#BuchaWrestU23

Cartaraga and Pataridze Return to U23 World Finals in #BuchaWrestU23

Monday, November 12, 2018 - 17:08 By Taylor Miller

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BUCHAREST, Romania – The first day of the 2018 U23 World Championships have come to a close, but not before two wrestlers earned their second-consecutive U23 World finals bids.

2017 U23 World champion at 71 kg Daniel CARTARAGA (MDA) made his second-straight U23 World finals, this time at 77 kg, pinning 2018 Junior World silver medalist and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Sajan SAJAN (IND) in the first period.

In the finals, Cartaraga will meet 2018 U23 European champion Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN), who knocked off reigning U23 World champion Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) with a 4-1 decision.

Also advancing to his second U23 World finals was Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), who is a five-time age-group World champion, winning three Junior World titles and two Cadet World titles.

To earn a spot in the finals, the Georgian finished off 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) with an 8-0 technical fall in 56 seconds.

Pataridze looks to improve on his silver-medal finish from last year. To do so, he will have to go through 2016 Junior World silver medalist and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) in the 130 kg finals.

Securing his second World medal of the year was Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, two weeks ago. Tsurtsumia edged out 2012 Cadet World bronze winner Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) in a 2-1 battle.

Waiting for him in the finals is 2018 Russia Nationals champion Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS).

The Russian sailed to the finals after a 9-1 technical fall over 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ). This is Kabaloev’s first World tournament.

At 63 kg, Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) knocked off 2016 Junior World bronze medalist Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) with a decisive 6-3 win.

The other 63 kg semifinal featured another 6-3 decision as Alexandru BICIU (MDA) silenced the Romanian crowd, defeating 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Mihai MIHUT (ROU).

Katsuaki and Biciu will face-off tomorrow for the 63 kg World crown.

The 87 kg finals will feature 2018 Senior Pan American champion Daniel Gregorich of Cuba and Semen NOVIKOV (UKR).

Gregorich defeated U23 European bronze medalist Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), 7-1, while Novikov stunned three-time age-group World champion Islam ABBASOV (AZE) in an 8-5 decision.

Tuesday’s action begins at 10:30 a.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET). Fans can watch live on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Finals matchups

55 kg: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)
63 kg: Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) vs. Alexandru BICIU (MDA)
77 kg: Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
87 kg: Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) vs. Daniel GREGORICH (CUB)
130 kg: Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) vs. Osman YILDIRIM (TUR)

Semifinals results

55 kg
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) dec. Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ), 2-1
Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) tech. fall Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ), 9-1

63 kg
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) dec. Meysam DALKHANI (IRI), 6-3
Alexandru BICIU (MDA) dec. Mihai MIHUT (ROU), 6-3

77 kg
Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) dec. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 4-1
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) win by fall Sajan SAJAN (IND), 2:28

87 kg
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) dec. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 8-5
Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) dec. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), 7-1

130 kg
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) tech. fall Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN), 8-0
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) dec. Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), 5-1

#WrestleTirana

Kadzimahamedau, Sadulaev Return to European Finals

Friday, April 24, 2026 - 16:53 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 24) -- Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), David BAEV (UWW), and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) were among the wrestlers who reached the final of the European Championships 2026 in Tirana on Friday.

Kadzimahamedau set up a rematch of the final from 2024 against Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) who defeated Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), 3-0, in a rematch of last year's European final.

After last year's European quest at 86kg, Kadzimahamedau returned to 79kg and continued his crafty wrestling, beating Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 5-1, in the semifinals. He used two different takedowns and an activity period point for his scores.

But it was the quarterfinals in which Kadzimahamedau showed his class, Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO), 11-10. He lead 5-0 when Gaphrindashvili scored a double-leg four-pointer to make it 5-4, changed to 7-5 for Kadzimahamedau after a challenge. After a scramble and stepout, the scores read 10-9 for Gaphrindashvili with 11 seconds left but Kadzimahamedau snuck out a takedown with 3 seconds left to win.

At 97kg, five-time European champion Sadulaev returned to the final after six years after a clinical display throughout the day. In the finals, he got the better of Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL), 12-2, using his gut-wrench to score points.

Sadulaev used a outside single-leg attack to score his first takedown and then turned Magamaev to get a four-point lead. But as he was trying to turn Magamaev again, the Bulgarian blocked him for two points but Sadulaev managed to sneak out of any control. He then managed a takedown and two turns for a 10-2 lead before an easy go-behind finished the bout.

Former world silver medalist Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) will challenge Sadulaev in the final after he defeated Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 12-1, using the leg-lace for five turns.

Defending champion Baev had no trouble in defeated Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 9-2, and returning to the final. But a rising star awaits him next in the 70kg final as U23 European champion Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) defeated Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), 11-0, in the other semifinals.

Gaidarli, who won silver at the U20 World Championships last year, did not give any chance to Muszukajev and turned the match into a one-sided affair.

Dudaev Returns to Final

Home-favorite and Olympic bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) returned to the final of European Championships at 65kg after a 4-0 victory over Islam GUSEINOV (UWW). Dudaev scored a stepout to start the bout before getting a activity point in the first period and lead 2-0. He doubled the lead to 4-0 in the final minute with a takedown which he defended.

Dudaev will take on Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) for the gold medal after Magomedov handed former European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) a heartbreaking, 3-3, criteria loss in the semifinals.

Tevanyan scored a takedown and also a point for stepout but in a later scramble, Tevanyan got countered on a leg attack and gave up a takedown on the edge for two points to Magomedov. Armenia challenged, asking for two points for Tevanyan during the scramble.

However, Tevanyan never got complete control over Magomedov and the lost challenge added to the latter's score to give him criteria. Tevanyan waited to launch the attack and when he did during the final moments of the bout, he could not gets a stepout or takedown despite all the action taking place in the zone.

At 57kg, Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) and Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) will battle it out for the gold medal on Saturday. Mekhtikhanov defeated Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 5-0, in the semifinals after two counter takedowns and point for passivity.

Bazarganov was more active in his semifinal against Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) and worked on his lace to beat the Georgian 11-1.

RESULTS

57kg
SF 1: Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) df. Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 5-0
SF 2: Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 11-1

65kg
SF 1: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) df. Islam GUSEINOV (UWW), 4-0
SF 2: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), 3-3

70kg
SF 1: David BAEV (UWW) df. Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 9-2
SF 2: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), 11-0

79kg
SF 1: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) df. Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 5-1
SF 2: Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) df. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), 3-0

97kg
SF 1: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) df. Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL), 12-2
SF 2: Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) df. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 12-1