Eight Reigning World Medalists Competing This Weekends at Hungarian Grand Prix

Thursday, February 21, 2019 - 15:13 By Eric Olanowski

GYOR, Hungary (February 21) – The Hungary Grand Prix returns in 2019 as one of United World Wrestling four Greco-Roman Ranking Series events. The two day tounrament, which begins on Saturday, features over 175 wrestlers from 25 different nations.

Azerbaijan's reigning world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI headlines the entry list which includes a total of eight returning world medalists.

Every weight except 55kg will have at least one world or Olympic medalist entered, with 130kg leading the charge with eight combined world and Olympic medalists.

Budapest World Medalists
Gold
60kg - Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)

Bronze
60kg - WALIHAN Sailike (CHN)
72kg - Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE)
77kg - KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR)
77kg - Viktor NEMES (SRB)
82kg - Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR)
97kg - Mihail KAJALA (SRB)
130kg - KIM Minseok (KOR)

The Deepest Weight: 130kg (Sunday Night)
Super-Heavyweight (130kg) features four wrestlers who've combined for a total of six world medals and two Olympic top-three finishes.

The two Olympic medalists entered at 130kg are London runner-up Heiki NABI (EST) and Rio bronze medalist Sabah SHARIATI (AZE).

In addition to Nabi’s Olympic silver medal in 2012, he also medaled at four world championships, including a gold at the 2006 and 2013 world championships and a bronze in 2014. Most recently, Nabi fell short in the 2017 world finals, departing Paris with a silver.

Nabi, who finished in fifth at the 2018 world championships, brings 20 Ranking Series points (20rsp) and is the eighth-ranked wrestler in the world coming into the Hungary Grand Prix.

Outside of the Olympic medal winners, world bronze medalists KIM Minseok (KOR) and Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) are also wrestling at 130kg.

Kim wrapped up last year’s Budapest world championships with a bronze, while Acosta Fernandez completed his 2017 season with a third-place finish.

Acosta (28rsp) is coming off a third-place finish at the Zagreb Open and jumped up to the third spot in the latest rankings, and Kim (25rsp) lost in the opening round of Zagreb Open but is still ranked No. 5 in the world.

Reigning world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) will be wrestling up a weight at 60kg for the third time in his career. (Photo: Martin Gábor)

World Champion Azizli Moves Up to 60kg (Sunday Night)
Eldaniz Azizli, KIM Seunghak (KOR), and WALIHAN Sailike (CHN) lead a tight pack of competitors at 60kg.

Azerbaijan’s reigning 55kg world champion Eldaniz Azizli could be the safest bet to take top billing, but the Azeri has struggled in his two previous outings at 60kg.

Before his run to the top of the podium in Budapest, Azizli wrestled up at 60kg at the Oleg Karavaev Memorial and Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Tournament in 2018, failing to medal at both tournaments, finishing in fifth and tenth place respectively.

Kim Seunghak (12rsp) and Walihan Sailike (25rsp), the pair of 60kg world bronze medalists, are the other two wrestlers who have a shot at earning the eight first-place points.

Walihan won the 2018 world bronze medal and is ranked third in the world coming into the Hungarian GP, while Kim, the 2017 world bronze medalist, finished in fifth place at the Zagreb Open and No.16 in the world.

Kim and Nemes to Rekindle Rivalry (Sunday Night)
Without a doubt, the two favorites to reach Sunday’s 77kg finals are Korea’s Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo and 2017 world champion Viktor NEMES (SRB). The pair, who have reached the top of the world podium, are looking to rekindle their rivalry from 2015 where Kim knocked off Nemes 3-2 in the second round of the World Championships.

Both guys won bronze medals at the 2018 world championships and sit inside the top-five of the latest world rankings.

Kim (25rsp) finished in third place at the Zagreb Open and is ranked No. 3 in the world, while Nemes (25rsp) is making his 2019 Ranking Series debut and is ranked No. 4 in the world.

Rio Olympic runner-up Shinobu OTA (JPN) won the last meeting with Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR). The two can meet again in Saturday night's finals. (Photo: Martin Gábor)

The Clash of Rio Olympic Medalists at 63kg (Saturday Night)
At 63kg, Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) and Shinobu OTA (JPN) could meet in what would be a rematch of their quarterfinal round match at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The last time the pair met, the Japanese wrestler grabbed the 4-0 victory, using a head pinch and a high-level shot, which put him into the Olympic semifinals.

Ota went on to finish with silver, and Berge fought back, winning a pair of matches to capture the bronze medal.

Olympic Bronze Medalist Chunayev Makes Ranking Series Debut (Saturday Night)
Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), one of Greco-Roman’s most consistent wrestlers over the past five years, will wrestle in the first Ranking Series event of his career.

Chunayev, who is entered at 72kg, has wrestled in four world championships and the Rio Olympic Games since 2014, and won a title in 2015, and a pair of world and Olympic bronze medals. The only year he did not medal was in 2017 when he finished in seventh place.

Possible Collision of World Champs at 67kg (Sunday Night)
World champions Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) and RYU Hansu (KOR) are favored to meet in the 67kg finals, and it could mean a turn in tides for weight class supremacy for the pair of Asian stars.

Korea’s two-time world champion Ryu Hansu has been one of Asia’s top-men at this weight since winning his first world title in 2013. He earned his second world title in 2017.

Ryu also has three Asian titles on his resume. Most recently, Ryu won the 2018 Asian Games last season in Jakarta.

Endo is making his second Ranking Series appearance. Last year, he competed at the Vehbi Emre, where he finished in tenth place.

U23 Talent Litters 82kg (Saturday Night)
The 82kg weight class is littered with U23 world-level talent and features three guys who have at least reached the finals at the U23 world championships.

Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) won the U23 world title in 2018, while Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) and Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) each fell short in the finals.

Bisultanov dropped the 2018 finals, and Gobadze lost in 2017 finals.

Belarus’ two-time world medalist Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) will also wrestle at 82kg. He’s the only wrestler who has reached the podium on the senior level. Sasunouski fell in the 2015 finals and won the bronze medal last year in Budapest. The Belarusian is the fourth-ranked wrestler in the world at 82kg and has 25 Ranking Series points (25rsp).

Reigning World Bronze Medalist Kajala Favored at 97kg (Saturday Night)
Reigning world bronze medalist Mihail KAJALA (SRB) is the clear favorite at 97kg coming into the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Serbian is looking to continue his 2018 hot streak, where he claimed at least a bronze medal in every competition he entered.

Kajala reached the finals of the 2018 Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament and the European Championships and grabbed bronze medals at the World Championship, Mediterranean Games, and the Grand Prix of Zagreb.

Kajala enters the Hungarian Grand Prix with 25 Ranking Series points and is the fourth-ranked wrestler in the world at 97kg.

Ghanderian Standing Alone at 87kg (Sunday Night)
Iran’s Yousef Ahmad GHADERIAN is the lone senior-level medalist entered at 87kg. He represents Iran at three consecutive world championships beginning in 2015, where he defeated Kazakhstan’s Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) 4-0 to win the bronze medal.

Wide Open Weight: 55kg (Saturday Night)
Alexandru Vasile BOTEZ (ROU) and Reza Kheirollah KHEDRI (IRI) are only two wrestlers who have won world medals, and they’ve both come at the age-group level.

Iran’s Reza Kheirollah Khedri captured the 2011 cadet world title and the 2015 junior world title, and Romania’s Alexandru Botez grabbed the 2013 cadet world bronze medal.

SCHEDULE

Friday (February 22)
Till 12:00 - Final entries for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97 kg
16:00 - Technical conference – all teams
17:00 - Draw – GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97 kg

Saturday (February 23)
08:00 - Medical examination & Weigh-in for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97kg
10:00 - Qualification rounds and repechage for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97kg
Till 12:00 - Final entries for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
16:30 - Draw – GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
17:00 - Opening Ceremony
18:00 - Finals for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97kg Award ceremonies

Sunday (February 24)
8.30 - Medical examination & Weigh-in for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
10.00 - Qualification rounds and repechage for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
16.00 - Finals for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg and Award ceremonies

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open Day 3: Women's Wrestling & Freestyle Highlights

Saturday, June 6, 2026 - 02:49 By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 6) -- The Ulaanbaatar Open action will see five Women's Wrestling and three Freestyle weight classes on day three in the Mongolian capital. Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) will also be marking his return to competition after a year.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

14:30: Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) beats Punit KUMAR (IND), 10-0, to enter the final at 92kg. He will face defending champion Askhab SAADULAEV (RUS) who moved into the final after a 5-0 win over Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL).

14:15: Top tier final at 86kg as Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) and Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) reach the gold medal bout. Ramazanov rolls Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL), 10-0, in the semifinal while Nokhodi has to work harder for his win against Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ). Nokhodi scored a stepout before getting a point for Shavaev's passivity to lead 2-0. But the Kyrgyzstan wrestler hit a quick leg attack to score a takedown and then a turn. Nokhodi managed to toss Shavaev as well and then a gut-wrench to lead 6-4 after the scramble. In the second period, Nokhodi used a duckunder to score two points but as he tried to turn Shavaev, he gave up a reversal. He still led 8-5, the winning score.

14:05: Sagar JAGLAN (IND) makes it to the final at 74kg after a 10-0 win over Tolui MUNKHBAT (MGL) and awaits his toughest test yet in Tamir ESHINIMAEV (RUS) who held on for a 2-1 win over Tumen BODIEV (RUS).

Freestyle Semifinals

13:55: KAJAL (IND) with a fall over Elmira SZYDYKOVA (KAZ) to enter the final at 76kg. But it won't be an all-India final as Damola OJO (NGR) beats PRIYA (IND), 5-1, to put breaks to Priya's run.

13:45: It would have been perfect for DPR Korea will all eight wrestlers in the final in Women's Wrestling but former world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) denies that by beating Sol Gum PAK (PRK) in the 68kg semifinals, 7-3. In the other semifinal, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS) stuns European champion Nesrin BAS (TUR), 9-8. The U23 world champion gave up the first takedown but managed to lead 2-2 on criteria at the break. She brought Bas down for four points in the second period to extend the lead to 6-4. As Bas hit a leg-attack, Petliakova scored epxosure points for an 8-4 lead before Bas reversed for a takedown and cradle looking for a fall. Leading 8-8 on criteria, Petliakova managed to get out of the position and Bas could not score in the remaining 30 seconds. Bas challenged for a turn but it was not complete and the lost challenge gave one more point to the Russian.

13:30: Another DPR Korea wrestler in the final! Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) holds off Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) 5-3 in the 65kg semifinal. After getting a point for Tuvshinjargal's passivity, Mun scored a takedown and trap-arm gut to lead 5-0. However, Tuvshinjargal blocked her in danger to get two points before the break. Mun was called passive in the second period but one point was all Tuvshinjargal got. Mun will face Shuai ZHANG (CHN) in the final after the China wrestler pinned PULKIT (IND). The Indian led 4-2 with 24 seconds left when Zhang brought her down from standing and secured the fall.

13:20: At 62kg, Ok Ji KIM (PRK) becomes the sixth wrestler from DPR Korea to reach the women's final in Ulaanbaatar. She beats Huan YANG (CHN), 10-0 in the semifinals. For the gold medal bout, she will face Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) after she defeated MANSI (IND), 6-4. The first period saw Mansi score a takedown to lead 2-0 but Dudova fired one back during her activity clock in the second period to lead 2-2 on criteria. She also turned Mansi to extend the lead to 4-2. The lead changed hands when Mansi scored using a slideby. Leading 4-4 on criteria, Mansi had 19 more seconds to defend when Dudova used a two-on-one grip to bring her down and score the match-winning takedown.

13:10: Leg lace is the weapon that Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) uses to complete a 10-0 win over Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) in the 55kg semifinals. She will face Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) for the gold medal after the Japanese wrestler humbled age-group world medalist Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 14-4, in the other semifinal

13:00:Semifinals begin with Women's Wrestling

12:55: Last match of the qualification rounds and Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) stuns Abofazl RAHMANI (IRI) at 92kg! Rahmani led 4-0 with just 15 seconds left but had Dauletbekov in the zone when the Kazakhstan wrestler hit a chest wrap throw for four points and take a 4-4 criteria lead based on his bigger technique to score. Rahmani had 11 seconds to score but failed.

12:31: Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) was slightly troubled by Abdulmuslim ABULMUSLIMOV (RUS) but he controls the bout at 86kg to win 5-0. He got a point for Abulmuslimov's passivity before scoring a takedown in the second period to lead 3-0. The second takedown came just before the clock expired.

12:27: Sagar JAGLAN (IND) defeated JAIDEEP (IND) in the domestic selection trials for the Asian Games in India. He repeats his victory in Ulaanbaatar and beats Jaideep 7-2 on Saturday. Leading 3-0, he scores a takedown and turn to extend his points while Jaideep was able to score only a takedown.

12:25: Nesrin BAS (TUR) with three turns using the lace over Odzaya ERDENEBAT (MGL) to lead 8-0 before she finishes the match with a takedown. A 10-0 win inside the first period for Bas to start her campaign in Mongolia

12:10: PRIYA (IND) takes out Urtnasan GAN OCHIR (MGL) in under a minute. She beats the Mongolian 10-0 in just 54 seconds. She makes it to the semifinals.

12:05: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) survives against Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) at 62kg! Leading 5-2, Kim gives up a takedown in the final 10 seconds but Kolawole runs out of time to score that one point needed for victory.

12:00: KAJAL (IND) with some relentless pressure wrestling and she beats Saihan AO (CHN) at 76kg, 12-1. Ao could not find a single way to stop a barging Kajal.

11:45: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) becomes a rock in the second period after taking a 4-0 lead against NITIKA (IND). She gives up one takedown but manages to hold her off 4-2 and win at 62kg

11:22: Not the results Asian silver medalist Mukul DAHIYA (IND) would have expected in his first bout. Up against Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ), Dahiya gives up a takedown in the first period but keeps it close to be down only 2-0 at the break. Shavaev keeps his distance from Dahiya in the second period. Dahiya is forced to attack and Shavaev manages to catch his leg and complete a takedown after some resistance from Dahiya. He then completes three turns using a gut-wrench and wins 10-0

11:15: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), who has moved up from 79kg to 86kg, takes two minutes and 37 seconds to complete a 10-0 victory over Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL). A trusts the gut-wrench to score his points.

11:12: Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) opens his day with an 8-2 win over Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) at 86kg. Ramazanov with a slow first period and gets a point for Sakayev's passivity. But he begins the second with a duck under to suplex and gut wrench and races to 7-0 lead. Kazakhstan challenge but lose it and that gives one more point to Ramazanov. Sakayev gets a takedown but that is all as Ramazanov keeps his distance to win.

11:00: KAJAL (IND) with a slow start but she manages to score three takedowns and beat Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ), 7-1 at 76kg.

10:45: European silver medalist Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) cannot match the power of world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), who blanks Tandelova 6-0 at 62kg.

10:40: Quick results at 62kg as European bronze medalist Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) rolls to an 11-0 victory over Subeen JO (KOR) in just a minute and 47 seconds.

10:30: Third day of the Ulaanbaatar Open and weights in action are Women's 55kg, 62kg, 65kg, 68kg and 76kg. In Freestyle it will be 74kg, 86kg and 92kg

Eight Reigning World Medalists Competing This Weekends at Hungarian Grand Prix

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Ulaanbaatar Open Day 3: Women's Wrestling & Freestyle Highlights