#WrestleRome

Matteo Pellicone Entries

By Eric Olanowski

For the second consecutive year, the Italian ancient port city of Ostia will host the opening Ranking Series event of the year, the Matteo Pellcione. The "Pellicone" kicks off March 4-7 and will feature 360 athletes from 32 different countries.

57kg
Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA( CUB)
Brandon Jesus ESCOBAR AMADOR (HON)
Pankaj PANKAJ (IND)
Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ)
Daulet TEMIRZHANOV (KAZ)
Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Saban KIZILTAS (TUR)
Nicholas Raymond SURIANO (USA)
Joseph Daniel COLON (USA)

61kg
Anvar SUVINIITTY (FIN)
Kumar RAVI( IND)
Suraj Sanju ANNIKERI (IND)
Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Ahmet DUMAN (TUR)
Tyler Lee GRAFF (USA)
Ethan Ryan LIZAK (USA)


Bajrang PUNIA (IND) is one of two freestyle wrestlers looking to win back-to-back Matteo Pellicone titles. (Photo: Bajrang Punia)

65kg
Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB)
Mauricio Javier SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU)
Rohit ROHIT (IND)
Bajrang BAJRANG (IND)
Behnam Eshagh EHSANPOOR (IRI)
Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ)
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)
Jose Javier RODRIGUEZ COLON (PUR)
David HABAT (SLO)
Selim KOZAN (TUR)
Hamza ALACA (TUR)
Joseph Christopher MCKENNA (USA)

70kg
Vishal KALIRAMANA (IND)
Gianluca TALAMO (ITA)
Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)
Mustafa KAYA (TUR)
Haydar YAVUZ (TUR)
Alec William PANTALEO (USA)


London Olympic champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) is on a quest to win his third Ranking Series gold medal and first since the '19 Yasar Dogu. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

74kg
Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB)
Sandeep Singh MANN (IND)
Narsingh Pancham YADAV (IND)
Jitender JITENDER (IND)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR)
Yakup GOR (TUR)
Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)

79kg
Rahul RATHI (IND)
Salvatore DIANA (ITA)
Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ)
Muhammet Nuri KOTANOGLU (TUR)
Muhamed Mustafa MC BRYDE (USA)
David Vincent MC FADDEN (USA)

86kg
Clayton Steven PYE (CAN)
Hunter Jeffery LEE (CAN)
Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB)
Chahar PARVEEN (IND)
Deepak PUNIA (IND)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Yeskali DAULETKAZY (KAZ)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Ethan Adrian RAMOS (PUR)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Zahid VALENCIA (USA)
Mark John HALL II (USA)
Myles Najee MARTIN (USA)

92kg
Gino Tanislado AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Parveen PARVEEN (IND)
Elkhan ASSADOV (KAZ)
Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)
James Patrick DOWNEY III (USA)
 

97kg
Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE)
Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB)
Satywart KADIAN (IND)
Alireza Mohammad KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Evan Amadour RAMOS (PUR)
Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Kollin Raymond MOORE (USA)
Hayden Nicholas ZILLMER (USA)


Rio Olympic champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) is returning to the mat for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery in early '20. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

125kg
Amarveer DHESI (CAN)
Sumit SUMIT (IND)
Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI)
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)
Anthony Robert NELSON (USA)


Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) is 23-0 in Ranking Series events and is looking to bag his seventh RS gold. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Arjun HALAKURKI (IND)
Giovanni FRENI (ITA)
Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ)
Andre Ricardo CARDOSO OLIVEIRA SILVA (POR)
Joshua Xavier MEDINA (PUR)
Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS)
Serif KILIC (TUR)
Elcin ALI (TUR)
Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)

60kg
Adam Takahashi MACFADYEN( CAN)
Luis Alberto ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB)
Antonio Jordan RUIZ MORA (ECU)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Gyanender GYANENDER (IND)
Abere FETENE (ISR)
Zhanserik SARSENBIYEV (KAZ)
Antonio MARTINS CABRAL (POR)
Emin Narimanovitch SEFERSHAEV (RUS)
Ahmet UYAR (TUR)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Ildar HAFIZOV (USA)
Dylan Steven GREGERSON (USA)

63kg
Sachin RANA (IND)
Giovanni Paolo ALESSIO (ITA)
Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ)
Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ)
Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)
Julinho Benjamim CORREIA DJU (POR)
Marat Maksumovitch GARIPOV (RUS)
Aleksei TADYKIN (RUS)
Abdurrahman ALTAN (TUR)
Mehmet CEKER (TUR)
Samuel Lee JONES (USA)


Rio Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) will compete at 67kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

67kg
Daniel Troy COLES (CAN)
Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB)
Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Mohamed Ibrahim Elsayed Ibrahi ELSAYED (EGY)
Mate KRASZNA I(HUN)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Steve MOMILIA (ITA)
Nurbek KYZYROV (KAZ)
Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)
Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ)
Nazir Rachidovitch ABDULLAEV (RUS)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Haci KARAKUS (TUR)
Atakan YUKSEL( TUR)
Raymond Anthony BUNKER III (USA)
Jamel Rasheed JOHNSON (USA)

72kg
Cristhian Alberto RIVAS CASTRO( ECU)
Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN)
Amit AMIT (IND)
Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ)
Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR)
Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR)

77kg
Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Jakub BIELESZ (CZE)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Singh GURPREET (IND)
Matteo MAFFEZZOLI (ITA)
Riccardo Vito ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Luca DARIOZZI (ITA)
Ciro RUSSO (ITA)
Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ)
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ)
Marciano George ALI (PUR)
Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS)
Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR)
Furkan BAYRAK (TUR)
Fatih CENGIZ (TUR)
Patrick Harrison SMITH (USA)
Peyton Burke WALSH (USA)
Benjamin Errol PROVISOR (USA)


Reigning 77kg world champion Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) will compete up at 82kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

82kg
Laszlo SZABO( HUN)
Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Singh HARPREET (IND)
Miras BARSHYLYKOV (KAZ)
Adlan AKIEV( RUS)
Emrah KUS( TUR)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Salih AYDIN (TUR)
Terrence Mosley ZALESKI (USA)
John Walter STEFANOWICZ JR (USA)
Ravaughn Richard Ravelle PERKINS (USA)

87kg
Ioannis NARLIDIS (CAN)
Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Ariel Andres ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Istvan TAKACS (HUN)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
Kumar SUNIL (IND)
Nikolay KOZHUKHOV (ISR)
Fabio PARISI (ITA)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Simone FIDELBO (ITA)
Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ)
Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
Bekkhan OZDOEV (RUS)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Dogan GOKTAS (TUR)
Josef Patrick RAU (USA)
Alan Ernesto VERA GARCIA (USA)
Patrick Anthony MARTINEZ (USA)


Reigning two-time world champion Musa EVLOEV (RUS) is searching for his third Ranking Series title (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

97kg
Gabriel Alejandro ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Ondrej DADAK (CZE)
Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
Balazs KISS (HUN)
Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
Hardeep HARDEEP (IND)
Luca SVAICARI (ITA)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ)
Musa EVLOEV (RUS)
Cenk ILDEM (TUR)
Ibrahim TIGCI (TUR)
Daniel Collett MILLER (USA)
Tracy Gangelo HANCOCK (USA)

130kg
Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB)
Stepan DAVID (CZE)
Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Samuele VARICELLI (ITA)
Luca GODINO (ITA)
Nurmakhan TINALIYEV (KAZ)
Mansur SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RUS)
Riza KAYAALP( TUR)
Adam Jacob COON (USA)
Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA)
Lance Westley CATHCART (USA)


'19 world champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) is one of three women's wrestling returning champions. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Patricia Alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG)
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA)
Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL)
Madison Bianca PARKS (CAN)
Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB)
Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)
Meenakshi MEENAKSHI (IND)
Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ)
Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ)
Emilia Alina VUC (ROU)
Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS)
Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS)
Aynur ERGE (TUR)
Whitney CONDER( USA)
Victoria Lacey ANTHONY (USA)

53kg
Diana Mary Helen WEICKER (CAN)
Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN)
Lianna de la Caridad MONTERO HERRERA (CUB)
Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU)
Nandini Bajirao SALOKHE (IND)
Divya KAKRAN (IND)
Carmen DI DIO (ITA)
Sara ETTAKI (ITA)
Assylzat SAGYMBAY (KAZ)
Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ)
Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS)
Aleksandra SKIRENKO (RUS)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Esra PUL (TUR)
Areana Louise VILLAESCUSA (USA)
Alexandra Wray HEDRICK (USA)

55kg
Jacqueline Del Rocio MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU)
Ambra CAMPAGN A(ITA)
Aisha UALISHAN( KAZ)
Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS)


Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), the two-time world medal winner, will compete at 57kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

57kg
Giullia RODRIGUES PENALBER DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)
Tianna Grace KENNETT (CAN)
Anju ANJU (IND)
Arianna CARIERI (ITA)
Morena DE VITA (ITA)
Rebecca DE LEO (ITA)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Francesca INDELICATO (ITA)
Altynay SATYLGAN( KAZ)
Emma TISSINA (KAZ)
Nazira MARSBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Nuraida ANARKULOVA (KGZ)
Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS)
Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (RUS)
Mehlika OZTURK (TUR)
Jenna Rose BURKERT (USA)
Allison Mackenzie RAGAN (USA)

59kg
Anshu ANSHU (IND)
Sarita SARITA( IND)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Aleksandra NITSENKO (RUS)
Elif YANIK (TUR)
Abigail Elizabeth NETTE (USA)

62kg
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Michelle Christina FAZZARI (CAN)
Jessica Lise BROUILLETTE (CAN)
Marianna SASTIN (HUN)
Sakshi MALIK (IND)
Sonam SONAM (IND)
Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Sara DA COL (ITA)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Aminat Oluwafunmilayo ADENIYI (NGR)
Valeria KOBLOVA ZHOLOBOVA (RUS)
Anzhela FOMENKO (RUS)
Cansu AKSOY (TUR)
Mallory Maxine VELTE (USA)

65kg
Nisha NISHA (IND)
Veronica BRASCHI (ITA)
Gaukhar MUKATAY (KAZ)
Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
Dinara KUDAEVA SALIKHOVA (RUS)
Henna Katarina JOHANSSON( SWE)
Asli TUGCU (TUR)


World champion Tamyra STOCK MENSAH (USA) will try to improve on her runner-up finish from last year's Matteo Pellicone. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

68kg
Sofiya Hristova GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Olivia Grace DI BACCO (CAN)
Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Anita ANITA (IND)
Laura GODINO (ITA)
Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS)
Valeriia TRIFONOVA (RUS)
Tindra Linnea SJOEBERG (SWE)
Asli DEMIR (TUR)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)
Tamyra Mariama STOCK MENSAH (USA)
Alexandria Junis GLAUDE (USA)

72kg
Yekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Marina SUROVTSEVA (RUS)
Kristina DUDAEVA (RUS)
Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)


Olympic champions Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) and Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN) are both entered at 76kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

76kg
Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA)
Mariya Gerginova ORYASHKOVA (BUL)
Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN)
Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Samar Amer Ibrahim HAMZA (EGY)
Kiran KIRAN (IND)
Eleni PJOLLAJ (ITA)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)
Precious Rosanna BELL (USA)

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds: Kostiuk ends Ukraine's wait for gold; Okonogi, Ismayilov upgrade

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 2) -- Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) ended a nine-year wait for a gold medal at World U17 Championships for Ukraine as he won the 80kg title in Athens, Greece on Saturday.

Ukraine has not had a world U17 champion since 2016 and a world champion in Freestyle since 2021. Kostiuk's gold was a double delight as he had won gold at European U17 Championships in June as well.

In the final facing Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI), Kostiuk was called passive and put on activity clock. He did not score in those 30 seconds but managed to get a takedown just before the break and led 2-1.

Karami was put on the activity clock in the second period and as he failed to score, Kostiuk's lead swelled to 3-1. Karami had 25 seconds to score two points but Kpstiuk kept his defense and captured the gold with a 3-1 score.

Ariah MILLS (USA)Ariah MILLS (USA) won the 48kg gold medal for the United States. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

That was the second loss in the final for Iran as it had suffered a loss at the 48kg weight class. That was the first final of the night on Saturday and Ariah MILLS (USA) gave no chance to Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) in the gold-medal bout.

While he was the one put on activity clock in the first period, Mills wasn't the one to defend. He had some fast re-attacks to stun Boustani. Mills gave up that activity clock point and as Boustani was setting up leg attack, Mills hit a counter and scored the takedown to lead 2-1 at the break.

Boustani had his chance to score reclaim the lead but Mills, who kept his distance, perhaps to have space to counter, got another takedown after a scramble. The U.S. wrestler managed to score a go-behind and two turns to win 12-1 and get the first gold medal in Freestyle for the U.S. 

Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN), a returning bronze medalist, upgraded his medal to gold and in style. Down 4-0 against Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB) in the final, he scored one of the perfect five-pointers using the headpinch and over the head throw to lead 5-4 in the final minute.

This was not the only time Okonogi had to make a big comeback in Athens. In his quarterfinals, he defeated Zhakshylyk BOROBAEV (KGZ), 9-8, after scoring a takedown and turn in last 10 seconds.

Okonogi had a 4-1 win over Mohammadreza BARARI (IRI) in his opening match and an 8-2 domination of Greyton BURNETT (USA) in the semifinals.

Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE)Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) celebrates after winning the 65kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Silver medalist from 2024 Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) got a anti-climatic 1-1 victory over Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) in the 65kg final and won his first gold medal after finishing with three silvers in three different championships.

Kikiniou was the first to get a point on board as Ismayilov was called passive. He failed to score in the 30 seconds and the U.S. wrestler got a point.

In the second period, Kikiniou was called passive and Ismayilov got a point and the 1-1 criteria lead. He had a minute left in the bout to defend his lead and Kikiniou threw every thing at him. However, Ismayilov defended with determination and won the gold medal.

Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW)Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) held on to his 6-4 lead to win the 110kg final against LACKY (IND). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The 110kg gold medal went to Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) who defeated LACKY (IND), 6-4, in the final. Omarov was down 2-2 on criteria at the break but he hit a stepout and Lacky was cautioned for fleeing, giving one more point to Omarov who now led 4-2.

Lacky tried to finish his leg-attacks but Omarov was quick to either defend or escape. During one of those attacks, Omarov managed to score a go-behind and got two points which made his lead 6-2. Lacky, with 17 seconds left in the bout, went for one final attack and scored a takedown. However, he was not able to turn Omarov which could have given him the criteria win.

Omarov defended the gut-wrench attempt and despite being in the air, did not turn more than 90 degrees. The win made Omarov an European and world champion in the same year.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Ariah MILLS (USA) df. Sina BOUSTANI (IRI), 12-1

BRONZE: Islam RABADANOV (UWW) df. Ravan HASANZADE (AZE), 11-9
BRONZE: Dovudbek BAKHADIROV (KGZ) df. Masamune USHIMADO (JPN), 12-0

55kg
GOLD: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) df. Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB), 5-4

BRONZE: Greyton BURNETT (USA) df. Mohammadreza BARARI (IRI), 4-0
BRONZE: Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW) df. Jovanni TOVAR (COL), 8-2

65kg
GOLD: Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) df. Arseni KIKINIOU (USA), 1-1

BRONZE: Morteza HAJ (IRI) df. Gourav PUNIA (IND), 8-8
BRONZE: Adisbek ALTYNBEKOV (KGZ) df. Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 7-1

80kg
GOLD: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) df. Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI), 3-1

BRONZE: Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ) df. Ivan PASLARI (MDA), 5-4
BRONZE: Issa ZANGIEV (UWW) df. Berat ERTURK (TUR), 5-2

110kg
GOLD: Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) df. LACKY (IND), 6-4

BRONZE: Hakim TAGHIYEV (AZE) df. Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 1-1
BRONZE: Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI) df. Murtaz BAGDAVADZE (GEO), 11-0