Weekly FIVE! May 7, 2019

Tuesday, May 7, 2019 - 14:48 By Eric Olanowski

Discussing results from Beat the Streets and the 50th Annual Ali Aliyev. Also looking at the latest world rankings and David Taylor suffering a right knee injury.

1. Burroughs Bullies Askren at Beat the Streets
A star-studded crowd that featured Kelly Rippa and Neil deGrasse Tyson, among many others, showed up to see Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) bully Ben ASKREN, 11-0 in Beat the Streets’ featured bout of the night at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City.

The London Olympic champion Burroughs was up 9-0 after the opening period and used a second-period takedown to close out the match against the 2008 Olympian and current UFC fighter Ben Askren.

In the co-main event of the night, American youngster Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) pulled off the shocking upset over India’s No. 1-ranked Bajrang PUNIA (IND), 10-8.

The pair traded takedowns in the opening period, but it was Bajrang who led 2-2 on criteria heading into the second period. In the closing three minutes, the American scored eight points from two takedowns off his own shots, and a pair of counter-offensive maneuvers to stun the reigning world silver medalist by two points.

Another young wrestler who picked up a win over a returning world medalist was Nick SURIANO (USA). Suriano, the third year college student, scored a second-period takedown and grabbed the 3-1 upset victory over Budapest world bronze medalist Joe COLON (USA).

Other stars that were victorious on the night were J'den COX (USA), James GREEN (USA), Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA), and Kyle SNYDER (USA).

RESULTS
57kg - Jack MUELLER (USA) df. Nick PICCININNI (USA), 11-0
62kg (WW) - Mallory VELTE (USA) df. Linda MORAIS (CAN), 10-0
70kg - James GREEN (USA) df. Anthony ASHNAULT (USA), 8-4
97kg - Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN), 15-1
125kg - Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) df. Derek WHITE( USA), 9-0
57kg (WW) - Becka LEATHERS (USA) df. Diana WEICKER (CAN), 10-6
61kg - Nick SURIANO (USA) df. Joe COLON (USA), 3-1
86kg - Drew FOSTER (USA) df. David TAYLOR (USA), via injury default (0:31)
92kg - J'den COX (USA) df. Patrick BRUCKI (USA), 10-0
65kg - Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) df. Bajrang PUNIA (IND), 10-8
74kg - Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Ben ASKREN (USA), 11-0

Reiniging 57kg world champion Zaur UGUEV (RUS) made his return to the mat for the first time since his run to a world title and won the 50th Annual Ali Aliyev 57kg gold medal. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

2. 50th Annual Ali Aliyev Wraps up in Dagestan
The Russian Federation reeled in seven of ten gold medals at the 50th annual Ali Aliyev Memorial tournament - which was held in Kaspiisk, Dagestan at the namesake arena, the Ali Aliyev Palace of Sport and Youth.

The biggest storylines from Russia’s seven-gold-medal performances came at 57kg and 125kg where Zaur UGUEV (RUS) and Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS) respectively reached the top of the podium.

Uguev, the reigning 57kg world champion, made his return to the mat for the first time since last October’s World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, when he went 4-0 and capped off his world title run with a 4-3 win over Kazakhstan’s Nurislam (Artas) SANAYEV (SANAA) (KAZ) in the gold-medal bout.

In the Ali Aliyev finals, Uguev completed his gold-medal run with a 3-0 win over fellow Russia Azamat TUSKAEV to win his first Ali Aliyev title. His previous highest finish came in 2016 when he finished in fifth place.

At 125kg, Vladislav Baitsaev easily handled Pavel KRIVTSOV (RUS), 11-1 and also won his first Ali Aliyev title. This was Baitsaev’s first competition up from his normal weight of 97kg. The Russian won the European title last year at 97kg before surrendering his spot to eventual 97kg world champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS).

Instead of trying to upend “The Russian Tank,” Baitsaev will move up to 125kg with hopes of making the Russian World Team for the first time in his career. To represent the Russian Federation in Nur-Sultan, Baitsaev will have to beat two-time world fifth-place finisher Anzor KHIZRIEV, who has held the 125kg spot since 2017.

The three non-Russian gold medals weight to Bajrang PUNIA (IND), Sharip SHARIPOV (AZE), and Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB).

Bajrang scored a 13-8 come-from-behind win over Viktor RASSADIN (RUS) in the 65kg finals.

Azerbaijan’s Olympic champion Sharip Sharipov picked up a 7-4 victory over Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) in the 92kg finals, and Uzbekistan’s Magomed Ibragimov stuck Cuba’s Reineris SALAS PEREZ to win the 97kg title.

RESULTS
57kg – Zaur UGUEV (RUS) df. Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS), 3-0
61kg – Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (RUS) df. Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS),4-0
65kg – Bajrang PUNIA (IND) df. Viktor RASSADIN (RUS), 13-8
70kg – Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) df. Gitinomagomed GADZHYEV (AZE), 8-0
74kg – Darsan DSHAPAROV (RUS) df. Akhmed USMANOV (RUS), 5-2
79kg – Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) df. Artur BICHENOV (RUS), via fall
86kg – Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) df. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS), 2-2
92kg –Sharip SHARIPOV (AZE) df. Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS),7-4
97kg – Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) df. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB), via fall
125kg – Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS) df. Pavel KRIVTSOV (RUS),11-1

3. Punia and Atli Ascend to Top of Freestyle World Rankings After Continental Title Runs
Six European wrestlers own a No. 1-ranking in the latest set of United World Wrestling’s point-based freestyle world rankings. Pan-American countries boast a trio of wrestlers who are ranked No. 1, while Asia has the remaining wrestler sitting atop of the world rankings heading into the final set of freestyle Ranking Series events.

The most significant changes atop this month’s rankings came at 57kg and 65kg where Suleyman ATLI (TUR) and Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) respectively gained control of the world No. 1 ranking with their continental title-winning performances.

Click HERE for a full breakdown of freestyle world rankings.

4. Nine World Champions Hold onto Top Ranking
In the lastest women’s wrestling rankings nine gold medalists from last year’s Budapest World Championships sit atop of their respective weight classes. Asia has four top-ranked wrestlers, while Europe and Pan-American countries each have three.

Japan has three of the four top-ranked Asian wrestlers. Their trio of No.1’s are Yui SUSAKI (JPN) (50kg), Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) (55kg), and Risako KAWAI (JPN) (59kg). The fourth Asian wrestler who owns a top ranking is China’s RONG Ningning (CHN)(57kg).

Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) (62kg), Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN) (65kg), and Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) (68kg) are the three European No.1-ranked wrestlers.

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) (86 points), Justina DI STASIO (CAN) (72kg), and Adeline GRAY (USA) (76kg), who are all from Pan-American nations, round out the first-ranked wrestlers in this month’s rankings.

Of the ten wrestlers sitting atop of the rankings, the lone non-returning world champion that owns a No.1-ranking is the United States’ Sarah Hildebrandt. She started the season with 40 points from her world silver medal, then earned 20 points for her Pan-American gold, 14 points for her Ivan Yariguin title, and 12 points for her third-place finish at the Dan Kolov.

Click HERE for a full breakdown of women's wrestling world rankings.

5. Taylor Goes Down at Beat the Streets
The reigning 86kg world champion and one of the pound-for-pound best wrestlers in the world David TAYLOR (USA) injury defaulted out of his Beat the Streets match against Drew FOSTER (USA) after going down with an apparent right knee injury, 31 seconds into the match.

In the opening sequence of the bout, Foster got to a low-level shot to the right leg of Taylor and came up through the middle. Foster peaked out the back door and isolated the right leg of Taylor. Foster, who was posted on his right hand, threw his left hip to the mat, which is when Taylor stopped wrestling and immediately grabbed his right knee.

The reigning world champion tried to continue, but his right knee buckled the first time he put his body weight on it, and ultimately forced him to injury default out of the match.

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media
1. Big Move Monday -- TASMURADOV E. (UZB) -- 2015 Senior Asian C'ships
2. Reigning world champion @magomedrasul_gazimagomedov70(92 points) has locked up the 70kg No.1 seed at the #WrestleNurSultanWorld Championships after building a commanding 52 point lead over the rest of the weight class. ?: @sachikohotaka
3. @sadulaev_abdulrashid (80 points) and @snyderman45 (78 points) are guaranteed a top-three seed (97kg) at the #WrestleNurSultan World Championships.
4. Bajrang Never Stops Wrestling!
5. Saturday smiles with SUN Yanan ?? during her visit to Switzerland ??for the UWW Athletes Commission. ?: @flo_wrestling_uww

#WrestleMonterrey

Blades, Godinez sisters cruise to Pan-Am golds

Saturday, May 10, 2025 - 07:02 By Vinay Siwach

MONTERREY, Mexico (May 9) -- Olympic silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA) made a golden debut at Pan-American Championships, winning gold medal at 68kg in Monterrey, Mexico.

Blades, who won silver medal in Paris at 76kg, led a spirited performance from the United States which claimed three gold medals out of the six Women's Wrestling weight classes in action on Friday.

Apart from Blades, Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) and Tiffani BAUBLITZ (USA) won gold medals at 50kg and 72kg respectively. Canada won two other gold medals through the Godinez sister -- Karla and Ana -- at 55kg and 62kg, respectively. Cuba won the remaining gold at 57kg through Yaynelis SANZ (CUB).

Blades wrestled in a Nelson bracket and after dominating her way to the final, she faced Nathali GRIMAN (VEN) for the gold medal. It was Griman who opened the scoring with a stepout but Blades blasted a double-leg attack for a takedown to take a 2-1 lead. On restart, Griman was on her heels and Blades hit another double-leg, this time for four points.

The big moves continued as Blades used her strength for another double-leg takedown for four points and lead 10-1. Griman countered a Blades move and flung her for four points on the edge to cut the lead to 10-5.

In the second period, Blades got a two-point takedown and moved closer to victory with a 12-5 lead. Griman gave her the perfect opportunity when she missed a deep shot and Blades scored a go-behind for a 14-5 victory.

Jiminez downed Paris Olympic silver medalist Yusneylis GUZMAN (CUB), 18-8, in the 50kg semifinal before pinning Madison PARKS (CAN) in the final.

Parks got a point as Jimiez was put on the 30-second activity clock. But she answered with a two-pointer to lead 2-1 at the break. Parks scored a stepout in the second period before Jiminez launched a cradle and kept Parks' back on the mat to secure the fall with two minutes remaining in the match.

In the semifinal, Guzman led with a takedown before a clumsy ankle-pick and throw made it 6-0. Jiminez got on the board with a takedown but the joy was short-lived as Guzman countered a low attack and scored two more points to lead 8-2 at the break.

The second period was all about Jiminez as she snapped Guzman and scored a go-behind. She transitioned into a leg-lace and turned Guzman four times to pull off an unprecedented, 18-8, win and enter the final.

The third gold medal came through Tiffani BAUBLITZ (USA) who won both her bouts in round-robin system. Baublitz faced off Nyla BURGESS (CAN) in the second round and the winner would win gold.

Baublitz scored takedown in the opening 10 seconds to lead 2-0. Burgess got a stepout to cut the lead to 2-1 but Baubtiz got a stepout to make it 3-1 at the break.

Burgess turned the tide in her favour with two clutch takedowns in the second period to lead 5-3. Baubtiz managed to get a single-leg attack to exposure for two points but a reversal added one point to Burgess' score and she led 6-5.

Baubtiz never gave up to get the lead back. As the two wrestlers engaged, she flung Burgess and got a stepout to take a 6-6 criteria lead with 57 seconds remaining. She defended her lead and clinched the gold at 72kg.

Godinez Sisters Golden

Karla and Ana GODINEZ (CAN) claimed gold medals to give Canada two champions in Women's Wrestling. Karla, wrestling at 55kg, outscored her opponents 31-0 in three bouts. She was in a four-wrestler round-robin bracket and won her matches 10-0, 11-0 and 10-0 for the gold medal.

The elder Godinez, Ana, returning to competition for the first time since finishing a heartbreaking fifth at the Paris Olympics, secured a fall in the 62kg final against Astrid MONTERO (VEN) to win gold medal.

She won her first two bouts via technical superiority and the semifinal via fall before Montero challenged her in the final. Montero built a 3-0 lead at the break and Godinez needed something special in the second period.

After giving up another stepout, Godinez got a takedown and then cradled Montero for the fall with 1:50 remaining on the clock to win the gold medal.

Cuba won the gold medal at 57kg as Yaynelis SANZ (CUB) denied home favorite Bertha ROJAS (MEX), 6-0, in the final.

Sanz was put on the activity clock in the first period but she used a duckunder to get behind Rojas. She elevated Rojas's leg and the Mexican tried to hit a cut-back which Sanz defended and fell forward with Rojas on the mat for two points. It became 4-0 when Sanz scored a takedown before the break.

In the second period, Rojas missed an attack and Sanz was quick to go behind but Rojas defended for a while before the scramble resulted in Sanz getting the takedown and a 6-0 lead. Sanz defended that lead and won gold.

U.S. claims Greco title

The United States claimed the Greco-Roman team title with 209 points. After winning five gold medals on Thursday, it added one more as two Greco weight classes were in action on Friday. Mexico finished second with 143 points and Venezuela was third with 90 points. Cuba, which only had three wrestlers entered, finished fourth with 75 points as all three of them won gold medals.

Alejandro SANCHO (USA), who won the gold at 67kg last year, won the gold medal with ease at 72kg this year after beating Nilton SOTO (PER) 8-0 in the final.

Sancho was clearly the aggressor from the word go and scored a stepout. When he got the par terre advantage, he scored two points from a correct throw to lead 4-0.

He kept the pressure in the second period as well and scored a stepout before adding two more stepout and a point for caution against Soto helped him win 8-0, his fourth technical superiority win of the day.

At 97kg, world champion and Paris Olympics bronze medalist Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) defeated Paris Olympian Kevin MEJIA (HON), 5-1, in the final.

Mejia got the par terre but as he tried a turn, Rosillo slipped out and tried a reverse lift. He failed to execute it and Mejia landed with no exposure. Mejia quickly scored a go-behind for a 3-0 lead. However, Cuba challenged the decision and won on review, reverting the lead to 1-0.

In the second period, Rosillo got the par terre and after a little battle as Mejia defended the position, Rosillo scored a body slam and got four points to lead 5-1 which he defended till the end.

The gold medal was Rosillo's only second at the Pan-Am Championships, the first coming back in 2019.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) df. Madison PARKS (CAN), via fall (4-2)

BRONZE: Nohalis LOYO (VEN) df. Kamila BARBOSA (BRA), 4-1
BRONZE: Yusneylis GUZMAN (CUB) df. Yorlenis MORAN (PAN), 12-2

55kg
GOLD: Karla GODINEZ (CAN)
SILVER: Louisa SCHWAB (USA)
BRONZE: Andrea AVELINO (MEX)

57kg
GOLD: Yaynelis SANZ (CUB) df. Bertha ROJAS (MEX), 6-0

BRONZE: Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) df. Ana PEREIRA (BRA), 10-0
BRONZE: Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) df. Mia FRIESEN (CAN), 12-2

62kg
GOLD: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. Astrid MONTERO (VEN), via fall (4-4)

BRONZE: Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX) df. Savannah COSME (USA), 3-0

68kg
GOLD: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Nathali GRIMAN (VEN), 14-5

BRONZE: Virginia JIMENEZ (CHI) df. Debanhi TAPIA (MEX), 4-4

72kg
GOLD: Tiffani BAUBLITZ (USA)
SILVER: Nyla BURGESS (CAN)
BRONZE: Michelle OLEA (MEX)

Greco-Roman

72kg
GOLD: Alejandro SANCHO (USA) df. Nilton SOTO (PER), 8-0

SILVER: Irving SALAZAR (MEX) df. Cristian MEJIA (GUA), 9-0

97kg
GOLD: Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) df. Kevin MEJIA (HON), 5-1

BRONZE: Michial FOY (USA) df. Dorian TREJO (MEX), 9-0

Weekly FIVE! May 7, 2019

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Blades, Godinez sisters cruise to Pan-Am golds