CHN) to complete a 3-1 victory and set up a semifinal against  Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)

14:31: A 9-0 shutout victory for world champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) as he gets two four-pointers using underhooks against Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB). The world champion will take on Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) in the semifinals.

14:26: Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) has dominated today! He now moves into the semifinals at 72kg after a 9-0 domination of Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ).

14:24: In a wild match with a bizarre finish, European champion Robert FRITSCH (HUN) is through to the 72kg semifinals by beating local favorite and defending champion Ali ARSELAN (SRB). It was ended by fall, but the Serb seemed to give up from exhaustion. He had taken a 9-5 lead with a pair of front headlock turns in the first period, but became a limp body when Fritcsh scored a takedown and easily turned him over.

14:20: Japan continues its incredible run at this World Championships as Shingo HARADA (JPN) beats returning silver medalist Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) 6-4 after being 3-1 down. He will take on Robert FRITSCH (HUN) who pinned world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB)

Quarterfinal action now in 72kg, 60kg and 97kg

14:10: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) executes three powerful gut wrenches from par terre and he advances at 97kg with a 7-1 win over Gerard KURNICZAK (POL). That was the final match before the start of the quarterfinals, which will begin simultaneously on the four mats starting with 72kg.

13:59: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) gets put on top in par terre against Josef RAU (USA), and that only spells trouble for the American. Aleksanyan easily turns him over with a series of tilts and rolls for a 9-0 win in just over two minutes to advance to the 97kg quarterfinals.

13:55: The literally gray-beard Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) jumps out to a 4-0 lead against Gabriel ROSSILLO (CUB) at 97kg, but the 39-year-old two-time world medalist gives up a takedown and a 4-point throw to lose 6-4.

13:47: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) continues to get it done at 97kg, forging a 7-5 victory over Tamas LEVAI (HUN), a bronze medalist a year ago at 82kg. Kajaia gets three gut-wrench rolls from par terre, while limiting Levai to two front headlock turns, and that was the difference.

13:34: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) would love nothing more than to win his second straight 72kg title before the home crowd, and he cut it close in his opening match. Arsalan reeled off three gut wrenches from par terre to take a 7-0 lead into the second period against Danial SOHRABI (IRI). But the Iranian gradually came back and even scored the tying takedown with two seconds, but Arselan took the win 7-7 on big-point criteria.

13:12: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), the 2021 champion and a bronze medalist last year, gets a pair of stepouts in the first period and he's through with a 3-1 win over Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) at 97kg.

12:52: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), two months after winning the world U20 gold at 97kg, starts his senior debut by rallying to beat Mathias BAK (DEN) 11-5. Khaslakhanau has to fight off his back in the first period, and goes ahead to stay with a 4-point takedown and 2-point throw in the second.

12:43: Mega-superstar Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) gets a wake-up call when Nicu OJOG (ROU) hits him with a 4-point arm throw to start their 97kg first-round match. But the multi-world and Olympic champion quickly rebounds, scoring a reversal and two gut wrenches, then adds a 4-point takedown to go into the break up 9-4. Aleksanyan adds a stepout for a 10-4 win.

12:41: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) gets two gut wrenches from par terre, much to the joy of the home crowd, and he advances at 97kg with a 5-1 victory over Serhii OMELIN (UKR).

12:34: Returning bronze medalist Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE) has pulled out of his bout against Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU) after he expressed pain in his heavily strapped elbow. On Mat D, Artur SARGASIAN (AIN) also suffers an elbow injury in the bout against Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB).

12:30: Who would have thought that a 97kg Greco-Roman bout would turn into a slugfest? Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) comes back from 6-0 to beat Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) via fall after leading 10-7

12:15: World champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) had to work a little but he got the job done with a 10-2 victory over Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU) at 60kg. Big day for the Kyrgyz world champ. He faces Pridon ABULADZE (GEO) next

12:05: Two-time former world champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) has a worry-free second match, scoring two tilts from par terre to defeat Helary MAEGISALU (EST) 5-1 and advance to the round-of-16 at 60kg.

12:00: Young gun Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) opens his World Championships with a 6-2 win over Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB) in 60kg, a weight class that is nothing less than a minefield.

11:56: Returning 60kg silver medalist Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) has fallen at the first hurdle, and fallen hard. Former European champion Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) dominates the match and finishes off a 9-0 win with go-behind takedown.

11:50: Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN), the 2021 world U23 champion at 60kg, beats the 2022 champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) 11-5. Allakhiarov is trailing when he hits a 4-point front body lock throw, which gets a 2-point leg penalty tacked on, with 21 seconds to go.

11:38: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) thrills the home crowd by holding off two-time former world champion Metehan BASAR (TUR) 2-1 at 97kg. Kajaia, a bronze medalist in 2018, gets a steput in the first period and that proves the difference.

11:19: Never give up. Patrick SMITH (USA) falls behind 7-2 at 72kg against European bronze medalist Kamil CZARNECKI (POL), but chips away at the lead against his tiring opponent. He cuts the lead to 2 before slamming him down for a fall with just under two minutes left.

11:17: Veteran Heiki NABI (EST) won't be going for his sixth career world medal after losing his 130kg repechage match to Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), who gets both passivity points for a 2-0 win. The 38-year-old Nabi, the 2012 London Olympic silver medalist has won his five world medals over a 14-year span from 2006 to 2019.

10:57: What a way to get the session started! In a clash between former world champions that, in another place at another time could have been for the gold medal, Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) dodges a bullet and beats Victor CIOBANU (MDA) 3-1 at 60kg. As Fumita tries for the turn from par terre, Ciobanu reverses for 2, then scores an apparent 4 at the edge. But on challenge, Ciobanu is assessed a 2-point leg infraction penalty and his points are wiped out. Fumita holds on for the win. The two also met in the quarterfinals at the 2019 worlds, with Fumita notching a wild 12-5 win en route to his second career gold.

10:30: Welcome to day seven of the World Championships. All Greco-Roman day with 60kg, 72kg and 97kg wrestlers wrestling for the world title. 60kg and 97kg are the Olympic weight classes.