Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! August 13, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Taking a look at Burroughs blast doubling rumors and Iran's Asian Games line-up. Also looking at Greco-Roman results from Russian Nationals and much more. 

1. Burroughs Blast Doubles Training with McGregor Rumors 
Rumors recently surfaced that five-time world and Olympic champion, Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) landed in Dublin, Ireland to begin training with Conor MCGREGOR (IRL) for his October 6 title fight with Khabib NURMAGOMEDOV (RUS).

Burroughs quickly took to Twitter to dispel any rumors, saying, “I’m not working with Conor. I’m attempting to win a World Championship of my own in October. I wish him the best of luck in his upcoming title fight with Khabib.”

World and Olympic champion, Hassan YAZDANI (IRI). (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

2. Iran Announces Asian Games Line-up   
Iran recently announced their six freestyle representatives for the 18th Asian Games which take place in Jakarta, Indonesia from August 19-22. 

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), Iran’s world and Olympic champion leads a much different squad than the second-place one that Iran sent to the Bishkek Asian Championships back in February.  

Along with Yazdani, Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI, the 2018 Asian Championship bronze medalist is the only other wrestler who will compete for Iran at both the Asian Championships and Asian Games. 

Iran, with three champions and six overall medals finished in second place, 21 points behind Asian champions, Uzbekistan.

Iran’s Asian Games Line-up  
57kg - Reza ATRI 
65kg - Mehran NASIRI 
74kg - Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI 
86kg - Hassan YAZDANI  
97kg - Alireza KARIMI 
125kg - Parviz HADI 

SCHEDULE 

 Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS), 63kg Russian National champion. (Photo by Martin Gabor) 

3. Greco-Roman Russian National Championships Conclude in Odintsovo
For the second week in a row, Russia held their National Championships in Odintsovo, Russia. A week ago, it was the Freestyle National Championships, and this past weekend it was the Greco-Roman National Championships. 

As we saw in freestyle, just because you win the Russian Nationals does not mean you’re headed to Budapest. 

On September 29, the winners from Russian Nationals at 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, and 77kg will head to the Ljubomir Ivanovic Gedza Memorial in Mladenovac, Serbia to wrestle the four European Championship gold medalists for their spot on Russia’s Budapest World Championship team. 

In addition, although Vitali KABALOEV (RUS) won the 55kg Russian National gold medal, he’ll also head to Serbia to take on former No.1 Vasilii TOPOEV (RUS). The winner of this bout will represent Russia in Budapest. 

Greco-Roman Russian National Winners (*European Champions) 
55kg - Vitali KABALOEV 
60kg - Mingian SEMYONOV (*Sergei EMELIN) 
63kg - Stepan MARYANYAN 
67kg – Zaur KABALOEV (*Artem SURKOV) 
72kg - Abuyazid MANTSIGOV (*Adam KURAK) 
77kg - Alexander CHEKHARKIN (*Roman VLASOV) 
82kg - Imil SHARAFETDINOV 
87kg - Beckhan OZDOEV
97kg - Nikita MELNIKOV 
130kg – Sergei SEMENOV 

4. Legendary Coach Pedro Val Bragueira of Cuba, Dies at 65
Cuba’s longtime head Greco-Roman wrestling coach Pedro VAL BRAGUEIRA (CUB) died August 3 after a long illness. He was 65.

Pedro Val was the head of the Greco-Roman national team between 1975 and 2015 and was the personal coach to many of Cuba’s wrestling legends, including three-time Olympic champion Mijaín LOPEZ, two-time Olympic champion Filiberto AZCUY, and 1992 Olympic champion Héctor MILIÁN. 

In 2010 Pedro Val was distinguished as the best coach in the world by United World Wrestling.

5. Pan-American Championships Begin Friday 
Fortaleza, Brazil is poised to host the 2018 Junior Pan-American Championships which takes place August 17-19. 

Greco-Roman wrestling will kick off the championships at the Centro de Formacao Olimpica do Nordeste on Friday and will be followed by women’s wrestling (Friday) and freestyle (Saturday).

Full Schedule

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday !
2. Failed flying squirrel attempt!
3. Throw everything you have into it.
4. 30 seconds of madness! 
5. Have a productive week!?
Всем плодотворной недели!✊
#monday#wrestling#victory#passion#ilovewrestling#борьба#понедельник

#WrestleBudapest

Higuchi, Kiyooka reach finals at Budapest Ranking Series

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- The final Ranking Series before the Olympics kicks off in Budapest. Seven weight classes in Freestyle will be in action with top wrestlers in all the weight categories. The ranking, and ultimately the seeds for the Olympics will be determined after this Ranking Series.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

13:25: Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) blanks Haji ALIYEV (AZE) 6-0 in the 65kg semifinal. Top win for the Iran wrestler who will now wrestle Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) for the gold medal. Kiyooka defended well against a storming Austin GOMEZ (MEX) in the second period to win 12-6.

13:00: AMAN (IND) moves into the final of the 57kg after a 14-4 technical superiority win over Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN). He will wrestle world silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) for the gold medal. Higuchi was in all sorts of trouble in his semifinal against Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) when the Azerbaijan wrestler used a high chest wrap to lead 8-0. But Higuchi managed to defend the last turn. He scores a takedown and uses a gut wrench to finish the bout 18-8 inside the first period.

12:45: An upset from Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) as he pins Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final. Petriashvili looks in some trouble with his elbow and has called for a medical timeout. But the pin takes him out of the final. 

12:40: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) with a stunning late exposure takedown to beat Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) 3-2 and enter the 97kg final. On Mat C, the 92kg world champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) looked like entering the final when he led 5-0 against Magomedkhan MAGOMEDGOV (AZE) but the Azerbaijani world silver medalist came back to beat him 15-7.

12:30: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) with a fall over Nahshon GARRETT (USA) after building a 10-1 lead in the 61kg semifinal. He will wrestle the winner of Shahdad Ali KHOSRAVI (IRI) and Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) for the gold medal.

12:15: That will sting Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) for some time. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) pins Abdullaev in the 57kg quarterfinal and sets up a semifinal against Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) who defeated Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) 11-0 in the quarterfinal.

12:12: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) cannot find a way past Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) at 65kg! After building a 4-1 lead at the break, he hits a huge four-pointer on Aliyev to steer clear and win 9-3.

12:00: Mason PARRIS (USA) was checked by Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) on different occasions but Parris won the 125kg bout 9-2. The Georgian, who qualified for the Paris Olympics at 97kg, is wrestling at 125kg in this Ranking Series.

11:45: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who got a walkover in his first bout, works to a technical superiority win over Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) at 125kg. Moments later, at 57kg, AMAN (IND) rolls to an 11-1 win over Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)

11:35: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) drops his Round 2 bout! Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) scores three technical points to lead 3-0 but Muszukajev's takedown cuts the lead to 3-2 with 30 seconds left on the clock. Kiyooka defends well and hits a counter takedown in the end, adding lace to win 7-2.  

11:27: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) does not show up for his Round 2 bout against Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg. A big result for Aliyev who is now poised to finish at the top of group A.

11:25: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) dominates Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO) at 61kg and wins 18-5 to advance. Harutyunyan will come down to 57kg for the Paris Olympics.

11:20: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), wrestling at 70kg instead of his preferred 65kg, rolls to an 11-0 victory at Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ). The ranking points won at 70kg will not be added to the ranking points of Tevanyan at 65kg.

11:15: Paris-bound wrestler Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) comes back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Ali Hossein MOMENIJOUJADEH (IRI) 6-2 at 57kg. He will wrestle Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) in the quarterfinals.

11:00: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) with a top 9-2 win over Evan HENDERSON (USA) at 70kg. The Armenian controlled the bout throughout for the win. 

10:50: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAKEV (HUN), wrestling for the first time since winning the World Championships, begins with a solid 6-2 win over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). He keeps it under control despite many attacks from Jalolov.

10:45: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) felt like a long bout! Aliyev got a 1-0 lead at the break for Kiyooka's inactivity. Kiyooka got one point in the second period but Aliyev scored a counter just after the clock expired to lead 3-1. A stepout for Kiyooka with 17 seconds left on the clock. He needed a takedown to win and tried for one but Aliyev bodylocked for a takedown to win 5-2.

10:35: Austin GOMEZ (MEX), qualified for the Olympic Games at 65kg, begins with a 10-0 rout of Gyoergy SZILAGYI (HUN). The 65kg wrestlers are drawn in round-robin and will be wrestling again.

10:30: The first bouts in Budapest are crazy. Austin GOMEZ (MEX) is on Mat C but on Mat B, it's world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and on Mat C, it's Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) vs Haji ALIYEV (AZE).