#WrestleAlmaty

Bolat Turlykhanov Cup day four finals set with Yazdani vs Makoev

Sunday, June 5, 2022 - 04:28 By Vinay Siwach

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ALMATY, Kazakhstan (June 5) -- The final day of the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup Ranking Series event is here. Eight freestyle weights will be in action with multiple World and Olympic medalists taking the mat in Almaty.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

13:45: The finals are set for the night

61kg: Zhassulan TASKUL (KAZ) vs Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
65kg: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) vs Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB)
70kg:Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) vs Rodion ANCHUGIN (KAZ)
74kg: Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) vs Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
79kg: Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ) vs Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
86kg: Boris MAKOEV (SVK) vs Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)
92kg: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) vs Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ)
 

13:35: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) has dominated his way to the 92kg final. At 57kg, Aman SEHRAWAT (IND) and Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ) are putting up a show. Sehrawat comes back from 6-0 down against a tiring Bazarbayev to win 10-9. He also wins the gold medal after winning all his four bouts.

13:10: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) and Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) on Mat B. The Mongolian leads 1-0 at the break after Jalolov's passivity. But he is hit with passivity as well and Jalolov takes the lead on criteria. Tumur-Ochir with his trademark underhook for four and he wins 5-1 against Jalolov.

13:00: Yazdani gives up a point for stepout but answers that with a takedown and lace. He leads 6-1 at the break. He begins with another takedown and then a stepout to extend his lead to 10-1. A double leg takedown finishes the bout 12-1

12:55: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is up against Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) in the 86kg semifinal on Mat C while at 74kg, Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) is wrestling on Mat B

12:30: Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL) has set up a semifinal bout against Jalolov at 65kg after beating Komron KHOLOV (TJK) via technical superiority.

12:10: World silver medalist at 70kg Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) has a huge fan base in Kazakhstan and that showed even as he beat Meirzhan ASHIROV (KAZ) 5-3 at 70kg. He moves into the semifinal

11:55: Bajrang PUNIA (IND) faces a familiar opponent in Abbos RAKHMANOV (UZB). He gets two points for Rakhmanov's blocking. The Uzbek also has two cautions against him. But he gets a takedown and leads 2-2 at the break. Punia gets a point for Rakhmanov's passivity. But the Indian gives up a takedown in the final seconds to beat Punia 5-3

11:45: European champion Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) has to work hard against Ikhtiyor NUVROZOV (UZB) at 74kg. Three stepout points for his 3-0 win against the Uzbek veteran.

11:40: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), in a very Yazdani-way, breaks Fatih ERDIN (TUR) to start his day with a 12-0 win at 86kg. He will wrestle the Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) in the semifinals

11:30: Some absolute hammers wrestling at 86kg. Former world silver medalist Boris MAKOEV (SVK) with a dominating win over Nurzhan ISSAGALIYEV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals. On Mat B, Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) hands Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) a 8-0 defeat as the Uzbekistan wrestler continues to struggle at 86kg

11:15: Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) trailed Asian silver medalist Gourav BALIYAN (IND) 5-3 at the break but catches the Indian in a leg lace and finishes the bout 15-5 

10:50: Former U17 world champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) looks in good touch. He picks up a technical superiority win over Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) who is moving up to 65kg. Jalolov had a four-point move then got exposures to win 13-2 

10:45: What a great start for world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI). He wins via technical superiority against Viky CHAHAR (IND) in two minutes. 

10:30: Welcome to day four of the Ranking Series event in Almaty. Are you excited to see the return of Hassan YAZDANI (IRI).

#WrestleNoviSad

Fujinami wins U23 world gold with perfect debut at 57kg

Saturday, October 25, 2025 - 00:37 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 24) -- Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) said she was 'a little nervous' before coming to Novi Sad for her first international tournament at 57kg.

On the mat, however, the Paris Olympic champion showed no signs of nerves.

Fujinami won her first U23 world title, extended her win streak to 145 matches dating back to 2017 and made a golden debut at the new weight class. Even more remarkable was the manner in which she won her all bouts, via technical superiority.

"It was my first match in a long time," Fujinami said. "I think it was a tournament where I was able to show my skills I had practiced, feeling relieved and have fun playing in the competition."

In the 57kg final, it took Fujinami only five second to hit that outside single against Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) and score the first takedown. Another similar attack and she was up 4-0. A go-behind made it 6-0 and a transitioned double-leg attack gave her four points as she won 10-0.

"I could feel the power of my opponents in the new weight class," Fujinami said. "I still had to reduce weight but I feel that I moved very well on the mat.

"As for the final, when it comes to handling when (my) head is outside, foreign players are strong [in dealing with that], so I have honed my skills a lot. It's a move that doesn't let the opponent get together, or to tackle."

Fujinami, who won the Japan's Queens Cup in April to qualify for the U23 World Championships, decided to skip the Meiji Cup and in turn the World Championships in Zagreb, as she would not be ready physically for the challenge.

The U23 Worlds, however, laid a perfect platform for her to test herself as she gears up for the all-important Emperor's Cup in December. In Novi Sad, she spent a total of 8:22 on the mat in four bouts with little trouble.

"I wasn't aware of it at all," she said about winning every bout via technical superiority. "I thought I was just doing what I had been doing. This time, I was practicing not only tackles but also snaps. It's a move like Masanosuke ONO, who dropped his opponent down. I want to practice more and more and make it a technique that can score."

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) won the gold medal at 57kg at the U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The competition at Emperor's Cup, which Fujinami wants to win in order to compete at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in 2026, will be much tougher. Apart from the regulars at 57kg including Sara NATAMI (JPN), Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) and Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), a possible return of fellow Paris Olympic champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), may spice up the competition.

Fujinami also has eyes on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and in particular wrestling one wrestler -- Helen MAROULIS (USA).

"I respect Helen Maroulis a lot," she said. "But now I am at 57kg and I must beat her."

In other women's wrestling finals on Friday, Kazakhstan got its first-ever U23 world champion in women's wrestling after Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) held on to a thrilling win against Tuba DEMIR (TUR) at 55kg.

Omirbek got a takedown to start the final as Demir was put on the activity clock. She then turned Demir three times using an underhook from behind and stretching the other arm of Demir for exposure. As the sequence finished, Omirbek was up 9-0.

Demir made a match out of it when she hit a slick ankle pick and landed Omirbek in danger for four points which she got after a challenge. A double-leg attack gave her two more points to make it 9-6.

The dramatic part of the final began now as Demir added another takedown to cut the lead to one point, 9-8, before exposing Omirbek for danger but the referees scored it as neutral as the Kazakhstan wrestler may not been have in danger position.

Not disheartened by the decision, Demir launched another attacked and almost got the stepout with 15 seconds left. However, the referees called it par terre position for both wrestlers and no points were given. Turkiye decided to challenge this time only to lose it and give a 10-8 lead to Omirbek.

After Demir missed her desperate shot, Omirbek circled and got behind to get two more points before bursting into a celebration with her coaches.

Turkiye's gloomy mood changed a little when Nesrin BAS (TUR) won her third U23 world title at 68kg in a dominant fashion. Bas now has three golds and one silver U23 Worlds.

The European and world silver medalist was facing Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the final and at no point she seemed in any danger of losing her title. She began with a single leg for takedown before a fireman's carry added two more point to her score.

It was way to simple from there on as Bas used a low single, go-behind and elevated leg takedown to finish the match 10-0. She joins Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Alenxadrin GUTU (MDA) as three-time U23 world champions.

At 65kg, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) pinned Yuqi RAO (CHN) in the final using a fireman's carry and finishing the bout in just a minute and four seconds to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 12-8

BRONZE: NISHU (IND) df. Albina RILLIA (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Amory ANDRICH (GER) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-5

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Neha SHARMA (IND) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE: Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) df. Emine CAKMAK (TUR), 6-4

65kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. Yuqi RAO (CHN), via fall (4-0)

BRONZE: PULKIT (IND) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), 8-4 
BRONZE: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) df. Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB), 10-0

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Gerda BARTH (GER), 4-2
BRONZE: SRISHTI (IND) df. Karolina POK (HUN), 6-1

Women's Wrestling Semifinal

53kg
GOLD: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Hansika LAMBA (IND)

SF 1: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR), 5-2
SF 2: Hansika LAMBA (IND) df. Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), 11-0

59kg
GOLD: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) vs. SARIKA (IND)

SF 1: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: SARIKA (IND) df. Olha PADOSHYK (POL), 12-6

62kg
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Immacolata DANISE (ITA), via fall
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Astrid MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN), 8-5

Freestyle Semifinal

74kg
GOLD: Halit OZMUS (TUR) vs. Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA)

SF 1: Halit OZMUS (TUR) df. Magomed KHANIEV (AZE), 7-3
SF 2: Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), 7-4

92kg
GOLD: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) vs. Mobin AZIMI (IRI)

SF 1: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) df. Ion DEMIAN (MDA), 12-1
SF 2: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Ivan CHORNOHUZ (UKR), 12-1