Weekly FIVE! November 26, 2018

Monday, November 26, 2018 - 19:12 By Eric Olanowski

Looking at this week's American Wrestling League and UWW's Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award nomination. Also reviewing results from the Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov Memorial Cup, B.Turlykhanov Cup, and the Dinmukhamed Kunaev Memorial.

1. American Wrestling League Begins This Weekend
Reigning world champions Kyle DAKE (USA) and David TAYLOR (USA) are set to coach their teams at this weekend’s inaugural “American Wrestling League I The Beginning.” The action will be live November 30 on www.trackwrestling.com at U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The premier bout of the ten match card comes at 65kg where Jordan OLIVER (USA) will meet Zain RETHERFORD (USA). Team Dake’s Oliver is coming back from a year-long suspension, while Team Taylor’s 2017 world team member, Retherford, returns after sitting out the 2018 season.

This will not be the last time these two meet, as they are expected to both compete for the 2019 world team spot at 65kg.

Each of the starters from Team Dake and Team Taylor will pick up $2,500 to show, and $5,000 to win. Fans can follow all of the AWL action live on trackwrestling.com on November 30.

AWL I Matchups
Team Dake vs. Team Taylor
57kg - Frank PERRELLI vs. Nico MEGALUDIS
61kg - Tony RAMOS vs. Cory CLARK
65kg - Jordan OLIVER vs. Zain RETHERFORD
70kg - James GREEN vs. Brandon SORENSEN
74kg - Richie LEWIS vs. Tommy GANTT
79kg - Isaiah MARTINEZ vs. Alex DIERINGER
86kg - Nick HEFLIN vs. Sam BROOKS
92kg - Deron WINN vs. Mike MACCHIAVELLO
97kg - Jacob KASPER vs. Kyven GADSON
125kg - Dom BRADLEY vs. Adam COON

Club Akhmat's team-captain, Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS). (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

2. Club Akhmat wins Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov Memorial Cup
The second annual Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov Memorial Cup was held last weekend in the Chechnya’s capital city, Grozny. Originally, six teams were invited, but due to Uzbekistan pulling out late, only five teams participated, forcing a five-team round robin competition.

Team Akhmat, led by two-time world bronze medalists (2016 and ’18) Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), went undefeated on their way to their second consecutive team title. They scored a trio of dominating 9-1 victories over Europe, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia. Winning the team title, Team Akhmat grabbed seven individual victories to defeat Azerbaijan, 7-3. For their first place efforts, Team Akhmat claimed a team prize of $75,000 USD.

Europe, whose team split $45,000 USD for their second-place finish went 3-1 on the day and had a pair of 9-1 wins over Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan. Their third victory came against third-place Azerbaijan (6-4), who claimed a cash prize of $22,000.

Mongolia won $15,000 for their fourth-place win over Kyrgyzstan, who went home with $7,500.

FINAL RESULTS
Club Akhmat df. Azerbaijan, 7-3
57 kg. Muslim SADULAYEV (AKHMAT) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 9-1
61 kg. Mairbek SAIDOV (AZE) df. Ahmednabi GUARZATILOV (AKHMAT), 8-6
65 kg. Akhmed CHAKAEV (AKHMAT) df. Anvarbek DALGATOV (AZE), 10-0
70 kg. Razambek ZHAMALOV (AKHMAT) df. Murtuzali MUSLIMOV (AZE), via injury def.
74 kg. Israil KASUMOV (AKHMAT) - Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), 4-4
79 kg. Husey SUYUNCHEV (AKHMAT) df. brahim YUSUPOV (AZE), 10-0
86 kg. Zelimkhan MINKAILOV (AKHMAT) df. Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE), 4-2
92 kg. Sharip SHARIPOV (AZE) df. Akhmed BATAYEV (AKHMAT), 3-1
97 kg. Nurmagomed HAJIYEV (AZE) df. Tamerlan RASUEV (AKHMAT), 4-3
125 kg. Anzor HIZRIEV (AKHMAT) df. Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE), via forfeit

3. Kazakhstan and Russian Win Four Dinmukhamed Kunaev Memorial Golds

More than 150 participants competed in the 11th annual Dinmukhamed Kunaev Memorial freestyle tournament in Taraz, Kazakhstan, and four different nations had a wrestler reach the top of the podium. The host nation Kazakhstan, along with Russia won a quartet of gold medals, while Belarus and Mongolia won the remaining two gold medals. The gold medalists of the Dinmukhamed Kunaev Memorial won $4,000 (USD), while the second and third-place finishers won $2,000 (USD) and $500 (USD) respectively.

RESULTS
57 kg
GOLD - Zhargal DAMIDINOV (RUS)
SILVER - Dimchik RINCHINOV (BLR)
BRONZE - Muhammadsidiq JURAEV (UZB)
BRONZE - Aryaan TYUTRIN (RUS)

61 kg
GOLD - Rasul KALIEV (KAZ)
SILVER - Nyurgun ALEXANDROV (RUS)
BRONZE - Kairat AMIRTAEV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Semyon VLADIMIROV (RUS)

65 kg
GOLD - Ilyas ZHUMAI (KAZ)
SILVER -Meyrzhan ASHIROV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Njurgun Scriabin (BLR)
70 kg
GOLD - Ivan EFREMOV (RUS)
SILVER - Nurgorzha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Sultan BEISOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Ramazan RAMAZANOV (RUS)

74 kg
GOLD -Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (RUS)
SILVER - Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
BRONZE - German USTINOV (RUS)
BRONZE - Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ)

79 kg
GOLD -Tazhidin AKAYEV (RUS)
SILVER - Galymzhan USERBAYEV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Stanislav KHACHIROV (RUS)
BRONZE - Aibek NASYROV (KGZ)

86 kg
GOLD -Uitumen ORGODOL (MGL)
SILVER - Elkhan ASADOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Said ABBAZOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)

92 kg
GOLD - Abdimanap BAYDENJEEV (KAZ)
SILVER - Nurgali NURGAIPULY (KAZ)
BRONZE - Adilet DAYLUMBAYEV (KAZ)

97 kg
GOLD - Alexander GUSHTYN (BLR)
SILVER - Mamed IIBRAGIMOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Omar JURMASH (KAZ)

125 kg
GOLD - Bakhtiyar ZHANABEK (KAZ)
SILVER - Yermukhanbet INKAR (KAZ)
BRONZE - Yusup BATYMURZAYEV (KAZ)

Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR), 77kg B. Turlykhanov Cup champion. (Photo by Sachiko Hotaka)

4. Olympic Champ Kim Wins B. Turlykhanov Cup
This weekend, Almaty, Kazakhstan’s Baluan Sholak Palace of Sport hosted the 24th annual Greco-Roman B. Turlykhanov Cup. Of the six Olympic weight category gold medals up for grabs, Russia and Uzbekistan each won a pair of gold medals, while Kazakhstan and Korea won a solo gold medal.

Of the competitors, the most accomplished wrestler was London Olympic champion and Rio Olympic bronze medalist, KIM Hyeon Woo (KOR). In the 77kg finals, Kim, the 2018 world bronze medalist, defeated Dmitry PETAIKIN (RUS), stopping Russia from winning their third gold medal of the tournament.

Though Kim was the only Olympic champion competing in the B. Turlykhanov Cup, he was not the only Olympic champion in attendance. Other Olympic champions that were present at the Baluan Sholak Palace of Sport were three-time Olympic champion Alexander KARELIN (URS), three-time world and Olympic champion Kamandar MADZHIDOV (BLR), and the two-time world and Olympic champions Zhaksylyk USHEMPIROV (URS) and Levon JULFALAKYAN (URS).

RESULTS
60kg
GOLD - Firuz TOKTAEV (UZB)
SILVER - Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
BRONZE - Ahmadjon MAKHMUDOV (UZB)
BRONZE - Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS)

67kg
GOLD - Adilkhan SATAEV (KAZ)
SILVER - Zaur KABALOEV (RUS)
BRONZE - Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Daniyar KALENOV (Kazakhstan)

77kg
GOLD - KIM Hyeon Woo (KOR)
SILVER - Dmitry PETAIKIN (RUS)
BRONZE - Zhasulan MARATOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Irakli KALANDIA (RUS)

87kg
GOLD - Gamzat YUSUPOV (RUS)
SILVER - Zurab DATUNASHVILI (GEO)
BRONZE - Alan OSTAEV (RUS)
BRONZE - Nikolay STADUB (BEL)

97kg
GOLD - Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS)
SILVER - Danil SOTNIKOV (RUS)
BRONZE - Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Cantemir MAGOMEDOV (RUS)

130kg
GOLD - Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)
SILVER - Vitaly SHCHUR (RUS)
BRONZE - Levan ARABULI (GEO)
BRONZE - LEE Seung (KOR)

More than Medals Zagreb (Photo by Theo Lowenstein )

5. United World Wrestling Nominated for Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award
United World Wrestling was recently nominated for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award for their More Than Medals camps. More Than Medals is a United World Wrestling initiative to deliver wrestling techniques, life skills and experiences to athletes from developing nations and wrestling programs.

In addition to the technical-tactical training during the MTM camps, other activities that have been carried out to help give participants more knowledge for their sports career and their life in general are:
• Training Planning
• Olympic Values
• Anti-Doping
• ACP (Athletes Career Program)
• Nutrition
• Group Integration Games

WATCH: Lucha in Guatemala! More than Medals Olympic Wrestling Camp.
READ: Zagreb Hosts More Than Medals Camp Prior to Youth Olympic Games

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1.Big Move Monday!
2. Incredible training session today at @edge_hoboken with @frankchamizo92 and @aaronpicousa ! ? Coming Soon
3. Can you repeat that?? And did you recognize this super person?? Сможете повторить? А супер личность на видео узнали?? #wrestling #cool #awesome #repeat #kids #sport #борьба #дети #борцы
4. A few photos from the 2018 World Championships ?‍♂️ ?‍♀️ .#unitedworldwrestling #uww #wrestling
5. 1 or 2?? 1 или 2?? #wrestling #sport #coolpic #борьба #выбери

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024 Wrestling Day 3 Preview: GR 67kg and 87kg; WW 53kg

Wednesday, July 24, 2024 - 09:49 By Eric Olanowski

PARIS, France (July 24) --- Two-thirds of the returning Greco-Roman Olympic champions -- Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) and Luis ORTA (CUB) -- along with the wrestler holding the world's longest win streak among active wrestlers, will compete on the third day in Paris 2024 when GR 67kg and 87kg and WW 53kg takes center stage at Champ de Mars Arena.

Beleniuk is a two-time Olympic medalist, having won gold in Tokyo and silver in Rio. The 33-year-old is on a mission to make history in Paris and become Ukraine's first-ever two-time Olympic champ. Before Beleniuk's win at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Ukraine was 0-3 in Olympic finals and were still searching for someone to accompany the 1996 Atlanta Games 90kg gold medalist Vyatsheslav OLEYNIK (UKR) in the history books.

PARIS 2024 SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024 NEWS

Orta moved up from his Tokyo Olympic weight of 60kg to 67kg and is on a quest to join Filiberto ASCUY and Mijain LOPEZ as Cuba's only multiple-time Olympic champs.

In women's wrestling, Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) will look to extend her world-best 130-match win streak against the 53kg field.

Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) won the gold medal at 87kg in Tokyo. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

GR 87kg: Beleniuk up against packed field

It's not often that the reigning Olympic champion heads into a competition as an underdog, but that's the case when five world champs are in one bracket. Besides Ukraine's reigning Olympic champion Beleniuk, the other world title holders in 87kg include David LOSONCZI (HUN), Ali CENGIZ (TUR), Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) and Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE).

Beleniuk will have to overcome dark horses Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) and Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) to become Ukraine's first-ever two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Cengiz won the outright world title in Belgrade, beating Beleniuk and Losonczi. However, he's since taken a step back to reality, going 5-3 in his last two competitions. Out of the three losses he's taken this season, two came against wrestlers he could face in Paris -- Komarov and Losonczi.

Cengiz lost to Komarov in the European finals before falling to Losonczi at the Hungarian Ranking Series event. Losonczi, the other half of the 2023 87kg world champions, followed a similar path as Cengiz during the first few months of the 2024 season.

After ending 2023 on a 14-match win streak, Losonczi lost his first match of the season to Alan OSTAEV (AIN) at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event. The 23-year-old Hungarian rebounded at the Hungarian Ranking Series event, beating Olympians Cengiz and Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) before dropping out his of his finals match against Semen NOVIKOV (BUL).

Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) will be hoping to add a second Olympic medal to his resume. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Huseynov, a world champion in 2021 and '23, saved Azerbaijan's Paris hopes at the last moment, replacing No. 6 Islam ABBASOV (AZE) at 87kg for the final Olympic Qualifier.

The Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist at 77kg, bumped up to 82kg, where he remained for the last three seasons, winning two world titles and a European gold. But at 36, Huseynov will return to Azerbaijan's lineup for one final run at an Olympic title.

With Huseynov being new to the category, he remains the question mark of the weight. Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) and Gobadze have wrestled the Azeri before with Huseynov beating Mohamadipiani in last year's World Championships final and he defeated Gobadze to qualify Azerbaijan for Paris 2024.

Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) will be one of the darkhorses at 87kg in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Gobadze, the 2019 world champion, was a late addition to the entry list. He missed out on punching Georgia's ticket through the qualification competitions but earned an allocation after the Neutral Athletes dropped out. Gobadze has the talent to beat anyone in the world. In the last few years, since leaping 82kg to 87kg, the Georgian has beaten many top-tier guys who will also be at the Games. His previous wins include Cengiz and Bisultanov. On the other hand, he recently lost to Huseynov and Cengiz.

Komarov won the European Championships this year with wins over Beleniuk, Abbasov and Cengiz. He will be the biggest threat to make a run for the gold medal.

GR 67kg: New weight, old habits for Orta

Luis Orta has been a man on a mission since his disappointing seventh-place finish at the 2022 World Championships. He's turned his fortunes around, positioning himself to become Cuba's third-ever two-time Olympic champ. Since that blunder in Belgrade, Orta has gone 29-2, winning gold medals at the World Championships, Pan-Am Championships, Pan-Am Games, Central American and Caribbean Games and Hungarian Ranking Series. More importantly, his last two losses came at the hands of HUSIYUETU (CHN), who missed out on making the Olympic Games.

Of the 16 wrestlers in the field, Orta has at least one win over half of the entries. He's already beaten Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), Andres MONTANO (ECU), Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ), Mate NEMES (SRB), Souleymen NASR (TUN), Nestor ALMANZA (CHI), Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) and Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI).

Orta has already bested Nemes and Jafarov, his most credentialed challengers. He defeated Jafarov twice last season and beat 2022 world champion Nemes in the quarterfinal of the 2023 World Championships.

Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) is the returning silver medalist at 67kg.(Photo: United World Wrestling / Dogukan Karadag)

He is yet to face two major threats: Olympic medalists Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) and Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY). After seeing what the Ukrainian has been able to do over the last few years, Orta will be more threatened by Nasibov than Elsayed.

Nasibov, the Tokyo runner-up, has victories over Olympian Jafarov, Nemes, Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM), and Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA) this season alone. Meanwhile, Elsayed has struggled since his impressive Tokyo bronze-medal run, going 7-4 in non-African competitions.

Iran's Esmaeili is replacing Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammedreza GERAEI (IRI) after winning the playoff. He almost beat Orta in Budapest and has a win over Sogabe. Iran will hope that the youngster can make a surprise run to gold as Geraei did in Tokyo.

WW 53kg: Fujinami vs the rest

When it comes to betting favorites in the 53kg Paris field, oddsmakers have singled out Akari Fujinami as the safest wrestler to put money on.

Fujinami, a 20-year-old phenom, has been unstoppable up to this point in her career. She's won 130 consecutive matches heading into Paris -- including two golds at the World Championships, golds at the Asian Championships and Asian Games, and international and domestic competitions.

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), blue, pinned Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) at the 2023 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

To fully understand Fujinami's dominance, just look at her 2023 season. In her 21 matches last season at the World Championships, Asian Championships, Asian Games, Zagreb Open Ranking Series and Dan Kolov, Fujinami outscored her opponents 206-7 and finished 21/21 matches by technical superiority or via fall. Furthermore, 10 of those technical superiority wins came against wrestlers with at least one world medal to their name.

The only wrestler to score a point on Fujinami last season was Lucia YEPEZ (ECU). Fujinami gave up an early 5-0 lead but scored 14 consecutive points before securing a second-period fall.

Other threats to Fujinami include Qianyu PANG (CHN), Dominique PARRISH (USA), ANTIM (IND), and Jonna MALMGREN (SWE). Pang, Malmgren, and Antim have already faced Fujinami, while a matchup between Parrish and Fujinami would be a first.

Qianyu PANG (CHN) is the returning silver medalist at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Pang, an Olympic finalist in Tokyo, last faced Fujinami at the Asian Games, where the Japanese star won 10-0. Antim lost to Fujinami at the Asian Championships (10-0) and was pinned at the Asian Games. Malmgren and Fujinami met at the 2018 U17 World Championships, where Fujinami won 14-4.

Parrish was the 53kg world champion the year Fujinami withdrew from the World Championships. Fans and critics have long debated Parrish's world title without Fujinami's presence, leaving the American eager to face the young Japanese star.

The third day of wrestling at Paris 2024 starts on August 7. Follow @unitedworldwrestling on all social channels to stay updated on what's happening in Paris.

Weekly FIVE! November 26, 2018

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Paris 2024 Wrestling Day 3 Preview: GR 67kg and 87kg; WW 53kg