#WrestleTallinn

Carr Crushes Reigning World Champ Gadzhiyev; USA Puts Three into Wednesday Finals

By Eric Olanowski

TALLINN, Estonia (August 13) – David CARR (USA) crushed reigning junior world champion Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) in under a minute as the United States inserted three wrestlers into the Day 3 freestyle finals. Carr will be joined on Wednesday night by fellow Americans Lucas DAVISON (USA) and Mason Mark PARRIS (USA), who’ll wrestle for gold at 92kg and 125kg, respectively. 

Carr cruised to a 10-0 win over reigning junior world champion Khadzhimurad Gadzhiyev after he transitioned into four laces from an early first-period low-level single leg takedown. “I knew that lace was coming. I knew that lace was coming,” Carr repeatedly told his father as he headed back to the warm-up area. In his first world finals appearance, Carr will wrestle Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN), who moved past  BYAMBASUREN Bat-Erdene (MGL), 10-6 in the opposite 74kg semifinal. 

Lucas Davison and Mason Parris were the other two Americans who reached the Day 3 finals. Like Carr, both Davison and Parris ended their semifinal matches early to make their first trip to a world title bout.

Davison punched his ticket to the  finals with a fall over Mongolia’s ENKHTUVSHIN Batmagnai in the semifinals. After a quick takedown, Davison dropped into a trio of leg laces and commanded the 8-0 lead. The American conceded a takedown and a gut -- which cut his lead to four points. While his Mongolian opponent was looking for a second turn, Davison planted him on his back and scored the fall to move into the finals against Alan BAGAEV (RUS), who bagged a 3-0 shutout win over Ertugrul AGCA (GER). 

The third American Day 3 finalist was Mason Parris, who pulverized Pasa KARABULUT (TUR), 13-2 in his 125kg semifinal bout. Parris will be paired with reigning cadet world champion Amir ZARE (IRI) in the gold-medal bout. Zare zipped pasted Alen KHUBULOV (RUS), 11-1 and will wrestle in his second consecutive age-level world gold-medal bout. 

Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN) will meet Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) in the 61kg finals after defeating Gabriel TAGG (USA), 12-2 in the semifinals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Meanwhile, Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN) moved into the 61kg finals with a 12-2 throttling of Gabriel TAGG (USA). The match was relatively close (3-2) after the opening period, but the Japanese wrestler stockpiled points in the second period – ending the match with a takedown and a leg lace. He’ll take on Ukraine’s Andrii DZHELEP, who defeated Asgar MAMMADALIYEV (AZE), 11-5 in the other semifinal. 

The final gold medal bout to be determined on Tuesday night came at 86kg, where Alik SHEBZUKHOV (RUS) will meet India’s senior-level world team representative Deepak PUNIA (IND). Shebzukhov squeaked out a 4-3 victory against Trent HIDLAY (USA), while Punia, a 2018 junior world silver medalist, picked up a 3-2 victory over Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO). 

The final session of freestyle wrestling begins on Wednesday night at 18:00 (local time) and will be broadcasted live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 
61kg
GOLD - Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN) vs. Andrii DZHELEP (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN) df. Gabriel TAGG (USA), 12-2 
SEMIFINAL - Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) df. Asgar MAMMADALIYEV (AZE), 11-5

74kg
GOLD - Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN) vs. David CARR (USA)
SEMIFINAL - Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN) df. BYAMBASUREN Bat-Erdene (MGL), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - David CARR (USA) df. Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE), 10-0 

86kg 
GOLD - Deepak PUNIA (IND) vs. Alik SHEBZUKHOV (RUS) df
SEMIFINAL - Alik SHEBZUKHOV (RUS) df. Trent Niemond HIDLAY (USA), 4-3 
SEMIFINAL - Deepak PUNIA (IND) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 3-2 

92kg
GOLD - Alan BAGAEV (RUS) vs. Lucas DAVISON (USA)
SEMIFINAL - Alan BAGAEV (RUS) df. Ertugrul AGCA (GER), 3-0 
SEMIFINAL - Lucas DAVISON (USA) df. Batmagnai ENKHTUVSHIN (MGL), via fall 

125kg
GOLD - Amir ZARE (IRI) vs. Mason Mark PARRIS (USA)
SEMIFINAL - Amir ZARE (IRI) df. Alen KHUBULOV (RUS), 11-1 
SEMIFINAL - Mason PARRIS (USA) df. Pasa KARABULUT (TUR), 13-2 

#WrestleTirana

Paris medalists Valiev, Amouzad make golden return in Tirana

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 26) -- Three Paris Olympic medalists were in action on day one of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series event and two returned with medals.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI), medalists at 74kg and 65kg, have announced themselves as early contenders for their respective continental championships. Islam DUDAEV (ALB), the third Paris medalist in action on Thursday, lost his 1/8 final at 65g.

Returning to action for the first time since winning the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, Valiev claimed the gold medal at 74kg in Tirana, Albania. To make the victory sweeter, he defeated four-time European champion Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) in the final at home.

Salkazanov has won gold medal at the European Championships for four straight editions and was expected to win this year, especially with the tournament to be held in Bratislava, Slovakia. But with Valiev beating Salkazanov, the odds have changed.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB)Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) in a tangle during the 74kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The two wrestlers were matched up for similar style of wrestling and were slow off the blocks. Valiev, however, kept his half shots on which forced Salkazanov to be on the activity clock. Valiev was up 1-0 at the break.

Valiev followed a similar strategy in the second period and Salkazanov was again put on the activity clock and Valiev led 2-0. The score was too steep for Salkazanov and his desperate attempts in the end as Valiev won 2-0.

Albania's other Paris Olympic bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) did not have a similar luck at 65kg as he lost to Kaisei TANABE (JPN) and finished without a medal.

However, Paris silver medalist at 65kg Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) expectedly made it to the final and won gold medal after a 5-1 win over Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ).

He opened the scoring with a takedown and continued with his attacks. A takedown on the edge made it 4-0 and Zhumashbek Uulu was cautioned for fleeing which made it 5-0. Amouzad took a step back and was content with the lead.

Zhumashbek Uulu got a point at the end for negative wrestling from Amouzad but that did not stop the Iranian from winning 5-1.

The second gold medal for Iran was won by Ali MOMENI (IRI), who was in Tirana last year for the U23 World Championships and won bronze medal. He earned gold at 57kg with a fall over Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK) in the second period.

Momeni was down 2-1 at the break but never looked worried about the match up against Belolyubskii. A half whipover from Momeni in the second period caught Belolyubskii unbalanced and Momeni was quick to hold him on the mat and get the fall.

Momeni's gold more or less confirms his spot on the Asian Championships team as he also defeated Hadi REZAEI (IRI) in the first match who could have made a claim for the spot if he had won.

Despite the loss, Belolyubskii can take heart from the fact that he became the first Tajik wrestler to win a medal at a Ranking Series event. He opened his day with a 4-1 win over Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), dominated Weiyu LI (CHN) for an 8-1 win and defeated Sultan KURMANALIYEV (KAZ) 10-4 in semifinals.

Japan won two gold medals as well, another example of the serious depth it has in wrestling.

Asian silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) was up against former European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) but remained unfazed in his 4-1 victory at 70kg. Tevanyan would be upset with his approach in the final as he defended a little too much.

As Aoyagi led 1-0 after the break, Tevanyan got the criteria 1-1 lead for Aoyagi's passivity. However, the referees deemed Tevanyan passive one more time and Aoyagi kept Tevanyan from scoring to lead 2-1. Any further attempts from Tevanyan were also thwarted by Aoyagi who got two more points for a throw at the end.

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

At 61kg, Takara SUDA (JPN) upset former U23 world champion Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) in a thrilling final.

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.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Ali MOMENI (IRI) df. Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK), via fall

BRONZE: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) df. Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ), 3-2
BRONZE: Sultan KURMANALIYEV (KAZ) df. Weiyu LI (CHN), 9-9

61kg
GOLD: Takara SUDA (JPN) df. Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW), 8-8

BRONZE: Mukhamed BALGABAY (KAZ) df. Stilyan ILIEV (BUL), 7-0
BRONZE: Artem GOBAEV (UWW) df. Leomid COLESNIC (MDA), 3-0 

65kg
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 5-1

BRONZE: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) df. Kaisei TANABE (JPN), 3-1
BRONZE: Real WOODS (USA) df. Kaiji OGINO (JPN), 9-1

70kg
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), 4-1

BRONZE: Vasile DIACON (MDA) df. Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), 10-0 
BRONZE: William LEWAN (USA) df. James GREEN (USA), 4-3

74kg
GOLD: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 2-0

BRONZE: Yones EMAMI (IRI) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 6-1
BRONZE: Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) df. Magoma DIBIRGADZHIEV (UWW), 1-1

86kg
GOLD: Chandler MARSTELLER (USA) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 2-0

BRONZE: Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) df. Mukhammad ABDULLAEV (KGZ), via fall (4-8)
BRONZE: Rustem MYRZAGALIYEV (KAZ) df. Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL), 8-1