#WrestleIstanbul

#WrestleIstanbul Yasar Dogu Entry List

By United World Wrestling Press

ISTANBUL, Turkey (February 8) -- An insane list of world and Olympic champions have entered their names into the prestigious Yasar Dogu Ranking Series event in Istanbul, Turkey (February 24-27).

The Yasar Dogu will be the first of four Ranking Series events of the year where wrestlers will look to accumulate seeding points for September's World Championships.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), Victor CIOBANU (MDA), Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) and Turkey wrestling's pillars Riza KAYAALP (TUR) and Taha AKGUL (TUR) are some of the biggest names that will be on the mat from February 24 to 27.

Turkey will have the biggest contingent of all as they entered the maximum of three wrestlers in each of the 30 weight classes. Kayaalp will be in action for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics while Akgul has been on a break since winning the bronze at the Oslo Worlds. Tokyo Olympian Suleyman ATLI (TUR) will be at 61kg in freestyle. Veteran Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) will try his luck in 74kg.

Iran is bringing a young squad with Amirmohammad Babak YAZDANICHERATI (IRI) leading the charge of the team which also features rising stars Alireza SARLAK (IRI) and Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI). 

Kazakhstan is also flying with a big squad with at least two entries in each of the 30 weight classes. All eyes will be on former U23 world silver medalist and Asian champion Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) who finally makes a move to Olympic weight class 65kg from his preferred 61kg.

The Russian Wrestling Federation will treat the Yasar Dogu as a trial for the senior European Championships. They've entered 65kg Ivan Yarguin champion Shamil MAMEDOV (RWF) and world champion Zagir SHAKHIEV (RWF) for the event.

Russia is also expected to use the Dan Kolov, which takes place a week before the Yasar Dogu, as a European Championships selection competition. Depending on how things play out in Bulgaria, there's a chance we don't see Sidakov, Valiev, Mamedov and Shakhiev in Istanbul.

Olympic champ Burroughs will return to wrestling for the first time since his record sixth world title win. He is expected to take home ranking points at 79kg. Chandler MARSTELLER (USA) and David MC FADDEN (USA) are also entered at 79kg for the United States.

Joseph MCKENNA (USA) and Evan HENDERSON (USA) make up the Stars and Stripes lineup at 65kg while Jordan OLIVER (USA), James GREEN (USA) and Anthony ASHNAULT (USA) will be at 70kg. Mark HALL (USA) will also be wrestling at 86kg.

In women's wrestling, Tokyo Olympian Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) is at 55kg while Ivan Yarguin champion Emma BRUNTIL (USA) and silver medalist Forrest MOLINARI (USA) will be wrestling at 65kg.

Ukraine has entered most of their U23 European and World team title-winning squads with Alina AKOBIYA (UKR) leading the charge as women's wrestling promises to be an amazing show in Istanbul.

A strong Greco-Roman performance is expected from Azerbaijan as U23 world champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) at 67kg, '21 world silver Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) at 77kg and world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) will be the biggest hopes of the nation.

India's two Olympic medalists from Tokyo Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and Ravi KUMAR (IND) will be making a return to the competition since August as they will wrestle in 65kg and 61kg respectively. Four-time Ranking Series gold-medalist Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) and '19 World silver Deepak PUNIA (IND) are also performing.

Kyrgyzstan's superstar trio of women's wrestling Tynybekova, world champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) are back after all three won a medal at the Oslo World Championships. Current U23 world champion at 70kg Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) will also be wrestling alongside former U23 world champion Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) who is entered at 61kg.

Bulgaria's world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) is making the move up to the Olympic weight class of 62kg as she prepares for Paris 2024. But it will be a clash with former world champion and Tokyo Olympian Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) who also wrestles in the same weight class. Tokyo bronze medalist at 57kg Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) is also entered.

Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) is returning after winning the Tokyo Olympic silver as she begins another Olympic cycle with the aim to upgrade her Tokyo medal in Paris.

Moldova is bringing Greco-Roman world champion Ciobanu, along with women's wrestling pioneer Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) who suffered a heartbreaking fall at the Tokyo Olympics to return empty-handed. Oslo world silver medalist at 53kg Iulia LEORDA (MDA) will be looking to add more ranking points to her name.

Tokyo Olympians Epp MAEE (EST) and Arvi SAVOLAINEN (EST) will be leading their country's challenge in Turkey.

For United World Wrestling's latest world championship, continental championship and Ranking Series updates, please subscribe to our newsletter here.

*The entries were updated on February 15.

Jordan BURROUGHSJordan BURROUGHS (USA) is entered at 79kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Freestyle

57kg
Guesseppe REA VILLARROEL (ECU)
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Aman AMAN (IND)
Seyed AZIMISIYACHEGHAEI (IRI)
Daulet TEMIRZHANOV (KAZ)
Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ)
Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ)
Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)
Munkh BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Darian CRUZ (PUR)
Martin ZIDZIK (SVK)
Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK)
Mehmet Mevlut YUCE (TUR)
Ahmet KARAVUS (TUR)
Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)
Roman HUTSULIAK (UKR)

61kg
Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS)
Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)
Adam BIBOULATOV (FRA)
Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO)
Mangal KADYAN (IND)
Ravi KUMAR (IND)
Saeid ANVARIZIJOUD (IRI) 
Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI)
Shamil OMAROV (ITA)
Zhassulan TASKUL (KAZ)
Akbar KURBANOV (KAZ)
Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ)
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
Ramiz GAMZATOV (RWF)
Recep TOPAL (TUR)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Ahmet TAS (TUR)
Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)
Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR)
Nicholas MEGALUDIS (USA)
Daniel DESHAZER (USA)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

65kg
Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE)
Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
Quentin STICKER (FRA)
Beka LOMTADZE (GEO)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
ROHIT (IND)
Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
Rahman Daryoosh RAHIMPOOR (IRI)
Morteza Hassanali GHIASI CHEKA (IRI)
Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
Adil OSPANOV (KAZ)
Bekzat YERMEKBAY (KAZ)
Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ)
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)
Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
Shamil MAMEDOV (RUS)
Zagir SHAKHIEV (RUS)
Ertugrul KAHVECI (TUR)
Mensur BAYOGLU (TUR)
Munir AKTAS (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)
Joseph MC KENNA (USA)
Evan HENDERSON (USA)
Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB)
Nodir RAKHIMOV (UZB)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

70kg
Gitinomagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE)
Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)
Levan KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO)
Vishal KALIRAMANA (IND)
Aliakbar FAZLIKHALILI (IRI)
Amirmohammad YAZDANICHERATI (IRI)
Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ)
Amandyk BAKEYEV (KAZ)
Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Khanburged GANKHUYAG (MGL)
Mohammed J M Th A ABDULKAREEM (KUW)
Viktor RASSADIN (RWF)
Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK)
Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK)
Cuneyt BUDAK (TUR)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Servet COSKUN (TUR)
Ivan KUSYAK (UKR)
Jordan OLIVER (USA)
James GREEN (USA)
Anthony ASHNAULT (USA)

74kg
Soslan TIGIYEV (AZE)
Pritam PRITAM (IND)
Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI)
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ)
Shynggys MUKHAMETKALIYEV (KAZ)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Islambek OROZBEKOV (KGZ)
Abdullah J M Th A ABDALKAREEM (KUW)
Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL)
Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Zurab KAPRAEV BELBEROVA (ROU)
Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU)
Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU)
Samet AK (TUR)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Tarik GUR (TUR)
Zielimkhan TOHUZOV (UKR)
Semen RADULOV (UKR)
Zielimkhan TOHUZOV (UKR)
Joey LAVALLEE (USA)
Asomiddin HASANOV (UZB)

79kg
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Gadzhimurad OMAROV (AZE)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Giorgi SULAVA (GEO)
Gourav BALIYAN (IND)
Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI)
Meiir KOSHKINBAYEV (KAZ)
Daulet YERGESH (KAZ)
Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ)
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ)
Alans AMIROVS (LAT)
Gadzhimurad ALIKHMAEV (RWF)
Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
Jakub SYKORA (SVK)
Nuri TEMUR (TUR)
Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR)
Abdullah ARSLAN (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Kasum KASUMOV (UKR)
Dmytrii TKACHENKO (UKR)
Chandler MARSTELLER (USA)
Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)
David MC FADDEN (USA)

86kg
Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE)
Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA)
Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO)
Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Sandeep Singh MANN (IND)
Mojtaba ASGHARI OSMAVANDANI (IRI)
Ali MANSOURI (IRI)
Abylaikhan NURSULTANOV (KAZ)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Maksat SATYBALDY (KAZ)
Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ)
Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Temuujin MENDBILEG (MGL)
Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Ahmet KIS (TUR)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Khasan ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
Mark HALL (USA)
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)

92kg
Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Deepak PUNIA (IND)
Viky VIKY (IND)
Ahmad BAZRIGHALEH (IRI)
Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ)
Elkhan ASSADOV (KAZ)
Omar ZHUMASH (KAZ)
Mirlan CHYNYBEKOV (KGZ)
Guram CHERTKOEV (RWF)
Samed OZASLAN (TUR)
Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)
Ahmet BILICI (TUR)
Andrii VLASOV (UKR)
Denys PAVLOV (UKR)

97kg
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Satywart KADIAN (IND)
Mohammad MOHAMMADIAN (IRI)
Bakdaulet ALMENTAY (KAZ)
Akezhan AITBEKOV (KAZ)
Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ)
Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL)
Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA)
Alievitch MUSAEV (RWF)
Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RWF)
Oktay CIFTCI (TUR)
Mustafa SESSIZ (TUR)
Bilal SAHIN (TUR)
Mahamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)
Kollin MOORE (USA)
Mukhammadrasul RAKHIMOV (UZB)

125kg
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Jere Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Shivraj RAKSHE (IND)
Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
Muzafar ZHAPPUEV (KGZ)
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)
Vitalii GOLOEV (RWF)
Atsamaz TEBLOEV (RWF)
Magomedgadzhi NURASULOV (SRB)
Gabriel TYSZ (SVK)
Salim ERCAN (TUR)
Muhammed BANDIRMA (TUR)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)
Volodymyr BURUKOV (UKR)
Oleksandr KOLDOVSKYI (UKR)
Hayden ZILLMER (USA)
Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)
Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB)
Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)

Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) headlines the Yasar Dogu Greco-Roman entries. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Ibrahim NURULLAYEV (AZE)
Sandeep SANDEEP (IND)
Nurzat KABDYRAKHIMOV (KAZ)
Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ)
Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ)
Dogus AYAZCI (TUR)
Ahmet TASKINOGLU (TUR)

Himmet SANDIKLILI (TUR)

60kg
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
Gyanender GYANENDER (IND)
Dastan ZARLYKHANOV (KAZ)
Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ)
Mert ILBARS (TUR)
Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
Ayhan KARAKUS (TUR)
Firuz TUKHTAEV (UZB)

63kg
Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
Sagar SAGAR (IND)
Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)
Galym KABDUNASSAROV (KAZ)
Bagylan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ)
Dastan KADYROV (KGZ)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Rahman BILICI (TUR)
Ahmet UYAR (TUR)
Abdurrahman ALTAN (TUR)
Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB)

67kg
Namaz RUSTAMOV (AZE)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ)
Daniyar KALENOV (KAZ)
Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)
Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Volkan CAKIL (TUR)
Furkan YILDIZ (TUR)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)

72kg
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Mikko PELTOKANGAS (FIN)
Vikas VIKAS (IND)
Alikhan KOKENOV (KAZ)
Azat SADYKOV (KAZ)
Abylaikhan AMZEYEV (KAZ)
Suimon IKRAMOV (KGZ)
Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Murat DAG (TUR)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR)
Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB)

77kg
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA)
Matias LIPASTI (FIN)
Sajan SAJAN (IND)
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ)
Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR)
Yunus BASAR (TUR)
Furkan BAYRAK (TUR)
Aram VARDANYAN (UZB)

82kg
Tunjay VAZIRZADE (AZE)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Harpeet SINGH (IND)
Ilimdor SATAYEV (KAZ)
Rakhmet SAPIYEV (KAZ)
Dias KALEN (KAZ)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Emrah KUS (TUR)
Hasan KILINC (TUR)

87kg
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
Umalt DAUDOV (KAZ)
Zhantas NURGALI (KAZ)
Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL)
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Mehmetali KUCUKOSMAN (TUR)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)
Nurbek KHASHIMBEKOV (UZB)

97kg
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE)
Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE)
Igor ALVES DE QUEIROZ (BRA)
Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Hardeep HARDEEP (IND)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Sanzhar SERIKKAN (KAZ)
Islam UMAYEV (KAZ)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Abdul CEBI (TUR)
Ibrahim TIGCI (TUR)
Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR)
Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB)
Abrorbek NURMUKHAMMEDOV (UZB)

130kg
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Nikolaos NTOUNIAS (GRE)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA)
Anton SAVENKO (KAZ)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Atalay AYDEMIR (TUR)
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

World champion and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) will compete at 68kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Turkan NASIROVA (AZE)
Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR)
Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA)
Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Shivani PAWAR (IND)
Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ)
Aigul NURALIM (KAZ)
Gabija DILYTE (LTU)
Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL)
Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL)
Agata Marta WALERZAK (POL)
Weronika SIKORA (POL)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Alina VUC (ROU)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS)
Polina LUKINA (RUS)
Anzhelika FEDOROVA (RUS)
Sarra HAMDI (TUN)
Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)
Emine CATALOGLU (TUR)
Aynur ERGE (TUR)
Tetiana PROFATILOVA (UKR)
Erin GOLSTON (USA)
Amy FEARNSIDE (USA)
Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)

53kg
Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE)
Katsiaryna PICHKOUSKAYA (BLR)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Pooja GEHLOT (IND)
Assylzat SAGYMBAY (KAZ)
Ellada MAKHYADDINOVA (KAZ)
Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL)
Milana MAKHACHEVA DADASHEVA (RWF)
Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RWF)
Leila KARYMOVA (RWF)
Emma MALMGREN (SWE)
Sila AYKUL (TUR)
Semanur KANLI (TUR)
Esra PUL (TUR)
Liliya HORISHNA (UKR)
Dominique PARRISH (USA)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)

55kg
Anju ANJU (IND)
Vinesh VINESH (IND)
Aisha KAPPAR (KAZ)
Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ)
Ainur ASHIMOVA (KAZ)
Laura STANELYTE (LTU)
Roksana ZASINA (POL)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Aleksandra SKIRENKO (RWF)
Ekaterina ISAKOVA (RWF)
Tatiana NOVIK (RWF)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Mehlika OZTURK (TUR)
Sinem KOROGLU (TUR)
Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR)
Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)

57kg
Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)
Hanna VAHER (BLR)
Giullia RODRIGUES PENALBER DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Jenna HEMIAE (FIN)
Elena BRUGGER (GER)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Mansi MANSI (IND)
Emma TISSINA (KAZ)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ)
Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ)
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RWF)
Irina OLOGONOVA (RWF)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RWF)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Derya BAYHAN (TUR)
Ozge FINDIKCI (TUR)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)

59kg59kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Sarita SARITA (IND)
Madina AMAN (KAZ)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Zhargalma TSYREMPILOVA TCYRENOVA (RWF)
Zelfira SADRADDINOVA (RWF)
Anastasiia IAKOVLEVA (RWF)
Elmas CELIK (TUR)
Elif YANIK (TUR)
Nurife DUMAN (TUR)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
Yuliia LISOVSKA (UKR)
Michaela BECK (USA)
Sophia MIRABELLA (USA)

62kg
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR)
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Taybe YUSEIN (BUL)
Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)
Sangeeta SANGEETA (IND)
Sakshi MALIK (IND)
Tynys DUBEK (KAZ)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL)
Natalia KUBATY (POL)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Svetlana LIPATOVA (RWF)
Anastasiia PAROKHINA (RWF)
Khadizhat MURTUZALIEVA (RWF)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)
Gamze ADAKAN (TUR)
Hatice TEKIN (TUR)
Ebru YILMAZ (TUR)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
Macey KILTY (USA)
Rushana ABDIRASULOVA (UZB)
Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB)

65kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Nisha NISHA (IND)
Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Dariga ABEN (KAZ)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU) 
Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RWF)
Uliana TUKURENOVA (RWF)
Dinara KUDAEVA SALIKHOVA (RWF)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)
Asli TUGCU (TUR)
Gulsum BINGOL (TUR)
Derya KARADUMAN (TUR)
Antonyna KULAHINA (UKR)
Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)
Forrest MOLINARI (USA)
Mallory VELTE (USA)
Emma BRUNTIL (USA)
Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB)

68kg
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Ritu RITU (IND)
Albina KAIRGELDINOVA (KAZ)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Natalia STRZALKA (POL)
Zuzanna WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Khanum VELIEVA (RWF)
Marina SUROVTSEVA (RWF)
Tatiana SMOLIAK (RWF)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Havva DURAN (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
Nicole PIEARCY (USA)
Azoda ESBERGENOVA (UZB)

72kg
Anna SCHELL (GER)
Pinki PINKI (IND)
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#JapanWrestling

Ono entered at 57kg, Susaki at 50kg for All-Japan Championships

By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 4) -- After winning both the U20 and senior world titles at freestyle 61kg within a two-month span in the autumn of 2024, Masanosuke ONO all but disappeared from the Japanese wrestling scene.

That culminated with his announcement in March this year that, having left Yamanashi Gakuin University, he had committed to wrestle at U.S. collegiate powerhouse Penn State. He has not been seen on the mats of Japan since.

Ono will compete once again in his home country, dropping down from 61kg to 57kg for the upcoming Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym, according to the entry list announced Thursday by the Japan Wrestling Federation.

The tournament, to be held December 18-21, will also serve as the domestic qualifier for next year's Asian Championships, and the first of two qualifiers for the Asian Games and World Championships in 2026.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN)Yui SUSAKI (JPN) will compete at 50kg at the Emperor's Cup. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Among other notable recent absentees appearing on the entry list is Yui SUSAKI, the 2021 Tokyo Olympic champion at 50kg who had to settle for a bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She will compete at 50kg, putting to bed speculation that she might move up to the 53kg division.

"This will be a tournament to start me anew on the road to the Los Angeles Olympics," Susaki said in an online press conference with the Japanese media, as reported by Wrestling-Spirits.jp.

"In order to reclaim the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics, as a challenger starting from scratch, I want to win in a Yui Susaki-esque way of wrestling."

The 21-year-old Ono had been a question mark with the tournament falling in the middle of the Penn State season. But the decision to redshirt Ono -- the system of allowing him to train with the team while withholding him from competition to maintain an extra year of eligibility -- opened the door for him to make the trip back to Japan.

Assuming he does not have trouble making weight, he should be the class of the 57kg field, with his toughest competition most likely coming from two-time Asian bronze medalist Rikuto ARAI.

One opponent he won't have to contend with is Paris Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI, who decided to continue delaying his return to action. Also missing is defending champion Rin SAKAMOTO, who was injured at the World Championships. With Sakamoto also across the Pacific at Oklahoma State University, it prevents a rare clash of U.S.-based wrestlers.

Susaki only returned to action in September, and both of her forays were at 53kg. That, and the well-publicized move up to 57kg by Akari FUJINAMI, the 53kg champion in Paris, fueled conjecture that Susaki might also move up.

Susaki started at the National Sports Festival, where she competed at 53kg if for no other reason that it was one of only two women's weight classes in the competition. She lost a defensive-oriented 2-1 decision to 2024 world 55kg champion Moe KIYOOKA in the quarterfinals, marking her first loss to a Japanese opponent in six years.

"Losing at the National Sports Festival gave me the chance to look inside myself," Susaki said. "The result was really disappointing, but I'm glad I took part and was grateful for the opportunity."

Now 26, the four-time world champion is firmly determined to regain the Olympic gold that eluded her in Paris with a heart-breaking last-second loss to Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) in the opening round.

"I truly was shown just how difficult and challenging it was to win at the Paris Olympics. It also gave me a chance to reflect on the preparation process leading up to the competition and what was needed mentally for the Olympics. I will work hard to use that experience to make sure I win the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics."

Susaki's top challengers at the Emperor's Cup appear to be world U23 bronze medalist Umi ITO and Haruna MORIKAWA, the world U23 champion at 53kg.

Meanwhile the presence of Fujinami, who added the world U23 title in October to her burgeoning resume, has been immediately felt at 57kg. Despite being an Olympic weight class, the division drew just nine others who will look to end the 21-year-old superstar's 147-match winning streak.

Her most potentially dangerous opponent could be Asian champion Sara NATAMI. At the National Sports Festival, she was losing 8-1 at 62kg to world 59kg champion Sakura ONISHI when she countered a takedown attempt by slamming her to her back for a fall.

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)Paris Olympic and 2025 world champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari) 

Golden trio at women's 62kg; returns of Paris champs Fumita, Kagami

As with any Japan competition that has world or Olympic berths at stake, a number of weight classes could see clashes between multiple wrestlers with global successes as they jockey for position in the run-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

And in one case, there are three at once, while two other weight classes could have direct clashes of champions from this year's worlds in Zagreb, Croatia.

At women's 62kg, Paris and 2025 world gold medalist Sakura MOTOKI will renew her rivalry with two-time former world champion Nonoka OZAKI, while Onishi moves up from 59kg to join the mix and can't be overlooked.

At women’s 68kg, reigning world champion Ami ISHII could lock horns with Miwa MORIKAWA, the gold medalist at 65kg, while at freestyle 74kg, we could see a battle between Zagreb winner Kota TAKAHASHI and 70kg titlist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI.

Like Susaki, all of Japan's large group of Paris medalists took some time off to bask in the spotlight before gradually returning to the mat over the past two years.

Two of the remaining gold medalist holdouts -- Kenichiro FUMITA and Yuka KAGAMI -- will both take the mat for the first time since their Paris victories at the Emperor's Cup.

Fumita, who won an elusive gold medal in Paris at Greco 60kg after taking the silver at Tokyo 2021, is entered at 63kg, where he will aim for a fifth national title and first since 2022. Kagami is entered at her gold medal-winning weight of women's 76kg. Their own rustiness may be more of a factor then the opponents.

While away from competition, Fumita spent the ensuing time experimenting with different methods as he looks to expand his reportoire.

"I have some anxiety, but I'm also looking forward to it," Fumita told Wrestling-Spirits.jp. "I achieved my goal in Paris, and on top of that, I've been taking a good look at wrestling. it. It was a year and four months full of new experiences. This will be a battlefield to reveal my new wrestling. I want to show wrestling that is free and unrestrained."

Fumita said he observed the nerves shown by fellow Paris gold medalists Nao KUSAKA (Greco 77kg) and Kotaro KIYOOKA (freestyle 65kg) when they returned to mat ahead of him at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships last spring.

"Before their matches, both of them looked pale," Fumita said. "I want to focus on fighting without putting too much pressure on myself. For better or worse, I want to fight thinking of myself as a different person than I was in Paris."

Other intriguing weight classes include freestyle 65kg, where Kiyooka may have to contend with Asian champion Kaisei TANABE, Asian 61kg champion Takara SUDA and two-time world U20 champion Yuto NISHIUCHI.

Two gold medalists from Tokyo who took time off for marriage and childbirth are back, with Mayu SHIDOCHI (nee MUKAIDA) challenging Moe Kiyooka at women's 55kg and Yukako INAMURA (nee KAWAI) entered at 59kg.

In Greco, rising star Taizo YOSHIDA, a bronze medalist at both the U20 and senior worlds this year at 82kg, has moved up to 87kg, where he will challenge two-time defending champion So SAKABE.