World Club Cup

Kashan Wins World Clubs Cup

By Ali Feizasa

The fourth edition of World Clubs Cup finished today in Tehran City, Iran. In a close finals match, Easy Pipe Kashan (IRI) edged Titan Mercury (USA), 6-4. In the third place bout, Setaregan Sari (IRI) downed Khimori (MGL).

Final Match: Easy Pipe Kashan (IRI) df. Titan Mercury (USA), 6-4

57kg- Reza ATARI (IRI / Easy Pipe) df. Thomas GILMAN (USA / Titan), 6-4
Reza ATARI (IRI) started the match with a double leg, taking the 2-0 lead on 2017 world silver medal winner, Thomas GILMAN (USA). The first period ended with Atari in the lead, 2-0. In second period, Gilman picked up four points off of two takedowns, but Atari earned the decisive takedown, winning the match 6-4.

61kg- Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO / Easy Pipe) df. Alan WATERS (USA / Titan), 7-0
Olympic and world champion Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) nearly picked up a fall twice as he gave the Iranian side their second win, defeating Alan WATERS (USA), 7-0.

 

Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) looks to score on a gut wrench in the World Clubs Cup finals.

65kg- Farzad AMOUZAD KHALILI (Easy Pipe) df.  Bernard FUTRELL (Titan), 6-3
Farzad AMOUZAD KHALILI (IRI) collected three points in each period, giving him the victory over FUTRELL, 6-3. Heading into 70kg, Easy Pipe lead Titan Mercury, 3-0.

70kg- Mohammad NADERI (Easy Pipe) df. Franklin GOMEZ (PUR / Titan), 2-2
Mohammad NADERI (IRI), the two-time world champion in beach wrestling bested 2011 world silver medal winner, Franklin GOMEZ (PUR), 2-2. It was Gomez who scored the first two points, but NADERI earned two points in second period, giving him the 2-2 win. This was the fourth straight victory for the Iranian side, Easy Pipe Kashan.

74kg- Nazariy KULCHYTSKYY (USA / Titan) df. Hossein ELYASI (IRI / Easy Pipe), 5-4
KULCHYTSKYY (USA) gave the USA side hope as defeated Hossein ELYASI (IRI), 5-4. KULCHYTSKYY’s two points with seconds left gave Titan Mercury their first victory of the finals.

79kg- Kyle DAKE (USA / Titan) TF. Reza AFZALI (IRI / Easy Pipe), 12-0
Kyle DAKE (USA) showed his dominance, picking up four points at the beginning of the match. Dake’s 12-0 victory gave Titan Mercury their second win of the finals, as they trailed 4-2.

 

Kyle DAKE (USA) in a single leg during the finals of the 2017 World Clubs Cup finals. 

86kg- David TAYLOR (USA / Titan) df. Alireza KARIMI (IRI / Easy Pipe), 3-1
David TAYLOR proved he knows how to beat Iranian stars. After defeating Hassan YAZDANI in the 2017 World Cup, Taylor won the tough match against 2015 world bronze medal winner Alireza KARIMI 3-2. After seven matches, Easy Pipe (IRI) was ahead 4-3.

92kg- Hossein SHAHBAZI (IRI / Easy Pipe) df. Nickolas HEFLIN (USA / Titan), 4-2
2016 junior world champion Hossein SHAHBAZI (IRI) defeated Nickolas HEFLIN(USA), 4-2 to achieve the fifth victory for Easy Pipe.

97kg- Kyle SNYDER (USA / Titan) TF. Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS / Easy Pipe), 11-0
Olympic and world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) had an important win for Titan Mercury as he defeated Russian Vladislav BAITSAEV by technical superiority, 11-0.  Heading into the heavy weight bout, Titan Mercury trailed by one match. The winning of the 125kg bout would determine the champion of World Clubs Cup.

125kg- Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO / Easy Pipe) df. Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA / Titan), 6-5
The key match of the event came in the heavy weight bout, where 2017 world champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) defeated world bronze medal winner, Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA). Petriashvili struggled through a rib injury to pick up the 6-5 win. This victory ensured the championship for Easy Pipe Kashan, defeating Titan Mercury, 6-4.

 

Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) seals with the victory for Easy Pipe with a win the World Clubs Cup finals. 

Third Place Match: Setaregan Sari (IRI) df. Khimori (MGL), 9-0
57kg- Nader HAJAGHANIA (Setaregan) df.TSEVEENSUREN Tsogbakrakh (Khimori), 4-3
61kg- Mohammadreza RAMEZANPOUR (Setaregan) df. BATCHULUUN Basaniam (Khimori) by forfeit
65kg- TUMUR OCHIR Tulga (Khimori) df. Hassan MORADGHOLI (Setaregan), 9-5
70kg- Magomed KURBANALIEV (Setaregan) TF. LUTBAYAR Batbayar (Khimori), 10-0
74kg- Magomed Rasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (Setaregan) TF. BOLDKHUU Batsukh (Khimori), 10-0
79kg- Omid HASSANTABAR (Setaregan)TF. Turbold GANBOLD (Khimori), 10-0
86kg- Esmaeil MAHMOUDI df. Gankhuyag GANBATAAR (Khimori) by forfeit
92kg- Abazar ESLAMI (Setaregan) TF. Shogai TUMURBAT MUNGUN (Khimori) , 12-2
97kg- Esmaeil NEJATIAN (Setaregan)df. Batsukh ZORIGTBAATAR (Khimori), 6-2
125kg- Jaber SADEGHZADEH (Setaregan) TF. MUNKHTUR Lkhagvegerel (Khimori), 11-0

Fifth place match: Raindi (GEO) df. India Club (IND), 6-4
Seventh place match: Budapest SC (HUN) df. Bimeh Razi (IRI)- Bimeh Razi didn’t compete.
Ninth place match: BS Brothers (KAZ) df. Montreal (CAN), 6-4
Eleventh place match: Tajik Air (TJK) df. Kelechik (KGZ), 6-4

Semifinal 1: Titan Mercury (USA) df. Khimori (MGL), 9-1
57kg- Thomas GILMAN (Titan) df.TSEVEENSUREN Tsogbakrakh (Khimori), 5-2
61kg- Alan WATERS (Titan) Pinned BATCHULUUN Basaniam (Khimori)
65kg- TUMUR OCHIR Tulga (Khimori) TF. Bernard FUTRELL (Titan), 12-2
70kg- Franklin GOMEZ (Titan) df. LUTBAYAR Batbayar (Khimori), 5-3
74kg- Nazariy KULCHYTSKYY (Titan) df. BOLDKHUU Batsukh (Khimori), 10-2
79kg- Kyle DAKE  (Titan)TF. Turbold GANBOLD (Khimori), 10-0
86kg- David TAYLOR (Titan)Pinned. Gankhuyag GANBATAAR (Khimori)
92kg- Nickolas HEFLIN (Titan)TF. Shogai TUMURBAT MUNGUN (Khimori) , 10-0
97kg- Kyle SNYDER (Titan) TF. Batsukh ZORIGTBAATAR (Khimori), 12-2 
125kg- Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (Titan) TF. MUNKHTUR Lkhagvegerel (Khimori), 10-0

Semifinal 2: Easy Pipe Kashan (IRI) df. Setaregan Sari (IRI), 6-4
57kg- Reza ATARI (Easy Pipe) df. Nader HAJAGHANIA (Setaregan), 11-4
61kg- Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (Easy Pipe) df. Mohammad RAMEZANPOUR (Setaregan), 8-0 (Ramezanpour disqualified for receiving three passive cautions)  
65kg- Haji ALIEV (Setaregan) df. Farzad Amouzad KHALILI (Easy Pipe) , 4-3
70kg- Magomed KURBANALIEV (Setaregan) TF. Mohammad NADERI (Easy Pipe), 12-1
74kg- Hossein ELYASI (Easy Pipe) pinned Magomed Rasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (Setaregan), 2-9
79kg- Omid HASANTABAR (Setaregan) df.  Reza AFZALI (Easy Pipe), 4-3
86kg- Alireza KARIMI (Easy Pipe) df. Esmaeil MAHMOUDI (Setaregan), 5-0
92kg- Hossein SHAHBAZI (Easy Pipe)df. Abazar ESLAMI (Setaregan), 4-3
97kg- Vladislav BAITSAEV (Easy Pipe)df. Esmaeil NEJATIAN (Setaregan), 8-0
125kg- Jaber SADEGHZADEH  (Setaregan) df. Geno PETRIASHVILI (Easy Pipe)by forfeit

 

 

#WrestleSamokov

Greco trained Sokolovska wins women's 76kg gold

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- "Have you ever seen her shoot for the legs? You haven’t!"

Vladimir SOKOLOVSKI has long been Greco-Roman coach in Ukraine. So when he put his daughters in wrestling, he trained them in Greco-Roman. Both Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) would perform upper body moves in competition and tried to complete the matches with fall.

In 2019, Krystyna won a bronze medal at the World U17 Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Out of her four wins, two were via fall and one via technical superiority.

Six year's later and back in Bulgaria for the World U20 Championships, Sokolovski's younger daughter Nadiia went a step further and won the gold medal at 76kg in Samokov on Thursday.

Just like her father had taught her Sokolovska performed those arm-drags to perfection. She scored takedowns, big throws and falls. Out of her four wins to gold, three victories were via fall, including one in the final. It was only her quarterfinal against Elmira YASIN (TUR) that the Ukraine wrestler won 5-2.

"I won three out of four bouts by fall," Sokolovska said after the final. "I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like to mess around with opponents for too long. I like to finish earlier, I always do things the way it’s comfortable for me. If I need to work on endurance, then I work on it. But if I get a chance, why not finish earlier?"

The final was no different story as Sokolovska finished the match in just 48 seconds, pinning former world U20 champion PRIYA (IND). The Ukraine wrestler first scored a takedown using arm-drag for two points. When Priya attacked after restart, Sokolovska did not let the Indian stand up and locked up a cradle as Priya sat in a squat position.

Sokolovska turned Priya on her back and then secured a fall to be crowned world champion.

"I still haven’t fully realized that I won," she said. "I had only competed once at the World U17 Championships and I placed fifth. This is my second World Championship and I really wanted to wrestle against the Asians and the Americans.

"I didn’t get the chance to wrestle an American, but I did get to wrestle an Asian -- just what I wanted."

Sokolovska is now a European and World U20 champion, with an unbeaten run in nine matches. Even at the European U20 Championships, she won five matches and three of them were via fall.

"I work only with the upper body in standing position. I have a strong upper body," she said.

But Sokolovska said that she will not rush herself to the senior level and plan her debut. Her father, who is also her coach, will devise a program that fits her training.

"I understood that it’s not always necessary to focus only on wrestling," she said. "You need to take psychological breaks. Play rugby or go swimming, take a mental break from the mat."

Momoko KITADE (JPN)Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final against Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In other weight classes, the United States, China and Japan won gold medals on day five of the tournament. Japan now has a firm grip on the Women's Wrestling team title.

After two golds medals on Thursday, Japan earned third one as Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final. She held off Margarita SALNAZARIAN's (UWW) onslaught in the second period, winning the 65kg final, 9-5, to secure the gold medal.

The first period belonged to Kitade as her speed and strength were no match for Salnazarian who was down 6-0 at the break. But Kitade's conditioning gave way for Salnazarian's comeback. She scored two takedowns to cut the lead to 7-4. However, Kitade still held her positions and scored two stepouts and made the score 7-5.

Salnazarian pressured Kitade towards the zone but she was never able to score as Kitade turned her and scored two stepouts. She got 9-5 lead and defended it for the final 40 seconds.

Everest LEYDECKER (USA)Everest LEYDECKER (USA) celebrates after winning the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. won its first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at this World U20 Championships through Everest LEYDECKER (USA) who had a dominant run to gold. After winning her three bouts via technical superiority on Wednesday, Leydecker seemed in no trouble in the final.

She raced to an 8-0 lead against REENA (IND) in the final after scoring a takedown using a leg attack. She then cross ankled Reena and turned her three times for the lead. There was little action after that in the match as Leydecker kept her strong defense despite being called passive and cautioned for points as well. But Leydecker had enough lead to not be trouble by those warning.

At 62kg, YANGZHEN (CHN) made a dream international debut by winning the 62kg gold medal in a thrilling final against former world U17 champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE). Down 6-0, Yangzhen managed to score six points in the second period and win the final, 6-6, on criteria.

Mammadova, who won World U17 gold in 2022, raced to a 6-0 lead with three counter exposure points and almost pinned Yangzhen. But in the second period, Yangzhen mounted the comeback, scoring a takedown from single leg and then got a turn using a strong gut-wrench.

With the clock ticking, Yangzhen needed one takedown for the win and she scored exactly that to lead 6-6 on criteria. Mammadova had one minute to reclaim the lead but Yangzhen managed to play the clock and win on criteria.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) df. REENA (IND), 10-2

BRONZE: So TSUTSUI (JPN) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 5-3
BRONZE: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU), 6-2

62kg
GOLD: YANGZHEN (CHN) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-6

BRONZE: Shirin TAKEMOTO (JPN) df. Neevis RODRIGUEZ (MEX), 9-7
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Busra EFE (TUR), 8-0

65kg
GOLD: Momoko KITADE (JPN) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW), 9-5

BRONZE: Iryna BORYSIUK (UKR) df. Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY), 12-2
BRONZE: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Daniella NUGENT (USA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. PRIYA (IND), via fall

BRONZE: Diana TITOVA (UWW) df. Evelin UJHELJI (SRB), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Cancan LIU (CHN) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 6-0