#WrestleZagreb

In 68kg debut, Blades suplexes her way to gold

Saturday, February 8, 2025 - 06:55 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 8) -- Kennedy BLADES (USA) may have changed her weight class but there was no change in her style. Wrestling at 68kg, down from 76kg in which she won the Paris Olympics silver medal, Blades won the gold medal at Zagreb Open Ranking Series on Friday.

READ MORE: Blades shines, Jafarov injured

In a round-robin bracket which had four bouts for each wrestler, Blades was a notch above the rest as she secured two falls and two victory via superiority with none of the four bouts going to the second period.

Blades had moved from 76kg to 68kg for this tournament and is expected to remain at this weight class for the Los Angeles Olympic cycle.

"I feel really good," Blades said about the weight cut. "I ate the night so I'm just happy that I have a lot of energy still, and I was able to use my power, even though same day weigh-in. I'm feeling great."

Kennedy BLADES (USA)Kennedy BLADES (USA) completes a suplex over Karolina POK (HUN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Blades began the day with a fall over Kendra DACHER (FRA) and another over world bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) before Noémi SZABADOS (HUN) became the victim of her pace. Blades' moment of the day came in the Round 5 in the evening session when she launched a near-perfect suplex against Karolina POK (HUN). She was awarded five points for the suplex.

"I feel like a lot of people overlook wrestling," she said. "So I just want to make it as exciting as possible, and if I can do a big move or make it like, oh, then I just go for the big move."

The move over Pok reminded wrestling fans of the beautiful suplex Blades performed over Catalina AXENTE (ROU) at the Paris Olympics in the first bout itself. Blades went on to win the silver medal, and five months later she has captured her first Ranking Series gold medal using the same move.

"I've just been with my college team at University of Iowa," she said. "After Olympics, I only took about two weeks off because I was like I have college season. So I eased into it. I've just been competing and training hard and I just feel very prepared for what's to come."

At 68kg, Amit ELOR (USA) is the Olympic champion but with a new Olympic cycle, it is expected that she will be at 72kg before moving around to decide which weight class is beneficial for her. Blades hinted she will remain at 68kg for the World Championships.

"Honestly, I'm still deciding what I want to do," Blades said. "But I just feel really good at this whole tournament. I know it was plus two kilos, but I mean, I weighed like 68.9kg and I was like hydrated. So I'm like I'm fine. We'll see. I feel like it might be the move, so I just have to talk to my coaches, I'm going to figure some things out."

The U.S. won another gold medal at 62kg as Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) won three bouts in the round-robin bracket, keeping a clean slate.

Nwachukwu was in trouble of finishing second as former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) was winning 2-0 with less than 20 seconds left. However, Nwachukwu got a takedown and a turn to win the bout and confirm her gold medal.

In an all Azerbaijan final at 59kg, Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) defeated Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 4-2, winning the gold medal.

Greco-Roman also began on Friday and Iran had a forgetful day in office. Treating the Zagreb Open as a trial for the Asian Championships, Iran had brought multiple wrestlers in various categories.

But it failed to win gold medal in the two Greco-Roman weight classes in action on Friday and drew a blank at 67kg.

U20 world champion Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) dropped his semifinal against Valentin PETIC (MDA) 6-1 and then lost his bronze medal bout. Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) stopped Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI), 10-1, in the other semifinal.

Joergensen capped off his day with a stunning 9-1 win over Petic in the 67kg to win the gold medal.

At 63kg, U23 world silver medalist Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) dominated the field and defeated Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI), via fall in the final to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

59kg
GOLD: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 4-2

BRONZE: Micheala BECK (USA) df. Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA), via inj. def.

62kg
GOLD: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA)
SILVER: Amina TANDELOVA (AIN)
BRONZE: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)

65kg
GOLD: Dinara KUDAEVA (AIN)
SILVER: Eniko ELEKES (HUN)
BRONZE: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN)

68kg
GOLD: Kennedy BLADES (USA)
SILVER: Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
BRONZE: Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)

Greco-Roman

63kg
GOLD: Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) df. Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI), via fall (10-0)

BRONZE: Ellis COLEMAN (USA) df. Ziya BABASHOV (AZE), 5-3
BRONZE: AYTJAN KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 5-4

67kg
GOLD: Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) df. Valentin PETIC (MDA), 9-1

BRONZE: Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) df. Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI), 5-0
BRONZE: Dominik ETLINGER (CRO) df. Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI), 10-1

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series 2026 Day 2 Live Blog

Thursday, July 16, 2026 - 08:34 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 16) -- The second day of the Budapest Ranking Series will see four Freestyle and two Women's Wrestling weight classes. In Freestyle, it will be 79kg, 92kg, 97kg and 125kg while for Women's it will be 50kg and 55kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

WW 55kg semifinals - Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR) scored one takedown before the break and then hung on that 2-1 lead to beat Karla GODINEZ (CAN) and enter the final. She will face Hansika LAMBA (IND) for the gold medal after the Indian mounted a comeback to beat Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER), 10-7. Down 7-2, Lamba powered her way to four different takedowns to claim the win and a spot in the final.

WW 50kg semifinals - Samara CHAVEZ (USA) with a fall over Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) to move into the final at 50kg. She scored a takedown and then turn to hold Bayanova in the position and secure the pin. She will face Ziqi FENG (CHN) for the gold after she rolled to a 12-2 victory over Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU).

125kg semifinals - Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) uses the lace to beat BUHEEERDUN (CHN) via technical superiority and set up a clash against Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) in the final. Kosciolek used a headlock and three turns to be up 6-0 against Mason PARRIS (USA) and got one point for lost challenge from the United States. He then used a bodythrow to get his 13-0 victory.

97kg semifinals - Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) forfeits his 97kg semifinal against Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) due to an injury. Tsakulov, the European silver medalist, will face Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) for the gold medal after the Bahrain wrestler pinned Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL). Tazhudinov built a 6-0 lead before a takedown and cradle for the fall.

92kg semifinals - Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR) has no problem in seeing off Zeteny GANGL (HUN) completing an 11-0 win. But he will have his task cut out in the final against European champion Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) who also posted an 11-0 win over Fatih ALTUNBAS (TUR).

79kg semifinals - Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) with a late takedown to complete a 5-3 win over Luka CHKHITUNIDZE (GEO) and make the final. He will take on Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) who scored a come-from-behind victory over Aykan SEID (BUL), winning 9-7.

13:05: Upset of the day as U17 world champion Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) scores a takedown in final 10 seconds to beat world bronze medalist Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) 4-3 at 125kg and advance to the semifinals.

12:55: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) with a comeback and win over Karadeniz SULEYMAN (TUR) to advance to the 97kg semifinal. Aitmukhan was down 3-1 but scored a takedown to make it 3-3 on criteria before chipping away for a 6-4 win.

12:40: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) into the 97kg semifinals with a 12-0 win over Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA). He began with a stepout when Viskhanov was on the activity clock and then scored two points for exposure to lead 4-0. Viskhanov was cautioned for fleeing and the bout restarted in par terre with Tazhudinov leading 6-0. He did not score there but managed four-pointer little later to win

12:30: A stunning result at 50kg as Samara CHAVEZ (USA) beats European champion Oksana LIVACH (UKR), 11-0, in the quarterfinals. She did not let Livach settle down and went for it straight off the whistle. Solid win for Chavez

12:05: Asian bronze medalist Ziqi FENG (CHN) with that strong gut-wrench to beat Katie DUTCHAK (CAN) and advance at 50kg.

12:00: Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND) with a fall over Pan-American champion Katie GOMEZ (USA) at 50kg. Gomez was the first to take the lead but Prajapat gets on the legs and finishes the bout with a pin.

11:45: Aykan SEID (BUL) will move into the second round at 79kg after Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) forfeits due to an injury. 

11:40: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) left it late but still managed to beat DINESH (IND) in his opening bout at 125kg. Sharipov was called passive and then gave a stepout as Dinesh built a 2-0 lead. But Sharipov with a takedown and turn in the final 30 seconds to claim the victory.

11:30: European champion Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) survives a scare against Dustin PLOTT (USA) at 92kg. After a sequence, Tcokaev was down 6-2 but managed to score a four-point throw when Plott tried to hit a head pinch but Tcokaev blocked him. He then scored a takedown to claim an 8-6 win.

11:25: 2023 world champion at 92kg Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) with a fall over Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) at 97kg. Aitmukhan trailed Margishvili but managed to score a takedown and hold the Georgian till the fall was called. 

11:20: Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) rolls to a 10-0 technical superiority win over Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR) in his opening bout.

11:15: Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR) and Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) kept scoring on each other and put on 28 points in the 92kg bout. Aliiev comes out as a 16-12 winner against Maisuradze is really bizarre bout

11:05: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) holds on to his 3-1 lead against Robert BARAN (POL) and start his campaign at 125kg with a win.

11:00: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) manages to hold on for a 5-3 win over Yerkhan ABIL (KAZ) at 79kg. He led 4-3 and went into the defensive. Kazakhstan challenged at the end for fleeing but lost the challenge to add one more point to his score.

10:50: A close win for European champion Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in her opening bout against former U17 world champion Kaura COLES (CAN) at 50kg. Livach with a double-leg attack for the takedown and two stepouts to claim a 4-0 win.

10:40: Former world silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND), who is wrestling to at 97kg, drops his opening bout against Benjamin HONIS (ITA), 6-3. He led 1-0 at the break but Honis clearly had the upper hand in strength and answered with three takedowns in the second period.