PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 18) -- Over the years, John HANSEN (USA) has been to United World Wrestling's Grappling World Championships with an aim to win the gold. But until 2022, he failed to achieve that.
But in Pontevedra, Spain, Hansen became the Grappling world champion in 130kg with a dominant run at the World Championships. Out of his four wins, two were by submission and the others were a testimony of how dominant Hansen is in Grappling.
Like Ivan SNIHUR (UKR) realized in the final when Hansen scored two points by bringing him down before adding three points for his control. Even as Snihur tried to escape out of the control, Hansen kept the offense going, adding two four-point movements before ultimately winning by submission with 1:42 remaining on the clock.
In the semifinal against Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE), he allowed his opponent to be on top before reversing the position and taking control for a 5-2 lead. He won that bout 5-3.
Overall, Hansen expressed his satisfaction by not just winning the tournament but also how his team was able to win the team title.
"I am very satisfied," Hansen said. "The USA won the Grappling team title for the first time and I am very proud of that. Such an incredible experience to be part of like the gold-winning team. I wanted to win the gold but ran into a good opponent in 2019 and could not get it done last year either. This is a huge accomplishment. I have wanted this for a long time."
Out of the six finals, the USA reached finals with Richard ALARCON (USA) and Kevin CRANE (USA) joining Hansen as the world champion while Brady WICKLUND (USA) and Paul ARDILA (USA) finished with silver medals.
"The group has been coming together over the last couple of years," Hansen said. "We have been recruiting collegiate wrestlers and a lot of guys in their 20s."
The major reason Hansen believes in the success of the USA at the UWW World Championships is the advantage it gives to wrestlers and the various countries it brings together.
"The UWW rule set prioritizes wrestling as it should be," he said. "Like if I pull guard, I should be penalized two. That's great for wrestling and records it fairly. I don't think wrestlers should be allowed to sit down. That's why I love UWW. There are more countries [at these World Championships]. How many other events draw that much talent from other countries? It's really cool. To let our guys know in the USA, this is the real World Championships."
Hansen has been one of the biggest names in Grappling and even at the age of 40 years, he participates around the world. With more understanding of the sport than he first began at the UWW tournaments, Hansen said it is one of the biggest competitions out there.
"If you take a UWW grappler with a high-pace rule set, he will wrestle 10 minutes easily. Other grapplers coming to UWW will be called for stalling. UWW grappler will go challenging anywhere."
While Pontevedra saw grapplers from Japan, India and Angola apart from the dominant grappling countries, Hansen hopes the variety continues at future tournaments, an important step to growing the sport.
"Australia is there [to grow]," he said. "Their style is very action-oriented and very aggressive which is perfect for UWW. When I saw it first, I was like why is someone called passive when you are mounted?
"But Australia and Japan are the teams. The grapplers from eastern Europe are also top. They are good on top, good at the bottom, and good in wrestling. UWW rule set is what people in eastern Europe play and that sets them apart. If they come to other rule sets competition, they will not take much time to adapt. Another country is Canada. They won't take to come up. Argentina will be out as well."
Though he has not his calendar set for next year, Hansen believes that the World Championships will always be on his schedule.
"As long as I can keep my spot in the USA, I will be at every UWW Worlds until somebody takes it from me," he said. "There is a legit commodity with 30 countries showing up. This is a completely different experience."
RESULTS
Grappling
62kg
GOLD: Amit BURSHTEIN (ISR) df. Mayis NERSESYAN (ARM), 7-4
BRONZE: Shervani ABDULAYEV (KAZ) df. Eric MEDINA (USA), 2-2
BRONZE: Arulan KURMANALIYEV (KAZ) df. Daniele CALDARERA (ITA), 6-3
66kg
GOLD: Richard ALARCON (USA) df. Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR), 1-1
BRONZE: Anthony DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) df. Bekzat KAPASHOV (KAZ), 7-1
BRONZE: Wojciech PAJAK (POL) df. Sergio CALDERON (ESP), via submission
71kg
GOLD: Nurbek TALBUDIN (KAZ) df. Nico PULVERMUELLER (GER), 4-1
BRONZE: Alessio SACCHETTI (ITA) df. Nadav BAR GIL (ISR), 7-2
BRONZE: Magomed DJABRAILOV (FRA) df. Sarsen ZHETIBAYEV (KAZ), via submission (1-5)
77kg
GOLD: Fernando MEDINA (ESP) df. Brady WICKLUND (USA), 9-0
BRONZE: Nadir IMAMALIYEV (AZE) df. Pierre MANZO (FRA), 2-2
BRONZE: Djabrail DJABRAILOV (FRA) df. Nahman BITON (ISR), 13-1
84kg
GOLD: Kevin CRANE (USA) df. Muhammet BAYRAKTAR (FRA), 8-0
BRONZE: Matteo VERMIGLIO (ITA) df. Artur ZAKARYAN (ARM), via submission (0-2)
BRONZE: Mateusz MAZUR (POL) df. Zaireden MUKHAMBETZHANOV (KAZ), via submission (0-2)
92kg
GOLD: Roman KIZIUK (UKR) df. Paul ARDILA (USA), 2-1
BRONZE: Manuel PILATO (ITA) df. Pedro GARCIA (ESP), 3-2
BRONZE: Pawel NEDZI (POL) df. Mykhailo MUZYCHENKO (UKR), 6-2
100kg
GOLD: Andrzej IWAT (POL) df. Aleksandre TEVZADZE (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Ivan MALIN (UKR) df. Dominik OLSZEWSKI (POL), 2-1
BRONZE: Eduardo RIEGO (ESP) df. Eliot KELLY (USA), 3-2
130kg
GOLD: John HANSEN (USA) df. Ivan SNIHUR (UKR), via submission (13-0)
BRONZE: Tobin CAHILL (USA) df. MARCOS GONZALEZ (ESP), via submission (11-2)
BRONZE: Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA) df. Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE), 12-2
U20 men's results
58kg
GOLD: Karshyga ABDRAKHIM (KAZ) df. Zhyldyzbek ABYLBEKOV (KGZ), 3-2
BRONZE: Alejandro REYES (ESP) df. Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ), via submission (6-0)
62kg
GOLD: Vadym SKRYNYTSIA (UKR) df. Chingis IDRISSOV (KAZ), via submission (0-2)
BRONZE: Ori WEISMAN (ISR) df. Guillermo GUTIERREZ (ESP), via overtime (2-2)
66kg
GOLD: Zhanuzak AITBAYEV (KAZ) df. Ali BEKISH (KAZ), 3-3
BRONZE: Nursultan KUSHTARBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Avelino SANTOS (ESP), via submission (6-6)
BRONZE: Ethan FORREZ (FRA) df. Giovanni SUAREZ (ESP), via submission, (2-0)
71kg
GOLD: Aldiyar SERIK (KAZ) df. Aron HERNANDEZ MONTERO (ESP), via submission (2-0)
BRONZE: Vincenzo BUSSOLOTTI (ESP) df. Syimyk SADYRBEK UULU (KGZ), via submission (2-0)
BRONZE: Milan NIKOLENKO (UKR) df. Noam KOREN (ISR), 5-2
77kg
Round 5: Miguel NAVARRO (ESP) df. Yizhaq AMAR (ISR), via submission
Round 5: Amirzhan SIKHIMBAYEV (KAZ) df. Ramon PLACER (ESP), via default
GOLD: Miguel NAVARRO (ESP)
SILVER: Yizhaq AMAR (ISR)
BRONZE: Amirzhan SIKHIMBAYEV (KAZ)
84kg
GOLD: Levente LAKY (HUN) df. Alikhan KHABIBULLA (KAZ), 4-1
BRONZE: Hugo DESCHEEMAKER (FRA) df. Kutkeldi ZHOROKUL UULU (KGZ), via forfeit
BRONZE: Yarin DABOOL (ISR) df. Saul CHAYA (ESP), 7-2
92kg (3 entries)
GOLD: Jhonatan ORELLANA ALIAGA (ESP) df. Yerlan MUKHIT (KAZ), via submission
130kg (3 entries)
GOLD: Ramazan ABDRAKHIMOV (KAZ) df. Ismael CASTILLO JIMENEZ (ESP)
U17 men's results
50kg
GOLD: Heorhii HUDZ (UKR) df. Ibraim ISKANDAROV (KGZ), 7-1
BRONZE: Emanuel SEGADO (ESP) df. Alex PINTER (HUN), via forfeit
54kg
Round 5: Ismail KUNAYEV (KAZ) df. Nurbol ZHYRGALBEKOV (KGZ), 7-6
Round 5: Guy BURSHTEIN (ISR) df. Rakhymzhan TURGANBEK (KAZ), 4-3
GOLD: Ismail KUNAYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Nurbol ZHYRGALBEKOV (KGZ)
BRONZE: Guy BURSHTEIN (ISR)
58kg
GOLD: Bekzat KAZTAYEV (KAZ) df. Illia SVIATUN (UKR), 15-9
BRONZE: Tigran GHAZAKHYAN (ARM) df. Daniel GONZALEZ FERRER (ESP), via submission (0-2)
63kg
GOLD: Wassim CHAINE (FRA) df. Sergey ZELENKEVICH (KAZ), 2-1
BRONZE: Nurassyl TURUSPEKOV (KAZ) df. Ilay PELTZ (ISR), 2-1
69kg
GOLD: Ethan FORREZ (FRA) df. Danil VAKHTINOV (KAZ), 8-4
BRONZE: Nahapet EKIZYAN (ARM) df. Emilijus KAGANOVICIUS (LTU), via submission (0-2)
BRONZE: Gafur UZHAKHOV (KAZ) df. Amit AVIV (ISR), via submission (0-2)
76kg
GOLD: Sungat SANSYZBAYEV (KAZ) df. Tamir BARHAM (ISR), 6-4
BRONZE: Kalys SOODALIEV (KGZ) df. Jorge FERNANDEZ (ESP), 12-0
85kg
GOLD: Stefan LOBODA (ROU)
SILVER: Dorian FARKAS (HUN)
BRONZE: Karim ADEM (FRA)
Key bout: Stefan LOBODA (ROU) df. Dorian FARKAS (HUN), 11-3 (Round 3)
110kg
GOLD: Dinmukhamed KUANGALIYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Ibrahim MANARBEK (KAZ)
BRONZE: Antonio HERRERA (ESP)
Key bout: Dinmukhamed KUANGALIYEV (KAZ) df. Ibrahim MANARBEK (KAZ), via submission (5-0 in Round 2)
Grappling Gi
62kg
GOLD: Daiki YONEKURA (JPN) df. Dmytro BARANOV (UKR), via submission (0-2)
BRONZE: Mayis NERSESYAN (ARM) df. Ander SANCHEZ (ESP), 13-0
BRONZE: Raimbek TAZHIBAEV (KGZ) df. Daulet ZHUMADULLAYEV (KAZ), 6-5
66kg
GOLD: Anthony DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) df. Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR), 5-1
BRONZE: Wojciech PAJAK (POL) df. Sergio CALDERON (ESP), via walkover
BRONZE: Mykyta DUSHKO (UKR) df. Galymzhan OMAR (KAZ), 7-0
71kg
GOLD: Haniel SCHUCMAN (ISR) df. Sarsen ZHETIBAYEV (KAZ), 9-1
BRONZE: Magomed DJABRAILOV (FRA) df. Alessio SACCHETTI (ITA), 2-2
BRONZE: Ivan RASIUK (UKR) df. Zoltan TOTH (HUN), 2-1
77kg
GOLD: Fernando MEDINA (ESP) df. Djabrail DJABRAILOV (FRA), 2-1
BRONZE: Dumitru CEBAN (MDA) df. Nahman BITON (ISR), 7-2
BRONZE: Adlan MADAYEV (KAZ) df. Jakub NAJDEK (POL), 2-2
84kg
GOLD: Arturo SALAS (ESP) df. Inelton BOMBO (ANG), 4-2
BRONZE: Alberto GONZALEZ (ESP) df. Mateusz MAZUR (POL), 6-4
BRONZE: Aurel PIRTEA (ROU) df. Samy MEZACHE (FRA), 11-2
92kg
GOLD: Roman KIZIUK (UKR) df. Ravshan URAZOV (KAZ), 8-8
BRONZE: Pablo ESTEPA (ESP) df. Martin BARTHEL (GER), via submission (5-2)
BRONZE: Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA) df. Vasile CUBLESAN (ROU), via submission (0-3)
100kg
GOLD: Ivan MALIN (UKR) df. Bakdaulet ABYZOV (KAZ), 2-2
BRONZE: Serhii HAVRYSH (UKR) df. Wendy KOHILI (FRA), 9-6
BRONZE: Martin NUSSMANN (GER) df. Ilias BOUKIS (GRE), 6-1
130kg
GOLD: Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA) df. Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE), via submission (9-0)
BRONZE: Guglielmo CECCA (ITA) df. Juan HEREDIA (ESP), 4-2
BRONZE: Talgat ZHIYENTAYEV (KAZ) df. Ivan SNIHUR (UKR), via submission (6-0)
U20 men's results
58kg
GOLD: Karshyga ABDRAKHIM (KAZ) df. Zhyldyzbek ABYLBEKOV (KGZ), 3-2
BRONZE: Alejandro REYES (ESP) df. Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ), via submission (6-1)
62kg
GOLD: Kostiantyn MIZUN (UKR) df. Vadym SKRYNYTSIA (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Ori WEISMAN (ISR) df. Acoidan ARBELO (ESP), via submission (2-2)
66kg
GOLD: Giovanni SUAREZ (ESP) df. Alikhan AKHMETZHANOV (KAZ), 7-3
BRONZE: Ethan FORREZ (FRA) df. Nursultan KUSHTARBEK UULU (KGZ), via submission (2-0)
BRONZE: Ali BEKISH (KAZ) df. Volodymyr DYMED (UKR), overtime (2-2)
71kg
GOLD: Aldiyar SERIK (KAZ) df. Vincenzo BUSSOLOTTI (ESP), via submission (7-2)
BRONZE: Mani GRIMAUDO (FRA) df. Syimyk SADYRBEK UULU (KGZ), via submission (6-0)
BRONZE: Aron HERNANDEZ (ESP) df. Artem KHVAN (KAZ), 14-4
77kg
GOLD: Yizhaq AMAR (ISR)
SILVER: Amirzhan SIKHIMBAYEV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Bilal SAFI (FRA)
Key bout: Yizhaq AMAR (ISR) df. Amirzhan SIKHIMBAYEV (KAZ), 3-2 (Round 2)
84kg
GOLD: Alikhan KHABIBULLA (KAZ) df. Kutkeldi ZHOROKUL UULU (KGZ), via submission (9-2)
BRONZE: Yarin DABOOL (ISR) df. Akmaldin KUSHANLO (KGZ), via submission (2-4)
BRONZE: Saul CHAYA LOPEZ (ESP) df. Hugo DESCHEEMAKER (FRA), via submission
92kg (3 entries)
Round 1: Nurdaulet KARBOZOV (KAZ) df. Pablo TORRES JIMENEZ (ESP), 6-1
130kg
GOLD: Arystan AITMOLDIN (KAZ)
SIVER: Ramazan ABDRAKHIMOV (KAZ), 6-1
BRONZE: Ismael CASTILLO JIMENEZ (ESP)
Key bout: Arystan AITMOLDIN (KAZ) df. Ramazan ABDRAKHIMOV (KAZ), 6-1 (Round 3)
U17 men's results
42kg (2 entries)
GOLD: Azamat MENGAIR (KAZ) df. Yersultan KAIYRZHAN (KAZ), 8-0
50kg
GOLD: Imran MAGZUM (KAZ)
SILVER: Leo CLIMENT (ESP)
BRONZE: Ibraim ISKANDAROV (KGZ)
Key bout: Imran MAGZUM (KAZ) df. Leo CLIMENT WODEY (ESP), 6-2 (Round 2)
54kg
GOLD: Heorhii HUDZ (UKR)
SILVER: Guy BURSHTEIN (ISR)
BRONZE: Rakhymzhan TURGANBEK (KAZ)
Key bout: Heorhii HUDZ (UKR) df. Guy BURSHTEIN (ISR), 4-4 (Round 2)
58kg
GOLD: Bekzat KAZTAYEV (KAZ) df. Nurbol ZHYRGALBEKOV (KGZ), via submission (2-2)
BRONZE: Akdoolot ABYLBEKOV (KGZ) df. Daniel GONZALEZ (ESP), 12-3
63kg
GOLD: Sergey ZELENKEVICH (KAZ) df. Matei BRIE (ROU), via submission (10-1)
BRONZE: Wassim CHAINE (FRA) df. Nurassyl TURUSPEKOV (KAZ), 5-1
BRONZE: Tytus MACINSKI (POL) df. Eduard ROSIQUE (ESP), via submission (10-0)
69kg
GOLD: Gafur UZHAKHOV (KAZ) df. Ethan FORREZ (FRA), via submission (0-2)
BRONZE: Ron FRIEDMAN (ISR) df. Alvaro GOMEZ (ESP), 14-8
BRONZE: Emilijus KAGANOVICIUS (LTU) df. Amit AVIV (ISR), via forfeit
76kg
GOLD: Sungat SANSYZBAYEV (KAZ) df. Tamir BARHAM (ISR), 5-4
BRONZE: Kalys SOODALIEV (KGZ) df. Islam SAGDANBEKOV (KGZ), 11-10
85kg
GOLD: Karim ADEM (FRA)
SILVER: Dorian FARKAS (HUN)
BRONZE: Stefan LOBODA (ROU)
Key bout: Karim ADEM (FRA) df. Dorian FARKAS (HUN), 4-2 (Round 3)
110kg
GOLD: Ibrahim MANARBEK (KAZ)
SILVER: Juan GOMEZ (ESP)
BRONZE: Dinmukhamed KUANGALIYEV (KAZ)
Key bout: Ibrahim MANARBEK (KAZ) df. Juan GOMEZ (ESP), 9-2 (Round 2)
