ROME, Italy (June 23) -- After Azerbaijan dominanted day one action, winning four Greco-Roman gold medals, the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series enters day with the remaining three Greco-Roman and four women's weight in action. A titanic clash of world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) and Olympic silver Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) awaits in the 68kg semifinal.
Thursday's final matches (as they come in):
Women's Wrestling
57kg - Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) vs. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
62kg - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) vs. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
68kg - Alla BELINSKA (UKR) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA)
76kg - Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) vs. Yelena Ivanovna MAKOYED (USA)
Greco-Roman
72kg - Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) vs. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE)
77kg - Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) vs. Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)
82kg - Rasoul Sadegh GARMSIRI (IRI) vs. Mihail BRADU (MDA)
1:15: Ana Paula GODINEZ just let a late second-period lead slip for a second time today. She was beating Olympic bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) by two points but gave up a headlock and trails 7-6 with short time left.
12:45: Are you serious? What a statement!
Ringaci stopped an Oborududu head-outside single with her judo-esk whip over and picked up the 33 second fall. She just pinned the reigning Olympic silver medalist in 33 seconds.
12:40: Here. We. Go! It's Oborududu and Ringaci on Mat C.
12:15: The headlining matchup between world champ Ringaci and Olympic silver medalist Oborududu just got assigned to Mat C. They'll wrestle in four matches (Bout 148)
12:11: The Hungarian 77kg world team wrestle off between Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN) vs. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) will take place next on Mat B.
12:05: Two of the biggest women's wrestling stars are on the Mat now. European champion Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) is wrestling now on Mat B and Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) is on Mat C.
Keep in mind: if Oborududu wins, it'll set up a match against world champ Ringaci in the 68kg semifinals.
11:55: We're already calling semifinals matches to Mat B. We still have a few matches on Mats A and C, but we'll roll right into the semifinal once these quarterfinal and pool-play matches wrap up.
11:44: What is happening? Who is Yelena Makoyed and where did she come from?
Makoyed beat world bronze medalist Kuenz in the first round and just took down European champ Mae twice in 25 seconds to win, 8-6.
11:29: World No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) is up on now on Mat B. He's wrestling Turkey's two-time Matteo Pellicone runner-up, Selcuk CAN (TUR).
11:05: Reigning world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) will be up in six matches on Mat B. She'll wrestle Grabriela PEDRO DA ROCHA (BRA) this round, and if she wins, she'll likely have Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) in the 68kg semifinals.
11:03: Similar to the scenarios that we had yesterday with the Hungarian wrestle offs at 87kg and 97kg, Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN) and Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) will be wrestling for the world team spot at 77kg.
10:58: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) hasn't wrestled since the Tokyo Olympic Games, when she defeated Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) to win Tokyo bronze. She'll re get acclimated to the wrestling scene today against Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE).
*She did attend the European Championships in Budapest as a coach.
10:51: Welcome to the senior-level, Yelena Ivanovna MAKOYED (USA). The American just made her international debut, announcing her presence with a shocking 10-2 win over world bronze medalist Martina KUENZ (AUT).
Her next test: European champion Epp MAE (EST).
10:37: Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) just stole an Round One win against U23 world champion Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) late in the second period. The Ukrainian wrestlers picked the perfect time to strike, scoring a takedown and a turn to win the match, 6-4.
