#BudaWrestle2018

Staebler Tops Korpasi to Claim No.3, Bacsi Wins No.2 in Home Country

By Andrew Hipps

BUDAPEST, Hungary (October 26) -- Frank STAEBLER (GER) came from behind late to claim his third world title on Friday night at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. 

The 29-year-old Staebler faced crowd favorite Balint KORPASI (HUN), a 2016 world champion, in the gold-medal match at 72kg. The German star scored the first point of the match off a passivity, but Korpasi took the lead in the second period with a passivity point of his own.

Trailing on criteria late, Staebler scored a step out with less than a minute remaining to take a 2-1 lead and held on for the victory.  

Wrestling in his home country, Peter BACSI (HUN) came back to win his second world title, beating Emrah KUS (TUR) 4-3 in the finals at 82kg. Kus controlled the early part of the match and took a 3-0 lead into the second period. The 35-year-old Bacsi rallied in the second period, scoring a passivity point before locking up a gut wrench and turning Kus. He then added a step out with a minute and half remaining to grab a 4-3 lead, which proved to be the difference. 

Two-time junior world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) captured his first senior world title with a dominant 10-0 technical fall over Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) in less than a minute in the gold-medal match at 55kg. 

Azizli wasted little time putting points on the scoreboard, using a front headlock to secure a four-point throw and adding an additional two points off a leg foul. The match ended a short time later as Azizli lifted Sharshenbekov and scored a four-point throw for the technical fall.

After winning a world bronze last year, Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) upgraded his world medal by claiming a gold medal at 63kg with a 6-3 win over Olympic bronze medalist Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB). 

Maryanyan picked up a takedown 40 seconds into the match and added a passivity point to lead 3-0 at the break. Tasmuradov scored a passivity point in the second period and then used a gut wrench to score another two. However, a flurry ensued and Maryanyan received two exposure points. After a failed challenge by Uzbekistan, the Russian led by three and held on to win.

Bronze medals at 55kg went to Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) and Ekrem OZTURK (TUR). Tsurtsumia used a pair of arm throws to roll to an 11-0 technical fall over Liguo CAO (CHN). It's the Georgian's first senior world medal after winning two junior world medals. Ozturk, a university world champion, shut out Norayr HAKHOYAN (ARM) 4-0. 

Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) topped Erbatu TUO (CHN) 3-1 in the first bronze-medal match at 63kg. Temirov, a 2010 junior world bronze medalist, used a late first-period takedown to pace him to the victory. Rahman BILICI (TUR) defeated Hassan MOHAMED (EGY) 6-1 for the other bronze medal at 63kg. The 28-year-old Bilici broke open a close match in the second period with a headlock to go up 4-1. He would add a takedown to win by five.

Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) used a gut wrench to cruise to a 9-0 first-period technical fall over Tarek BENAISSA (ALG) in the first bronze-medal match at 72kg. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), a 2015 world champion, added his fourth world-level medal with a 4-3 win over Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS).

In a battle of returning world medalists, 2017 world champion Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) defeated Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) 4-1 in the first bronze-medal match at 82kg. Abdvali led 1-1 on criteria in the second period before Manukyan scored two points from the front headlock position and held on to win by three after a failed challenge by Iran. Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) used two second-period turns to defeat Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) 5-1 in the other bronze-medal match at 82kg. It's Azisbekov's second world medal after winning a silver in 2015. 

Finals Results

Greco-Roman

55kg
GOLD: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df. Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) by VSU, 10-0
BRONZE: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) df. Liguo CAO (CHN) by VSU, 11-0
BRONZE: Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) df. Norayr HAKHOYAN (ARM) by VPO, 4-0

63kg
GOLD: Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) df. Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) by VPO1, 6-3
BRONZE: Rahman BILICI (TUR) df. Hassan MOHAMED (EGY) by VPO1, 6-1
BRONZE: Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) df. Erbatu TUO (CHN) by VPO1, 3-1

72kg
GOLD: Frank STAEBLER (GER) df. Balint KORPASI (HUN) by VPO1, 2-1
BRONZE: Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) by VPO1, 4-3
BRONZE: Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) df. Tarek BENAISSA (ALG) by VSU, 9-0

82kg
GOLD: Peter BACSI (HUN) df. Emrah KUS (TUR) by VPO1, 4-3
BRONZE: Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) df. Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) by VPO1, 5-1
BRONZE: Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) df. Saeid Morad ABDVALI (IRI) by VPO1, 4-1
 

#WrestleTirana

Takara Suda, Ono's training partner and Japan's new star

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 26) -- World champion Masanosuke ONO (JPN) has a rival and he knows him too well.

Takara SUDA (JPN), Ono's training partner since high school, won the Ranking Series gold medal at the Muhamet Malo in Tirana, Albania. Incidentally, it was in Tirana last year at the World Championships that an unheralded Ono rose to become the world champion.

READ MORE: Masanosuke Ono Takes Over Wrestling

Suda and Ono went to the same high school -- Tosu Tech -- and trained together before both joined the Yamanashi Gaikun University. Both training partners are quickly turning into rivals as Ono charts his own path while Suda can become the first choice at the university.

While the Ranking Series isn't the same as the stacked World Championships, Suda's style and quick movements can trouble even the best as it was evident on Wednesday.

Suda's quick movement aided his attacking style. Over the course of his four bouts, Suda made his opponents uncomfortable with forward pressure and catching them off guard. While defending, he was able to turn around from the zone.

Takara SUDA (JPN)Takara SUDA (JPN) defeated Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) in the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In the 61kg final, Suda was up against former U23 world champion Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) and despite a late comeback from Mongush, Suda held on to a very impressive 8-8 win and the gold medal.

"I feel happy," Suda said after his win. "Most of all I'm really grateful to all the people who support me on a daily basis, including my family, the manager and coaches, and my friends who practiced with me."

Suda was quick off the blocks and scored a stepout and then hit a double leg for a 3-0 lead. Mongush stopped Suda with a chestwrap and then exposed him for two points. A reversal made it 4-2 before Suda got a takedown to lead 6-2 at the break.

Mongush began the second period with an attempted headpinch but Suda blocked it and pinned Mongush on the mat for two points to lead 8-2. Just when it seemed like he will run away with the gold medal, Mongush mounted a comeback. He scored a stepout and Suda was cautioned for fleeing.

With the score 8-4, Mongush scored another stepout and managed a takedown with 31 seconds left on the clock. A stepout without fleeing made it 8-8 but Suda kept the criteria lead for four two-point moves. He held on for the remaining 11 seconds and won the gold medal.

Takara SUDA (JPN)Takara SUDA (JPN) with the gold medal after winning at 61kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

This was the second time Suda was wrestling a final at the international level. He won a silver medal at the U15 Asian Championships in 2019 but had not wrestled internationally since.

Perhaps the rust over the years of being away from international wrestling was visible as his conditioning worsened in the second period. 

"It's been a long time since I last played a final," he said. "It was my first overseas match in five [six] years. I was already taking on this match with a sense of challenge. I really didn't expect it to turn out like this."

The 20-year-old is now waiting for the Ono, who is in the United States for more than a month now, to return so he can train with the world champion.

"I train with Ono as a teammate not only at the university but also at the high school. Now he is in America but I want to train when he comes back."