Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! January 07, 2020

By Eric Olanowski

Discussing Akgul and Yazdani’s surgery and Taylor’s return to the mat after an 8-month layoff. Also looking at the #WrestleRome Matteo Pellicone entries, the 2019 Wrestlers of the Year and Susaki’s quest for Olympic gold. 

1. Olympic Champs Akgul and Yazdani to Miss Time After Undergoing Surgery 
Rio Olympic champions TAHA AKGUL (TUR) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) announced they would miss a good portion of the 2020 season after undergoing surgery over the past few weeks.

Akgul told United World Wrestling, “I fell on my shoulder during wrestling practice. I will be back as soon as possible…hopefully before the Olympics.” The Rio Olympic freestyle champion at 125kg had surgery on his left shoulder and expects to miss at least three months. “I will rest for two months. Then the physical therapy process will begin. I will start training in three months.”

Yazdani, the Rio Olympic champion (at 74kg) and two-time world champion at 86kg, underwent surgery on his right knee and will be sidelined for at least two months. The Iranian superstar told United World Wrestling, “It was a successful surgery. I am in a good situation now. I’ll start training on the mat in two months. I am in good spirits now. Lets see what happens in the future.”

2. Matteo Pellicone Entries Released 
The first stop on the road to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games travels through Rome, Italy, for the first of two Ranking Series events, the Matteo Pellicone.

The three-day tournament kicks off January 15-18 in Ostia, a port city of ancient Rome, located 30km away from the city center. 

As the entries sit, there are seven reigning world champions and 31 world medal holders from the 2019 World Championships that will wrestle in Rome. Freestyle boasts nine world medalist, Greco-Roman features four podium finishers from Nur-Sultan and women’s wrestlers rounds out the tournament with an astonishing 18 2019 world medalist. 

World Champions That Are Registered:
FS 74kg - Kyle Douglas DAKE (USA) – two-time world champion at 79kg
WW 57kg - Linda MORAIS (CAN) – world champion at 59kg
WW 62kg - Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) – world champion at 65kg 
WW 62kg - Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
WW 69kg - Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA)
WW 76kg - Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
WW 76kg - Adeline Maria GRAY (USA) 

Click HERE for the full list of entries for the Matteo Pellicone.

3. David Taylor Set to Return to Action 
David TAYLOR (USA) announced on his social media channels that he’ll be returning after sitting out of competition for the last eight months. 

In his post, Taylor said, “Dear World, I am back. I’ll be seeing you soon."

Taylor, a 2018 world champion at 86kg, was coming off an undefeated 2018 season, which culminated in gold-medal performances at the World Championships, Pan-American Championships, Ivan Yariguin and Yasar Dogu. 

But in May, Taylor was dealt an unfortunate setback on his road to defending his world title. 

It was at the Beat the Streets match against Drew FOSTER (USA) where Taylor went down 31 seconds into the match with an apparent right knee injury. In the opening sequence of the bout, Foster got to a low-level shot to the right leg of Taylor and came up through the middle. Foster peaked out the back door and isolated the right leg of Taylor. Foster, who was posted on his right hand, threw his left hip to the mat, which is when Taylor stopped wrestling and immediately grabbed his right knee. The reigning world champion tried to continue, but his right knee buckled the first time he put his body weight on it, and ultimately forced him to injury default out of the match.

4. Susaki Secures Spot on Japan’s Asian Olympic Qualifier Team; Otoguro Locks up Spot on Olympic Team
Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) thought their hopes of gold medal glory at the Tokyo Olympic Games were all but gone, but their fate changed after winning the All Japan Championships in Tokyo a few weeks ago.

Susaki saw her Olympic dreams deteriorate in front of her own eyes after losing her world championship starting spot in a July 6 special wrestle-off against Yuki IRIE (JPN). Or, at least, she thought so. But after a disappointing showing in Nur-Sultan by Irie, Susaki was granted the one shot she needed to regain her starting spot. And she took full advantage of it.

Over the holiday break, Susaki took a significant step in recovering her quest to become an Olympic champion by exacting revenge on Irie in the finals of the All Japan Championships in Tokyo. The two-time world champion outlasted Irie in a tactical 2-1 battle and locked up her spot on Japan’s Asian Olympic Qualifier team. Now, she’ll have to travel to Xi’an, China, in March and finish top-two to cement Japan’s spot at the Olympic Games at 50kg.

Meanwhile, Rio Olympic runner-up Rei Higuchi will also be headed to Xi’an, after he dropped from 65kg to 57kg and upset 2017 world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI in a one-point barnburner (7-6) the 57kg gold-medal bout. 

Also of note, Takuto OTOGURO cemented his spot on Japan’s Olympic squad at 65kg. The 2018 world champion, who secured Japan’s Olympic berth at 65kg with a fifth-place finish at this year’s World Championships, cruised to the 65kg crown with a 10-0 finals routing of Rinya NAKAMURA. 

Click HERE for a full breakdown of the All-Japan Championships.

Japan’s Olympic Team: 
Freestyle
65kg - Takuto OTOGURO

Women’s Wrestling 
53kg - Mayu MUKAIDA
57kg - Risako KAWAI 
62kg - Yukako KAWAI 
76kg - Hiroe MINAGAWA

Greco-Roman 
60kg - Kenichiro FUMITA 

Japan's #WrestleXian Asian Olympic Qualifier Team
Freestyle 
57kg - Rei HIGUCHI
86 kg - Sohsuke TAKATANI 
97kg - Naoya AKAGUMA 
125kg - Tetsuya TANAKA 

Greco-Roman 
67kg - Shogo TAKAHASHI
77kg - Shohei YABIKU 
87kg - Masato SUMI
97kg - Yuta NARA 
130kg - Arata SONODA 

Women’s Wrestling 
50kg - Yui SUSAKI 

Japan's Olympic Spot Wrestle-Offs 
FS 74kg - Shinkichi OKUI vs. Keisuke OTOGURO
WW 68kg - Sara DOSHO vs. Miwa MORIKAWA

5. United World Wrestling Names Chamizo, Mensah-Stock and Lorincz Wrestlers of the Year
United World Wrestling has announced its Wrestler of the Year Award winners for 2019: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) in freestyle, Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) in Greco-Roman, and Tamyra MENSAH (USA) in women's wrestling. 

Each of the three Wrestler of the Year Award winners claimed 30,000 CHF in prize money, while second-place finishers earned 20,000 CHF and third place winners won 10,000 CHF. United World Wrestling is committed to increasing financial incentives in a manner that is sustainable and is equal to all athletes.

The awards winners were selected based on their performances in this year's Ranking Series events, continental championships and the World Championships. Award winners did not have to be world champions, which was a change from last year.

Click HERE for the full release on the 2019 Wrestlers of the Year. 

Freestyle
1. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA, 74kg), 106 points
2. J'den COX (USA, 92kg), 90 points
3. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO, 125kg), 88 points

Greco-Roman
1. Viktor LORINCZ (HUN, 87kg), 92 points
2. Shinobu OTA (JPN, 63kg), 88 points
3. Zhan BELENIUK (UKR, 87kg)/Musa EVLOEV (RUS, 97kg), 82 points (5,000 CHF each)

Women's Wrestling
1. Tamyra MENSAH (USA, 68kg), 108 points
2. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ, 62kg), 94 points
3. Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER, 76kg), 87 points

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1. Big Move Monday -- Ciobanu V. (MDA) -- Senior Worlds 2019 #WrestleNursultan
2. #ScoreThat: How would you score this exchange for ? and ??
3. #TBT - Gray Grabs Third of Five World Titles
4. Sunday Smiles!
5. How loaded is 76kg for the #WrestleRome Matteo Pellicone?

#WrestleZagreb

World C'ships Day 5 WW 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg Highlights

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 17) -- Women's Wrestling will continue at the World Championships in 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg in Zagreb.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

62kg semifinals
SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)
SF 2: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW)

13:40: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) worked on five different takedowns before securing the fall over Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) and reach the 62kg semifinals. Motoki, the Paris Olympic champion, is cashing her first world title.

13:45: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), a world champion in 2017, with two big headlocks in her 5-1 victory over Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA). She returns to the World Championships semifinals to face Olympic champion Motoki.

13:42: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) not only advances to the 62kg semifinals, she avenges her loss in the final of this year's Asian Championships MANISHA (IND) with a solid 8-0 victory. Kim accumulates all of her points in the first period, topping each of her two takedowns with a 2-point roll or exposure.

13:37: The activity clock is just about to run out on Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) when she not only gets a score, her 4-point arm throw sends Ana GODINEZ (CAN) sailing onto her back in their 62kg quarterfinal. Tandelova doesn't let the opportunity get away and she secures the fall at 2:02.

53kg semifinals
SF 1: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) vs. ANTIM (IND)
SF 2: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) vs. Hyongyong CHOE (PRK)

13:32: In a battle of young stars, Jin ZHANG (CHN) and ANTIM (IND) square off in the 53kg quarterfinals. Antim gets on board with a go-behind before powering her way to another takedown for a 4-0 lead. A similar takedown for Antim and she races to a 6-0 lead. Zhang fires one back and catch Antim off guard to score two points and cut the lead to 6-2 at the break. Zhang with high pressure and gets the reward with a takedown and two lace turns for an 8-6 lead. Antim gets a reversal for an 8-7 score but she has only 18 seconds to score two points for a win. She remains calm and scores the takedown to win 9-8 for a place in the semifinals at 53kg.

13:30: Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) gets the first takedown against Emma MALMGREN (SWE) and then turns her for a 4-0 lead. Malmgren tries hard in the second period but she can only score a takedown to make it 4-2 as Yepez wins 4-2.

14:29: Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) wrestles tentatively to start against a defensive opponent, Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), gaining just an activity point without taking a shot in the first period of their 53kg quarterfinal. But the three-time world champion finds an opening in the second, scoring with a single leg. She then gets behind twice as Yetgil starts to show fatigue and the Japanese advances with a 7-0 victory.

14:28: Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) continues her impressive run, storming to an 11-0 victory over Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) in their 53kg quarterfinal. Choe goes ahead in the first period with a takedown and two lace-lock rolls -- albeit the referee gave her more than ample time to execute them -- then added a takedown and exposure in the second.

68kg semifinals
SF 1: Buse TOSUN (TUR) vs. Ami ISHII (JPN)
SF 2: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) vs. Jia LONG (CHN)

13:20: Buse TOSUN (TUR) gets the first passivity call against Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) and the Czechia wrestler leads 1-0 at the break. Tosun on board in the second period with a point before a takedown helps her take a 3-1 lead with a minute remaining. Hanzlickova gets stepout but it's too little too late as Tosun wins 3-2 for a place in the 68kg semifinal.

13:18: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) scores two takedowns in the last two minutes of the second period, giving her a come-from-behind 8-4 victory over Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) and a place in the 68kg semifinals. Yaneva opened the scoring with a takedown and gut wrench, only to fall behind on criteria when Zelenkykh scored a takedown on each side of the break.

13:18: Ami ISHII (JPN) and Kennedy BLADES (USA) in a big quarterfinals at 68kg. Ishii blasts with a takedown and then exposure for two more to lead 4-0 against Kennedy BLADES (USA). She uses the arm-dram to score another takedown and lace for an 8-0 lead inside the first two minutes. Blades gets on board with a stepout to make it 8-1. Both scramble but Ishii scores a takedown for a 10-1 lead at the break. Ishii takes some time but manages to power her way to the match winning takedown. A 12-1 victory for Ishii as she reaches the semifinal.

13:17: In an high-profile all-Asian clash in the 68kg quarterfinals with little action, Jia LONG (CHN) scores a takedown in the final seconds to finish off a 4-1 victory over two-time Olympic medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ).

72kg semifinals
SF 1: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) vs. Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Zelu LI (CHN)

13:05: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) with four takedowns against Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) to secure a place in the 72kg semifinals with an 8-4 win.

13:03: After Nesrin BAS (TUR) receives an activity point, Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) goes on the attack as the first-period clock in winding down. Can she finish it off in time? Instead, Bas whizzers her over onto her back and completes the fall with one second to go to earn the spot in the 72kg semifinals.

13:01: Zelu LI (CHN), the Asian champion at 68kg, barges into the 72kg semifinals with a 10-0 victory over Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL). Li takes Zorigt directly to her back and, although she can't complete the fall, she adds a gut wrench. Another takedown and two more turns and she's the winner in 1:45.

13:00: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) steps over and catches Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) flat on the mat to secure the fall at 72kg and advance to the semifinal.

12:55: In the last match before the quarterfinals, Asian champion MANISHA (IND) keeps Astrid MONTERO (VEN) at bay at 62kg. Manisha got two points for two passivity calls against Montero who scored one point for the same. But Manisha hangs on for a 2-1 victory. This also means that European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) will return empty-handed.

12:45: Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) had just made a leg attack when Nikolett SZABO (HUN) called out injured. She seemed in a lot of pain having injured her knee. She had to carried off the mat on a stretcher. Motoki advances to quarterfinals at 62kg.

12:37: Veteran Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), eight years removed from her lone world championship, stays on track at 62kg with a comprehensive 10-0 victory over three-time European bronze medalist Veranika IVANOVA (UWW).

12:31: European champion Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) makes short work of Kseniya STANKEVICH (UWW) to advance to the 53kg quarterfinals, taking her straight to her back and recording a fall at 1:26.
 
12:28:
Jin ZHANG (CHN), last year's world silver medalist at 55kg, looks impressive in posting her second straight one-sided win at 53kg when she takes out Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) with a 10-1 victory. Only an activity point early on kept her from keeping a perfect sheet, but she quickly followed it with a takedown as she took a 6-1 lead at the break.

12:27: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) scored one takedown to lead 2-1 against Roksana ZASINA (POL) and then held her fort with that lead. Zasina tried desperately for an attack but failed to score and gave up a takedown. Malmgren wins 5-1 at 53kg.

12:25: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) cannot find a way to break the defenses of Ok Ju KIM (PRK) who scores four different takedowns in their 62kg bout to win 8-0

12:18: Jia LONG (CHN), the 2024 world champion at 65kg, gives up the big points to Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in their 68kg match, but she piles up more than enough for a 12-6 victory.

12:17: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) gives up a 4-point takedown early in her 62kg clash with Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), then erupts for 13 points in the second period, including a pair of 4-pointers of her own, for a 13-6 victory. 

12:05: Ami ISHII (JPN), gunning for a second straight world title after winning last year at 72kg, continues her quest at 68kg by rolling to a 10-0 victory over Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) to advance to the quarterfinals. Ishii scores a single-leg takedown just as she receives an activity point to go up 3-0. After a second similar takedown, she goes to laces and finishes off the win ni 2:42.

12:04: Defending 68kg champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) gets the fall over Grabriela DA ROCHA (BRA) when she put her back on the mat in the second period and held on till the fall was called.

12:03: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) takes a 3-0 lead at the break in her 53kg bout against Annika WENDLE (GER). In the second period, she works a takedown and roll to make it 7-9. Another takedown on the edge puts her at 9-0 before she finishes the bout 11-0.

11:57: An upset on Mat C, as Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), aiming for her fifth world medal but first gold at 72kg, will have to settle for bronze at best after falling 3-3 on criteria to Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ). Nurtaeva trails 2-1 after giving up a second activity point, but scores a single-leg takedown with :51 left. Bakbergenova gains a stepout to tie, but trails on criteria, and Nurtaeva fends off a final attack to clinch the win.

11:56: Asian champion Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) goes to the lace lock after a second takedown, and three rolls later she advances at 53kg with a 10-0 victory over Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) in 2:20.

11:55: Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) comes from 4-1 down to get a fall over Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB) and advance at 53kg. Yepez is looking to add to her bronze medal from 2023. 

11:51: A takedown and four quick lace-lock rolls and two-time Asian bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) advances at 53kg with a 10-0 win over Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP).

11:49: Sol Gum PAK (PRK) tries to score the one point she needs to beat Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) at 68kg but Yaneva defends everything that is thrown at her to win 7-6 and advance.

11:49: Two-time Olympic medalist and 2021 world champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) opens her campaign with a 10-0 win over Aniseta ACOSTA (ASA) at 68kg. Zhumanazarova had a pair of 4-point moves, the second coming with a hip throw that made it a 10-point difference. The match ended when Acosta fought off her back.

11:45: Kennedy BLADES (USA), the Paris Olympic silver medalist at 76kg who has dropped down to 68kg, gets off to rousing start, overwhelming RADHIKA (IND) for an 11-0 victory in 1:38. Blades gets a 4-point takedown thwarting a Radhika counter to take a 7-0 lead within the first minute. She then bulls her opponent over for a takedown, then caps the proceedings with a classic gut wrench.

11:40: Six-time Asian medalist Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) is trailing 2-1 against Jyoti BERWAL (IND) in the second period of their 72kg bout when she does what Mongolian's do best -- hit her opponent with a headlock throw, giving her a victory by fall.

11:39: In a case of anything you can do, I can do better, LILI (CHN), a 2023 world bronze medalist at 65kg, scores three exposure tilts after a takedown to give her a 9-7 win over Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) at 62kg. Lili's sequence came after Soltanova had gone ahead with three consecutive 2-point lifts to counter a single-leg attempt by Lili.

11:35: After a longish defense from Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) secures the fall as Park runs out of steam.

11:28: Three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN), looking to fill the 53kg spot following the move up to 57kg by compatriot and Paris Olympic gold medalist Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), opens with an 11-0 victory over Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB). Murayama leads 3-0 in the second period when she scores with a snapdown takedown, then reels off four gut wrenches.

11:32: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) with a fall over Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA) in her opening bout at 62kg. Kim just too strong for Campagna

11:30: Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) opened the scoring against Masako FURUICHI (JPN) with a stepout before getting a point for inactivity of Furuichi. The Japanese bounces back with a takedown but gives up a reversal as Glaude leads 3-2. She hangs on to that lead to upset Furuichi

11:16: World 55kg silver Jin ZHANG (CHN) works on five different takedowns to beat Felicity TAYLOR (USA), 10-0, at 53kg with 31 seconds left on the clock.

11:11: In a battle of former European champions at 68kg, 2021 world silver medalist Khanum VELIEVA (UWW) gets a stepout just moments after giving up an activity point to Yuliana YANEVA (BUL). But Yaneva dominates the second period, scoring a takedown-gut wrench combination, then putting Velieva onto her back and securing a fall at 4:31.

11:09: Nice win for South America as Astrid MONTERO (VEN) scores two takedowns in the second period to knock off European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) 6-4 at 62kg. Montero gets behind for an early takedown, only to see Bondar come back with a takedown and quick exposure to lead 4-2 at the break.

10:50: Two-time Asian silver medalist RADHIKA (IND) gives up a 4-point takedown to the back to Laura GODINO (ITA) at the start of their 68kg qualification bout. That appears to wake up the Indian, who comes back with a takedown and stepout to cut the gap at the break. Another takedown puts Radhika ahead 5-4, then she ends the match by muscling Godino down and over for a fall with just over a minute left.

10:45: World 72kg champion Ami ISHII (JPN), back down at 68kg, starts her bid to win her second world title with a 10-0 victory over Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) in a minute and 31 seconds.