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Six Must Watch World Cup Pool Match-Ups

Wednesday, April 4, 2018 - 16:29 By Eric Olanowski

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Taking an in-depth look at six of the best World Cup pool match-ups. These are potential matches-ups and are subject to change as different nations have more than one wrestler per weight class. 

1. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) v. Thomas GILMAN (USA) (57kg) 

The United States and Japan will meet in session two of the World Cup and the dual will be kick-started by a rematch of the 57kg 2017 World Championships gold medal bout between Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Thomas GILMAN (USA).

In the world finals, Takahashi captured his first world title by using three two-point moves to win the bout, 6-0. If Gilman expects a different result, he's going to have to do two things. First, close the distance on his shots. Takahashi used the distance of Gilman shot selection to pick up all of his takedowns in that finals bout.

Second, Gilman needs to eliminate emotion but also use the hometown crowd in his favor. The former Hawkeye wrestled for the University of Iowa and will be making his return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first time since competing for the black and gold.

2. No.1 GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) v. No.5 Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ) (74kg) 
This session one match-up is a rematch of the 74kg Asian Championships semifinals. In that match, Ganzorig bolted out to a 4-0 lead but began to fade near the two-minute mark. Kaisanov, who’d been unsuccessful in getting to his left side swing single finally picked up his first takedown as the clock neared the one-minute mark. After an immediate low-level gut on the right side, Kaisanov tied the match, 4-4.

With 45 second left, Ganzorig established position with an underhook on the ride side and pulled the Kazak into a double leg, driving him to his back to take the 8-4 lead. This would be the match determining takedown as Ganzorig defeated Kaisanov, 8-6.

Photo: Three-time world champion, Haji ALIYEV (AZE). 

3. Haji ALIYEV (AZE) v. Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB) (65kg)
Alejandro Enrique Valdes Tobier will be welcomed to his third World Cup by three-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist, Haji Aliyev.

Aliyev, who is known for being one of the most technically sound wrestlers in the world will have to be comfortable wrestling in close quarters as most of Vales Tobier's comes from an underhook. If Aliyev happens to give up a takedown, he has to be aware that Vales Tobier will be looking to get to his high gut on the left side.

The key for Vales Tobier to come out on top of this match is to eliminate hesitation. His dominant position is his over/under and can not hesitate when he established his position.

Photo: World bronze medalist, Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE). 

4. No.1 LUVSANDORJ Turtogtokh (MGL) v. Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE) (92kg)
In his sixth World Cup appearance, world bronze medalist Aslanbek Alborov will have the opportunity to wrestle current world No. 1, Luvsandorj Turtogtokh (MGL). 

The biggest question for the Mongolian is how is he going to adjust to Alborov's unconventional left side head outside single?

The reason Alborov's single gives his opponents issues is that he uses his right hand as a decoy to roll his head outside for his single leg. For Mongolia to pick up a win here, it's going to take two things. Luvsandorj will have to place high importance on controlling the left hand, and he'll have to keep the Azeris head on the inside of his right hip. Alborov strives when his head slips to the outside where he's able to come to his feet and double off.  

Photo: No.11 Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN). 

5. No.11 Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) v. J'den COX (USA) (92kg)
This match could go a few ways as both guys are incredibly light on their feet, but both also slow down immensely when they fall into tie-ups.

For Cox to knock off the No.11 ranked wrestler in the world, he has to finish his shots with urgency. Historically, Ishiguro has struggled with quick finishers. 

Cox finds closure in dictating the pace of his matches. He's most comfortable in relying on his defense in close matches, and Ishiguro cannot allow that to happen if he wants to beat the world and Olympic bronze medalist. 

Photo: Junior world champion Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE). 

6. Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) v. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) (97kg)
If I'm on the Cuban coaching staff, I'm tying Reineris Salas Perez' elbows to his hip before he wrestles Nurmagomed Gadzhiyev. The junior world champions right side ear-to-ear set up for his arm-drag is something that has to be addressed before the explosive Cuban steps on the mat! 

Salas Perez, known for his patient, laid back and calculated style of wrestling must roll his head to get left ear-to-ear to negate that arm-drag of Gadzhiyev.

To beat the Cuban Olympian, Gadshiyev is going to have to compete six total minutes. For the Azeri, it's important to understand that Salas can put points on the board in a heartbeat, so no lead is safe. 

Stadnik retires: Europe's best who rewrote history

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 11:06 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (February 4) -- Four Olympic medals, six World Championships medals, 10 European titles, two European Games golds, many triumphs and heartbreaks later, Mariya STADNIK (AZE) has called it a day.

Stadnik, who debuted 22 years ago in 2003, announced her decision to retire from wrestling in an event organized by Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in Baku on Monday. In an emotional video, Stadnik can be seen removing her shoes on the mat in front of a crowd and then speaking about her career.

"I recorded my name in the history of Women's Wrestling. Thank you to everyone who created this story together with me," Stadnik wrote on Instagram. "Now it's time to close this page of my life and write a new history."

Back in 2003, Stadnik began with a gold medal at the U17 European Championships, won a U20 world title two years later, added senior one as well and had a storied Olympic career which was laden with heartbreaks.

"I always had the motivation and will to win," Stadnik said last year. "I have had this will since early childhood, and this is endless."

READ MORE: Stadnik, 34, remains unbeaten in Europe

Though her will has stretched her career over two decades, Stadnik's decision to retire came after a lot of thought.

"In wrestling, I used all my chances," Stadnik said. "Now I understand that the time has come when I can be useful for wrestling in another role."

The 36-year-old, who was born in Ukraine but competed for Azerbaijan, will be moving into a caretaker role with the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in Women's Wrestling and will be responsible for churning out new stars.

When Stadnik made her debut in 2003, Japan, China, United States and Canada were top nations. However, Stadnik changed that. She won her first World Championships medal in 2007 and qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in which she won a bronze medal as an 18-year-old.

Soon, she won her first world title in 2009 and emerged as the new force from Europe. She went on to win the European Championships as well. Stadnik brought competition to Women's Wrestling.

"For these countries, the competition with me was always serious," she said. "We always had tense and intriguing fights that were followed by the whole world. Mariya Stadnik from Azerbaijan was always a danger for them."

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Perhaps it was no surprise that she was in the final of 2011 World Championships and 2012 London Games. However, she came up short both times to Hitomi OBARI (JPN).

"I give a lot of respect to Obara because she was stronger than me at that moment and the London gold was hers," she said. "She was my strongest opponent whom I respect very much."

Barring those Japanese hurdles, Stadnik was unstoppable. She added more medals at the continental level and always stood on the podium at the World Championships.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)A dejected Mariya STADNIK (AZE) at the 48kg medal ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Then came the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Stadnik was at the peak of her wrestling her. A Olympic gold would take so much off her back. She was in the final of the 48kg in Rio and the gold medal was within touching distance as she was leading Eri TOSAKA (JPN) 2-1 in the final. But Tosaka crushed those dreams in the final five seconds, beating Stadnik 3-2.

Stadnik till today has no explanation as to what happened in those last five seconds of the final against Tosaka.

"I didn't watch my match from Rio for two years and still can't find an explanation why that competition ended like that," Stadnik said. "I knew and felt that the Rio gold should have been mine."

Stadnik geared up for one more time. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics would have been perfect ending for her. But by then, wrestling had changed with two-day weight ins, a newer generation of wrestlers had come up and Yui SUSAKI (JPN) was on a mission.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) lost her first meeting with Yui SUSAKI (JPN) 2-2 at the Klippan Lady Open in 2018. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Max Rose-Fynn)

The first time Stadnik and Susaki faced each other was in the Klippan Lady Open final in 2018. Stadnik was winning the final but Susaki scored a stepout in the final second to shock Stadnik.

People doubted Stadnik and her mental strength. The 2019 World Championships gave a huge boost of confidence for Stadnik who won her second of the two world titles in Astana, exactly ten years after winning her first.

The Tokyo Olympics were just 10 months away and Stadnik was ready for it. However, with COVID-19 pandemic, it got pushed to 2021 and Susaki went on to win the gold medal with a 41-0 record in four bouts including a 10-0 rout of Stadnik in the semifinals.

Stadnik still managed to win a bronze medal, her fourth of the Olympics, tying her with Kaori ICHO (JPN) and Saori YOSHIDA (JPN). Icho was four golds and Yoshida has three silver and one bronze.

"I know people talk about the gold medal but I am so happy with this bronze. It's satisfying," she said back in 2021.

But Stadnik wasn't satisfied with wrestling. After being away from the mat in 2022, she returned in 2023 and won her ninth European title, the most in Women's Wrestling, extending her unbeaten streak in European Championships to 34 bouts.

Then she made a run for the Paris Olympics and though that meant taking losses to opponents she used to toy with in the past, the mother of two secured her place for Paris in the final qualifiers in Istanbul. Her body was ageing, reducing weight was becoming gruesome and her opponents were becoming quicker.

She returned home without a medal but became the first female wrestler to compete at five Olympics. Soon after Paris, Stadnik reflected on what she has left for wrestling and decided that a role off the mat was more suited now. Letting go off something so big in her life was hard and emotional for her.

"When I watched the video in which I take my shoes off, I had tears," she said. "This is the end of an important part of my life. What I loved so much for many years is ending."