#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series golds for Higuchi, Kiyooka, Parris

Friday, June 7, 2024 - 09:31 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- For Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), the Ranking Series in Budapest was a chance to assess his preparation for the Olympics. Things were going on track, but Higuchi caught a fever on the day he was to wrestle.

Struggling with a temperature of 38.2 degrees on a hot day in Budapest, Higuchi struggled on the mat but manager to win the gold medal at 57kg in Budapest with some top-class wrestling. He defeated AMAN (IND) 11-1 in the final.

The run to the gold medal also included an incredible comeback in the semifinal against Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE). The Azerbaijan wrestler scored a takedown and hit a high gut to lead 8-0. Higuchi somehow managed to stop the final turn and give himself a chance to stay in the bout.

Higuchi used a gut wrench of his own and scored 18 points to beat Rzazade 18-8 and enter the final. Rzazade later complained of a shoulder dislocation which may rule him out of the Paris Olympics in August as well.

With the win, Higuchi is now second in the rankings below Stevan MICIC (SRB). Aman, for his silver, jumped to the sixth spot.

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) defeated Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) in the group stages of the 65kg bracket. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Another Japanese wrestler who had to come back from an 8-0 deficit was Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) as he won the 65kg gold medal. The field at 65kg included Haji ALIYEV (AZE), world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and Austin GOMEZ (MEX) among others. But it was Kiyooka who came out on top in the round robin and then clinched the gold medal over Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI), 12-8.

Like Higuchi, Kiyooka also fell behind 8-0 against Ebrahimzadeh but stopped the final turn. Kiyooka then mounted the comeback and tired Ebrahimzadeh, winning the bout 12-8 in six minutes.

Mason PARRIS (USA)Mason PARRIS (USA) celebrates after pinning Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) in the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 125kg, world bronze medalist Mason PARRIS (USA) had a stunning campaign, winning the gold medal with ease. While a Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Parris rematch was expected, the Georgian got pinned in the semifinal by Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ). Parris pinned BAtirmurzaev in the final.

Petriashvili returned to win the bronze medal and keep his second spot in the rankings at 125kg that he would have lost to Parris if he had not finished on the podium.

df

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) df. AMAN (IND), 11-1

BRONZE: Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) df. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), via inj. def.

61kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Shahdad KHOSRAVI MARDAKHEH (IRI) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 8-0
BRONZE: Nahshon GARRETT (USA) df. Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO), 11-3

65kg
GOLD: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI), 12-8

BRONZE: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Austin Klee GOMEZ (MEX), 12-3

70kg
GOLD: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ) df. Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-3
BRONZE: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) df. Evan HENDERSON (USA), 14-4

79kg
GOLD: Otari BAGAURI (GEO) df. Adel PANAEIAN (IRI), 6-5

BRONZE: Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) df. Chems FETAIRIA (ALG), via inj. def.

97kg
GOLD: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) df. Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 4-2
BRONZE: Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR) df. Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), 4-3

125kg
GOLD: Mason PARRIS (USA) df. Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ), via fall

BRONZE: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY), 10-0
BRONZE: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Jonovan SMITH (PUR), 11-0

#WrestleTirana

Takara Suda, Ono's training partner and Japan's new star

Wednesday, February 26, 2025 - 19:19 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (February 26) -- World champion Masanosuke ONO (JPN) has a rival and he knows him too well.

Takara SUDA (JPN), Ono's training partner since high school, won the Ranking Series gold medal at the Muhamet Malo in Tirana, Albania. Incidentally, it was in Tirana last year at the World Championships that an unheralded Ono rose to become the world champion.

READ MORE: Masanosuke Ono Takes Over Wrestling

Suda and Ono went to the same high school -- Tosu Tech -- and trained together before both joined the Yamanashi Gaikun University. Both training partners are quickly turning into rivals as Ono charts his own path while Suda can become the first choice at the university.

While the Ranking Series isn't the same as the stacked World Championships, Suda's style and quick movements can trouble even the best as it was evident on Wednesday.

Suda's quick movement aided his attacking style. Over the course of his four bouts, Suda made his opponents uncomfortable with forward pressure and catching them off guard. While defending, he was able to turn around from the zone.

Takara SUDA (JPN)Takara SUDA (JPN) defeated Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) in the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In the 61kg final, Suda was up against former U23 world champion Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) and despite a late comeback from Mongush, Suda held on to a very impressive 8-8 win and the gold medal.

"I feel happy," Suda said after his win. "Most of all I'm really grateful to all the people who support me on a daily basis, including my family, the manager and coaches, and my friends who practiced with me."

Suda was quick off the blocks and scored a stepout and then hit a double leg for a 3-0 lead. Mongush stopped Suda with a chestwrap and then exposed him for two points. A reversal made it 4-2 before Suda got a takedown to lead 6-2 at the break.

Mongush began the second period with an attempted headpinch but Suda blocked it and pinned Mongush on the mat for two points to lead 8-2. Just when it seemed like he will run away with the gold medal, Mongush mounted a comeback. He scored a stepout and Suda was cautioned for fleeing.

With the score 8-4, Mongush scored another stepout and managed a takedown with 31 seconds left on the clock. A stepout without fleeing made it 8-8 but Suda kept the criteria lead for four two-point moves. He held on for the remaining 11 seconds and won the gold medal.

Takara SUDA (JPN)Takara SUDA (JPN) with the gold medal after winning at 61kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

This was the second time Suda was wrestling a final at the international level. He won a silver medal at the U15 Asian Championships in 2019 but had not wrestled internationally since.

Perhaps the rust over the years of being away from international wrestling was visible as his conditioning worsened in the second period. 

"It's been a long time since I last played a final," he said. "It was my first overseas match in five [six] years. I was already taking on this match with a sense of challenge. I really didn't expect it to turn out like this."

The 20-year-old is now waiting for the Ono, who is in the United States for more than a month now, to return so he can train with the world champion.

"I train with Ono as a teammate not only at the university but also at the high school. Now he is in America but I want to train when he comes back."