#WrestleAstana

Asian Championships freestyle brackets breakdown

By Vinay Siwach

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (April 12) -- If freestyle is exciting on the mat, the draws paint an even better picture. The freestyle draws for the Asian Championships concluded Wednesday with wrestlers from 10 weight classes receiving them. Freestyle begins Thursday with 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg wrestlers going on the mat and the wrestlers from the remaining five on Friday.

Wrestling will begin at 11:00 am on Thursday and Friday instead of the regular 11:00 am. The timing for the medal bouts remains the same -- 18:00 hours.

57kg
Wanhao ZOU (CHN) gets the number seed and he will be waiting for the winner of Nodirjon SAFAROV (UZB) and Sunggwon KIM (KOR) to meet in the quarterfinal. If he wins, he will reach the semifinals which will be a tough battle.

The top half has Alireza SARLAK (IRI) wrestling Rikuto ARAI (JPN) in the qualification and the winner will take on AMAN (IND) in the quarterfinal as he is the fourth seed.

The bottom half of this bracket has Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) as the second seed and he faces the winner of Gayan KATHURANGANA (SRI) and Sunatullo BOBOEV (TJK).

Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) is seeded third and already in the quarterfinals. He has to wait for the winner of Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) and Muhammad BILAL (PAK) to know his opponent.

61kg
PANKAJ (IND) gets the top seed in this weight class and a direct quarterfinal spot. He will face the winner of Sardor RUZIMOV (UZB) and Ibrahim GUZAN (YEM).

Two qualification bouts will be held to know the other quarterfinalists in the top half. Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK) will take on Tokyo Olympian Minghu LIU (CHN) in the first bout and Nurbolat ABDUALIYEV (KAZ) will face  Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) to decide the quarterfinalists.

In the bottom half, U23 world champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) gets the winner of Kodai OGAWA (JPN) and Myrat HOJANEPESOV (TKM). Third seed Yasin REZAEI (IRI) will wait for the winner of Hyeonsik SONG (KOR) and Eddy BIN KHIDZER (SGP) in the quarterfinal.

65kg
World champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) will be hoping to defend his Asian title as he is the top seed for the competition. He sits in the quarterfinal with Sanzhar MUKHTAR (KAZ) and Mohammed KAREEM (IRQ) trying to earn the spot to wrestle him.

Others will go through qualification to fill the quarterfinal spot. Changsu KIM (KOR) will wrestle Gurbanmuhammet CHARYYEV (TKM) for a spot in the last eight. Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) has fourth seed Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) in the other bout.

The lower side of the bracket has second seed Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) in the quarterfinal with the winner of Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) and Chlovelle ADOLFO (PHI) wrestling him.

U20 world champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) will be wrestling Charles FERNANDO (SRI) for a spot in the quarterfinal while Shaohua YUAN (CHN) has Anuj KUMAR (IND).

70kg
Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) will be the top seed for the weight class and as the weight class has 16 wrestlers, it will kick off with the 1/16 finals.

Toktomambetov wrestles Perman HOMMADOV (TKM) in the first bout while the second one sees Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) take on Suhyeon PARK (KOR). 

Mohamed BIN ABDULLAH (SGP) will be up against Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK) for a spot in the quarterfinal while Inayat ULLAH (PAK) has Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IR) in the other 1/16 final.

The bottom half will have second seed AGUDAMU (CHN) take on Anil PELI GEDARA (SRI). Ali AL OBAIDI (IRQ) faces Orts ISAKOV (JOR) for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) gets Khanburged GANKHUYAG (MGL) and U20 bronze medalist Mulaym YADAV (IND) will be up against third seed Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB).

74kg
While the big names are missing, 74kg will not be short of action. The top seed will be Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) and he will face Abdullrahman IBRAHIM (QAT) in his 1/16 final. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) and Jumadurdy MAMISHOV (TKM) will be the second face-off before former Asian champion Byungmin GONG (KOR) faces Udayantha FERNANDO (SRI). Fourth seed Kirin KINOSHITA (JPN) has YASH (IND) in his 1/16 finals.

In the bottom half, Darkhan YESSENGALI (KAZ) will face  HONG YEOW LOU (SGP) and Jafar CHULIBOYEV (UZB) gets to take on Adilet ZHAPARKULOV (KGZ). Hossein ABOUZARIPASHKOLAEI (IRI) will be up against Erzo ISAKOV (JOR). Third seed Shengsong XIA (CHN) will be facing Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN).

79kg
Veteran Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) will be the top seed for this weight class and will be in the quarterfinals. The winner of Gunwoo LEE (KOR) and Shuhrat BOZOROV (TJK) will be his first opponent.

Peilong LI (CHN) and Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) will be wrestling for a spot in the quarterfinal against DEEPAK (IND) who will be the fourth seed.

Second seed Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) will be in the quarterfinal as well with one of Adilet MARATBAEV (KGZ) or Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) to be his opponent.

Yajuro YAMASAKI (JPN) will face Vepa HEMENEKOV (TKM) and the winner earning a spot in the quarterfinal against Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) who is the third seed.

86kg
Defending champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) will be the top seed for the competition and he is placed in the quarterfinal. He will face the winner of Noman ZAKA (PAK) and Weng CHOW (SGP).

The second quarterfinal will be between the winner of Jointy KUMAR (IND) and Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ). Though he is the fourth seed Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB) will have to wrestle Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM) for a place in the quarterfinal against the previous winner.

Second seed Zushen LIN (CHN) will be in the quarterfinal and his opponent will be decided by a bout between Gwanuk KIM (KOR) and Alireza KARIMI (IRI). In the other quarterfinal of the bottom half, third seed Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) will wait for Mustafa AL OBAIDI (IRQ) or Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL).

92kg
The top seed and a quarterfinal spot at 92kg go Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL). He will face the winner of Arashk MOHEBI (IRI) and Arash YOSHIDA (JPN). In the other quarterfinal, fourth seed Abdul ABUIDAIJ (JOR) will wait for the winner of Ajiniyaz SAPARNIYAZOV (UZB) and Woomin JANG (KOR).

In the bottom half, Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) is the second seed and will face one of Mirlan CHYNYBEKOV (KGZ) or Issa AL OBAIDI (IRQ). The third seed Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) will have a test against Xiao SUN (CHN) or Deepak PUNIA (IND).

97kg
Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) is the top seed and will have a spot in the quarterfinal. He will face the winner of DEEPAK (IND) and Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ). The second quarterfinal of the top half will see fourth seed Makhsud VEYSALOV (UZB) take on Juhwan SEO (KOR).

Going to the bottom half, Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) is seeded second and will face the winner of Ulziisaikhan BAASANTSOGT (MGL) and Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI).

Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) enjoys the third seed and will be in the quarterfinals. He will wait for the winner of Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ) and Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM).

125kg
World silver medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) will be the top seed for the weight class and will face one of BUHEEERDUN (CHN) and Ahmed AL JAMIE (IRQ). U23 world champion Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) will be in the quarterfinal against fourth seed Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM).

The bottom half has second seed Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) in the quarterfinal. He has to wrestle the winner of Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN) and Anirudh KUMAR (IND).

Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB) is third seed and will be facing the winner of Muzafar ZHAPPUEV (KGZ) and Yeihyun JUNG (KOR).

#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships GR 63kg, 67kg, 87kg semis set

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 23) -- The final full day of the World Championships, which has been unimaginable, is here. Two more Olympic weight classes in Greco-Roman and one non-Olympic weight class will be in action. The Olympic weight classes are 67kg and 87kg while 63kg is the non-Olympic weight class.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 7 RESULTS

14:28: In an entertaining match between the Olympic and world champions that caps the session, Luis ORTA (CUB) gets a stepout in the second period to clinch a 3-2 victory that ends the world reign of Mate NEMES (SRB) at 67kg. Nemes opens the match with a 2-point throw, and Orta responds with a takedown. Noticeably and unusually, there were no passivity points. Orta, the Tokyo Olympic champ at 60kg, is looking for his first world medal.

14:22: Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) comes up with a pair of big throws -- although one bordered on the dangerous -- to oust Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) 10-0 in their 67kg quarterfinal. Ismailov, a bronze medalist a year ago, gets a takedown and immediately secures a reverse body lock. He executes a lift-and-dump for 5, then repeats it. But the second doesn't go as well, and Khetsuriani hits chest-first on the mat. Ismailov still gets 2 for it, which the Georgian side challenges and loses.

15:24: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) gets it done! He gets two four-pointers in his big win over Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) for a 10-0 win in the 67kg quarterfinals. He will take on Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) who moved on with a 9-0 win over Alejandro SANCHO (USA).

15:16: Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) gets it done with a 5-3 win over Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) and he moves into the 87kg semifinals. He will take on Losonczi.

15:15: David LOSONCZI (HUN) celebrated his 9-1 win as he got a four-pointer against Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) but on a challenge, it was just two. The score was reversed to 6-1 but Losonczi still got it done to move into the semifinals at 87kg.

15:14: Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) avenges his loss in the final of the Asian Championships in April to Naser ALIZADEH (IRI), nailing a 4-point headlock throw in the second period to clinch a 9-4 win and a place in the semifinals at 87kg.

15:11: 2022 bronze medalist Ali CENGIZ (TUR) makes the most of the point-less second chance at par terre, scoring with a gut wrench to edge two-time world medalist Jalagasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) 3-3 on last-point criteria and grab a place in the 87kg semifinals.

15:00: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) with some strong defense against Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) and wins 3-1 in the 63kg quarterfinal. On Mat D, Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) with a victory via superiority against Astemir BIZHOEV (AIN). He will take on Leri ABULADZE (GEO)

15:00: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) gets the second passivity point and that's enough to get by Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) 1-1 on last-point criteria, putting last year's silver medalist into the 63kg semifinals. 

14:58: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) gives the host country its first semifinalist of the night, hitting a 4-point throw from par terre in the second period to defeat Ivan LIZATOVIV (CRO) 5-2 at 63kg. Tibilov was a European bronze medalist at 60kg who is making his senior world debut. 

We are beginning with the quarterfinals on day eight at 63kg, 67kg and 87kg

14:40: If only wrestling was easy! Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) got a 7-0 lead over Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) in the first period but Geraei began the second with a takedown, big lift for four points which Sogabe reversed and won 16-5. Iran challenged for a foul and on review, the score was reversed to 8-7 Geraei leading. Sogabe is aware of the Geraei's low gas tank. Geraei is penalized for fleeing. He holds 10-10 criteria lead. Geraei with an 11-10 win after Japan's challenge for fleeing but Japan lost the challenge

14:30: Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) makes short work of Mihai MIHUT (ROU) in the 67kg bout and he earns a shot at world champion Mate NEMES (SRB) in the quarterfinals.

14:20: Former world silver medalist Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) with a 5-3 win over Hannes WAGNER (GER) after he hit a big four-pointer in the second period. He moves into the 87kg quarterfinals

14:06: Mate NEMES (SRB) stays on track toward a second straight title at 67kg with a 5-1 victory over Vinayak PATIL (UWW). Nemes will know in a few minutes if he will be facing Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) in the quarterfinals.

14:03: A classic 5-1 win for returning bronze medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) over Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) as he moves into the quarterfinals at 67kg    

13:57: Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ), a bronze medalist a year ago, launches a 5-point throw to finish off Madamadassa SYLLA (FRA) 8-0 and book a spot in the 67kg quarterfinals.

13:50: Ali CENGIZ (TUR) ends the gold-medal aspirations of Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) with a 3-1 victory at 87kg to advance to the quarterfinals. Cengiz has the criteria after receiving the second passivity point, and he gets 2 when he stops a front-headlock roll attempt by the Olympic champion.

13:48: Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), the 2019 champion at 82kg and a three-time medalist, is out of the gold hunt at 87kg after being dealt a 3-1 loss by Semen NOVIKOV (BUL), who is into the quarterfinals.

13:45: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) tries an arm spin when leading 7-6 in the final 15 seconds but  Liguo CAO (CHN) defends the moves and is awarded two points. Moldova challenges for a slip but loses the challenge and the match 9-7 in the 60kg repechage

13:26: Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB), the silver medalist last year at 82kg who has moved up to the Olympic weight of 87kg, gets into the quarterfinals by the skin of his teeth. Trailing 2-0 against world U23 champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR), he gets the passivity point. He can't fully complete his throw attempt, but upon challenge, is awarded 1 for a stepout. That gives him a 2-2 win on last-point criteria.

13:08: Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) falls at the first hurdle at 67kg to 2022 European champion Murat FIRAT (TUR). Firat scores a pair of rolls from par terre in the first period and never looks back in posting an 8-1 win.

12:57: Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) is on his way to giving up a stepout when hits a lateral drop for 4 against Asian champion Abror ATABAEV (UZB). Atabaev gets a gut wrench from par terre in the second period, but it's not enough and the Iranian star advances to the 67kg 1/8 finals with a 6-3 win. He will next face the Asian silver medalist, Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN), who annihilated Niklas OEHLEN (SWE) 9-0.

12:44: Defending champion Mate NEMES (SRB) survives a last chance for a throw by Minseong KWON (KOR) and adds a last-second takedown for a 6-2 win at 67kg and a place in the quarterfinals. Nemes got both passivity points, adding a gut wrench after the first one. Kwon scored a takedown in the first period and, trailing 4-2 in the second period, had a chance on top in par terre. He got Nemes off his feet, but could not execute a proper throw for points.

12:30: Luis ORTA (CUB), the Tokyo Olympic champion at 60kg, made quick work of Souleyman NASR (TUN) in his opening match at 67kg, scoring a takedown and reeling off four gut wrenches for an 8-0 win in 1:30. Orta comes into Belgrade coming off a pair of third-place finishes at Ranking Series events in Bishkek and Zagreb.

12:17: It was third-time lucky for three-time Asian champion Naser ALIZADEH (IRI), who twice lost points on challenges until a third one was overruled, giving him the lead with 15 seconds left in a 6-4 victory over Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE). Pagkalidis led 4-3 when Alizadeh appeared to score on two occasions, but both times the Greek side successfully challenged. But as time was running out, Pagkalidis was flagged for fleeing. This time, the Greeks lost the challenge, and Alizadeh added a stepout at the end.

12:02: Returning bronze medalist and top seed Ali CENGIZ (TUR) falls behind but hits a 4-point move at the end of the first period to go ahead 4-3 against Toni METSOMAEKI (FIN) at 87kg. He adds a takedown and ends up with a 7-3 win. But he can't relax now: next up is Olympic champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR).

11:50: Olympic champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) returns to the World Championships after four years and wins his first bout over Zachary BRAUNAGEL (USA) 5-1 at 87kg. He turned Braunagel twice from par terre to secure the win

11:47: David LOSONCZI (HUN), a bronze medalist here a year ago, reels off two gut wrenches from par terre in the first period against 2020 Asian silver medalist Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ), then ends it with a takedown at the edge for an 8-0 win at 87kg.

11:29: Enes BASAR (TUR) welcomes world U23 bronze-medalist to the big time, reeling off four rolls from par terre for a 9-0 whitewashing at 63kg. Basar will next face top seed and last year's silver medalist Leri ABULADZE (GEO).

11:19: Masato SUMI (JPN), coming off a 2nd-place finish at the Grand Prix of Germany in August, picks up his first-ever win in his fifth trip to the World Championships when he gets both passivity points in a 2-0 win over Andreas VAELIS (EST) in an 87-kg qualification match.

11:05: Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) breaks Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) and rolls to a 7-1 win at 87kg, the Olympic weight class he moved up to from 87kg.

11:04: Two-time former world U23 bronze medalist Islam ABBASOV (AZE), looking to join the Azeri medal parade, gets a pair of gut wrenches in par terre and comes out a 5-1 winner in his qualification match at 87kg over Viorel BURDUJA (MDA).

10:52: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) gets the home crowd fired up with some nasty front headlock throws en route to a 12-3 victory over Jamol JUMABAEV (UZB) in the 72kg repechage to earn a place in the bronze-medal match tonight.

10:30: Welcome to yet another full day, though the last, of the World Championships. The insane talent of 67kg will be on display and wrestlers at 87kg also taking the mat. The non-Olympic weight is 63kg.