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.

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.

Sakurai vs Nanjo now.

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.

Ishii vs Morikawa at 68kg now

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

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.

World team playoffs going on right now. You know...on NATIONAL TV.

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.

Yoshimoto wrestled very, very conservatively compared to their last match, but yeah, you're right. That's why I always say that for most of the womens weights in Japan (minus 68, 72 and 76) that the national tournaments have tougher competition than the world championships.

Oh and a quick note, 17 year old high schooler Sakamoto wins 6-2 at 61kg. He'll have a playoff with the winner from last December

50kg- Susaki and Yoshimoto have a very close match. It was 1-1 going into the break, both scores on activity points. Both came out for the second period with a ton of movement, fakes, feints to look for openings. Yoshimoto kept trying to secure a 2 on 1 to look to score and Susaki was trying to control Yoshimoto's head. Toward the end of the match with 20 seconds left, they were hand fighting and Yoshimoto dropped down and got in in an ankle pick. I thought she was going to finish the takedown, but Susaki threw was threatening with a crotch lift. Yoshimoto's arm was under Susaki's leg and she would have got around and scored if Susaki's hands unlocked. With around 7 seconds left, Susaki lifted Yoshimoto, but Yoshimoto had to hands gripped on Susaki's leg, they both go over and are stuck because both are trying to get top position for control, but Susaki swings her leg over and spins around Yoshimoto for 2. The score was 4-1, but Yoshimoto's corner challenges. The judges give Yoshimoto 2, but Susaki also gets 2 and the final score is 4-3. Susaki wins the spot outright as she beat Yoshimoto in the finals last December, 8-0. I still think Yoshimoto is the second best 50kg womens wrestler in the world. 57kg- Nanjo vs Sakurai. Both looking for scoring opportunities with Sakurai looking mostly to get a 2 on 1 and Nanjo looking for singles or underhooks. With a little less than 4 minutes, Sakurai is able to score, 2-0. With a little less than 3:30 left, Nanjo scores on a misdirection single, 2-2. Second period has a lot of activity, both working a lot to try and score. Sakurai keeps trying to secure a 2 on 1. Around 35 seconds and some hand fighting, Sakurai is able to get and overhook on Nanjo's head and Sakurai brhings her down to the mat. Both on their knees now. Sakurai then shoots and gets in on a leg with 27 seconds, Nanjo throws a whizzer in. Nanjo also grabs Sakurai's free arm and pulls it under her body while Sakurai has one hand/arm on Nanjo's leg. 10 second left. They stay in this position until around .8 seconds left, where Sakurai uses her foot to hook Nanjo's far leg and Sakurai is able to pull her arm out just a little and they gave Sakurai 2 right at the buzzer. Nanjo's corner challenges and they review for a while and give one more point to Sakurai for the failed challenge making the score 5-2. This sets up a playoff match between the two since Nanjo beat Sakurai in last December's final. Mens 65kg- Otoguro wins the final, 9-0 and he is the 65kg rep since he won last December. Other note: Fujinami wins outstanding wrestler of the tournament by virtue of beating Shidochi in the semifinals. Susaki wins best womens wrestler, Otoguro wins best mens freestyle wrestler. Womens team: 50kg- Susaki 53kg- Fujinami 55kg- playoff match with Kataoka and Kiyooka. Kiyooka since she won last December at this weight 57kg- playoff match between Nanjo and Sakurai 59kg- possible playoff match between Nagamoto and Risako. Risako hasn't decided yet. 62kg- Motoki 65kg- Yoshida. Possible playoff against Ozaki. Ozaki can challenge since she won the senior world title last year at an Olympic weight. 68kg- playoff match with Ishii and Morikawa. 72kg- playoff match between Shindo and Niikura 76kg- playoff match between Kagami and Moro Mens 57kg- Higuchi 65kg- Otoguro

Sorry about that, but you should have introduced yourself and post what you just posted. Here's the final day

Also forgot that Morikawa and Ishii are set for a playoff match as well. Been staying up all night watching, I'll be glad when it's over tonight/tomorrow morning

Forgot that Moro and Kagami will have a playoff match in a few weeks. I don't see Kagami losing.

Sorry, but a random guy with 1 post asking for things doesn't get that kind of info.

Forgot to say that Higuchi won at 57kg.

50kg- Susaki vs Yoshimoto tonight in the finals. Both look dominant 53kg- Kiyooka couldn't get in on Fujinami's legs at all and Fujinami dominates, 10-0. Kiyooka can still challenge for the 55kg spot. Shidochi and Okuno place 3rd. 57kg- Tsugumi Sakurai made Risako look half a step slow with a few takedowns and lace. She techs Riasko 11-1 in the semis and it'll be Nanjo vs Sakurai yet again. This will be the 3rd consecutive national tournament finals between these two with each having split the first two matches. Risako can still challenge for the 59kg spot. 76kg- 2022 World bronze Kagami has a tough match against teenager Moro and wins 2-1 to become the rep at 76kg. Mens- 65kg Otoguro squeaks by in both of his matches, 2-0 and 3-2. He'll be in tonight's final.

Its already going on now. Mat A has 60kg Greco and after that is the second round of 50kg(Susaki will have her first match), then 57kg.

This is gonna be interesting....at 57kg, Risako is on the same side of the bracket as Sakurai.

Yep. Both of them looked really, really good. There can only be one winner though.

Mens 57kg- Rei Higuchi is in the finals 65kg is tomorrow with Otoguro competing. Womens 53kg- Okuno vs Kiyooka. Early in the match, Okuno goes for a single and slips a little, Kiyooka capitalized and got the td. Okuno hit a really nice low single later on to make it 2-2. Late in the match, Kiyooka got a td right on the edge to win, 4-2. After Fujinami pinned Shidochi, she pinned again in the 2nd round when she was up 2-1. Fujinami vs Kiyooka in the finals. 59kg- Nagamoto(2017 WC) beats Sakano in the semis and beats Tokuhara in the finals, 6-3. Nagamoto was the 2017 cadet world silver. If Risako loses tomorrow, she can challenge for this spot. 62kg finals- Motoki vs Inagaki. Motoki scores first with a nice single and turn, 4-0. No other scores during the first period. With about a minute left, Motoki gets a feet to back, 8-0. Motoki the 62kg rep. 68kg- I was confused as to what was going on because I had incorrectly thought it was Kawai vs Ishii in the finals, but they did another round robin for the top 4 from yesterday. I will say, Furuichi looked really, really good down at 68kg. Ishii barely hung on against Furuichi, 5-3. Furuichi almost had a td right at the buzzer. Morikawa vs Ishii- Morikawa gets a 4 early, Ishii battles back, but it had a wild finish with Morikawa going for a single at the edge, both getting into a scramble position, Morikawa is able to stand up, holding Ishii's legs and turns Ishii to get exposure points. Kawai vs Furuichi- Kawai just edges out Furuichi by 3 right at the end of the match. Furuichi just about had a td right at the buzzer that would have given her the win, but Kawai slips out and goes behind. FINALS: Morikawa vs Kawai- Morikawa gets a td, then a pushout to make it 3-0. The rest of the second period, neither could get in clean, Morikawa wins, 3-0 and is the 68kg rep. 76kg- Kagami is 2-0 and it looks like she'll be the rep but you never know. Round robin here, too.

Fujinami just beat Shidochi by pin. The score was 7-2 at the time of the pin. Fujinami got a single to make it 2-0. Funjinami shot and got in on a leg, went for a turn, but Shidochi used momentum and turned Fujinami to make it 2-2, but Fujinami regained control, 3-2. After the break, Fujinami got in on another single to make it 5-2, then was going for a lace, but stood up and walked over shidochi to try and get a pin. Shidochi was bridging for a really long time, but Fujinami was just too good and finally secured the pin. Both looked amazingly sharp, but Fujinami was just faster and just a little sharper. Amazing.

55kg- Kataoka(21) beats Natami(19) in the finals, 4-2. Natami was the 2022 U20 WC and the 2019 U17 WC. 65kg- Yoshitake won 7-0 in the finals. She was the 2022 U20 WC at 65kg. She was also 1st at the Zagreb Open this year. 72kg- Shindo beat Niikura, 4-3 in the finals and there will be yet another new rep here. Shindo was 3rd at the U23 World Championships in 2019.

Morning update. 1st day of the Meiji Cup, greco and womens wrestling. 62kg- Not a huge shocker because their previous matches were decided by 1 or 2 points, Inagaki beats Ozaki 6-6 on criteria in the 2nd round. Motoki completely dominates with 2 pins and is in the finals against Inagaki. We'll only be seeing Ozaki at U23 and U23 now for Japan for 2 years unless something crazy happens in Serbia this year to Motoki. 68kg- Round robin going on in this weight, but in group A-Ishii beats Furuichi on criteria, 2-2. Also beat Matsuyuki, 8-2. in group B, Yukako Kawai won all 3 of her matches, including beating Miwa Morikawa 4-4 on criteria. It'll be Ishii vs Kawai in the finals.