#WrestleRome

#TBT: Dake dominates Demirtas in debut down at 74kg

Thursday, June 16, 2022 - 12:44 By Eric Olanowski

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ROME, Italy (June 15) --- Kyle DAKE ?? dominated Olympic bronze medalist Soner DEMIRTAS ?? en route to the #WrestleRome 2020 Matteo Pellicone 74kg gold medal.

Dake won two world titles at 79kg before moving down to 74kg for a run at a Tokyo Olympic medal, making his debut in Rome at the Pellicone. His opening outing was successful in terms of medal color, but as expected, there were a few wrinkles that the eventual Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist needed to iron out.

Dake said, “I’m a little disappointed in the earlier rounds, but I went out with a bang.”

In his first three matches, Dake scored 18 points, yet he only scored two takedowns. “I was just slapping at the legs and I needed to recognize that sooner,” said Dake. “The first couple of matches I was just trying new stuff and it wasn’t working so I went back to my old stuff.”

Dake’s plan for the Pellicone finals was to get back to his "old stuff," which meant he needed to, “Get through a guy. Go through him, go take him down, turn him, turn him, turn him and get off the mat.”

That’s exactly what Dake did in the gold-medal match, as he demolished world and Olympic bronze medalist Soner Demirtas in 35 seconds.

Dake led 7-0, 16 seconds into the first period, and after his Turkish opponent was hit with a fleeing-the-hold call, the American went back on top in par terre. A pair of gut wrenches less than 20 seconds later gave Dake the 11-0 technical superiority victory and the Ranking Series gold.

This year's Matteo Pellcione Ranking Series event kicks off next Wednesday (June 22-25) at Italy’s Pala Pellicone Olympic Training Center.  Catch all the action live on www.uww.org.

U23 World Championships 2025 Day 4 Results & Highlights

Thursday, October 23, 2025 - 07:53 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 23) -- The day four of the U23 World Championships will be all Women's Wrestling in four weight classes -- 55kg, 57kg, 65kg and 68kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

The semifinals will begin at 17:00 hours local time

13:10: Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) with a fall over Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) at 57kg. She built an 8-0 lead in the first minute before securing the pin.

12:30: Akari FUJINAMIM (JPN) gets her second 10-0 technical superiority win at 57kg. She switches her attacks and uses the leg lace to win against Neha SHARMA (IND). 

12:15: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) had begun well against Amory ANDRICH (GER) and led 6-0 before Andrich held her on the mat to secure a fall at 55kg. Rodriguez is left stunned.

12:05: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) with a powerful gut-wrench against Nana IKEHATA (JPN) to post a 10-0 technical superiority win at 65kg.

12:00: Akari FUJINAMI's (JPN) debut at 57kg begins with a 10-0 win over Yifan TANG (CHN) in just a minute and 38 seconds. Fujinami with a pick to get four points before adding a takedown and turn to lead 8-0. A single leg finish for takedown for the technical superiority win.

11:40: Neha SHARMA (IND) continues her winning run with a 5-0 blanking of Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ). However, she is likely to get Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) next

11:30: Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) ends Nethmi PORUTHOTAGE (SRI) debut at the U23 World Championships as the Hungarian beats the Sri Lankan 6-2 at 57kg.

11:10: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) with a massive throw to pin Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE) at 55kg. Rodriguez is a former U20 world champion and recently wrestled at the senior Worlds in Zagreb.

11:00: Upset of the morning session as NISHU (IND) launches a perfect headlock throw and holds Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) on the mat to secure the fall at 55kg! Nishu was lead 2-2 on criteria when she hit the big throw.

10:45: Three four-point moves in the 15-10 match between Nethmi PORUTHOTAGE (SRI) and Inna ALIMOVA (LTU). Poruthotage never surrendered her lead once she was up 4-2 early in the bout despite various comebacks form Alimova. In the end, Poruthotage held a 12-10 lead and when Alimova hit an attack, the Sri Lankan blocked her and scored two points on exposure. A lost challenge from Lithuania made it 15-10.

10:40: Former U20 world champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN) with a huge win over Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) at 57kg. Elekes was up 3-2 when Mammadova, a U23 European champion, tries to hit a big throw but Elekes blocks her and lands on top and holds Mammadova to win 5-2.

10:20: After a few Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling repechage bouts, the qualification rounds in Women's Wrestling begin. Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) is returning to international competition for the first time since winning the gold in Paris at 53kg. She is now at 57kg.