The U.S. Women's team began their threat to Japan's stranglehold on the women's team title. While things didn't go perfectly, we're still in good shape.

Whitney Conder (50kg) had about as bad a draw as imaginable and is out. Victoria Francis lost a 1-move match in the quarters but was pulled back in and could score valuable points in repechage. Returning silver medalist Sarah Hidlebrandt (53kg) fell at the hands of returning champ Mukaida (JPN) who dropped from 55kg. Sarah has a tough one in repechage vs. Vinesh (IND) who beat her this season. But if she wins (and she can) she's a shoo-in for bronze.

Keeping us in contention are Japan's rare losses. On a day that featured the three lightest weights, American fans have to be feeling pretty good that one (Y. Irie) is out altogether and another one (Furuichi) is in repechage.

Here's more good news - we have four savages on deck ready to do work tomorrow - all of them with the ability to make deep runs. Read our draws for tomorrow.

The finals are set and it's good to see so many countries having success. Of the eight finalists tomorrow night, seven are from different nations.

Wednesday Finals 

50 KG Gold - M. Stadnyk (AZE) vs. E. Vuc (ROU)

53 KG Gold - M. Mukaida (JPN) vs. Y. Pak (PRK)

55 KG Gold - N. Irie (JPN) vs. J. Winchester (USA)

72 KG Gold - N. Vorobieva (RUS) vs. A. Berezhna (UKR)

Bracket notes and US results are below.

Related Resources 

Bracket Analysis 

Today's Match Notes

50 KG - Bracket Link

Prelims

An "upset" that really wasn't. Seema (IND) was the #2 seed, but Stadnyk (AZE) was for sure the expected winner. She took it 9-2 to move to the quarters. 

Quarters

Greece's Prevolaraki beat the #4 seed Valverde (ECU).

An absolute thriller in the bottom bracket with Yuki Irie (JPN) and Yanan Sun (CHN). For context, Irie beat two-time World champ Yui Sasaki out for the spot to represent Japan. Sun has two wins over Irie this season. Here, it was a 13-12 slugfest win for Sun after holding what appeared to be a commanding 11-3 lead.

World and Olympic bronze medalists SUN Yanan (CHN) uses a fix-point Suplex to secure her spot in the 50kg #WrestleNurSultan semifinals.

She'll take on eight-time world and Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) for a spot in the 50kg gold-medal bout. pic.twitter.com/2A25jL0iax

— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) September 17, 2019

Semis

Two wild ones! Veteran Mariyana Stadnyk (AZE) was cruising vs. Sun before a feet-to-back tied it. Stadnyk got a reversal and pushout to win 6-4 and in doing so, knocked out Irie from medal contention. 

In the other semi, former medalist Vuc (ROU) trailed 6-0 but roared back to take out Islamova (KAZ).

53 KG - Bracket Link

Prelims

The first bout on the mat was a matchup as good as one could expect. Vinesh pinned Hildebrandt (World Silver) this season and Mattsson is a perennial medal contender. Vinesh owned Mattsson in the first, four takedowns to zero before the break. She went feet-to-back in the 2nd to complete the tech of the seven-time World/OLY medalist.

Vinesh (IND) has never had good showings at Worlds. Her highest place was 10th. But she's been wrestling really well and her match with Mukaida drew interest. She put up a good fight, but Mukaida had a sequence where she scored 6 in a bunch to pace her to a 7-0 win.

Quarters 

The big match is at the top where last year's 55kg Champ, Mukaida battles 53kg silver Hildebrandt. Mukaida controlled the match with excellent leg attacks and rolled to a 12-1 tech.

Semi's

A slow burn for Mukaida who didn't score much but who was also never threatened.

Pak (PRK) was in on a gazillion shots but couldn't finish on Pang (CHN) who held a 2-0 lead with less than a half a period to go. When Pak did finish one of her shots....leg lace...ball game. 

55 KG - Bracket Link

Quarters 

No upsets but there is a developing story. Jacarra Winchester will face Bediha Gun. It's a Winchester Gun semi.

Semi's 

Irie (JPN) smoked Sedneva (KAZ). Jacarra was the better wrestler throughout but lost a key exchange early and went to the break 2-2. She eventually went up 6-2 and went on cruise control to make the World FINALS!

72 KG - Bracket Link

Quarters

Generally speaking, there were no upsets in the quarters at this weight. All four of the seeds made the semis.

Victoria Francis lost a one-move match to Ukraine on a 1st period headlock.

Semi's 

All Vorobeva (RUS) in the top half semi as she finished off the tech with a chin whip counter. 

Berezhna (UKR) got the job done in a tight one to pull Francis back in.

USA Women's Results

50 KG - Whitney Conder

Prelims: loss to Son Hyang Kim (PRK), 6-0

*Kim lost the next round, eliminating Conder.

53 KG - Sarah Hildebrandt

Prelims - tf. over T. Bui (VIE), 10-0, 1:13

Quarters - tf. loss to Mukaida (JPN), 12-1, 4:50

55 KG - Jacarra Winchester

Prelims: tf. J. Nadirova (KGZ), 10-0, 1:06

Quarters - tf. B. Bat-Ochir (MGL), 13-2, 3:41

Semi's - def. Bediha Gun (TUR), 6-4

72 KG - Victoria Francis

Prelims - fall over Dejah Slater (CAN), 1st period

Quarters - loss to A. Berezhna (UKR), 4-0