#PolandOpen

Rong Wins Second Ranking Series Gold Medal

Sunday, September 9, 2018 - 16:55 By Eric Olanowski

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WARSAW, Poland (September 9) - China’s RONG Ningning continued her 2018 hot streak and remained undefeated on the year,  winning the 57kg gold medal at the final women’s Ranking Series event of the year, the Poland Open. 

Rong’s win in Warsaw was her second Ranking Series gold medal of the year. She also won the China Open. In addition to her two Ranking Series championships, Rong claimed gold medals at the Ivan Yargin and Asian Championships, while also going undefeated at the World Cup. 

In the opening round, the Chinese wrestler kicked off the Poland Open by shutting out Mehlika OZTURK (TUR), 4-0. 

Rong, the No. 5 ranked wrestler in the world (at 59kg) followed her opening round win with a 14-3 quarterfinals thumping of current World No. 1 and European runner-up, Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS). 

In the semifinals, Rong narrowly squeaked out the win, defeating two-time cadet world champion, Yumeka TANABE (JPN), 6-4. 

RONG Ningning (CHN) has won two Ranking Series events this year. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

The 57kg final was a top-ten match-up that pitted Rong against Norway’s ninth-ranked Grace BULLEN. 

In the opening minute of the first period, the Asian champion found herself in an early 4-0 hole after Bullen tossed her to back. She fought off her back and gained a two-point exposure, closing Bullen ’s first period lead to 4-2. 

Rong opened up the second period with a monstrous high-crotch, coming up to her feet and doubling off for four points and controlled the 6-4 lead. 

After a pair of leg-laces, the Chinese wrestler gained the 10-4 advantage before catching Bullen on her back, picking up the second-period fall to claim her fourth individual gold medal of the year. 

Rong, who competed at 59kg for half of the year will most likely represent China at 57kg at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. 

RESULTS 
Women’s Wrestling 
53kg
GOLD - Nanami IRIE (JPN) df. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL), 2-2 

BRONZE - Nina HEMMER (GER) df. Diana Mary Helen WEICKER (CAN), 10 - 6
BRONZE - Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA), 12-10

57kg 
GOLD - Ningning RONG (CHN) df. Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR), via fall 

BRONZE - Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) df. Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL), 6-3 
BRONZE - Yumeka TANABE (JPN) df. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), 4-0 

62kg 
GOLD - Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) df. Malin Johanna MATTSSON (SWE), 2-1 

BRONZE - Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER) df. Sara DA COL (ITA), 10-0 
BRONZE - Na LU (CHN) df. Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA), 12-1 

68kg 
GOLD - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) df. Dalma CANEVA (ITA), 16-5

BRONZE - Jiao WANG (CHN) df. Anna Jenny Eva Maria FRANSSON (SWE), 4-4 
BRONZE - Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA) df. Alla BELINSKA (UKR), 5-0 

76kg 
GOLD - Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Aline FOCKEN (GER), 7-0 

BRONZE - Paliha PALIHA (CHN) df. Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR), 6-0
BRONZE - Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Yasemin ADAR (TUR), 6-5 

#AmateurMMA

Amateur MMA: Kutzli wins gold for U.S.; Ukraine best team

Saturday, October 18, 2025 - 15:18 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 19) -- It was only her fourth-ever bout but Natalie KUTZLI (USA) showed no lack of experience in defeating Oliwia STAWSKA (POL), and become a world champion at the UWW Amateur MMA World Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Kutzli, the lone fighter from the United States, won by unanimous decision after three rounds against Stawska who has been on the circuit for a longder time.

"I'm just at a loss of words," Kutzli said. "I just feel so surreal."

In the final against Stawska, Kutzli opened the match with clear striking and controlled the round. She followed a similar strategy and never allowed Stawska to land cleanly. Kutzli won all three rounds in the final.

"She was a challenging fighter for sure," she said. "She was really tough. It's just such a amazing opportunity to be able to fight somebody who has that much experience. I loved every second of it."

Hailing from Michigan, Kutzli began her sports career with taekwondo before switching to wrestling. Her mother, Jeanie, would drive her from one practice to another and supported her when she switched sports.

"First person I talked to was my mom," she said. "She's just so proud of me and amazed by me and what I do and I just I made her proud and my family really proud. I do it for her in hopes of someday being in the UFC and be able to pay for my family and just be able to take care of my loved one, so that's my dream.

"From a young age, I was raised by a single mom. So I'm doing this for her and to be able to thank her and just sort of appreciation to my family."

At 57kg, Viktoriia DUDAKOVA (UWW) showed that she belongs to the big league she knocked out Justine TAILFER (FRA) in the 57kg final. The bout went to the second round but Dudakova dominated it throughout.

Dudakova and Tailfer went out of bounds in the second round with the former on top. The referee called it to center and when the bout restarted with Dudakova getting the back mount advantage, she kept her striking with Tailfer not able to defend which forced the referee to call it a knockout.

In other finals, Anna BEZHENAR (UKR) scored a victory via submission against Daria RAMANOVA (UWW) to win the gold medal at 50kg. However, two other Ukraine finalists failed to win.

Veronika SUSHINA (UWW) stormed back after a slow start to beat Yana MELNYCHUK (UKR) via split decision as two judges gave her the win to one who scored it in favor of Melnychuk as Sushina won the 61kg gold.

Khalida TIMOFEEVA (UWW) did not give any chances to the judges to score differently as she defeated Yuliia MELNYCHUK (UKR) via unanimous decision to win at 65kg and bag the gold medal.

At 80kg, Anna ERSHOVA (UWW) had one of the most dominant wins in the final as she humbled Dana DROZHZHINA (UWW), winning via unanimous decision, to claim the gold medal.

Kazakhstan also got a gold medal as Aigerim TOREKHANOVA (KAZ) dominated the final against Veronika VYKHVATEN (UWW) at 53kg to win via unanimous decision. Her strong start in the first two rounds gave her the advantage despite a strong show from Vykhvaten in the final round.

RESULTS

50kg Final
Anna BEZHENAR (UKR) df. Daria ROMANOVA (UWW), via submission

53kg Final
Aigerim TOREKHANOVA (KAZ) df. Veronika VYKHVATEN (UWW), via unanimous decision

57kg Final
Viktoriia DUDAKOVA (UWW) df. Justine TAILFER (FRA), via submission

61kg Final
Veronika SUSHINA (UWW) df. Yana MELNYCHUK (UKR), via split decision

65kg Final
Khalida TIMOFEEVA (UWW) df. Yuliia MELNYCHUK (UKR), via unanimous decision

70kg Final
Natalie KUTZLI (USA) df. Oliwia STAWSKA (POL), via unanimous decision

80kg Final
Anna ERSHOVA (UWW) df. Dana DROZHZHINA (UWW), via unanimous decision