Japan Notches 5th Straight Title as Lesser Knowns Also Step up in Final Against U.S.

Sunday, November 17, 2019 - 14:55 By Ken Marantz

NARITA, Japan (Nov. 17)---Leading up to the final, Japan seemed to show a sign of vulnerability in the upper weights that the United States was hoping to exploit. But with the title on the line, the hosts pretty much plugged the holes.

Unheralded Naomi RUIKE (JPN) came up big at 65kg, chalking up the victory that clinched a fifth straight title for Japan at the Women’s World Cup with a 7-3 win over the United States at Nakadai Sports Park Gym in Narita.

A day after the Japanese suffered losses in the last four weight classes in a 6-4 win over China, Ruike halted the trend by scoring two late takedowns in a 5-1 win over Forrest MOLINARI (USA).

“I really felt [the pressure], but I could hear the support from everyone on my team,” Ruike said. “That made me fight harder.”

As expected, the Japanese stormed out with five wins in the first six matches--- including four by technical falls to enhance their chances in a possible tiebreaking situation---but any hopes of a late American comeback ended with Ruike’s win.

Ruike was trailing 1-1 in the second period on last-point criteria with Molinari, who finished fifth at the World Championships, but went ahead when she caught a heel and reeled it in for a takedown. In the waning seconds, she added 2 more points when she fought off a counter crotch lift and sent Molinari to her back.

“I thought I had no choice but to attack,” said Ruike, whose father was a doctor in the American military stationed in Japan and mother is Japanese (she uses her mother’s family name). “Without even thinking, I went for it. My desire to win was strong and that led to getting the points.”

Ruike, the silver medalist at the Asian Championships, was among the many collegians on a relatively young Japanese squad, which also included two high schoolers---both of whom won matches in the final.

Adeline GRAY (USA) stuck Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) in a rematch of the 76kg world finals from Nur-Sultan. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

All three American wins came from their reigning world champions, which was no surprise, including a victory by fall by Adeline GRAY (USA) in a rematch of the 76kg final at Nur-Sultan, where she set an American record by winning a fifth world gold.

That their teammates couldn’t break through in any of the other weight classes only further confirmed that Japan could never be taken lightly, Gray said.

“I really felt that going into this final that we had a chance to win,” Gray said. “It’s about momentum in these dual matches. You start to lose a couple of matches, you start to have a couple of moments and points go the wrong way. Japan’s great, and it’s hard to compete with greatness.”

For the Americans, it marks another year since they won their lone World Cup title in 2003.

“It was a bummer, that’s how I feel about it,” Gray said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been on the top of that podium, and I’ve almost memorized the Japanese national anthem by now.”

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) smiles after kicking off the gold-medal dual with a 10-0 win over Whitney CONDER (USA). (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Former world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN), who is preparing for the All Japan Championships in December to start a run at making the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, got the juggernaut going with a 10-0 technical fall at 50kg over Whitney CONDER (USA).

Haruna OKUNO (JPN) followed suit with her own 10-0 technical fall over Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) in a replay of the 2018 final at the World Championships in Budapest.

World champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) shrugged off her shocking loss the day before in the U.S. victory over Mongolia by forging out a 5-1 win over Akie HANAI (JPN) at 55kg.

That was just a bump in the road for Japan, which then got back-to-back technical falls from three-time world champion and Rio 2016 gold medalist Risako KAWAI (JPN) and high schooler and world junior champion Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN).

Kawai took 4:20 to finish up an 11-0 win over Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA) at 57kg, while Inagaki needed two seconds less for her 10-0 rout of Desiree ZAVALA (USA) at 59kg.

“Everyone came together as one,” said Kawai, who served as team captain. “With this being the last match, teammates who had a match would cheer on the ones after them, and we could really hear the voices of those who didn’t have matches.”

Yukako KAWAI (JPN) looks to finish a single leg on junior and U23 world silver medalist, Macey KILTY (USA). Kawai won the match, 7-0. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Kawai’s younger sister Yukako, the world silver medalist at 62kg, was hardly challenged in posting a 7-0 win over Macey KILTY (USA), setting the stage for Ruike, a teammate at powerhouse Shigakkan University, to seal Japan’s 11th title in the 18-year history of the event.

With the team title decided, newly crowned world champion Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) took the opportunity to put on an exhibition of solid wrestling fundamentals in beating Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 8-1, at 68kg.

At 72kg, world junior champion and U-23 silver medalist Yuka KAGAMI (JPN), who said she took personal the talk of Japan being understrength in the heavier weights, scored a late 2-point exposure off a single-leg attempt to beat Victoria FRANCIS (USA), 3-1.

Gray then capped the tournament with a late fall of Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN), although it was touch-and-go for most of the match between the Nur-Sultan finalists.

Gray scored on a stepout in the first period, but fell behind on criteria when she was forced out by Minagawa midway through the second.

“She keeps it close,” Gray said of Minagawa, who won her third career world medal in Nur-Sultan. “That’s one of the talents that Japan has, is that they’re always keeping matches close.

The five-time world champion then got the opening she needed, applying a whizzer and stepping over to put the Japanese on her back for a fall in 5:04.

“I’m just a little bigger and stronger than her, so once I get into the right position, she really can’t hang with me in those ‘Big Mama’ moves,” she said.

“It’s about her ability to keep that distance and keep attacking and keep me at bay. It makes it so that I have to kick it into that next gear and force her to make a mistake, and it’s hard to make Japan make a mistake.”

FENG Zhou (CHN) celebrates after pinning ENKHSAIKHAN Delgermaa (MGL) in their battle at 68kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

China makes quick work of Mongolia for bronze medal
China, the runner-up the past two years, denied Mongolia a fourth straight bronze medal by storming to a 7-3 victory in the third-place playoff, in which seven of the 10 matches were decided by fall or technical fall.

After FENG Zhou (CHN) put the Chinese ahead 5-3 with a victory by fall at 68kg, WANG Juan (CHN) clinched the deal by topping Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL), 9-2, at 72kg.

“I didn’t feel so much pressure,” Wang said. “My teammates before me wrestled well, which brought me so much confidence.”

Wang, who finished fifth at the 2018 World Championships, took a proactive approach as she held a 5-2 lead going into the final minute. Instead of protecting the advantage, she added to it with a takedown and gut wrench.

“When I have a chance, I continue to try for points,” Wang said.

LEI Chun (CHN), winner of the recent Tokyo 2020 test event who was making her first appearance of the tournament, started China off with a 10-0 technical fall at 50kg, which world bronze medalist PANG Qianyu (CHN) matched by the same score at 53kg.

At 55kg, Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL), who knocked off both Winchester and her fellow world bronze medalist in the group matches, chalked up a third win by outlasting CHEN Jiawei (CHN), 12-10

FENG Yongxin (CHN) gave the Chinese another technical fall victory at 57kg, and ZHANG Qi (CHN) followed with an 8-2 win over world bronze medalist Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL).

A technical fall by Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) at 62kg and a fall by Purevsuren ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL) at 65kg keep Mongolia’s hopes alive, but Zhou put the pressure on with her victory by fall.

After Wang’s victory, QIANDEGENCHAGAN Qiandegenchagan (CHN) capped the dual in her lone match of the tournament by taking just 23 seconds to win by fall over Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL) at 76kg.

Alla BELINSKA (UKR) clinched the dual for Ukraine with a fall over Russia's Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Ukraine pulls surprise, overcomes Russia for 5th place
In an entertaining clash for fifth place, Ukraine pulled off a surprising victory over Russia, defeating its giant neighbor on classification points after the match ended tied 5-5.

It seemed fitting that Alla BELINSKA (UKR), who had been Ukraine’s lone shining star in the competition, clinched the victory for her side when she scored a victory by fall over Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) at 72kg.

Belinska, the only Ukrainian to post a win against Japan and China in the group matches on Saturday, ended the tournament undefeated when, with her leg being held in the air, she back-tripped Zakharchenko to the mat, applied a headlock and finished her off at 1:34.

That gave Ukraine a 5-4 lead, but with a fall and a injury forfeit already on the board, her pin assured that Ukraine could not be overcome, regardless of the outcome of the 76kg bout.

Rio 2016 bronze medalist Ektarina BUKINA (RUS) won the final match by technical fall, but that still left Russia on the short end of a 25-19 score on classification points.

“The coach said there must be a fall, and I have to do what the coach says,” Belinska said with a smile, adding it was satisfying to defeat the powerful Russians. “On our continent, this is a fight on principle. Russia is a very good team. We are a young team, but we wanted to win.”

Earlier, Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) added to the Ukraine tally at 53kg with one of the wilder victories of the tournament, prevailing in a 16-14 shootout with Milana DADASHEVA (RUS).

The Russian was leading 11-10 when Vynnyk went ahead with a 4-point throw, then added a 2-point roll. Dadasheva cut the gap over the final minute, but came up short in the 30-point match.

Final

JAPAN 7, UNITED STATES 3
50kg: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Whitney CONDER (USA) by TF, 10-0, 3:17
53kg: Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) by TF, 10-0, 5:32
55kg: Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) df. Akie HANAI (JPN), 5-1
57kg: Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA) by TF, 11-0, 4:10
59kg: Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Desiree ZAVALA (USA) by TF, 10-0, 4:12
62kg: Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Macey KILTY (USA), 7-0
65kg: Naomi RUIKE (JPN) df. Forrest MOLINARI (USA), 5-1
68kg: Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) df. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 8-1
72kg: Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) df. Victoria FRANCIS (USA), 3-1
76kg: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) by Fall, 5:04 (3-1)

3rd-Place Playoff

CHINA 7, MONGOLIA 3
50kg: LEI Chun (CHN) df. Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) by TF, 10-0, 1:41
53kg: PANG Qianyu (CHN) df. Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL) by TF, 10-0, 5:52
55kg: Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) df. CHEN Jiawei (CHN), 12-10
57kg: FENG Yongxin (CHN) df. Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) by TF, 10-0, :55
59kg: ZHANG Qi (CHN) df. Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL), 8-2
62kg: Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) df. KANG Juan (CHN) by TF, 12-2, 2:15
65kg: Purevsuren ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL) df. WU Yaru (CHN) by Fall, 2:03 (10-4)
68kg: ZHOU Feng (CHN) df. Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) by Fall, 1:15 (8-0)
72kg: WANG Juan (CHN) df. Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL), 9-2
76kg: QIANDEGENCHAGAN Qiandegenchagan (CHN) df. Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL) by Fall, :23 (4-0)

5th-Place Playoff

UKRAINE 5, RUSSIA 5
(Ukraine wins on classification points, 25-19)
50kg: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Daria LEKSINA (RUS), 8-7
53kg: Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Milana DADASHEVA (RUS), 16-14
55kg: Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) df. Anastasiya KRAVCHENKO (UKR) by TF, 13-2, 2:36
57kg: Olena KREMZER (UKR) df. Marina SIMONYAN (RUS) by Fall, 2:43 (6-3)
59kg: Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) df. Sofiia BODNAR (UKR), 6-1
62kg: Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) df. Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS) by Forf.
65kg: Natalia FEDOSEEVA (RUS) df. Oksana CHUDYK (UKR), 5-3
68kg: Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) df. Alina RUDNYSTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR), 4-1
72kg: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) by Fall, 1:34 (4-0)
76kg: Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) df. Romana VOVCHAK (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 3:55

2026 Muhamet Malo

Muhamet Malo 2026 Day 2 Results: Sadulaev Beats Khaniev; Iran Wins 2 Golds

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 - 23:08 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 26) -- The Feti Borova Arena has now witness two of the most epic comeback from Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW).

In 2024, he marked his return from injury with his sixth world title, one which he won by going down to 92kg and shocking the world with a buzzer-beating win over Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI).

The second was on Thursday. In his first international tournament since the world title, Sadulaev returned to 97kg and won the gold medal at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series.

Sadualev's return to competition was much talked about as he entered the tournament which had the likes of his long-time rival and world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA), up-and-coming star Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW), Olympic bronze medalist Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE), former world champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) and other world medalists.

While his fifth match against Snyder was denied after the American lost to Khaniev in the quarterfinals, Sadulaev was met with a stiffer challenger in Khaniev.

Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) defeated Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the 97kg quarterfinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The U23 world silver medalist defeated Snyder 10-4 and then took out Magomedov in the semifinal to set up a clash against Sadulaev. The winner would also book his spot for the European Championships, to be held at the same arena in April.

Sadulaev was checked by Khaniev in the first period but a double-leg blast helped the former take a 4-0 lead. Khaniev cut it to 4-2 but a watchful Sadulaev never allowed him to dictate the pace of the bout.

Keeping Khaniev at an arm's length, Sadulaev scored three counter takedowns while giving up two stepouts to win final, 10-4, and lock his spot for the European Championships.

Abdulla KURBANOV (UWW) works on Mason PARRIS (USA) during the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In other Freestyler results, Abdulla KURBANOV (UWW) clinched the 125kg gold medal after an impressive 8-5 victory over world bronze medalist Mason PARRIS (USA) in the final.

While the score makes the final look close, Kurbanov was the better of the two wrestlers in the final, managing to tire Parris out in the final. He scored a four-pointer in his eight points and did not let Parris threaten his lead even one.

When the score was 7-3, Parris tried to score a takedown but Kurbanov scored a stepout on counter to make 8-3. He did give up a takedown in the final 10 seconds to avoid further risks in the final.

Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) defeated Dean HAMITI (USA) in the 79kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Iran Wins 2 Golds

After Yones EMAMI (IRI) won Iran's first gold medal on Wednesday, Iran added two more through Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) and Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) at 79kg and 92kg, respectively.

Nokhodi, who had struggled with a knee injury last season, seemed to have gained full fitness. He had no trouble in seeing off Dean HAMITI (USA), 10-0, in the final at 79kg.

The two-time world silver medalist scored three different takedowns and managed to turn Hamiti twice to accumulate his points in the gold medal bout.

Firouzpour, world bronze medalist in Zagreb, was in similar form as he defeated former world silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 11-1, in the 92kg final.

RESULTS

Freestyle

79kg
GOLD: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) df. Dean HAMITI (USA) , 10-0

BRONZE: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) df. Sagar JAGLAN (IND), 10-4
BRONZE: Luka CHKHITUNIDZE (GEO) df. Cameron AMINE (USA), 3-3

92kg
GOLD: Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 11-1

BRONZE: Ahmed BATAEV (BUL) df. Jacob CARDENAS (USA), 11-0
BRONZE: Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) df. Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ), 4-0

97kg
GOLD: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) df. Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW), 10-4

BRONZE: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Jointy KUMAR (IND), 10-0

125kg
GOLD: Abdulla KURBANOV (UWW) df. Mason PARRIS (USA), 8-5

BRONZE: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) df. Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR), via fall
BRONZE: Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) df. Nursultan AZOV (KAZ), 4-2

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) df. Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND), 13-2

BRONZE: MUSKAN (IND) df. Kendra RYAN (USA), 10-0
BRONZE: Erin GOLSTON (USA) df. Valeriia TIUKPIEKOVA (UWW), 4-2

55kg
GOLD: Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ) df. Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR), 3-2

BRONZE: Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) df. PUSHPA (IND), 3-2
BRONZE: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Beatrice FERENT (ROU), 10-0

Morning Session Highlights

Women's Wrestling

14:50: 55kg semifinals - Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) with a takedown with four seconds left to beat European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) at 55kg. Trailing 3-1, she got Verbina down on the edge to take a 3-3 criteria lead. Verbina challenged only to lose it and drop the semifinal 4-3.

Malanchuk will face Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ) in the final after the Kazakhstan wrestler pinned Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER).

14:40: 50kg semifinals - Asian bronze medalist Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) with an excellent win over MUSKAN (IND) at 50kg. She uses the snap to score three different takedowns to lead 8-1 at the break. She shoots an early takedown and then a turn to finish the bout 12-1.

She will another Indian, Priyanshi PARAJAPAT (IND), in the final after the Indian pinned Valeriia TIUKPIEKOVA (UWW)

Freestyle

14:35: 125kg semifinals - Mason PARRIS (USA) dumps Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) for four points to complete a stunning 14-3 win at 125kg. He will face a stiff challenge in the final against Abdulla KURBANOV (UWW), who defeated Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 9-1.

14:25: 97kg semifinals - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) is so quick! He opens with a fireman's carry to throw Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) and then turns two times to lead 8-0. A reversal gives Aitmukhan a point before he adds a stepout to make it 8-2. Sadulaev scores a takedown and then manages only a point when Aitmukhan defends a takedown but goes out of bounds. Sadulaev leads 11-2 at the break. Aitmukhan manages a stepout but Sadulaev hits a front headlock turn for two points to complete a 13-3 victory. Aitmukhan asks for a stepout with a challenges but loses it, making Sadulaev's score 14-3

Sadulaev will have Mukhammed KHANIEV (UWW) in the final with spot in the European Championships spot on the line. Khaniev, who defeated Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the quarters, gets a 10-0 victory over Magomedkhan MOGAMEDOV (AZE) in the semifinals.

14:15: 92kg semifinals - Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) works on several different takedowns and shuts down Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ), 10-0, in the semifinal. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) will challenge Firouzpour in the final after he beats Ahmed BATAEV (BUL), 4-0. Two points for two passivity calls against Bataev and a takedown from Maisuradze to complete the victory.

14:00: 79kg semifinals - Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) takes 35 seconds to beat Sagar JAGLAN (IND), 10-0, using a gut-wrench. Nokhodi will face Dean HAMITI (USA) for the gold medal. Cameron AMINE (USA) and Dean HAMITI (USA) opened the semis with fireworks with the latter taking a 4-2 lead. However, they both wore down. Hamiti hangs on for a 5-3 win.

Semifinals will begin with 79kg. Followed by 92kg, 97kg and 125kg. Women's Wrestling will follow with 50kg and 55kg

13:45: In the last quarterfinal, Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) beats Benjamin HONIS (ITA), 13-0 and sets up a semifinal against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) at 97kg

So far, Mukhammed KHANIEV (UWW) stunned world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the quarterfinals at 97kg with a 10-4 victory, denying a final between Snyder and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW).

Sadulaev on the other hand has made it to the semifinals with in what has looked like a rather easy outing. If he faces Khaniev in the final, the winner will go the the European Championships.

13:20: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (USA) had worked up an 8-0 lead inside the first minute but Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ) injured his elbow in that exchange with Sadulaev. Initially looked a serious injury but Bekenov manages to stand up, holding his elbow. Sadulaev into the semifinals at 97kg

13:10: Kyle SNYDER (USA) facing Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) in the quarterfinals at 97kg. Khaniev is called passive and he gives up a point but manages to score exposure point in on exchange. Snyder with a stepout but Khaniev holds 2-2 criteria. Snyder open second period with two stepouts to take a 4-2 lead. Khaniev fires a leg-attack and converts it into a takedown to make it 4-4 and lead on criteria. He shoots another similar attack and scores another takedown before countering a fake shot from Snyder to make it 8-4 with less than a minute left. One way traffic as Khaniev manages to hold his ground against Snyder and complete a 10-4 victory to advance to the semifinals.

13:00: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) got thrown for a four by Giorgi MESHDESHVILI (AZE) but he comes back with a takedown and powerful gut wrench to take an 11-4 lead. He then scores another takedown and turn to win 15-4. All in the first period at 125kg

12:50: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) hands Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) a 7-2 loss at 79kg. Nokhodi led 4-0 at the break before working a takedown and another point. Gadzhiev managed to score a takedown at the buzzer but Nokhodi in total control of that match.

12:30: European champion and world silver medalist Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) keeps Aleksandra SKIRENKO (UWW) at a distance and wins 6-2 at 55kg. Slow start to the match before Verbina manages to open up and score takedowns.

12:22: World champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) returns to the same venue he won his sixth world title. He is facing Jointy KUMAR (IND) in his first bout. Sadulaev with patiently waits and doesn't get involved much. Kumar gets called passive in the first period and gives up a point. Sadulaev is quick and scores a takedown soon after and turns Kumar to lead 5-0. A fireman's takedown from Sadulaev and he secures the fall over Kumar to win his first bout at 97kg.

12:15: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) with a quick victory over VICKY (IND) at 97kg. Four takedowns and two stepouts for a 10-0 blanking of the Indian wrestlers. Aitmukhan will face Benjamin HONIS (ITA) in the quarterfinals

12:10: Kyle SNYDER (USA) lost his balance and Radu LEFTER (MDA) used that moment to trip him for four which made the score line 5-4, though in favor of Snyder, in their 97kg bout. But Snyder worked on two more takedowns to beat Lefter 9-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

11:50: Former U23 European champion Giorgi IVANOV (BUL) dumps Trent HIGLER (USA) for a four-pointer in the first period and then control the bout thoroughly to win 7-2 at 125kg.

11:40: Mason PARRIS (USA) overcomes a 4-2 deficit in a very draining 125kg bout to beat Omar SAREM (ROU) and advances with a 15-5 victory. Parris was made to work hard for that win.

11:35: World silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) uses the gut-wrench and chalks up a 12-2 technical superiority win over Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM) at 125kg

11:25: SWEETY (IND) with a dominant 13-1 victory over Natalia WALCZAK (POL) at 50kg. Sweety in total control of that bout and she moves into the quarterfinals

11:15: Svenja JUNGO (SUI) with a late takedown to get a tough 3-1 victory over Agata GOLUCHOWSKA WALERZAK (POL) at 50kg. The Poland wrestler had a 1-1 criteria lead but Jungo with a match-winning takedown

11:00: At 92kg, Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) starts with a 9-2 win over Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ). Firouzpour hit a four-pointer when Dauletbekov was trying to scamper out of a tie. He then added a stepout to lead 5-0 at the break. No more points in the bout.

10:45: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), a world champion at 92kg in 2023, had built an 8-0 lead against Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) in their 97kg bout but seemed to struggle in the second period. However, he manages to defend that lead and win 8-5

10:40: Kyle SNYDER (USA) was first up on Mat and he warms up with a 3-0 win over Ertugrul AGCA (GER). Takedown in the first period and a stepout in the second as Snyder moves into the second round at 97kg. He can face Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW), only if both make the final

10:35: Richard VEGH (HUN) scored nine stepouts against AKASH (IND) and got one point for caution against the Indian as he wins the opening bout at 97kg 10-0. Victory via stepouts if we may

10:20: Welcome to the second day of the Muhamet Malo in Tirana. The Snyder vs Sadulaev chapter five is expected today. Both wrestlers will face each other only if they reach the final.

Japan Notches 5th Straight Title as Lesser Knowns Also Step up in Final Against U.S.

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Muhamet Malo 2026 Day 2 Results: Sadulaev Beats Khaniev; Iran Wins 2 Golds