Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! March 19, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing the Women's World Cup, Snyder's three-peat and the return of Mijain LOPEZ (CUB). 

1.Japan’s Women's World Cup Four-Peat

For the fourth year in a row and the tenth time overall, the Japanese women captured the Women’s World Cup title. They did so by picking up wins over Canada, Sweden, the United States and China, who they beat in the gold-medal bout, 6-4.

On the heels of come-from-behind wins from SHARKHUU Tumentsetseg (MGL), ERKHEMBAYAR Davaachimeg (MGL), and BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL), Mongolia defeated the United States, 6-4 in the bronze-medal bout for the third year in a row.

In the fifth-place bout, Canada edged Belarus, 24-21 on classification points after splitting the dual five matches apiece.

The seventh-place match was determined on criteria as well, with Romania picking up the victory, 24-22 on classification points.

2. Snyder Ends College Career Winning Third NCAA Title

Kyle SNYDER (USA), the two-time world and Olympic champion snagged his third NCAA title by outlasting two-time junior world bronze medalist Adam COON (USA), 3-2 in front of 19, 778 fans at the NCAA Championships.

In their third meeting of the year, Snyder used a slide-by to pick up the late takedown with 13 seconds left, giving him the 3-1 lead, ultimately winning the match, 3-2.

(Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) after winning his third Olympic gold medal.)
3. The Return of Mijain Lopez

Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), the three-time Olympic champion is slated to make his return at this week's Central American and Caribbean Championships in La Havana, Cuba. This will be Lopez’ first competition since winning his third Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Due to his age, the enormous Cuban is expected to limit his competitions until the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Aside from this week's Central American and Caribbean Championship, Lopez is only scheduled to compete at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungry.

4. Weibe Tops Fransson in the Battle of Olympic Medalists

In a showdown of Canada’s Olympic gold medalist Erica WIEBE (CAN) and Sweden’s Olympic bronze medalist, Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), Weibe used a pair of takedowns in the second period to steal the match, 4-4 on criteria.

It was Fransson who entered the second period with a 3-0 lead after a takedown and shot-clock point in the first period. Wiebe stormed back in the second period by going on a 4-0 run, clinching the match with a late takedown.

(Photo: Kawai celebrates her victory over China in the Women's World Cup finals, by Max Rose-Fyne.) 

5. Sisters Kawai

In December, Risako KAWAI (JPN) and Yukako KAWAI (JPN) became the first sisters to win gold medals at the same Japan championships since the ICHO (JPN) sisters did so eleven years ago.

Their plan coming into this weekend was to have more success than they did at the 2017 World Championships. Risako, the world and Olympic gold medalist said before the tournament "I went to the world championships with my sister, but she didn't do well. This time, we want to do well together." 

The pair did just that, going undefeated on the weekend, outscoring their opponents 40-5, including picking up two wins by technical superiority victories and one win by fall.

Weekly FIVE In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday!  

2. Sounds of Wrestling // Behind the scenes moments as Japan defeated China in the finals of the Women's World Cup. 

3. Big Move From Day 2 Of The Women's World Cup | #takasaki2018

4. Video of the Zahid VALENCIA (USA) v. Mark HALL (USA) match is circulating on Iran wrestling Instagram pages and the Iranian fans are asking why didn't Valencia get four on this takedown?

5. Erica Wiebe leads the team warm up before they step on the mat to face Belarus // 

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2025: Day 1 highlights and recap

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 29) -- The third Ranking Series event, Ulaanbaatar Open, gets underway in the Mongolian capital. Seven Greco-Roman weight classes will be in action on Thursday.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | ULAANBAATAR OPEN PREVIEW

13:05: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) goes big from par terre and scores eight points before getting two points for a leg foul from Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) to win 11-0. He will take on Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) in the final. Yilmaz had beaten Maksatbek Uulu 11-3 in the round-robin bout earlier

13:02: Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) takes just a minute to beat Nishant PHOGAT (IND) 9-0 in the first semifinal at 77kg. He will wrestle for gold.

13:00: The semifinals, only two in 77kg, will begin now. Nishant PHOGAT (IND) vs Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) and Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) vs. Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) 

12:20: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) gets the par terre and then turn Mustafa SAHIN (TUR) for a 3-0 lead in his Round 5 bout at 72kg. He then defends his position from par terre and wins 3-1. He will take home 8000 ranking points.

12:05: NITESH (IND) reverses the par terre position to get a point after Uzur DZHUZUPEKOV (KGZ) scores two turns from par terre. Nitesh gets a turn from par terre to make it 5-3. A par terre position in second period for Nitesh but no points scored. With the score 5-4, Dzhuzupekov defends his lead and wins at 97kg

11:50: Asian champion Danial SOHRABI (IRI) with a big suplex and beats Ankit GULIA (IND) to top his group at 72kg. He will have his Round 5 match against Mustafa SAHIN (TUR) which will be a virtual gold medal bout.

11:40: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) with an 11-1 win over Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) at 77kg to confirm his semifinal spot. Yilmaz is a bronze medalist from the European Championships.

11:25: Asian silver medalist Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) holds off Murat FIRAT (TUR) 5-1 at 67kg. Solid win for Beishekeev. His compatriot Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) rolls to a 9-0 win over Lkhagvasuren DASHJAMTS (MGL) at 77kg.

11:20: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) with another injury pull out at 82kg. Shahin BADAGHI (QAT) gets the victory.

11:10: Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) waits for the second period to unleash the gut-wrench as he beats  Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) 9-1 in the 97kg Round 2 bout.

11:05: Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ) was down 3-2 against Ankit GULIA (IND) but bounces back with takedowns and two rolls to win 8-3 in Round 2.

11:00: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) comes on the mat but pulls out of the bout against PRINCE (IND) at 82kg. But he doesn't submit the injury report so we may see him again in later rounds.

10:50: Paris Olympic bronze medalist at 97kg Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) starts off a little rusty against Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) and gives up six points. But he manages to score at the right time using gut-wrenches and wins 10-6.

10:48: World U23 champion Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) with two front throws to stun NEERAJ (IND) 9-0 at 67kg. Remember these are round-robin matches and not eliminations.

10:45: Injury scare for Turkiye as Alperen BERBER (TUR) pulls out of his match against Karan KAMBOJ (IND) at 87kg. Berber got the par terre and got two front rolls for a 5-0 lead before a reversal and roll made it 5-3 as Berber held his hamstring in pain. He tried continuing but Kamboj pushed him for a stepout and Turkiye coach called to pull out due to injury.

10:40: Another quick finish at 72kg as Asian champion Danial SOHRABI (IRI) rolls to a technical superiority win over Zandanbat BATSAIKHAN (MGL). Sohrabi looking to gather those points for a better seed at the World Championships.

10:35: Mehmet SAHIN (TUR) with a 9-0 win over Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ) in Round 1 of the competition. Six weight classes have round-robin competition while 77kg has Nelson system with two groups.

10:30: Welcome to day one of the competition at the Ulaanbaatar Open with seven Greco-Roman weight classes -- 55kg, 67kg, 72kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg and 97kg.