#WrestleCoralville

I wasn't as aggressive as I could have been: Snyder after beating Ghasempour

Thursday, December 15, 2022 - 16:56 By Vinay Siwach

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CORALVILLE, Iowa (December 15) -- Kyle SNYDER (USA) has been one of the most dominant wrestlers of his weight class 97kg for more than half a decade now. And barring a couple of wrestlers, few have troubled him since he won his first World Championships at home turf at the 2015 Las Vegas World Championships.

When the World Cup in Iowa presented another opportunity to compete in front of his home crowd, Snyder promptly grabbed the opportunity.

As the leader of the USA team, Snyder led the hosts to a thrilling win over Iran as it captured its 15th World Cup on Sunday with a 6-4 win over its arch-rivals. It was Snyder who won the sixth bout and sealed the deal for Iran.

For the last four years, Iran has bet upon Mohammadhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) as its mainstay at 97kg. But with medalless performances at the Tokyo Olympics and Belgrade World Championships, it is left to ponder on other options.

U23 world champion Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) was selected for the World Cup and he did well to beat the world silver medalist Batyrbek TSAKULOV (UWW) in the group stages. However, Iran decided to bump the two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) at 97kg for the final against the USA.

It did not take Snyder by surprise. He was actually pleased that Ghasempour decided to jump up for the dual and gave fans a contest.

"He [Ghasempour] weighed in at 92kg," Snyder said. "I thought he might wrestle [at 97kg]. Maybe it's better for the dual. It was cool that he came up."

The Rio Olympic champion, however, did not let Ghasempour settle for six minutes. From the first whistle, it was Snyder who dominated the bout, pressured Ghasempour and ultimately won 5-0.

Part of his strategy was to take Ghasempour's game to him and wrestle as hard as possible.

"Just wrestling hard," Snyder said. "I know he [Ghasempour] wrestles hard and I have seen him wrestle. I knew how to be aggressive, take his game to him."

Ghasempour did get to Snyder's legs a few times but failed to convert any of the attacks. With the weight difference and Snyder's heavy wrestling, Ghasempour felt the heat and failed to match the pace of the bout.

Snyder, on the other hand, knew from the beginning that Ghasempour will not be able to withstand the pressure despite Snyder not being as aggressive as he could have been. Snyder said that he liked the bout as it was on his home turf against a good wrestler who stopped him from winning 10-0.

"My number one option is 10-zip but then the number two option is let me be the closer," he said. "I always like to wrestle good wrestlers. I just love to compete and am ready to go. Especially on the home turf, I am always going to be here. [In the bout], I felt I was in good control from the beginning even though I was winning by a point. I wasn't as aggressive as I could have been."

Iran will now have to rethink its strategy of promoting Ghasempour to 97kg. With the 2024 Paris Olympics quotas available at the 2023 World Championships, it will have to quickly find a way to break the drought at 97kg.

Snyder won the World Championships and remained unbeaten at the World Cup but believes that the 97kg weight class will be an interesting one going into Paris Olympics.

"We got a lot of good guys up there [97kg]," he said. "Him [Mohammadian], a bunch of other dudes so you don't know how it's going to work out."

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Weights to watch at Ulaanbaatar Open 2025

Tuesday, May 27, 2025 - 10:14 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 27) -- Among all the names entered for the Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series, a few will be involved in mini-battles in the tournament which begins Thursday.

After the continental championships had a few interesting match-ups, the Ranking Series always has more contrasting matches with mix of continental styles and bouts that otherwise may not happen at continental or World Championships.

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) has previously defeated Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At the Ulaanbaatar Open, here are three weight classes that are must-watch:

Women's Wrestling: 62kg [May 31, Saturday]

Current Asian champion, former world champions, former Asian champions and world medalists make up for the six-wrestler bracket at 62kg in Women's Wrestling.

MANISHA (IND), who impressed with a gold-winning performance at the Asian Championships in Amman, will be looking to rake up more Ranking Series points. She has a tough bracket in Ulaanbaatar with former world champions Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) and Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL). Mongolia has named a third wrestler in the weight class -- Saruul ERDENEBILEG (MGL).

World U23 silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) and 2024 European U23 silver medalist Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW) will also be part of the bracket and challenge the Asian wrestlers.

An all-Mongolian clash between Sukhee and Purevdorj will certainly give the local fans an exciting match-up. The winner will have the upper hand when the nation selects its team for the World Championships.

Sukhee has lost to Purevdorj before and finished seventh at the Asian Championships. But she also won a silver medal at 59kg at the World Championships last year.

For Manisha, it will be a big test against big throwing Mongolian wrestlers and Kasabieva, who will look to put behind her fifth-place finish at the European Championships in Bratislava. She has struggled against the Asian style but can use this tournament to improve her skills.

Koshkina did not win a medal at the U23 Europeans this year but Ulaanbaatar will be an important stop in her senior level journey.

Freestyle: 70kg [June 1, Sunday]

A world champion from four years ago is trying to find his way to the top in international wrestling. And his first stop is the Ulaanbaatar Open. Zagir SHAKHIEV (UWW), who won gold at 65kg in 2021 World Championships, hopes to restart his career with the Ranking Series and is entered at 70kg.

Shakhiev won the European Championships as well in 2021 before the Worlds but in 2022, he was pinned by Shamil MAMMEDOV (UWW) in the Yasar Dogu final and Shakhiev never made it to international tournament again.

Despite his talent, Shakhiev won't have it easy in Ulaanbaatar. Asian silver medalist at 70kg Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) is coming to improve his ranking. Rassadin has had a few good wins in past one year including one over Chermen VALIEV (ALB), the Olympic bronze and European champion. He also had the Asian gold in his hands but Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) scored late to snatch the medal.

The hosts have three wrestlers at this weight class but the most eager to compete against Shakhiev will be Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL). At the 2021 World Championships, Tumur Ochir suffered a 4-4 loss to Shakhiev. The Mongolian contested the scoring but to no avail. He won the bronze medal.

Iran has two wrestlers at this weight class -- Mohammadali AMOUZAD (IRI) and Aliakbar FAZLI (IRI). Amouzad is the twin brother of Olympic silver medalist Rahman. If he can replicate the conditioning and underhook of his brother, Amouzad can well upset a few names.

Enes BASAR (TUR)Enes BASAR (TUR) was at the Paris Olympics at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Greco-Roman: 60kg [May 30, Friday]

Three young stars will be challenging a skillful Olympian at 60kg. Enes BASAR (TUR), who surprised most by qualifying for the Paris Olympics, is at 60kg for the Ulaanbaatar. Basar has a defense that frustrates his opponents and his experience will give him the edge in the Nelson bracket of 60kg.

Former world U17 champion SURAJ (IND), Asian U23 champion Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ) and Kurmanbek ZHAPAROV (KGZ) will be the challengers to Basar in the weight class.

Suraj won historic age-group medals for India but has not been able to replicate the same at the senior level though he has been the best nationally for India. The Ranking Series will be a big test for him.

Kyrgyzstan two youngsters will be looking to make a mark in a weight class reserved for Olympic bronze medalist and world champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ). Sulaimanov has won age-group medals in Asia but finished fifth at the Asian Championships recently. Zhaparov, an Asian U20 silver medalist, will be returning to international competition after three years.