Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! May 7, 2018

Monday, May 7, 2018 - 20:51 By

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Discussing new potential weight changes and Russian lead slips. Also taking a look at Stadnik and Aleksanyan's dominating Euro performances along with the Burroughs and Chamizo super match-up on Mat 17.   

1. Weight Changes on the Horizon 
Newly minted European champions Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) announced that they would be moving weight classes in preparation for October's 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The chants of “Rashid” pour throughout the Palace of Sport and Youth as Abdulrashid Sadulaev won the colossal match-up between Olympic champions, holding off Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE), 2-1 to win the 92kg European title. 

In a post-match interview, Sadulaev, the four-time European champion announced that he would be moving up to 97kg for Russian Nationals. 

If this is true, we could potentially see the 2017 World Championship rematch between the reigning world and Olympic champion, Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Snyder won that 2017 match-up, 6-5.  #SnyderLaev2018/ #SnyderLaev2 

Jenny Fransson, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist closed out her European Championship gold medal performance with a fall over Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) in the 72kg finals. 

After the match, Fransson, the 2018 Klippan Lady Open champion said “The goal now moves to the World Championships where I’ll be moving weight classes. I’ll be moving down to the Olympic weight of 68kg. 

2. Stadnik Wins Eighth 
Mariya STADNIK (AZE) captured her eighth European title by demolishing 2017 world finalist, Emilia VUC (ROU), 10-0. 

When asked what’s the difference between this win and her first seven, Stadnik said “When I won the first few European Championships, I would get really stressed out prior to the tournament. Now, I remain pretty calm. That’s the difference.”

With Mother’s Day last this week, Stadnik, a mother of two said “I dedicate this win to my children. I have to leave them so often to go train, and the compensation for me being gone so much is this gold medal.”

3. Russians Fail Late 
Azerbaijani’s Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) and Haji ALIYEV (AZE) stunned the sold-out Palace of Sport and Youth after picking up buzzer beater takedowns on Russian opponents to win European gold medals. 

Giorgi Edisherashvili stole his second 57kg European title by picking up a four-point throw with three seconds left to defeat last year’s European bronze medalist, Zavur UGUEV (RUS), 4-3.

Haji ALIYEV (AZE), the reigning 61kg world champion gave Azerbaijan another gold medal with a last-second takedown to defeat reigning 65kg European champion, Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS), 8-7.

Four-time European champion, Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM). (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

4.“The White Bear” Reclaims Continental Gold 
Armenia’s Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) the four-time world and Olympic champion reclaimed European gold for the first time since 2014 by routing Mikheil KAJAIA (SRB), 7-0 in the 97kg gold-medal match. 

The Armenian, who outscored his opponents 34-0 on his way to his fourth title has only lost twice in the past five seasons, with both of those losses coming at European Championships. 

“I feel very proud that I could become a European champion for the fourth time, and that I could bring one more gold medal to our country,” said Aleksanyan. 

5. Burroughs and Chamizo Clash Next Week 

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), the five-time world and Olympic champion is set to take on the two-time world champion, Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) at Beat the Streets in New York City in just over a week. 

Burroughs is coming off an undefeated World Cup, and Chamizo is coming off a third-place finished at the 2018 European Championships where he defeated 2017 world silver medalist, Khetig TSABOLOV (RUS) in the quarterfinals.

Chamizo bounced back to in the bronze-medal bout, picking up a 10-0 technical superiority victory over Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) after falling to eventual champion, Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), 2-1 in the semifinals. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. ALIYEV (AZE) comes back big in the last 15 seconds after spending the majority of the match behind to get Azerbaijan another Gold! -

2. Always wrestle till the final whistle!!! KURACHKINA (BLR) wins gold but only just. The referee awarded ZASINA (POL) 2 points with one second remaining on the clock to tie the score 4-4. KURACHKINA wins as she had more high scoring moves. -

3. CUERO MUNOZ (COL) df. BEY (USA) 10-7 in a back and fourth match ? Bay suffered rib injury. #uww #wrestling #panams2018

4. Thankfully for Rashidov (RUS) he didn't have the long walk home ?

5. 57kg BRONZE - Stevan MICIC (SRB) df. Levan VARTANOV (ESP), 10-0 giving Serbia their first freestyle European Championship medal ever!

#WrestleNoviSad

Fujinami wins U23 world gold with perfect debut at 57kg

Saturday, October 25, 2025 - 00:37 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 24) -- Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) said she was 'a little nervous' before coming to Novi Sad for her first international tournament at 57kg.

On the mat, however, the Paris Olympic champion showed no signs of nerves.

Fujinami won her first U23 world title, extended her win streak to 145 matches dating back to 2017 and made a golden debut at the new weight class. Even more remarkable was the manner in which she won her all bouts, via technical superiority.

"It was my first match in a long time," Fujinami said. "I think it was a tournament where I was able to show my skills I had practiced, feeling relieved and have fun playing in the competition."

In the 57kg final, it took Fujinami only five second to hit that outside single against Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) and score the first takedown. Another similar attack and she was up 4-0. A go-behind made it 6-0 and a transitioned double-leg attack gave her four points as she won 10-0.

"I could feel the power of my opponents in the new weight class," Fujinami said. "I still had to reduce weight but I feel that I moved very well on the mat.

"As for the final, when it comes to handling when (my) head is outside, foreign players are strong [in dealing with that], so I have honed my skills a lot. It's a move that doesn't let the opponent get together, or to tackle."

Fujinami, who won the Japan's Queens Cup in April to qualify for the U23 World Championships, decided to skip the Meiji Cup and in turn the World Championships in Zagreb, as she would not be ready physically for the challenge.

The U23 Worlds, however, laid a perfect platform for her to test herself as she gears up for the all-important Emperor's Cup in December. In Novi Sad, she spent a total of 8:22 on the mat in four bouts with little trouble.

"I wasn't aware of it at all," she said about winning every bout via technical superiority. "I thought I was just doing what I had been doing. This time, I was practicing not only tackles but also snaps. It's a move like Masanosuke ONO, who dropped his opponent down. I want to practice more and more and make it a technique that can score."

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) won the gold medal at 57kg at the U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The competition at Emperor's Cup, which Fujinami wants to win in order to compete at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in 2026, will be much tougher. Apart from the regulars at 57kg including Sara NATAMI (JPN), Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) and Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), a possible return of fellow Paris Olympic champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), may spice up the competition.

Fujinami also has eyes on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and in particular wrestling one wrestler -- Helen MAROULIS (USA).

"I respect Helen Maroulis a lot," she said. "But now I am at 57kg and I must beat her."

In other women's wrestling finals on Friday, Kazakhstan got its first-ever U23 world champion in women's wrestling after Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) held on to a thrilling win against Tuba DEMIR (TUR) at 55kg.

Omirbek got a takedown to start the final as Demir was put on the activity clock. She then turned Demir three times using an underhook from behind and stretching the other arm of Demir for exposure. As the sequence finished, Omirbek was up 9-0.

Demir made a match out of it when she hit a slick ankle pick and landed Omirbek in danger for four points which she got after a challenge. A double-leg attack gave her two more points to make it 9-6.

The dramatic part of the final began now as Demir added another takedown to cut the lead to one point, 9-8, before exposing Omirbek for danger but the referees scored it as neutral as the Kazakhstan wrestler may not been have in danger position.

Not disheartened by the decision, Demir launched another attacked and almost got the stepout with 15 seconds left. However, the referees called it par terre position for both wrestlers and no points were given. Turkiye decided to challenge this time only to lose it and give a 10-8 lead to Omirbek.

After Demir missed her desperate shot, Omirbek circled and got behind to get two more points before bursting into a celebration with her coaches.

Turkiye's gloomy mood changed a little when Nesrin BAS (TUR) won her third U23 world title at 68kg in a dominant fashion. Bas now has three golds and one silver U23 Worlds.

The European and world silver medalist was facing Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the final and at no point she seemed in any danger of losing her title. She began with a single leg for takedown before a fireman's carry added two more point to her score.

It was way to simple from there on as Bas used a low single, go-behind and elevated leg takedown to finish the match 10-0. She joins Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Alenxadrin GUTU (MDA) as three-time U23 world champions.

At 65kg, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) pinned Yuqi RAO (CHN) in the final using a fireman's carry and finishing the bout in just a minute and four seconds to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 12-8

BRONZE: NISHU (IND) df. Albina RILLIA (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Amory ANDRICH (GER) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-5

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Neha SHARMA (IND) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE: Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) df. Emine CAKMAK (TUR), 6-4

65kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. Yuqi RAO (CHN), via fall (4-0)

BRONZE: PULKIT (IND) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), 8-4 
BRONZE: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) df. Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB), 10-0

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Gerda BARTH (GER), 4-2
BRONZE: SRISHTI (IND) df. Karolina POK (HUN), 6-1

Women's Wrestling Semifinal

53kg
GOLD: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Hansika LAMBA (IND)

SF 1: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR), 5-2
SF 2: Hansika LAMBA (IND) df. Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), 11-0

59kg
GOLD: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) vs. SARIKA (IND)

SF 1: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: SARIKA (IND) df. Olha PADOSHYK (POL), 12-6

62kg
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Immacolata DANISE (ITA), via fall
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Astrid MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN), 8-5

Freestyle Semifinal

74kg
GOLD: Halit OZMUS (TUR) vs. Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA)

SF 1: Halit OZMUS (TUR) df. Magomed KHANIEV (AZE), 7-3
SF 2: Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), 7-4

92kg
GOLD: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) vs. Mobin AZIMI (IRI)

SF 1: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) df. Ion DEMIAN (MDA), 12-1
SF 2: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Ivan CHORNOHUZ (UKR), 12-1