Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! June 25, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing results from the China Open, Hungarian Grand Prix, and Final X. Also looking at the best-of-three match between Susaki and Irie, along with the relocation of Russian Nationals to Moscow. 

1. China Boasts Depth, Wins Four China Open Titles  
China boasted their depth last weekend in Taiyuan, China, winning four championships and fifteen overall medals at United World Wrestling's third women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the year, the China Open. 

The most impressive Chinese performance came at 57kg where RONG Ningning thumped the competition for the third time this year, winning her third gold medal in as many competitions. This time, it was down 2kg from her Ivan Yaryin and Asian Championship weight of 59kg. 

After the competition, Rong said “The 2kg difference was not hard to make. It was just a few extra runs. But, I felt light, and this is going to be my weight moving forward to the Asian Games and the World Championships.” 

FULL CHINA OPEN RESULTS

J'den Cox, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist (Photo by Tony Rotundo) 

2. USA’s World Championship Team Set 
The third installment of the United States’ world team selection process, Final X competed in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with the final three freestyle spots being claimed by 2017 world bronze medalists J’den COX and Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) along with first-time world team member, Nashon GARRETT (USA).

Also of note, three-time world and Olympic champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) withdrew from Final X due to an unspecified injury and has been granted a wrestle-off for a time to be later determined. 

USA’s World Team Line-up 
57kg – Thoman GILMAN (USA) 
61kg – Nashon GARRETT (USA)
65KG – Logan STIEBER (USA)
70kg – James GREEN (USA)
74kg – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)
79kg – Kyle DAKE (USA)
86kg – David TAYLOR (USA)
92kg – J’den COX (USA)
97kg – Kyle SNYDER (USA)
125kg – Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)

FINAL X – Bethlehem Results

3. Hungarian Grand Prix Wraps up in Gyor 
United World Wrestling’s third Greco-Roman Ranking Series event of the year, the Hungarian Grand Prix wrapped up in Gyor, Hungary, and four different nations had wrestlers claim gold medals. 

Kazakhstan was the front-runner, winning four gold medals, while the host nation finished with three champions. Iran’s duo of Mohsen HAJI POUR (IRI) and Yousef GHADERIAN (IRI) each claimed gold medals, with the tenth and final gold medal going to Kyrgyzstan’s Kanybek ZHOLCHUBEKOV.

FULL HUNGARIAN OPEN RESULTS 

 2017 world champion, Yui SUSAKI (JPN). (Photo by Tony Rotundo) 

4. Susaki and Irie Wrestle-off Set for July 7
Defending world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Yuki IRIE’s (JPN) world team spot match-up has been set for July 7. Japan's playoff process for the 2018 World Championships is between the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup champions, which happens to be Susaki and Irie at 50kg. 

Irie, Japan's Asian Championship representative defeated Susaki in December by technical fall in the Emperor’s Cup semifinals, but Susaki claimed revenge and returned the favor by flattening Irie at the Meiji Cup two weeks ago, evening "the series" at one apiece. 

Though Irie, the winner of the Emperor’s Cup will represent Japan at the 2018 Asian Games, the winner of the third match-up since December will seal their spot on Japan's world championship team.  
Three-time world and Olympic champion, Abdulrashid SADULAEV  (RUS). (Photo by Martin Gabor) 

5. Russian Nationals Relocated to Moscow 
The Russian National Championships were set to take place in Sochi, Russia, but have since been moved to Moscow, Russia. 

The extremely expensive hotel and venue prices for August on the Black Sea in the tourist city of Sochi, the host site for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games have forced the Russian Federation to relocate their National Championships. 

Moscow has since stepped up and will now host the Russian Nationals on August 1-5. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday!

2. Selection of photos from the final day of the #2018chinaopen #womenswrestling #unitedworldwrestling#wrestling

3. Happy #OlympicDay!!

4. #TheWinnersWalk // ?? ☺ - #uww #unitedworldwrestling #wrestling#womenswrestling

5. Shot from this morning’s session at the 2018 China Open #womenswrestling #chinaopen2018#unitedworldwrestling

#WrestleAthens

Wrestling World U17 C'ships: Freestyle Live Results

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- The World U17 Championships will be moving to Freestyle action with 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

14:30: The big three at 110kg -- Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW), Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI) and LACKY (IND) -- win their respective quarterfinals and enter the semifinals.

14:15: Zhakshylyk BOROBAEV (KGZ) thought he had the win at 55kg. But Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) still had something in him and then. He scores a takedown manages to turn Borobaev for two more points and lead 9-8. He is ecstatic! He will wrestle Burnett later.

14:00: Greyton BURNETT (USA) shuts down Jaiveer SINGH (IND) and gets a 3-0 win over Singh at 55kg. Burnett gave no opening to Singh to score.

13:45: Big match on Mat A at 65kg between Asian U17 champion Gaurav PUNIA (IND) and Pan-Am U17 champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA). Punia tries a leg-attack but Kikinou with a counter and turn for two points. Punia with a reversal. Kikinou led 3-1 at the break. Punia gets the exposure for two points to take a 3-3 criteria lead but Kikinou manages to put Punia in danger in the same scramble which makes it 5-3 for him. Kikinou cautioned for fleeing but he wins 5-4.

13:35: Morteza HAJ (IRI) gets a takedown in the final seconds to beat Ivan ZALISKO (UKR) at 65kg. Zalisko led 4-4 on criteria but Haj makes a  big comeback.

13:10: LACKY (IND) gut-wrenches Hanto HAYASHI (JPN) and wins his 110kg bout 10-0. He is looking to add a world title to his Asian title he won in June

13:06: In a match that saw six stepouts, Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IR) manages keep his breath and beat Zekeriya DOGAN (TUR) 6-2 at 110kg.

12:56: Aaron STEWART (USA) cuts shorts Marshall EVERETT JONES (GBR) tournament with an 11-0 hammering at 80kg. Stewart just overpowered Everett Jones.

12:55: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) hands Mohammadreza BARARI (IRI) a 4-1 loss at 55kg. Solid positioning from Okonogi. Barari's tactics of keeping it slow did not work out.

12:45: Nihad SULEYMANLI (AZE) is shocked after Issa ZANGIEV (UWW) gets front roll for two points and wins the 80kg 1/8 final 6-5. Suleymanli did well to keep his lead but failed in the final second. Azerbaijan challenges but it loses it. Zangiev wins 7-5

12:35: Greyton BURNETT (USA) gets a takedown with 20 seconds remaining to lead 3-1 against Armen PAPIKYAN (ARM) who needed a two-point technique to win. He however gets one a stepout. Burnett wins 3-2 at 55kg.

12:27Asian U17 champion Gourav PUNIA (IND) like a workhorse with five takedowns and he defeats Kodai IWASAKI (JPN) 10-0 at 65kg.

12:25: Adisbek ALTYNBEKOV (KGZ) went five on Kiryl PAULIUCHENKA (UWW), not once but twice to win his 65kg match 10-0. Those were some high level throws from the Kyrgyz, a bronze medalist from Asian U17 Championships

12:05: Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW), European champion at 110kg, begins with a 11-0 win over Yu Chiao CHUANG (TPE), who had his own troubles with bleeding. He needed several medical timeouts

11:45: Marshall EVERETT JONES (GBR), European U17 bronze medalist, comes out with a huge underhook throw for four and then rolls Levan CHERTKOEV (FRA) to win 10-0 at 80kg.

11:40: Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) keeps his strong positions and beats Buyantogtokh BYAMBADORJ (MGL) 7-2 at 80kg to give Iran the third win of the day. Iran is hoping to reclaim the U17 team title.

11:19: European champion Ruslan ALIZADA (AZE) has no trouble seeing off Dan BULGARU (MDA) 10-0 at 55kg. Alizada is one of more exciting prospects in this Azerbaijan team.

11:15: Iran with back-to-back wins! Morteza HAJ (IRI) beats Yandro SOTO RIVERA (PUR) at 65kg and Mohammadreza BARARI (IRI) defends a late attack from Aleksandar DELCHEV (BUL) to win at 55kg.

11:05: Asian U17 champion Gourav PUNIA (IND) slams Changxin WU (CHN) for a big four and then exposes his two times to win 11-0 at 65kg.

10:50: Quick results at 65kg as Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UWW) beats Nikos SOURAILOV (CYP) 10-0, followed by European U17 silver medalist Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) getting a 4-2 win over Liam GORTON (CAN). Pan-Am champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) also has a technical superiority win over Nikita KOZICH (ISR).

10:30: Freestyle action will take centerstage at the World U17 Championships in Athens. The United States will once again be favorite to win the team title but Iran will look to challenge them.