#DanKolov2019

Dan Kolov Freestyle Preview

By Eric Olanowski

RUSE, Bulgaria (February 26) – Four Olympic gold medalists and reigning world champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) will take the mat at the Monbat Sports Park Arena in Ruse, Bulgaria, to compete in the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament, United World Wrestling’s second freestyle and women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the 2019 season.

The four Olympic champions entered into this week’s four-day tournament are Taha AKGUL (TUR), Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), Kyle SNYDER (USA), and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI).

Two-time world champion Geno Petriashivili, along with fellow returning Dan Kolov champions Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) and Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) will try to defend their titles from a year ago. 

For Petriashvili and Chamizo to repeat as Dan Kolov gold medalists, they’ll each have to go through an Olympic champion and multiple world medalists.


Chamizo vs. Burroughs Round 4?
The road for Italy's two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Frank Chamizo to defend his 74kg Dan Kolov title could head through his biggest rival, Jordan Burroughs. 

The pair of worldwide superstars are no strangers to each other and have sparked one of the most intriguing rivalries in recent memory since Chamizo bumped up to 74kg last year.

If they were to meet this weekend, it would be their fourth meeting in the last twelve months.

Burroughs, the four-time world and Olympic champion, scored the come-from-behind win in their first meeting at last May's Beat the Streets in New York City. Then, Chamizo returned the favor, knotting up the rivalry at one match a piece when he grabbed the 10-10 victory over Burroughs at the Yasar Dogu. Most recently, Burroughs gained the 2-1 match advantage when he came out on top in the Budapest World Championships bronze-medal bout, 4-4.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 2 Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
No. 3 Jordan Ernest BURROUGHS (USA)
No. 4 Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)
No. 5 Azamat NURYKAU (BLR)
No. 6 Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
No. 7 Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ  (ITA)
No. 11 Yakup GOR (TUR)


Can Petriashvili Navigate 125kg Gauntlet?  
Two-time world champion Geno Petriashvili will be looking to defend his 125kg Dan Kolov title from a season ago, too. For the Georgian big-man to repeat as a Dan Kolov champion, he’ll have to potentially defeat his biggest rival, Olympic champion Taha Akgul, and each of the three other 125kg Budapest world medalists.

China’s DENG Zhiwei (CHN) was last year’s runner-up, while Parviz HADI (IRI) and Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) finished with the pair of bronze medals.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 1 Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
No. 2 DENG Zhiwei (CHN)
No. 4 Taha AKGUL (TUR)
No. 5 Parviz HADI (IRI)
No. 6 Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)
No. 11 Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (RUS)
No. 12 Said GAMIDOV (RUS)


Yazdani to Make Ranking Series Debut  
Hassan Yazdani, Iran's world and Olympic champion, will make his Ranking Series debut this weekend at the Dan Kolov, where he’ll wrestle at 86kg.

The Iranian superstar is coming off winning his fourth straight medal at the world championships or Olympic games.

Yazdani fell short in the 2015 world finals but rebounded to reach the top of the podium at the Rio Olympics and Paris World Championships. He dropped his opening-round bout of the 2018 world championships to eventual champion David TAYLOR (USA) (Taylor will not be wrestling this weekend) but bounced back to win a Budapest bronze.

To win his first Ranking Series event, Yazdani “The Greatest” will have to upend Rio runner-up Selim YASAR (TUR) and 2017 world finalist Boris MAKOEV (SVK).

Yazdani has already defeated both guys at least once. The Iranian beat Yasar in the finals of the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games and pummelled Makeov 10-0 in the gold-medal of the 2017 world championships to win his first world title.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 5 Hassan Aliazam YAZDANI (IRI) 
No. 6 KIM Gwanuk (KOR)
No. 7 Ville HEINO (FIN) 
No. 8 Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
No. 12 ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL) 


Can Snyder Rebound After Back-to-Back Losses? 
Two-time world and Rio Olympic champion Kyle Snyder returns to action after suffering back-to-back losses in the world finals and the opening round of the Ivan Yariguin, United World Wrestling’s first Ranking Series event.  

Snyder, who’s the second-ranked wrestler at 97kg, went to Krasnoyarsk’s Ivan Yariguin with hopes of erasing the memory of the 2018 world finals where he was stuck by Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) in the opening period but instead lost his second straight match when he was stunned in the first round by Russia's Rasul MAGOMEDOV.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 2 Kyle SNYDER (USA)
No. 3 ULZIISAIKHAN Batzul (MGL)
No. 4 Abraham CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
No. 5 Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO)
No. 14 Baki SAHIN (TUR)


Atli’s Comeback After World Bronze
Suleyman ATLI (TUR) will take the mat for the first time since October’s Budapest World Championships where he defeated Thomas GILMAN (USA), 5-4, in the bronze-medal bout.

The 24-year-old brings 25 Ranking Series points into the Dan Kolov and is ranked fourth in the world at 57kg. He’s the lone returning world medalist but isn’t the highest ranked wrestler competing at 57kg. The above mentioned Gilman finished with a bronze medal at the Ivan Yariguin and jumped Atli in the world rankings, where he currently sits in the third spot with 32 Ranking Series points.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 3 Thomas GILMAN (USA)
No. 4 Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
No. 12 Sandeep TOMAR (IND)
No. 14 ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL)
No. 15 Wanhao ZOU (CHN)


Rahimi Returns, Will Wrestle Up At 61kg
Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) will wrestle outside of Iran for the first time since winning the 57kg bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.   

Rahimi underwent knee surgery and took nearly two years off before wrestling at 61kg for Team Bimeh Razi Babol at the 2018 World Clubs Cup. “I had knee surgery after the Rio Olympic Games, and I missed out on wrestling for about two years. I am very happy to be competing again. I love wrestling, and it is like blood in my vessel,” Rahimi said after one of his two World Clubs Cup wins.

Rahimi usually competes at 57kg but plans on staying up to 61kg, at least until the 2019 World Championships. “It was my first appearance at 61kg, and I am satisfied with my performance. I have aimed to compete at 61kg in the next World Championships, but I should think forward to the Olympic Games. I should choose between 57kg and 65kg, but it depends on the future situation.”

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 3 Joe COLON (USA) 
No. 11 Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)


Punia Looking to Keep Hot Streak Alive
Bajrang PUNIA (IND) is looking to keep his 2018 hot streak rolling and comes into the Dan Kolov as the 65kg front runner. He’s currently ranked third in the world at 65kg and holds 40 Ranking Series points (40rsp).

Punia, one of the sport’s biggest rising stars, is hoping to continue the success he achieved last year where he captured a medal in all six competitions he entered – including capping off the year with a runner-up finish at the 2019 world championships.

Last season, the Indian wrestler won the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games, the Yasar Dogu, and G. Kartozia & V. Balavadze Price, and also finished in third place at the Asian Championships.

To win his first Dan Kolov title, he’ll have to stop Bulgaria's two-time world medalist Vladimir DUBOV from defending his title from a year ago.

(SIDE NOTE: Punia is coming off a win over Azerbaijan's three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV at the 2019 Indian Pro League.)

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 3 Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
No. 4 TUMUR OCHIR Tulga (MGL)
No. 7 George BUCUR (ROU)
No. 9 Niurhun SKRABIN (BLR)
No. 11 Dimitar Lyubomirov IVANOV (BUL)


Four Deep at 70kg
World champion from 2017 Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) leads a pack of four top-ten wrestlers into Ruse.

The fourth through seventh-ranked wrestlers at 70kg competing this weekend are Iakobishvili, BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL), Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR), and Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB).

Outside of world title holder Iakobishvili, the only other ranked wrestler at this weight who has claimed a world or Olympic medal is seventh-ranked Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB). Navruzov won the 65kg bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

James GREEN, the United States' two-time world medalist will also wrestle at 70kg. Green won a bronze medal in 2015 and a silver medal in 2017, but only won one match at the 2018 world champion before falling to Bat Erdene in the second round, 4-2. 

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 4 Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)
No. 5 BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL)
No. 6 Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR)
No. 7 Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) 


Two Ranked Wrestlers Entered at 79kg and 92kg
PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) and Alexander DIERINGER (USA) are the two wrestlers who reside in the top-15 of the 79kg world rankings. Purevjav is ranked fourth in the world, and Dieringer, who collected 10 Ranking Series point after a third-place finish at the Ivan Yariguin, sits in the No. 12 spot. 

At 92kg, LUVSANDORJ Turtogtokh (MGL) and Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) are ranked top-10 in the world entering the Dan Kolov.

Luvsandorj lost in the 2018 world bronze-medal bout and left Budapest with a fifth-place finish. The Mongolian wrestler owns 20 Ranking Series points and is ranked sixth in the world at 92kg. 

Magomed Kurbanov holds 14 Ranking Series point and is the tenth-ranked wrestler in the world at 92kg. Kurbanov won the prestigious Ivan Yariguin after he swept the competition, going 4-0 in the round-robin tournament. 


Ranking Series Point Structure (Placement Points + Entry Points = Total Points) 

Placement Points
GOLD - 8 points 
SILVER - 6 points 
BRONZE - 4 points 
BRONZE - 4 points 
Fifth - 2 points 
Fifth - 2 points 

Entry Points 
10 or less entries - 6 points 
11-20 entries  - 8 points 
20 or more entries - 10 points 

SCHEDULE

February 27 (Wednesday) 
16:30 - Draw - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

February 28 (Thursday) 
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR (+2 kg) - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
10:00 - Elimination rounds - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
16:00 - Draw - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR-87 ,97, 130; WW - 62 ,68 ,76kg
16:30 - Opening ceremony
17:00 - Semifinals FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

March 1 (Friday) 
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR (+ 2 kg) - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
8: 30 - Weigh-in 2 FS - 61,70,79, 92 kg; GR (+ 2 kg) - 55,63,72,82 kg; WW - 55,59,65, 72 kg Referee meeting
10: 00 - Elimination rounds FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76 kg
10: 00 - Repechages FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
16: 30 - Draw - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
17: 00 - Semi-finals FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
18:00 - Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 61,70,79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

March 2 (Satuday) 
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg 
8:30: - Weigh-in 2 - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR (+ 2 kg) - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg 
10: 00 - Elimination rounds - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
10:00 - Repechages - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
17:00 - Semifinals - FS 86, 97, 125kg;GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
18: 00 - Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg

March 3 (Sunday) 
8:00 - Weigh-in 2 - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
Repechages - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg

#WrestleZagreb

World C'ships Day 5 WW 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg Highlights

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 17) -- Women's Wrestling will continue at the World Championships in 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg in Zagreb.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

62kg semifinals
SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)
SF 2: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW)

13:40: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) worked on five different takedowns before securing the fall over Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) and reach the 62kg semifinals. Motoki, the Paris Olympic champion, is cashing her first world title.

13:45: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), a world champion in 2017, with two big headlocks in her 5-1 victory over Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA). She returns to the World Championships semifinals to face Olympic champion Motoki.

13:42: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) not only advances to the 62kg semifinals, she avenges her loss in the final of this year's Asian Championships MANISHA (IND) with a solid 8-0 victory. Kim accumulates all of her points in the first period, topping each of her two takedowns with a 2-point roll or exposure.

13:37: The activity clock is just about to run out on Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) when she not only gets a score, her 4-point arm throw sends Ana GODINEZ (CAN) sailing onto her back in their 62kg quarterfinal. Tandelova doesn't let the opportunity get away and she secures the fall at 2:02.

53kg semifinals
SF 1: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) vs. ANTIM (IND)
SF 2: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) vs. Hyongyong CHOE (PRK)

13:32: In a battle of young stars, Jin ZHANG (CHN) and ANTIM (IND) square off in the 53kg quarterfinals. Antim gets on board with a go-behind before powering her way to another takedown for a 4-0 lead. A similar takedown for Antim and she races to a 6-0 lead. Zhang fires one back and catch Antim off guard to score two points and cut the lead to 6-2 at the break. Zhang with high pressure and gets the reward with a takedown and two lace turns for an 8-6 lead. Antim gets a reversal for an 8-7 score but she has only 18 seconds to score two points for a win. She remains calm and scores the takedown to win 9-8 for a place in the semifinals at 53kg.

13:30: Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) gets the first takedown against Emma MALMGREN (SWE) and then turns her for a 4-0 lead. Malmgren tries hard in the second period but she can only score a takedown to make it 4-2 as Yepez wins 4-2.

14:29: Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) wrestles tentatively to start against a defensive opponent, Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), gaining just an activity point without taking a shot in the first period of their 53kg quarterfinal. But the three-time world champion finds an opening in the second, scoring with a single leg. She then gets behind twice as Yetgil starts to show fatigue and the Japanese advances with a 7-0 victory.

14:28: Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) continues her impressive run, storming to an 11-0 victory over Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) in their 53kg quarterfinal. Choe goes ahead in the first period with a takedown and two lace-lock rolls -- albeit the referee gave her more than ample time to execute them -- then added a takedown and exposure in the second.

68kg semifinals
SF 1: Buse TOSUN (TUR) vs. Ami ISHII (JPN)
SF 2: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) vs. Jia LONG (CHN)

13:20: Buse TOSUN (TUR) gets the first passivity call against Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) and the Czechia wrestler leads 1-0 at the break. Tosun on board in the second period with a point before a takedown helps her take a 3-1 lead with a minute remaining. Hanzlickova gets stepout but it's too little too late as Tosun wins 3-2 for a place in the 68kg semifinal.

13:18: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) scores two takedowns in the last two minutes of the second period, giving her a come-from-behind 8-4 victory over Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) and a place in the 68kg semifinals. Yaneva opened the scoring with a takedown and gut wrench, only to fall behind on criteria when Zelenkykh scored a takedown on each side of the break.

13:18: Ami ISHII (JPN) and Kennedy BLADES (USA) in a big quarterfinals at 68kg. Ishii blasts with a takedown and then exposure for two more to lead 4-0 against Kennedy BLADES (USA). She uses the arm-dram to score another takedown and lace for an 8-0 lead inside the first two minutes. Blades gets on board with a stepout to make it 8-1. Both scramble but Ishii scores a takedown for a 10-1 lead at the break. Ishii takes some time but manages to power her way to the match winning takedown. A 12-1 victory for Ishii as she reaches the semifinal.

13:17: In an high-profile all-Asian clash in the 68kg quarterfinals with little action, Jia LONG (CHN) scores a takedown in the final seconds to finish off a 4-1 victory over two-time Olympic medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ).

72kg semifinals
SF 1: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) vs. Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Zelu LI (CHN)

13:05: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) with four takedowns against Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) to secure a place in the 72kg semifinals with an 8-4 win.

13:03: After Nesrin BAS (TUR) receives an activity point, Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) goes on the attack as the first-period clock in winding down. Can she finish it off in time? Instead, Bas whizzers her over onto her back and completes the fall with one second to go to earn the spot in the 72kg semifinals.

13:01: Zelu LI (CHN), the Asian champion at 68kg, barges into the 72kg semifinals with a 10-0 victory over Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL). Li takes Zorigt directly to her back and, although she can't complete the fall, she adds a gut wrench. Another takedown and two more turns and she's the winner in 1:45.

13:00: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) steps over and catches Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) flat on the mat to secure the fall at 72kg and advance to the semifinal.

12:55: In the last match before the quarterfinals, Asian champion MANISHA (IND) keeps Astrid MONTERO (VEN) at bay at 62kg. Manisha got two points for two passivity calls against Montero who scored one point for the same. But Manisha hangs on for a 2-1 victory. This also means that European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) will return empty-handed.

12:45: Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) had just made a leg attack when Nikolett SZABO (HUN) called out injured. She seemed in a lot of pain having injured her knee. She had to carried off the mat on a stretcher. Motoki advances to quarterfinals at 62kg.

12:37: Veteran Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), eight years removed from her lone world championship, stays on track at 62kg with a comprehensive 10-0 victory over three-time European bronze medalist Veranika IVANOVA (UWW).

12:31: European champion Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) makes short work of Kseniya STANKEVICH (UWW) to advance to the 53kg quarterfinals, taking her straight to her back and recording a fall at 1:26.
 
12:28:
Jin ZHANG (CHN), last year's world silver medalist at 55kg, looks impressive in posting her second straight one-sided win at 53kg when she takes out Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) with a 10-1 victory. Only an activity point early on kept her from keeping a perfect sheet, but she quickly followed it with a takedown as she took a 6-1 lead at the break.

12:27: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) scored one takedown to lead 2-1 against Roksana ZASINA (POL) and then held her fort with that lead. Zasina tried desperately for an attack but failed to score and gave up a takedown. Malmgren wins 5-1 at 53kg.

12:25: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) cannot find a way to break the defenses of Ok Ju KIM (PRK) who scores four different takedowns in their 62kg bout to win 8-0

12:18: Jia LONG (CHN), the 2024 world champion at 65kg, gives up the big points to Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in their 68kg match, but she piles up more than enough for a 12-6 victory.

12:17: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) gives up a 4-point takedown early in her 62kg clash with Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), then erupts for 13 points in the second period, including a pair of 4-pointers of her own, for a 13-6 victory. 

12:05: Ami ISHII (JPN), gunning for a second straight world title after winning last year at 72kg, continues her quest at 68kg by rolling to a 10-0 victory over Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) to advance to the quarterfinals. Ishii scores a single-leg takedown just as she receives an activity point to go up 3-0. After a second similar takedown, she goes to laces and finishes off the win ni 2:42.

12:04: Defending 68kg champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) gets the fall over Grabriela DA ROCHA (BRA) when she put her back on the mat in the second period and held on till the fall was called.

12:03: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) takes a 3-0 lead at the break in her 53kg bout against Annika WENDLE (GER). In the second period, she works a takedown and roll to make it 7-9. Another takedown on the edge puts her at 9-0 before she finishes the bout 11-0.

11:57: An upset on Mat C, as Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), aiming for her fifth world medal but first gold at 72kg, will have to settle for bronze at best after falling 3-3 on criteria to Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ). Nurtaeva trails 2-1 after giving up a second activity point, but scores a single-leg takedown with :51 left. Bakbergenova gains a stepout to tie, but trails on criteria, and Nurtaeva fends off a final attack to clinch the win.

11:56: Asian champion Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) goes to the lace lock after a second takedown, and three rolls later she advances at 53kg with a 10-0 victory over Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) in 2:20.

11:55: Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) comes from 4-1 down to get a fall over Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB) and advance at 53kg. Yepez is looking to add to her bronze medal from 2023. 

11:51: A takedown and four quick lace-lock rolls and two-time Asian bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) advances at 53kg with a 10-0 win over Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP).

11:49: Sol Gum PAK (PRK) tries to score the one point she needs to beat Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) at 68kg but Yaneva defends everything that is thrown at her to win 7-6 and advance.

11:49: Two-time Olympic medalist and 2021 world champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) opens her campaign with a 10-0 win over Aniseta ACOSTA (ASA) at 68kg. Zhumanazarova had a pair of 4-point moves, the second coming with a hip throw that made it a 10-point difference. The match ended when Acosta fought off her back.

11:45: Kennedy BLADES (USA), the Paris Olympic silver medalist at 76kg who has dropped down to 68kg, gets off to rousing start, overwhelming RADHIKA (IND) for an 11-0 victory in 1:38. Blades gets a 4-point takedown thwarting a Radhika counter to take a 7-0 lead within the first minute. She then bulls her opponent over for a takedown, then caps the proceedings with a classic gut wrench.

11:40: Six-time Asian medalist Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) is trailing 2-1 against Jyoti BERWAL (IND) in the second period of their 72kg bout when she does what Mongolian's do best -- hit her opponent with a headlock throw, giving her a victory by fall.

11:39: In a case of anything you can do, I can do better, LILI (CHN), a 2023 world bronze medalist at 65kg, scores three exposure tilts after a takedown to give her a 9-7 win over Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) at 62kg. Lili's sequence came after Soltanova had gone ahead with three consecutive 2-point lifts to counter a single-leg attempt by Lili.

11:35: After a longish defense from Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) secures the fall as Park runs out of steam.

11:28: Three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN), looking to fill the 53kg spot following the move up to 57kg by compatriot and Paris Olympic gold medalist Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), opens with an 11-0 victory over Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB). Murayama leads 3-0 in the second period when she scores with a snapdown takedown, then reels off four gut wrenches.

11:32: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) with a fall over Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA) in her opening bout at 62kg. Kim just too strong for Campagna

11:30: Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) opened the scoring against Masako FURUICHI (JPN) with a stepout before getting a point for inactivity of Furuichi. The Japanese bounces back with a takedown but gives up a reversal as Glaude leads 3-2. She hangs on to that lead to upset Furuichi

11:16: World 55kg silver Jin ZHANG (CHN) works on five different takedowns to beat Felicity TAYLOR (USA), 10-0, at 53kg with 31 seconds left on the clock.

11:11: In a battle of former European champions at 68kg, 2021 world silver medalist Khanum VELIEVA (UWW) gets a stepout just moments after giving up an activity point to Yuliana YANEVA (BUL). But Yaneva dominates the second period, scoring a takedown-gut wrench combination, then putting Velieva onto her back and securing a fall at 4:31.

11:09: Nice win for South America as Astrid MONTERO (VEN) scores two takedowns in the second period to knock off European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) 6-4 at 62kg. Montero gets behind for an early takedown, only to see Bondar come back with a takedown and quick exposure to lead 4-2 at the break.

10:50: Two-time Asian silver medalist RADHIKA (IND) gives up a 4-point takedown to the back to Laura GODINO (ITA) at the start of their 68kg qualification bout. That appears to wake up the Indian, who comes back with a takedown and stepout to cut the gap at the break. Another takedown puts Radhika ahead 5-4, then she ends the match by muscling Godino down and over for a fall with just over a minute left.

10:45: World 72kg champion Ami ISHII (JPN), back down at 68kg, starts her bid to win her second world title with a 10-0 victory over Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) in a minute and 31 seconds.