All Japan Championships

Sydney Olympic Medalist Nagata Fails to Turn the Clock Back Again at Japan Nationals

Thursday, December 19, 2019 - 17:10 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (Dec. 19) — An Olympic silver medalist from yesteryear went out in the first round. A former world bronze medalist lost in the quarterfinals and promptly announced his retirement. And a current world silver medalist never even made it to the weigh-in. 

The All-Japan Championships in Tokyo had more downs than ups for the few featured wrestlers in action on the opening day.

Katsuhiko NAGATA, a silver medalist at the Sydney Olympics—for the young folks, that was in 2000—returned to the national stage again at 46, only to be defeated at Greco-Roman 72kg by a reigning collegiate champion less than half his age.

Nagata was unable to take advantage of the par terre position like his opponent, 21-year-old Minto MAEDA, who executed a lift and a roll in the first period and held out in the second to oust the veteran 5-1.

“He turned me on the ground, and I wasn’t able to turn him,” Nagata said. “That’s what makes the difference between victory, and that’s why I lost.” 

While Nagata won six consecutive national titles from 1997 to 2002,  he left little mark on the global stage — with the notable exception of his stunning run to the final at Sydney 2000, ending with a loss to Filiberto ASCUY AGUILERA (CUB). 

The Cuban would win the world title the following year in Patras, Greece, where Nagata would place 13th. In six trips to the World Championships, Nagata never finished higher than 10th, and he retired after placing 16th at the Athens 2004 Olympics.

Nagata then spent five years as a pro fighter in mixed-martial arts, before opening his own wrestling school in the Metropolitan Tokyo suburb of Chofu. 

In 2015, he made a highly publicized and ultimately successful return to the mat at the All-Japan tournament, also known as the Emperor’s Cup, capturing the Greco 71kg gold for his seventh national title and first in 13 years. 

Nagata, a father of five boys ranging in age from 7 months to 10 years, said he trains three times a week with various teams, including his alma mater, Nippon Sports Science University (Nittaidai). Why does he do it?

“I want to give them a view of me in an actual match,” he said of his own sons and the kids in his club. 

Asked about coming back a second time in a pre-Olympic year, Nagata noted it might not just be a coincidence. “Maybe because it’s the year before an Olympics, I get caught up in the excitement and it gets my juices flowing.”

Takuto OTOGURO, a 2018 world champion, will be in action on Saturday at the All Japan Championships. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

There were only a few big names in action Thursday at Komazawa Olympic Park Gym, as the Japan federation has stacked the marquee weight classes on the weekend. 

That’s when such stars as Sara DOSHO and Takuto OTOGURO attempt to clinch places at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and others like Yui SUSAKI, Yuki TAKAHASHI and Shinobu OTA try to earn tickets to the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in March. 

At the World Championships in Nur-Sultan, a medal in an Olympic weight class by a Japanese wrestler meant an automatic berth at Tokyo 2020. Five wrestlers achieved that goal—Mayu MUKAIDA (53kg), Risako KAWAI (57kg), Yukako KAWAI (62kg) and Hiroe MINAGAWA (76kg) for the women, and Kenichiro FUMITA (60kg) in Greco-Roman.

On Thursday, competition proceeded through the semifinals in three Olympic weight classes, with a chance to go to the Asian qualifier going to the winners of Friday’s finals.

Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN), a 2018 world bronze medalist, was upset in the quarterfinals. In his post-match interview, Matsumoto announced his retirement, saying, "I think this is the end." (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

One wrestler who won’t be heading to Xi’an, China, is Atsushi MATSUMOTO, a 2018 world bronze medalist at 92kg. Having moved up to 97kg, his bid to compete at Tokyo 2020 ended with a 2-2 loss to Takeshi YAMAGUCHI in the quarterfinals. That appears to be the last match of his career, which also included a short stint in Greco.

“I think this is the end,” said Matsumoto, a member of the Metropolitan Police Department. “From now, I will try to contribute to Japan as a police officer.”

Yamaguchi will face Naoya AKAGUMA in the final in a rematch of their world team wrestle-off last summer, which Akaguma won, but his first-round loss in Nur-Sultan reopened the door to the Olympic qualifying process for everyone else. The two have combined to win the past seven national titles. 

Yuta NARA (JPN) will take on Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) in the 97kg Greco-Roman finals. (Photo: Sachio Hotaka)

Two other world team members, Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA at freestyle 125kg and Yuta NARA at Greco 97kg made their respective finals to stay on the potential track to the Olympics.

At the non-Olympic Greco 55kg, Shota OGAWA, who put on an impressive run to the silver medal in Nur-Sultan, struggled with his weight and did not show up for the early morning weigh-in.

A source close to Ogawa, who would have been aiming for his inaugural Emperor’s Cup title, said his condition had deteriorated so much he had to visit a hospital for an intravenous solution. 

That opens the way for Asian silver medalist Hiromu KATAGIRI to defend his title after storming into the final with two technical falls and a fall. In his path to the gold stands high schooler Yu SHIOTANI, who is coached by Shota TANOKURA, who won the last of his three national titles at the lowest weight in 2017. 

The 55kg division had another intriguing twist. As ancient as Nagata might seem, he is not even the oldest competitor entered in the tournament. As fate would have it, the two oldest wrestlers in the history of the Emperor’s Cup both qualified this year at Greco 55kg.

Tomohiro KAWAGUCHI, at 49 years 10 months, earned the honor of being the oldest ever (based on available resources), edging Kyosuke ASAKAWA, who turned 48—which would have been the record—11 days ago. Kawaguchi lost his opening match by technical fall, while Asakawa won a preliminary round match before losing in the first round, also by technical fall.

The previous record for most elderly competitor was held by Hidemitsu YUGAWA, a former national runner-up who was 47 years 9 months when he competed at freestyle 96kg in 2009. 

There was one surprise among the four women’s weight classes, when high schooler Tsugumi SAKURAI notched a 4-2 victory at 55kg over former world junior and U-23 champion Saki IGARASHI.

Sakurai will face Kana HIGASHIKAWA, Igarashi’s teammate at Shigakkan University, in the final.  

High schooler Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) will wrestle Sara NATAMI in the 62kg Nordic group finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka).

At 59kg, rising star Yuzuka INAGAKI, the world junior and U-23 champion this year at 62kg, moved one win away from a second straight senior national title.

Competing in a Nordic group format as there are only six entries, the high schooler won two group matches and her semifinal without surrendering a point, setting up a rematch in the final with Sara NATAMI, whom she beat 5-0 in the group stage.   

Defending champion and Asian silver medalist Naomi RUIKE advanced to the final at 65kg, which also used the Nordic group for its seven entries. She also went unscored upon in two matches, before beating Miki KAWAUCHI by 11-0 technical fall in the semifinals.

By the luck of the draw, Kawauchi was placed in the same group with younger sister Saki, who is two years her junior. Facing each other in their opening matches, Miki played the standard role of older sibling and showed little mercy in coming out on top with a 12-4 victory. 

“She’s my younger sister, and more than anyone I don’t want to lose to her,” Miki said. “She’s my top rival. I went in determined not to lose.”

Miki explained why the Osaka Prefecture natives, who are teammates at Nittaidai, entered the same weight class in the first place. “This is my last tournament,” Miki revealed, “and I thought it would be good if we could wrestle each other, so we entered the same weight class.”

Day 1 Results
Freestyle

61kg (19 entries)
Semifinals
Ryuto SAKAKI df. Kodai OGAWA, 3-1 
Keita SHIMIZU df. Ryutaro HAYAMA, 3-2

70kg (16 entries)
Semifinals
Hikaru TAKADA df. Tsuyoshi NAKAMURA by TF, 13-3, 3:35
Shin HARAGUCHI df. Shinnosuke SUWAMA, 3-0

97kg (14 entries)
Semifinals
Naoya AKAGUMA df. Keiwan YOSHIDA, 7-1
Takeshi YAMAGUCHI df. Takashi ISHIGURO, 6-5

125kg (14 entries)
Semifinals
Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA df. Yasuhiro YAMAMOTO by TF, 11-0, 4:06
Tetsuya TANAKA df. Taiki YAMAMOTO, 3-1

Greco-Roman

55kg (23 entries)
Semifinals
Yu SHIOTANI df. Kagetora OKAMOTO, 7-3 
Hiromu KATAGIRI df. Hirokazu ONO by TF, 8-0, :39 

60kg (12 entries)
Semifinals
Kosei TAKESHITA df. Kaito INABA, 4-0 
Ayata SUZUKI df. Maito KAWANA, 10-3

72kg (22 entries)
Semifinals
Nao KUSAKA df. Minto MAEDA, 3-2
Takuya TOMIZUKA df. Takahiro YAMAMOTO, 6-6 

82kg (15 entries)
Semifinals
Satoki MUKAI df. Yuto MATSUZAKI by TF, 9-0, 2:33
Yoji KAWAMURA df. Shoma YAMASAKI, 5-1

97kg (14 entries)
Semifinals
Yuta NARA df. Masayuki AMANO, 3-0
Yuri NAKAZATO df. Masaaki SHIKIYA, 6-5

Women’s Wrestling

55kg (10 entries)
Semifinals
Tsugumi SAKURAI df. Tomoha UCHIJO by TF, 13-1, 5:57
Kana HIGASHIKAWA df. Hikari HIGUCHI, 6-4

59kg (6 entries)
Semifinals
Sara NATAMI df. Ayami SUGIMOTO by TF, 10-0, 3:44 
Yuzuka INAGAKI df. Yumi KON by TF, 10-0, 2:00

65kg (7 entries)
Miyu IMAI df. Rin TERAMOTO, 6-0
Naomi RUIKE df. Miki KAWAUCHI by TF, 11-0, 5:57

76kg (5 entries)
Round-Robin
(Standings after 3 rounds)
1. Yasuha MATSUYUKI (2-0), 2. Rino ABE (2-0), 3. Mizuki NAGASHIMA (1-1), 4. Miku SAITO (1-2), 5. Yune KOMATSU (0-3).

#WrestleZagreb

Uguev ends six-year world title drought with 61kg gold

Sunday, September 14, 2025 - 22:03 By Ken Marantz

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 13) -- With a spectacular display of his old form over two days, Zavur UGUEV (UWW) went from an afterthought back to one of the sport's most dominant wrestlers.

Uguev finessed his way to a third world title and first in six years when he captured the freestyle 61kg gold at the World Championships in Zagreb on Sunday, on the first night of finals in four Freestyle weight classes.

Uguev, the Tokyo Olympic champion at 57kg, rolled to the gold with a comprehensive 11-2 victory in the final over Asian bronze medalist Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), adding to the world titles he won in 2018 and 2019, also at 57kg.

"This is a very joyful event in my life -- I am once again on the top of the podium," Uguev said. "I am very happy and grateful to my team, my coach, my sparring partners, our national team -- thanks to everyone who played a part in my victory."

In other finals, Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) also became a three-time world champion with his third victory in five years at 125kg, while the two other golds at stake went to first-time winners who had previously made the podium, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) at 70kg and Zahid VALENCIA (USA) at 86kg.

Uguev had been the dominant lightweight for the span from his first world title in 2018 to his Olympic triumph in 2021. But then he hit a slump with a fifth-place finish in 2023, a result he repeated in 2024, even after moving up to the non-Olympic weight class of 61kg.

This year, he gave an indication of what might lie ahead when he won his first-ever European title, having previously won a bronze in 2017 and a silver in 2018.

"I didn’t change much," Uguev said. "I just worked on our mistakes, that’s all. We didn’t invent anything new. There were mistakes, we thought them through, corrected them, and this time made only minimal ones."

Zavur UGUEV (UWW)Zavur UGUEV (UWW) tries to score against Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) in the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Uguev said he welcomes new challengers coming along to try to knock him off the throne again.

"The more new names that appear, the better," he said. "They don’t let us relax. The young wrestlers are improving a lot, and it also makes me want to work harder — to compete with the younger generation."

Regarding a possible return to 57kg, Uguev replied, "I think it’s already clear that I’ve settled into this weight and built up my physique well. I feel comfortable here now, in this weight.

"There’s still time before the [2028] Olympic Games -- we’re not thinking about that yet. For now, there’s a goal for next year. I will work, move only forward. And later we’ll see how things go."

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) wrestles Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) in the 125kg final at the World Championships. (Photo: United World Championships / Kostadin Andonov)

At 125kg, Zare reconfirmed himself as the preeminent heavyweight with a 5-0 victory in the final over European champion and Olympic bronze medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), with all of the points coming in the first period.

"I’m thankful that this [winning the title] has happened for the third time now," Zare said. "My hope is that as long as I wrestle, I can keep winning gold medals. This third one feels just as good as the others, and I dedicate it to the people of Iran."

The victory helps alleviate some of the sting of a defeat in the final at the Paris Olympics, where he was dealt a heartbreaking 10-9 loss by Geno PETRASHVILI (GEO).

"That tough experience at the Olympics was really painful, and I’ll never forget it," said Zare, who previously won world titles in 2021 and 2023. "I made mistakes myself. For the last 13 months, I’ve only been focused on training -- so that my next medal would be gold and to make up for those mistakes. I’ll keep grinding, keep pushing, until I get better and finally win that Olympic gold."

Zare also has bronze medals from the 2021 Olympics and 2022 World Championships, as well as a gold from his debut at the Asian Championships last year.

At 70kg, Aoyagi wasn't as dominating as he had been in storming into the final, but he took advantage of the opportunities presented and forged a 5-1 victory over Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL).

"The opponent completely had a strategy to counter my movement, so it made it tough," Aoyagi said. "But I also had a plan for the opponent, so I never thought I would lose."

Aoyagi's victory made up for losing in last year's final, a defeat that caused him to make changes in his approach to training and competition.

"After I lost, I dedicated myself to practice and to expanding my horizons in terms of going different places to train, and going overseas," Aoyagi said.

His overseas ventures resulted in victories at the Ranking Series events in Tirana and Budapest, along with a bronze medal at the Asian Championships, where he lost a close semifinal match to Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) -- a loss he avenged in spades in his opening match in Zagreb en route to outscoring four opponents 34-1.

Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) celebrates after winning the 70kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Aoyagi also suffered a setback domestically in June, when he was beaten in the semifinals of the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, the second of two qualifiers for the World Championships. But he came back to earn his ticket to Zagreb by winning a playoff with the eventual champion.

"A little while ago, I lost at a Japan tournament, so right now I'm No. 3 in Japan," he said. "But I never give up in trying to win. I always fight only believing that I can win."

In Sunday's final, Aoyagi gave up an activity point -- the first and only point he surrendered all tournament -- but stuffed a half-hearted arm throw attempt by Tumur Ochir for a 2-point exposure.

In the second period, he was on the verge of giving up a stepout when he suddenly rose up, reversed their positions and gained the stepout himself, which was upheld on challenge to increase his lead to 4-1.

"I knew I had my knee down and it would be no point," said Aoyagi, who would add another stepout in the final seconds. "I was aware of going out, and the opponent pushed me up a bit.

"I didn't want to let the chance get away and I reversed our positions and scored a point. Even if it had been no points, it wouldn't have changed the flow of the match."

Zahid VALENCIA (USA)Zahid VALENCIA (USA) scores a takedown against Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) in the 86kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 86kg, Valencia denied Japan a second gold on the night when he overwhelmed 2023 Asian bronze medalist Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) 12-0 to cap a successful drop from 92kg.

"I felt like I was always the best in the world," Valencia said. "I was confident in myself."

The 28-year-old Valencia, a 2023 world bronze medalist at 92kg, changed his own fortunes when, about a year ago, he decided to train with the Oklahoma State University group under the leadership of former star David TAYLOR (USA) -- a one-time nemesis of his.

"Being able to learn from someone like him, it's been amazing," Valencia said. "That's ultimately why I made the move. He's beat me so many times. I wanted to learn from him and get into his mindset of what it takes to become a world champion. I was able to do it and replicate it and bring home another one for our Team USA."

Zahid VALENCIA (USA)Zahid VALENCIA (USA), right, with coach David TAYLOR, after winning the 86kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Just to make Team USA was a challenge in itself. Valencia had to beat four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) twice at the U.S. trials to earn his ticket to Zagreb. That in itself can be quite a confidence booster.

"If you make the team in the U.S., you're prepared to go be a world champ," he said. "So just go out there and let go of your fears and be courageous and let fly, go up there and score points and enjoy every moment and have fun with it."

Robert BARAN (POL)Robert BARAN (POL) celebrates after winning his bronze-medal bout at 125kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Poland's Baran earns elusive world medal

Making his seventh trip to the World Championships, Robert BARAN (POL) finally made it onto the medal podium at age 34. And he says he wants to get come back for more.

Baran won a bronze at 125kg with a solid 5-0 victory over Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), ending a run of futility that started in 2017.

"I feel very good, it is my long-awaited first [world] medal," Baran said. "I'm very happy, very pleased, and I hope that it is not the last medal."

Baran's previous best finish was a seventh place in Belgrade in 2023. He came close at last year's Paris Olympics, but lost in the bronze-medal match to Meshvildishvili.

On Sunday, he received an activity point in each period before scoring a stepout in the second to go ahead 3-0. He capped his win with a last-second 2-point exposure.

"During the match, I was feeling great," Baran said. "We worked on a plan with the coaches and I made it work 100 percent."

The other bronze at 125kg went to Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), who caught Jonovan SMITH (PUR) with a 4-point counter that sent him to his back, then secured a fall in 4:08.

Meanwhile, Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ), a world medalist on the U23 and U20 levels, picked up his first one as a senior, but it didn't come easy nor without a bit of drama.

Yessengeldi emerged from a wild encounter with high school phenom Jax FORREST (USA) with a 10-8 victory in a bronze-medal match at 61kg that, for an agonizing moment, he had thought he had lost.

Yessengeli came back from a 8-3 deficit to go ahead 9-8 following a scramble that earned him four points. But with the seconds ticking away, he was suddenly flagged for grabbing the singlet, giving Forrest a point -- and the lead on criteria -- with :03 left. But on challenge, his despondence turned to joy when the penalty was overturned.

The other 61kg bronze went to Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE), who put on a master class of counter wrestling to defeat Kum Hyok KIM (PRK) by fall with the last of three scoring moves.

After chalking up a pair of 2-point exposures off Kim's attacks, Novruzov countered him right to his back to secure the fall in 2:19 and gain the bronze medal that evaded him last year.

Akmataliev and Nurkosha KAIPANOV (KAZ) both added to burgeoning world medal collections by taking home the 70kg bronze medals.

Akmataliev went on a six-point run in the second period to finish up an 8-2 victory over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) and add to his world silver from 2021 and bronze from 2022.

Kaipanov, who came into Zagreb as the defending champion, also went on a second-period blitz, with his culminating in a 13-2 victory over Vasile DIACON (MDA) in 4:48. Kaipanov also has a silver from 2019.

At 86kg, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), a two-time world champion at 92kg, bounced back from a disappointing loss to Valencia in the semifinals by manhandling Mukul DAHIYA (IND) with a 10-0 technical fall in 3:33.

Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) gave Azerbaijan its second bronze of the night by handily defeating Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) 7-0 in the other 86kg match.

READ THE DAY 2 SEMIFINALS REPORT HERE

RESULTS

Freestyle

57kg (31 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) by Fall, 3:47 (4-1)
SEMIFINAL: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 8-0

61kg (26 entries)
GOLD: Zavur UGUEV (UWW) df. Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), 11-2

BRONZE: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Jax FORREST (USA), 10-8
BRONZE: Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE) df. Kum Hyok KIM (PRK) by Fall, 2:18 (6-0)

70kg (29 entries)
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 5-1

BRONZE: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 8-2
BRONZE: Nurkosha KAIPANOV (KAZ) df. Vasile DIACON (MDA) by TF, 13-2, 4:47

74kg (35 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), 6-4
SEMIFINAL: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 6-4

79kg (27 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), 8-3
SEMIFINAL: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), 4-1

86kg (29 entries)
GOLD: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) df. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) by TF, 12-0, 4:22

BRONZE: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Mukul DAHIYA (IND) by TF, 10-0, 3:32
BRONZE: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 7-0

92kg (26 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) by TF, 15-4, 6:00
SEMIFINAL: Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 11-6

125kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), 5-0

BRONZE: Robert BARAN (POL) df. Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Jonovan SMITH (PUR) by Fall, 4:07 (5-0)