#WrestleUlaanbaatar Greco-Roman bracket reactions

Monday, April 18, 2022 - 17:48 By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (April 18) -- The Asian Championships kick off with Greco-Roman on Tuesday in Ulaanbaatar.

Mongolia, the host country, is searching for their first Asian Championships medalist in Greco-Roman while many other will try to defend their gold medals from the 2021 edition.

The draws for all 10 weight categories were completed Monday in Ulaanbaatar.

55kg

Two big match-ups at 55kg will get the ball rolling. Defending champion Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) faces second seed Hyeokjin JEON (KOR) in quarterfinals while Ali NOURBAKHSH (IRI) will have Arjun HALAKURKI (IND) in the opening round on the top side.

The winner of that bout will get top seed Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals. If Bekbolatov wants to reach the final, he is most likely face Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL) in a though semifinal.

Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB) and Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) will face each other in the quarterfinal and the winner is most likely to face Shiotani in the semifinal.

60kg

World silver medalist Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) is the top seed and will be the favorite to reach the final from the top side of the bracket. For that, he needs to beat Baljinnyam TSEVEENRAVDAN (MGL) in the first bout before waiting for the semifinal opponent which could be fourth seed Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ).

The lower side of the bracket is packed with second seed Gyanender DAHIYA (IND) wrestling '21 silver Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) in quarterfinal. Bronze medalist from 2021 and fourth seed Ayata SUZUKI (JPN) will take on Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) in a bid to reach the semifinal against one of Dahiya or Mohsen Nejad.

63kg

A bronze medalist from Oslo World Championships and top seed Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) will be looking for his first Asian title but standing in his way is Iman KHOONMOHAMMADI (IRI) who is likely to his first opponent in the quarterfinals.

If he goes past Khoonmohammadi, a semifinal against Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ) will be another tough test for him before the gold medal bout.

The second finalist will be one of NEERAJ (IND), Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), Jinseub SONG (KOR) and Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB).

If the Uzbek wrestler can repeat his gold-winning performance from Istanbul, he will be unstoppable. But a likely semifinal against Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) may give a reality check.

67kg

He won the gold at 72kg in 2021 but Hansu RYU (KOR) is back to his Olympic weight of 67kg in a bid to win another Asian gold. But the top seed will have some work to do if he wants to go past Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (IRI) in quarterfinals and one of Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) or Eldiiar SATAROV (KGZ) to reach the final.

Second seed Mahmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB) will face Nyamdorj BATTULGA (MGL) in the quarterfinal while third sed Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) will face Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND). A semifinal between Bakhshilloev and Shermakhanbet is a possibility before a showdown with Ryu for the gold.

72kg

A fifth place at World Championships will fire up top seed Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) to win his first Asian title but Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ) in the quarterfinals is a start many would avoid. If he manages to win, a likely semifinal against Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB) or fourth seed VIKAS (IND) will be another big test.

Jiyeon LEE (KOR) would like to keep the 72kg gold with Korea but he has local hope Khanburged GANKHUYAG (MGL) in the quarterfinal before a semifinal against one of third seed Abylaikhan AMZEYEV (KGZ) or Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN). None of the two will be an easy opponent for Lee.

77kg

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) is making only his second appreance at the Asian Championships and would like to maintain a clean record. After winning gold in 2018, he will wrestle in Ulaanbaatar as the Olympic silver medalist.

Facing Aref HABIBOLLAHI (IRI) in the quarterfinal, Makhmudov's real test can be the semifinal. He will face one of London Olympic champion Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR) or fourth seed Aram VARDANYAN (UZB). Makhmudov has wins over both of them in the past.

The lower side of the bracket will see second seed and former U23 silver medalist Kodai SAKURABA (JPN) face Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) and third seed and multiple time age-group World medalist Sajan BHANWALA (IND) facing Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ). If the seeds hold true, a semifinal between Sakuraba and Bhanwala will be nail-biting.

82kg

The biggest bracket in Greco-Roman will see 10 wrestlers compete for the gold. Dias KALEN (KAZ) is seeded number one while Harpreet SINGH (IND) is at number two.

But the favorite is the silver medalist from 2021 Kalidin ASYKEEV (KGZ) as he got pinned in the final last year. He will face Yuya OKAJIMA (JPN) in the quarterfinal before a possible clash with Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) or Kalen.

Singh has to await the winner of Sultan EID (JOR) and Sejin YANG (KOR) to find his quarterfinal opponent. But he manages to reach the semifinal, he is likely to face Rasoul GARMSIRI (IRI) for a place in the final.

87kg

The toughest weight class will see defending champion Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) face Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) in the quarterfinals before a likely semifinal against top seed and Olympian Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ). The semifinal could prove to be Alizadeh's toughest bout.

The lower side will see another '21 gold medalist Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) eyeing for the top medal. The 82kg champion from Almaty faces Batbayar LUTBAYAR (MGL) in the quarterfinal. He will face one of Sunil KUMAR (IND) or Masato SUMI (JPN) in the semifianl. Kumar is a former Asian champion and seeded number two for this tournament.

97kg

Top seed and Olympian Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) is likely to meet defending champion Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) in the final as both are on the opposite sides of the bracket.

Assakalov won the Ranking Series event at 97kg and faces Takahiro TSURUDA (JPN) in the quarterfinal before a likely semifinal against fourth seed Sanzhar SERIKKAN (KAZ).

The lower side will have Balihamzehdeh facing Jewoo PARK (KOR) in the quarterfinal before a semifinal against second seed U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ).

130kg

Third at the Ranking Series event and seventh at the Olympics Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) is seeded number for the tournament and will face either PREM (IND) or Amir GHASEMIMONJAZI (IRI) in the quarterfinal.

If he wins, a semifinal against '21 bronze medalist Minseok KIM (KOR) will be another big test for the Uzbek wrestler. The two were supposed to meet in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers but Kim injury defaulted.

Silver medalist from '21, Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) will be the favorite to reach the final from the lower side of the bracket. He faces Roman KIM (KOR) in the quarterfinals before facing one of Arata SONODA (JPN) or Mongolia's Khuderbulga DORJKHAND, a former champion and bronze medalist from '21 but in freestyle.

The move to Greco-Roman is likely as the host nation is searching for its first Asian medalist in Greco-Roman at the senior level.

#WrestleTirana

Sadulaev shuts down Taylor in World Championships showdown

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - 11:59 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 30) -- Two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) would have expected his return to the World Championships to make all the noise in Tirana. After all, it had been two years since he last competed at the World Championships.

Enter Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) and David TAYLOR (USA). The former, who last won the world title in 2021, was not able to compete at the Paris Olympics and was injured during the semifinal of the 2023 World Championships.

Taylor, world champion in 2023, missed the Paris Olympics after losing the trials in the United States, announced his retirement and took a coaching job. He came out of retirement and decided to compete at the World Championships and retire.

Both are not 92kg wrestlers. Sadulaev has been a true 97kg for eight years now. Taylor is competing at this weight for the first time after dominating 86kg for years. But the two were pitted against each other in the opening round of the World Championships in Tirana at 92kg.

The small Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana did not have space to sit. So where one could, they stood to watch the two wrestle. Saudulaev in a singlet not meant for his 92kg body. Taylor, in his customary elbow on the thigh and waiting for his opponent.

No one knew what was going to happen. Sadulaev was reducing weight, and Taylor was gaining. How would the two match up? It was this lack that prompted the fans to cheer for both. But after the first period, the picture became much clearer. Sadulaev shut down Taylor's offense and came out of the pressure bout 7-0.

After the initial collar ties, Taylor went for the offense. He got on Sadulaev's leg and tried the lift but Sadulaev was swift to get out of the hold. Taylor continued his attack. That's the only way he knows wrestling. Taylor took another offensive shot and Sadulaev, with lessons from the previous attack, pressured forward to neutralize the attack and scored a go-behind for two. Sadulaev resorted to heavy snapdowns and Taylor wasn't able to defend the second one. Within two minutes, Sadulaev was up 4-0.

The speed and power was Sadulaev was impressively superior to that of Taylor who decided to change a little in the second period. He went for the far leg of Sadulaev. But Sadulaev was quick and spun behind Taylor and scored a takedown with less than two minutes left.

By this time, Ghasempour had finished his bout on the other mat. He defeated Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 6-0 in a rather slow bout.

Sadulaev now had to defend his 5-0 lead. Taylor continued his aggressive approach and got on Sadulaev's right leg. What he did not expect was the quick counter from Sadulaev who pushed Taylor and scored an exposure for two. It was evident that Taylor could not match Sadulaev.

David TAYLOR (USA) in the warm-up hall after his bout against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) at 92kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I did not score on the two times I shot and he did," Taylor said after the bout. "That was the difference. I needed to score on those two occasions."

Taylor and Sadulaev went to the warm-up hall but the former sat for more than 45 minutes in silence. He finally broke his silence and talked to the United States coaches after his leg attacks. After spending 30 more minutes gathering his thoughts, Taylor packed his bags and left.

On the training mats, Ghasempour and Sadulaev jogged before cooling down after their bouts. If both continue to win, they are expected to meet in the semifinals.

The match will be rather important for Taylor as well. He will hope for a Sadulaev win which will give him the chance to wrestle for the bronze medal.

"I expect him to make the finals and come back tomorrow," Taylor said. "I need to wrestle better that is my focus for now."

If he does wrestle Thursday, fans will only be treated to another blockbuster. A Ghasemoour-Taylor bout. The only downside will be that one will go home empty-handed.

#WrestleUlaanbaatar Greco-Roman bracket reactions

Comments

Sadulaev shuts down Taylor in World Championships showdown