#WrestleOslo: Yazdani Finally Upends Taylor, Takes 86kg Gold on Monumental Day for Iran

Sunday, October 3, 2021 - 21:09 By Ken Marantz

OSLO, Norway (October 3) -- There would be no last-minute comeback this time. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), so unbeatable against everyone else, could finally walk off the mat a winner over rival David TAYLOR (USA) for the first time in four career clashes.

Yazdani controlled the match from start to finish to notch a solid 6-2 victory over Taylor in the highly anticipated 86kg final as four freestyle titles were decided on the second day of the World Championships in Oslo on Sunday.

Yazdani's victory, coming two months after a heartbreaking loss to Taylor in the final at the Tokyo Olympics, gave him a third world title to go with his 2016 Rio Olympic gold, and capped a remarkable day for Iran in the Jordal Amfi arena.

"I made the people of Iran happy," Yazdani said. "I need to appreciate Taylor, because he worked as a motivation and inspiration for me to work better and better and become the champion."

The vocal contingent of Iranian fans were also sent into a frenzy when rising star Amir ZARE (IRI) claimed the 125kg title, having earlier seen Iran gain finalists in all four weight classes that got underway Sunday, including Yazdani's cousin Amir YAZDANI (IRI).

"Iran always supports their wrestlers and fans here were great," Yazdani said. "And it was because of them and God I won."

The United States had mixed success in the two other finals, with Kyle DAKE (USA) prevailing at 74kg, but Daton FIX (USA) coming up short against Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) at 61kg.

In Tokyo, Yazdani had to settle for the Olympic silver when Taylor scored a takedown with 17 seconds left for a 4-3 win in the final. On Sunday, he never gave the American the chance to get close.

Yazdani continually kept the pressure on, using an underhook to force Taylor to the edge and score a pair of stepout points in the first period. In the second period, he added a takedown, before Taylor got on the scoreboard with a takedown with 1:03 left.

With the clock ticking down, Taylor tried a counter lift, but Yazdani held firm and dumped him to the mat for a takedown and the final points of an well-earned victory.

"He's a great competitor," said Taylor, whose lone world title came in 2018, where he beat Yazdani in the first round. "Not my day."

Asked what he could have done differently, Taylor quipped, "Scored my points. He's a good wrestler. We will go again."

Amir ZARE (IRI) defeated Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) 9-2 in the 125kg final in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Zare, a 2019 world U23 champion and junior silver medalist, also avenged a loss from Tokyo in beating three-time defending champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final, and he did it with an emphatic 9-2 win.

The 20-year-old Zare lost 6-3 to Petriashivili in the semifinals in Tokyo, where the Iranian went on to take the bronze medal. Petriashivili ended up with the silver after losing in the final to Gable STEVESON (USA), who opted not to make the trip to Oslo.

"After winning the bronze medal at the Olympics, I began working on my weakness right after I stepped down from the podium," Zare said.

On Sunday, Petriashvili struck first with a double-leg takedown, but that would be end of his scoring as Zare maintained a solid wall of defense that led to two takedowns off counters as well as three stepouts.

"The final was very hard against Geno," Zare said. "I had analyzed everything for this match and prepared accordingly. And thank God everything went as planned."

Dake, coming off a bronze-medal run at the Tokyo Olympics, picked up his third world title and first at 74kg with a 7-3 victory over Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK).

"The first two times I was a young buck coming up, this time I faced adversity in Tokyo," Dake said "Put that behind me and it feels nice to be back on top."

Kyle DAKE (USA) became a three-time world champion in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Dake, who won his two previous golds at 79kg in 2018-19, stayed focused after falling behind 2-1 in the second period on a second stepout. The American went ahead with a takedown from a single-leg to a body lock midway through the period, then put the matter to rest with a takedown to a roll.

"There is a lot that goes into this," Dake said. "You guys get to see the glory of it. It is hard. The guys that are here in the tournament and guys back home putting countless hours to get me here.

"I want to thank my coaches, trainers, everybody for getting me here. My wife for managing the kids. I have two little girls and we got another one on the way. Really happy to win and represent my country."

The Russian-born Salkazanov became the fourth world medalist in Slovakian history, although he will rue missing out on becoming its first gold medalist.

At 61kg, Magomedov capped his senior world debut with a workmanlike 4-1 victory over Fix in the final.

"As you can see, I am the world champion, which means my final match went successfully,"Magomedov said. "I've been working hard for that and I am really glad."

Magomedov, this year's European champion and 2018 world junior gold medalist, received two activity clock points, then put the match away with a takedown off a counter against the ever-attacking Fix.

"Honestly, my plan was either to pin the opponent or finish 10-0," Magomedov said. "I kind of tried to pin him, but I couldn't make it, so it is 4-1 and I am satisfied with the victory. It's the World Championships, you never have easy opponents here. I am really glad."

Magomedov, who won a second straight national title in March, was accorded the honor of being named to the Russian federation team without having to go through the trials. The only other wrestler to have such treatment was 97kg superstar Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF).

Magomedov, who said he plans to go up to the Olympic weight of 65kg, got the ultimate compliment from his coach after his victory.

"He said that I am a real man," Magomedov said. "If someone calls you a real man, it's really nice. After the victory, I could see in his emotions that he was really happy. It was our first final for today, so Russia already has one gold medal."

Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) after winning the 61kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In the bronze-medal matches, Azamat NURYKAU (BLR) was denied a place on the podium yet again when Fazil ERYILMAZ (TUR) gained a late activity clock point for a 2-1 victory at 74kg.

Nurykau, competing in his seventh World Championships, had previously made it to the bronze-medal match in 2014, 2015 and 2017 -- and lost every time. For Eryilmaz, who finished third at the Individual World Cup in 2020, it marks his first world medal on any level.

Timur BIZHOEV (RWF), a 2018 world U23 bronze medalist, rallied from a 1-6 deficit to defeat Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 8-6, for the other 74kg bronze medal. Kentchadze's younger brother, Nika, will wrestle for a 79kg bronze on Monday.

At 125kg, 2016 Rio Olympic champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) earned his sixth world medal -- he now has two of each color -- when he scored all of his points in the first period in beating two-time world bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA), 6-4.

In the other match, 2019 world U23 bronze medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) scored 4 points with a takedown-lace lock combination in the first period enroute to a 5-3 victory over Asian champion Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ).

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (RWF) picked up his second world bronze at 86kg, riding a first-period takedown and second-period activity point to a 3-0 victory over Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ).

The other 86kg bronze went to 2019 world U23 silver medalist and two-time world junior medalist Abubakr ABARAKOV (AZE), who went on a 8-point tear in the second period then held on to defeat Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 9-5.

At 61kg, Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) added a senior world bronze to the two he won on the junior level in 2017-18 when he manhandled Ravinder DAHIYA (IND) with a 10-0 technical fall in 2:16.

That Dahiya made it to the bronze-medal match was a small miracle in itself. In the repechage, he was getting hammered 0-8 by Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) when he determinedly put his opponent on his back and scored a fall at 2:36.

Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN), the 2018 world U23 champion at 57kg, put on a takedown clinic and gained a pair of unorthodox exposures in a 12-1 technical fall over Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) for the other 61kg bronze.

On Monday, superstar Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) takes the mat as the final two freestyle weight classes of 70kg and 97kg, as well as the women's 55kg and 62kg divisions.

Hassan YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) won the gold medal at 86kg after beating David TAYLOR (USA). (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

57kg
Semifinal: Thomas GILMAN (USA) df. Horst LEHR (GER) by TF, 15-5, 5:27
Semifinal: Alireza SARLAK (IRI) df. Suleyman ATLI (TUR), 7-4

61kg
GOLD - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) df. Daton FIX (USA), 4-1

BRONZE: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Ravinder DAHIYA (IND) by TF, 10-0, 2:15
BRONZE: Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN) df. Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) by TF, 12-1, 5:34

65kg
Semifinal: Amir YAZDANI (IRI) df. Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ), 5-4
Semifinal: Zagir SHAKHIEV (RWF) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 4-4

74kg
GOLD: Kyle DAKE (USA) df. Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 7-3

BRONZE: Fazil ERYILMAZ (TUR) df. Azamat NURYKAU (BLR), 2-1
BRONZE: Timur BIZHOEV (RWF) df. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 8-6

79kg
Semifinal: Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Ryuki YOSHIDA (JPN), 10-1
Semifinal: Mohammad NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) df. Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO), 6-5

86kg
GOLD: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. David TAYLOR (USA), 6-2

BRONZE: Abubakr ABARAKOV (AZE) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 9-5
BRONZE: Artur NAIFONOV (RWF) df. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), 3-0

92kg
Semifinal: Magomed KURBANOV (RWF) df. Osman NURMAGODMEDOV (AZE), 7-4
Semifinal: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. J'den COX (USA), 3-3

125kg
GOLD: Amir ZARE (IRI) df. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 9-2

BRONZE: Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ), 5-3
BRONZE: Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA), 6-4

#JapanWrestling

Ozaki grabs Paris ticket at 68kg with thrilling win over Ishii

Sunday, January 28, 2024 - 02:51 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (January 27) -- Ever since she started wrestling as a schoolgirl, the single-leg takedown has been Nonoka OZAKI's most reliable weapon. It didn't let her down when she needed it most -- with a ticket to the Paris Olympics on the line.

Ozaki launched a last-ditch single-leg in the final nine seconds and it paid off with a takedown, giving the two-time world champion a dramatic 5-4 victory over Ami ISHII in a playoff for Japan's spot in Paris at women's 68kg on Saturday at Tokyo's National Training Center.

"I'm really happy, but it still hasn't sunk in that I've taken a step closer to my dream," said a jubilant Ozaki, for whom the road to Paris has been a roller-coaster of emotions.

Ozaki was the 2022 world champion at 62kg, but missed out during the domestic qualifying process for Paris in that weight class. She then decided to take a shot at 68kg when that became her only remaining option.

Ozaki set up the playoff with Ishii by winning the 68kg title at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December. Ishii, the world silver medalist in 2022, had finished fifth at last year World Championships in Belgrade -- good enough to secure a Paris berth for Japan but not enough to fill it herself.

The victory gave Ozaki her fifth win in five career meetings between the two, who are only three months apart in age. The older Ishii turned 22 in December. Ozaki threw down the gauntlet in their most recent clash, defeating Ishii 6-2 in the first round of the Emperor's Cup.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) Ami ISHII scores a go-ahead takedown late in the second period. (Photo by Ikuo Higuchi / Japan Wrestling Federation)

On Saturday, Ishii looked like she might have finally found an answer. Trailing 3-0 in the second period, she received a passivity point, then broke through Ozaki's defenses to score a takedown at the edge in the final seconds that was upheld in an unsuccessful challenge (the Ozaki side wanted it called a stepout) to take a 4-3 lead.

"She got the points in the last 10 seconds and I thought for a moment all was lost," Ozaki said. "During the challenge, I thought, 'I don't want the match to end this way.' Those on my side had a look on their faces of 'you can still do it.'...There was nothing left but to go for it."

During the challenge, the mat chairman also had the clock reset from four seconds and change to 9.89. Ozaki wasted none of it, lunging for the single-leg and quickly finishing it off with a few seconds to spare.

"I didn't practice that, shooting right off the whistle, but I believed in myself," Ozaki said. "It was good they put the clock back to 10 seconds, if it was four seconds, it would have been a problem. I can't say I was calm, but there was nothing else to do. The fact that I didn't have time to think, 'What should I do?' was a good thing."

Ozaki also cut it close with her first-period takedown, which she scored with six seconds left off a counter that she said she practiced in preparation for the match. Ishii likes to work an underhook, and as soon as she made a move for a leg, Ozaki dropped down and clamped on her head, then used her speed to spin behind.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) Nonoka OZAKI defeats Ami ISHII in the women's Olympic 68kg playoff. (Photo by Ikuo Higuchi / Japan Wrestling Federation)

For Ishii, the agony of defeat was excruciating. In disbelief, she dropped to the mat and sobbed uncontrollably, which continued even after she was escorted by teammates off the mat. Her wails of anguish reverberated throughout the room, in contrast to Ozaki's celebrations with her contingent.

The playoff was held on one of the six mats in the spacious wrestling room on the basement floor of the National Training Center. Aside from a smattering of media and federation officials, each wrestler was accompanied by a small contingent of fans or teammates.

Ishii just could not seem to process what had happened. Speaking in a barely audible voice through tears to the media, she said, "It's like someone you know has died, but you don't feel like they're gone. I don't feel like Paris is gone, but I have to accept that it is."

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) Nonoka Ozaki finishes up a quick-fire takedown in the final seconds of the second period to clinch the victory. (Photo by Ikuo Higuchi / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Ozaki could commiserate with her vanquished opponent. She had been on the losing end in a battle for the 62kg place with Ishii's Ikuei University teammate Sakura MOTOKI, a 2022 bronze medalist at 59kg who moved up to the Olympic weight and made it hers. (Another Ikuei wrestler, world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI, will be going to Paris at 57kg.)

"This is a world of competition, and I came here to get the ticket [to Paris] also," Ozaki said. "I know how much she wanted to win, but the competition is harsh and one of us has to lose. I won in the last few seconds, but that could have gone either way. I could have just as easily lost. I am grateful to her for giving me such a high-level match."

Ishii had won the world silver at 68kg in 2022 and could have locked up her place in Paris with a repeat performance last year in Belgrade. The Japan federation had decreed that any wrestler who won a medal in an Olympic weight class would automatically fill the Paris berth themselves.

As it turned out, 68kg was the only women's weight class out of the six in which the Japanese entry did not medal.

Sadly for Ishii, an 8-8 loss in the bronze-medal match to Irina RINGACI (MDA) had dire consequences. Ishii would win the fifth-place playoff to secure the Paris berth for Japan, but it left the door open for others to poach.

Ozaki was also in Belgrade, having decided that she needed to move forward and put her failure at 62kg behind her. She won a spot on Japan's team at the non-Olympic weight of 65kg and picked up her second world gold. But her heart was hardly into it. Of more concern was seeing Motoki clinched her place in Paris by winning the 62kg silver.

"When I look back, it's enough to make me cry, it was so tough," Ozaki said. "Right now I'm happy, but up to last year's World Championships, there was no joy at all in my life. It's like the person I was up to then was lost, it was someone I didn't know like I had run into a wall. I wanted to fight hard but I couldn't make the effort.

"I thought that I don't even want to watch a Paris Olympics that I'm not in. When I won the 65kg playoff here, I had convinced myself that I had to keep moving forward. It wasn't an Olympic weight, but I thought if I could be No. 1 in the world again, it would be an opportunity to start over.

"That's how I felt going to the World Championships. But before my final, the 62kg [berth] was secured. I didn't take a victory lap and I was crying -- it makes me cry now to recall this -- because I was thinking, 'The Olympics is over for me.' I felt resentment. But as I told the media, I was the one responsible and had to accept it. 'I'm not going to retire, and I'll keep fighting,' I said. I had never thought that in the end, I would be going to the Olympics at 68kg."

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) Ikuei University teammates try to console a devastated Ami Ishii. (Photo by Ken Marantz / United World Wrestling)

Less than two years ago, Ozaki was on top of the world at 62kg, having won 2022 world golds on the senior, U23 and U20 levels over two months. Her eyes were firmly on Paris, and the Japanese press buzzed over her budding rivalry with Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ).

But her well-laid plans began to unravel just a few months later when Motoki decided to make a challenge for the Olympic spot at 62kg in a field that included Tokyo Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI.

After Motoki won their clash at the Emperor's Cup, they never got to meet in the second qualifier -- the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in June 2023 -- as Ozaki was handed a stunning 6-6 defeat in the quarterfinals by Yuzuku INAGAKI. Motoki won the title to clinch the ticket to Belgrade, and the rest is history.

In preparation for Paris, Ozaki plans to enter one tournament at 68kg, the Asian Championships in Bishkek in April. She is also carrying some injury concerns, having hurt her right knee at the Emperor's Cup and having problems with her left thumb for the past year which she says affects her grip.

But that is all secondary to having made it to the Olympics, even if it means facing opponents larger than she is accustomed to.

"A year ago, I would never have thought of taking the path of 68kg," Ozaki said. "I'm still only 66 kilograms, but I'll work to fill out to 68. Without being inferior in strength, I will use my speed to my advantage. I'll work on counters for underhooks and throws, and maybe even be able to hit some throws of my own. I'll continue to make progress and I'll be ready."

Ozaki, a product of the JOC Academy, took the academic route when it came to choosing a college and currently attends the prestigious Keio University. That means that outside of national team camps, she has to hit the road for training. Her preparation for the playoff took her to Kanagawa University, a club team in Kanagawa Prefecture and a high school in Yamanashi Prefecture. Several of the male wrestlers at the latter were on hand Saturday.

Whether she can win the gold will likely come down to how effective her old friend, the single-leg tackle, will be for her.

"That tackle has been a part of everything I've accomplished up to now," Ozaki said. "It's my weapon, one that I believe in completely. I've always relied on it and won with it. I owe a debt of gratitude to the technique."

Japan's Paris-bound women

50kg: Yui SUSAKI (world champion)
53kg: Akari FUJINAMI (world champion)
57kg: Tsugumi SAKURAI (world champion)
62kg: Sakura MOTOKI (world silver medalist)
68kg: Nonoka OZAKI (world champion 65kg)
76kg: Yuka KAGAMI (world champion)

#WrestleOslo: Yazdani Finally Upends Taylor, Takes 86kg Gold on Monumental Day for Iran

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Ozaki grabs Paris ticket at 68kg with thrilling win over Ishii