#WrestleTokyo

Mensah-Dosho Clash Highlight #WrestleTokyo Day 2

Sunday, August 1, 2021 - 09:21 By Vinay Siwach

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CHIBA, Japan (August 1) --- Tamyra STOCK MENSAH (USA) debut at the Olympics will not get bigger than this. The world champion will face defending Olympic champion and local star Sara DOSHO (JPN) in the opening round at 68kg at the Tokyo Olympics Monday.

Mensah and Dosho squared-off in the quarterfinal at the 2019 World Championships in which the American won easily. But that was close to two years ago and Dosho will like to avenge that loss if she wants to defend her gold from Rio.

It won't be easy for the winner though. Feng ZHOU (CHN) will be the likely opponent of the Chinese can get over U23 world champion Yusaris SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB). The two are also locked in the first round.

Their semifinal opponent will be one of Enas AHMED (EGY), Agnieszka WIESZCZEK (POL), Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) and Anna SCHELL (GER).

On the other side of the bracket, former junior and U23 world champion Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) will be up against Mongolia's star Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL). The winner will face one of former world silver medalist Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) and European champion Khanum VELIEVA (ROC).

Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) also has a tough one against Asia champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ). The winner will face one of Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) or Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR).

In Greco-Roman, two favorites at the 97kg weigh class world champion Musa EVLOEV (ROC) and defending Olympic champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) are on the opposite side of the brackets.

Aleksanyan opens up against Uzur DZHZUPBEKOV (KGZ) who beat the Armenian at the Ukrainian Memorial earlier this year. Evloev also has better 3-1 head-to-head record against him.

Even if Aleksanyan wins his first bout, he has to go through Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) or Rio Olympic bronze Cenk ILDEM (TUR) who are likely to in the quarterfinal.

Another weight class that will be in action Monday is 77kg at Greco-Roman. Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE) and Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) will wrestle in the opening round. Both won a silver medal at the 2019 Worlds but at different weight categories. Huseynov has dropped down from 82kg and will be wrestling down below 80kg for the first time since 2014.

World champion Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) gets Zied AIT OUAGRAM (MAR) in the first round. World bronze medalist Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) will be wrestling Asian champion Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) in the first round. The winner is likely to get 2018 world champion and veteran Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (ROC) in the quarterfinals.

Wrestling begins at 1100 hours local time at the Makuhari Messi, Chiba.

#WrestleTirana

WATCH: Shiotani's signature move - Reverse Lift or Tawaragaeshi

Monday, March 3, 2025 - 10:38 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (March 3) -- Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) has done it many times domestically in Japan. On Sunday, he showed it to international fans.

As soon as he get the par terre position, instead for the typical gut-wrench, Shiotani goes for the reverse lift.

The reverse lift, known as Tawaragaeshi in Japanese, majorly seen in Greco-Roman wrestling when the wrestler on top in par terre jumps to face the grounded wrestler and the locks his hands around the opponents waist to throw him over his own head, or sometimes sideways.

That Aleksandr KARELIN photo in which he is clenching his teeth as he lifts his opponent like a sack. Exactly, a reverse lift.

Shiotani, former Asian champion, has mastered that move. And a reverse lift masterclass was on display on the final day of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 2025 in Tirana.

Out of the 53 points he scored on Sunday, Shiotani got 33 points from his signature reverse lift. Match after match, he would try the move and succeed as if the opponents did not how to defend it.

"There's not much to think about during a game like this. I do the Tawaragaeshi as if my body were moving on its own," Shiotani said.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) performs a reverse lift during the 60kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

The Japanese federation Instagram page is full of Shiotani's reverse lift videos. Despite his go-to move, Shiotani is shy to explain his obsession with the move which he performs even when he is in a position to pin or roll his opponent.

"I'm trying to switch things up and try to lift the wrestlers rather than trying to hold him down," Shiotani said. "I'm always practicing so I am able to do it in any situation."

Shiotani doesn't hide it that he is going for the reverse lift. He ideally starts from a chest wrap and quickly moves his grip to waist. If the opponent tries to raise his head to defend, Shiotani scores an exposure, opening more scoring options.

This was the first time Shiotani was wrestling at 60kg in a UWW event, up from 55kg but he said that he always remained in shape for wrestling.

"I always keep in shape," he said. "Ever since moved up the weight class, I've always believed that I could win by building my body, so I'm glad I was able to do that."