#WrestleBudapest

Big-throwing Machado claims debut Ranking Series gold

Monday, July 21, 2025 - 11:08 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 20) -- Thamires MACHADO (BRA) made brief headlines at the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifiers in Mexico. She threw Amit ELOR (USA) for a lateral drop for four points. Machado had Elor in trouble which could have seen Elor, the champion in Paris Games, lose early. However, Machado fizzled out and lost her bout 6-4.

A year later on Saturday, the Brazilian won her first major gold medal at the Budapest Ranking Series after a stunning show of strength and big throws at the Ranking Series over the weekend.

"In every practice back home, I try to do the four-point moves. I want to throw," Machado said after receiving the gold medal.

In other weight classes, Grace BULLEN (NOR) had another epic match with Irina RINGACI (MDA) and won gold at 65kg and Kennedy BLADES (USA) won another Ranking Series gold to remain undefeated at 68kg going into the World Championships.

European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) and Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) won at 55kg and 62kg respectively.

Machado, competing in her first-ever Ranking Series event, won the 76kg gold medal with wins over Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and world U20 champion PRIYA (IND) in semifinal and final, respectively.

In the gold-medal bout, Machadofaced former world U17 and U20 champion Priya and used a similar lateral drop like she did against Elor to score a four-pointer over Priya in the first minute.

Priya was pushing for a stepout and Machado used that momentum to drop her for four-points. It was catch-up from there on for Priya who failed to score any points in the first period. She got a stepout in the second get on board. Struggling to get to Machado's legs, Priya forced another stepout to make it 4-2.

Machado was put on the activity clock in the last minute but she was happy to conceded that point than to go for all-out attack during those 30 seconds. Priya also waited for the activity clock to expire before pushing for a point, perhaps a mistake to take her foot of the pedal in the final minute.

During that time, Machado managed to catch her breath and defended all attacks, including one in the last five seconds to win 4-3 and the gold medal.

"I am happy to win this gold medal in Ranking Series," she said. "This is so special for me"

In the semifinals, Machado got the better of Medet Kyzy, who opened the scoring with a double-leg takedown for two points. She led 3-0 at the break as Machado failed to score after being put on the 30-second activity clock.

Machado got her first points when she defended a leg attack from Medet Kyzy and scored a go-behind takedown. She then launched a powerful gut-wrench and turned her three times to lead 8-3. Two stepouts in quick succession for Medet Kyzy cut Machado's lead to 8-5 but the Kyrgyzstan wrestler had only a minute left to score more points and secure the win.

As they scrambled for the final minute, Machado and Medet Kyzy locked each other at the edge but it was the latter who fell outside of the zone first which gave another point to Machado with 33 seconds left. Machado held her positions better than Medet Kyzy and managed to score another stepout to lead 10-5 and win the bout.

Born in one of the favellas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Machado was part of one of the social project by the local council which taught wrestling to young kids. She joined the program and managed to learn wrestling.

In 2019, she won gold medal at the Pan-Am U20 Championships, her second ever competition. For five years, she was away from wrestling, but in 2024, she returned and won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix and was second at the 2025 Pan-Am Championships.

Bullen survives Ringaci

If both remain at the same weight class in the future, the Bullen-Ringaci rivalry can be the most fearsome in Women's Wrestling. The latest example was their 65kg final in Budapest where Bullen, down 16-8, pinned Ringaci was claim her second win over the former world champion in four months.

Ringaci, who needed one more turn from par terre or just survive the pin from Bullen, was frustrated with yet another loss and pushed aside Bullen after the bout.

The match began with a wonderful counter from Ringaci, who hit a cut-back after a Bullen snap to pass-by and got four points. Watch above. While Bullen survived the fall attempt, she fell behind 6-0.

A little later, it was Ringaci's chance survive a pin attempt from Bullen who lifted Ringaci well over her waist-level and slammed her for four. The first period ended with Bullen leading 6-6 on criteria.

Bullen tried the exact move of snap to pass-by in the second period and this time she succeeded, scoring two points and taking a clear 8-6 lead. Ringaci scored a takedown 30 seconds into the second period and scored six more points using three gut-wrenches. As she was going for the final turn to win the bout, Bullen blocked and got the headlock to pin Ringaci.

An aghast Ringaci was left in tears as Bullen herself was shocked to have won the bout, having snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

At 68kg, Kennedy BLADES (USA) had a fine tournament, winning her second Ranking Series event and third tournament of 2025. In the final, she defeated Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 13-2, a wrestler she had defeated 10-0 at the Zagreb Open in February.

The only bout she was not able to win via technical superiority was her semifinal against Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) as the Bulgarian was able to stop Blades to a 6-2 win. Blades had little injury scare in the final few seconds of the match but managed to continue.

Verbina captured the 55kg gold medal after a controlled 6-1 win over Karla GODINEZ (CAN) in the final while Tandelova blanked Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) 3-0 in the 62kg final.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Karla GODINEZ (CAN), 6-1

BRONZE: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), 10-0

62kg
GOLD: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 3-0

BRONZE: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. Nikolett SZABO (HUN), 10-0
BRONZE: MANISHA (IND) df. Krystsina SAZYKINA (UWW), via fall (9-0)

65kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), via fall (10-16)

BRONZE: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) df. Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Macey KILTY (USA) df. Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR), 10-4

68kg
GOLD: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 13-2

BRONZE: Brooklyn HAYS (USA) df. Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), 5-4
BRONZE: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 11-1

76kg
GOLD: Thamires MACHADO (BRA) df. PRIYA (IND), 4-3

BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW), 11-0
BRONZE: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Seoyeon JEONG (KOR), 12-1

#JapanWrestling

World champion in Freestyle, Narikuni earns elusive shot at Greco title

Friday, June 20, 2025 - 16:42 By Ken Marantz

Share this article

TOKYO (June 20) -- Taishi NARIKUNI was never ready to abandon his quest of completing the extremely unique double of world titles in both freestyle and Greco. But after his latest setback six months ago, he began to wonder if it was beyond his limits.

Narikuni, the world freestyle 70kg champion in 2022, put the dream within reach again when he secured a place on Japan's team to this year's World Championships at Greco 72kg.

Also Read: Tokyo champ Shidochi dealt setback in return from two-year layoff

Narikuni captured the title at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships on Friday at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym, then returned to the mat a short time later to win a playoff for the ticket to the senior worlds to be held September 13-22 in Zagreb.

"I finally did it," Narikuni said. "Of course, I'm happy, but there's also a feeling of relief."

The Meiji Cup is the second of two domestic qualifiers for the Zagreb worlds, following the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December. Winners at both earned places outright on the world team, while a playoff determined spots in which the champions differed.

Joining Narikuni on the plane to Zagreb will be his long-time friends and brothers Hayato and Takashi ISHIGURO, who started the sport in the same Gold Kids club run by Narikuni's mother -- a former two-time world champion herself.

Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN)Taishi NARIKUNI works to turn Ryoma HOJO in the Greco 72kg final.  (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

It was Mom's two world titles that inspired Narikuni to launch a quest to not only match her in number of golds, but top her in uniqueness by going for one each in the two men's styles.

But since winning the freestyle title in Belgrade, he endured a tough road in switching full-time to Greco. Hampered at times by injury, he failed to even make the final of any of the domestic qualifiers.

One obstacle was that he tried to make it at 67kg, which is one of Japan's most stacked weight classes. He dropped down to 63kg for the Emperor's Cup in December, but the strain of cutting so much weight took its toll and he was ousted in the semifinals.

"When I cut down to 63kg in December, that was really, really tough," Narikuni said. "It took three months and I barely made it. But I thought if I want to win the world title, 63kg was the only path.

"To put everything on the line and then lose, it was depressing and made me feel that I had reached my limit. I was close to giving up. But I thought of the people who had long been supporting me, who put up with my selfishly going into Greco after becoming a freestyle champion, and I couldn't give up."

Narikuni then made the bold step of moving up two weight classes. With a natural weight of about 74kg and a proclivity for weight training, 72kg became a good fit.

"I think [this] weight class is just right for me," said Narikuni, who never looked inferior in terms of power, using a high chest wrap to lethal effect to get his turns. "I was never the type who cut a lot of weight, and it was really tough getting down to 63kg."

On Friday, Narikuni won the Meiji Cup title -- the first in his career in either style -- with a solid 9-0 victory in the final over Ryoma HOJO.

He then clinched the world team spot with a 9-0 demolition of Emperor's Cup champion Issei HONNA that took just 1:47 and included a 5-point throw. He had defeated Honna 6-0 in the semifinals on Friday.

Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)Hayato ISHIGURO makes short work of Tatsuya SHIRAI in the world team playoff at freestyle 86kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the only other playoff on the day, Paris Olympian Hayato Ishiguro clinched the world team spot at freestyle 86kg with a lightning-quick 10-0 win over Emperor's Cup and former world U23 champion Tatsuya SHIRAI.

Ishiguro, who beat Shirai 3-0 earlier in their final round-robin match to top the standings and set up the playoff, scored a takedown, then reeled off a tilt, roll, exposure and roll to end the match in 54 seconds.

Ishiguro's older brother, Asian bronze medalist Takashi, completed the Emperor's Cup-Meiji Cup double at freestyle 92kg with an 8-2 victory over Takato UCHIDA.

It will be the third time for the brothers to appear at the same World Championships, after 2021 and 2023.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN)Sakura ONISHI and older brother Taiga celebrate making Japan's team to the World Championships together. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Onishi makes world team, with a brotherly bonus

World U20 champion Sakura ONISHI had little trouble cruising to victory at women's 59kg to earn her first trip to the senior worlds. Then she got an added bonus when older brother Taiga secured a ticket to Zagreb as well at Greco 55kg.

The 19-year-old Sakura scored a takedown in each period and was never in danger as she rolled to a 5-0 victory over Sena NAGAMOTO in the final, repeating her win in the gold-medal match at the Emperor's Cup but in much smoother fashion.

The victory erases the lingering sting from last year, when she defeated two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO en route to the title, only to suffer a heartbreaking last-second loss in the world team playoff.

"Last year, I was left with a tough memory after losing in the playoff, but I think this makes up for it and I'm really happy," Onishi said.

Onishi was clearly the favorite this time, and said she was energized by the combination of the pressure, the support of those around her, and the victory by her brother.

"There was a lot of pressure and things to think about, but I received a lot of messages of support from many people that really gave me strength. And three was my older brother winning. Instead of being pressure, I turned it all to energy. I'm really satisfied."

Onishi, who won the senior Asian title in March, has established herself of one of Japan's fastest rising stars. She has suffered just one loss in seven international tournaments, falling to Maria YEFREMOVA (UKR) in the final at the 2022 World U17 Championships in Rome.

Prior to Zagreb, she will defend her world U20 title in August in Bulgaria. Looking farther ahead, her aim is to make it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics along with senior Nippon Sport Science University teammate Akari FUJINAMI, the Paris Olympic champion at 53kg who has moved up to 57kg. That would entail a move up to 62kg, an issue she said she will address when the time comes.

Meanwhile, 2022 world U20 bronze medalist Taiga, a student at Waseda University, will be heading to his second senior worlds after defeating Sanshiro TAKAHASHI 7-1 in the Greco 55kg final.

Takahashi had defeated Emperor's Cup and Asian champion Kohei YAMAGIWA in the semifinals, but Yamagiwa was injured in the match and unable to take part in the playoff, handing Onishi the world team spot by default.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)Arash YOSHIDA secures a fall in the freestyle 97kg final against high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Japan national team gets double helping of Yoshida

Two of Japan's rising young male stars, who happen to share a last name, clinched their tickets to Zagreb by adding the Meiji Cup title to their Emperor's Cup triumph.

Arash YOSHIDA overwhelmed high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ in the freestyle 97kg final, muscling him over and scoring a victory by fall in 2:31.

Three matches later, Taizo YOSHIDA rallied from a 6-3 deficit, scoring the go-ahead points in the last 20 seconds to defeat Reon KAKEGAWA 11-6 for the Greco 82kg gold.

Arash Yoshida has occasionally sparred with the 17-year-old Leibowitz, who, through his coaches' connection, has been invited to practices at Nihon University. The son of an American father and Japanese mother who came to Japan when he was 4, Leibowitz still has a way to go to catch up to Yoshida, a two-time Asian champion.

"At times, Leibowitz comes to our practices, so I think there were things about me that he knew," Yoshida said. "Even so, it was good that I was able to stop him and get the fall."

Also proficient in judo, Leibowitz has set a lofty goal of winning a wrestling gold at the Los Angeles Olympics, then striking gold in judo at a future Olympics.

In other action, four-time world medalist Miwa MORIKAWA cut it close in capturing the women's 65kg title, then former world champion Masako FURUICHI cut it even closer to triumph at women's 72kg.

Morikawa needed a victory in the final round of matches in the five-women round-robin, and she barely held on to secure a 4-3 win over Nana IKEHATA.

Morikawa went ahead 3-1 with a stepout and takedown in the second period. In the last 10 seconds, Ikehata put the pressure on but had to settle for two stepouts. An unsuccessful challenge after the second one gave Morikawa her final point.

Masako FURUICHI (JPN)Masako FURUICHI turns over Ayano MORO to pull out a last-second victory in the women's 72kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At 72kg, Emperor's Cup champion Furuichi was trailing 2-1 against 2022 world U20 champion Ayano MORO, with all of the points coming on the activity clock, when she launched a last-ditch shot at a single leg. Moro's sprawl seemed to be enough to fend off the attack as the seconds ticked down.

But suddenly, Furuichi got enough leverage to dump Moro onto her back, where she lay stunned to make it a victory by fall at 5:58 and miss out on forcing a playoff. A distraught Moro later wept loudly, her wailing audible throughout the arena.

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

61kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Toshihiro HASEGAWA df. Aiki KAWAI, 10-2
SF 2: Akito MUKAIDA df. Takuto OSETO by Fall, 4:04 (14-4)

70kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Ryoya YAMASHITA df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI, 4-2
SF 2: Shoya MIURA df. Makoto HOSOKAWA, 7-4

79kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI df. Ryunosuke KAMIYA, 4-4
SF 2: Subaru TAKAHARA df. Natsura OKAZAWA, 5-1

86kg (5 entries)
GOLD: Hayato ISHIGURO (4-0)
SILVER: Yudai TAKAHASHI (3-1)
BRONZE: Tatsuya SHIRAI (2-2)

Key match: Ishiguro df. Takahashi 5-4 in Round 3

World Team Playoff: Ishiguro df. Shirai by TF, 10-0, :54.

92kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Takashi ISHIGURO df. Takato UCHIDA, 8-2

BRONZE: Masanobu MITSUI df. Shuichiro SATO, 4-3
BRONZE: Sorato KANAZAWA df. Rintaro MOTOHASHI, 9-5

97kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA df. Noah LEIBOWITZ by Fall, 2:31 (6-0)

BRONZE: Yuta SASAKI df. Takuma TATEOKA by Def.

125kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Hibiki ITO, 2-1

BRONZE: Ryusei FUJITA df. Hosei FUJITA by Fall, 1:33 (5-4)

Greco-Roman

55kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Taiga ONISHI df. Sanshiro TAKAHASHI, 7-1

BRONZE: Kohei YAMAGIWA (no match)
BRONZE: Taketo NINOMIYA df. Ryuma KAWANO by TF, 9-0, 1:49

World Team Playoff: Onishi df. Kohei YAMAGIWA by Def.

63kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Manato NAKAMURA df. Ayata SUZUKI by TF, 12-2, 1:53

BRONZE: Yuto NAGASAWA df. Kazuki YABE by Def.
BRONZE: Shoya ITO df. Sota SUGIMOTO, 8-3

72kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Taishi NARIKUNI df. Ryoma HOJO by TF, 9-0, 2:15

BRONZE: Rei NAGAMATSU df. Issei HONNA by Def.
BRONZE: Daigo KOBAYASHI df. Kento NOMURA, 6-2

World Team Playoff: Narikuni df. Honna by TF, 9-0, 1:47

82kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Taizo YOSHIDA df. Reon KAKEGAWA, 11-6

BRONZE: Tesshin HIGUCHI df. Daichi AKIHO by Fall, 1:39 (7-0)
BRONZE: Yudai KOBORI df. Yoshimitsu MATSUZAKI by Fall, 1:29 (4-0)

87kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Tatsuya FUJII df. Genki YAHAGI, Inj. Def.
SF 2: So SAKABE df. Isshin ONITSUKA by TF, 8-0, 1:57

97kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Yuri NAKAZATO df. Ryosei KATAMATSU by TF, 9-0, 3:30
SF 2: Takahiro TSURUDA df. Sorato KANAZAWA by Fall, 5:06 (10-2)

130kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Yuta NARA df. Shion OBATA, 3-1
SF 2: Sota OKUMURA vs Ayumu IWASAWA by TF, 9-0, 3:15

Women's Wrestling

53kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Moe KIYOOKA df. Haruna MORIKAWA, 2-1
SF 2: Haruna MURAYAMA df. Saki YUMIYA, 5-0

55kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA df. Umi IMAI, 2-0

BRONZE: Karina HONDA df. Narumi NAKAMURA by Fall, 5:50 (5-1)

59kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI df. Sena NAGAMOTO, 5-0

BRONZE: Sae NOGUCHI df. Sayaka OTA, 3-0
BRONZE: Miuna KIMURA df. Misaki YOSHIBA, 3-0

65kg (5 entries)
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (4-0)
SILVER: Nana IKEHATA (3-1)
BRONZE: Akari ASAI (2-2)

Key match: Morikawa df. Ikehata 4-3 in Round 5

68kg (4 entries)
Standings through 2 rounds: 1. Ami ISHII (2-0); 2. Seia MOCHINAGA (2-0); 3. Kaede MATSUYAMA (0-2); 4. Rin MIYAJI (0-2).

72kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Masako FURUICHI df. Ayano MORO by Fall, 5:58 (3-2)

BRONZE: Mahiro YOSHITAKE df. Chisato YOSHIDA by TF, 10-0, 3:16

76kg (4 entries)
Standings through 2 rounds: 1. Nodoka YAMAMOTO (2-0); 2. Yasuha MATSUYUKI (2-0); 3. Mizuki NAGASHIMA (0-2); 4. Sakura NAKANO (0-2).