#EmperorsCup

Clashes of Titans on Tap as Japanese Stars Stack Olympic Weights

Tuesday, December 18, 2018 - 02:07 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (Dec. 17)---Japanese wrestlers have never lacked for motivation when it comes to the quest to make the Olympics. But with Tokyo to host the next Games in 2020, drive and desire are at fever pitch as everyone wants to get in on the act. 

So while it seemed inevitable that the upcoming All-Japan Championships, by serving as the first stage for qualifying for Japan's team to Tokyo 2020, would produce a number high-level match-ups. But just how meteoric the competition will be is nothing short of mind-boggling. 

There will be competition in all 10 weight classes, but the scramble to fill the six Olympic weight classes has funneled the cream of the crop into those divisions, setting up possible pairings---particularly among the women---that can be seen as exceeding the caliber of the recent world championships.

55kg world champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) after winning the gold medal in Budapest. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

Someone making a movie about the tournament, which runs Dec. 20-23 at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym, could title it, "When World Champions Collide." That could happen at the Olympic weight class of women's 53kg, where 55kg world gold medalist Mayu MUKAIDA has dropped down to challenge the Budapest 2019 champion at 53kg, Haruna OKUNO. 

"This tournament has links to the Olympics and is extremely important," Japan women's national team coach Hideo SASAYAMA said at a recent press conference to announce the final entries. "The Olympic weight classes have many entries, and we have medalists from the world championships against each other. It's going to be a very high-level tournament."

Under the JWF criteria, winners of both the All-Japan Championships, also called the Emperor's Cup, and the All-Japan Invitational Championships (the Meiji Cup, held in May or June) automatically qualify for the next world championships. If the winners are different, there will be a playoff for the spot. 

But the 2019 world championships in Astana have further ramifications---a wrestler who wins a medal there not only earns an Olympic spot for Japan, but automatically fills it themselves. That's why the competition is so fierce to get onto that team, even with Tokyo 2020 nearly two years away. 

Should Mukaida and Okuno meet in the 53kg final as expected, it would be just the 11th time in Japanese wrestling history that two current world champions faced each other in a domestic tournament, according to the Japan Wrestling Federation.  

Mukaida, two years older at 21, holds an overwhelming advantage over her Shigakkan University teammate Okuno, having won all eight of their previous encounters dating back to 2012. Most recently, Mukaida posted a 5-0 win in the 2017 Junior Queen's Cup. 

As enticing as that match-up might be, it might have to play second fiddle to a real Clash of the Titans---the potential battle at 57kg between reigning Rio 2016 Olympic champions Kaori ICHO and Risako KAWAI. 

Icho, whose gold in 2016 made her the first woman in history to win four consecutive Olympic titles in one event, went on hiatus after her triumph in Rio, returning to competition this past autumn in a bid for a historic five-peat.  

The 34-year-old Icho might not be a reigning world champion at the moment, but it would be hard to discount the 10 gold medals in her collection, the most recent coming at 58kg in 2015. Kawai followed up her gold medal performance at 63kg at Rio 2016 with back-to-back world titles, claiming the 59kg gold in Budapest.

Icho passed the first test of her return by winning the second-tier Japan Women’s Open in September. To prepare for the stiffer competition at the Emperor’s Cup, she was invited to the national team training camp in November, where she had a chance to work out with Kawai. 

Japan officials would not say who had the advantage in their sparring, but national team technical director Shigeki NISHIGUCHI said of Icho, “Her concentration is amazing. I saw her sparring with Kawai, and she just doesn't give up a takedown. It's really going to be a good match.”

Sasayama was equally impressed. “I thought that she might have lost more power than she had. But when I actually watched her, her defense, it seems she hasn't lost much. She might not have the stamina to keep up with the younger wrestlers who can go all out all of the time.”

Icho and Kawai, 24, have faced each other in the past, although it was before Kawai had emerged as a world-class wrestler. Battling once in 2013 and twice in 2014, Icho won all three matches without surrendering a point.

Three-time world and Olympic champion, Risako KAWAI (JPN) is likely to face Icho at the Emperor's Cup. She's moved down to the Olympic weight category to make room for her sister Yukako at 62kg. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

Kawai’s decision to drop down to 57kg was likely due to avoid having to clash with younger sister Yukako KAWAI, the Budapest 2018 silver medalist at 62kg. Yukako will compete at that Olympic weight class, where she will be challenged by 65kg bronze medalist Ayana GEMPEI. Both Kawai and Gempei recently won U23 world titles, and Kawai was named the UWW’s U23 female wrestler of the year.

Sparks are also sure to be flying in the women’s 50kg division, where the trio of world champion Yui SUSAKI, Rio 2016 gold medalist Eri TOSAKA and Asian silver medalist Yuki IRIE---who beat both of the other two last year---will battle it out.  

One new development that could be a factor is that Susaki, coming off a dominant performance in Budapest where she stormed to a second straight world gold, suffered an elbow injury at the national camp, according to Sasayama.

“Susuki fought wonderfully at the world championships and won her second straight title, and was at absolute strength,” Sasayama said. “At the recent national camp, she injured her left elbow. There are concerns whether she will be ready in time for the tournament.

“With that in mind, it will be a point of interest to see what Irie, Tosaka and [U23 world champion] Miho IGARASHI bring to the fight.” 

Reigning Olympic champion, Sara DOSHO (JPN). (Photo: Martin Gabor)

The women’s 68kg division will see the return of Rio 2018 champion Sara DOSHO, who underwent surgery after injuring her shoulder at the Women’s World Cup in March. Blocking her path to victory will likely be Rio WATARI and Chiaki SEKI.

It was her inability to beat Dosho that caused Watari to move up two weight classes to 75kg in a successful quest to make the Japan team to Rio 2016. The story took an even more dramatic twist when she developed life-threatening Hodgkin lymphoma, from which she battled back over the next two years to remarkably earn a spot on the squad to Budapest 2018.

With the top wrestlers packed into the Olympic weight classes, the non-Olympic weights have drawn just four or five entries. Most notable is Saki IGARASHI, the world junior and U23 champion who will aim for her first senior national title at 55kg.

“This is the first step of the selection process for the Olympics and the entries have been concentrated into the Olympic weight classes,” Nishiguchi said. “So it's a bit lonely in the non-Olympic weights with few entries, but that can't be helped.”

 


Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), reigning 65kg world champion. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka) 

Rivalries renewed in men’s competitions
While there are not as many world medalists among the men’s styles, there will be no lack of intense competition.

Takuto OTOGURO, who at 19 years 10 months became Japan’s youngest-ever male world champion when he captured the 65kg freestyle gold in Budapest, will be aiming for his first Emperor’s Cup title, but will find Rei HIGUCHI and Daichi TAKATANI more than ready to exact revenge for losses earlier this year to the Yamanashi Gakuin University star. 

Higuchi, the 57kg silver medalist at Rio 2016, has had some difficulty handling the taller opponents as he moves up in weight, but gained a boost of confidence with a victory at last month’s U23 world championships in Bucharest. His hopes of making it to Budapest two months earlier had ended with a loss to Ishiguro in the Meiji Cup final last June. 

That victory by Otoguro put him into a playoff with Emperor’s Cup winner Takatani, which Otoguro won handily. Takatani won the silver medal at the Asian Games this summer and can never be disregarded as a threat.

 

Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN), 2017 world champion. (Photo: Tony Rotundo) 

The 57kg freestyle division could see a clash of reigning national champions. Former world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI, who had to settle for a bronze at Budapest 2018, will aim for his third straight national crown, but can expect competition from Kazuya KOYANAGI, who won the 61kg last year and finished seventh in Budapest. 

Also expected to be in the mix is U23 world champion Toshihiro HASEGAWA, while interest is high to see how high school triple-crown champion Kaito MORIKAWA will fare on the senior level. 

Sosuke TAKATANI, the older brother of Daichi, will get his first test at the Olympic weight of 86kg. The 2014 world silver medalist and a six-time national champion at 74kg, he competed at 79kg over the past year---winning another national title---as a stepping stone to 86kg.  

Defending champion Shota SHIRAI and runner-up Masao MATSUSAKA will be sure to provide a less-than-warm welcome to the weight class, which has also drawn world junior 79kg champion Hayato ISHIGURO.

Atsushi MATSUMOTO, a Budapest 2018 bronze medalist at 92kg, has opted to compete in the non-Olympic class and will aim for his first national freestyle title since 2014 and fourth overall (he won a gold in Greco in 2016 before switching back to freestyle). 


Kenichiro FUMITA, 2017 world champion. (Photo: Tony Rotundo) 

The Greco competition should see the latest installment of the 60kg battle between Rio 2016 silver medalist Shinobu OTA and Paris 2017 world champion Kenichiro FUMITA.

Ota has had the upper hand recently, winning their most recent encounter at last year’s Emperor’s Cup to tie their head-to-head series at 4-4 dating back to 2014. Ota took the gold at the Asian Games in Jakarta in August, but suffered a heartbreaking second-round loss at Budapest 2018. 

Fumita, who missed much of the season due to an injury, showed he is back in form by capturing the gold at the U23 world championships. 

Schedule
Thursday, Dec. 20
9:30-18:00 - 1st Round through Semifinals; Repechage: FS 86, 92, 97, 125; GR 63, 72, 87, 97, 130; WW 55, 59, 62, 72
18:00-19:00 - Medal Matches: FS 92

Friday, Dec. 21
9:30 - 16:10 - 1st Round through Semifinals; Repechage: FS 57, 61, 74; GR 67, 77; WW 65, 76
16:10 - 20:40 - Medal Matches: FS 86, 97, 125; GR 63, 72, 87, 97, 130; WW 55, 59, 62, 72

Saturday, Dec. 22
9:30 - 15:00 - 1st Round through Semifinals, Repechage: FS 65, 70; GR 55, 60; WW 50, 53, 57, 68
15:00 - 19:30 - Medal Matches: FS 57, 61, 70, 74; GR 55, 67, 77; WW 65, 76

Sunday, Dec. 23
9:30 - 13:00 - 1st Round through Semifinals, Repechage: FS 79; GR 82
13:00 - 14:00 - Award ceremony for top individuals, clubs of year
14:00 - 14:15 - Return of Emperor's Cup trophy
14:15 - 17:00 - Medal Matches: FS 65, 79; GR 60, 82; WW 50, 53, 57, 68

#WrestleZagreb

Komarov upends Mohamadi to make history, spoil Iran celebrations

Sunday, September 21, 2025 - 20:47 By Ken Marantz

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 21) -- Olympic silver medalist Alireza MOHAMADI (IRI) was set to put the cherry on top of Iran's dominant performance in Zagreb, but Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) had a recipe for disaster.

Komarov pulled off a stunning 4-3 victory in the 87kg final that left Mohamadi inconsolable, while earning himself a unique place in wrestling history as the curtain came down on the World Championships on Sunday with the last three Greco titles decided.

"I’m very happy," Komarov said. "The final was really tough, and I believed I could succeed. In the end I managed it, and I’m very glad about that."

In other finals, teenager Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) gave Uzbekistan just its second world Greco title -- more than two decades after the first -- with a victory at 63kg, while Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) triumphed at 67kg to become the Iran's second Olympic champion in two nights to add the senior world gold.

Iran easily won the team title with 180 points, nearly twice as much as the runner-up, to complete the freestyle-Greco double for the first time. The Asian powerhouse finished with four golds and eight medals overall in Greco. Azerbaijan placed second with 89 points, followed by Uzbekistan with 72. Both nations had one champion.

With his triumph in Zagreb, the Russian-born Komarov became the first male wrestler to complete the "Grand Slam" of world titles -- winning all three age-group titles as well as the senior gold.

Komarov, who began competing for Serbia in 2024, previously won the first of two cadet (U17) titles in 2015, the world junior (U20) in 2017 and 2018, then added the world U23 in 2021.

A handful of women, including Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Amit ELOR (USA), have achieved the slam. Up to now, three males have come close but had a silver at either the U17 or U20 levels -- Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) in freestyle and Leri ABULADZE (GEO) in Greco.

"I’ve collected the whole set of medals," said Komarov, who has also completed the Grand Slam on a European level. "My coach, my journey -- everything I did was right. I have success, so I’m very happy. My goal and my dream are the Olympic Games. I think about it. It’s too early to talk about that now, but I hope everything works out."

Even with his past glory, not everything had worked out for Komarov in his run-up to Zagreb. In fact, it was less than spectacular.

Eighth at the Paris Olympics, this year the 26-year-old relinquished the European title he had won in 2024, having to settle for a bronze, and placed fifth at all three Ranking Series events he entered, in Zagreb, Tirana and Budapest.

In fact, it was in Tirana that he clashed with Mohamadi, who handed him a 5-1 defeat in the semifinals en route to the gold.

"It was a very hard road to get here -- it’s been a very difficult year and I lost all the ranking series. I lost at the Europeans," Komarov said. "Of course I had doubts in myself, but I believed I could do it and I succeeded. I’m always mentally ready -- I didn’t change anything, just worked a lot and tried to wrestle without mistakes and give my best."

But Komarov made all the right moves in Zagreb to beat Mohamadi, who reluctantly settled for his second world silver, adding to one at 82kg in 2023.

The difference came down to what each wrestler did from par terre. Mohamadi, who won the Tirana Ranking Series title, could only manage a stepout on a throw
attempt. Komarov, on the other hand, got the traditional roll, which put him up 3-2 in the second period.

The key moment of the match came in the final minute, when Mohamadi pressed forward in a tackle position and had Komarov backpedaling out of the ring.

But the stepout -- nor a potential fleeing point -- was not awarded when it was determined on a lost Iranian challenge that Mohamadi's hands had dropped below Komarov's waist, which made it 4-2.

Mohamadi needed a takedown to win, but could only manage a late stepout. At the final whistle, he dropped to the mat in total despair, and had be propped up as he
walked dejectedly from the main floor.

Meanwhile, Komarov's celebrations took a odd twist when it was discovered there was no Serbian flag for him to hoist for his victory lap. Instead, he circled the mat on the shoulders of his coaches.

"Nobody believed I would win," Komarov said with a smile. "Many Serbians came to support me, but nobody brought a flag."

While Komarov chose to relocate his life to Serbia and has a Serbian wife, his family remains in Russia. His younger brother, Ilya KOMAROV (UWW), won a bronze medal at the U20 World Championships in August.

At 63kg, Khalmakhanov's victory on the senior stage came just over a month after winning the gold at the World U20 Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria.

Khalmakhanov, who also won the senior Asian title in March, looked like a seasoned veteran in the final against Hanjae CHUNG (KOR), dominating in a 6-0
victory.

Khalmakhanov wasn't able to turn in par terre in the first period, but added a stepout to take a 2-0 lead at the break. In the second, he shrugged Chung down for a takedown, then added another stepout while attempting a throw.

The Korean side challenged the original takedown, but it was denied, giving Khalmakanov a 6-0 lead that he defended to the end. 

Perhaps the only person more ecstatic over Khalmakanov's victory was his coach, the indefatigable Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB), who finally retired at age 40 after the Paris Olympics, having won two world medals but no golds.

Uzbekistan's only previous gold in Greco came in 2001, when Dilshod ARIPOV (UZB) won the 58kg title in Petras, Greece.

Chung was denied in his bid to give Korea its first world Greco gold since his senior teammate and longtime training partner at Kyungsung University, the now-retired Hansu RYU (KOR), won the second of his two world golds in Paris in 2017.

At 67kg, Esmaeili got a stepout to start the match, and that proved the difference in a 2-1 victory over reigning European champion and Paris Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE).

"With a smart plan, I beat him 2–1 and became the champion of this weight class," said Esmaeili, who won the gold in his senior world debut.

Each wrestler had a chance in par terre, but neither could turn the other, giving Esmaeili his closest victory of the tournament. He had cruised into the final with four consecutive wins by technical superiority.

"Anyone who makes it to the final is obviously a good wrestler, but I didn’t want to take unnecessary risks in the final," Esmaeili said. "We had a clear plan to win, and thank God it worked out -- we came out on top."

Esmaeili has been on quite a run in recent years. He has suffered just one loss since 2021, a 9-7 defeat at the hands of Luis ORTA (CUB) in the semifinals of the Budapest Ranking Series event in June 2024.

His accolades, in addition to the Paris gold, include back-to-back Asian titles in 2024 and 2025. Having already won golds at the world U17 and U20, he needs just the world U23 to complete a "Golden Grand Slam," which includes the Olympics.

His victory came a day after fellow Paris champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) won the title at 97kg.

"This was my first time competing in the [senior] world championships," Esmaeili said. "Before this, I had competed in the Olympics, where thankfully I won gold, and here I was able to repeat that Olympic gold to prove myself once again."

Keshtkar tops Emelin for 63kg bronze

In the bronze-medal matches, Asian silver medalist Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) stormed out a big lead, then fought fatigue to hold off a late surge from former world champion Sergey EMELIN (UWW) to take his first world medal with a 6-4 victory at 63kg.

Keshtkar used an arm spin for an opening takedown, then added a stepout off a whizzer. Another stepout, combined with an unsuccessful challenge, put him up 5-0 at the break.

After Keshtkar padded his lead with another stepout, Emelin went on the offensive as the Iranian began to run out of gas. A stepout, takedown and fleeing penalty point cut the gap to two points, but the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist couldn't apply the coup de grace and fell short of a third world medal.

European bronze medalist Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), last year's world U23 champion, was able to complete his comeback to defeat Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) 6-5 for the other 63kg bronze.

Hrushyn, a two-time European medalist, had two stepouts and led 3-0 in the second period when Eriomenco gained a stepout, then was put in par terre. He took full advantage, executing a trap arm roll, then going back the other way to go ahead 6-3.

Hruyshyn scored a takedown with :37 left to pull within one, but Eriomenco conceded nothing the rest of the way to secure the medal.

At 67kg, lanky Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) fell into a five-point hole early against Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), but used his elongated limbs to maximum advantage in ground wrestling to rally to a big lead before securing a late fall.

Two-time Asian silver medalist Beishekeev uncorked a 4-point throw from par terre in the first period to lead 5-0, with Galstyan picking up a stepout before the break.

Galstyan started his comeback by shrugging Beishekeev to the mat for a takedown, then getting behind again to tie the score at 5-5, although he still trailed on criteria. But he wrapped his long arms around Beishekeev and scored two exposures to go ahead 9-5.

An arm spin gave him another takedown, then he stopped an attack for another 2. That would have ended the match, but Galstyan put an exhausted Beishekeev on his back for a fall with :18 left.

At 87kg, Asian U23 champion Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) defeated David LOSONCZI (HUN) 4-2 to deny the former world champion a third career world medal.

Zhanyshov stopped a lateral drop attempt in the first period for a 2-point score, then added a passivity point to lead 3-0 at the break.

Losonczi, who took silver medals at three ranking series events this year, had a chance at par terre, but could not turn Zhanyshov. He did manage a stepout to cut the gap, but Zhanyshov shut him down the rest of the way, while a late caution point added to his tally.

Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW) stepped over on a gut wrench attempt by Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) and secured a fall to take home the other 87kg bronze.

Alirzaev took a 3-0 lead with an exposure from par terre in the first period. In the second, he was on the bottom when he deftly stuck Yevloyev for the fall in 4:08.

Day 8 Results

Greco-Roman

63kg (26 entries)
GOLD: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Hanjae CHUNG (KOR), 6-0

BRONZE: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) df. Sergey EMELIN (UWW), 6-4
BRONZE: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR), 6-5

67kg (34 entries)
GOLD: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), 2-1

BRONZE: Daniial AGAEV (UWW) df. Sebastian NAD (SRB), 7-1
BRONZE: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) df. Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) by Fall, 5:42 (15-5)

87kg (30 entries)
GOLD: Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) df. Alireza MOHAMADI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 4-2
BRONZE: Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW) df. Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) by Fall, 4:08 (5-1)