#wrestlenursultan

Japan's Irie Aims for Golden Birthday Bonus in Senior World Debut

Monday, September 9, 2019 - 14:28 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO---When Yuki IRIE, the only wrestler on the planet to have ever defeated two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI, beat her for the third time in her career two months ago, it was far more than just a win over a formidable opponent.

It finally meant that Irie had the mental toughness to win when it counted most. That she had overcome the hardships of the past year. And in this case, that she could prevail when the stakes could hardly have been higher.

Irie's 6-1 victory over Susaki in the Japan national team playoff on July 6 not only denied her younger rival a chance for a third straight world title, it gave herself a first-ever ticket to the senior world championships---and in the leadup to the Olympic year, that has far-reaching ramifications.

"After the Meiji Cup, I worked on fixing my mistakes," Irie says, referring to a last-second loss to Susaki at the second of Japan's national tournaments that serve as national team qualifiers, and which set up the playoff between the two for the women's 50kg spot on the squad to Nur-Sultan.

"I was determined not to let her score at the end and came up with a strategy. I don't focus on analyzing the opponent, I work to know better what I can do. It paid off that I could improve and make the changes."

Irie, a world junior champion in 2012, had since then played second or third fiddle to a succession of domestic stars in her stacked weight class --- Hitomi OBARA, Eri TOSAKA and Susaki --- who combined to keep the world or Olympic titles in in the lightest women's division in Japanese hands every year but one dating back to 2010.

Irie will aim to keep that streak alive and make sure that Sept. 20, the first day of competition at 50kg, turns out special---and not just because it will be her 27th birthday.

The Japanese federation has decreed that any wrestler winning a medal at the world championships will not only earn a berth for Japan at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but fill the spot themselves without any further qualifying process. By making it to the final, which will be held the next day, Irie would already know she had made the Olympic team.

Yuki IRIE (JPN) will wrestle in her first World Championships beginning on September 20. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

"On that birthday, I can't let myself relax," Irie says, speaking at an interview with the UWW website at a recent national team training camp in Tokyo. "When the matches are over, then I can start thinking about the Olympics."

Irie will look to emerge victorious from a field led by veteran Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the runner-up to both Tosaka at the Rio 2016 Olympics and Susaki at last year's world championships.

Others expected to be in contention are 2018 world bronze medalists SUN Yanan (CHN) and Oksana LIVACH (UKR), and 2017 world bronze medalist KIM Son-Hyang (PRK). Irie has chalked up recent victories over both Sun and Kim, the win over the former coming in the final at the Asian Championships in Xi'an in April. Livach is the European champion.

Stadnik, 31, won by technical fall in the only previous meeting between the two, but that was back at the 2014 Golden Grand Prix. A lot has changed since then for Irie, and perhaps no more than over the past year.

The season actually started on a high note, when Irie pulled a surprise at the All-Japan Championships in December 2017. The tournament, known as the Emperor's Cup and the first of the two national team qualifiers, had been billed as a clash between teen phenom and reigning world champion Susaki and Olympic champion Tosaka, who was making a comeback following foot surgery after Rio 2016.

Instead, Irie crashed the party, whipping Susaki by 10-0 technical fall in the semifinals, then holding on to edge Miho IGARASHI 6-5 in the final to regain the national title she first won in 2015, when she beat an up-and-coming Susaki in the first meeting between the two. Tosaka's title hopes ended when she defaulted her semifinal match against Igarashi.

The victory put Irie onto Japan's teams in 2018 for the Asian Championships in Bishkek, the Women's World Cup hosted by Japan, and the Asian Games in Jakarta. But that is where the story takes a downturn.

Coming off a third career title at the Yarygin Grand Prix, Irie headed to Bishkek in high spirits --- only to be dealt a stunning loss in the semifinals by Vinesh VINESH (IND) and having to settle for a bronze.

Irie sticks world and Olympic bronze medalist SUN Yanan (CHN) at the 2018 Women's Wrestling World Cup. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

She followed that with a successful Women's World Cup in March, going 3-0, including a victory by fall over Sun, and helping Japan take the title. In the meantime, Susaki won the Klippan Lady and waited for her chance for revenge, which would come three months later.

At the Meiji Cup, Irie defeated Tosaka 6-2 in the semifinals, setting up a showdown in the final with Susaki. But Susaki caught her with a pancake and scored a fall in 3:37. That set up a playoff for the world championships in Budapest, which Susaki won 6-4 with a dramatic takedown in the final 15 seconds.

The additional salt to the wound would come a month later in Jakarta, where Irie suffered her second loss of the year to Vinesh to finish with the silver medal at the Asian Games.

"Psychologically, I was depressed," Irie says. "Physically, there was a gap between what I was thinking to do and what I actually did. Along with the losses, that took a toll and led to depression."

To right the ship, Irie, a member of the Japan Self-Defense Force Physical Training School in Tokyo, returned to her roots on the southern island of Kyushu. It was there that she started wrestling at age 5, and where she knew could always turn to her high school coach and long-time mentor Hideki TSUJI.

It was because of Tsuji that Irie attended college on Kyushu instead of going to powerhouse Shigakkan University or one of the top schools in the Tokyo area. She didn't seem to lose anything, as she won four national collegiate titles while at Kyushu Kyoritsu University.

"My coach has been teaching me since I was in kids wrestling, even now, when I return home, he coaches me," Irie says. "I wanted to keep him as a coach. Even when I was in college, I would go to his high school and practice, and he would watch my movement and offer advice."

Irie returned to Tokyo for the 2018 Emperor's Cup in a better frame of mind and with the kinks, mainly in her stance, worked out. For better or worse, she did not have to face Susaki, who withdrew from the tournament due to an elbow injury. Irie again got the best of Tosaka, winning 4-4 in the semifinals.

"When we were in high school, I beat her," Irie says of her long rivalry with Tosaka. "But when we got to university, she really got stronger. She had a scary presence."

Irie then won the title with a 6-0 victory over Kika KAGATA, earning her a ticket to this year's Asian Championships in Xi'an, where she beat Sun in the final for her first continental gold since 2015.

But the path to the World Championships still had to pass through Susaki, and it got extended at the Meiji Cup in dramatic fashion. Susaki scored a miraculous 4-point move in the last 2 seconds of their quarterfinal match for a 6-4 win, then went on to win the title and set up yet another playoff between the two---this time with Olympic implications.

This time Irie was ready. She never hesistated, nor dangerously sat on a lead as she had done at the Meiji Cup, and forged a solid victory that left Susaki in tears.

"She went in with the attitude of being the challenger," Japan national women's coach Masashi SAITO says. "Her being the aggressor was the usual pattern for her, she has always had the ability. When she loses, she herself knows she has to fix various things. She regained the confidence going into matches. Her aggressiveness became her strength."

Saito added he was impressed with how decisively Irie handled the rematch with Susaki. "It was amazing. Her speed, technique were superb.  Her mental state was good."

Irie gained a "bonus" two weeks later, when younger sister Nanami also secured a ticket to Nur-Sultan in the non-Olympic weight of 55kg by winning a wrestle-off with Haruna OKUNO, the world champion at 53kg who had lost out on a place in that weight class to the 55kg world champion Mayu MUKAIDA.

"I've been competing along with her for a long time, so I'm really happy that we can appear together," the soft-spoken Irie says while flashing a warm smile. "After all, she's the person I'm closest to, so we can be honestly critical with each other about both good and bad things."

Older brother Shinji and younger sister Kumi, currently a national collegiate champion, also wrestled, causing some intense times in the Irie household while they were growing up in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture.

"At practice, it would be a mix of fighting and wrestling," Irie recalls. "None of us wanted to lose to the other. So I would fight with my younger sisters. My brother became too strong, so he was unbeatable for us."

Yuki made her first big mark in 2006 when she captured the national junior high school title at 46kg. (While Irie's weight has hardly changed since then, Nanami and Kumi overcame her in size when they were in high school.)  Of note was that among the bronze medalists in that weight class was Sara DOSHO, currently the reigning Olympic and world champion at 68kg.

"The next year, she got much bigger," Irie says with a laugh. "It's like she became a different person."

Irie's first dip into the international waters came in March 2011, just before her graduation from Kokura Commercial High School, where she won two national titles. Irie entered the senior division at 48kg at the Klippan, winning the gold in her debut at the prestigious Swedish tournament.

"I was really excited and looking forward to it," Irie says. "My impression was that it was fun. [The foreign wrestlers] seem to rely on power more than Japanese wrestlers."

If Irie wins a medal at the 2019 World Championships, she'll lock up her spot on Japan's team at the 2020 Olympic Games. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Irie says she will take that same attitude into Nur-Sultan, when she aims for the biggest prize of her career.

"This is my first time to appear [at the world championships], the feeling is like when I first entered the Klippan," Irie says. "The feeling of enjoying myself is strong, but as a tournament, I am looking to win each match one at a time and take the title. And as a bonus, if I win the gold, the Olympic berth comes with it."

After graduating from college, it was the structured atmosphere of the JSDF Physical Training School that appealed to her and led her to join that team. It was also no coincidence that one of the coaches is Obara, who won most of her eight world titles under her maiden name of Sakamoto.

"Only a person who has been to an Olympics, who knows the feeling and atmosphere, can point out the dos and don'ts," Irie said. "She teaches me the tough aspects. It's really been good."

Having competed in the shadow of three of Japan's greatest women's wrestlers for much of her career, one might believe that Irie was hexed to be in such a strong weight class. She thinks of it in the opposite way.

"It's tough, but it allowed me to develop and make progress," she says. "With the Olympic champion and the world champion in the country, I could practice and have matches on a high level. To me, that was a plus."

And having beaten both of them, now it's time for her to reap the rewards. No birthday cake can compete with that.

#WrestleZagreb

Uguev ends six-year world title drought with 61kg gold

Sunday, September 14, 2025 - 22:03 By Ken Marantz

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 13) -- With a spectacular display of his old form over two days, Zavur UGUEV (UWW) went from an afterthought back to one of the sport's most dominant wrestlers.

Uguev finessed his way to a third world title and first in six years when he captured the freestyle 61kg gold at the World Championships in Zagreb on Sunday, on the first night of finals in four Freestyle weight classes.

Uguev, the Tokyo Olympic champion at 57kg, rolled to the gold with a comprehensive 11-2 victory in the final over Asian bronze medalist Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), adding to the world titles he won in 2018 and 2019, also at 57kg.

"This is a very joyful event in my life -- I am once again on the top of the podium," Uguev said. "I am very happy and grateful to my team, my coach, my sparring partners, our national team -- thanks to everyone who played a part in my victory."

In other finals, Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) also became a three-time world champion with his third victory in five years at 125kg, while the two other golds at stake went to first-time winners who had previously made the podium, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) at 70kg and Zahid VALENCIA (USA) at 86kg.

Uguev had been the dominant lightweight for the span from his first world title in 2018 to his Olympic triumph in 2021. But then he hit a slump with a fifth-place finish in 2023, a result he repeated in 2024, even after moving up to the non-Olympic weight class of 61kg.

This year, he gave an indication of what might lie ahead when he won his first-ever European title, having previously won a bronze in 2017 and a silver in 2018.

"I didn’t change much," Uguev said. "I just worked on our mistakes, that’s all. We didn’t invent anything new. There were mistakes, we thought them through, corrected them, and this time made only minimal ones."

Zavur UGUEV (UWW)Zavur UGUEV (UWW) tries to score against Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) in the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Uguev said he welcomes new challengers coming along to try to knock him off the throne again.

"The more new names that appear, the better," he said. "They don’t let us relax. The young wrestlers are improving a lot, and it also makes me want to work harder — to compete with the younger generation."

Regarding a possible return to 57kg, Uguev replied, "I think it’s already clear that I’ve settled into this weight and built up my physique well. I feel comfortable here now, in this weight.

"There’s still time before the [2028] Olympic Games -- we’re not thinking about that yet. For now, there’s a goal for next year. I will work, move only forward. And later we’ll see how things go."

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) wrestles Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) in the 125kg final at the World Championships. (Photo: United World Championships / Kostadin Andonov)

At 125kg, Zare reconfirmed himself as the preeminent heavyweight with a 5-0 victory in the final over European champion and Olympic bronze medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), with all of the points coming in the first period.

"I’m thankful that this [winning the title] has happened for the third time now," Zare said. "My hope is that as long as I wrestle, I can keep winning gold medals. This third one feels just as good as the others, and I dedicate it to the people of Iran."

The victory helps alleviate some of the sting of a defeat in the final at the Paris Olympics, where he was dealt a heartbreaking 10-9 loss by Geno PETRASHVILI (GEO).

"That tough experience at the Olympics was really painful, and I’ll never forget it," said Zare, who previously won world titles in 2021 and 2023. "I made mistakes myself. For the last 13 months, I’ve only been focused on training -- so that my next medal would be gold and to make up for those mistakes. I’ll keep grinding, keep pushing, until I get better and finally win that Olympic gold."

Zare also has bronze medals from the 2021 Olympics and 2022 World Championships, as well as a gold from his debut at the Asian Championships last year.

At 70kg, Aoyagi wasn't as dominating as he had been in storming into the final, but he took advantage of the opportunities presented and forged a 5-1 victory over Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL).

"The opponent completely had a strategy to counter my movement, so it made it tough," Aoyagi said. "But I also had a plan for the opponent, so I never thought I would lose."

Aoyagi's victory made up for losing in last year's final, a defeat that caused him to make changes in his approach to training and competition.

"After I lost, I dedicated myself to practice and to expanding my horizons in terms of going different places to train, and going overseas," Aoyagi said.

His overseas ventures resulted in victories at the Ranking Series events in Tirana and Budapest, along with a bronze medal at the Asian Championships, where he lost a close semifinal match to Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) -- a loss he avenged in spades in his opening match in Zagreb en route to outscoring four opponents 34-1.

Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) celebrates after winning the 70kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Aoyagi also suffered a setback domestically in June, when he was beaten in the semifinals of the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, the second of two qualifiers for the World Championships. But he came back to earn his ticket to Zagreb by winning a playoff with the eventual champion.

"A little while ago, I lost at a Japan tournament, so right now I'm No. 3 in Japan," he said. "But I never give up in trying to win. I always fight only believing that I can win."

In Sunday's final, Aoyagi gave up an activity point -- the first and only point he surrendered all tournament -- but stuffed a half-hearted arm throw attempt by Tumur Ochir for a 2-point exposure.

In the second period, he was on the verge of giving up a stepout when he suddenly rose up, reversed their positions and gained the stepout himself, which was upheld on challenge to increase his lead to 4-1.

"I knew I had my knee down and it would be no point," said Aoyagi, who would add another stepout in the final seconds. "I was aware of going out, and the opponent pushed me up a bit.

"I didn't want to let the chance get away and I reversed our positions and scored a point. Even if it had been no points, it wouldn't have changed the flow of the match."

Zahid VALENCIA (USA)Zahid VALENCIA (USA) scores a takedown against Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) in the 86kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 86kg, Valencia denied Japan a second gold on the night when he overwhelmed 2023 Asian bronze medalist Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) 12-0 to cap a successful drop from 92kg.

"I felt like I was always the best in the world," Valencia said. "I was confident in myself."

The 28-year-old Valencia, a 2023 world bronze medalist at 92kg, changed his own fortunes when, about a year ago, he decided to train with the Oklahoma State University group under the leadership of former star David TAYLOR (USA) -- a one-time nemesis of his.

"Being able to learn from someone like him, it's been amazing," Valencia said. "That's ultimately why I made the move. He's beat me so many times. I wanted to learn from him and get into his mindset of what it takes to become a world champion. I was able to do it and replicate it and bring home another one for our Team USA."

Zahid VALENCIA (USA)Zahid VALENCIA (USA), right, with coach David TAYLOR, after winning the 86kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Just to make Team USA was a challenge in itself. Valencia had to beat four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) twice at the U.S. trials to earn his ticket to Zagreb. That in itself can be quite a confidence booster.

"If you make the team in the U.S., you're prepared to go be a world champ," he said. "So just go out there and let go of your fears and be courageous and let fly, go up there and score points and enjoy every moment and have fun with it."

Robert BARAN (POL)Robert BARAN (POL) celebrates after winning his bronze-medal bout at 125kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Poland's Baran earns elusive world medal

Making his seventh trip to the World Championships, Robert BARAN (POL) finally made it onto the medal podium at age 34. And he says he wants to get come back for more.

Baran won a bronze at 125kg with a solid 5-0 victory over Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), ending a run of futility that started in 2017.

"I feel very good, it is my long-awaited first [world] medal," Baran said. "I'm very happy, very pleased, and I hope that it is not the last medal."

Baran's previous best finish was a seventh place in Belgrade in 2023. He came close at last year's Paris Olympics, but lost in the bronze-medal match to Meshvildishvili.

On Sunday, he received an activity point in each period before scoring a stepout in the second to go ahead 3-0. He capped his win with a last-second 2-point exposure.

"During the match, I was feeling great," Baran said. "We worked on a plan with the coaches and I made it work 100 percent."

The other bronze at 125kg went to Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), who caught Jonovan SMITH (PUR) with a 4-point counter that sent him to his back, then secured a fall in 4:08.

Meanwhile, Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ), a world medalist on the U23 and U20 levels, picked up his first one as a senior, but it didn't come easy nor without a bit of drama.

Yessengeldi emerged from a wild encounter with high school phenom Jax FORREST (USA) with a 10-8 victory in a bronze-medal match at 61kg that, for an agonizing moment, he had thought he had lost.

Yessengeli came back from a 8-3 deficit to go ahead 9-8 following a scramble that earned him four points. But with the seconds ticking away, he was suddenly flagged for grabbing the singlet, giving Forrest a point -- and the lead on criteria -- with :03 left. But on challenge, his despondence turned to joy when the penalty was overturned.

The other 61kg bronze went to Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE), who put on a master class of counter wrestling to defeat Kum Hyok KIM (PRK) by fall with the last of three scoring moves.

After chalking up a pair of 2-point exposures off Kim's attacks, Novruzov countered him right to his back to secure the fall in 2:19 and gain the bronze medal that evaded him last year.

Akmataliev and Nurkosha KAIPANOV (KAZ) both added to burgeoning world medal collections by taking home the 70kg bronze medals.

Akmataliev went on a six-point run in the second period to finish up an 8-2 victory over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) and add to his world silver from 2021 and bronze from 2022.

Kaipanov, who came into Zagreb as the defending champion, also went on a second-period blitz, with his culminating in a 13-2 victory over Vasile DIACON (MDA) in 4:48. Kaipanov also has a silver from 2019.

At 86kg, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), a two-time world champion at 92kg, bounced back from a disappointing loss to Valencia in the semifinals by manhandling Mukul DAHIYA (IND) with a 10-0 technical fall in 3:33.

Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) gave Azerbaijan its second bronze of the night by handily defeating Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) 7-0 in the other 86kg match.

READ THE DAY 2 SEMIFINALS REPORT HERE

RESULTS

Freestyle

57kg (31 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) by Fall, 3:47 (4-1)
SEMIFINAL: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 8-0

61kg (26 entries)
GOLD: Zavur UGUEV (UWW) df. Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), 11-2

BRONZE: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Jax FORREST (USA), 10-8
BRONZE: Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE) df. Kum Hyok KIM (PRK) by Fall, 2:18 (6-0)

70kg (29 entries)
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 5-1

BRONZE: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 8-2
BRONZE: Nurkosha KAIPANOV (KAZ) df. Vasile DIACON (MDA) by TF, 13-2, 4:47

74kg (35 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), 6-4
SEMIFINAL: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 6-4

79kg (27 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), 8-3
SEMIFINAL: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), 4-1

86kg (29 entries)
GOLD: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) df. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) by TF, 12-0, 4:22

BRONZE: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Mukul DAHIYA (IND) by TF, 10-0, 3:32
BRONZE: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 7-0

92kg (26 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) by TF, 15-4, 6:00
SEMIFINAL: Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 11-6

125kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), 5-0

BRONZE: Robert BARAN (POL) df. Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Jonovan SMITH (PUR) by Fall, 4:07 (5-0)