'26 Zagreb Open (2/4-8)

[Tom McAndrew]

Next on the International calendar is the Zagreb Open. It is being held in Zagreb, Croatia, on Feb. 4 through 8. It is the first UWW Ranking Series event on the international calendar this year.

Please use this thread for all pre-tournament, in-tournament, and post-tournament discussion.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

The only entrants with PSU/NLWC affiliations are:

MFS:
70 Kg - Tyler Kasak
125 Kg - Ceron Francisco

 

[Fan16801]

Brackets are up. https://arena.uww.org/weight-category/1f0f6860-c6d0-6cc4-accc-fb0e739a0b89

 

[86PSUPaul]

According to Tyler's uncle he should be on at about 4:30 am EST

 

[GregPickel]

According to Tyler's uncle he should be on at about 4:30 am EST

Ha, I was just trying to do that math (I’m rusty after not having much International action to follow since the summer). Good deal. Thanks!

 

[nerfstate]

The only entrants with PSU/NLWC affiliations are:

MFS:
70 Kg - Tyler Kasak
125 Kg - Ceron Francisco

Looks like RBY is in (for Mexico) at 57Kg.

 

[GregPickel]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[zzs006]

I can’t wait. Great US contingent. Going to be a ton of great matches

 

[zzs006]

RBY vs Anthony Knox second round if Roman wins his first match. We could also get a Spencer vs Ankush semi

McKenna vs Suda first round. Winner likely gets Sujeet

70kg is a really good weight. We get Henson vs Elahi first round. Kasak should cruise through his first match and then face Abhimanyou of India. Winner of that most likely will face the winner of Parker vs Khalili. The top side of the bracket is loaded. It has Henson, Elahi, Kemertelidze, Musukaev, and Abdurachmanov. Loaded weight class

74kg could have one of the best matchups of the tournament with Carr vs Aoyagi. Aoyagi has James Green first round. Mesenbrink took out Aoyagi in an absolutely incredible match in the U23 finals.

Not a lot of known names at 79kg. There are 3 Americans with Hamiti vs Wick a possible semi. Wick would need to beat the winner of Biro vs Amit

86kg is going to be incredible weight to follow. We have world champion Zahid but also 79kg world champion Kougioumtsidis who beat Levi in the finals. Those 2 are on the same side and could meet in the semis. Kougioumtsidis has Shamispour first round. Zahid will have Gamkrelidze second round. Savadkouhi and Keck on the bottom side. Great weight. I am really interested in Zahid vs Kougio

92kg has a round robin format. On the bottom we get Hidlay, Azimi, and Rahmani. Absolutely fire match’s all the way around. I do think Hidlay wins though

97kg has the return of Yazdani!! 2 weights up and coming off injury however. Will be fascinating to see where he’s at. The bottom side is loaded with U20 silver and senior 5th placer Kamil Kurugliyev, Yazdani, Sharipov, and Margishvili. Up top is Buchanan, Vicky, Arsunkaev, and Vishkanov

Heavyweight isn’t a great weight. No big names entered. Wyatt should win but will have to get by Baran and the winner of Iran vs Bajcajev.

Should be incredible tournament with a bunch of really great matches. I’m most interested in Zahid vs Kougio, Hidlay vs both Azimi and Rahmani, Carr vs Aoyagi, all the 70kg matches, and hopefully another match between RBY and Spencer

 

[zzs006]

Anyone watching this morning?

 

[zzs006]

Carr vs Iran up first

Carr up 2-0 right away. That’s how the period ends

Iran drops in on a single and finishes. 2-2

Carr defends a shot. Comes around but only gets the stepout. 3-2

Carr from short offense runs one way and then the other and gets the Td. Then a turn and it’s 7-2 Carr

Another Td for Carr. 9-2

Iranian is tired! Td Carr. 11-2. Bar and half for the fall!!

Tough first 4 minutes and then the Iranian died on the mat

 

[zzs006]

Desanto wins 11-11 on criteria with a td in the last :05 against Momeni from Iran!!
A longgggg review after the matches. Probably 5 minutes and still going. Desanto is pissed. Not sure what’s happening

Wow!! After 5+ min the review comes back and Desanto loses. No idea what happened

 

[zzs006]

Aoyagi vs Green up now

Super boring first period. Aoyagi up 1-0 on a shot clock point. No committed attacks by either guy

Aoyagi on the clock now. 1-1

Aoyagi defends and gets 1 on a step out. 2-1

Beautiful attack from Aoyagi on the edge and he gets 2 going out of bounds. 4-1

Another Td from Aoyagi on the edge. 6-1 and that’s how it ends

 

[zzs006]

Shamsipour comes storming back and beats Kougio 7-6!! Was down 6-1 in the second. Big upset of the 2025 79kg world champion

 

[zzs006]

Elahi vs Henson up on mat 3

Zahid vs Mann on mat 2

I’m watching Elahi vs Henson

Elahi hits a pass by for 2 but could’ve been 4. 2-0

Step out Elahi. 3-0

Kasak up so switching to him

Elahi up 5-1 with 1:30 to go

Henson with 2 tds to lead on criteria and that’s how it ends!! Great comeback. Elahi is absolutely spent

Zahid wins by tech

 

[zzs006]

Kasak vs Seiwald

Kasak with a double and converts. 2-0. Goes bow and arrow which he rolls through for 2. 4-0

Kasak spins out of a 2-1 to a shot and gets the Td. 6-0

Kasak with a step out. 7-0

Kasak tries spinning out of a 2 on 1 again but this time gives up his legs. Defends and no points

7-0 at the break

Kasak with a sweep single and gets the Td into a turn and it’s an 11-0 tech!

 

[zzs006]

Carr vs Jacques up on mat 3.

Jacques strikes first. 2-0

I’m trying to watch 2 matches so missing some action. 3-2 Carr with 1:30 left

Carr with a td and turned. 9-2

 

[zzs006]

Zahid vs Gamkredlidze on mat 4

Zahid on the clock first

1 on a step out for Gamkredlidze plus the shot clock point. 2-0

Gamkredlidze with another stepout. 3-0

Zahid having trouble generating offense

Gamkredlidze with a td and 3 guts! He techs Zahid 11-0

Wow! Gamkredlidze is tough but did not see that result coming

 

[zzs006]

RBY vs Knox coming up now on mat 3

Knox in deep and converts on the edge. 2-0

RBY. Gets 1 back. 2-1

RBY with a drag go behind for 2. 3-2

Another go behind for another Td. 5-2. Into a trap arm for 2. 7-2

RBY killing Knox from short offense

another Td for RBY into a gut and it’s 11-2

11-2 at the break

Zain is in RBY’s corner and he’s sporting a sweet stache

RBY with a step out and it’s a 12-2 tech for RBY

 

[Misalorales]

Zahid vs Gamkredlidze on mat 4

Zahid on the clock first

1 on a step out for Gamkredlidze plus the shot clock point. 2-0

Gamkredlidze with another stepout. 3-0

Zahid having trouble generating offense

Gamkredlidze with a td and 3 guts! He techs Zahid 11-0

Wow! Gamkredlidze is tough but did not see that result coming

Wow....Zahid is hard to figure out. Otherworldly talent though.

 

[zzs006]

Spencer vs Tuskaev on mat 2

Spencer strikes first with a step out 1-0

Tuskaev on the clock

point for Lee. 2-0

Spencer in deep but only gets 1. 3-0

Spencer with another step out. 4-0

4-0 at the break

Absolutely boring second period. Nothing happened and Spencer wins 4-0

 

[CaliPSUfan]

@zzs006 thanks for the pbp on this! I just got up and have to get ready for the day so I can’t watch, but love the updates!

 

[zzs006]

Kasak vs Abhimanyou on mat 1

Kasak on the clock first

Abhimanyou in deep and gets 1 plus the shot clock point. 2-0

Kasak charges in but gets matadored. 3-0

3-0 at the break

Scramble and Kasak gives up an exposure that I thought could’ve went his way. Kasak challenging. Will be 6-0 or 3-2. Challenge lost. 6-0

Kasak gives up another Td. 8-0 and into a lace. Kasak gets teched 10-0. Not a great match by our boy

 

[WexfordWarrior]

Kasak loses 10-0.

 

[zzs006]

Henson wins by tech 11-1 vs Abdurachmanov

 

[zzs006]

@zzs006 thanks for the pbp on this! I just got up and have to get ready for the day so I can’t watch, but love the updates!

I’m no @SlipperyPete but I’m trying

 

[zzs006]

McKenna vs Suda

Suda was Ono’s understudy who had a great year last year

Suda on the clock and McKenna goes up 1-0

McKenna in deep but just walks Suda out for his 1. 2-0

2-0 at the break

Suda upping his attack rate. Good scramble and Suda gets 2 and McKenna 1. Challenge by Suda. Challenge won but not really. All points taken away so it’s back to 2-0

Suda tries going big and goes straight to his back. 4 for McKenna. 6-0

McKenna with a step out. 7-0

Huge win for McKenna against a super tough Suda. 7-0 win

 

[zzs006]

Sasaki vs Spencer on Mat 3 in 10 min. Should be a good one. Running up against rest requirements so all mats are on a holding pattern

 

[zzs006]

Sasaki vs Spencer on mat 3 and RBY vs Iran on mat 2

I’ll follow RBY more closely but try and keep up on both

No real action in the first 1:30. Valizadeh goes on the clock. RBY defends a deep shot and goes up 1-0

RBY adds a step out. 2-0

2-0 at the break. Roman was close to scoring at the buzzer

Spencer up 6-2 at the break

RBY with a textbook drag go behind for 2. 4-0

Exact same position but just 1 point this time. 5-0. Challenge by Iran

RBY just dominating from short offense in both his matches

Spencer up 8-2

Challenge lost. rBY up 6-0 now

Short offense to a single and Roman converts. 8-0

Step out RBY. 9-0.

RBY with another step out and that’s it. 10-0 tech. Really impressive showing by RBY. He looks incredible

Spencer wins as well so we get another round of RBY vs Spencer. It’s been getting closer each time and I think this one could be super tight

 

[GregPickel]

Thanks for the updates this morning, @zzs006!

 

[Fan16801]

Oh wow, Spence Lee vs RBY final. Fire.

 

[nerfstate]

Cody is in RBY’s corner and he’s sporting a sweet stache

pretty sure that’s Zain.

 

[kingstown]

It is Zain with the sweet stash. Thank you zzs006 for doing this!

 

[zzs006]

Sujeet vs McKenna

McKenna goes sucker drag but gives up a Td. 2 guts makes it 6-0

Td Sujeet and it’s 8-0

Sujeet with a td and it’s over. 10-0 tech

After a great showing against Suda, McKenna looked flat

 

[zzs006]

pretty sure that’s Zain.

Not sure how I messed up Zain and Cody. Must have been focused on the beautiful stache

I also saw Varner during Kasak’s match but wasn’t sure who the other coach was. Please let me know

 

[nerfstate]

Not sure how I messed up Zain and Cody. Must have been focused on the beautiful stache

It is a good ‘un!

 

[zzs006]

Abhimanyou loses to Khalili in the semis and Kasak is out

 

[zzs006]

Henson’s pace is a real weapon. He has worn every opponent out. Kemertelidze was up 6-0. Henson cuts it to 6-3. Kemertelidze evades the last :30 and only gives up a stepout. Henson loses 6-4 but Kemertelidze can barely stand

 

[zzs006]

Carr vs Elbakidze on mat 2

Aoyagi on mat 3

Absolutely beautiful double by Carr! 2-0. Looked like Burroughs in his prime

Carr goes one way and then the other from front head and gets the Td. 4-0

Step out Elbakidze. 4-1

4-1 at the break

Carr with a go behind and it’s 6-1

Carr with a td into a lace. Multiple turns and it’s over!! 12-1 tech for Carr

Carr vs Aoyagi final!! Fire matchup. I’m leaning Carr. He has looked incredible and Aoyagi has looked a bit flat