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Bajrang Storms Back to Regain Asian Title at 65kg; Iran Captures 3 of 5 Golds

Tuesday, April 23, 2019 - 16:48 By Ken Marantz

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XI’AN, China (April 23) – World silver medalist Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) needed one of his trademark comebacks more than ever. His winded opponent gave him the opening he needed.

Bajrang, overcoming a five-point deficit in the second period, stormed to a 12-7 victory over Sayatbek OKASSOV (KAZ) in the freestyle 65kg final at the Asian Championships in Xi’an to regain the continental title he won two years ago in New Delhi. 

Meanwhile, Iran captured three of the five golds at stake on the opening day of the six-day competition—and added bronze medals in the two other weight classes--while Kazakhstan also had a champion crowned.

Bajrang looked to be heading to defeat when Okassov got the Indian’s leg in the air three times, and scored a takedown each time to build up a 7-2 lead early in the second period. 

But Okassov started to show fatigue, and Bajrang started twisting the screws. In the last 1:40, he went ahead with a takedown that he followed up with three rolls to put away the match. 

“I didn’t feel like I was losing,” Bajrang said. “If you see my matches, I start a bit slow, then I catch up. I gain an understanding of the strategy of the opponent.”

Bajrang acknowledged that he uses his exceptional stamina to his advantage, saying, “I tire the opponent out and score points after that.” 

Bajrang’s personal coach for the past year, Greek-born Georgian Shako Bentinidis, expressed concern over the technical lapses in Bajrang’s performance.

“I mind,” Bentinidis said. “The last month, we stayed in India and he had a little problem with the food and [training] partner. That’s why his concentration here was no good.”

But Bajrang’s determination was enough to allow him to prevail. “He has a very good character,” the coach said. “He never thinks about losing, only concentration on winning.”

Although he vanquished all before him on this day, Bajrang felt something was missing. Or someone for that matter. 

Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), who defeated Bajrang in a memorable final at the Budapest 2018 world championships, had entered the tournament, but pulled out due to bursitis in his knee.

“All of the athletes here I had already defeated. Only Otoguro I have not. I would have liked to face him,” said Bajrang, who is hoping for a rematch at either this year’s world championships or Tokyo 2020.


Two-time world champion Reza YAZDANI (IRI) defeated Mongolia's ULZIISAIKHAN Batzul, 7-4 in the 97kg gold-medal bout. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Two-time former world champion Reza YAZDANI (IRI) returned from an absence of over two years to win the 97kg gold with a come-from-behind win of his own. He has some unfinished business to attend to at the Tokyo Olympics.

Yazdani twice missed out on Olympic medal, at London 2012 and Rio 2016, after suffering injuries during the competition, and he sees Tokyo as his chance for redemption.

“Unfortunately, I lost two times at the Olympics because I was injured,” Yazdani said. “Now I want to make up for that in Tokyo in 2020. I tried to keep myself fit, watch my weight and train for wrestling, and now I’m back on the national team.”

In the final, Yazdani trailed ULZIISAIKHAN Batzul (MGL) 4-2 in the second period when the Mongolian ran out of gas. Yazdani took advantage and went on to win 7-4, adding to the Asian titles he won in 2010 and 2016.

“The match is six minutes,” said Yazdani, a three-time Asian Games champion. “Sometimes I go down [in the score], and sometimes I go up. I am always training to be in better condition.”


Reza ATRINAGARCHI (IRI), the 57kg champion, was one of three Iranian champions on Day 1. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Iran’s other golds came from Reza ATRINAGARCHI (IRI) at 57kg and Bahman TEYMOURI (IRI) at 70kg.

Atrinagarchi scored all of his points in the second period in posting a 9-3 victory over defending champion KANG Kumsong (PRK), who had defeated former world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) in the semifinals.

Takahashi, a bronze medalist at the Budapest 2018 world championships, shook off that loss to take a bronze home, scoring a 4-point takedown-and-roll combination with 15 seconds left to defeat Kumar RAVI (IND), 5-3. 

“It’s tough to take, but it gives me an idea of where I stand now, and I have to accept that,” Takahashi said of his loss. “But this [tournament] was not my goal. If this were the world championships or Olympics, I would be more disappointed. I have to not let this get me down and keep fighting to get a gold medal.”

Speaking about his 3-1 loss to Kang, Takahashi said, “The opponent was very good. He doesn’t have a strong attack, but his defense is strong. My strong point is offense, but today my offense lost and that was the result. I have to get stronger on attack. Of course, I want to get revenge.”

 Teymouri, a 2017 bronze medalist, earned his first Asian gold with a sedate 3-0 win in the 79kg final over Parveen RANA (IND). Teymouri scored a first-period takedown, then received a penalty point in the second.

Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) reached the top of the podium at 70 with a 9-0 shutout win over Japan's Kojiro SHIGA. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

In the day’s other final, Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) overwhelmed Kojiro SHIGA (JPN), 9-0, at 70kg

Host China had three wrestlers in the bronze-medal matches, but only YUAN Shaohua (CHN) made the podium after he crushed Abdullrahman IBRAHIM (QAT) with a 10-0 technical fall in just 34 seconds.

Makhmudjon SHAVKATOV (UZB), last year’s runner-up to Kang at 57kg in Bishkek, took home a bronze this time by beating Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK), 4-0.

Peiman BIABANI (IRI) at 65kg and Yones EMAMICHOGAEI (IRI) at 70kg added to the Iranian medal tally by winning bronzes.

Day 1 Results

Freestyle

57kg (12 entries)
Gold – Reza ATRINAGARCHI (IRI) df. KANG Kumsong (PRK), 9-3
Bronze – Makhmudjon SHAVKATOV (UZB) df. Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK), 4-0 
Bronze – Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Kumar RAVI (IND), 5-3 

65kg (16 entries)
Gold – Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) df. Sayatbek OKASSOV (KAZ), 12-7 
Bronze – KIM Han Song (PRK) df. Haji Mohamad ALI (BRN) by TF, 10-0, :46 
Bronze – Peiman BIABANI (IRI) df. Sirojiddin KHASANOV (UZB), 3-2

70kg (16 entries)
Gold – Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) df. Kojiro SHIGA (JPN), 9-0 
Bronze – YUAN Shaohua (CHN) df. Abdullrahman IBRAHIM (QAT) by TF, 10-0, :34 
Bronze – Yones EMAMICHOGAEI (IRI) df. Balyr BORJAKOV (TKM) by TF, 11-0, 4:04

79kg (10 entries)
Gold – Bahman TEYMOURI (IRI) df. Parveen RANA (IND), 3-0
Bronze – Oibek NASIROV (KGZ) df. LIN Zeping (CHN) by Fall, 2:50 (2-1)
Bronze – Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ) df. Yuta ABE (JPN), 6-0 

97kg (11 entries)
Gold – Reza YAZDANI (IRI) df. Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL), 7-4 
Bronze – Satywart KADIAN (IND) df. GAO Haobin (CHN), 8-2
Bronze – Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) df. Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ), 6-2

#wrestlebishkek

Asian Championships 2026 Day 1 Greco-Roman Highlights

Sunday, April 5, 2026 - 19:41 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 6) -- For the first time, the Asian Championships will be held in two-day format. The edition in Bishkek will begin with Greco-Roman, followed by Women's Wrestling and then Freestyle. Five Greco-Roman weight classes -- 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg -- are in action on Monday.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

The semifinals will begin at 18:00 local time

55kg
SF 1: Huoying SHI (CHN) vs. LALIT (IND)
SF 2: Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) vs. Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ)

63kg
SF 1: Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM) vs. Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ)
SF 2: Erfan JARKANI (IRI) vs. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB)

77kg
SF 1: Ali OSKOU (IRI) vs. AMAN (IND)
SF 2: Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) vs. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)

87kg
SF 1: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) vs. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
SF 2: Sunil KUMAR (IND) vs. Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)

130kg
SF 1: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs. Minseok KIM (KOR)
SF 2: Yuta NARA (JPN) vs. Rafael TSITSUASHVILI (UZB)

13:10: World champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) begins his Asian title defense with a 10-0 win over Roman KIM (KGZ) and advance to the semifinals. He will face Minseok KIM (KOR)

13:03: Returning bronze medalist Yuta NARA (JPN) gets the winning score with a slow-motion gut wrench in the second period, prevailing on last-point criteria 3-3 over two-time Asian U23 silver medalist Jokhar UZAROV (KAZ) to advance to the 130kg semifinals.

12:58: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) gets a gut wrench to the back upgraded to a 4-point move upon his opponent's challenge, giving him a 10-0 victory over two-time bronze medalist Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) and moving him a step closer to a second straight gold, this time up at 87kg after winning at 82kg last year.

12:57: World bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) with some big throws and a fall against Dovletmyrat BAYRAMOV (TKM) at 87kg in just 30 seconds. Zhanyshov vs Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) final will be a treat.

12:50: Sunil KUMAR (IND), the last Indian to win a Greco gold when he did on home soil in New Dehli in 2020, reeled off two gut wrenches from par terre in the second period for a 5-1 victory over Shichang ZHENG (CHN) and a place in the 87kg semifinals. Kumar is also going for his fourth career Asian medal.

12:42: Kaisei TANABE (JPN), last year's champion at freestyle 65kg looking to make history with a victory at Greco 63kg, minimized the points scored by Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ), but failed to get enough of his own and came out on the short end of a 4-3 score. Taalaibek Uulu had the first chance in par terre, but even though he lifted Tanabe off his feet, he could only get a 1-point throw out of it. Taalaibek Uulu then got in on a bear hug and lifted Tanabe again, but only got a takedown out of that situation to lead 4-0 at the break. Tanabe got a chance at par terre and hit a gut wrench to cut the gap to 1, but could not pull out the win.

12:32: Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), aiming to improve on his two bronze medals from 2023 and 2025, rips off four straight rolls from par terre and he's into the 55kg semifinals with a 10-0 win over Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI). The Iranian side pushed the challenge button before the first roll, looking for a leg foul, but the scoring was upheld.

12:25: Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), a bronze medalist in 2024, makes short work of Amro SADEH (JOR), storming to a quick 9-0 win to earn a semifinal date with Makhmudov.

12:23: There cannot be a better way to find a way to win a Greco-Roman bout that a five-point throw! AMAN (IND) does exactly that in his quarterfinal against Halishan BAHEJIANG (CHN) at 77kg. Aman was down 4-1 but got on a duckunder and locked Bahejiang and completes a perfect throw for five points and wins 6-4

12:20: Ali OSKOU (IRI), Zagreb Open Ranking Series champion at 77kg, defends from par terre twice, against Yeonghun NOH (KOR) and he does that well, once with 25 seconds remaining to win 5-2 and advance to the semifinals.

12:18: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) with another spectacular throw as he defeats Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ) 9-1 to gain a place in the semifinals. Makhmudov is put on the bottom of par terre, but wiggles his way out and gets behind for a takedown. Then the fun starts, as he hits a high-flying 4-point throw to lead 6-1. In the second period, Makhmudov gets the top position, and he quickly executes a gut wrench that ends the proceedings.

12:10: Roman KIM (KGZ) gets the home crowd going, getting four straight rolls from par terre to knock off Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL) 9-0 at 130kg. Batbayar is one of a few wrestlers who will be doing the Greco-Freestyle double in Bishkek — he's the Asian U23 champion in freestyle!

12:08: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI), the reigning world champion at 82kg, has moved up to the Olympic weight of 87kg and gets off to a good start, overwhelming Muhammad SULTONZODA (TJK) 9-0 in less than two minutes.

12:05: Hyunwoong CHOI (KOR) survives a battle against Huangsheng WU (CHN) at 63kg. He was leading 11-6 when Wu scored a huge four-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to make it 11-10. But the last desperate attempt ended with Choi getting two points and a 13-10 win

12:02: Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), an Asian champion in 2019 and world bronze medalist in 2023, is looking to regain the magic up a weight at 63kg. He cruises through his opening match, handily defeating  Rayan HAWSAWI (KSA) 8-0.

11:51: Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI), winner at the Zagreb Ranking Series tournament, advances at 55kg with a 4-0 victory over Nurzat KABDYRAKHIMOV (KAZ). Hosseinvand chalks up three points in the first period, then adds a stepout in the second.

11:41: Local star Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) gets the tournament off to an exciting start with a 4-point bear hug en route to a 7-3 victory over a spunky Isami HORIKITA (JPN) in the opening match at 77kg. Makhmudov, a two-time Olympic medalist and two-time world champion aiming for his fourth career Asian gold, used a bear hug to power Horikita to the mat, then added a 2-point roll for 6-1 lead. In the second period, Makhmudov got the passivity point, but when he tried a gut wrench from par terre, Horikita stepped over for a 2-point exposure. But that was the end of the scoring and Makhmudov was safely through. 

11:15: The Asian Championships will get underway in Bishkek with Greco-Roman. Five weight classes with local hero Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) in action as well.