#BudaWrestle2018

Chakaev Knocks Off 2 World Champs to Reach Semifinals

By Andrew Hipps

BUDAPEST, Hungry (October 21) – Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) knocked off two world champions en route to reaching the semifinals at 65kg on Sunday at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. 

Chakaev, a 2016 world bronze medalist, opened with a 7-5 victory over 2016 world champion Logan STIEBER (USA). After a picking up an 8-3 victory over Sirojiddin KHASANOV (UZB), the Russian squared off against Olympic and world champion Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO). 

Chakaev dominated Khinchegashvili, picking up a 10-0 technical fall in the quarterfinals. He used two takedowns to go up 4-0 and then broke the match open late in the first period off a four-point takedown. He will now face past cadet world champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), who also won by technical fall in the quarterfinals. 

On the bottom side of the bracket at 65kg, returning world bronze medalist Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) topped three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE).

Valdes Tobier, who pinned Aliyev at the Freestyle World Cup, used a first-period takedown to notch a 2-0 victory over Aliyev on Sunday at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The Cuban carried the momentum in his next two matches, two technical fall victories to earn a spot in tonight's semifinals at 65kg. He will face Bajrang BAJRANG (IND).

The two returning world finalists at 57kg, Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Thomas GILMAN (USA), reached the semifinals. 

The returning world champion Takahashi was pushed in his quarterfinal match, but prevailed 4-1 over Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR). The victory sets him up for a semifinal matchup against Zavur UGUEV (RUS), who shut out U-23 world champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) 6-0. 

Gilman, a silver medalist in Paris, blanked Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) 4-0. His opponent in tonight's semifinals is Asian champion Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ). 

At 92kg, Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI), a 2015 world bronze medalist, shut out 2012 Olympic champion Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) in the quarterfinals, and followed it up with a 12-1 technical fall in the quarterfinals over past cadet world champion Batyrbek TCAKULOV (RUS). In the semifinals he faces Olympic and world bronze medalist J'Den COX (USA).

Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) was unscored upon in two matches to reach the semifinals in the top side of the bracket at 92kg. He now faces Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN), a 3-2 winner over Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN).

Competing in his first World Championships, Kyle DAKE (USA) showcased strong par terre in the quarterfinals at 79kg as he dominated 2011 world bronze medalist Davit KHUTSISHVILI (GEO) 11-0. The victory pits him against European champion Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS), who shut out Unurbat PUREVJAV (MGL) 6-0 in the quarterfinals. 

Olympic bronze medalist Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) advanced to the semifinals at 79kg with a 6-0 win over returning world bronze medalist Ali SHABANAU (BLR).

The semifinals are set to take place at 5:45 p.m. local time. 

Semifinal Matchups 

57kg 
Zavur UGUEV (RUS) vs. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) vs. Thomas GILMAN (USA)

65kg 
Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) vs. Takuto OTOGURO (JPN)
Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) vs. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND)

79kg 
Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) vs. Kyle DAKE (USA)
Ezzatollah AKBARIZARINKOLAEI (IRI) vs. Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE)

92kg 
Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN) vs. Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR)
Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) vs. J'Den COX (USA)

#WrestleAmman

U17 Worlds: Iran, Ukraine, Kazakhstan earn two spots in finals

By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 19) -- Three different countries managed to send two wrestlers to the finals on the first day of the U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan. The four other finalists were from Uzbekistan, the United States, Hungary and an Individual Neutral Athlete.

Iran, Ukraine and Kazakhstan were the only countries with multiple finalists on day one of the tournament, the first World Championships of 2024.

Iran was led by Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) at 48kg as he rolled into finals without conceding a single point in three bouts. With two technical superiorities before the semifinals, Shamsipour added another when he defeated Yedige TOLEUTAYEV (KAZ) 10-0.

U17 Asian champion Khusniddin ABDUKARIMOV (UZB) will look to stop the Iranian in the final as he also has three technical superiority wins. He beat Laszlo SZUROMI (HUN), 8-0, in the semifinal to set up a final between two of the best wrestlers on day one.

The second Iran wrestler to reach the final was Amir Mahdi SAEIDI (IRI) at 65kg. While his semifinal 1-1 win over Narek GRIGORIAN (ARM) was actionless, Saeidi defeated Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB) 9-1 in the quarterfinals. He thus avenged his loss from the U17 Asian Championships final at the same venue.

Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR)Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR) defeated Emil ABDULLAYEV (AZE) in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

He will take on U17 European champion Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR) for the gold medal. Pokotylo was at his best in the quarterfinals and semifinals, beating Dzhabrail UMKHADZHIEV (AIN) 3-1 and Emil ABDULLAYEV (AZE), 4-1, respectively.

For Ukraine, Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR) will also look to win the gold medal after he reached the 110kg final. The U17 European champion posted three technical superiority wins with the third coming against Aliasghar DADBAKHSH (IRI) in the semifinals.

Zoltan CZAKO (HUN), a surprise finalist, will try to stop Yankovskyi from winning the gold medal on Tuesday. In the semifinals, Czako was up against last year's silver medalist RONAK (IND) who tried an arm-spin but Czako blocked it and held Ronak on the mat to secure a fall in 17 seconds.

Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ)Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ) reached the 55kg final in Amman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Kazakhstan managed two finalists in Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ) at 55kg and Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ) at 80kg. This is the first time since 2019 U17 World Championships that Kazakhstan has a finalist in Greco-Roman.

Bolatuly, who finished 12th last year, put on a show in the semifinal against Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), winning the bout 13-8. His earlier wins included a 10-1 win over Amirali HEYDARI (IRI) in the quarterfinals and an 8-0 win over Yuki HIROHASHI (JPN) in the 1/8 finals.

For the gold, Bolatuly will face Jayden RANEY (USA) who pulled a classic in the semifinal. Down 6-0 against Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), Raney stopped the attack from Zhytovoz and pinned him just before the break. That was Raney's fourth win of the day.

Raney will look to become the fourth Greco-Roman wrestler from the United States to win gold since the tournament restarted in 2011. Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) won in 2017, Joel ADAMS (USA) won the title in 2022 and Jordyn RANEY (USA) won gold last year. 

U17 Asian silver medalist Anapiya was tested in the semifinal by Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE) but the Kazakh wrestler came out on top 8-6 to enter the final. He will now face returning silver medalist and U17 European champion Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN).

Shkarin handed Emad Reza MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) a 9-0 thrashing in the semifinal to set up the gold medal bout against Anapiya. Emad is one of the four Mohsen Nejad brothers. Mehdi is a multiple-time Asian medalist and finished fifth at the Paris Olympics while Ahmad won the U20 World Championships gold last year. Yasin is also a Greco-Roman wrestler.

Greco-Roman Semifinal Results

48kg
GOLD: Khusniddin ABDUKARIMOV (UZB) vs. Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)

SF 1: Khusniddin ABDUKARIMOV (UZB) df. Laszlo SZUROMI (HUN), 8-0
SF 2: Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) df. Yedige TOLEUTAYEV (KAZ), 10-0

55kg
GOLD: Jayden RANEY (USA) vs. Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ)

SF 1: Jayden RANEY (USA) df. Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), via fall (3-6)
SF 2: Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ) df. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), 13-8

65kg
GOLD: Amir Mahdi SAEIDI (IRI) vs. Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR)

SF 1: Amir Mahdi SAEIDI (IRI) df. Narek GRIGORIAN (ARM), 1-1 
SF 2: Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR) df. Emil ABDULLAYEV (AZE), 4-1

80kg
GOLD: Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ) vs. Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN)

SF 1: Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ) df. Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE), 8-6
SF 2: Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN) df. Emad Reza MOHSENNEJAD (IRI), 9-0

110kg
GOLD: Zoltan CZAKO (HUN) vs. Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR)

SF 1: Zoltan CZAKO (HUN) df. RONAK (IND), via fall
SF 2: Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR) df. Aliasghar DADBAKHSH (IRI), 8-0