#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open Ranking Series day four finals set

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 4) -- The Zagreb Open Ranking Series enters its fourth day with four women's wrestling and two Greco-Roman weight classes. A huge crop of talent is competing at 67kg including Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) who won the gold at 60kg in Tokyo.

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15:00: Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) is so good. Iman Hossein Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) tried every trick he had but failed to break Mammadov's defense. The Azerbaijan wrestlers wins 4-4 and reaches the 63kg final.

14:35: Yelena MAKOYED (USA) is quickly becoming a threat at 76kg. She beats Dymond GUILFORD (USA) 12-2 to reach the final. If she can win domestically, she will have a chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics. But Adeline GRAY (USA) is standing on that path.

14:20: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) with a fall over Juan WANG (CHN). She moves into the 76kg final and will face the winner of Yelena MAKOYED (USA) vs. Dymond GUILFORD (USA).

14:00: HUSIYUETU (CHN) with the upset of the tournament as he wins 13-4 over Luis ORTA (CUB). Perhaps Orta was pushed to the limits by Jafarov and Sohrabi in the previous. But here he was helpless. Husiyuetu got the par terre advantage and trapped one of Orta's arms and scored via exposure. Nothing much Orta could do there. This also means that a Jafarov vs Sohrabi rematch won't take place.

13:40: Helen MAROULIS (USA) up against Patrycja GIL (POL) at 57kg. Gil with a takedown and tries to pin but Maroulis with excellent defense. Gil leads 4-0. Maroulis scores stepout to cut the lead to 4-3. A takedown just before the break for Gil. She begins the second period with a counter takedown and it's 8-3 for Gil who is struggling to keep up. Maroulis takedown on the edge to make it 8-5 with around a minute remaining. Gil with another spin behind and it's 10-5 for her. Maroulis will take a 10-5 loss at 57kg.

13:15: The quarterfinals at GR 63kg

Samuel JONES (USA) vs. Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB) vs. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
Perica DIMITRIJEVIC (SRB) vs. Iman Hossein Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI)
SAGAR (IND) vs. Aref Hossein Khoun MOHAMMADI (IRI) 

12:50: Luis ORTA (CUB) is on a roll here. After beating Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), he now takes out Daniel SOHRABI (IRI). Sohrabi got a stepout and passivity point in the first period but Orta managed to escape. As the pressure built, Sohrabi tried pushing Orta out but a head pinch from Orta resulted in four points. Sohrabi was penalized for keeping his head low. Orta on 6-2.

12:30: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) with a resounding win over KIRAN (IND) at 76kg. She got the cradle to fall to move into the quarterfinals.

12:10: Sae NANJO (JPN) with a technical superiority win over  Alexandria TOWN (CAN). She is on course to wrestle Maroulis in what can prove to be a blockbuster.

12:05: Helen MAROULIS (USA) was checked by Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) as the latter scored the first takedown on her but she quickly fizzled out. Maroulis quickly turned up and won her opening bout at 57kg 11-2.

11:45: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) with those perfect low singles against Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU). Despite all the tricks in her bag, Yepez has no idea how to deal with the phenom named Fujinami, who rolls to another technical superiority win at 53kg

11:36: Daniel SHORABI (IRI) is an absolute master at his craft. The young star gets Sylla into positions of no return. Shorabi scores three takedowns in his 10-2 win over Sylla.

11:35: Luis ORTA (CUB) hands Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) a 5-1 loss. He scores from par terre and two stepouts while Jafarov, despite getting the passivity point, fails to break Orta's defense.

11:20: Two big Greco-Roman bouts on adjacent mats. Luis ORTA (CUB) is wrestling Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE). Danial SOHRABI (IRI) is up against Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA). Both bouts are at 67kg. 

11:15: That has to be the calmest performance ever! Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) was trailing REETIKA (IND) 4-0 with 10 seconds remaining. With no signs of panic, Niikura used a head-pinched Reetika twice to win 4-4. So clutch.

10:55: Ningning RONG (CHN), competing for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics, could not get going in that bout against Patrycja GIL (POL). Shabby defense from Rong each time they got into scrambles and Gil built a 5-0 lead. Rong switched gears one in the final minute, scoring two takedowns but that was too little too late. 

10:40: A fall for Sam STEWART (CAN) over world champion Dominique PARRISH (USA) at 53kg. Parrish was going for the single leg and seems like her knee hit the mat before she could finish the move and lost her balance. Stewart kept Parrish on the back for the fall.

10:30: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) looks like she was never off the mat. A dominant 10-0 win over Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) at 53kg. Fujinami last competed internationally at the Asian Championships and has been struggling with a few injuries.

10:15: Tokyo Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) makes his debut at 67kg and begins with a win! A combination of big throws and pushouts gives him a 9-1 victory over Karanjit SINGH (IND).

10:00: Welcome to a very windy day here in Zagreb! The wrestlers are ready for another long day of wrestling. The return of Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) to international competition since the Asian Championships in April last year is the biggest story of the day.

#development

Higuchi, Dosho masterclass as UWW hosts women’s camp at Shigakkan

By United World Wrestling Press

OBU, Aichi, Japan (November 16) — The 2025 United World Wrestling Women’s Training Camp at Shigakkan University concluded after twelve days of intensive training, education, and cultural exchange.

The university has been one of the leaders of women’s wrestling in Japan and worldwide and has produced champion wrestlers including four-time Olympic champion Kari ICHO (JPN) and 13-time world champion Saori YOSHIDA (JPN).

Organized as part of UWW’s ongoing initiative to promote growth and provide high-level opportunities for female athletes worldwide, this edition followed last July’s successful camp held at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) in Vijayanagar, Karnataka, India.

Shigakkan University demonstrated outstanding commitment by providing excellent facilities, coordination, and support, while the 20 athletes from 11 countries showed remarkable dedication, professionalism, and a strong work ethic throughout the program.

Japan

A highlight of the camp was the series of masterclasses by Japan’s most accomplished wrestlers including Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), who led a four-day technical instruction masterclass during the camp, demonstrating a series of wrestling techniques.

Paris Olympic silver medalist Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) opened the camp with two days of teaching and showcased some of his signature techniques. Sara DOSHO (JPN), Olympic champion in Rio 2016, guided the final two days with practical, detail-oriented sessions rooted in her championship experience.

The camp also had anti-doping and sport-nutrition workshops, delivered by Professor Taro MURAKAMI from the Department of Nutrition, was supported by Hirobumi TADA, who made the session interactive through a card-based educational game. University students also participated, helping create an engaging atmosphere that emphasized clean sport and athlete responsibility.

Dr. Hideyuki GOTO, from the Department of Sports and Fitness and team doctor of the Shigakkan Women’s Wrestling program, offered a hands-on class on concussion awareness and prevention. Athletes received practical demonstrations with ultrasound and clear guidance on injury detection and safe athlete care.

Daichi TAKATANI (JPN)

The wrestlers also participated in an Exchange Event with university students that included a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, summer kimono experience, matcha preparation, origami.

The camp also received the special visit of Dr. Kuniko TANIOKA, Chairperson and President of Shigakkan University, who warmly welcomed the participants on behalf of the institution.

The collaboration between UWW and Shigakkan University resulted in a comprehensive program that combined elite technical training, educational development, and meaningful cultural exchange.