#WrestleAstana

Asian Championships day five freestyle finals set

Thursday, April 13, 2023 - 04:35 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan (April 13) -- The Asian Championships has entered its business end with freestyle beginning Thursday. Five weight classes will be in action led by world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) at 65kg. The other weight classes in action are 57kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg.

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The finals for the evening session

57kg - AMAN (IND) vs. Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)

65kg - Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) vs. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)

70kg - Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) vs. Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB)

79kg - Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) vs. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)

97kg - Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) vs. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN)

14:30: Top-seed Awusayim HABILA (CHN) gets off to a flying start against Makhsud VEYUSALOV (UZ) at 97kg, scoring a takedown and a pair of lace-lock rolls. He adds a high-crotch takedown to lead 8-0 after the first period. In the second, he gets in deep on a single, then gets behind. Veyusalov holds out for a bit, but Habila finally forces him to the mat to end the match at 3:53.

14:30: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) gave up a stepout but he scores one for himself before a takedown to lead 3-1 against Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN). A stepout in the second period makes it 4-1. But Tazhudinov with a body lock and four! He also gets two laces to lead 9-4. Just under two minutes left. Tazhudinov gets two more takedowns to lead 13-4 but Goleij comes with two of his own against a tiring Tazhudinov. However, that is all the time we have and the Bahrain wrestler will go to the 97kg final.

14:23: Can Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) follow up compatriot Doszhanov's thrilling win with a victory of his own over an Iranian opponent at 79kg? It doesn't start too well, as Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) opens with a takedown and an activity point. But Sakayev scores with a double-leg takedown and, keeping a firm grip on the legs, lifts up and gets a 2-point exposure to go ahead. Kavousi goes ahead with a pair of stepouts, but in the final 30 seconds, Sakayev gets in deep on a single, lifts up and dumps Kavousi to the mat. A fall! And he's into the final.

14:18: Walking into the 79kg finals, Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB). He beats DEEPAK (IND) 10-0 in the 79kg semifinal using five different takedowns and transitions.

14:10: In perhaps the bout of the day, Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) overcomes Morteza GHIASI (IRI) with some help from the crowd. A lot of scrambles in the bout but Doszhanov got the cradle for exposure to lead 4-1 with under a minute remaining. Ghiasi on his part tried to get an opening but failed to get one. 

14:02: Zafarbek OTAKHANOV (UZB) makes short work of Orts ISAKOV (JOR) in their 70kg semifinal, scoring a quick takedown and locking up an arm, then flip-flopping his opponent back and forth for four quick exposures and a 10-0 technical fall in 54 seconds.

13:59: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) scores a takedown with :30 left to clinch a 5-2 victory over world U20 champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) to make the 65kg final. Jalolov uses a slick duck under for a takedown in the first period, but hurts himself in the second period, when he backs out for a stepout and a fleeing point, then gives up another point with a lost challenge that puts him behind 3-2.

13:55: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) gets the job done against Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN). A stepout and passivity point for Amouzad against Anraku's passivity point in the 2-1 win.

13:43: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KAZ), a bronze medalist a year ago, will be fighting for the 57kg gold after putting away  Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) 8-6. Smanbekov scores a takedown in the first period, then opens the second with an arm throw for a 4-1 lead. He then stops a throw attempt and puts the Mongolian directly to his back for 4. With the big lead, he concedes three stepouts in the waning moments, two of which have a penalty point tagged on for lack of effort. 

13:30: U23 world champion AMAN (IND) is up against Wanhao LUO (CHN) and he has been called passive and Luo is up 1-0. He scores stepout to start the second period. A nice ankle pick for Aman to lead 2-2 on criteria. Luo is tiring and Aman is up 7-2. Luo gets a single leg for a takedown to cut the lead to 7-4. No more action in that semifinal and Aman is into the final.

Welcome to the finals. We start with 57kg.

13:05: In a cracker of a match, Orts ISAKOV (JOR) completes a wild 20-7 victory over AGUDAMU (CHN) in the 70kg quarterfinals with a spectacular 5-point back suplex that draws cheers from the crowd. Jordan has never had a freestyle medalist at an Asian Championships. 

12:57: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) joins the Iranian parade into the semifinals, overpowering Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) with an 11-0 technical fall at 97kg. A takedown to a pair of gut wrenches gave Goleij a 9-0 lead in the first period, and he finished the match with a takedown in the second.

 

12:52: Zagreb Open bronze medalist Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) jumps out to a five-point lead, then holds on for a 5-2 victory over Asian U23 champion Deepak NEHRA (IND) to advance to the 97kg semifinals.

12:38: Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) pulls off a thrilling victory over Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) for a place in the 70kg semifinals. Doszhanov was trailing 4-0 when he hits a back-roll counter that barely exposes Toktomambetov's back. The referees give him 2, but when Kyrgyzstan challenges, the move it upgraded to 4, giving Doszhanov a 4-4 win on criteria.

12:35: World U23 champion AMAN (IND), looking to keep the 57kg title that Ravir KUMAR (IND) won last year in Indian hands, fends off Rikuto ARAI (JPN) 7-1 to advance to the semifinals. Aman showed his flexibility when Arai had put in a grapevine during a takedown attempt but the Indian squirmed out of it. The Japanese side thought Arai should have been awarded the 2, but the challenge was lost.  

12:14: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ), a bronze medalist a year ago, scores two first-period takedowns and holds on to defeat last year's silver medalist Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) 4-2 and book his place in the 65kg semifinals. 

12:00: Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB) with a takedown and then goes for the gut wrench to lead 6-0 against U20 world bronze Mulaym YADAV (IND). A takedown on the edge before finishing the bout 10-0.

11:56: 2021 world bronze medalist Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) cruises into the 97kg quarterfinals with a 12-0 technical fall over Ulziisaikhan BAASANTSOGT (MGL). Goleij, the Asian champ in 2020, gets a takedown and two gut wrenches to finish the first period up 8-0. He ends the proceedings with a 4-point back trip. 

11:54: Former Asian champion Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) gets a rude welcome to the 65kg class, as the four-time medalist at 61kg falls is dealt a 4-0 defeat by Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) in the quarterfinal round. Tumur Ochir scores an activity point and a stepout in each period for the win.

11:46: World champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) begins defense of his Asian title with a solid 6-0 win over Sanzhar MUKHTAR (KAZ) in the 65kg quarterfinals. Amouzad gets three stepout points off his attack which, added to an activity point and a late spin-behind takedown, is enough to defeat Mukhtar, who never comes close to a successful attack of his own.

11:35: Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) was a little surprised by the defense of Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) in his 65kg bout. Kudiev led 2-0 before Anraku got one point for Kudiev's passivity and then the Tajik blocked Anraku's attack with a hand on the neck, resulting in the caution and win. That gave the win to Anraku. Kudiev challenged it but lost.

11:28: In one of those matches between gold-medal candidates that the draw sometimes produces in the qualification round, 2022 bronze medalist Rikuto ARAI (JPN) knocks off 2021 world silver medalist Alireza SARLAK (IRI), finishing up a 12-1 technical fall with a tilt at the buzzer. Arai led 2-0 going into the second period when he upped the lead with two takedowns. Sarlak takes an injury timeout. With a minute remaining, Arai stays aggressive and gains a double-leg takedown. Sarlak loses interest and easily gives up a pair of exposures.

11:15: World U20 champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZ) crunches Divoshan CHARLES  FERNANDO (SRI) for a fall in less than a minute to advance to the quarterfinals at 65kg. 

11:10: Local favorite Sanzhar MUKHTAR (KAZ) opens the action on Mat B with a 5-0 win over Mohammed KAREEM (IRQ) at 65kg, earning him a quarterfinal clash with reigning Asian and world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI).

11:00: Hello again from Astana as we get ready for Day 5 and the start of the freestyle competition, with action at 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg. Back to defend his title is world champion Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) at 65kg.

#WrestleZagreb

Rising Star Hendrickson Aims to Make Splash in Senior Worlds Debut

Friday, September 12, 2025 - 17:23 By Ken Marantz

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 12) -- Sitting on the opposite end of the dais from the reigning world champion, Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) expressed confidence that they will be meeting again soon, but in much closer quarters.

If all goes according to plan for both wrestlers, Hendrickson will face Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) in the semifinals of freestyle 125kg when the World Championships get started on Saturday in Zagreb.

"This is my first senior-level World Championships and I'm very grateful for that," Hendrickson said at a press conference on Friday that was also attended by Zare. "But I also think that the opportunity presented itself because I have grown as a wrestler. I've risen to the level of my competition, and I'm ready to test myself against the best in the world."

It doesn't get much better than Zare when talk of the heavyweights comes up. The two-time Olympic medalist is gunning for his second straight world title and third overall, all still at the tender age of 24.

Hendrickson, also 24 (in fact, he is three days older than Zare), may lack the experience on the senior level, but in recent years, he has raised his game enough to join the handful of foes with the potential to knock of the great Zare.

The American said his aim is to "continue to not only just wrestle at the highest level, but prove I'm meant to be here. Wrestling is something I've been doing since I was 5 years old and all that wrestling has brought me to be here today in Zagreb."

After placing fifth at the 2021 world juniors (U20), Hendrickson struck gold at the world U23 in 2023. In May this year, he capped his senior-level debut with a victory at the Pan-Am Championships.

But his most impressive triumph, and one that made the world take notice, came in a different format of the sport. In March, he stunned Tokyo Olympic champion Gable STEVESON (USA) in the final of the NCAA Championships, denying him a third title and ending his 70-match winning streak.

Even Zare said he was aware of the upset. "I would like to congratulate you for the win over Gable, he's one of the best in this weight category," Zare said. "Some of the seconds of your match are in my mind, I remember that. But originally, I don't have too much information about this American wrestler."

Hendrickson acknowledges he has been cultivated in the American folkstyle. But he feels confident of the transition he has made to freestyle.

"I've been training to wrestle foreign styles," he said. "The majority of my wrestling has been in [American] folkstyle. But the transition I've been able to make the past couple of months has shown that I'm prepared for this. I'm ready to wrestle the best in the world."

Helping in Hendrickson's preparations has been one of the sport's legends. Hendrickson originally attended and competed collegiately at the Air Force Academy, but transferred last year to Oklahoma State, where he came under the wing of former Olympic and three-time world champion David TAYLOR (USA).

Hendrickson is one of three USA wrestlers who are members of the Cowboy RTC, the wrestling club affiliated with Oklahoma State. (Five others will be wrestling in Zagreb with three of them for other nations.)

"Coach David Taylor is very, very excited to be coaching and share with us the knowledge he has learned in the great sport of wrestling," Hendrickson said. "The knowledge that he has been able to bring to me, it's just day and night. I never understood some parts of wrestling and he filled in all of the gaps. Where I maybe have fallen short in the past at some of these tournaments, those gaps are now filled. And I just have nothing but confidence."

The draw for the freestyle weight classes came out a short time before the press conference, and Hendrickson was asked about a possible clash with Zare in the semifinals.

"I love it," he said. "Zare is an excellent wrestler. But -- I don't want to brag on myself -- but I'm also a pretty great wrestler. That's most likely the match we're going to see tomorrow evening."

Hendrickson, however, is not one to get ahead of himself, and contends that he does not concern himself with such details as his opponents in the draw. Nor does he have a certain foe whom he particularly looks forward to facing.

"I'm excited to go through every single person in this bracket," he said. "Obviously there's no one specific because I don't care what my placement is in the bracket. That's not what I look at.

"What I look at is the next opponent ahead of me. One match at a time, one point at a time, one second at a time on the wrestling mat. I'm prepared, I'm ready and tomorrow I'm going to make a splash at the World Championships."

Zare, who has taken over the leadership mantle of the Iranian team in the absence of injured star Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), has competed just once this year, winning the Tirana Ranking Series title in February.

"I have done my best during the last 13 months to be prepared and I am focused on my goal, which is to be champion of this competition," Zare said.

And should Hendrickson or any of the other top competitors, such as European champion Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) or two-time world medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL), make things difficult, then all the better.

"Finally, I want to say that when the competition is tough, it's going to be more joyful for everyone," Zare said.