#wrestlebishkek

LIVE BLOG: Bishkek Ranking Series event, Day One

Thursday, June 1, 2023 - 03:49 By Eric Olanowski

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (June 1) --- The third Ranking Series event of the season kicks off today in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. Thursday's action will feature seven Greco-Roman weights--55kg,60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 87kg, 97kg and 130kg.

Everything you need to know:
📍Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬
🗓️: June 1-4
🕙: Qualification = 10:30
🥇🥈🥉= 18:00
#️⃣: #WrestleBishkek
🖥️: http://uww.org 
📱: UWW App

Thursday's final matchups:
55kg:  Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ) vs. Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) 
60kg:  Nursultan BAZARBAYEV (KAZ) vs. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB)
63kg:  Leri ABULADZE (GEO) vs. Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB) 
67kg:  Husiyuetu HUSIYUETU (CHN) vs. Seyed SOHRABI (IRI) 
87kg:  Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO) vs. Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) 
97kg:  Yiming LI (CHN) vs. Mohammadhadi Abdollah SARAVI (IRI) ​​​​​​​
125kg: Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) vs. Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) 

3:00: That does it for our early session. We'll see you back here at 18:00 for the medal matches. Until then, I say, "So long, wrestling fans."

2:42: Saravi showed he's still Iran's top guy at 97kg, beating Balihamzehdeh, 7-1. In the lop-sided win, Saravi scored a takedown, exposure, passivity, and a pair of step outs.

2:25: For the second time this season, Husiyuetu HUSIYUETU (CHN) took down Olympic champion Luis Alberto ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB). In those two matches, he's outscored Orta, 22-4. In the Zagreb Open semifinals, Husiyuetu beat Orta, 13-3, and scored a 9-0 win in Bishkek.

2:10: Here. We. Go. This is the match I have been waiting for since the brackets came out. It's Balihamzahdeh and Saravi, next, over on Mat C.

2:00: I'm not sure just went on, but Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) just injury defeated out of the 130kg semifinals, handing Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) his spot against Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB).

1:40: That was a close call for Pino Hines. The Cuban big man trailed Fatih BOZKURT (TUR), 3-1, with less than 90 seconds left, but increased his pace and scored two takedowns, punching his ticket to the finals, 5-3.

1:23: That's two wins for Balihamzehdeh today. More importantly, that's two wins again over his 2022 and '23 Asian finals opponents, Assakalov and Dzhupbekov, respectively.

Balihamzehdeh will now wrestle 2021 world champion Saravi. The last time these two wrestled, Saravi won, 3-0, in the 2021 Poland Open. Watch the match below.

1:13: The 2022 Asian finals rematch between Mehdi Mohammad BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) and Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) has been a one-sided affair thus far. The Iranian wrestler leads 6-0 after the first, scoring a two-point left foul and a four-point throw.

1:03: We're rolling right along this session. We're two matches away from the semifinals taking place on Mat B. 

12:49: Atabaev and Sohrabi gave up about all we could ask for. The lead changed hands on three occasions, but it was Sohbrabi's takedown with 1:20 left that was the deciding factor.

Sohbrabi built a an early 5-0 lead, but he quickly saw that dwindle away after a par terre point and a four-point throw from Atabaev.

The felling of the match change after Atabaev's throw. He took his left shoe off as the doctors worked on his ankle. When the match resumed, Sohrabi scored a quick arm drag, 10 seconds after the match resumed, winning the bout 7-5. 

Sohrabi will wrestle European runner-up Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) next in the 67kg quarterfinals. 

12:27: Turn your attention to Mat C. Rising stars Abror ATABAEV (UZB) and Seyed SOHRABI (IRI) are making their way to the mat. This is one where I leave my computer and head over to the mat to watch it up close and personal.

I'll see you all after the mat!

12:19: Sharshenbekov was holding his on his feet, but Orta capitalized on his opportunity on top, scoring four turns to win the match, 9-1.

12:10: Olympic champion Luis Alberto ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) will wrestle Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) next on Mat A.

12:08: When he needed it the most, he delivered.

Mirzazadeh drove Yildirm to the out of bounds line with a left-sided undertook, scored the takedown and added a point for a failed Turkish challenge, determining the match, 4-1.

11:56: The second on the list of four matches to watch in the morning session is up now on Mat C. Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) ​​and ​​​​​Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) are in a close out, as the Tokyo Olympian is up 1-0 after the first period.

11:32: The crowd came alive for a moment, trying to get behind a Dzhuzupbekov rally, but yet again, he didn't have enough to get past Balihamzedeh.

Balihamzedeh was satisfied with his lead after the first and shut it down in the second, winning the match 7-2. He'll await the winner of Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) and Narinder CHEEMA (IND), who are wrestling over on Mat C.

Assakalov leads Cheema, 1-0, after the first period. If he holds on to win this match, it'll set up a rematch of last year's Asian finals with Balihamzedeh. 

For those wondering, Balihamzedeh won that match, 5-1.

11:26: The rematch from the 97kg Asian finals is going on over on Mat A between Mehdi Mohammad BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) and U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ).

Balihamzehdeh jumped out to an early 7-0 first-period lead after two takedowns, two gut wrenches and a shot clock point.

11:21: Those are the matches where you hate to see someone come out on the losing end. Cengiz and Alizadeh battled for six consecutive minutes, but it was the Turkish wrestler who scored late to take out the reigning Asian champion, 4-1.

Cengiz and Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO) will wrestle next in the 87kg quarterfinals.

10:58: Reigning Asian champion Naser Ghasem ALIZADEH (IRI) has a nasty cut on his head and is currently getting his head wrapped. This is the third time they've stopped the match.

He's currently down on criteria, 1-1, to European silver medalist Ali CENGIZ (TUR).

10:36: Things are going to be slow for about a half hour before the stars being taking over the mats in Kyrgyzstan.

10:16: Before we get started, here are my top three matches for the morning session. The guys listed in bold are 2023 continental champs.
Bout 7 | Mat A: Mehdi Mohammad BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) vs. U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) 
Bout 13 | Mat A:  Luis Alberto ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) vs. Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) 
Bout 70 | Mat C: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) ​​vs. ​​​​​Osman YILDIRIM (TUR)
Bout 74 | Mat C: Abror ATABAEV (UZB) vs. Seyed Danial Seyed Shamsollah SOHRABI (IRI) 
 
9:54: We're about a half hour out from the first whistle. This is always one of the most hectic half hours of any competitions. The last minute preparations are being made to the arena while everyone is scrambling to make sure their respective jobs are done correctly so the tournament runs seamlessly. For now, I'll leave you as I answer the question for the 100th time :"Do you have the wifi password?"

#JapanWrestling

World Champs Morikawa, Ishii Set Up Clash in 68kg Final

Friday, May 22, 2026 - 12:40 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (May 22) -- The first of what could be several clashes of Japanese women titans was set up when reigning world champions Miwa MORIKAWA and Ami ISHII advanced to the 68kg final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships in Tokyo on Friday.

Morikawa, the world champion at 65kg, had her hands full in grinding out a 3-2 win over world U20 champion Rey HOSHINO in their semifinal, scoring the decisive takedown off a counter in the final minute.

Ishii, the current 68kg world champ, had little trouble piling up the takedowns in a 10-0 victory over former world champion Masako FURUICHI.

Morikawa got the best of Ishii at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December, winning 5-3 to earn a trip to the Asian Championships, where she had to settle for the silver medal.

This time there is more at stake in the final on Saturday, as the Meiji Cup is serving as the final qualifier for this year's Asian Games, to be hosted by Japan, and the World Championships.

Winners of both the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup automatically earn places on the national team; if they are different, a playoff is held between the two at the end of the day.

Given the stakes, Morikawa knows Ishii will be coming at her with all guns blazing, knowing she need to beat Morikawa twice to earn a national team berth.

"That [Emperor's Cup win] doesn't matter," Morikawa said. "In that match, I went all out to the end and came up with the victory. I think that tomorrow, she will really be coming after me. I have to show the willpower and guts to not give in. I will do my utmost to secure the national team place in one fell swoop."

Morikawa naturally would not reveal what strategy she has for Ishii, but says she will rely on what her coach, four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO, comes up with.

"She's really good with her attacks, and my strong point is defense," Morikawa said. "Kaori will devise a plan, and I'll just go along with that."

Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) reached the 76kg final at the Meiji Cup. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

In other semifinals on the second day of the four-day tournament at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym, Paris Olympic champion Yuka KAGAMI moved a step closer to returning to the global stage by making the 76kg final.

Kagami posted a slim 2-1 victory over Ayana MORO, with all of the points scored on the activity clock, to set up a meeting with Yasuha MATSUYUKI, who dealt her a stunning loss in the final of the Emperor's Cup, which was her first competition since Paris.

"I came to realize that last time, the fighting spirit that I had at the Olympics was taking a nap," Kagami said. "For these five months, I have prepared to come here and definitely win the title, then the playoff."

At 53kg, world champion Haruna MURAYAMA outlasted longtime rival and former Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI 2-1 -- with all points scored on the activity clock -- to set up a final against Moe KIYOOKA for the second straight year.

Murayama defeated Kiyooka, the world 55kg champion in 2024, twice last year -- 3-1 in the final, then again 4-1 in the playoff -- to make the team to the World Championships in Zagreb, where she claimed her fourth career gold.

Kiyooka came back to win the Emperor's Cup title in Murayama's absence, and will be looking to avenge last year's losses as she attempts to fill the void left when Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI moved up to 57kg.

In a tragic incident, Taishi NARIKUNI's bid to repeat the Freestyle-Greco double that he accomplished at the Emperor's Cup ended when he suffered a serious eye injury in his Greco 70kg quarterfinal -- which he won nonetheless, but then was easily beaten in the semifinals.

Facing Takara FUKUZAWA in the last eight, Narikuni took a hard shoulder to the eye, which knocked him woozy for awhile. He managed to continue on, finishing up a 5-0 victory. But, wearing a patch over his right eye in the semifinals against Hajime KIKUTA, he went down 8-0 in 28 seconds.

Narikuni was scheduled to also take the mat later in the day in the Freestyle 72kg final, but would end up defaulting that match. Family members said he was taken to the hospital and was diagnosed with a broke cheek bone below his eye and would undergo surgery on Saturday.

As defending Freestyle 97kg champion Arash YOSHIDA awaited his final, it was a tough day for rest of his family, whose Iranian father runs the kids wrestling club where the siblings got their start in the sport.

Keivan YOSHIDA, Arash's older brother who preceded him as 97kg champion in 2024, was ousted in the semifinals at 125kg, losing 11-1 to Hosei FUJITA.

Just moments later on an adjacent mat, younger brother Ariya YOSHIDA was dealt a tough 10-9 loss at 79kg to Kanata YAMAGUCHI.

In the final, Yamaguchi will face another wrestler with Iranian heritage, newly crowned Asian champion Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI, a 10-0 winner over Kohei KITAMURA in the other semifinal.