Higuchi earns first trip to Worlds; Sakurai squeezes through

Friday, June 17, 2022 - 16:39 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO, Japan (June 17) -- Rei HIGUCHI will be going to his first World Championships, but make no mistake about it -- his ultimate goal remains winning the Olympic gold that eluded him six years ago in Rio.

Higuchi, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist at 57kg, earned a ticket to this year's World Championships at freestyle 61kg by defeating Kodai OGAWA 4-0 in the final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships on Friday.

The 26-year-old had a fall and a technical fall in his two other matches as he ended the day unscored upon in winning the second of Japan's domestic qualifying tournaments for places on the team to the World Championships in September in Belgrade, Serbia.

Tsugumi SAKURAI, the reigning women's world champion at 55kg who has moved up to 57kg, secured a trip back to the worlds at that weight class but not without a bit of drama, while 2021 world silver medalist Miwa MORIKAWA will also be Belgrade-bound after triumphing at 65kg.

Winners of the Meiji Cup who previously won titles at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December automatically secured places on the team to Belgrade; if the champions are different, they meet in a playoff after that day's action at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym.

On Friday, there were no playoffs held. In six of the eight weight classes held on the second day of action, the Emperor's Cup champion prevailed again, while in the two others, that champion skipped the tournament due to injury, conceding the berth to the Meiji Cup winner.

Rei HIGUCHI controls Kodai OGAWA in the freestyle 61kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Higuchi fell into the latter case. Having moved up to 61kg after an ill-fated attempt to make the Tokyo Olympics at 57kg, he lost in the final at the Emperor's Cup to Ryuto SAKAKI, who is out injured.

The last time Higuchi was involved in a playoff, it was for the 57kg berth at the Tokyo Olympics, which he lost to Yuki TAKAHASHI. That came after he blew a chance to win the berth outright at the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament by failing to make weight.

Now his focus is on the 2024 Paris Olympics, and his efforts are aimed at getting off to a good start in the qualifying process that starts with this year's Emperor's Cup in December when he will drop back down to 57kg.

"The path to qualifying for the Olympics starts in December, so I thought that more than this tournament, and the World Championships if I qualified, December is the main event that I have to win," Higuchi said.

"If I don't win at 57kg in December, there will be no Olympics for me. The younger generation is emerging. I want to head into December with the feeling that I am the main challenger."

Not that he's not going to go all out at the World Championships.

"I move better against foreign opponents than against my fellow Japanese, so I going to take the offensive," Higuchi said. "I want to give everything I've got and win the world championship convincingly.

"I don't know if he will be able to compete, but if I can't beat [Tokyo Olympic 57kg] Zavur UGUEV (ROC) of Russia, I can't be No. 1 in the world. So I will devise a strategy to beat Uguev. There are many strong competitors in the world, but I will make that my primary goal."

At the Rio Olympics, Higuchi suffered a heart-breaking and controversial 3-3 loss in the gold-medal match to Vladimer Khinchegashvili (GEO). So desperate was he to get to the Tokyo Games, Higuchi at one time moved up to 65kg, where he won his lone other Meiji Cup title in 2019.

Although not an Olympic weight, the 26-year-old Higuchi seems to have found his niche at 61kg, in which he won the gold in his Asian Championships debut in April.

In Friday's final against fellow Nippon Sports Science University alumnus Ogawa, who knows him well, Higuchi tried new ways to crack his opponent's defense. But after gaining an activity point in the first period, he scored his lone technical point with a counter to the back in the second before receiving a second activity point.

"In the final, I reversed how I tie-up," Higuchi said. "I wanted to try shooting to the right after making him cautious of a single-leg tackle to the left. But as he's a junior teammate, he knew well what hand I was playing, so I wasn't able to do the move. Also, I was lacking a bit of confidence in trying it, so I'll work to perfect it before the World Championships."

Sakurai Tsugumi SAKURAI rises up before turning over Sae NANJO for the winning takedown in the last seconds of the women's 57kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

For Sakurai, it was deja vu all over again as she barely beat the clock to beat world bronze medalist Sae NANJO 5-3 in the final -- much as she did six months earlier in the Emperor's Cup final.

Nanjo gained an activity point and a takedown to take a 3-0 lead into the second period, in which Sakurai closed the gap to 3-2 with a takedown. With 10 seconds left, Sakurai shot in on a single, and Nanjo went over the back and clamped on a leg, looking to ride out the clock.

But with the seconds ticking down, Sakurai raised up and managed to dump Nanjo onto her bottom as time expired. Was it in time? After an extraordinarily long challenge review, it was decided that Sakurai had gained control with milliseconds to spare.

"I went for the tackle with my last bit of energy," said Sakurai, last year's Meiji Cup champion at 55kg. "I didn't see the clock so I didn't know how much time was left, but I came out on top in the situation, so I thought I got the points."

What was going through her mind as the judges deliberated the call? "If I didn't get it, I would lose and we would go to a playoff, so I thought I had to be ready to face that possibility."

In the final of the Emperor's Cup, where Sakurai made her debut at 57kg, she scored a stunning 4-point takedown in the final seconds for a 5-2 win over Nanjo.

Making her latest victory even sweeter is that it came a day after two Ikuei University teammates, Sakura MOTOKI (59kg) and Ami ISHII (68kg), earned their first trips to the World Championships, which also put pressure on her to do so, too.

"At the end, I again won in the final by coming from behind, but I am confident that I practice harder than anyone, so even if it is tough at the end, I'm glad I could get in on a tackle and score points," Sakura said. "At the same time, yesterday two of my teammates at Ikuei University won titles, and while I also wanted to win, I felt like I had to win. I feel like it's a relief."

Sakurai's emergence as Japan's top wrestler at 57kg comes in the absence of Tokyo Olympic champion Risako KAWAI, who last month gave birth to her first child and plans to return at the Emperor's Cup to start a run at a third straight Olympic title.

"For me to get to the Olympics, she a competitor who I will have to beat," said Sakurai, who was one of Japan's seven women gold medalists at the Asian Championships. "I have youth and a bit of room timewise to still build strength, so I think I will get more powerful from now -- enough, I hope, to beat Kawai."

Miwa MORIKAWA works to get behind Miyu IMAI in the women's 65kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

At 65kg, Morikawa had a far less dramatic day in winning her second straight title with an 8-1 victory in the final over 2018 world U20 champion Miyu IMAI, although she was a bit dissatisfied with her showing.

"I missed some chances for points," Morikawa said. "In order to win at the worlds, I have been able to firmly get those."

In Belgrade, Morikawa will be looking to make up for her loss in the 2021 world final in Oslo to Irina RINGACI (MDA). "That ended with a disappointing result, so I'm going to get the gold," Morikawa pledged.

Shimizu Kensuke SHIMIZU battles with Kyotaro SOGABE in the Greco 67kg semifinal. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Shimizu comes up short at 67kg

A third medalist from the 2021 World Championships won't be getting another shot this year, as Greco 63kg bronze medalist Kensuke SHIMIZU came up short after moving up 67kg.

Shimizu, wanting to get an early start at adjusting his body to the Olympic weight, was dominated in the semifinals by Nippon Sport Science University's Kyotaro SOGABE, who built up a 7-1 lead before securing a fall in the waning seconds of the match.

"It's my first time in the higher weight class, and of course, my aim was to win the championship," said Shimizu, who came away with the bronze medal. "Beyond that, I want this to lead into my next competition. I particularly felt in the semifinal with Sogabe that there is still a real difference in power. I am determined to get stronger before December."

Shimizu was coming off a disappointing showing at the Asian Championships, where he lost in the second round for the second year in a row.

"At the Asian Championships, I let the opponent use his favored moves to dictate the match, and I wasn't able to show any of my best sides," Shimizu said. "It was really a terrible match. I never want to have a match like that again, and after I came back to my team, I talked it over with my coach thoroughly about what I should do. Every day, I think more in practice than I've ever done."

Shimizu changed his training environment by joining the Self-Defense Forces team upon graduating from Takushoku University, providing an ideal setting for making a run at the Olympics at 67kg.

"My weight training regimen and diet have gotten far better and I can put together a plan for tailoring my body to the heavier weight class," Shimizu said. "In regular practice, I can work out with wrestlers in higher weight classes, and train with more powerful ones."

Shimizu, who won the Emperor's Cup at 63kg to put him halfway back to the World Championships at that weight, said he decided it was better to make the move now to 67kg.

"Looking ahead, I thought instead of losing weight now, it was better to properly make the move up in weight class and get started on reforming my body and getting used to the new weight. I thought it was more important to start competing at this weight class."

Filling Japan's spot at 67kg in Belgrade will be Asian bronze medalist Katsuaki ENDO, who beat Sogabe 6-1 in the final for his first Meiji Cup title since winning at 63kg in 2018. The result, down to the score, was a repeat of Endo's victory over Sogabe at the Emperor's Cup.

Endo, an alumnus of NSSU, countered a forced throw attempt by Sogabe for 4 points in the second period, then followed that with a quick roll to put away his practice partner.

"I'm good from the ground, so maybe Kyotaro thought it was worth giving it a shot there and forced it too much," Endo said.

Sogabe, still looking for his first senior national title, first put himself onto the radar while at Imabari Nishi High School in his native Ehime Prefecture, when in 2019 he became the 10th wrestler in Japan history to win three straight titles in the high school division at the National Games. Among his notable predecessors was future world champion Kenichiro FUMITA.

In other Greco finals, veterans Tomohiro INOUE and Masato SUMI followed up their Emperor's Cup triumphs to secure tickets to Belgrade at 72kg and 87kg, respectively.

The 34-year-old Inoue won his second straight Meiji Cup title and fourth overall with a 3-1 victory over Taishi HORIE, while Sumi, 28, defeated Self-Defense Forces teammate So SAKABE 5-1 for his third title and first since 2019.

In freestyle, Asian bronze medalist Daichi TAKATANI chalked up a 5-2 victory in the final over Kirin KINOSHITA to capture his first Meiji Cup crown since 2013 and earn his first trip to the World Championships since 2014.

Taiki YAMAMOTO maintained his firm grip on the 125kg title, defeating Hiroto NINOMIYA 2-1 on activity points for his fourth straight title and fifth overall.

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

61kg (9 entries)
Final - Rei HIGUCHI df. Kodai OGAWA, 4-0
3rd Place - Kaito MORIKAWA df. Hayato FUJITA by TF, 10-0, 3:35

74kg (10 entries)
Final - Daichi TAKATANI df. Kirin KINOSHITA, 5-2
3rd Place - Yuto FUKADA df. Iori KOSHIBA, 6-1

125kg (7 entries)
Final - Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Hiroto NINOMIYA, 2-1
3rd Place - Yuji FUKUI df. Asahi TSUIHIJI by TF, 10-0, 3:57

Greco-Roman

67kg (11 entries)
Final - Katsuaki ENDO df. Kyotaro SOGABE, 6-1
3rd Place - Kensuke SHIMIZU df. Yoshinobu ITO by Inj. Def.

72kg (10 entries)
Final - Tomohiro INOUE df. Taishi HORIE, 3-1
3rd Place - Daigo KOBAYASHI df. Haruto YABE, 2-1

87kg (9 entries)
Final - Masato SUMI df. So SAKABE, 5-1
3rd Place - Kanta SHIOKAWA df. Satoki MUKAI by Fall, 2:18 (2-3)

Women's Wrestling

57kg (9 entries)
Final - Tsugumi SAKURAI df. Sae NANJO, 5-3
3rd Place - Sena NAGAMOTO df. Ruka NATAMI by TF, 12-2, 4:55

65kg (6 entries)
Final - Miwa MORIKAWA df. Miyu IMAI, 8-1
3rd Place - Ayana GEMPEI df. Rin TERAMOTO, 7-1

#WrestleAmman

Asian Championships 2025 Freestyle Day 5 Blog

Saturday, March 29, 2025 - 07:58 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (March 29) -- Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling past us, the Asian Championships moves to Freestyle. The wrestlers in 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg are in action. The big news is that Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), who was making a comeback after his shoulder surgery, has decided to skip the tournament as his "shoulder is not ready" yet.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

97kg gold medal bout: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) vs. Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)

14:35: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) cannot get that last-second win over Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) this time! In the 97kg semifinals at the Asian Championships Aitmukhan beats Azimi 2-0 and avenges his world U20 loss from 2023. Aitmukhan scores a stepout to lead 1-0 early in the bout and Azimi is hit with a passivity in the second period. Down 2-0, Azimi gets on Aitmukhan's legs but the Kazakh manages to scramble out of the hold and hold his 2-0 lead for the win.

In 2023, Azimi had defeated Aitmukhan in the 92kg final to win gold at the world U20 Championships, incidentally in Amman.

14:33: Two years after winning the 92kg title, rising young star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) will go for gold at 97kg after grinding down Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) in a 11-2 victory. Yoshida shows his power from the get-go, opening with a quick stepout. He gets behind for a takedown, with a penalty point added when Habila won't release the wrist. Habila comes back with a takedown, but Yoshida replies with a stepout for a 5-2 lead at the break. The second period is all Yoshida, who presses his way to three uncontested takedowns.

70kg gold medal bout: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) vs. Viktor RASSADIN (TJK)

14:23: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) seems to get hit with a double punch in his 70kg semifinal with Viktor RASSADIN (TJK). leading 1-0 in the second period, he had just had a stepout taken away on challenge when he is the one who gets put on the activity clock. That activity point puts Rassadin ahead 1-1 on last-point criteria. With time running out, Tumur Ochir desperately fights for the go-ahead points, which leads to a stepout point for Rassadin. A challenge after time expires gives Rassadin another point and he advances 3-1.

14:23: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) is back in the Asian Championships final. He beats returning silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) 8-8 in a thrilling 70kg semifinal. Aoyagi hit a four on the edge to lead 5-1 and then added a stepout to make it 6-1. But Akmataliev with a over-under hold and throws Aoyagi for four to cut the lead to 6-5. An arm throw which is scored two for Akmataliev and he leads 7-6. Japan challenge hte call but it is confrimed two, making it 8-6 for Akmataliev with 35 seconds remaining. Aoyagi with a stepout with 4 seconds on the clock. A caution is also added but Akmataliev leads 8-8 on criteria and he hangs on!

79kg gold medal bout: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) vs Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN)

14:10: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) rallies to defeat Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) 8-5 and advance to the 79kg final. Evloev, attempting to become just the second Asian champion in Tajikistan history, starts off with a takedown in the first period and a 2-0 lead. In the second period, Yousefi gets behind Evloev while they are still on their feet, but when the Iranian tries a gut wrench, Evloev steps over for a 2-point exposure. Yousefi continues the sequence with an exposure and stepout to cut the gap to 4-3. Then things get interesting. Yousefi again gets behind, but this time scores a 4-point takedown before Evloev reverses, making it 7-5 for Yousefi. He adds a stepout for his final point.

14:07: Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) with three takedowns in the second period against Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) to enter the final at 79kg. Saipudinov really got going in the second period after being down 1-0 at the break.

65kg gold medal bout: Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) vs Kaisei TANABE (JPN)

13:58: Kaisei TANABE (JPN) ensures himself of his first major medal since winning a world cadet (U17) bronze eight years ago. He shows remarkable speed and power on both offense and defense in putting away Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) 13-1 at 65kg. Tanabe spins behind for a takedown, then goes into the lace lock and, bang, two rolls and he's up 6-0. He gets in on a single, then fights off a standing counter-lift at the edge to gain a stepout. When Ebrahimzadeh tries to counter another takedown attempt, Tanabe steps over for a 2-point exposure. In an ensuing scramble, the Iranian gains a reversal, but Tanabe scores a 4-pointer, sorted out on challenge, to end the match early.

13:57: Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) confirms his first Asian medal as he walks into the 65kg final after a solid 5-2 win over Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the semifinal. He led 1-0 at the break and then extended it to 5-0. A takedown at the end for Zhumashbek Uulu but Tseveensuren gets it done.

57kg gold medal bout: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) vs. Chong Song HAN (PRK)

13:45: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) hangs on for the win and enter the 57kg final! A takedown and stepout was enough for the Iranian to beat Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) and confirm Iran's first medal in this weight class at the Asian Championships in four years. Alireza SARLAK (IRI) win silver in 2021 and since then Iran has drawn a blank at this weight.

13:45: Chong Song HAN (PRK) falls behind 4-0 against Munkh BATKHUYAG (MGL) in the second period of their 65kg semifinal, but then he goes to work. He scores 2 with a reverse leg and wrist lock, but Batkhuyag manages a 2-point exposure on defense to restore the 4-point gap. No matter. Han reverses, then reels off three gut wrenches to notch a 9-6 victory.

13:30: In the final match of the session, Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) keeps alive his hopes of a third straight Asian title and first at 65gk with a 2-0 victory over Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), with both of his points coming on the activity clock.

13:24: Returning silver medalist Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) was slow to start off but he gets in the grove and scores a 13-0 win over Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM) and set up a 97kg semifinal against Mobin AZIMI (IRI), a rematch of the U20 World Championships final from 2023, that incidentally was in Amman.

13:22: Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) muscles Nursultan SADYK (KAZ) over for a 4-point takedown, then reels off two high-thigh lock rolls to go ahead 8-0 in their 65kg quarterfinal. Sadyk sparks to life in the second period with a nice out-the-backdoor takedown. But with time running out, it is Tseveensuren who traps Sadyk's leg and gains a reverse headlock, then presses forward for a fall at 5:34.

13:13: Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) walks away with a 2-1 victory over Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) in a 97kg quarterfinal in which no technical points were scored. Ganbaatar gets an activity point in the first period, and Habila gets one in the second. Losing on criteria, Ganbaatar launches a last-ditch attack and forces out Habila, but it is not in time. The Mongolian side challenges, but is not upheld.

13:10: Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) with a driving takedown right to a gut wrench, and he's into the 65kg semifinals with an 10-0 win over Baowen WEI (CHN).

13:10: Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) scored two takedoans to lead 4-0 against CHANDERMOHAN (IND). But the Indian gets a takedown after a scramble to cut it to 4-2 at the break in the 79kg quarterfinals. Chandermohan begins the second period with a double-leg for takedown and adds a lace to lead 6-4. Evloev with a cradle and fall in a stunning turn of events.

13:05: Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) gets a takedown and two stepouts against Sina KHALILI (IRI) who scores only one takedown. Rassadin's 4-2 lead with a 1:30 remaining on the clock extended when Khalili steps out again. Khalili struggling to keep up with conditioning. Rassadin uses that and scores a takedown and two lace turns to lead 11-2 and win the 70kg quarterfinal.

13:04: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) takes a 3-0 lead into the second period, falls behind when Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) scores a 4-pointer, but turns on the jets and scores two takedowns and a gut wrench for an 11-4 victory and a spot in the 79kg semifinals.

13:02: Kaisei TANABE (JPN) advances to the 65kg semifinals when he builds up a 9-0 lead late in the first period, but SUJEET (IND) suffers a knee injury during a rolling sequence and is unable to continue.

12:56: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), using that underhook that he learned from his Iranian father, gets two early takedowns against Kanybek ABDULKHAIROV (KGZ) in their 97kg quarterfinal. The two trade stepouts before the break as Yoshida, the 2023 champion at 92kg, leads 5-1. Yoshida gets a double-leg takedown, then spins behind for another takedown before emulating the lightweights with a lace-lock roll to finish off an 11-1 win.

12:52: Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) is into the 79kg semifinals with a 4-0 win over Ryunosuke KAMIYA (JPN). A stepout and takedown in the first period and another stepout in the second does the trick for the Mongolian.

12:49: Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI) accepts the victory by forfeit at 97kg over world and Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), who opted to pull out of the competition due to injury.

12:45: Returning silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) controls the bout against Mohammed KAREEM (IRQ) and takes his own time to win 7-0 and advance to the semifinal at 70kg.

12:41: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) scores three takedowns in the second period and he's into the 70kg semifinals with a 7-1 win over Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB).

12:40: Another match decided at the buzzer! Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) had scored a double-leg takedown with :18 left to take back the lead, when Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) hits a front chest-wrap roll with one tick left on the clock for a 6-6 win on big-point criteria to advance to the 79kg semifinals. Budazhapov seemed to be cruising to the victory on the back of an activity point and takedown in the first period when SaipudInov scored a 4-pointer to go ahead.

12:35: Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) upsets Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) 8-8 in the 57kg quarterfinals.

12:31: Chong Song HAN (PRK) gets three gut wrenches after a reversal, then heads off a comeback from Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN) to advance to the 57kg semifinals with a 12-6 win. With Han leading 9-2 in the second period, Sakamoto scores a takedown and a lace-lock roll, but Han puts the match away with a takedown with :22 left.

12:30: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) is into the 70kg semifinals with a 10-0 win over Tao WEI (CHN). Tumur Ochir starts out with a takedown and two gut wrenches in the first period. In the second, he scores a takedown, then uses a high-thigh lock roll to end the match at 4:32.

12:20: Two-time Asian medalist Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) showed why no lead is safe until the final buzzer sounds when he pulls off a last-second 5-3 victory over Paris Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZ) at 57kg. Abdullaev seems on his way to 3-1 win when Kalzhan scores with a counter that, upon challenge, is ruled as a 4-pointer.

12:09: World 61kg bronze medalist Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) comes away with a 2-2 win on last-point criteria in his 65kg quarterfinal when Asian Games bronze medalist Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) just can't beat the activity clock while trying to score what could have been a winning takedown but ended up becoming a stepout.

12:07: Zagreb Ranking Series champion Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) seems to hurt his back after scoring a takedown-gut wrench combination against Gurbanmuhammet CHARYYEV (TKM) to go ahead 5-0 in their 65kg quarterfinal. But he looks fine lifting Charyyev high into the air to finish off a single-leg for a 7-0 lead at the break. Ebrahimzadeh gets a 2-point exposure on a counter lift, then finishes the match with a takedown for a 11-0 win.

12:05: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) goes out and gut wrenches Divoshan CHARLES FERNANDO (SRI) for a 10-0 win at 65kg.

11:58: World U20 champion Mobin AZIMI (IRI) makes no mistakes in his 97kg bout against Jointy KUMAR (IND) and wins 10-0 and advance to the quarterfinals.

11:57: Kaisei TANABE (JPN), whose father and coach was an Olympic medalist, is limited to stepouts before scoring a takedown with a minute to go, then adding a late stepout, to secure a 6-0 victory over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) at 65kg.

11:51: World U23 champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) starts slow in his opening match at 79kg, giving up two stepouts to Kakamyrat ASHYROV (TKM), but then comes to life with takedown-gut wrench combinations that give him a 12-2 win just as the first period ends.

11:48: In the biggest match of the morning session, former world U23 champions compete as Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) takes on Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ). Akmataliev leads 1-0 after Kuular is put on the activity clock. But Kuular gets a over-under hold and throws Akmataliev for four to lead 4-1 at the break. Akmataliev starts the second period with a stepout to cut the lead to 4-2. Another stepout for Akmataliev and then he blocks a Kuular throw for two and turns to lead 7-4. Kazakhstan challenge the first throw as slip. It actually wins the challenge and Kuular is back to 4-3 lead with 1:36 remaining on the clock. Akmataliev with a stepout to make it 4-4 but Kuular leads on criteria. Akmataliev and Kuular both in danger zone and both go out of bounds. Not scored but Kyrgyzstan challenge and it seems Kuular's head went out first. One point for Akmataliev on review and he leads 5-4 with 15 seconds remaining. He defends his leads and wins 5-4 at 70kg.

11:44: Russian-born and 2022 world bronze medalist Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ), nursing a 1-0 lead in his opening match at 79kg, gets put on the clock in the second period against world U23 silver medalist Feng LU (CHN) and immediately scores a takedown and 2-point exposure. Lu reverses for 1, and Budazhapov takes a timeout for an apparent knee injury. That seems to energize Lu, who spins behind for a takedown, then adds a gut wrench to go ahead 5-5 on criteria. With :08 left, Budazhapov unleashes a blast double-leg takedown that gives him a 7-5 victory.

11:37: Returning 97kg silver medalist Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) tosses Muhamad RUDIANSYAH (INA) like a rag doll for a 4-point takedown en route to quick 10-0 win.

11:34: Two-time Olympian and former world bronze medalist Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), the silver medalist a year ago at 65kg, has moved up to 70kg, and he gets started with a 8-0 victory over Vishal KALIRAMANA (IND). Tumur Ochir with a takedown in the first period, then adds an activity point, stepout and spin-behind takedown in the second.

11:27: The home team is dealt another setback when Erzo ISAKOV (JOR) is able to fend off the attacks of Ryunosuke KAMIYA (JPN) at 79kg, but does little in the way of offense and gives away two activity points. That's all the scoring until Kamiya picks up a takedown with :02 left to secure a 4-0 win.

11:22: OSU recruit Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN), wearing the headgear, falls behind 1-1 on criteria against Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK) who has defended well against everything Sakamoto has thrown at him. But it falls apart after Sakamoto, who is in a tripod defense, hits a cut back and then scores two more points for exposure. Leg lace to finish with an 11-1 win. You read about Sakamoto and OSU here

11:18: Russian-born Viktor RASSADIN (TJK), the silver medalist last year at 74kg, starts his bid for the 70kg gold with an 11-0 win over local favorite Zaid MESLAH (JOR) in just under two minutes.

11:15: Chongsong HAN (PRK), the 2023 Asian Games silver medalist at 57kg who failed twice to qualify for the Paris Olympics, opens with an 11-0 win over Abidin ZAINAL (INA).

11:14: Muqibullah NEZAMI (AFG), Afghanistan's lone entrant in any of the styles in Amman, finds himself in a 6-0 hole in his 57kg match with 2023 world U23 bronze medalist Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL), giving up a stepout plus fleeing point, and 4-point takedown. But Nezami responds with a takedown to make it 6-2 at the break. In the second period, Batkhuyag grabs a takedown and immediately goes to a gut wrench, then adds a 2-point tilt for a 12-2 win at 3:45.

11:14: 2023 Asian silver medalist explodes after the takedown against world U23 champion CHIRAG (IND) and scores four gut-wrenches to win 10-0 at 57kg.

11:11: Husein ALBEHADILALBORS (IRQ) starts with a quick 4 points against Tirana Ranking Series bronze medalist Weiyu LI (CHN) and goes on to an 11-3 victory at 57kg.

11:10: Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) with two back-to-back four-pointers against Jaeyong AN (KOR) for an 8-0 lead in their opening bout at 57kg. Kalzhan scores a stepout just before the break to extend it to 9-0. A stepout early in the second period and Kalzhan wins 10-0.

11:07: Only a scoreboard malfunction can slow down Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) who, competing in just his third senior-level tournament, starts what Iran hopes is a productive day with a 10-0 win over Gayan EKANAYAKA (SRI) at 57kg.

Higuchi earns first trip to Worlds; Sakurai squeezes through

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Asian Championships 2025 Freestyle Day 5 Blog