Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! November 26, 2018

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

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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

Stadnik retires: Europe's best who rewrote history

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 11:06 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (February 4) -- Four Olympic medals, six World Championships medals, 10 European titles, two European Games golds, many triumphs and heartbreaks later, Mariya STADNIK (AZE) has called it a day.

Stadnik, who debuted 22 years ago in 2003, announced her decision to retire from wrestling in an event organized by Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in Baku on Monday. In an emotional video, Stadnik can be seen removing her shoes on the mat in front of a crowd and then speaking about her career.

"I recorded my name in the history of Women's Wrestling. Thank you to everyone who created this story together with me," Stadnik wrote on Instagram. "Now it's time to close this page of my life and write a new history."

Back in 2003, Stadnik began with a gold medal at the U17 European Championships, won a U20 world title two years later, added senior one as well and had a storied Olympic career which was laden with heartbreaks.

"I always had the motivation and will to win," Stadnik said last year. "I have had this will since early childhood, and this is endless."

READ MORE: Stadnik, 34, remains unbeaten in Europe

Though her will has stretched her career over two decades, Stadnik's decision to retire came after a lot of thought.

"In wrestling, I used all my chances," Stadnik said. "Now I understand that the time has come when I can be useful for wrestling in another role."

The 36-year-old, who was born in Ukraine but competed for Azerbaijan, will be moving into a caretaker role with the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in Women's Wrestling and will be responsible for churning out new stars.

When Stadnik made her debut in 2003, Japan, China, United States and Canada were top nations. However, Stadnik changed that. She won her first World Championships medal in 2007 and qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in which she won a bronze medal as an 18-year-old.

Soon, she won her first world title in 2009 and emerged as the new force from Europe. She went on to win the European Championships as well. Stadnik brought competition to Women's Wrestling.

"For these countries, the competition with me was always serious," she said. "We always had tense and intriguing fights that were followed by the whole world. Mariya Stadnik from Azerbaijan was always a danger for them."

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Perhaps it was no surprise that she was in the final of 2011 World Championships and 2012 London Games. However, she came up short both times to Hitomi OBARI (JPN).

"I give a lot of respect to Obara because she was stronger than me at that moment and the London gold was hers," she said. "She was my strongest opponent whom I respect very much."

Barring those Japanese hurdles, Stadnik was unstoppable. She added more medals at the continental level and always stood on the podium at the World Championships.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)A dejected Mariya STADNIK (AZE) at the 48kg medal ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Then came the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Stadnik was at the peak of her wrestling her. A Olympic gold would take so much off her back. She was in the final of the 48kg in Rio and the gold medal was within touching distance as she was leading Eri TOSAKA (JPN) 2-1 in the final. But Tosaka crushed those dreams in the final five seconds, beating Stadnik 3-2.

Stadnik till today has no explanation as to what happened in those last five seconds of the final against Tosaka.

"I didn't watch my match from Rio for two years and still can't find an explanation why that competition ended like that," Stadnik said. "I knew and felt that the Rio gold should have been mine."

Stadnik geared up for one more time. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics would have been perfect ending for her. But by then, wrestling had changed with two-day weight ins, a newer generation of wrestlers had come up and Yui SUSAKI (JPN) was on a mission.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) lost her first meeting with Yui SUSAKI (JPN) 2-2 at the Klippan Lady Open in 2018. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Max Rose-Fynn)

The first time Stadnik and Susaki faced each other was in the Klippan Lady Open final in 2018. Stadnik was winning the final but Susaki scored a stepout in the final second to shock Stadnik.

People doubted Stadnik and her mental strength. The 2019 World Championships gave a huge boost of confidence for Stadnik who won her second of the two world titles in Astana, exactly ten years after winning her first.

The Tokyo Olympics were just 10 months away and Stadnik was ready for it. However, with COVID-19 pandemic, it got pushed to 2021 and Susaki went on to win the gold medal with a 41-0 record in four bouts including a 10-0 rout of Stadnik in the semifinals.

Stadnik still managed to win a bronze medal, her fourth of the Olympics, tying her with Kaori ICHO (JPN) and Saori YOSHIDA (JPN). Icho was four golds and Yoshida has three silver and one bronze.

"I know people talk about the gold medal but I am so happy with this bronze. It's satisfying," she said back in 2021.

But Stadnik wasn't satisfied with wrestling. After being away from the mat in 2022, she returned in 2023 and won her ninth European title, the most in Women's Wrestling, extending her unbeaten streak in European Championships to 34 bouts.

Then she made a run for the Paris Olympics and though that meant taking losses to opponents she used to toy with in the past, the mother of two secured her place for Paris in the final qualifiers in Istanbul. Her body was ageing, reducing weight was becoming gruesome and her opponents were becoming quicker.

She returned home without a medal but became the first female wrestler to compete at five Olympics. Soon after Paris, Stadnik reflected on what she has left for wrestling and decided that a role off the mat was more suited now. Letting go off something so big in her life was hard and emotional for her.

"When I watched the video in which I take my shoes off, I had tears," she said. "This is the end of an important part of my life. What I loved so much for many years is ending."