Weekly FIVE! March 12, 2019

Tuesday, March 12, 2019 - 13:58 By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing Russia's updated World Cup roster and results from the U23 European Championships and the Dan Kolov. Also looking at the updated world rankings after the first two Ranking Series events, and United World Wrestling's Hanuman: Hindu God of Wrestling.

1. World Cup Beings On Saturday
The 2019 Freestyle World Cup begins this Saturday in Yakutsk, Russia, and head freestyle coach Dzambolat TEDEEV announced that Russia's roster will now include three-time world and Olympic champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (97kg). In addition to the inclusion of Sadulaev, two-time world runner-up Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (65kg) was also added to the updated roster.

Also of note, reigning world champions Zaur UGUEV (57kg) and Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (70kg), and 2018 third-place finishers Akhmed CHAKAEV (65kg) and Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (79kg) were excluded from Russia's World Cup rosters.

The host nation will compete this weekend in Group A. For Russia to earn top-billing in 2019, the home side will need to win a Group A side which includes a resurgent Cuban team, Japan, and Turkey.

The United States heads up Group B but faces steep competition from a Georgia squad rife with former world and Olympic champions, including two-time defending heavyweight world champion Geno PETRIASHVILLI. A young Iranian team and ever-improving Mongolia squad fill out Group B.

Group A - RUS (1), CUB (4), JPN (5), TUR (8)
Group B - USA (2), GEO (3), IRI (6), MGL (7)

Russia’s Updated World Cup Roster
57kg - Muslim SADULAEV
57kg - Aryian TIUTRIN
61kg - Zelimkhan ABAKAROV
61kg - Ramazan FERZALIEV
65kg - Gadshimurad RASHIDOV
65kg - Viktor RASSADIN
70kg - David BAEV
70kg - Anzor ZAKUEV
74kg - Zaurbek SIDAKOV
74kg - Timor BIZHOYEV
79kg - Magomed RAMAZANOV
79kg - Husej SUUNCEV
86kg - Vladislav VALIEV
86kg - Dauren KURUGLIEV
92kg - Magomed KURBANOV
92kg - Alikhan ZHABRAILOV
97kg - Abdulrashid SADULAEV
97kg - Vladislav BAITSAEV
125kg - Zelimkhan KHIZRIYEV
125kg - Pavel KRIVTSOV

Unofficial Schedule
March 16 (Saturday)
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh in
11:00 - First round matches
16:00 - Opening ceremony
16:30 - Second round matches

March 17 (Sunday)
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh in
11:00 - Third round matches
13:30 - Fifth - sixth, seventh-eighth place matches
15:15 - Third-fourth place match
17:00 - Final, award ceremony

2. Russia Dominates U23 European Championships
Russia wrapped up the U23 European Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, with the women’s wrestling and freestyle team titles, while also finishing in second place behind Georgia in the Greco-Roman competition.

In total, the Russian Federation claimed an impressive 11 overall gold medals after putting 19 wrestlers into the championship match.

In freestyle, Russia had six champions, eight finalists, and finished 77 points ahead of second-place Turkey (132 points). Ukraine (110 points), Georgia (109 points), and Belarus (82 points) rounded out the top-5 respectively.

In women’s wrestling, Russia (180 points) narrowly edged Ukraine (168 points) by 12 points and won the team title. The difference in the team race came down to Russia’s six finalists to Ukraine five finalists. The other three teams who finished in the top-5 respectively were Turkey (118 points), Belarus (95 points), and Romania (85 points).

In Greco-Roman, Georgia (178 points) won the team title, 11 points ahead of second-place Russia(167 points). Georgia closed out the Greco-Roman portion of the tournament with five of the ten gold medalists and only dropped one of their six gold-medal bouts. Turkey (141 points), Romania (78 points), and Ukraine (70 points) finished third through fifth respectively.

Click here for full results

3. China and the United States win Dan Kolov Team Titles
The second freestyle and women’s wrestling Ranking Series event, the Dan Kolov, concluded last weekend in Ruse, Bulgaria, and the United States and China won the team titles.

The United States, on the backs of their pair of Olympic champions Jordan BURROUGHS and Kyle SNYDER, won the freestyle team title 32 points ahead of Russia, while China rode the coattail of their 2018 world champion RONG Ningning to the top of the women’s wrestling podium.

Freestyle
GOLD - United States (147 points)
SILVER - Russia (115 points)
BRONZE - Turkey(100 points)
Fourth - Ukraine (88 points)
Fifth - Georgia (80 points)

Final Results
57kg - Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) df. Suleyman ATLI (TUR), 6-4
61kg - Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) df. Sandeep TOMAR (IND), 10-0
65kg - Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) vs. Jordan OLIVER (USA), 12-3
70kg - Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) df. Anzor ZAKUEV (RUS), 10-0
74kg - Jordan Ernest BURROUGHS (USA) df. Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB), 4-3
79kg - Alexander DIERINGER (USA) df. Omaraskhab NAZHMUDINOV (ROU), 10-0
86kg - Hassan YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) df. Ali SHABANAU (BLR), 16-5
92kg - Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) df. Irakli MTSITURI (GEO), 9-5
97kg - Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA) df. Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR), 4-0
125kg - Parviz HADI (IRI) df. Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR), 6-4

Women’s Wrestling
GOLD - China (112 points)
SILVER - Ukraine (92 points)
BRONZE - United States (77 points)
Fourth - Turkey (75 points)
Fifth - India (65 points)

Final Results
50kg - Iwona Nina MATKOWSKA (POL) df. Erin Simone GOLSTON (USA), 4-1
53kg - PANG Qianyu (CHN) df. Vinesh VINESH (IND), 9-2
55kg - Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ), 10-0
57kg - RONG Ningning (CHN) df. Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR), via fall
59kg - Pooja DHANDA (IND) (Round-robin winner)
62kg - Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) df. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), 4-2
65kg - Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) df. Sakshi MALIK (IND), 8-3
68kg - Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA) df. Bakhtigul BALTANIYAZOVA (UZB), 11-1
72kg - Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR), 6-4
76kg - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Paliha PALIHA (CHN), via fall

Turkey's 2018 world runner-up Fatih Erdin (TUR) takes over the No. 1 spot in the latest world rankings after a runner-up finish at the Ivan Yariguin and a fifth-place finish at the Dan Kolov. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

4. New Updated Rankings Posted on United World Wrestling's Homepage
The newest set of freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women’s wrestling rankings have been updated on United World Wrestling’s homepage.

The freestyle and women's wrestling rankings take into account results from the 2018 World Championships, and the first two Ranking Series events, the Ivan Yariguin, and Dan Kolov.

Freestyle and women's wrestlers will have their Continental Championships, and the final two Ranking Series events, the Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial (May 24-25), and the Yasar Dogu (July 11-14), to earn points towards their seeding at the 2019 Astana World Championships.

The Greco-Roman rankings take into account results from the 2018 World Championships, the Zagreb Open, and the Hungarian Grand Prix. Greco-Roman wrestlers will also have three opportunities to earn seeding points prior to the 2019 World Championships. In addition to the Continental Championships, the Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial (May 24-25), and Oleg Karavaev (July 26-28) are the two remaining Greco-Roman Ranking Series events.

5. United World Wrestling Releases Hanuman: Hindu God of Wrestling
Find out why the popular Hindu god Hanuman is so well respected by Indian wrestlers. You'll never guess which star Indian wrestler shares Hanuman's more common name!

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media
1. Wrestling Fans! Today marks #500DaysToGo until #Tokyo2020 and #WrestleTokyo2020. Check out wrestling's pictogram for the 2020 Games! Любители борьбы, сегодня начинается обратный отсчет осталось ровно 500 дней до начала Олимпийских Игр Токио-2020! Пиктограмма борьбы к вашему вниманию! #Токио2020
2. Big Move Monday -- @kyledake444 (USA) -- 2018 Freestyle World Cup По традиции, бросок понедельника?Кубок Мира по вольной борьбе 2018
3. Strong. Dedicated. Stars of our Sport . UWW supports our Women Wrestlers this #womensday and every day! Be sure to watch this clip and all our women’s wrestling content on our YouTube channel: /unitedworldwrestling.
4. Watch as @suples.wrestling heads a workout with @wrestlingcanada using their one-of-a-kind Bulgarian Bag and Suples Ball. #uww #unitedworldwrestling #wrestlingcanada #suplestrainingsystems
5. Razambek ZHAMALOV ?? secures his place in the finals tomorrow with this win at 70KG. Разамбек Жамалов (Россия) данной победой в весе 70 кг забронировал себе место в завтрашнем финале. #uww #unitedworldwrestling #wrestling #WrestleNoviSad‬ #борьба #Новисад

#WrestleSamokov

New challenges fail to stop Yakushenko as he defends gold

Sunday, August 24, 2025 - 08:28 By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 23) -- When Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) reached the final of the World U20 Championships in Samokov, he was aware that he will be facing a new challenge in Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI), the other finalist.

In his career, Yakushenko had never wrestled an Iranian wrestler. With the pedigree of Iran in Greco-Roman especially in age-group competition, Yakushenko knew that Seydi will be a tough opponent.

With his U20 world title on line, Yakushenko planned his final against Seydi to perfection to beat the Iranian 5-2 and capture his second straight gold medal at the World U20 Championships. He became the first Ukrainian wrestler to win two gold medals in Greco-Roman at this age-group Worlds.

Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) celebrates after becoming the world U20 champion for the second time. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Yakushenko had the first par terre position and he lifted Seydi and then completed a correct throw for two points and lead 3-0. Seydi managed to close out the first period with a stepout and cut the lead to 3-1.

Seydi had his chance to score in the second period from par terre but Yakushenko was solid in his defense and did not give up any points. Seydi tried a few attacks in the final second but there was no score. Yakushenko got two more points for a go-behind in the final second to win 5-2.

Among the medalist at 97kg was Ilia KOMAROV (UWW), younger brother of European 87kg champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB). Ilia defeated Andrej RODIN (CRO), 8-0, in the bronze medalist.

Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) celebrates after beating Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) in the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Another returning champion was not as fortunate and Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) dropped his 67kg final to 2023 World U20 silver medalist Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ), 4-2, and finish with a silver medal.

Zakriev was hurt from the two stepouts Mirzaliev scored on him when was in the dominant position but the Kyrgyz wrestler switched the position and pushed Zakriev out.

The first such incident came in the second minute when Zakriev tried to push Mirzaliev towards the zone the Kyrgyz wrestler spun an arm-throw and managed to force a stepout for a 1-0 lead. Zakriev got one for himself to take make it 1-1 but Mirzaliev had the criteria according to the new Greco rule that when the score is 1-1 in bout, the first scorer will have criteria.

But Zakriev quickly made it 2-1. That's when the second instance of Mirzaliev getting a stepout when Zakriev was aggressive occurred. Zakriev had Mirzaliev in the zone when the latter hit the arm-throw but Zakriev kept his balance. He stepped out and conceded a point to Mirzaliev who now led 2-2 on criteria at the break.

The second period also began in this manger when Zakriev almost made Mirzaliev stepout but the Kyrgyz survived and circled inside. He then pushed Zakriev out and get a 3-2 lead. There no more points scored in the bout but Zakriev challenged at the end asking for passivity from Mirzaliev which was denied and he lost another point to lose 4-2.

The result is in contrast to the 10-0 win Zakriev scored on Mirzaliev just a month ago in Turkiye.

Payam AHMADI (IRI) scores a takedown against Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) in the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Payam AHMADI (IRI) won the first gold medal for Iran at this World Championships when he defeated former world U17 champion Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE), 5-3, in the 55kg.

In one of most thrilling finals, Ahmadi needed an acrobatic summersault to not give up points to Dashdamirov in the final minute and defend his lead for the win.

Dashdamirov got the par terre position first but Ahmadi escaped with ease and without any trouble. Soon, Ahmadi scored a takedown and turned the Azerbaijani wrestler using a high gut-wrench for a 4-1 lead.

The second period saw Ahmadi on the aggressive and he tried a bodylock but Dashdamirov blocked it with an overarm and flipped Ahmadi for two points. Ahmadi now led 4-3 and Dashdamirov needed two points for a win with 2:40 remaining.

Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) hits a fireman carry for no points against Payam AHMADI (IRI) during the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Dashdamirov failed to find an opening until the last 15 seconds when he did a fireman carry but Ahmadi landed on his feet. Dashdamirov was awarded two points but Iran challenged and the points were removed as there was no danger position. With 4-3 score, Ahmadi defended for the last 7 seconds remaining and won the gold medal.

After drawing a blank in Ponteverdra, Spain last year, Armenia crowned a world U20 champion in Greco-Roman Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) defeated Ahmad KODIROV (UZB), 1-1, in the 72kg final and win the gold medal.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI (IRI) df. Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE), 5-3

BRONZE: Omur YNTYMAK UULU (KGZ) vs. Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Anil MOR (IND) vs. Daisuke MORISHITA (JPN)

67kg
GOLD: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) df. Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW), 4-2

BRONZE: Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB) df. Gholamreza ABDOVALI (IRI), 5-1
BRONZE: Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) df. Takaku SUZUKI (JPN), 5-4

72kg
GOLD: Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) df. Ahmad KODIROV (UZB), 1-1

BRONZE: Oliver PADA (FIN) df. Arvid STRAAKEVED (SWE), 14-5
BRONZE: Yussuf ASHRAPOV (KAZ) df. Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE), 2-0

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI), 5-2

BRONZE: Darius KIEFER (GER) df. Amirkhon BERDIKULOV (UZB), 8-0
BRONZE: Ilia KOMAROV (UWW) df. Andrej RODIN (CRO), 8-0

Semifinals

63kg
GOLD: Aleks MARGARYAN (ARM) vs. AYTJAN KHALMAKHANOV (UZB)

SF 1: Aleks MARGARYAN (ARM) df. Kristiyan MILENKOV (BUL), 9-0
SF 2: AYTJAN KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Damir IBRASHOV (KAZ), 8-0

77kg
GOLD: Ahoura BOUVEIRI (IRI) vs. Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Ahoura BOUVEIRI (IRI) df. Zaur BESLEKOEV (UWW), 8-0
SF 2: Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO) df. Kiryl VALEUSKI (UWW), 5-4

87kg
GOLD: Luka KOCHALIDZE (GEO) vs. Abdurakhman ABDULKADYROV (UWW)

SF 1: Luka KOCHALIDZE (GEO) df. Elias LYYSKI (FIN), 6-0
SF 2: Abdurakhman ABDULKADYROV (UWW) df. Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Yusuf BAKIR (TUR) vs. Ali ILIASOV (UWW)

SF 1: Yusuf BAKIR (TUR) df. Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR), 8-0
SF 2: Ali ILIASOV (UWW) df. Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI), 5-4

Weekly FIVE! March 12, 2019

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New challenges fail to stop Yakushenko as he defends gold