#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Live Blog: #WrestleUlaanbaatar Asian Championships day two

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (April 20) -- The second day of the Asian Championships will see the five Greco-Roman weights in action. After Kyrgyzstan won two gold and Kazakhstan, Japan, and Iran had one each, Wednesday will decide the team title race.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

13:23: That's it for the morning session on Day 2 at the Buyant Ukhaa Sports Palace. Iran has four wrestlers in the five finals in the evening session to start at 18:00 local time. Korea and Kazakhstan have two finalists each, while Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have one each. 

13:20: Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) was trailing 1-1 on criteria against Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) with 40 seconds remaining but scores a takedown to lead 3-1. Kyrgyzstan challenged it but lost. Balihamzehdeh sets up a final against Assakalov

13:14: Ryu builds up an early lead and chalks up a hard-fought 6-2 victory over Endo to make the final at 67kg against Shermakhanbet--a rematch of the 2019 final won 3-1 by Ryu. Shermankhanbet advances with a 6-3 win over 2020 silver medalist Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB )

13:05: Rasoul GARMSIRI (IRI) goes for a reverse lift from par terre to get five points and ultimately pin Harpreet SINGH (IND). That was a stunning move from Garmsiri

13:00: Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) is into the finals at 97kg. He beats Sanzhar SERIKKAN (KAZ) 8-0 to secure his spot in the gold medal bout.

12:55: Sharshenbekov sets up a final against Mohsen Nejad with a 6-1 win in the other 60kg semifinal over Fidakhmetov. 

12:53: Mohsen Nejad beats Suzuki for the second year in a row in the semifinals at 60kg, but it was much more difficult than last year's 9-1 win. Mohsen Nejad scores 5 points in the first period in par terre, then holds off the Japanese for a 5-4 win.

12:40: Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB ), the 2020 silver medalist, fills the final semifinal spot at 67kg with a 14-5 technical fall over a gutsy Nyamdorj BATTULGA (MGL). He next faces 2018 world bronze medalist Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ), who pulled off one of the most intriguing moves of the session in beating Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND), gaining an arm lock and somersaulting the Indian onto his back before getting a headlock for a fall.

12:25: Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) did get hit for four but Jewoo PARK (KOR) cannot get out of the lock after hitting the drop. Balihamzehdeh secures the fall at 97kg

12:22: Ryu twice hits the same slick lateral drop as he's backed to the edge for 4, and that's it for Badaghimofrad in 2:38. He'll face 2018 world U23 champion Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) in the semifinals. 

12:10: Yuya OKAJIMA (JPN) had no wins in three Asian Championships in his career but he snubs that trend by beating a silver medalist from Almaty Kalidin ASYKEEV (KGZ) 5-3 at 82kg in Ulaanbaatar.

12:07: Mohammadreza MOKHTARI (IRI) gets four points from par terre in the first period to lead 5-0 before a takedown and stepout in the second period makes it 8-0 against Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ) at 72kg

12:06: On deck at 67kg on Mat C, veteran Hansu RYU (KOR), who won his fourth Asian title in 2021 at 72kg, against Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (IRI), a 2019 world junior bronze medalist at 63kg. 

12:05: Top seed Dias KALEN (KAZ) gets the par terre in the second period and gets the guts going to win 9-1 against Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB)

11:55: Ayata SUZUKI (JPN), a bronze medalist in 2021, will get a chance to avenge his semifinal loss last year in Almaty to Mohsen Nejad after notching a 12-3 technical fall over Firuz TUKHTAEV (UZB)

11:55: Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) goes four gut wrenches from par terre to win his quarterfinal at 97kg 10-0 against Takahiro TSURUDA (JPN). He is looking for his first gold at 97kg

11:45: At 60kg on Mat A, world silver medalist Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) both won handily. The two are favorites to meet in the final

11:42: Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) scores a 2-point takedown at the edge with :05 left to knock off Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) in the 60kg quarterfinals. 

11:32: Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB ) needed little time to finish off Vikas VIKAS (IND) at 72kg, gaining a takedown and four back-and-forth gut wrenches for an 8-0 technical fall in :40.

11:30: The action is ready to start on Day 2 in chilly Ulaanbaatar, with the final five weight classes in Greco, 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg.

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW partners with Spring Media for worldwide distribution

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 12) — United World Wrestling has appointed Spring Media as the global media rights partner for all its events across the 2025-2032 cycle, excluding the United States and other specific territories. This includes international wrestling competitions for Greco-Roman, Freestyle, and Women’s Wrestling, with its flagship Senior World Championships, the Ranking Series, and the Senior Asian and European Championships.

“We are pleased to announce a partnership with Spring Media that holds immense potential to expand our broadcast reach across new countries and elevate wrestling’s global profile. This collaboration not only strengthens our commitment to bring world-class wrestling to a broader audience but also positions us to grow the sport internationally, engaging fans like never before,” said Gordon Templeman, UWW Commercial & Communications Director. “Together, we are ready to take wrestling to the next level and inspire a passion for wrestling in every corner of the globe."

Spring Media facilitates a range of distribution in selected territories for Olympic federations like Karate, Judo, Taekwondo and Gymnastics, and holds a world-leading position as a distributor of fight sports through its sub-brand, Fight Globe.

“We are thrilled to be part of shaping the continued growth of these thrilling events through our global distribution arm,” said Sabine Kesseler, Commercial Director, Spring Media. “We see great potential in wrestling and applaud the new concepts that the UWW is introducing in the next cycle, making it even more eye-catching to its millions of fans - existing and new alike.”

About Spring Media group
Spring Media is an international full-service sports agency that serves some of the biggest leagues, federations, teams and broadcasters in the world. Its business is built around four core areas including Rights Management, Production Services, Streaming Solutions and Growth Marketing. Spring Media group has more than a hundred employees and global reach with offices throughout the Nordics, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia. The group distributes, sells and produces more than 100 000 hours of live sports annually and works with over 500 broadcast partners. More info at: https://www.spring.media/
 

About UWW
UWW is the international governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee (“IOC”) for the sport of wrestling. The organization oversees approx. 7000 matches per year in different wrestling styles. With its vision “to be globally recognized as an inspiring, innovative and leading Olympic Federation”, its mission is to lead the growth of Wrestling, competitive and recreational, around the world. More info at https://uww.org/about-uww/