#NFRoundup

NF Roundup: Nov. 16-20

Monday, November 16, 2020 - 17:08 By United World Wrestling Press

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Nippon Sport Science University won the freestyle title at the All-Japan Collegiate Championships (Photo: Tateo Yabuki/Japan Wrestling Federation)

Yamaguchi Leads NSSU to Japan Collegiate Freestyle Title
World junior champion Kaiki YAMAGUCHI made a successful move up to 65kg, helping lead Nippon Sport Science University to the team title as one of the school's three gold medalists at the All-Japan Collegiate Championships.

Bakhdaulet ALMENTAY (KAZ) etched his name in Japan wrestling history when the Yamanashi Gakuin University senior captured the 125kg gold to become the ninth four-time champion in the history of the freestyle tournament, which was held Nov. 7-8 in Osaka. 

Yuto TAKESHITA, last year's Asian junior champion, won the 57kg gold and Kodai OGAWA triumphed at 61kg as NSSU swept the three lightest weight classes, and had three silver medalists in winning the team title for the 21st time with 71 points. 

Takushoku University, with two champions in Takuma TANIYAMA at 70kg and Kojiro SHIGA at 74kg, finished second with 46.

Yamanashi Gakuin picked up a second title as Takuma OTSU, the national senior champion and Asian silver medalist at 92kg, won the 97kg crown, while world U-23 bronze medalist Hayato ISHIGURO of Nihon University repeated as 86kg champion. 

Kaiki YAMAGUCHI led NSSU to the Japan collegiate freestyle title (Photo: Tateo Yabuki/Japan Wrestling Federation)

Yamaguchi, the 2018 champion and 2019 runner-up at 61kg -- the weight class in which he won the world junior gold last year in Thailand -- was named the tournament's outstanding wrestler. 

He chalked up three technical falls before knocking off defending champion Ryoma ANRAKU of Waseda 3-1 in the semifinals, then edged Shinnosuke SUWAMA of Kokushikan University 2-0 in the final. 

Takeshita, the Asian junior champion, pulled off the biggest win of the tournament in the quarterfinals, when he posted a 6-2 win over world junior champion Toshiya ABE of Kokushikan. He took the gold with a 7-0 victory over Senshu University's Daiki ARAKI.

Almantay, coming off winning a third straight Greco title in October, maintained his domination of the college heavyweights, winning three of his four matches by technical fall, including a 10-0 win in the final over NSSU's Haroon ABID of Pakistan. The former world junior bronze medalist did not surrender a point. 

By winning a fourth title in a row, Almentay joined a elite group that includes two-time Olympic medalist Kosei AKAISHI (Nihon, 1983-1986) and 2014 world silver medalist Sosuke TAKATANI (Takushoku, 2008-2011), who will be aiming to qualify for a third Olympics in March. Of the nine who have accomplished the feat, he is the fourth from Yamanashi Gakuin.

Kojiro SHIGA claimed the title at 74kg (Photo: Tateo Yabuki/Japan Wrestling Federation)

In the 74kg final, Takushoku's Shiga overwhelming NSSU freshman Yudai TAKAHASHI by 10-0 technical fall for his third straight title in a clash between two of Japan's national team members at the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan.

Shiga, the Asian silver medalist at 70kg, finished seventh in that weight class in Nur-Sultan, while Takahashi dropped down from 79kg, the weight in which he finished second at the All-Japan Championships last year as a high school senior. 

The national-level tournament was latest in recent months to be held employing strict restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. That included prohibiting spectators and testing all competitors. 

So far, there have been no reports of infections in the weeks following any of the tournaments. 

Final Results
57kg: Yuto TAKESHITA (NSSU) df. Daiki ARAKI (Senshu), 7-0
61kg: Kodai OGAWA (NSSU) df. Keita SHIMIZU (Takushoku), 7-5
65kg: Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (NSSU) df. Shinnosuke SUWAMA (Kokushikan), 2-0
70kg: Takuma TANIYAMA (Takushoku) df. Kazuki SAITO (Meiji) by TF, 10-0, 1:31
74kg: Kojiro SHIGA (Takushoku) df. Yudai TAKAHASHI (NSSU) by TF, 10-0, 3:45
86kg: Hayato ISHIGURO (Nihon) df. Tatsuya SHIRAI (NSSU), 4-1 
97kg: Takuma OTSU (Yamanashi Gakuin) df. Keiwan YOSHIDA (Nihon), 8-6
125kg: Bakhdaulet ALMENTAY (Yamanashi Gakuin) df. Haroon ABID (NSSU) by TF, 10-0, 4:19

Coronavirus Crashes Olympic Party for Wrestler-Coach Couple
LINK: https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/11/cb0540320eda-coronavirus-crashes-olympic-party-for-wrestler-coach-couple.html

Despite these most uncertain of times, when the Tokyo Olympics might not even take place, Japanese wrestler Mayu Mukaida has seized control of her situation, preparing step by step for whatever comes next.

Had the global health crisis not disrupted her life and the sports calendar, the 23-year-old would have made her Olympic debut at the games this past summer and then married her coach Shota Shidochi.

"I want no regrets later, whether the Olympics go ahead or not. I will prepare the best I can," Mukaida told Kyodo News in a recent interview.

In February, Mukaida and Shidochi moved their training base to Tokyo from Aichi Prefecture in central Japan to get used to the host city environment, but in March the Olympics were postponed until 2021.

After the initial disappointment of having to wait another year for her shot at Olympic glory as well as her wedding day, Mukaida finally came to terms with the reality of having to re-plan everything in August.

Vinesh Phogat Gets Surprise Help in Solving Mukaida Problem

"But the tenacious Indian champion and her coach has now got a helping hand from Japan to solve the puzzle named Mayu Mukaida. During their training trip in Norway, Vinesh who has already qualified for Tokyo Olympics with the help of her Hungarian coach Woller Akos trained with multiple time world champion Haruna Okuno of Japan. Okuno who fights in the same category as Mukaida in 53kg recently won the Under 23 world championship and also has two senior world championship titles to her name. Training sessions with Okuno has given Vinesh insight into the wrestling style of her nemesis Mukaida. According to Vinesh’s coach Akos practicing in the Japanese style, wrestling has really helped the Indian champion."

 

FULL STORY: https://wrestlingtv.in/vinesh-phogat-gets-helping-hand-from-japan-itself-to-solve-the-mayu-mukaida-puzzle/

UWW Launches Legends v. Stars Freestyle Bracket on Instagram

Click HERE to visit the UWW Instagram feed and vote for your favorite wrestlers.

Free Download Available for Bundesliga Magazine:
HERE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j8ivQ5bTSgK69oVXVeK5XmQpbeXCQy0u/view 

ALT91A

 

#WrestleBudapest

Big-throwing Machado claims debut Ranking Series gold

Monday, July 21, 2025 - 11:08 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 20) -- Thamires MACHADO (BRA) made brief headlines at the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifiers in Mexico. She threw Amit ELOR (USA) for a lateral drop for four points. Machado had Elor in trouble which could have seen Elor, the champion in Paris Games, lose early. However, Machado fizzled out and lost her bout 6-4.

A year later on Saturday, the Brazilian won her first major gold medal at the Budapest Ranking Series after a stunning show of strength and big throws at the Ranking Series over the weekend.

"In every practice back home, I try to do the four-point moves. I want to throw," Machado said after receiving the gold medal.

In other weight classes, Grace BULLEN (NOR) had another epic match with Irina RINGACI (MDA) and won gold at 65kg and Kennedy BLADES (USA) won another Ranking Series gold to remain undefeated at 68kg going into the World Championships.

European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) and Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) won at 55kg and 62kg respectively.

Machado, competing in her first-ever Ranking Series event, won the 76kg gold medal with wins over Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and world U20 champion PRIYA (IND) in semifinal and final, respectively.

In the gold-medal bout, Machadofaced former world U17 and U20 champion Priya and used a similar lateral drop like she did against Elor to score a four-pointer over Priya in the first minute.

Priya was pushing for a stepout and Machado used that momentum to drop her for four-points. It was catch-up from there on for Priya who failed to score any points in the first period. She got a stepout in the second get on board. Struggling to get to Machado's legs, Priya forced another stepout to make it 4-2.

Machado was put on the activity clock in the last minute but she was happy to conceded that point than to go for all-out attack during those 30 seconds. Priya also waited for the activity clock to expire before pushing for a point, perhaps a mistake to take her foot of the pedal in the final minute.

During that time, Machado managed to catch her breath and defended all attacks, including one in the last five seconds to win 4-3 and the gold medal.

"I am happy to win this gold medal in Ranking Series," she said. "This is so special for me"

In the semifinals, Machado got the better of Medet Kyzy, who opened the scoring with a double-leg takedown for two points. She led 3-0 at the break as Machado failed to score after being put on the 30-second activity clock.

Machado got her first points when she defended a leg attack from Medet Kyzy and scored a go-behind takedown. She then launched a powerful gut-wrench and turned her three times to lead 8-3. Two stepouts in quick succession for Medet Kyzy cut Machado's lead to 8-5 but the Kyrgyzstan wrestler had only a minute left to score more points and secure the win.

As they scrambled for the final minute, Machado and Medet Kyzy locked each other at the edge but it was the latter who fell outside of the zone first which gave another point to Machado with 33 seconds left. Machado held her positions better than Medet Kyzy and managed to score another stepout to lead 10-5 and win the bout.

Born in one of the favellas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Machado was part of one of the social project by the local council which taught wrestling to young kids. She joined the program and managed to learn wrestling.

In 2019, she won gold medal at the Pan-Am U20 Championships, her second ever competition. For five years, she was away from wrestling, but in 2024, she returned and won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix and was second at the 2025 Pan-Am Championships.

Bullen survives Ringaci

If both remain at the same weight class in the future, the Bullen-Ringaci rivalry can be the most fearsome in Women's Wrestling. The latest example was their 65kg final in Budapest where Bullen, down 16-8, pinned Ringaci was claim her second win over the former world champion in four months.

Ringaci, who needed one more turn from par terre or just survive the pin from Bullen, was frustrated with yet another loss and pushed aside Bullen after the bout.

The match began with a wonderful counter from Ringaci, who hit a cut-back after a Bullen snap to pass-by and got four points. Watch above. While Bullen survived the fall attempt, she fell behind 6-0.

A little later, it was Ringaci's chance survive a pin attempt from Bullen who lifted Ringaci well over her waist-level and slammed her for four. The first period ended with Bullen leading 6-6 on criteria.

Bullen tried the exact move of snap to pass-by in the second period and this time she succeeded, scoring two points and taking a clear 8-6 lead. Ringaci scored a takedown 30 seconds into the second period and scored six more points using three gut-wrenches. As she was going for the final turn to win the bout, Bullen blocked and got the headlock to pin Ringaci.

An aghast Ringaci was left in tears as Bullen herself was shocked to have won the bout, having snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

At 68kg, Kennedy BLADES (USA) had a fine tournament, winning her second Ranking Series event and third tournament of 2025. In the final, she defeated Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 13-2, a wrestler she had defeated 10-0 at the Zagreb Open in February.

The only bout she was not able to win via technical superiority was her semifinal against Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) as the Bulgarian was able to stop Blades to a 6-2 win. Blades had little injury scare in the final few seconds of the match but managed to continue.

Verbina captured the 55kg gold medal after a controlled 6-1 win over Karla GODINEZ (CAN) in the final while Tandelova blanked Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) 3-0 in the 62kg final.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Karla GODINEZ (CAN), 6-1

BRONZE: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), 10-0

62kg
GOLD: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 3-0

BRONZE: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. Nikolett SZABO (HUN), 10-0
BRONZE: MANISHA (IND) df. Krystsina SAZYKINA (UWW), via fall (9-0)

65kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), via fall (10-16)

BRONZE: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) df. Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Macey KILTY (USA) df. Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR), 10-4

68kg
GOLD: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 13-2

BRONZE: Brooklyn HAYS (USA) df. Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), 5-4
BRONZE: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 11-1

76kg
GOLD: Thamires MACHADO (BRA) df. PRIYA (IND), 4-3

BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW), 11-0
BRONZE: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Seoyeon JEONG (KOR), 12-1