#WrestleCoralville

Hosts USA announces FS/WW World Cup teams

By Gary Abbott

CORALVILLE, Iowa (November 15) --- USA Wrestling announced its lineups for both its men’s and women’s freestyle teams which will compete at the Freestyle and Women’s Freestyle World Cup at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, December 10-11.

The World Cup is the annual international dual meet championships. The top five teams in men’s freestyle and the top five teams in women’s freestyle from the 2022 Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia in September have confirmed their participation. There is also an All-World Team in each discipline, featuring the top available athlete from the World Championships in each weight class that were not from a nation that qualified for the World Cup.

The U.S. World Cup teams will feature two Olympic champions, four world champions and 10 past world medalists. It will also include a number of talented young stars who are making an impact internationally.

The freestyle team will feature a pair of Olympic and world champions, Jordan BURROUGHS at 79kg and Kyle SNYDER at 97kg. Burroughs is a 2012 Olympic champion, a six-time world champion and has won 10 career world and Olympic medals. Burroughs is the first U.S. wrestler to win seven world and Olympic titles. Snyder is a 2016 Olympic champion, 2020 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time world champion and has won eight career world and Olympic medals.

Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS, a 2022 world silver medalist, will compete at 65kg. Two other members of the 2022 world team are on the USA lineup, Seth GROSS at 61kg and Hayden ZILLMER at 125kg. Nick GWIAZDOWSKI, a two-time world bronze medalist, is also on the U.S. freestyle team at 125kg. 

The United States, which won the 2022 world team title, will be joined in the World Cup by second-place Iran, third-place Japan, fourth-place Mongolia and fifth-place Georgia, in addition to the All-World Team.

In women’s wrestling, a pair of world champions are on the team, 2019 world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER at 55kg and 2022 world champion Amit ELOR at 72kg. Winchester was also a member of the 2020 Olympic team. Elor became the first USA wrestler to win three world titles in the same year, also capturing a U20 world title and a U23 world title.

The team also features two-time world silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE at 62kg, two-time world bronze medalist Alyssa LAMPE at 50kg, two-time world bronze medalist Mallory VELTE at 65kg and 2021 world bronze medalist Jenna BURKERT at 55kg. Also competing on the U.S. team is 2022 World Team member Dymond GUILFORD at 76kg. 

The women’s team features a local athlete, Felicity TAYLOR at 53kg, who is a member of the women’s wrestling team at the University of Iowa and is a native Iowan. 

The United States, which was second at the 2022 World Championships in women’s wrestling, will be joined in the World Cup by World champion Japan, third place China, fourth place Mongolia and fifth place Ukraine, in addition to the All-World Team. 

Ticket packages for the 2022 Men’s and Women’s Freestyle World Cup are currently on sale. The seating capacity for Xtream Arena for the World Cup will be approximately 5,300. Ticket packages include a Gold package for $275, a Silver package for $200 and All-Session tickets for $90.

A special presentation of teams and Team USA Meet & Greet will also be held on Friday, December 9, with tickets available at $10. Fans can receive a free youth ticket for the Friday night event, with the purchase of an adult general admission ticket.

Men’s and Women’s Freestyle World Cup tickets -> https://worldcupiowacity.com/tickets/

USA's Freestyle World Cup Team:
57kg – Zane RICHARDS 
57kg – Nick SURIANO 
61kg – Seth GROSS 
61kg – Daniel DESHAZER 
65kg – Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS 
65kg – Evan HENDERSON|
70kg – Tyler BERGER
70kg – Alec PANTALEO 
74kg – Jason NOLF 
74kg – Vincenzo JOSEPH
79kg – Jordan BURROUGHS 
79kg – Chance MARSTELLER 
86kg – Zahid VALENCIA 
86kg – Mark HALL
92kg – Nathan JACKSON
92kg – Jay AIELLO 
97kg – Kyle SNYDER 
97kg – Kollin MOORE 
125kg – Hayden ZILLMER 
125kg – Nick GWIAZDOWSKI 

USA's Women's Wrestling World Cup Team:
50 kg – Alyssa LAMPE 
50 kg – Erin GOLSTON 
53 kg – Felicity TAYLOR
53 kg – Ronna GROSS
55 kg – Jacarra WINCHESTER 
55 kg – Jenna BURKERT
57 kg – Alexandra HEDRICK
57 kg – Amanda MARTINEZ
59 kg – Lexie BASHAM 
59 kg – Michaela BECK 
62 kg – Kayla MIRACLE 
62 kg – Jennifer ROGERS 
65 kg – Mallory VELTE
68 kg – Sienna RAMIREZ
68 kg – Solin PIEARCY 
72 kg – Amit ELOR 
72 kg – Skylar GROTE 
76 kg – Dymond GUILFORD 
76 kg – Yelena MAKOYEV 

#WrestleBratislava

Sidakov vs Valiev set for European gold at 74kg

By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 8) -- Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) will wrestle for the European gold medal for the first time in his career.

The four-time world champion, who last and only time wrestled at the European Championships in 2016, entered the 74kg final in Bratislava, Slovakia on Tuesday. He will take on Paris Olympic bronze medalist Chermen VALIEV (ALB) for the gold medal.

Sidakov defeated Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 2-0, in the 74kg semifinal after he took out four-time European champion Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 4-2, in a close quarterfinal.

Valiev defeated Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) 6-0 in the other semifinal as he countered in style while keeping his attacks. He scored from leg-attack when Novruzov was on the activity clock and countered an attempted attack from Novruzov for another takedown.

A stepout made it 6-0 as Valiev booked his spot in the final against Sidakov, who won their last meeting 3-2 three years ago.

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) battles Zelimkhan HARUTYUNYAN (ALB) in the 61kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 61kg, Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) moved to the final after beating Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) 5-2 in a thrilling semifinal. Harutyunyan scored a takedown and lace to lead 4-0 in the first period and maintained the lead for a long time before Abakarov hit a arm-throw for two points. Harutyunyan kept the 4-2 lead despite Abakarov's desperate attempts to score.

The four-time European champion will face Zavur UGUEV (UWW) for the gold medal after the Tokyo Olympic champion rocked Dzmitry SHAMELA (UWW) 10-0 in a one-sided semifinal. Mixing his attacks, Uguev hit a double-leg for four to finish the bout.

Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW)Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) hits a cradle throw on Artur NAIFONOV (UWW) in their 86kg semifinal during the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The 86kg final will between Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) and Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), a rematch of the 2020 European final at 79kg which Kadzimahamedau won.

Kadzimahamedau had to pull out his iconic cradle for four to pull off a win over Artur NAIFONOV (GRE). He was trailing 3-2 when he hit the move and secured a 6-3 win.

Ramazanov entered the final after he had a field day in Bratislava. He secured a fall over over Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) in the semifinal. He was ahead 5-0 before a big double-leg attack for two points and figure-four turn made it 9-0. He held Jezierzanski on the back and secured the fall.

Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) returned to the European final, although in a new weight class. The Paris Olympic bronze medalist at 86kg was wrestling at 92kg and survived a scare against former European champion Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR), winning 3-3 on criteria.

Akturk fell behind 2-1 and scored a stepout with 10 seconds left on the clock to make it 2-2 but Kurugliev led on criteria for his takedown in the first period. Turkiye challenged the call asking for a takedown but lost the challenge to make 3-2 for Kurugliev.

Akturk scored another stepout but that was all he could do in the final 10 seconds and Kurugliev won 3-3.

He will take on Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) for the gold medal after the Azerbaijan wrestler defeated world silver medalist Mirani MAISURADZE (GEO) 5-2 in the other semifinal.

At 125kg, Paris Olympic bronze medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) will clash with Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) for the gold medal after the two had to dug deep in the semifinals.

Meshvildishvili hung on for a 8-5 win over Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW) after the latter made it 6-5.

Manashvili scored a four-pointer to beat Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 8-3 and enter the gold medal bout.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) vs. Zavur UGUEV (UWW)

SF 1: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), 5-2
SF 2: Zavur UGUEV (UWW) df. Dzmitry SHAMELA (UWW), 10-0

74kg
GOLD: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) vs. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW)

SF 1: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 6-0
SF 2: Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 2-0

86kg
GOLD: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) vs. Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW)

SF 1: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) df. Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL), via fall (9-0)
SF 2: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) df. Artur NAIFONOV (UWW), 6-3

92kg
GOLD: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) vs. Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)

SF 1: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 5-2
SF 2: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) df. Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR), 3-3

125kg
GOLD: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) vs. Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO)

SF 1: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 8-5
SF 2: Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 8-3