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Zagreb Open day one finals set

Wednesday, February 1, 2023 - 09:08 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 1) -- The season-opening Ranking Series event Zagreb Open is here. Six freestyle weight classes are in action at the Dom Sportva in the Croatian capital. Stars in action include Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), Haji ALIYEV (AZE), Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) among others. Remember this tournament has a two-kilogram weight allowance in all weight classes and the medal winners will also receive prize money.

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Here are the gold medal bouts for the evening session

57kg
Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) vs. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)

61kg
Reza ATRI (IRI) vs. Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL)

65kg
Joseph MC KENNA (USA) vs. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)

70kg
Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs. Alec PANTALEO (USA)

74kg
Yones EMAMI (IRI) vs. Jason NOLF (USA)

86kg
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) vs. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) 

14:20: The last semifinal of the morning session. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) taking on Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN). Tulga gets the stepout before Musukaev adds a takedown in the activity period. Tulga with another stepout just before the break. Musukaev leads 2-2 on criteria at the break. The second period starts with another stepout from Tulga. That could have been more dangerous for Musukaev but solid defense. Musukaev is put on the activity period. Tulga gets Musukaev in cross and scores two before getting the passivity point to lead 6-2. Musukaev tries hard to comeback but cannot break the defense of Tulga who wins 6-2 and will wrestle McKenna in the final.

14:10: Yones EMAMI (IRI) moves into the 74kg final with a 3-2 win over Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR). He will face Jason NOLF (USA) for the gold medal.

13:50: Joseph MC KENNA (USA) will take that 4-3 win over Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) to reach the 65kg final. McKenna had a 4-2 lead at the break and gave up only a point in the second period. Anraku looked slightly tired in the second period. 

13:35: On Mat A, Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) continues his dream run at 86kg and beats Zahid VALENCIA (USA) 12-1. A series of gut wrenches to finish off the bout. He will face Hassan YADANI (IRI) in the final

13:30: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is coming up on Mat B against Mark HALL (USA) at 86kg. He starts with a takedown for two. Another easy takedown for Yazdani as he extends his lead to 4-0. Hall looks much smaller than Yazdani at 86kg. The pressure from Yazdani is immense. He gut wrenches Hall for a 10-0 win.

13:25: Huge underhook to four for Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) as he beats Evan HENDERSON (USA) in the 65kg quarterfinals. He will face Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) next

13:05: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) and Jason NOLF (USA) left it all on the mat but it is Nolf who comes out on top with a 4-3 win. Gadzhiev is showing displeasure for Nolf's passivity but looks clean. Nolf will move into the 74kg semifinal.

12:55: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) moves into the semifinal with a technical superiority win over Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE). Yazdani looks like a man on a mission. He will face Mark HALL (USA) in the semifinal

12:45: There is no stopping Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN). He takes his time against Nick LEE (USA) in the 65kg quarterfinal but shifts gears so quickly. A takedown and exposure to lead 4-0. He works up two more takedowns and a double leg to win 10-0.

12:35: Mark HALL (USA) over Boris MAKOEV (SVK) at 86kg. Makoev got into positions to score on Hall but the American wrestler was solid in defense and countered with exposure to get his own points. He wins 7-2.

12:30: Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) with a takedown and a fall over European champion Myles AMINE (SMR) at 86kg! Amine looks devasted by that. Ishiguro caught Amine by surprise and got the pin.

12:20: Haji ALIYEV (AZE), wrestling at 70kg, survives a scare against Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO). After leading 4-0, Aliyev gave up a takedown and Elbakidze managed to go behind in the final seconds but the time ran out before Aliyev's three points touched the mat. He wins 4-2

12:00: Quentin STICKER (FRA) managed to score four points on Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) but that was all he could. Musukaev gave no more chance to him and won his 65kg bout 10-4 

11:20: Two-time world silver medalist Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and bronze medalist Yones EMAMI (IRI) are now on Mat B. Both wrestlers take their time to get going. Emami is on the board for Salkazanov's passivity. Not much action in the bout but Emami has eked out a 5-0.

11:00: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) looks strong as ever! His first victim is Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) who has no answer to the pressure from the former world champion. Yazdani faces Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) in the next round who managed to beat Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) in the final seconds. Trailing 8-6, Abakarov steps over and forces Gaphrindashvili to put his head on the mat and get the two points to win 8-8.

10:40: At 74kg, Yones EMAMI (IRI) and Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) both begin with wins. Emami gets the better of Kojiro SHIGA (JPN) and Gadzhiev defeats Krisztian BIRO (ROU).

10:25: In early action,  Zane RICHARDS (USA) and Rikuto ARAI (JPN) were involved in a tense battle and after a back-and-forth bout, Richards wins 10-6 at 57kg.

10:15: The tournament has seen an attendance of close to 550 wrestlers which means some long days of wrestling. Beginning with freestyle action in 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 74kg and 86kg, wrestlers will wrestle for the medals on the same day.

10:00: Welcome to the Zagreb Open! The first tournament of the year as we build towards the World Championships later in September. 

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open: Six Paris medalists in action; Blades drops to 68kg

Saturday, February 1, 2025 - 17:26 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 1) -- With a couple of factors determining her decision, Kennedy BLADES (USA) will be moving down to 68kg, six months after winning the Olympic silver medal at 76kg in Paris.

Blades will make her 68kg debut at next week's Zagreb Open which coincides with her college wrestling season in which she wrestles at 160 pounds (around 72kg).

"Since I am in the middle of the college wrestling season and I am close to the weight (160lbs), I wanted to see how I felt," Blades told UWW.

Zagreb Open has a two-kilogram weight allowance and Blades revealed that she weighs around 72kg-73kg which makes it ideal for her to wrestle at 68kg in Zagreb. Even in Paris, Blades was wrestling under 76kg.

"I was naturally 2-4 kilograms under 76kg," she said. "So I wanted to see how I feel at my natural weight. Depending on how I feel, I'll determine if I want  to stay at 68kg or go back to 76kg."

Over her international career, Blades has never wrestled below 69kg, winning gold at the U17 Pan-Am Championships in 2018. She moved to 73kg for the U17 World Championships a year later and 72kg for the U20 World Championships in 2021. For her senior debut, Blades moved up to 76kg for the Henri Deglane in 2023 and competed at all tournaments for two years at that weight.

At 68kg in Zagreb, Blades will have to face a few long-timers.

World silver medalist from 2023 Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) and world bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) will be her biggest challenge. Former Asian silver medalist RADHIKA (IND) is also in the mix.

The United States will bring a solid team in Women's Wrestling with Blades, former world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Michaela BECK (USA), Sofia MACALUSO (USA), Skylar GROTE (USA) and Yelena MAKOYED (USA).

PRIYA (IND)PRIYA (IND) is a U20 world champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

India has a full squad going to Zagreb with a few young stars. Former U17 and U20 world champion PRIYA (IND) will be at 76kg, along with Asian medalist MANISHA (IND).

Azerbaijan will be pinning hopes on its first-ever U23 world champion in Women's Wrestling Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) to shine in the 57kg which also has Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN), Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) and TAPSYA (IND). It also has Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) wrestling in Zagreb.

Paris Olympian Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) will be at 62kg a week after winning the Dan Kolov tournament in Varna. She will face challenges from Ameline DOUARRE (FRA), Nikolett SZABO (HUN), Bhagyashree FAND (IND) and Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA).

Freestyle

A battle of two Olympic medalists at 57kg is on the cards as Spencer LEE (USA) and AMAN (IND) are registered for the tournament. Lee won a silver medal at the Paris Games while Aman came home with a bronze medal.

While these two are the biggest achievers in the field, former European champion Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) will pose a significant challenge as he continues to find his space since he changed his nationality to Serbia. Paris Olympian Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) is also in the fray, giving a mouth-watering clash for the U.S. fans between him and Lee.

Iran is debuting Ahora KHATERI (IRI) at the senior level. He won the 2023 U17 World Championships at 45kg but moved to 60kg in one year and finished eighth at the U17 World Championships in 2024.

Iran's struggle at the lower weights has continued over a decade now and Khateri is touted as the most promising of the new lot. It is also trying its new batch at 61kg, sending Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), Ebrahim KHARI (IRI) and Reza Hossein MOMENI (IRI) to Zagreb.

But the star of the Iran line-up will be Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) who won the U20 and U23 World Championships gold medals at 125kg. He is likely to go unchallenged in Zagreb but the field includes Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO), Hayden ZILLMER (USA) and Mason PARRIS (USA) to name a few.

More closely contested battles will be on display at 92kg as Aaron BROOKS (USA) moves up from 86kg, a weight class he won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. He will have his hands full with Asian champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) and former U20 world champion Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI).

World silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) will be among the favorites for the gold along with former world silver medalist and Paris Olympian Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) who is returning to 92kg and will be joined by compatriot Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE). Boris MAKOEV (SVK) is also listed at 92kg for the competition.

Former Olympic and world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) will kick off his season in Zagreb and hope to reclaim the gold he lost in 2024 to Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI). The field at 97kg is a little thin but still has Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), Radu LEFTER (MDA) and Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) among others.

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is entered at 70kg for the Zagreb Open. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

2023 world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is entered at 70kg. He finished fifth at the same tournament in 2023 but will be the most experienced wrestler in the field this year. He will have a few known rivals in the field including James GREEN (USA), Alec PANTALEO (USA) and Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE).

Iran has gone with 2022 U17 world champion Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) and Sina KHALILI (IRI), a 2023 U17 world champion who finished seventh at the World Championships in Tirana last year.

Greco-Roman

Azerbaijan is all out with their Greco-Roman team in the first Ranking Series of the year. Three recent world champions, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) and Uvli GANIZADE (AZE) are part of a 22-member strong squad that also has Paris Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), Tokyo bronze medalist Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) among other younger stars.

Jafarov will be back in action at 67kg and hopes to start his season on a high. The wrestlers trying to stop him include teenager Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI) and U20 world champion Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI). The field also has former world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Morten THORESEN (NOR).

At 60kg, defending champion Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) leads the field, followed by Mammadli, the newly crowned world champion at 63kg. However, as Azerbaijan's first choice at the Olympic weight class, he is moving down to 60 kg. Paris Olympian Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) is also entered, along with U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB), who is known for his big moves.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) will face a tough challenge from the Iranian duo of Danial SOHRABI (IRI) and Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI). World champion Ganizade is the defending champion at 72kg but Geraei will be keen on getting on top of the podium at an international event, a feat he hasn't achieved since winning gold at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in June 2022. Sohrabi too has blown hot and cold since winning gold at the U23 World Championships in 2022.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Zagreb Open will be a big test for Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) at 77kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The two of the highly competitive weight classes in Greco-Roman are 77kg and 87kg and the Zagreb Open will be no different.

At 77kg, Sergei KUTUZOV (AIN) will be back in action, facing a few of the mainstays of this weight class. Suleymanov will be looking to shake off his disappointment of missing a medal in Paris with a better showing in Zagreb.

But there are a few challenges. Paris Olympians Amin KAVIYANI (IRI) and Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) are competing in Zagreb and so is Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) who continues to build his profile. Gutu narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Paris Olympics but is one of the most dynamic wrestlers in the weight class. Surprisingly, former U17 world champion and Gutu's teammate Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) is also at 77kg.

Hungary has also sent Robert FRITSCH (HUN) and Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) at 77kg while Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) is a dark horse.

Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) is likely to have his Olympic bronze-medal bout rematch against David LOSONCZI (HUN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The 87kg weight class will see Paris bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) and a few other Paris Olympians as well. Bisultanov may have a rematch of his bronze-medal bout against David LOSONCZI (HUN) who is one of three Hungarian wrestlers entered. Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Istvan TAKACS (HUN) will also try to claim their stake for the spot on the Hungarian national team in this weight class.

Aues GONIBOV (AIN) and Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) are the two neutral athletes with decorated resumes. Former world champion Huseynov is also entered along with Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), Naser ALIZADEH (IRI), Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), Marcel STERKENBURG (NED), Exauce MUKUBU (NOR), Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) and Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB).