UPDATE: Kelly wins silver, USA gets four No-Gi medals at Grappling Worlds in Turkey
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Photos of Mike Kelly of the United States competing at the 2015 Grappling World Championships by Robbert Wijtman, CSC Photography.
ALANYA, Turkey - Mike Kelly (Hebron, Ill./Edge MMA & Fitness) won a silver medal at 77 kg/169.5 lbs., one of four No-Gi medalists for Team USA at the UWW Grappling World Championships on Saturday.
Kelly won three straight matches to qualify for the championship finals match. He stopped Aydin Can of Turkey, 2-0, then put away Adam Falatovics of Hungary by submission with a north/south choke. His 5-0 win over Vassililos Korozidis of Greece put him in the finals.
In the gold-medal bout, Kelly was defeated by Magomed Abdukadirov of Russia by submission, with a kimura armlock.
It was Kelly’s seventh career Senior World medal in United World Wrestling events, including two silvers and five bronzes. He has now won the most UWW World No-Gi medals in U.S. history with seven, breaking his tie at six with women’s star Tara LaRosa. Kelly also boasts a UWW Veterans No-Gi Grappling World title from earlier this year.
Winning a second career UWW World bronze medal was Matt Holt (Temecula, Calif./Checkmat) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Holt won his other World bronze medal in 2013.
Holt opened with a pair of submissions, stopping Cagdas Ozsari of Turkey with an ankle lock in the first match, then Sachin of India with a rear naked choke in the second match. He was defeated by Zaynutdin Zaynukov of Russia by submission in a rear naked choke.
In his bronze-medal bout, Holt dominated Alessio Vittori of Italy, 9-2.
Holt was a talented Greco-Roman wrestler before pursuing his Grappling career.
Both women’s athletes on the U.S. team won bronze medals, Jessica Philippus (Glenwood, Iowa/MidAmerica Martial Arts) at 53 kg/116.5 lbs. and Bethany Marshall (New Port, Va./Modern American MMA) at 58 kg/127.5 lbs. Both were competing in their first World Championships for the USA.
Phillipus finished with a 1-1 record, including a submission on a rear naked choke in her bronze-medal bout over Merve Turi of Turkey.
Marshall had an 0-3 record in her round-robin competition.
Placing fifth at 92 kg/202.5 lbs. was Frank Lavoie (Littleton, Colo./Littleton) in his first Worlds appearance. Lavoie opened with a submission win over Mahesh Kayath of India) by rear naked choke. He dropped his next two bouts to opponents from Russia and Kazakhstan.
Russia dominated the No-Gi competition, winning 11 gold medals, including all of the men’s No-Gi golds. The other gold medals, both in women’s No-Gi, were won by Italy and Ukraine.
It is the first time one nation has swept all of the men’s No-Gi golds since the United States achieved that feat back in 2007.
The United States placed fourth in the team standings with Russia in first with 100 points, Ukraine in second with 84 points and France in third with 74 points. This was a strong finish for Team USA, considering two of the men on the team did not compete due to travel difficulties, and the U.S. also had three openings on its women’s team.
“As always, this was a great event and the level of competition worldwide just gets better and better every year. We brought in a green team this year, with only two veteran returning World medalists on the team. When I saw all the full teams in attendance, knowing we were forfeiting five weight classes, I know it would be very tough for us to earn a team trophy this year,” said U.S. coach Sheldon Marr.
“The U.S. team always puts up a fight, and that’s just what we did today. Everybody on the team fought their hardest, and although we made our share of mistakes, we still managed four medals and made it to the final four as a team. Congratulations to the three teams that beat us this year, but also congratulations to Team USA for doing your best and putting up a good fight. We will be back!!!” said Marr.
The Gi-Grappling competition will be hosted on Sunday. The USA is expected to have a few entries in this competition.
The U.S. team is coached by Sheldon Marr of Denver, Colo., who has been a U.S. World Team coach since 2007.
GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Alanya, Turkey, October 10
U.S. Men’s No-Gi performance
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Matt Holt, Temecula, Calif. (Checkmat), bronze medal
WIN Cagdas Ozsari (Turkey), submission, ankle lock
WIN Sachin (India), submission, rear naked choke
LOSS Zaynutdin Zaynukov (Russia), submission, rear naked choke
WIN Alessio Vittori (Italy), 9-2
71 kg/156 lbs. – Mitch Peterson, Gering, Neb. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
LOSS Francisco Alcalde (Spain), submission, armbar
77 kg/169.5 lbs. – Mike Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Edge MMA & Fitness), silver medal
WIN Aydin Can (Turkey), 2-0
WIN Adam Falatovics (Hungary), submission, north/south choke
WIN Vassililos Korozidis (Greece), 5-0
LOSS Magomed Abdukadirov (Russia), submission, kimura armlock
84 kg/185 lbs. – Scott Wendel, Charlotte, N.C. (Pan Am Wrestling)
WIN Krishan Kumar (India), submission, rear naked choke
LOSS Viateslav Karypidis (Greece), 0-5
92 kg/202.5 lbs. – Frank Lavoie, Littleton, Colo. (Littleton), 5th
WIN Mahesh Kayath (India), submission, rear naked choke
LOSS Ruslan Abdulaev (Russia), submission, ankle lock
LOSS Dauren Ermekov (Kazakhstan), submission, rear-naked choke
Over 100 kg/Unlimited – Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
LOSS Mehmet Eren (Turkey), 0-15
U.S. Women’s No-Gi performance
53 kg/116.5 lbs.– Jessica Philippus, Glenwood, Iowa (MidAmerica Martial Arts), bronze medal
LOSS Ekaterina Skorobogataya (Russia), submission, rear naked choke
WIN Merve Turi (Turkey), submission, rear naked choke
58 kg – Bethany Marshall, New Port, Va. (Modern American MMA), bronze medal
LOSS Victoriya Litvinova (Russia), submission, rear naked choke
LOSS Viktoriia Syniavina (Ukraine), submission, ankle lock
LOSS Maria Pacchiarotta (Italy), 2-5
Top five teams
1. Russia, 100 pts.
2. Ukraine, 84 pts.
3. France, 74 pts.
4. United States, 65 pts.
5. Italy, 60 pts.
ALANYA, Turkey - Mike Kelly (Hebron, Ill./Edge MMA & Fitness) won a silver medal at 77 kg/169.5 lbs., one of four No-Gi medalists for Team USA at the UWW Grappling World Championships on Saturday.
Kelly won three straight matches to qualify for the championship finals match. He stopped Aydin Can of Turkey, 2-0, then put away Adam Falatovics of Hungary by submission with a north/south choke. His 5-0 win over Vassililos Korozidis of Greece put him in the finals.
In the gold-medal bout, Kelly was defeated by Magomed Abdukadirov of Russia by submission, with a kimura armlock.
It was Kelly’s seventh career Senior World medal in United World Wrestling events, including two silvers and five bronzes. He has now won the most UWW World No-Gi medals in U.S. history with seven, breaking his tie at six with women’s star Tara LaRosa. Kelly also boasts a UWW Veterans No-Gi Grappling World title from earlier this year.
Winning a second career UWW World bronze medal was Matt Holt (Temecula, Calif./Checkmat) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Holt won his other World bronze medal in 2013.
Holt opened with a pair of submissions, stopping Cagdas Ozsari of Turkey with an ankle lock in the first match, then Sachin of India with a rear naked choke in the second match. He was defeated by Zaynutdin Zaynukov of Russia by submission in a rear naked choke.
In his bronze-medal bout, Holt dominated Alessio Vittori of Italy, 9-2.
Holt was a talented Greco-Roman wrestler before pursuing his Grappling career.
Both women’s athletes on the U.S. team won bronze medals, Jessica Philippus (Glenwood, Iowa/MidAmerica Martial Arts) at 53 kg/116.5 lbs. and Bethany Marshall (New Port, Va./Modern American MMA) at 58 kg/127.5 lbs. Both were competing in their first World Championships for the USA.
Phillipus finished with a 1-1 record, including a submission on a rear naked choke in her bronze-medal bout over Merve Turi of Turkey.
Marshall had an 0-3 record in her round-robin competition.
Placing fifth at 92 kg/202.5 lbs. was Frank Lavoie (Littleton, Colo./Littleton) in his first Worlds appearance. Lavoie opened with a submission win over Mahesh Kayath of India) by rear naked choke. He dropped his next two bouts to opponents from Russia and Kazakhstan.
Russia dominated the No-Gi competition, winning 11 gold medals, including all of the men’s No-Gi golds. The other gold medals, both in women’s No-Gi, were won by Italy and Ukraine.
It is the first time one nation has swept all of the men’s No-Gi golds since the United States achieved that feat back in 2007.
The United States placed fourth in the team standings with Russia in first with 100 points, Ukraine in second with 84 points and France in third with 74 points. This was a strong finish for Team USA, considering two of the men on the team did not compete due to travel difficulties, and the U.S. also had three openings on its women’s team.
“As always, this was a great event and the level of competition worldwide just gets better and better every year. We brought in a green team this year, with only two veteran returning World medalists on the team. When I saw all the full teams in attendance, knowing we were forfeiting five weight classes, I know it would be very tough for us to earn a team trophy this year,” said U.S. coach Sheldon Marr.
“The U.S. team always puts up a fight, and that’s just what we did today. Everybody on the team fought their hardest, and although we made our share of mistakes, we still managed four medals and made it to the final four as a team. Congratulations to the three teams that beat us this year, but also congratulations to Team USA for doing your best and putting up a good fight. We will be back!!!” said Marr.
The Gi-Grappling competition will be hosted on Sunday. The USA is expected to have a few entries in this competition.
The U.S. team is coached by Sheldon Marr of Denver, Colo., who has been a U.S. World Team coach since 2007.
GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Alanya, Turkey, October 10
U.S. Men’s No-Gi performance
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Matt Holt, Temecula, Calif. (Checkmat), bronze medal
WIN Cagdas Ozsari (Turkey), submission, ankle lock
WIN Sachin (India), submission, rear naked choke
LOSS Zaynutdin Zaynukov (Russia), submission, rear naked choke
WIN Alessio Vittori (Italy), 9-2
71 kg/156 lbs. – Mitch Peterson, Gering, Neb. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
LOSS Francisco Alcalde (Spain), submission, armbar
77 kg/169.5 lbs. – Mike Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Edge MMA & Fitness), silver medal
WIN Aydin Can (Turkey), 2-0
WIN Adam Falatovics (Hungary), submission, north/south choke
WIN Vassililos Korozidis (Greece), 5-0
LOSS Magomed Abdukadirov (Russia), submission, kimura armlock
84 kg/185 lbs. – Scott Wendel, Charlotte, N.C. (Pan Am Wrestling)
WIN Krishan Kumar (India), submission, rear naked choke
LOSS Viateslav Karypidis (Greece), 0-5
92 kg/202.5 lbs. – Frank Lavoie, Littleton, Colo. (Littleton), 5th
WIN Mahesh Kayath (India), submission, rear naked choke
LOSS Ruslan Abdulaev (Russia), submission, ankle lock
LOSS Dauren Ermekov (Kazakhstan), submission, rear-naked choke
Over 100 kg/Unlimited – Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
LOSS Mehmet Eren (Turkey), 0-15
U.S. Women’s No-Gi performance
53 kg/116.5 lbs.– Jessica Philippus, Glenwood, Iowa (MidAmerica Martial Arts), bronze medal
LOSS Ekaterina Skorobogataya (Russia), submission, rear naked choke
WIN Merve Turi (Turkey), submission, rear naked choke
58 kg – Bethany Marshall, New Port, Va. (Modern American MMA), bronze medal
LOSS Victoriya Litvinova (Russia), submission, rear naked choke
LOSS Viktoriia Syniavina (Ukraine), submission, ankle lock
LOSS Maria Pacchiarotta (Italy), 2-5
Top five teams
1. Russia, 100 pts.
2. Ukraine, 84 pts.
3. France, 74 pts.
4. United States, 65 pts.
5. Italy, 60 pts.
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