#WrestleBelgrade

Japan puts four in World Championships finals

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 19) -- A few legends of the sport have fallen at this World Championships in Belgrade and Adeline GRAY (USA) joined that unwanted list as Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) defeated her in the quarterfinals at 76kg.

Gray, coming back to wrestling after giving birth to twins, was looking to become a seven-time world champion which would have made her the United States' most successful wrestler. But Kagami ruined that plan by etching a 4-1 win after two takedowns against Gray's one point in the activity period.

Kagami then return to beat Milaimys MARIN (CUB) 5-1 and confirm her ticket to Paris Olympics as Japan will be sending the medalist from the World Championships directly to the 2024 Games.

"I was very excited and nervous for the Gray bout," Kagami said. "But I think I came prepared to win the match."

Kagami will take on Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) for the gold medal as the Kyrgyzstan wrestler defeated Tatiana RENTERIA (COL), another Pan-Am star, via fall in the other semifinal.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN)Yui SUSAKI (JPN) managed to win 4-2 against Ziqi FENG (CHN). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

While she did not lose, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) had a rare off day on the mat as her opponents managed to score three points on her in two bouts. The first was Alisson CARDOZO (ECU) who scored a stepout before Susaki punished her with a leg lace. Susaki pinned Emilia VUC (ROU) in the quarterfinals.

Ziqi FENG (CHN) pushed Susaki to the limits, even scoring exposure over Susaki, but the Tokyo Olympic champion hung on for a 4-2 win and an automatic ticket to Paris where she will look to defend her title.

Susaki, who failed to hold her tears back in an interview, said that it was a tough bout but she was prepared.

"The Chinese wrestler was strong in defense and power," Susaki said. "Before this tournament, I was in a difficult situation which I will talk about only after gold medal tournament."

In a repeat of last year's final, Susaki will take on Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) who now has a 2-1 head-to-head record over Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA).

Dolgorjav defeated Hildebrandt 7-5 in a rematch of last year's semifinal also won by Dolgorjav. Hildebrandt had won by technical superiority when the two met in the Ranking Series in Budapest.

Hildebrandt's loss also means that Mariya STADNIK (AZE), who lost to the USA wrestler, will have to travel to another Olympic Qualifiers to secure a trip to  Paris.

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) beat Helen MAROULIS (USA) for the second straight year. (Photo: Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the third Olympic weight class of the day, Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) also confirmed her ticket to Paris after beating (and also spoiled her birthday) Rio Olympic champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) 6-0 in the semifinal. This was her second win over the American as Sakurai won the final last year over Maroulis.

But a tought test awaits her in the final as 59kg world champion Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) dropped to the Olympic weight and dominated her opponents.

She opened with a win over Olympic bronze medalist Evlina NIKOLOVA (BUL) and then went on to beat Odunayo ADEKUROYE (NGR) 10-0 in the quarterfinals. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) was no match as Nichita once again won 10-0.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) reached the 65kg final at the World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the only non-Olympic weight class in action on Tuesday, 62kg world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) returned to the world finals, this year at 65kg. She beat Tatsiana PAULAVA 10-0 in what was her third win of the day, all without giving up a point.

Macey KILTY (USA) will try to stop her from winning the gold for a second straight year.

#WrestleBelgrade

Zare sets up final with Petriashvili after blanking Akgul

By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 16) -- For the third straight year, Amir ZARE (IRI) had to take on Taha AKGUL (TUR) in the semifinals at freestyle 125kg at the World Championships. For the second time, the Iranian came out on top, even by the same score.

Zare forged a 4-0 victory over defending champion Akgul in the tournament's first major clash of titans -- and secured the bonus of a berth for Iran at next year's Paris Olympics -- on Saturday, the opening day of the nine-day tournament in Belgrade, Serbia.

Zare set up a showdown in Sunday's final at the Stark Arena with the other member of the Big Three at 125kg, Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who will be looking to avenge a loss to Zare in the 2021 final.

"I hope I can wrestle well tomorrow and not make my last year's mistake and present a beautiful gold medal to my dear people," Zare said through an interpreter.

Petriashvili, who has not made the top of the podium since winning three straight titles from 2017 to 2019, advanced with a tough 8-6 win over young Mason PARRIS (USA).

In the other Olympic weight class in action Saturday, another classic duel was set up at 86kg between defending champion David TAYLOR (USA) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), who have combined to win every world and Olympic title in the weight class dating back to 2017.

The tournament is serving as the first qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with five quotas on offer in each Olympic weight class. The winners of the semifinals automatically secured one for their national federation, while the bronze medalists and the winner of a playoff between the losers of the bronze-medal matches will secure the remaining three.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) defeated Taha AKGUL (TUR) 4-0 in the 125kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Zare assured Iran a place in Paris at 125kg with a solid win over Akgul, his fellow bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics who is among the most successful heavyweights in history. At 32, Akgul is Zare's senior by a decade, but he showed last year he was not going to allow a changing of the guard so easy.

Akgul, the 2016 Olympic champion, beat Zare 4-2 in the semifinals a year ago in Belgrade en route to his third career world title. That avenged a 4-0 loss to Zare from the previous year.

On Saturday, Zare repeated his 2021 win when he received an activity point in each period, then closed the deal with a takedown with 40 seconds remaining.

"I dedicate this win to all of the dear people of Iran and to all who waited for this victory," Zare said. "I lost this match by mistake last year but thanks to god, with the help of coaches, a ready body and a good analysis, we were able to go according to plan and I implemented this analysis."

Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) celebrates after beating Mason PARRIS (USA) in the 125kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

For Petriashvili, his win prevented a repeat of his nightmarish loss in the Tokyo Olympic final to another young American, Gable STEVESON (USA), who pulled off a last-second 10-8 victory to deny Petriashvili an Olympic gold after placing third in 2016.

Steveson, who retired after the 2022 NCAA Championships to pursue a career in professional wrestling, had "unretired" and earned a place on the U.S. team to Belgrade. But he became a late withdrawal, opening the door for Parris, the 2019 world U20 champion.

Parris gave Petriashvili a fight that he probably did not expect. Parris led 4-1 and 6-4 at certain points of the second period before Petriashvili went ahead on criteria 6-6 with a key takedown with 44 seconds left, then added a late 2 in the final seconds.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) overcame Myles AMINE (SMR) in the 86kg quarterfinals. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 86kg, neither Taylor and Yazdani had to go the distance in defeating Asian opponents who had otherwise looked very impressive in making the semifinals in a weight class with 48 entries, the former winning by fall and the latter by 10-0 technical fall.

"We're back at it, this is what people want to see," Taylor said. "This is what I've been training for, this is what Hassan has been training for. It's going to be another epic battle."

Yazdani, who had relied on stepouts for the bulk of his points in his earlier bouts, went into full-out takedown mode and scored three in taking a 7-0 first-period lead against Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB). A takedown and a stepout in the second period and the match was over at 4:04.

David TAYLOR (USA)David TAYLOR (USA) pinned Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) in the 86kg semifinals. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Taylor needed slightly more time against Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) and struggled a bit in the early going. Taylor had to settle for an activity point and a 1-0 lead in the first period, but got through Dauletbekov's defenses and scored a pair of takedowns off single-leg attacks in the second.

After the second takedown, Taylor applied a half-nelson and pried Dauletbekov over before securing a fall in 4:37. The victory was a repeat of last year's semifinal Taylor won 12-0 en route to his third world gold.

"It was almost identical to the match last year," Taylor said. "These guys have a good plan. They spend a whole year preparing for two people. You just have to stay patient and be smart. Everyone's got a trick or two, but I've been doing it for a while, so you feel those things and keep building."

Against Yazdani, Taylor has the upper hand when it comes to their career meetings, holding a 4-1 record. Yazdani's lone win was a 6-2 decision in the 2021 final in Oslo.

Zain RETHERFORD (USA)Zain RETHERFORD (USA), blue, controlled his semifinals for a 7-0 win over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

In the non-Olympic weights, Zain RETHERFORD (USA) will get a chance to win the gold medal that eluded him at 70kg last year when he bunched all of his points in the first period and cruised to a 7-0 victory over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM).

Retherford scored with a takedown, then went to a grapevine ride. Andreasyan stood up, providing an intriguing situation that backfired when, at the edge, Retherford spun him down to the mat for a 4-point move. An unsuccessful challenge added the seventh point, and that was how it stayed until the end.

In the final, Retherford will face the other Yazdani in action on Saturday -- Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI), a distant cousin -- who put on a takedown clinic in a 13-2 technical fall over Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL).

"I don't scout too much, I know who he is, I know he's been in the world final before," Retherford said of Yazdani. "He's a great wrestler. He's a Yazdani. I'm just excited for that. I know these Iranian fans are going to be excited and I just have to go do my thing."

Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI)Things got heated between Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) and Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) in their 70kg quarterfinals. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan) 

Yazdani, the 2021 world 65kg silver medalist, used a powerful single to score three takedowns in the first period, after one of which he immediately transitioned into a gut wrench, to take a 9-1 lead into the second period. A stepout, unsuccessfully challenged, and a shuck-by takedown ended the match at 4:39.

That avenged a 7-6 loss to Ramazanov in the semifinals at the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov International in Bulgaria in March.

"I had lost to this wrestler and it was more like a revenge thing for me," Yazdani said. [My coaches] arranged a good program for me and I wrestled according to that program."

Vitali ARUJAU (USA)Vitali ARUJAU (USA) defeated Asian champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) 12-2 in the 61kg semifinals. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

The 61kg final will see a clash between 2021 world champion Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) and Vitali ARUJAU (USA), an NCAA champion this year at Cornell University who is making his senior world debut. Both advanced with technical fall victories.

Magomedov scored four takedowns in the first period, then got the fifth 46 seconds into the second to finish up a 10-0 win over European bronze medalist Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO).

Arujau completed his mission in the first period against Asian champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ). After taking a 4-2 lead, he gained a single-leg takedown, secured a lace lock and reeled off three rolls for a 12-2 victory in 2:36.

"I think my build and my style were a pretty good counter [to his attacks]," Arujau said. "I was able to get to a lot of multiple attacks and create these flurries that may have looked really chaotic, but I was planning out where I was going. There was just a lot of good wrestling out there."

dfg

Day 1 Results

Freestyle

61kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Vitali ARUJAU (USA) vs. Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN)

Semifinal - Vitali ARUJAU (USA) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) by TF, 12-2, 2:36
Semifinal - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) by TF, 10-0, 3:46

70kg (30 entries)
GOLD: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) vs. Zain RETHERFORD (USA)

Semifinal - Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) df. Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) by TF, 13-2, 4:39
Semifinal - Zain RETHERFORD (USA) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 7-0

86kg (48 entries)
GOLD: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) vs. David TAYLOR (USA)

Semifinal - Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:04
Semifinal - David TAYLOR (USA) df. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) by Fall, 4:37 (7-0)

125kg (33 entries)
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) vs. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)

Semifinal - Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Taha AKGUL (TUR), 4-0
Semifinal - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Mason PARRIS (USA), 8-6