#WrestleTokyo

#WrestleTokyo Olympic Games Preview: 65kg

Thursday, July 29, 2021 - 15:57 By Eric Olanowski

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TOKYO, Japan (July 21) – Top-seeded Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) headlines the loaded 65kg bracket that'll feature fellow world champions Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) and Haji ALIYEV (AZE) and six other world-medal holders.

Rashidov, who captured a world title in '19 after falling in the gold-medal match in back-to-back years, is seeded No. 1. The other trio of seeded wrestlers included '19 world-medal winners Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) and Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN).

Punia, a three-time world medalist -- including an '18 world finalist -- is seeded No. 2 at 65kg. He heads into the Tokyo Olympic Games looking to become the fourth Indian freestyle wrestler to win an Olympic medal. He'd join Kha-Shaba JADAV (IND), Sushil KUMAR (IND) and Yogeshwar DUTT (IND). 

Following his 13th place at the '17 World Championships, Punia finished on the podium in 19 consecutive events. The high-paced Indian superstar won a pair of world medals during that span, a quartet of Asian championships medals -- including a gold in '19 -- and four Ranking Series titles.

Niyazbekov is seeded third at 65kg. The 32-year-old Zhanakorgan, Kazakhstan native, is a two-time world medalist. He claimed bronze at the '11 World Championships, then reached the world finals in '19 with a thrilling 9-9 criteria win over Bajrang. However, Niyazbekov ultimately fell to Rashidov in the gold-medal match and settled for a runner-up finish in his home country. 

But Niyazbekov will be on the same side of the bracket as second-seeded Punia. The pair have split their last two meetings. The Kazakh won in Nur-Sultan, but most recently, Punia evened up the rivalry with a 10-0 win at the Ali Aliev Tournament in Kaspiisk, Dagestan. 

Hungary's Muszukajev is seeded fourth at the weight. The former Russian-turned-Hungarian had a breakout performance at the '19 World Championships. The 28-year-old grabbed five victories -- including wins over world champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) and Olympic champion Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) -- en route to winning a world bronze medal. He'll sit on the top side of the bracket with Rashidov, who beat him in the world semifinals, 3-2.

Other world-title holding threats outside of Rashidov to pay attention to are Ototguro and Aliyev. Fans should also keep an eye on multiple-time world medalists and outside threats Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB) Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL).

A year after becoming Japan's youngest-ever freestyle world champion, Takuto Otoguro went 3-2 at the '19 World Championships and finished fifth. But since that upsetting finish in Nur-Sultan, the 22-year-old who hails from Fuefuki, Japan, has won three consecutive competitions. He won the '19 Japan Championships and downed Bajrang in the finals at back-to-back Asian Championships to claim gold.

Aliyev, Azerbaijan's first-ever three-time world champion, seems to be finding his stride up at 65kg. After winning a bronze medal in Rio at 57kg, the 30-year-old ascended from 61kg to 65kg. He succeeded early at 65kg on the European level -- winning golds at the '18 European Championships and '19 European Games -- but failed to finish inside the top-10 at the '18 and '19 World Championships. But since his 12th-place finish at the '19 World Championships, Aliyev strung together podium finished at the Individual World Cup, World Olympic Qualifier and the Poland Open.

Gadzhiev, the now two-time Olympian, is a 70kg silver and bronze-medal finisher, respectively, at the '17 and '19 World Championships. After winning '20 titles at the European Championships, Poland Open and Individual World Cup, the 33-year-old, originally from Gurubki, Karabudakhkentsky, Dagestan, appeared at 65kg for the European Olympic Qualifier. He reached the semifinals but lost to eventual champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) before injuring defaulting out to a fifth-place finish. 

Less than two months later, at the World Olympic Qualifier, Gadzhiev bounced back and scored five wins en route to earning a 65kg berth to Tokyo. 

Valdes Tobier will return to competition for the first time in 17 months. Due to the pandemic, the '17 and '18 world bronze medalist hasn't competed since punching his ticket to Tokyo with a first-place finish at the '19 Pan-American Olympic Qualifier. 

Tokyo will be the 32-year-old Cuban's second Olympic Games. He finished in seventh-place at the '16 Rio Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, despite being enrobed with world champs and medalists across the bracket, one of the biggest favorites to contend for 65kg gold is Armenia's red-hot Vazgen Tevanyan.

Since falling to Otoguro in the second round at the '19 World Championships, Tevanayan has transformed himself into a completely different wrestler -- and it all started with his magical Individual World Cup performance. In Belgrade, 21-year-old won five matches and capped off his run with a 9-1 thumping of then-reigning world bronze medalist Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN).  

He extended his win streak to nine consecutive matches after punching his ticket to his first Olympic Games with wins over Olympic champion Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), three-time world champ Aliyev and two-time world medalist Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) at the European Olympic Qualifier. 

Wrestling at the Tokyo Olympic Games kicks off August 1-7 at the Makuhari Messe with 65kg action beginning on August 6.

65kg
No. 1 Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)
No. 2 Bajrang BAJRANG (IND)
No. 3 Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ)
No. 4 Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Takuto OTOGURO (JPN)
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)
Adama DIATTA (SEN)
Haithem DAKHLAOUI (TUN)
Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB)
Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Morteza Hassanali GHIASI CHEKA (IRI)
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)

#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).