#WrestleOslo

Snyder was better prepared at Olympics: Sadulaev after 'easy' win to 5th World title

Friday, October 15, 2021 - 09:08 By Vinay Siwach

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OSLO, Norway (October 8) -- They had not wrestled each other for three years since that night in Budapest but now they faced each other twice in two months. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) put on a show at the Tokyo Olympics in August and this week in Oslo, Norway. Sadulaev, who lost to the American in 2017 Worlds, avenged that loss at the 2018 Budapest edition. A third bout was expected in Nursultan but Snyder lost in the semifinal while Sadulaev reached the final.

The 1-1 tie was broken in Tokyo, the sport's grandest stage, when Sadulaev beat Snyder 6-3 to claim his second Olympic gold. When the two met in Oslo, it was a question of Snyder keeping up with the Russian Tank or Sadulaev making it an one-sided affair.

"I really wanted to win in Oslo, because five-time world champion sounds better than four-time champion," Sadulaev said.

He did become a five-time world champion when he beat Snyder 6-0 in the 97kg final and also led the Russian Wrestling Federation to yet another team title win at the World Championships. The fact that it came down to this bout to decide the title was history repeating itself. Back in 2017, it was the same case but Snyder then defeated a new-to-97kg Sadulaev and claimed the title for USA.

"Years of work pays off and thank God I won again," Sadulaev said. "I always have tough matches with Snyder. I could barely get off the mat at the Olympics, today I was tired at the end, but everything went well."

Sadulaev took some time to catch his breath after the bout in Tokyo and sat matside before finally leaving the arena. But in Oslo, his conditioning looked better and a change in strategy helped him pull off the win with ease.

"In Tokyo, I immediately began to attack, but here in the first period I decided to see what he would do," he said. "I understood his tactics, and in the second period I did not let him take the lead."

Now a five-time world champion Sadulaev explained more about his approach to a 'Synderlaev' bout and said he doesn't really plan for a bout against his American opponent.

"I don't have any special tactic for the matches against Snyder," Sadulaev said. "I know he is trying to wear me out. So I was trying to make him wrestle my way and not let him set his own rules. In the end, I noticed that he got more worn out than me.

"Personally, I think he was better prepared physically and mentally at the Olympics. I was more tired there. It was easier to win here." 

Sadulaev had a 5-0 lead after the first period. Snyder was called for passivity and as soon as the activity clocked ended, the RWF wrestler pounced with a takedown to increase the lead and then exposed the American with a gut. Snyder did try to attack but was called passive for his lack of activity and won 6-0.

Asked whether this was the most difficult win for him, Sadulaev said that the 2018 win in Budapest still remains a special win for him given that it was a revenge bout.

"Then I had been waiting for that match for a whole year, I wanted to take revenge," he said. "And at the Olympics or today, I didn’t expect to wrestle with him. Here, the most important thing was to win the gold medal of the World Championship. Of course, it's nice that our rivalry with Snyder makes people more interested in our sport."

Despite leading the head-to-head tie 3-1, Sadulaev believes that it won't be easy going forward to wrestle Snyder. "Before the third match, we could not meet for three years, but now it is the second match in two months. There will be no undefeated wrestler, sooner or later everyone loses, it's just that now is my time." 

Sadulaev injured his knee right before the Olympics and it was doubted that he would struggle with the injury. But he said that he would have fought in the Olympics even if he had no leg.

"I have not yet fully recovered from the injury, but in Oslo I felt better than in Tokyo," he said. "I think that now I deserve a little rest and I will heal. My personal coach Shamil OMAROV is next to me - he is like my father, my elder brother during competitions and training camps, and he prepares me in a special way for each bout."

It is still unclear when the new season will start for the star wrestler but he said that till he is healthy, he will continue wrestling at the World Championships with no target on how many medals he wants to win at the megaevent.

"I want to enjoy the victory and have a little rest, and then I will think," he said. "With the help of God there will be no injuries, there will be no problems. I will wrestle for as long as I have strength and health. I am not planning to leave the sport before Paris Olympics. I will keep preparing for the upcoming tournaments.

"For now I will go for a vacation. I will spin the globe and go wherever my finger points."

Sadulaev was leading a young team to Oslo with only him and Tokyo bronze medalist Artur NAIFANOV (RWF) wrestling at the event. Tokyo Olympics champions Zavur UGUEV (RWF) and Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RWF) decided to skip the Oslo event. 65kg bronze medalist Gazhdimurad RASHIDOV (RWF) was also missing from the event.

The 26-year-old said that it brought added responsibility to him and explained that the experience of wrestling at the World Championships will be invaluable for the team.

"The longer I wrestle, the more responsibility it brings," he said. "Before, no one knew my wrestling style, today everyone knows how I wrestle, and I have to work hard to keep winning.

"I am glad that the number of world champions in Russia has increased. There are only two Olympians in our team. The rest of the guys are young. Some wrestled worse than they could actually do because we know that it is sometimes more difficult to win the national championships than the world championships. They went through tough trials, came here, but someone lacked experience, anything can happen. I will say one thing that everyone has a great future, the main thing is never giving up."

#WrestleAmman

Tanabe outdoes Olympic medalist dad by claiming Asian 65kg gold

Saturday, March 29, 2025 - 21:16 By Ken Marantz

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AMMAN, Jordan (March 29) -- By winning his first senior Asian title, collegian Kaisei TANABE (JPN) did something his father and coach was unable to accomplish. Now his aim to better dad's result at the Olympics.

Tanabe stormed to a one-sided victory in the 65kg final as Japan had two champions crowned on the first day of the freestyle competition at the Asian Championships on Saturday in Amman, Jordan.

Tanabe completed his golden run with a 12-2 victory over Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) to outdo his father Chikara, who was a bronze medalist at the 2004  Athens Olympics but never medaled in two trips to the Asian Championships.

"My older sister is now a coach in China, and my father and mother are watching from home," the 22-year-old Tanabe said. "They give me advice before every match, and I incorporate that. This is a title won by my whole family."

Japan also got a gold from rising star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), who added the 97kg title to the one he claimed at 92kg in 2023, while three countries split the three other golds at stake.

Asian Games silver medalist Chongsong HAN (PRK) won at 57kg, Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) took the 70kg title with his third come-from-behind victory in four matches, and teenager Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) put on a performance well behind his years to capture the 79kg gold.

Kaisei TANABE (JPN)Kaisei TANABE (JPN) hits a throw against Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Tanabe, who lost in the first round last year at 61kg, showed the great strides he has made since then by sweeping through a tough field, culminating with a decisive victory over Tseveensuren, a world bronze medalist last year at 61kg.

"From the first match, I faced strong opponents, but I thought to myself, I face even stronger rivals back home in Japan," Tanabe said. "So I just did what I had to do in each and every match."

It was Tseveensuren who struck first, using a barrel roll for a 2-point takedown. But Tanabe shook off his early nerves and got down to business, scoring a 4-point takedown by getting behind Tseveensuren in the standing position and using a throw to bring him backward to the mat.

In the second period, Tanabe showed he has power to go with his speed when he shut down a headlock roll attempt for a 2-point exposure, also gaining a 2-point penalty when the Mongolian fled over the edge while his back is to the mat. A counter takedown and gut wrench then ended the match with 26 seconds to spare.

"In the final, I was nervous and gave up points first," Tanabe said. "But then the match went my way and I was able to dictate the flow."

In December, Tanabe earned his ticket to Amman by winning the national title in the absence of Paris Olympic champion and former Nippon Sports Science University teammate Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN), who has yet to return to competition. (Tanabe also finished second in Greco-Roman at 67kg.)

With an Asian championship providing a boost of confidence, he now aims to remain the top dog in a weight class in which Japan has had the two most recent Olympic gold medalists.

"Japan is really strong in the 65kg weight class," Tanabe said. "I want to hone the weapons that only I possess and take on all of the top rivals."

At 97kg, Yoshida won a battle of young stars in the final of a weight class that saw world and Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) withdraw at the last minute after not recovering sufficiently from a shoulder injury.

Yoshida was largely untroubled in defeating 2023 world 92kg champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) 7-1, chalking up four stepouts and keeping his taller opponent at arm's length throughout the match.

The 21-year-old Yoshida got three of the stepouts in the first period, then added a fourth early in the second. He then received an activity point and got behind for a takedown before the 20-year-old Aitmukhan, who had to settle for a silver medal for the third straight year, picked up a consolation stepout.

"Tazhudinov didn't compete which made it a little easier, but it's still important that I practice even harder," Yoshida said.

Yoshida, whose father is Iranian and runs the kids wrestling club in Japan where he and his siblings started the sport, has emerged as Japan's biggest hope for its first Olympic success in the heavy weights since Akira OTA (JPN) won Olympic silvers at 90kg in 1984 and 1988.

"Japan is very strong in the light weights, and I don't think we're close to that level in the heavy weights," Yoshida said. "But we'll work hard to try to get to that level."

Yoshida came into Amman riding a victory at the Tirana Ranking Series event in February, where he turned heads with a stunning 5-5 victory in the semifinals over former Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA).

He had termed that victory "lucky," but gave himself more credit for his triumph in Amman. "It was not so much lucky, more that I think I just put out everything that I had this tournament," Yoshida said.

Chongsong HAN (PRK)Chongsong HAN (PRK) won the 57kg gold medal with an 8-1 victory over Milad VALIZADEH (IRI). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 57kg, Han, the silver medalist at the 2023 Asian Games who missed out twice in qualifying for the Paris Olympics, completed a strong performance by defeating young Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) 8-1 for the gold.

Han opened the scoring with a nice duck under for a takedown, and the first period ended with him up 2-0. After Valizadeh started the second period with a stepout, Han gained another point when Iran unsuccessfully challenged a slick move by Han, who spun in mid-air to get out of an underhook.

To add insult to injury, Han was awarded a point when Valizadeh continually remained on his knees in defense at the edge to avoid a stepout. With :05 left, Han clinched the gold with a double-leg takedown for 4.

Valizadeh took home the silver in just his third tournament on the senior level.

Nothing was a sure thing when it came to matches involving Akmataliev, who chalked up his third come-from-behind victory when he rallied from a four-point deficit to defeat Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) 5-4 in the 70kg final.

Rassadin, aiming to improve on his silver medal from last year at 74kg, scored two takedowns in the first period to go ahead 4-0.

Akmataliev came to life in the second period, gaining a takedown from a duck under, than going ahead on criteria with a 2-point counter lift.

At the end, Rassadin got hold of an ankle but Akmataliev high-stepped out of it, and an unsuccessful challenge gave Akmataliev his final point.

The victory gave Akmataliev his first gold in four appearances at the Asian Championships and second medal overall following a silver in 2022, the year he also won a world bronze. He also has a world silver from 2021.

Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI)Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) hits a four-point throw against Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) in the 79kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The most dominant victory of the finals was turned in by world U23 champion Yousefi, who was never challenged in charging to a 10-0 victory over Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN).

Yousefi, who finished second at this year's Zagreb Ranking Series event, received an activity point before scoring a takedown, despite a daring and athletic attempt by Saipudinov to prevent it. With Yousefi holding his leg in the air, Saipudinov executed a back flip, but the Iranian held on and completed the takedown anyway.

In the second period, Yousefi piled on the points with a single-leg takedown, a 2-point tilt and a 2-point exposure off a double-leg attempt to make it 8-0.

A driving double-leg takedown that went over the edge was originally scored 2 points, but was downgraded to 1 on challenge. No matter, it still gave Yousefi his 10th point to end the match at the 5-minute mark.

Iran goes 3 for 3 in bronze-medal matches

The trio of Iranians who didn't make the finals all came back to take home bronze medals. World U23 bronze medalist Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) left no doubt in his 65kg match, pulling away in the second period for a 10-0 victory over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB).

Ahead 1-0 from an activity point in the first period, Ebrahimzadeh got a takedown and a stepout to pad the lead, then after a second takedown, reeled off two trap-arm rolls to end the match in 4:25.

Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) eked out a 2-1 victory over last year's 61kg champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the other 65kg match, which finished without a technical point but with a peculiar ending.

Both wrestlers had received an activity point, with Kim's coming in the second period to give him the advantage on criteria. Zhumashbek Uulu was scrapping in the final seconds for a score and, with the match still in progress, he signaled for his side to push the challenge button, ostensibly to penalize Kim for fleeing. The challenge was thrown out and Kim got the win.

Sina KHALILI (IRI), two years removed from winning the world U17 gold medal at 65kg, captured a 70kg bronze by defeating veteran Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) by fall after pulling away to a 9-2 lead.

Khalili got an activity clock point, then scored two driving single-leg takedowns to lead 5-0 at the break. After giving up a stepout and fleeing point, Khalili scored a takedown, then stuffed Tumur Ochir's arm throw attempt to secure the fall.

Tumur Ochir had moved up from 65kg, where he was a world bronze medalist in 2021 and took the silver at last year's Asian Championships. He barely missed out on a medal at the Paris Olympics.

In the other 70kg match, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), the world and Asian silver medalist last year, added a second Asian bronze to his collection with a solid 8-0 victory over Russian-born Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ), a one-time European medalist.

Aoyagi, who started the year with a victory at the Tirana Ranking Series event, received an activity point in the first period, then got going in the second. He chalked up a single-leg takedown and gut wrench, then countered a takedown attempt for 2 at the edge that was upheld on challenge.

At 97kg, Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI), the 2023 world U20 champion at 92kg, spotted Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM) an early takedown, but then took control and scored three takedowns, including a 4-pointer at the end of the first period, to notch a 9-3 victory.

Hemelyayev, who also finished fifth in 2022 at 125kg, had been aiming to become Turkmenistan's first Asian medalist since 2018.

Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) earned his second career Asian medal at 97kg when he bulled his way to a first-period takedown, then held on after giving up a stepout in the second to defeat Kanybek ABDULKHAIROV (KGZ) 2-1.

Earlier, Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) claimed his third medal in three trips to the Asian Championships, and he was made to work for it in an 8-6 victory at 57kg over Husein ALBEHADILALBORS (IRQ), the Arab champion who did himself proud on the continental stage.

Kalzhan led 5-2 at the break and increased the lead with a takedown and stepout to make it 8-2. But Albehadilalbors didn't give up, forcing a stepout, then countering with a roll through on the edge for 2. A stepout with :12 left cut the lead to 2, but Kalzhan held on in the final seconds to add to his bronze from 2023 and silver from 2022.

Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) won the other bronze at 57kg with an opportunistic victory by fall over Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN), the young Japanese champion who has taken the rare route of heading to the United States for university.

After giving up an activity point in the first period, Sakamoto, who wears the headgear of Oklahoma State University, went ahead in the second with a stepout off a single-leg attack.

Batkhuyag responded with a stepout, onto which a fleeing point was tacked on to go ahead 3-1. Sakamoto then made a tactical error. When Batkhuyag got in deep on a single, Sakamoto reached over and tried to roll through. But the Mongolian stopped the move by sitting on his chest and the match ended with a quick call of the fall at 4:39.

At 79kg, Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) dropped former world bronze medalist and Asian champion Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) for a 2-point takedown with :20 left to earn a 4-4 victory on last-point criteria and add to his 2023 bronze at 74kg.

Olonbayar opened with a takedown, but the Russian-born Budazhapov came back with a takedown while on the activity clock, and went ahead with a 2-point counter tilt.

In the second period, Olonbayar got behind in standing position and pulled Budazhapov backwards to the mat. Originally scored a 4-point takedown, it was downgraded to 2 on challenge. That kept Budazhapov's hopes alive, but Olobayar held on for the win.

Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) picked up his first major medal in impressive fashion, defeating Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) by fall in the other 79kg match.

After receiving an activity point, Evloev caught Yergesh in a cradle while countering a single-leg attempt, then rolled him over onto his back for the fall.

Photo

Day 5 Results

Freestyle

57kg (15 entries)
GOLD: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Milad VALIZADEH (IRI), 8-1

BRONZE: Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) df. Husein ALBEHADILALBORS (IRQ), 8-6
BRONZE: Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) df. Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN) by Fall, 4:39 (5-1)

65kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Kaisei TANABE (JPN) df. Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) by TF, 12-2, 5:34

BRONZE: Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 2-1
BRONZE: Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:25

70kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Viktor RASSADIN (TJK), 5-4

BRONZE: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ), 8-0
BRONZE: Sina KHALILI (IRI) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) by Fall, 4:31 (9-2)

79kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) by TF, 10-0, 5:00

BRONZE: Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) df. Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ), 4-4
BRONZE: Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) df. Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) by Fall, 2:35 (3-0)

97kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), 7-1

BRONZE: Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM), 9-3
BRONZE: Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) df. Kanybek ABDULKHAIROV (KGZ), 2-1