#WorldClubsCup

Iran's Bimeh Razi Wins FS World Clubs Cup Title for the Third Time

By Ali Feizasa

Iran’s team Bimeh Razi Babol captured the Freestyle Clubs World Championships for the third time in the last five years.

Bimeh Razi Babol defeated Turkey, 10-0, in the final match to win the title. The five-time world and Olympic medal winner Hassan RAHIMI (61kg), 2016 world champion Magomed KURBANALIEV (70kg), 2018 world bronze medal winner Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (79kg) and two-time world bronze medal winner Alireza KARIMI (86kg) were titled wrestlers of the Iranian side who won the team title. 

“I had knee surgery after the Rio Olympic Games and I missed the events for about two years. I am very happy to be competing again. I love wrestling and it is like blood in my vessel.” Hassan Rahimi said after defeating Saban KIZILTAS (TUR) by technical fall.

“I cannot imagine my life without wrestling and I don’t know how I should retire in future. Surely that day will be the worst day of my life.”

“It was my first appearance at 61kg and I am satisfied with my performance. I had a successful surgery but it’s difficult to compete like the past times. The wrestlers who had knee surgery understand what I say,” Rahimi added.

“I have aimed to compete at 61kg in next World Championships but I should think for Olympic Games. I should choose between 57kg and 65kg and it depends on the future situation.”

For third place, Iran’s Setaregan Sari beat Georgia’s Raindi, 9-1, In the fifth-place match, Ukraine beat Kyrgyzstan, 7-3, while India finished in seventh after winning their match against Hungary by a final score of 7-3.

Final: Bimeh Razi Iran df. Turkey, 10-0
57kg- Reza ATRI (Bimeh) df. Ali KARABOGA (TUR) by forfeit

61kg- Hassan RAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Saban KIZILTAS (TUR)  by Tech Fall, 10-0|
Competing after about two years absence, five-time Olympic and world medal winner Hassan Rahimi collected four points in first 30 seconds by a single leg takedown and gut wrench. Rahimi added another takedown to win first period 6-0.

In the second period, Rahimi scored four additional points from a takedown and gut wrench to win by 10-0 technical fall victory.

65kg-Meysam NASIRI (Bimeh) df. Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR) by Tech Fall, 13-2
With a four-point throw, 2016 Asian champion Nasiri finished first period 6-2. Nasiri added seven points by several takedowns to win the match by 13-2. 

70kg- Magomed KURBANALIEV (Bimeh) df. Mustafa ZOPALI (TUR), 12-2
Just ten seconds after starting the match, 2016 World Champion Kurbanaliev collected eight points by a four-point throw and two gut wrench. The Russian wrestler added four more points to earn 12-2 technical fall victory and gave his team the 4-0 lead. 

74kg- Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI df. Nazim KARA (TUR) by forfeit

79kg- Akhmet GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Bimeh) df. Muhammet NURI KOTANOGLU (TUR) by Tech Fall, 10-0
Two and a half minutes was enough for 2018 World bronze medal winner Gadzhimagomedov to beat KOTANOGLU 10-0. Gadzhimagomedov took four points by two headlocks.

86kg- Alireza KARIMI (Bimeh) df. Ahmet BILICI (TUR), 5-0
Two-time world bronze medal winner Alireza Karimi didn't find himself in any trouble and defeated BILICI, 5-0.

92kg-Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Semih YAZICI (TUR), 12-1
Asian champion Ebrahimi finished the first period 7-1 by consecutive gut wrenches. Ebrahimi added five points to finish the match, 12-1.

97kg- Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR (Bimeh) df. Fatih YASARLI (TUR) by forfeit

125kg- Amin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Bekir ERYUCEL (TUR) by Tech Fall, 11-0
In the first minute of the match,  Taheri gathered six points with a takedown and two gut wrenches. The two-time U23 world bronze medalist added three more points, finishing the first period with the 9-0 advantage. Taheri earned two points by takedown and won the match, 11-0. 

Third place match: Setaregan Sari Iran df. Raindi Georgia, 9-1
57kg-Amir PARASTEH (Setaregan)df.  Lasha TALAKHADZE (GEO), 5-4
61kg- Younes SARMASTI (Setaregan) df. Otari GOGAVA (GEO) by forfeit 
65kg- Abolfazl HAJIPOUR (Setaregan) df. Giorgi REVAZISHVILI (GEO) by  forfeit 
70kg- Mehdi YEGANEH JAFARI (Setaregan) df. Levani KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO),6-3
74kg- Hossein ELYASI (Setaregan) df. Daviti TLASHADZE (GEO), 12-9
79kg- Hamidreza ZARRINPEYKAR (Setaregan) df. Aleksandre SATHVADZE (GEO) 
86kg- Masoud MADADI (Setaregan) df. Giorgi KVATADZE (GEO) by forfeit 
92kg- Arashk MOHEBI (Setaregan) df. Mukhran NARSAVIDZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 10-0
97kg- Amir MOHAMMADI (Setaregan)df. Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO), 6-3
125kg- Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO) df. Yadollah MOHEBI (Setaregan) by forfeit 

Fifth place match: Ukraine df. Kyrgyzstan, 7-3
Seventh place match: India df. Hungary, 7-3

#WrestleTirana

WATCH: Shiotani's signature move - Reverse Lift or Tawaragaeshi

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (March 3) -- Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) has done it many times domestically in Japan. On Sunday, he showed it to international fans.

As soon as he get the par terre position, instead for the typical gut-wrench, Shiotani goes for the reverse lift.

The reverse lift, known as Tawaragaeshi in Japanese, majorly seen in Greco-Roman wrestling when the wrestler on top in par terre jumps to face the grounded wrestler and the locks his hands around the opponents waist to throw him over his own head, or sometimes sideways.

That Aleksandr KARELIN photo in which he is clenching his teeth as he lifts his opponent like a sack. Exactly, a reverse lift.

Shiotani, former Asian champion, has mastered that move. And a reverse lift masterclass was on display on the final day of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 2025 in Tirana.

Out of the 53 points he scored on Sunday, Shiotani got 33 points from his signature reverse lift. Match after match, he would try the move and succeed as if the opponents did not how to defend it.

"There's not much to think about during a game like this. I do the Tawaragaeshi as if my body were moving on its own," Shiotani said.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) performs a reverse lift during the 60kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

The Japanese federation Instagram page is full of Shiotani's reverse lift videos. Despite his go-to move, Shiotani is shy to explain his obsession with the move which he performs even when he is in a position to pin or roll his opponent.

"I'm trying to switch things up and try to lift the wrestlers rather than trying to hold him down," Shiotani said. "I'm always practicing so I am able to do it in any situation."

Shiotani doesn't hide it that he is going for the reverse lift. He ideally starts from a chest wrap and quickly moves his grip to waist. If the opponent tries to raise his head to defend, Shiotani scores an exposure, opening more scoring options.

This was the first time Shiotani was wrestling at 60kg in a UWW event, up from 55kg but he said that he always remained in shape for wrestling.

"I always keep in shape," he said. "Ever since moved up the weight class, I've always believed that I could win by building my body, so I'm glad I was able to do that."