Weekly FIVE! December 24, 2018

Monday, December 24, 2018 - 03:38 By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing the new Ranking Series point structure and tournament locations. Also taking a look at Icho's win over Kawai, the #UWWAwards, and the 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup.

1. Wrestling Revamps Ranking Series System, Names 2019 Host Locations
The United World Wrestling Bureau has approved new regulations for the 2019 Ranking Series. The recommendations were brought forward by the Technical Commission at a meeting last week in Belgrade.

The most important changes to the 2019 Ranking Series centered around the allocation of points at world championships, continental championships, and Ranking Series events. The points were rebalanced to emphasize participation, and success, at the world and continental championships.

New worldwide rankings have been updated on the United World Wrestling website. The 2018 World Championships results are the basis of the rankings, as each year the world championships results will be the first points for the following year.

The seeding process for the World Championships and Olympic Games will now also include a field of the top four wrestlers in each weight category with lower seeded athletes bumping up, should one of the top four not participate in the world championships. The previous version of the world championships did not replace top seeds when they were absent of the competition.

Click HERE to see locations for the freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling Ranking Series events.

2. Icho Pulls Off Dramatic Win over Kawai to Move Step Closer to Shot at Olympic 5-peat
Adding another chapter to her bulging legend, Kaori ICHO pulled off a dramatic last-second victory over the new titan on the block, and moved a step closer to gaining a shot at winning a historic fifth Olympic gold medal in her home country.

Icho scored a takedown with 10 seconds left to clinch a 3-2 victory over fellow Rio 2016 Olympic champion Risako KAWAI in a nationally televised women’s 57kg final that brought a close to the All-Japan Championships in Tokyo.

Icho’s stunning victory came a day after Kawai, this year’s world champion at 59kg, edged the four-time Olympic champion 2-1 in a preliminary round-robin group match, handing Icho her first loss to a Japanese opponent since 2001.

I knew it was going to be a tough match, but I’m happy I could pull it off,” said Icho, who let out a short scream of joy and clenched her fists after the victory. “It’s been awhile since I’ve felt this nervousness, so I thought to just try and stay relaxed.”

The 34-year-old Icho won her first national title since 2015 and 13th overall dating back to 2002, despite spending more than two years away from the mat after winning the gold in Rio, which made her the first woman in Olympic history to win four straight titles in a single event.

She returned to competition in September as a prelude for the All-Japan Championships, also referred to as the Emperor’s Cup and which was serving as the first stage in the qualifying process for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Click HERE to read the full recap of the final day of wrestling at the Emperor’s Cup.
Day One: Emperor's Cup Wrap
Day Two: Emperor's Cup Wrap
Day Three: Emperor's Cup Wrap

3. Bonne , Bacsi and Gray Named Comeback Athletes of the Year

United World Wrestling named Yowls BONNE-RODRIGUEZ (CUB), Peter BACSI (HUN), and Adeline GRAY (USA) the 2018 Comeback Athletes of the Year.

In freestyle, Cuba’s Yowls Bonne-Rodriguez won his first world title just days before his 35th birthday. Bonne finally obtained the elusive world gold medal after three previous attempts, scoring come-from-behind wins in the quarterfinals and finals.

In the quarterfinals, Bonne trailed Iran’s Mohammadbagher YAKHKESHI by two points with five seconds left when he hit a four-point inside trip and stole the match, 10-8.

Then, in the finals, Bonne trailed Russia’s Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV 2-0 before scoring a massive five-point move, which ultimately catapulted him to the top of the podium with a 5-5 criteria win.

This was Bonne's third world medal, previously finishing up the 2014 and 2017 World Championships with bronze medals.

Peter Bacsi, the 35-year-old Hungarian, won his first world championship since 2014 earning himself this year's Greco-Roman Comeback Athlete of the Year.

Basci trailed Turkey’s Emrah KUS 3-0 in the 82kg gold medal bout but scored four unanswered points to give the host nation their first and only gold medal of the Budapest World Championships.

The 2018 World Championships were rumored to be Bacsi’s last, but after his surprise victory he didn't rule out the 2019 Astana World Championships, though he did confirm he will not be making a run for Hungary’s 2020 Tokyo Olympic team.

Adeline Gray (USA) was named the women’s wrestling Comeback Athlete of the Year after returning from a year absence to win her fourth world title.

The American’s impressive road to her fourth world title went through reigning Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN), and reigning world champion, Yasmin ADAR (TUR).

In the semifinals, Gray edged Wiebe, 3-1, and wrapped up the gold-medal bout early with a 13-1 win over Adar, winning the gold medal in a weight class that featured eight previous world champions.

4. Burroughs and Chamizo, Snyder and Sadulaev Headline Biggest Rivalries of the Year

United World Wrestling has named four of the Biggest Rivalries of the Year. There were two in freestyle, and one in Greco-Roman and women's wrestling.

The freestyle season saw more than one top-level rivalry, so a pair were selected for this category. The first freestyle rivalry selected was the 74kg showdown between Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), and the second was Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) and Kyle SNYDER (USA).

Perhaps no weight category was more competitive in 2018 than women’s wrestling’s 76kg. Lead by reigning world champion, Yasmin ADAR (TUR), four-time world champion, Adeline GRAY (USA), and Rio Olympic champion, Erica WIEBE (CAN). It was the American Adeline Gray who prevailed and won her fourth world title.

In Greco-Roman, Kyrgyzstan’s Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) was looking for redemption coming into the Junior World Championships the American Kamal Ameer BEY (USA) was victorious in the 2017 junior world finals. Makhmudov dominated the bronze-medal bout at the Junior World Championships and picked up the 8-1 win.

5. Iran Team Wins GR World Clubs Cup, Azizli & Kayaalp Remain Undefeated
Iran's Team Bimeh Razi Ardabil defeated Team Russia to capture 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup title in Ardabil city of Iran.

The Iranian team, lifted by Eldaniz AZIZLI and Sergey SEMENOV, the pair of reigning world 2018 world champions, defeated Russia, 8-2 to claim the 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup team title.

Azerbaijan’s 55kg world champion Eldaniz Azizli gave Bimeh Razi their first win of the finals with a technical fall victory over Vitalii Kabaloev (RUS).

Bimeh Razi added wins from Mehrdad MARDANI and Saman ABDEVALI (Bimeh) and took a three match lead into the 67kg matchup between Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Mohammad ELYASI (Bimeh). Surkov put Russia on the board with a 1-1 criteria win, and closed the scored to 3-1. Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) gave Russia their second and final win of the night with a 10-8 win over Boroumand ASLAN.

Bimeh Razi closed out the gold-medal bout on a five match win steak, including two 5-0 shutout wins at 82kg and 87kg, and a fall from Russia’s reigning 130kg world champion, Sergey Semenov, who was competing for the Iranian side.

In the bronze medal match, Iran’s Sina Sanat Izeh narrowly defated Turkey, 6-4.

In the fifth-place match, Georgia defeated Iran’s Shohadaye Modafe Haram, 6-4, while Ukraine beat Serbia, 8-2 in the seventh-place bout.

Click HERE for full results of the final day of the 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup.

Day One: Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup Wrap

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1. REPOST: @usawrestling you don’t wanna miss this one! ???@btslosangeles #wrestlelikeagirl
2. Over the next two weeks @unitedworldwrestling will share our most popular videos and photos from 2018.
#FrankChamizo VS #JordanBurroughs
? @beatthestreets
В течении следующих двух недель мы будем делиться с вами лучшими публикациями 2018 года.
#ФрэнкЧамизо VS #ДжорданБарроуз
#thebestof2018
#лучшееиз2018
3. Over the next two weeks @unitedworldwrestling will share our most popular videos and photos from 2018.
#DavidTaylor ? @kadircaliskan
В течении следующих двух недель мы будем делиться с вами лучшими публикациями 2018 года.
#ДэвидТэйлор
#thebestof2018
#лучшееиз2018
4. Best photos of 2018 GR World Clubs Cup in Iran, Ardabil city.

Phtos by @alireza_akbari_62
بهترین تصاویر از مسابقات کشتی فرنگی باشگاه های جهان در اردبیل
5. Check out the 2019 Ranking Series events! Link in stories!

#WrestleBucharest

Dudaev gives Albania first ever Euro gold; Usmanov beats Kadzimahamedau

Sunday, February 18, 2024 - 00:08 By Vinay Siwach

BUCHAREST, Romania (February 17) -- Islam DUDAEV (ALB) is 29 years old. He has won medals at odd tournaments including two bronze medals at the U23 World Championships. But he could not convince himself that he would make it big one day. He even considered retiring early from wrestling.

Thankfully for Dudaev and Albania, the wrestler did not act upon his thoughts as on Friday in Bucharest, Dudaev became Albania's first-ever European champion.

Dudaev reached the final of a championship on Friday and went one step further by winning the 65kg gold medal. He defeated Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Gazdhimurad RASHIDOV (AIN) in the final to capture the title.

"I am thrilled to be the first-ever European champion from Albania," Dudaev said. "Nothing worked out for a long time. I am already 29 years old. It’s my first-ever big win so far. There were so many disappointments on my way. I realized that at the age of 29 years, I should have achieved something important before retiring."

Before Dudaev, three-time Olympian Sahit PRIZRENI (ALB) and world champion Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) reached the final at the European Championships but both could not win the gold medal.

Prizreni was a silver medalist at the 2011 European Championships while Abakarov was a silver medalist at last year's tournament.

Islam DUDAEV (ALB) wrestles Gazhdimurad RASHIDOV (AIN) in the 65kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Starting as the underdog against Rashidov, Dudaev got the first activity point but Rashidov took a 1-1 criteria lead when Dudaev failed to score when put on the 30-second activity clock.

The referee gave a third passivity in the bout, this time on Rashidov who once again did not score in the stipulated 30 seconds which gave a clear 2-1 lead to Dudaev which he held till the end of the bout.

"I know Rashidov well," he said. "We used to train together, I know how he wrestles. When I made it to the final match, I was only getting ready to win. I didn’t pay attention to his titles."

The gold medal was Dudaev's biggest win of his career. Back when he wrestled his first European Championships in 2022, he won a bronze medal and finished ninth at the 2022 World Championships. In 2023, he was ninth at the European Championships and 33rd at the World Championships.

"When I transferred to wrestle for Albania, I had great hopes," he said. "It was quite good at the beginning, I wrestled well and won bronze at the Europeans, but then everything went down. Every year it was just getting worse and worse. This year promised myself to prepare well. I was close to retiring, but this year I hope to achieve everything."

Akhmed USMANOV (AIN) scores two points against Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) in the 79kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Usmanov edges Kadzimahamedau

In a battle of world champion and Olympic silver medalist, Akhmed USMANOV (AIN) got a big win over Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) in a fiercely contested 79kg final in Bucharest.

Both wrestlers began the final on a cautious note and were warned for passivity. But it was Usmanov who was hit with a second passivity warning and Kadzimahamedau got the first point and went to the break leading 1-0.

Kadzimahamedau scored a stepout to start the second period but Usmanov replied with a takedown to lead 2-2 on criteria. Kadzimahamedau used a duck-under to exposure for two points but Usmanov was also awarded two as he continued to lead 4-4 on criteria.

With less than a minute left, Kadzimahamedau went for another attack and this time Usmanov locked a cradle to score two points but also landed in danger which gave Kadzimahamedau two points. As the sequence finished, Kadzimahamedau was in danger again, adding two more points to Usmanov's score. Kadzimahamedau challenged the call but lost and Usmanov won 9-6.

Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) is now a two-time European champion. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) and Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) repeated as European champions in Bucharest.

At 97kg, Matcharashvili was up against Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) in a repeat of last year's final. While the final in Zagreb was a tense one with just a point giving Matcharashvili the title, the final in Bucharest was very one-sided as the Georgian destroyed Magomedov.

After scoring two stepouts, Matcharashvili managed to score a takedown and turn Magomedov to lead 7-0 before the break. He then played the clock out in the second period to win the gold medal 7-1 and his second European title.

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) took only 54 seconds to win his 57kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Harutyunyan extended his record of Armenia's multiple-time European champion in Freestyle to four as he defeated Muhammat KARAVUS (TUR) 10-0 in just 54 seconds of the 57kg final.

In his typical style, Harutyunyan scored a takedown and transitioned to a lace, building a 6-0 lead. Karavus tried escaping the hold but could never come out of the danger position and ultimately gave up two points twice for being in danger.

"It was very important for me to win the fourth gold medal, especially in the 57kg weight category," Harutyunyan said. "This can be considered a step towards the Olympics. I will strive to add more gold medals to my collection."

Harutyunyan was a class apart from his competition in Bucharest, winning his three matches via superiority. In total, he spent only 4 minutes and 20 seconds on the mat in the three matches.

"Every tournament has its challenges," he said. "I trained day and night, struggled with weight, cried, and trained for several months for this result. I can say that no gold medal comes easily. For my weight category, I don't weigh very much. I lost 4-5kg, but I know that my opponents lose 7-8kg, and even more."

Armenia won the second gold medal of the night when Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) defeated Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) 7-3 in the 70kg final.

Andreasyan took the lead when Kemertelidze was called passive but the Gerogian scored a takedown before the break to lead 3-1 at the break. Andreasyan was called passive in the second period which made Kemertelidze's lead 3-1.

It was cut to 3-2 when Andreasyan managed to push him out with 54 seconds left on the clock. He scored another stepout with 33 seconds left but Kemertelidze still held a 3-3 criteria lead. But Andreasyan hit a four-pointer using the underhook in the last 15 seconds to claim a 7-3 win and the gold medal.

He had also defeated world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) in the final 15 seconds of the semifinal with a front headlock for four points.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR), 10-0

BRONZE: Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) df. Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA), 11-0
BRONZE: Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) df. Kamil KERYMOV (UKR), 10-8

65kg
GOLD: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) df. Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (AIN), 2-1

BRONZE: Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) df. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 4-0
BRONZE: Andre CLARKE (GER) df. Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO), 5-3

70kg
GOLD: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), 7-3

BRONZE: Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) df. Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA), 2-1
BRONZE: Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) df. Haydar YAVUZ (TUR), 11-3

79kg
GOLD: Akhmed USMANOV (AIN) df. Magomedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN), 9-6

BRONZE: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df. Ramazan SARI (TUR), 5-1
BRONZE: Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), 6-4

97kg
GOLD: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE), 7-1

BRONZE: Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR) df. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN), 6-5
BRONZE: Vladislav BAITCAEV (HUN) df. Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK), 4-1

Weekly FIVE! December 24, 2018

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Dudaev gives Albania first ever Euro gold; Usmanov beats Kadzimahamedau