Alex Dieringer wins gold at 2019 Yasar Dogu International

Alex Dieringer, a three-time NCAA wrestling champion and 2016 Dan Hodge Trophy winner at Oklahoma State, defeated Akhsarbek Gulaev of Slovakia 4-1 to win gold at 79 kilograms in men’s freestyle at the Yasar Dogu International on Saturday in Istanbul, Turkey.

Dieringer took a 3-0 lead at the break with a takedown and a step out. He earned another point on passivity then gave up his lone point of the tournament on a step out with 25 seconds left in the match.

In the semifinals, Dieringer scored a takedown in the final 40 seconds to pull away with a 4-0 decision over this year’s Asian champion Bahman Teymouri of Iran. Dieringer used a four-point move and added three tilts with a gut wrench in his opening match for a 10-0 technical fall in 54 seconds against Abubakr Abakarov of Azerbaijan.

The Yasar Dogu International is the final event in the UWW Rankings Series this season. Competitors earned placement points toward their seeds at this year’s World Championships. The four wrestlers with the most placements points per weight class will be seeded accordingly at the World Championships in September in Kazakhstan.

Dieringer took bronze at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in January then won the Dan Kolov International in March.

Dieringer will have a best-of-three series wrestle-off against reigning World champion Kyle Dake on Aug. 17 in Austin, Texas, to determine the 79kg men’s freestyle spot on the United States’ World team.

Dieringer results

WIN Akhsarbek Gulaev (Slovakia), 4-1

WIN Bahman Teymouri (Iran), 4-0

WIN Abubakr Abakarov (Azerbaijan), 10-0