#Yariguin2019

Yariguin Rewind: Six Yariguin Medalists Eventually Won Budapest World Titles

By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russian (January 16) – The 30th Annual Ivan Yariguin, United World Wrestling’s first Ranking Series event of the year, begins 8 days from today (on January 24),  in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Seven eventual world champions made the trip to Siberia twelve months ago to compete at the “Toughest Tournament in the World,“ but only six left with a medal.  

The seven Budapest gold medalists who competed at the 2018 Ivan Yariguin were Zaur UGUEV (RUS) (57kg), Yowles BONNE RODRIGUES (CUB) (61kg), Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) (70kg), Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) (74kg), Kyle DAKE (USA) (79kg), David TAYLOR (USA) (86kg), and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) (97kg). 

Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) (65kg), J’den COX (USA) (92kg), and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)(125kg) were the three world champions who missed last year's Yariguin. 

Uguev, Taylor, and Sadulaev were the only three wrestlers to win gold medals at both the Yariguin and World Championships. Uguev and Taylor won their Yariguin titles at their World Championship weights, while Sadualev won his Yariguin title at 92kg and his world title at 97kg.

Zaurbek Sidakov, Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov, and Kyle Dake were the trio of Yariguin silver medalists who traveled to Budapest and claimed world titles. 

On the flip side, Gadzhimurad Rashidov and Kyle Snyder won titles in Krasnoyarsk but fell short in the Budapest World Championship finals. 

Cuba’s Yolwes Bonnes Rodrigues was the only 2018 world champion to depart the 2018 Yariguin empty-handed. It should be noted that Bonne competed at 65kg, 4kg heavier than his Budapest World Championship weight of 61kg. 

Bonne went 1-1 and lost to Mongolia’s BATCHULUUN Batmagnai, who fell to Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) and Nachyn KUULAR (RUS) and finished in fifth-place. 

Early registration for the 2019 Ivan Yariguin closed last week but has since reopened. The updated deadline for registrations is January 21.

Results 
57kg - 
 Zavur UGUEV (RUS) df. Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS), 4-1 
61kg - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)
df. Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS), 3-2 
65kg -  Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS)
df. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), 3-3 
70kg - Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS)
df. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)2 - 2
74kg - Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS)
df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS), 3-1
79kg - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
df. Kyle DAKE (USA)8-2 
86kg - 
David TAYLOR III (USA) 
df. Fatih ERDIN (TUR), via fall. 
92kg - 
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS )
df. Anzor URISHEV (RUS), 6-0 
97kg - Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA)
df. Rasul Magomedovitch MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 4-1 
125kg - Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS)
df. Anzor Ruslanovitch KHIZRIEV (RUS), 1-1 

*2018 world champion are in bold.

#wrestlebishkek

Kyrgyzstan basks in wrestlers' golden glory

By Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (June 4) -- Kyrgyzstan once again reminded the world that it is a strong freestyle nation by clinching three gold medals on day four of the Bishkek Ranking Series. Moreover, world bronze medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) was not one of them.

Asian silver medalist Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) won at 57kg, Asian champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) won gold at 61kg and Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) became the champion at 70kg on the final day of the competition.

Smanbekov began with a 3-1 win over Wanhao ZOU (CHN) in the quarterfinals before beating Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO), 4-2, in the semifinals to enter the final against fellow Kyrgyzstan wrestler Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ).

A big arm-throw was the highlight of the match for Smanbekov who managed to win the gold after a 6-1 victory in front of a loud home crowd.

The ever-improving Zhumashbek Uulu survived a scare as he won 5-5 against Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) in the quarterfinals after getting a walkover by Ravi KUMAR (IND) who pulled out due to a knee injury. He managed to beat PANKAJ (IND) 7-0 in the semifinals before facing Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) in the final.

Zhumashbek Uulu gave little to Phartenadze and managed to win the gold after an 8-2 victory at 61kg.

Though it was not Akmataliev, the 70kg gold medal went to Kyrgyzstan. Toktomambetov stepped up when Akmataliev lost 11-6 in the semifinal against Syrbaz TALGAT (KGZ).

Toktomambetov began with a strong win over Servet COSKUN (TUR) in the opening round and faced Orts ISAKOV (JOR) in the quarterfinals and won 11-0. Against Mulaym YADAV (IND) in the semifinals, Toktomambetov managed to fina way and win 7-1.

In the final, Toktomambekov was up against Talgat and wrestled one of his toughest match of the tournament. After six minutes, Toktomambetov won 3-2 and the gold medal.

At 65kg, Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL) captured his third straight Ranking Series gold medal after beating Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ), 5-2.

As usual, Tumur Ochir began with his underhooks and pressured his opponents before scoring the points. He started with a 4-0 win over Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) followed by a humdinger against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) which the Mongolian won 6-5.

The semifinals saw him beat Meirzhan ASHIROV (KAZ) 8-4 and he step up a clash against Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ). He used his underhook but Osmonov was quick to defend it. But it wasn't long before Tumur Ochir returned to his preferred attack and after six minutes, he managed to win 8-4.

Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) was one of the two Georgians who claimed gold medals on Sunday.

The U23 world champion claimed the gold medal at 79kg by beating Myrza ZHYRGALBEK UULU (KGZ) 11-0 and Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ) 9-1. He then faced Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) in the final and managed to stop Saipudinov from any attacks and won a tense final 3-2 to be crowned champion.

The second Georgian was world bronze medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) who launched Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) for a big throw which proved to be the difference between the two wrestlers.

Bayramov closer to Belgrade spot

Azerbaijan, for the second straight year, is trying to find the best combination for the all-important World Championships in a Ranking Series. For the same, three wrestlers were entered at 74kg in Bishkek. And for the second straight year, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) defeated Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE).

Last year in Rome, Bayramov stopped Gadzhiev and repeated it Sunday as he held off the former 2-1 in a classic Bayramov bout.

 

Gadzhiev tried all his might to beat Bayramov but he failed to find the attack that could have helped him overcome the defensive challenge that Bayramov brings.
q

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) df. Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ), 6-1

BRONZE: Wanhao ZOU (CHN) df. Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO), 7-0
BRONZE: Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) df. Nodirjon SAFAROV (UZB), 12-6

61kg
GOLD: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO), 8-2

BRONZE: Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ) df. Sardor RUZIMOV (UZB), via fall
BRONZE: Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) df. PANKAJ (IND), 6-1

65kg
GOLD: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ), 5-2

BRONZE: Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ) df. Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG), 8-2
BRONZE: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) df. Meirzhan ASHIROV (KAZ), 10-0

70kg
GOLD: Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) df. Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ), 3-2

BRONZE: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO), 9-0
BRONZE: Servet COSKUN (TUR) df. Mulaym YADAV (IND), 6-6

74kg
GOLD: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 2-1

BRONZE: Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) df. Otari BAGAURI (GEO), via fall
BRONZE: Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) df. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), 12-7

79kg
GOLD:  Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN), 3-2

BRONZE: Adilet MARATBAEV (KGZ) df. Bibarys NURYLLAULY (KAZ), 10-7
BRONZE: Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ) df. Myrza ZHYRGALBEK UULU (KGZ), 11-0

86kg
GOLD: Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) df. Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ), 6-0
BRONZE: Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) df. Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO), 10-9

92kg
GOLD: Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) df. Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), 6-1

BRONZE: Jumabayi AERGEN (CHN) df. Abdimanap BAIGENZHEYEV (KAZ), 2-0
BRONZE: Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) df. Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ), 6-2