#WrestleSassari

Entries Released for Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial 

By Eric Olanowski

Sassari, Italy (May 15) - Sandy beaches, bright blue waters, and wrestling? Not something you hear very often (unless it's a beach wrestling event) - but that'll be the case next week when wrestling invades the island destination of Sardinia, Italy, for United World Wrestling's third Ranking Series event of the year, the Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial. 

The tournament will be the first of its kind when speaking about Ranking Series events. United World Wrestling has never held a Ranking Series event with all three styles under one roof. The three-day Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial, which starts on May 23, will begin with Greco-Roman. Women's wrestling takes over on the second day, and freestyle closes out the tournament on May 25. 

Though registration is not official until 24 hours before the first whistle, here are some of the world and Olympic medalists, among many others, that fans can expect to see in Sardinia: 

GR 77kg - KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) – Olympic champion
FS 70kg - Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) – Olympic champion 
WW 76kg - Erica WIEBE (CAN) – Olympic champion
WW 76kg - Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) – Olympic champion
FS 86kg - Selim YASAR (TUR) - Olympic silver 
WW 72kg - Anna FRANSSON (SWE) – Olympic bronze
FS 74kg - Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) –  Two-time world champion 
GR 67kg - RYU Hansu (KOR) – World champion 
WW 76kg - Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) – World champion
WW 55kg - Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) – World champion
WW 55kg - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) – World champion
GR 77kg - Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) – World runner-up 
FS 74kg - Khetik TSABALOV (RUS) - World runner-up 
FS 65kg - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) – Two-time world silver 
GR 87kg -Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) – U23 World champion 
WW 57kg - Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR) – U23 World champion
FS 57kg - Suleyman ATLI (TUR) – Ranked No. 1 at 57kg 
FS 68kg - Fatih ERDIN (TUR) – Ranked No. 1 at 86kg

Freestyle
57kg 

Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL)
Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN)
Kumar RAVI (IND)
Nader Ahmad HAJIAGHANIASAMAKOUSHI (IRI)
Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI)
Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA)
Zhandos ISMAILOV (KAZ)
Changjun PARK (KOR)
Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Adam KATES (USA)
Patrick  HEBREARD (USA)

61kg 
Rahul AWARE (IND)
Sonba GONGANE (IND)
Mohammadbagher YAKHKESHI (IRI)
Rassul KALIYEV (KAZ)
Kerim HOJAKOV (TKM)
Recep TOPAL (TUR)
Alec HOOVER (USA)

65kg
Niurhun SKRABIN (BLR)
Dimitar IVANOV (BUL)
Joshua BODNARCHUK (CAN)
Vincent DE MARINIS (CAN)
Connor MCNEICE (CAN)
Mauricio SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU)
Roman ASHARIN (HUN)
Harphool HARPHOOL (IND)
Amirmohammad YAZDANICHERATI (IRI)
Abdellatif MANSOUR (ITA)
Sayatbek OKASSOV (KAZ)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Masoud NIAZI (NED)
Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)
Perman HOMMADOV (TKM)
Mehmet OGUT (TUR)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Brandon CALLOW (USA)
Andrew HOOVER (USA)
Spencer DUSI (USA)

70kg
George KOLIEV (BLR)
Mihail Iliev GEORGIEV (BUL)
Dillon Emmanuel WILLIAMS (CAN)
Pablo DIEZ PARDO (ESP)
Farhad Jafar NOURI KHORJESTAN (IRI)
Yones Aliakbar EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI)
Nurdaulet AZHIKUL (KAZ)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Soslan RAMONOV (RUS)
Batyr BORJAKOV (TKM)
Mustafa KAYA (TUR)
Austin Alexander VICTOR (USA)
Jarrad Keith LASKO (USA)
Brandon Alexander BARTON (USA)

74kg
Andrei KARPACH (BLR)
Miroslav Stefanov KIROV (BUL)
Ty Stuart BRIDGWATER (CAN)
Jasmit Singh PHULKA (CAN)
Daniel ANTAL (HUN)
Amit Kumar DHANKHAR (IND)
Mohammad Ashghar NOKHODILARIMI (IRI)
Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
Tommaso FERRARI (ITA)
Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ)
Seungchul LEE (KOR)
Jie Woon SHIN (KOR)
Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS)
Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS)
Suleyman OMAROV (TKM)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Yakup GOR (TUR)
Isaac John COLLIER (USA)
John Delmas CHIPPS (USA)
Shane Michael GING (USA)

79kg
Parveen RANA (IND)
Kautuk Shamarao DAPHALE (IND)
Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ)
Shamil MURTAZOV (KAZ)
Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ)
Khalil AMINOV (RUS)
Sahergeldi SAPARMYRADOV (TKM)
Muhammet Nuri KOTANOGLU (TUR)
Dmytrii TKACHENKO (UKR)
Seth Matthew WINKLE (USA)
Daniel Joseph NOVAK (USA)
Kyle Dylan ROBERTS (USA)

The top-ranked wrestler in the world at 86kg Fatih ERDIN (TUR) (84 points) is set to compete next week in Sardinia. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

86kg
Svetoslav Zhivkov DIMITROV (BUL)
Alexander Robert MOORE (CAN)
Hunter Jeffery LEE (CAN)
Damian IGLESIAS VILELA (ESP)
Richard Ferenc LIGETI (HUN)
Deepak PUNIA (IND)
Ahmad Yousef BAZRIGHALEH (IRI)
William RAFFI (ITA)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Hyeokbeom GWON (KOR)
Vladislav VALIEV (RUS)
Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Selim YASAR (TUR)
Matthew Christopher FERRARO (USA)
Christian Brian HIPSHER (USA)

92kg
Istvan VEREB(HUN)
Viky VIKY(IND)
Arashk Mohammadkazem MOHEBI (IRI)
Alireza Mohammad KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI)
Batyrbek TCAKULOV (RUS)
Azat GAJYYEV (TKM)

97kg
Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR)
Nikolay Simeonov CHTEREV (BUL)
Nishan Preet Singh RANDHAWA (CAN)
Mihaly SZABO (HUN)
Satywart KADIAN (IND)
Hamed Delavar TALEBIZARRINKAMAR (IRI)
Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Bakdaulet ALMENTAY (KAZ)
Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL)
Igor Alekseevitch OVSIANNIKOV (RUS)
Selimmuhammet MUHADYYEV (TKM)
Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR)

125kg
Aly Medhat Abde BARGHOUT (CAN)
Frédérick CHOQUETTE (CAN)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Sumit SUMIT (IND)
Amir Hossein Abbas ZARE (IRI)
Parviz Khodavirdi HADIBASMANJ (IRI)
Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ)
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
Donghwan KIM (KOR)
Zolboo NATSAGSUREN (MGL)
Pavel KRIVTSOV (RUS)
Sohbet BELLIYEV (TKM)
Grant Michael ROBINSON (USA)

Greco-Roman 

55kg
Enrick Jean Flavien BATAILLE (FRA)
Gyanender GYANENDER (IND)
Giovanni FRENI (ITA)
Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
Dogus AYAZCI (TUR)
Hakan Murat CANKAYA (TUR)

60kg 
Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Daniel BOBILLO VIGIL (ESP)
Latuf MADI (FRA)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Jungbaik LEE (KOR)
Seunghak KIM (KOR)
Florin TITA (ROU)
Andrei IVANOV (RUS)
Sadyk LALAEV (RUS)
Ruben MINASIAN (RUS)
Dimitar Ivaylov SANDOV (SUI)
Ahmet UYAR (TUR)

63kg 
Haithem Mahmoud Ahmed Fahmy MAHMOUD (EGY)
Leo Alexandre Sylvain TUDEZCA (FRA)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Fabio CARBONE (ITA)
Kyunghoon KIM (KOR)
Eunbin KIM (KOR)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Mehmet CEKER (TUR)
Kadir KAMAL (TUR)

67kg 
Mohamed Ibrahim Elsayed Ibrahi ELSAYED (EGY)
Yasin OZAY (FRA)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Stefan Roger CLEMENT (FRA)
Mate KRASZNAI (HUN)
Otto LOSONCZI (HUN)
Ignazio SANFILIPPO (ITA)
Ruben MARVICE (ITA)
Hansu RYU (KOR)
Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU)
Azamat Gadjimuradovitch AKHMEDOV (RUS)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Haci KARAKUS (TUR)

72kg
Jakub BIELESZ (CZE)
Hassan Hassan Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)
Anthony TANTINI (FRA)
Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN)
Balint KORPASI (HUN)
Jeonggeun LEE (KOR)
Adam KURAK (RUS)
Evgenii VYSOTIN (RUS)
Aleksandr PAIVIN (RUS)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR)

77kg
Brayden William AMBO (CAN)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Gil NUGUES (FRA)
Evrik NIKOGHOSYAN (FRA)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Zotlan LEVAI (HUN)
Laszlo SZABO (HUN)
Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Singh GURPREET (IND)
Riccardo Vito ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Luca DARIOZZI (ITA)
Ciro RUSSO (ITA)
Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
Dmitrii DZHIOEV (RUS)
Nicolas Peter CHRISTEN (SUI)
Aslan ATEM (TUR)
Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR)

82kg
Singh HARPREET (IND)
Matteo MAFFEZZOLI (ITA)
Antonio MALANGONE (ITA)
George Vlad MARIEA (ROU)
Adel SADYKOV (RUS)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)

87kg
Ondrej DADAK (CZE)
Rami Antero HIETANIEMI (FIN)
Ariel Andres ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
Kumar SUNIL (IND)
Fabio PARISI (ITA)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Heageun PARK (KOR)
Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS)
Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Dogan GOKTAS (TUR)
Josef Patrick RAU (USA)

97kg
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Spyridon KOUNTOURATZIS (GRE)
Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
Balazs KISS (HUN)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Daigoro TIMONCINI (ITA)
Armen GRIGORYAN (RUS)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Cenk ILDEM (TUR)
Ibrahim TIGCI (TUR)
Tracy Gangelo HANCOCK (USA)

130kg 
Stepan DAVID (CZE)
Alexandros Marios ZORATLY (GRE)
Balint LAM (HUN)
Minseok KIM (KOR)
Yongmin KIM (KOR)
Constantin HUTULEAC (ROU)
Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU)
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR)

Erica WIEBE (CAN) is one of three Olympic champions who will be competing next week at the Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial. She'll wrestle at 76kg. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

Women's Wrestling 

50kg
Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA)
Jade Marie DUFOUR (CAN)
Natasha Irene Vera KRAMBLE (CAN)
Madison Bianca PARKS (CAN)
Jacqueline Del Rocio MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU)
Tabatha Helene Laurence GRUNEWALD (FRA)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ)
YeoJin KIM (KOR)
Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS)
Fredrika Ida PETERSSON(SWE)

53kg
Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN)
Diana Mary Helen WEICKER (CAN)
Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ)
Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ)
Hyungjoo KIM (KOR)
Jessica Cornelia Francisca BLASZKA (NED)
Silje Knutsen KIPPERNES (NOR)
Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS)

55kg
Emily Suzanne SCHAEFER (CAN)
Jayd alexandria DAVIS (CAN)
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS)
Sofia Magdalena MATTSSON (SWE)

57kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Katsiaryna HANCHAR YANUSHKEVICH (BLR)
Hannah Fay TAYLOR (CAN)
Tianna Grace KENNETT (CAN)
Alexandria Rebekkah TOWN (CAN)
Lissette Alexandra ANTES CASTILLO (ECU)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)
Emese BARKA (HUN)
Pooja DHANDA (IND)
Sarita SARITA (IND)
Arianna CARIERI (ITA)
Francesca INDELICATO (ITA)
Carola RAINERO (ITA)
Altynay SATYLGAN (KAZ)
Emma TISSINA (KAZ)
Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Kelsey Rene CAMPBELL (USA)

57kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Katsiaryna HANCHAR YANUSHKEVICH (BLR)
Hannah Fay TAYLOR (CAN)
Tianna Grace KENNETT (CAN)
Alexandria Rebekkah TOWN (CAN)
Lissette Alexandra ANTES CASTILLO (ECU)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)
Emese BARKA (HUN)
Pooja DHANDA (IND)
Sarita SARITA (IND)
Arianna CARIERI (ITA)
Francesca INDELICATO (ITA)
Carola RAINERO (ITA)
Altynay SATYLGAN (KAZ)
Emma TISSINA (KAZ)
Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Kelsey Rene CAMPBELL (USA)

59kg
Linda MORAIS (CAN)
Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
Maria Victoria BAEZ DILONE (ESP)
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Kumari MANJU (IND)
Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Nazira AMANZHOLOVA (KAZ)
Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS)

62kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE)
Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE)
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR)
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Braxton Rei STONE (CAN)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Sakshi MALIK (IND)
Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA)
Annalisa MARZULLI (ITA)
Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Jiae CHOI (KOR)
Aminat Oluwafunmilayo ADENIYI (NGR)
Henna Katarina JOHANSSON (SWE)
Moa Lena Maria NYGREN (SWE)
Malin Johanna MATTSSON (SWE)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)
Mallory Maxine VELTE (USA)

65kg
Amanda SAVARD (CAN)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Saidy Lorena CHAVEZ FIGUEROA (HON)
Gabriella SLEISZ (HUN)
Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS)

68kg
Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR)
Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN)
Olivia Grace DI BACCO (CAN)
Alexia Rose SHERLAND (CAN)
Divya KAKRAN (IND)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Sara DA COL (ITA)
Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS)
Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA)

72kg
Dejah Aniela SLATER(CAN)
Samar Amer Ibrahim HAMZA(EGY)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE(FRA)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA(KAZ)
Anna Jenny Eva Maria FRANSSON(SWE)

76kg
Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE)
Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
Natallia LANKO (BLR)
Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA)
Gracelynn DOOGAN (CAN)
Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN)
Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Epp MAE (EST)
Cynthia Vanessa VESCAN (FRA)
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
Zsanett NEMETH (HUN)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Eunju HWANG (KOR)
Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR)
Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026, Day 5 Freestyle Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 24) -- European Championships 2026 will enter day five with five Freestyle weight classes -- 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg. Friday will also mark the return of Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) to European Championships after six years.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | SADULAEV's RETURN

UWW Plus

13:15: Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB), the returning silver medalist at 57kg, is clueless against Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) who beats the Serbian 5-0. Tuskaev got on a few attacks but could never finish them while Mekhtikhanov used a strong grip to either finish a takedown or a stepout. 

13:00: U20 world champion Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) will face Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) in the semifinals at 70kg after he made it to the last four with a 12-2 win over Patryk OLENCZYN (POL)

12:50:  Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) is not giving any space to anyone on the mat. In his quarterfinals, Sadulaev blanks Radu LEFTER (MDA), 10-0 and is now in the semifinals.

12:45: Iszmail MUSZUKAEV (HUN) with all the moves you can imagine as he wins with a 10-0 technical superiority against Remzi TEMUR (TUR) and advances to the semifinals at 70kg.

12:36: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) takes out Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) in a low scoring bout at 65kg. Both wrestlers exchanged passivity points but Tevanyan got a point for lost challenge to make it 2-1. He was anyway leading 1-1 on criteria. Mamedov is disheartened as Tevanyan helps him to

his feet

12:25: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) puts hosts Albania in the semifinals at 65kg! He beats Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO), 3-1, and will now take on Islam GUSEINOV (UWW) who blanked Gamzatgadzhi KHALIDOV (HUN), 4-0.

12:15: Match of the morning as Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) and Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) leave it all on the mat in their 79kg bout. Kadzimahamedau lead 5-0 when Gaphrindashvili scored a scored a double-leg four pointer to make it 5-4. Kadzimahamedau challenged and was awarded two points to go with a reversal for Gaphrindashvili, making the score 7-5 for Kadzhimahamedau. After a scramble and stepout, the scores read 10-9 for Gaphrindashvili with 11 seconds left. Kadzimahamedau snuck out a takedown with 3 seconds left to win 11-10.

11:50: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) went on a defensive in the second period against Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) in their 97kg bout. After taking a 3-0 lead, Matcharashvili did not try much in the second period. He was put on the activity clock, gave up the point and then cautioned for fleeing for one more point but he held his 3-2 lead for the victory.  

11:40: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) seems fast on the mat! He works to an easy 10-0 victory over Benjamin GREIL (AUT) at 97kg. Sadulaev is hoping to win his sixth European title and first in six years.

11:32: Returning silver medalist Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) needs a takedown in the last 30 seconds to break the 8-8 criteria lead of Okan TAHTACI (TUR) and lead 10-8. He then survives a flurry of attacks from Tahtaci in the final 18 seconds to win at 79kg

11:20: Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) blanks Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM), 5-0, at 79kg as he begins his quest for a European title. Usmanov, who missed out on a world medal in Zagreb, seemed in better control of his bout here.

11:10: Former European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), hoping to navigate through a tough 65kg field in Tirana, starts well beating Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 5-2, in the opening round bout. 

11:00: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), down at 79kg after last year's silver-medal run at 86kg, begins with a 4-1 victory over Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD).

10:50: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) makes his European Championships debut with a win. He scores a takedown Mykyta HONCHAROV (UKR) before falling behind 3-2. But that was all Honcharov was scoring as Mamedov worked on five different takedowns and win 12-3 at 65kg.

10:30: It's not just Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) on the mat on Friday in Tirana, but also Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL), David BAEV (UWW), Akhmed USMANOV (UWW), Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) and Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)