Shibboleth

All but one finalist (Nachyn Mongush of Tuva, a region close to Mongolia, so Asia) are from the Caucasus region - Dagestan, Ossetia, Georgia and Armenia. The Azeri finalists are also transplants. Turkey in particulare has regressed spectacularly, and bona fide Europe is basically done with freestyle, there's nothing you can do about it. Sorry there is also Chechnya - all the "French" wrestlers are Chechen migrants into France. They are a bit different from other transplants, as they have moved to France in childhood or were even born there (so are 2nd gen migrrants) from the 1990s Cheechen war. As for others like -- Tuskaev, Abakarov, Valiev, Kurugliev, Tazhudinov, Shapiev, Osman Nurmagomedov, Salkazanov, Tsabolov, Ramazanov, tens of others --- these are basically Dagestanis or Ossetians with passports of other countries. They have little or no connection with the country they represent.

Thanks.. So here's the rundown: 57 - Ali Momeni - same as Zare - if he wins Takhti he's in, otherwise, winner of Takhti will face Momeni at int'l tournament or face to face 61 - Ahmad Mohammadnezhad is skipping all the trials and is shoo in 65 - Rahman Amouzad - similar do 61 Amouzad is in 70 - Shakeri and Momeni are in pole for this. If someone else wins Takhti, that someone else will have to have playoffs with the better of the former two (this makes sense?) Also, where is AM Yazdani 74 - Emami - same treatment as Momeni. 79 - Nokhodi in pole position. So, if Yousefi wins Takhti he'll get playoff with Nokhodi, but 1 down. (so it's like best of 3 but Yousefi starts 0-1, so he was to win 2 in a row). If someone else wins then that someone else has to go through Yousefi first (at a ranking tournament) and then same best-of-3 arrangement with Nokhodi. I guess Nokhodi is exempt from Takhti considering he was recently operated. There was some clause about Babaei which I don't quite understand. 86 - Ghasempour has the arrangement similar to Momeni and Emami 92 - Firouzpour is in without trials (like 61, 65) 97 - Azarpira exempt from Takhti due to injury/recovery. Winner of Takhti has to prove himself at a ranking tournament and then get the playoff vs Azarpira, best of 3 down 0-1 (similar to 79 kg) If I understood it correctly - If Goleij specifically wins Takhti, then he gets to prove it through 1 ranking tournament and then compete with Azarpira at another ranking t. (?) I didn't understand this bit. 125 - Zare - Arrangement similar to Momeni, Emami, Ghasempour

Can you link the full procedure? Iran wrestling proodecure is as Byzantine as it gets lol

This from Iran's 2022 WTT -- Masoumi is what 17? lost 11-3. This is when he went a bit over the board with the shenanigans. This is from ranking series last year. It's closer in terms of score, but not really. I can't find the 3rd one.

What is the h2h then? I think Masoumi lost to Zare once at an international tournament and then a couple times internally?

No there is no one. There's probably Tier 1 with Zare and Masoumi and then Tier 2 or even Tier 3 guys after that. Zare vs Masoumi, --- Masoumi is yet to beat Zare .I think hes 0-3 or something.

Confirmed as in, for tha Asian Champs next week, or for other tournaments / Iranian worlds trials?

Yes I did, Masoumi was up 9-6 with 30 seconds to go. He won 11-0 in 2 minutes. See the difference? Also remebmer, Masoume beat Kueter just 4-2 last September - altough he was reportedly injured then. So what I'm saying is that while Masoumi did improve, Parris lost a step clearly. He has no chance against Gable obviously but also I would not bet on him vs Kerkvliet and Hendrickson if they're in good shape come US Open

He lost 11-6 last time (it was last year at this same tournament) and it was fairly competitive. In that same tournament, Masoumi beat Givi Macharashvili 6-2, and Parris did the same with Givi, 9-2 a few months later. --- This time, these guys looked like from different divisions. Also, 4-2 win vs Zillmer, who I have a ton of respect for, is underwhelming. I thinks that Parris is either untrained or off his peak, and Masoumi is just approaching his best.

He's the member of Parliament in Georgia (equivalent of member of Congress). So he's not closer in his role to Gym Jordan rather Zare. He was scrapping with Amit Elor recently though - she's doing a camp in Georgia with Valentin Kalika I guess - but that's just two Olympic Champs rolling.

I think we have to say goodbye to Geno, as a wrestler at least. So, Iran likely has top 2 wrestlers at heavyweight, in a separate tier; I thought Parris would be close, but 1st period tech convinced me otherwise. All this provided Steveson stays out of freestyle, if Gable is back I think it's a pretty even matchup between him and the two Iranians

Something is off with Mason Parris. Probably demotivated and didn't train after the Paris 24 fiasco.

Thanks... what about the US team? They're probably sending some to Croatia, not sure about Yariguin...

Are Iranians competing in the Yariguin tournament (end of January) and if so, which team?

Is Messenbrink an odd-on favorite now for the 2025 WC spot at 74? Him or Carr, but Messenbrink more upside internationally, if he fix his defense. Still a significant downgrade for a 74 kg US rep since maybe 15 years. I don't think Messenbrink, or Carr, or anyone else in the picture is anywhere near medal threats for senior level, unfortunately.

Ono said he naturally weighs 62-63 kg. Makes it rough for olympic weights - if they stay the same and if he stays the same weight. 61 KG is perfect weight for him, looks like. Although there's a pretty high chance that Higuchi enters the conversation there as well, within Japan.

I feel sorry for JB. At least Tayor got an exclamation point, a final chord to end this career (though slightly muted). JB didn't. His song is fading out into silence. I find it hard to imagine him motivated for another big tournament (like 2025 Worlds). Running World team trials (no Final X). I don't think so.

Yea we'll see how JB fares this time at 79, but he hasn't lost there that much internationally, except for that one criteria loss to Savadkouhi and that was off-season basically. Marsteller was and is a bad matchup but he adjusted. I agree with most points above and that Magomaev, Kentchadze (for whom, 79 is actually a really great weight), Nohodi, they are all medal favs. I just think JB has that extra touch that these great wrestlers don't.. Even at 36 years old

Jordan Burroughs

Iran is pretty weak in the lighter weights. Nokhodi and Ghasempour probably will get medals below gold. For 61 and 70, I can't expect Momeni and Khalili anywhere near medal bouts. There's probably about 10 wrestlers in each category better than said wrestlers. Nokhodi -- probably the 2nd best wrestler if you just go down the entry list. At 92, it's a bit of a jump ball between the big 3, but I think Ghasempour is maybe half a step behind Taylor and Sadulaev. So it's likely a medal unless all favorites draw the same side. --- Let's say 1 silver, 1 bronze, draw dependent.

Yea I don't think Iran gets Albanian visas this time either. Bullshit call from UWW to allow Albania to host 2 World championships when they have a track record of visa refusal to a core wrestling country. Last year, they stripped Poland and Finland their age level championship because of Russia stuff, and yet Albania keeps doing this.

Hi, so Abdullah Kurbanov (Russian wrestler) was interviewed by an Iranian news agency (link below) where he claims that he relinquished his place for Abdulrashid Sadulaev for the non-olympic worlds in Tirana, Albania next month. I just want to ask some Parsi speakers if this what he actually said. Does he definitively claim that Sadulaev is wrestling in Tirana, or is it just his opinion? https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/2024/09/21/3162315/کوربانوف-یزدانی-بهترین-کشتی-گیر-بود-کامران-تیلور-را-می-برد

Is Alirez out or in? He was not in the pre-seeds list (I assumed he would be somewhere in top 4). But he's still listed as a participant in the USA Wrestling software thing. Anyone know if he's withdrew and why if so?

So there has been a growing chorus of rumors that UWW is planning a weight class revision in all its wrestling styles (freestyle, greco, women). FRL has talked about this in one of their podcasts and they said there is a proposal on UWW table that will be (may be?) ratified after October world champs (for the non olympic classes)? I've heard the same, that the current weight classes are to be used the last time this October. Has anyone heard any details on the proposal? I've heard, from multiple sources that 57 is going to be scrapped and they will move to 60 or 59 as the smallest WC (in MFS) 70 will be an olympic category instead of 65 92 kg category will be scrapped altogether For women, the heaviest weight class will be moving up to 82 or similar, and 72 is also going to be an olympic class, as well as 59. 55 kg category for greco will be no more Curious if you've heard anything. All of this is the word on the street, but we're kind of on the street here on this board right

Mirasola is "out"? So, forfeit or what is happening. He hasnt posted anything of the sort