Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! March 05, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing Yazdani's Asian debut, a duo of historic performances, hometown favorites, and the Women's World Cup.

1. Yazdani Adds Asian Championship to Resume 

In his continental championship debut, the reigning world and Olympic champion, Hassan Yazdani Charati (IRI) went 3-0 and defeated two-time Asian medalist Uitumen ORGODOL (MGL) to capture the 86kg Asian championships gold medal.

The Asian Championships was the superstar's first competition since winning gold in Paris at the 2017 World Championships outscoring his opponents 36-2. This weekend, Yazdani only gave up two points and outscored his opponents 35-2. Combining Yazdani's last two tournaments, he’s outscored his opponents by a combined score of 71-4!

What may be more impressive, in his last two finals, Yazdani has picked up 10-0 technical superiority victories. 

2. Navjot Wins Historic Gold For India 

Since 2001, 13 Indian women have made the finals of an Asian Championship, and all 13 women have failed to bring home a gold medal.

This weekend, Kaur NAVJOT (IND) changed India's women's wrestling history when she beat Miyu IMAI (JPN), 9-1 in the finals of the 65kg bout

After her historic win, Navjot said: "I have been preparing for this and waiting for this for very long. Today is the best day of my life since I started wrestling." 

3. Host Nations Dynamic Duo 

Muslim EVLOEV (KGZ) and Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) used the hometown crowd as extra motivation on their way to winning Asian gold medals In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. 

Evloev, now a four-time Asian champion captured the Freestyle 74kg title by beating two-time world bronze medalist Mandakhnaran GANZORIG (MGL), 11-1.

In the 72kg Greco-Roman finals, Makhmudov, the 2017 junior  world silver medalist captured the gold medal by defeating 2017 world silver medalist, Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 8-6. 

A topic of discussion from both wrestlers was the support that the Kyrgyzstan fans showed. "The crowd was really supporting me as much as they could and I couldn't fail them, so I did my best," said Evloev. Makhmudov told the Kyrgyz media "The biggest help for me was that the Kyrgyz people screamed for me to be strong and also to do better. When I heard it, I thought, 'I can die here on the floor but I will still win.' This win will be for them!" 

4. Sakandelidze Wins Qatar's First Asian Medal 

This weekend, the Georgian transfer, Giorgi Sakandelidze (QAT) became Qatar's first-ever medalist at an Asian Championships with a second-place finish. In the 125kg finals, Giorgi SAKANDELIDZE (QAT) was defeated by world bronze medalist, Davit MODZMANASHVILI (UZB), 5-0.  

Prior to Sakandelidze 's runner-up finish, Qatar's trio of Ibrahim ADULLARAHMAN(QAT), Bakhit Sharif BADR(QAT) and Abdulqader OMAR (QAT) held the record for Qatar's highest finish at an Asian Championship with fifth place finishes.

5. Two Weeks Away From the Women's World Cup 

Japan, the three-time defending World Cup champions, are set to host the 2018 Women's World Cup March 17-18 in Takasaki, Japan. This will be the fifth time that Japan has hosted the Women's World Cup and the first time since 2014. 

The eight participating teams are separated into two pools. Pool A will consist of Canada, Japan, Sweden and the United States and Pool B will consist of Belarus, China, Mongolia, and Romania. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

The crowd goes crazy after Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) win the host nations first gold medal of the Asian Championships. 

Kumsong KANG (PRK) gets extremely emotional after his amazing victory in the 57kg final!

Highlights from the first day of Freestyle action at the Asian Championships.

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series Live: Day 2 Results and Live Blog

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 18) -- The second day of the Budapest Ranking Series will see action in Freestyle 74kg, 86kg and 92kg and Women's Wrestling 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, 59kg and 72kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

14:35: Elena BRUGGER (GER) pins Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) after an 11-0 to enter the 59kg final. Erika BOGNAR (HUN) gives the hosts a finalists as well after beating Nadzeya BULANAYA (UWW), 5-1.

14:25: A pin from Helen MAROULIS (USA) and she marches into the 57kg final in her first competition since the Olympics. Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) had no answers to Maroulis' class. Maroulis will now face another youngster, NEHA (IND), who defeated Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) 8-4 in the other semifinal.

14:15: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) survives a huge head-throw from Seoyoung PARK (KOR) in the final 30 seconds to beat her 5-4 and enter the 53kg final in which she will take on ANTIM (IND) after the Indian defeated Felicity TAYLOR (USA) 10-0. A series of five different takedowns there. Antim had beaten Malysheva 10-0 at the Mongolian Open in June.

14:05: Two pins in the 50kg semifinals! Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) pins Kseniya STANKEVICH (UWW) while Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) pins Natalia PODUVOA (UWW).

Women's Wrestling semifinals

14:00: Trent HIDLAY (USA) reaches the final at 92kg after Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) pulls out injured seconds into the bout. Kurugliev seems to have fallen on his knee as Hidlay scored a takedown. Hidlay will take on world silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) in the final after the Georgian wins via technical superiority against Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN)

13:55: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) pins Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) in the 86kg semifinal after building up a lead. Savadkouhi had one exposure turn but that was all as Kadzimahamedau defended another attack and then scored a takedown. He finally pins Savadkouhi to enter the final in which he will face Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) who rolled to a 10-0 win over Osman GOCEN (TUR).

13:40: World U23 champion Magomed KHANIEV (AZE) has had an excellent morning session which he caps off with a semifinal victory over (BRN) Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN). He gets Takahashi for the gold medal bout.

13:35: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) and David CARR (USA) locked in a battle. Both are the representatives at the World Championships for their respective countries. Takahashi with the first opening but Carr runs out of zone. He is docked a point for fleeing. Takahashi up 2-0. Double-leg from Takahashi but Carr has the chest-wrap. Exposure from Carr but Takahashi keeps control. It's awarded only two points for the Japan wrestlers and nothing for Carr. Takahashi leads 4-0 at the break. Takahashi doesn't slow down in the second period and scores two stepouts to make it 6-2. Carr fires back with a takedown to cut the lead to 6-2. He scores another takedown and now Takahashi is feeling the pace of the bout. Carr tries to turn but is blocked in the process, as Takahashi earns two points. A reversal makes it 8-5. Carr with a takedown with 10 seconds left to make it 8-7. Takahashi defends the final 10 seconds to win 8-7 but we have United States challenge. Nothing on review and Takahashi wins the semifinal

Semifinals begin at 13:30 local time

13:00: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) with a top 9-1 win at 86kg against Nurzhan ISSAGALIYEV (KAZ) and he secures his place in the semifinals in which he will face Savadkouhi of Iran.

12:50: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) shuts out Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) in the 86kg quarterfinal and wins 5-0. He reaches the semifinal.

12:40: David CARR (USA) comes out aggressively with the whistle against Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) and scores a stepout. A takedown to take a 3-0 lead. He adds another stepout and leads 4-0. He adds four more points and doesn't let Toktomambetov any chance to scoring to win 8-0 and advance.

12:37: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) is slowed down by Murad KURMAGOMEDOV (HUN) but the Hungarian can't stop him from winning the 74kg bout 3-0. Two stepouts in that win.

12:20: Excellent positioning and defense from Helen MAROULIS (USA) as she beats Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) 7-0 in their 57kg quarterfinal. Maroulis looks in top form in the two bouts so far.

12:10: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) has no trouble in seeing off Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 5-1, in the 92kg quarterfinal. This is better score line than the European final in which Kurugliev won by two points.

12:00: ANTIM (IND) has just beaten Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) 10-0 in the opening round at 53kg. Yetgil had handed Antim a 10-0 thrashing in the first bout at Paris Olympics and this match was a completely different between the two.

11:45: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) are in battle at 74kg. But it Takahashi who comes out the winner 6-6 on criteria. He will face Murad KURMAGOMEDOV (HUN) next

11:35: David CARR (USA) has a back-and-forth bout with Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) but he hands the Azerbaijani a 5-3 loss at 74kg. Carr is the United States representative for the World Championships.

11:20: Two Indians entered at 50kg and both start off with wins. NEELAM (IND) has a close 10-8 match with Madison PARKS (CAN) while Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND) beats Audrey JIMENEZ (USA), 3-0.

11:15: First sight of Helen MAROULIS (USA) internationally since the 2024 Paris Olympics. There is absolutely no sign of any rust as she uses the arm-bar to pin compatriot Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) inside the first period at 57kg. Paris Olympic champ Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) is in the coaches' corner here.

11:00: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW), winner of Mongolia Open Ranking Series, starts with a 12-4 victory over Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA) at 50kg. One of the most attacking wrestlers at 50kg is definitely a medal threat in Zagreb.

10:45: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) has no trouble in keeping Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) off himself and he wins his first bout at 92kg, 6-1, to move one. On the other mat, Trent HIDLAY (USA) beats Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) 7-2. This means that Nurmagomedov may be the first choice for Azerbaijan now for the World Championships.

10:30: The day two of the Ranking Series event in Budapest will see three Freestyle weight classes and four Women's Wrestling. Big names will be on the mats in the Hungarian capital.