Meiji Cup All Japan next week

[CA_Wrestler]

And I need to use my regular keyboard....this one has keys that don't always work so my observations on the final day look like I was partially drunk.

[CA_Wrestler]

World team playoffs going on right now.

 

You know...on NATIONAL TV.

[CA_Wrestler]

Moro up 2-0 going into the 2nd period.  Kagami finally gets in on a shot and finishes to tie it, 2-2 with about 45 seconds left and fends off Moro's td attempts until the buzzer.  Kagami wins, 2-2 on criteria.  Kagami was last years' world bronze at 76kg in Belgrade.  Moro wrestled very tough and it's hard to shoot on her since she's so short.  She's only 18, so we'll see how her career progresses.

[CA_Wrestler]

From what I saw earlier a few days ago, Risako isn't going to challenge for 59kg.

[CA_Wrestler]

Ishii vs Morikawa at 68kg now

[CA_Wrestler]

Kaori Icho in Morikawa's corner.

 

Ishii snap to single, scramble to td.  Up 2-0 less than a minute in.  Ishii trying to stay very low, Morikawa holding center.  Lot of level change fakes by Morikawa.  With 7 sec left in the first, Morikawa shoot, but her head bangs into Ishii's mouth.  Ishii leads 2-0 going into the break.  Morikawa shoots and gets in, but can't finish.  Moriakawa has double unders.  Restart in the center with 1:52 left.  1 for Morikawa.   1 min left.  Morikawa had double unders, restart 30 sec left.  Morikawa attacking and attacking, but Ishii defending.  Morikawa briefly got in, but Ishii stuffed it.  Time expires and Ishii wins, 2-1.

 

 

[CA_Wrestler]

Sakurai vs Nanjo now.

[CA_Wrestler]

Nanjo holding center, both hand fighting.  Nanjo goes for double unders, but switches to a double and gets a td at the edge.  Nanjo up 2-0.  Sakurai going for the 2 on 1.  Nothing there, restart with 3:40.  Sakurai goes for a single with short time and Nanjo defends and then shoots for a single of her own, almost gets the td on the edge but time runs out.   2nd period.  Nanjo shooting a lot, Sakurai great reflexes.  Sakurai going for 2 on 1.  1 min left.   30 sec.  Both hand fighting like crazy, Sakurai trying to get in.  Sakurai gets double overs and tries to turn Nanjo with 1 sec left and time runs out.  Can't tell if Nanjo got turned because of the camera angle.  Sakurai's corner challenges to see if Nanjo went past 90.  They slowed it down and looked at 2 or 3 different views.  it looks like Sakurai barely turned Nanjo past 90 with I think 0.3 or 0.1 seconds left.  Was hard to see how much time was left.  Sakurai wins 2-2 on criteria at 57kg.

[CA_Wrestler]

2023 World Team non-Olympic weights playoffs.

On Japanese National TV!

 

Competitors:

55kg- Rino Kataoka(Meiji Cup winner), Moe Kiyooka(2nd at the Meiji Cup to Akari Fujinami, 53kg) and Haruna Okuno(3rd Meiji Cup, 53kg).  

59kg is going to be crazy.  Nagamoto(Meiji Cup winner) Risako, Sae Nanjo(Lost the 57kg playoff match to Tsugumi Sakurai almost at the buzzer), Sara Natami and Inagaki(dropped down to 59 from 62(placed 2nd at Meiji Cup, 62kg).  The funny thing is.....ALL of these competitors were from the same wrestling club until the Kawai sisters left.  So, needless to say, they all know each other VERY well.

65kg- Mahiro Yoshitake(Meiji Cup winner), Yukako Kawai(dropped from 68kg, placed 3rd at the Meiji Cup, 68kg) and bumping up is Nonoka Ozaki(3rd at the Meiji Cup, 62kg)

72kg- Mei Shindo(Meiji Cup winner), Sumire Niikura and bumping up from 68kg, Miwa Morikawa.  Morikawa lost an extremely close playoff match to Ami Ishii a few weeks ago for the 68kg spot.

Edited July 16, 2023 by CA_Wrestler

[CA_Wrestler]

Very close match right now at 59kg between Natami and Inagaki.  2-1, Inagaki leads off of a td with 2 min left.  Natami gets a td with a little over 1 min left.  Reset in center.  Inagaki shoots, Natami dodges and steps over for the td and exposure.  Inagaki goes for a single on short time, but Natami good hips and Natami gets a 4, making it 11-2.

 

Natami will face Nanjo next.  Winner of that match will face Kawai.  Winner of that match will face Nagamoto.

[CA_Wrestler]

Okuno vs Kiyooka up on deck.  Kiyooka edged out Okuno a few weeks ago.

[CA_Wrestler]

Okuno tries a shrug, but Kiyooka counters and gets behind, 2-0.  Very active match.  Lot of hand fighting.  Kiyooka leads 2-0 at the break.  Okuno in on a single ,Kiyooka whizzers, but Okuno with the td at the edge.  2-2,  2 min left.  Both hand fighting for a while.  20 sec left Okuno shoots and get in deep, Kiyooka tries to go behind with a switch while Okuno tries to go out the back and time ends with Okuno winning on criteria.

 

Okuno faces Kataoka.

[CA_Wrestler]

Nanjo vs Natami.  

 

Nanjo looking 2 on 1 right away.  All hand fighting and positioning.  4 min left.  Nanjo on the clock and Natami gets 1. Natami leads at the break, 1-0.  Hand fighting, Natami hit with passivity.  2 min left.    Nanjo hits a really nice single from space and gets the td to a gut.  Nanjo leads 5-1.  Natami goes for a single, but Nanjo counters, gets a td, 7-1.  Natami gets in on a single, but when trying to go around, nanjo steps over to get the td and make it 9-1.  15 sec left.  natami shoots off the shistle, but Nanjo is ready and goes behind to make it 11-1.   Nanjo vs Risako next.

[CA_Wrestler]

Niikura vs Morikawa

Niikura almost scores right away off of a Morikawa shot but Morikawa gets out.  Morikawa finally gets a 1, then goes behind for 2 with less than 4 min left.  Morikawa leads 3-0 at the break.  Morikawa shoots, Niikura whizzers, they go oob.    Morikawa gets in on Niikura and oushes her oob,  4-0.   Morikawa shoots, Niikura sprawls and has double overs, but nothing there.  Restart.  Fighting near the edge, Niikura puses Morikawa out, 4-1.  8 sec left.  Time expires.  Morikawa wins, 4-1 and will face Shindo.

[CA_Wrestler]

As Morikawa goes off the mat, she high 5s Nonoka Ozaki.  Kaori Icho over in Morikawa's corner.

 

Yukako kawai vs Ozaki now.  Hand fighting, Ozaki gets in on a nice ankle pick, 2-0.  Great to see Shoko Yoshimura in her corner again.  Ozaki being the aggressor on offense so far,  almost hit a nice misdirection single.  1:20 left.  restart, tie up in center.  Ozaki leads 2-0 at the break.  Risako watching off on the side.   2nd period, Ozaki holding center.  Kawai shoots, but Ozaki avoids.  Ozaki quick single and go behind, 4-0.  Trying to lock up a lace, Kawai defending.  Restart.  1:38 left.   1 min left, Kawai shoots, but nothing.  Tie up in center.  Kawai looking for an opening, but Ozaki's positioning too good.  Time expires and Ozaki wins, 4-0.  Ozaki will face Mahiro Yoshitake next.

 

 

[CA_Wrestler]

For those that don't know, Shoko Yoshimura was the high school wresting academy coach for Yui Susaki, Mayu Shidochi, Nonoka Ozaki, Takuto Otoguro, Sae Nanjo and many others.  She was hired as a National Team coach for Japan to coach the cadet/junior teams.  If you've watched Yui Susaki at all of the world championships and Tokyo Olympics, you would have seen Shoko in her corner.  Shoko is a former 5x senior world champion, 1x silver and 3x bronze.  I think she's Japan's best coach and has been for a long time now.

[CA_Wrestler]

Couldn't post more last night, but I did watch most of the matches.

59kg- Risako was beating Nanjo 6-0 with a little over a minute remaining off of a few tds and turn.  Nanjo finally got a td with around 40 sec left to make it 6-2.  Challenge brick thrown in to see if Nanjo had also exposed Risako's back and after the challenge, it was 6-4.  Very short time and Nanjo is trying everything to get a td and she finally gets Risako off balance right in the orange circle at the literal edge and throws Risako, but Risako fights it and Nanjo also stepped over.  After a review, with .3 seconds left, you can see that Risako's back barely went past 90 and Nanjo wins.

I can see both sisters coming back, but Risako has a little kid and I don't see Yukako beating Ozaki or Motoki even though the matches are close.  2 more of Japan's Olympic champions from 2 years ago fall to younger wrestlers.  The only Tokyo Olympic champs that still have their spots are Susaki and Otoguro.

55kg Okuno vs Kataoka

Both hand fighting for the first few minutes.  Okuno scores 1, Kataoka was on the clock for passivity.  More hand fighting, Okuno got poked in the eye, but Okuno leads 1-0 at the break.  Okuno holding center, both hand fighting and looking for an opening and Kataoka on the clock, 2 min left.  Kataoka can't find anything, 2-0 Okuno.  Okuno gets put on the clock,  1 min left.  2-1 Okuno after the clock, 50 sec left.  Okuno holding center, Kataoka trying to tie up and look for a trip, but Okuno defends well, 30 sec left.  Some serious hand fighting going on and Kataoka goes for a trip again, ends up behind Okuno with Okuno still standing, Okuno grabs onto Kataoka's leg and it basically sitting on top of Kataoka while Kataoka has her own back on the mat.  Okuno gains control in this position and scores 2 on the td, 4-1.  Time expires and Okuno wins and is now the rep at 55kg.  

72kg Morikawa vs Shindo.  Both know each other, same university.

Morikawa definitely giving up around 15 pounds/strength wrestling at 72kg.  Hand fighting and tying up.  Shindo ends up pushing Morikawa out, 1-0 with 4:38 left.  Morikawa on the clock, but both tying up and score is now 2-0.  They're right at the edge, Morikawa trying to push Shindo out.  Shindo tries a throw and lands on her own back, Morikawa gets 2, score now 2-2.  Morikawa trying to get in on the legs, but nothing at the break.    Hand fighting, both in center, Morikawa shoots, but nothing with a little over a minute left.  Both tie up in the center, Morikawa goes for a throw by and gets Shindo a little off balance.  Shindo is at her knees and goes for the legs, Morikawa sprawls and goes behind for the td, 4-2.  Less than a minute left, Morikawa looking for a turn.  Restart and Shindo looking to get in, but can't.  Morikawa wins and is the 72kg rep.  

65kg Ozaki vs Yoshitake

Hand fighting to start out, then Ozaki gets in really fast on a low single.  2-0 with 15 sec gone, Ozaki looking for a lace.  Gets a quick turn and it's 4-0. Gets another turn and spins over the top with Yoshitake laying on the mat and has Yoshitake's legs, going for a standing pin, but Yoshitake turns onto her own belly, 6-0.  About 30 sec gone by, Ozaki looking for another turn and gets it, 8-0.  Ozaki still in great position looking for another turn and gets it, but also has Yoshitake flat and gets the tech/pin in 50 seconds.   Big hug from Shoko when coming off the mat.  Ozaki is now the rep at 65kg.  

59kg-  Nanjo vs Nagamoto.  Masako Furuichi has been cornering Nanjo the entire tournament.  Furuichi was also coached by Shoko.  

Both hand fighting for a little bit, then at 4:34, Nanjo hits a nice swing single and looks to turn but nothing, 2-0.  Nanjo hits a high c and gets the td at 3:27.  4-0.  After the break, Nanjo scores off of a throw by to single, 6-0.   2 min to go, Nanjo hits almost the same throw by, 8-0.  1:02 left, Nanjo gets in on a single and wins, 10-0.  Nanjo is now the rep at 59kg.

 

Final Japan World Team below:

 

50kg- Susaki

53kg- Fujinami

55kg- Okuno

57kg- Sakurai

59kg- Nanjo

62kg- Motoki

65kg- Ozaki

68kg- Ishii

72kg- Morikawa

76kg- Kagami

 

 

 

 

[CA_Wrestler]

Emperor's Cup.  The only weight that matters is 68kg because Japan already qualified every single Olympic weight, BUT....Ami Ishii(Japan's 68kg rep) did not qualify herself as the rep since she didn't place top 3.  As I was saying in the 2023 WC thread, this has opened up a lot of other competitors coming in from 62, 65 and 72kg.

That tournament is going to have:

Miwa Morikawa(2022 65kg WC, 2023 72kg bronze)- She is 1-3 against Kawai.  She also beat Ishii 8-5 in the Meiji Cup finals, but barely lost right at the end to Ishii in the playoff match, 2-1.  She also lost to Ishii in the 2022 Emperor's Cup, 5-2.  She's also 3-0 against Rin Miyaji and 0-1 against Furuichi.

Ami Ishii(2022 68kg silver)-  She is 2-1 against Morikawa.  She is 0-3 against Ozaki.  Ozaki pinned her, teched her and also won another match, 6-2.  She's 3-0 against Furuichi with one of the wins on criteria.  She's also 2-1 against Miyaji with one win on criteria.

Yukako Kawaii(62kg Tokyo Olympic champ)  She is 0-2 against Ozaki, 3-1 against Morikawa and 1-0 against Furuichi.

Nonoka Ozaki(2022 62kg WC, 2022 U20 WC, 2022 U23 WC, 2023 65kg WC)  She is 2-0 against Kawai and 3-0 against Ishii.  Hasn't faced any of the other competitors before.

Masako Furuichi(2021 72kg WC) She is 0-3 against Ishii, 0-1 against Kawai and 1-0 against Morikawa. Hasn't faced any of the other competitors before.

Rin Miyaji(2021 68kg silver) She is 1-2 against Ishii and 0-3 against Morikawa. Hasn't faced any of the other competitors before.

Naruha Matsuyuki(2022 68kg U23 silver)  

Mei Shindo(2019 72kg U23 silver)  Very good friends with Morikawa as they are training partners, but she lost a very close playoff match to Morikawa which allowed Morikawa to face Ishii for the 2023 World Championship spot at 68kg.

The best wrestler in there is definitely Ozaki and she is probably the favorite at this point.  She has the best neutral skills and mat skills by far of anybody there.  We'll see what happens.

[CHROMEBIRD]

Do you think Kawai is too small for the weight? For that matter, does Ozaki have the horsepower for 68? I am guessing she beat Kawai at 62 or 65. Did she beat Ishii up a weight?

[CA_Wrestler]

22 hours ago, CHROMEBIRD said:

Do you think Kawai is too small for the weight? For that matter, does Ozaki have the horsepower for 68? I am guessing she beat Kawai at 62 or 65. Did she beat Ishii up a weight?

Kawai is too small for the weight and she has been training for 68 kg since the middle of the year, so you never know.  I don't see her winning this weight only because Ozaki is there.

Ozaki easily won 65kg at the 2023 Senior WC several months ago, so I'm sure she does have the horsepower.  If she wins this weight class this weekend I can guarantee nobody at that weight can hang with her in neutral at the Olympics.

Ozaki beat Kawai at 62kg in the middle of last year in the 62kg finals.

The three times that Ozaki beat Ishii(dominated at 3 matches)was at 62kg

[CA_Wrestler]

We're going to find out real fast at 68kg tonight.  Ozaki and Ishii face each other in the first round.  Kawai is on the same side of the bracket.

Morikawa and Furuichi are on the opposite side of the bracket.

 

[CA_Wrestler]

I forgot that Ozaki also beat Kawai at 65kg this year.

[CA_Wrestler]

Even if Ozaki wins this weight this weekend, they've been doing the playoff matches a few weeks after the conclusion of the major tournaments.  I'm just guessing if Ozaki wins, the playoff match will be in the middle of January because the Asian Championships are very soon and I'm sure the federation wants to make sure the rep is close to being as healthy as possible for that as well as the Olympics.

[CA_Wrestler]

Was too tired to post this earlier, but Ozaki beat Ishii, 6-2.  Ozaki had 3 TDs and Ishii had a pushout point and another on activity.  Ishii was definitely up for the match, but Ozaki's defense was really good.  Ozaki also teched her 2nd round match and won the semis, 8-1.  Her semis opponent beat Kawai 4-4, on criteria in the quarters.

In the quarters on the opposite side, Morikawa beat Rin Miyaji(2021 Olso 68kg silver), 3-2.  She then teched Masasko Furuichi in the semis.

It'll be Ozaki vs Morikawa for the title, then a playoff match against Ishii in at a later time.

[CA_Wrestler]

Ozaki beat Morikawa, 7-0 a little while ago.  A pushout, then a td and 2 exposures.  Will face Ishii in a playoff match at a later date to decide the Olympic rep spot at 68kg.