Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! June 4, 2018

Monday, June 4, 2018 - 13:16 By Eric Olanowski

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Reviewing the U23 European Championships and upcoming ranking series events. Also looking at USA's U23 World Team along with Russia's Cadet World Team. 

1. 2018 U23 European Championships Begins June 4
Europe's best wrestlers between the ages of 19 and 23 years old will prepare for the 2018 U23 World Championships by competing at the 2018 U23 European Championships which kick off June 4 in Istanbul, Turkey. 

Greco-Roman wrestling takes place Monday-Wednesday, followed by women's wrestling from Wednesday-Friday, and Freestyle closes out the tournament Friday-Sunday. 

SCHEDULE

2. Mongolia Open, Women's Ranking Event Starts This Weekend 
The second women's wrestling ranking series event of the year, the Mongolia Open (MGL), begins June 9-10 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. 

Freestyle action will also take place on Saturday and Sunday, but ranking series points will only be award to those competing in the women's wrestling portion of the tournament. 

​​​​​​SCHEDULE 
Saturday (Local time on June 9) 
10:30 AM Qualification round and repechage for FS - 57kg, 65kg,74kg,86kg,97kg and WW - 50kg, 55kg,59kg,65kg,72kg 
16:30 PM - Opening ceremony 
17:00 PM – Finals 

Sunday (Local time on June 10) 
10:30 AM - Qualification round and repechage FS - 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, 92kg,125kg and  WW - 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg, 76kg
15:30 PM – Finals 

China's Ningning RONG (CHN) enters the China Open as the second-ranked wrestler in the world (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

3. June's Upcoming Rankings Series Events 
Two ranking series events, the China Open and the Hungarian Grand Prix close out the month of June.

The China Open (CHN), which is the third women’s wrestling ranking event of the season begins June 22 in Taiyuan, China.

The third Greco-Roman ranking series event, the Hungarian GP (HUN) starts June 23 in Györ, Hungary. 

Points for all ranking series events will be awarded based on finish plus the number of competitors present in each weight category. Nations may only enter three athletes in any single weight class.

POINTS
GOLD - 8 Points 
SILVER - 6 Points 
BRONZE - 4 Points 
Fifth - 2 Points 

2017 Junior World bronze medalist, Kollin MOORE (USA). (Photo by Marion Stein)

4. The United States Holds U23 World Team Trials 
The United States U23 World Team Trails wrapped up this past weekend, and three former world medalist claimed their sport for November's 2018 U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania. 

The three Americans who will wrestle for the second world medal are Vitali Arujau (2016 cadet silver medalist), Mitch McKee (2017 Junior World silver medalist) and Kollin Moore (2017 Junior World bronze medalist). 

USA's U23 World Team 
57kg - Jack MUELLER (USA)
61kg - Vitali ARUJAU (USA)
65kg - Mitch MCKEE (USA)  
70kg - Hayden HIDLAY (USA) 
74kg - Alex SMYTHE (USA) 
79kg - David MCFADDEN (USA)
86kg - Myles MARTIN (USA)
92kg - Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA) 
97kg -  Kollin MOORE (USA) 
125kg - Youssif HEMIDA (USA)  

5. Russia Cadet World Team Set 
In preparation for the 2018 Cadet World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, Russia held their Cadet Russian Nationals June 2-3 in Moscow, Russia. 

WATCH ALL FINALS MATCHES 

RUSSIAN CADET NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
45kg - SAGDY  
48kg - ANDROSOV 
51kg - BAITAZOV 
55kg - KIZINOV 
60kg - MAMEDOV 
65kg - SHERIEV 
71kg - MAGAMEDOV 
80kg - ELKANOV 
92kg - JIGKAEV 
110kg - KOZYREV 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday! The Most Famous Double-Leg in Slowmotion, by @alliseeisgold@usawrestling

2. Little, but strong! ? Маленький, но сильный! ? ? @zhenis_iskabay #wrestling#baby#kid#ребенок#малыш#борьба

3. Давид Чакветадзе:
"В жизни бывают очень тяжелые моменты. Когда ты устаешь и больше не хочешь продолжать работать. Когда тело тебе говорит: "Все хватит, заканчивай, ты устал". Тебе хочется сдаться, остановится, забить на все это и отдохнуть. Но вот что я вам скажу. Никогда не сдавайтесь! Никогда не опускайте руки! Чтобы не случилось, как бы тяжело не было, как бы сильно вы не устали. Боль временна. Рано или поздно она пройдет и все встанет на свои места. И вы получите то, что заслужили!"
@david_chakvetadze 
#wrestling#motivation#ДавидЧакветадзе#мотивация

4. What kind of exercise?  Как называется упражнение? Video by @davorstefanek 
#wrestling#training#workout#coolvideo#тренировка#борцы

5. It’s Friday. You should be flexing! ?

#UWWAwards

UWW Breakout Wrestlers of 2025: Hidlay, Farokhi, Onishi

Monday, December 15, 2025 - 12:24 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 14) -- The 2025 Breakout Wrestlers of the Year were not the ones anyone circled heading into the season. They weren’t the favorites, or the ones analysts picked to walk away from the season as world medalists.

They were the outsiders, largely unproven and underestimated. But that all changed in a single season when they smashed expectations, catapulting themselves into world-wide stardom with world-title runs that nobody saw coming.

Freestyle Breakout Performer of the Year: Trent HIDLAY (USA)

Before 2025, Hidlay had never climbed to the top of a podium at an international event. His  2025 season even began with more doubt than promise, dropping his second match of the year to rising Azeri phenom Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) at the Zagreb Open. But that loss lit a fuse. From that moment on, the 26-year-old didn’t just improve -- he transformed.

Hidlay unleashed a stunning 13-match win streak and collected gold medals at the Pan-American Championships, the Budapest Ranking Series and the World Championships. Along the way, he knocked off giants -- Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), and Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), just to name a few.

Then came the finale: a world finals comeback for the ages. Down and all but finished, Hidlay stormed back to defeat Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW). In one year, Hidlay didn’t just win -- he arrived.

Greco-Roman Breakout Performer of the Year: Gholemreza FAROKHI (IRI)

When opportunity knocked, Farokhi wasn’t just there to answer it, he was there to kick the door off its hinges. The 23-year-old stepped into Iran’s senior lineup for the first time in his career and tore through anyone in front of him -- whether it was at 82kg or 87kg.

Farokhi bulldozed his way to gold medals at the two World Championships he participated in. He racked up a perfect 17-0 record, including 11 technical superiority wins and six decisions, sweeping gold at the World Championships, U23 World Championships, the Islamic Solidarity Games, and the Zagreb Open Ranking Series.

Women’s Wrestling Breakout Performer of the Year: Sakura ONISHI (JPN)

At 19 years old, Onishi entered the senior circuit with massive goals but had zero experience and zero fear. In mere months, she became a problem no one had an answer for.

Onishi tore through the season with a flawless 15-0 record, capturing titles at the Senior and U20 World Championships, the Asian Championships, and the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. Her dominance wasn’t subtle -- it was exactly what you’d expect from a Japanese women’s wrestler -- 11 tech falls, three pins, and a decision, outscoring opponents 158-17.