U23 World C'ships

Geno Petriashvili Triumphs to Second World Title in Three Months

By Taylor Miller

BYDGOSZCZ, Poland – Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili bulldozed his way to another World title on Saturday night in Bydgoszcz, Poland, winning the U23 World Championships heavyweight gold.

Petriashvili, who recently stood atop the podium at the 2017 Senior World Championships in Paris France, in August, put together an impressive performance on Saturday, racking up four technical falls to win the 125 kg bracket.

In the finals, he dominated Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS), storming out to a 5-0 lead at the break. He ended the match with a takedown and two gut wrenches for an 11-0 win.

On the day, the Georgian heavyweight outscored his opponents, 45-1.

Also tallying a gold-medal tech fall was 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist Rinya NAKMURA (JPN), who also finished fifth at the Senior World Championships this summer.

Nakamura overpowered Kuat AMIRTAYEV (KAZ) with 10 second-period points after trailing 2-2 on criteria at the break, taking home his first World title.

In his first World championships appearance, Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) rattled off three takedowns late in the 86 kg finals to edge out two-time World medalist Azamat DAULTBEKOV (KAZ), 8-7.

At 57 kg, 2017 Senior Pan American bronze medalist Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) rallied to score six unanswered points in the second period of the gold-medal match to outlast six-time European Championships medalist Mikyay NAIM (BUL).

Tomorrow wraps up the 2017 U23 World Championships with the final four men’s freestyle weights. Action starts at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET).

Finals results
57 kg
Gold - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) dec. Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL), 6-1
Bronze - Parviz IBRAHIMOV (AZE) dec. Zhandos ISMAILOV (KAZ), 2-2
Bronze - Suleyman ATLI (TUR) dec. Wanhao ZOU (CHN), 6-3

61 kg
Gold - Rinya NAKAMURA (JPN) tech. fall Kuat AMIRTAYEV (KAZ), 12-2
Bronze - Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR) dec. Mihai ESANU (MDA), 8-3
Bronze - Islam DUDAEV (RUS) dec. Husein SHAKHBANAU (BLR), 5-0

86 kg
Gold - Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) dec. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), 8-7
Bronze - Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR) dec. Raman CHYTADZE (BLR), 7-4
Bronze - Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) dec. Lazaro Daniel HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB), 6-1

125 kg
Gold - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) tech. fall Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS), 11-0
Bronze - Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI) tech. fall Mihaly NAGY (HUN), 10-0
Bronze - Danylo KARTAVYI (UKR) dec. Zhanxiang HU (CHN), 6-0

marketing

UWW and RUDIS: Historic partnership to unite and elevate wrestling worldwide

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (January 15) -- United World Wrestling (UWW) and RUDIS (rudis.com), a premier U.S.-based wrestling apparel brand renowned for its high-quality gear and deep connections to the wrestling community, have announced a groundbreaking eight-year partnership, set to begin in 2025. The collaboration marks a pivotal moment for the global wrestling community, uniting two forces with a shared vision of celebrating the sport’s rich legacy while shaping its future.

The partnership exemplifies the mutual commitment of UWW, the global governing body of wrestling, and RUDIS to honor the sport and serve its athletes, fans, and communities worldwide.

Central to their collaboration is the concept of “Unified Strength,” symbolizing their united effort to elevate wrestling to new heights on a global scale.

United World Wrestling President Nenad LALOVIC hailed this historic partnership as a significant step forward for the sport.

“UWW has taken unimaginable steps to promote wrestling since 2014, and this is another one of those,” Lalovic said. “Uniting with RUDIS aligns with our mission to promote and develop wrestling worldwide.”

usaKyle SNYDER's (USA) signature Rudis during the World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Founded in Ohio in 2013, RUDIS has rapidly grown into the leading brand in wrestling apparel, renowned for its innovation, athlete-focused designs, and dedication to the wrestling community.

“This partnership is a profound honor and fills us with deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve the sport that has given so much to us all,” said Jesse Leng, co-founder and CEO of RUDIS. “With humility, deep love, and appreciation for everyone connected to and through wrestling, we embrace this duty to support the sport worldwide, uplift its athletes, and contribute to the enduring legacy of this incredible community.”

UWW has always focused on its wrestlers and the partnership with RUDIS will empower wrestlers across the globe. This partnership is a testament to their shared commitment to ensuring the sport’s enduring legacy.

RUDIS Partner and Global Wrestling Advocate Nancy Schultz emphasized the broader significance of the collaboration.

“Wrestling connects us to something far greater than ourselves,” said Schultz. “This partnership allows us to continue uplifting the sport and honoring its global impact and legacy.”

Gordon Templeman, Director of Commercial Operations and Communications, shed more light on the partnership and its goal.

“Through this partnership, we aim to inspire and engage the global wrestling community, elevating the sport to new heights.”

usaKyle SNYDER (USA) has wrestled un the Rudis umbrella for nearly his entire career, collecting nine combined world and Olympic medals. (Photo: United World Wrestling) 

Olympic gold medalist Kyle SNYDER reflected on the significance of this partnership for the future of wrestling. He praised the partnership as a reflection of the wrestling community’s humility and dedication.

“Wrestling is the greatest sport in the world," Snyder said. "This is a great day for wrestling. I believe RUDIS and UWW will tremendously grow the sport.”

Paris 2024 champion Hildebrandt shared her enthusiasm for the collaboration and the impact it will have on women's wrestling.

“I’m so excited for this partnership and how it will elevate wrestling, aid tremendously in the growth of women’s wrestling, and truly open new doors within the sport,” she said.

For media inquiries, contact: Gordon Templeman (gordon.templeman@uww.org), Director, Commercial Operations & Communications or Eric Olanowski (eric.olanowski@uww.org), Head of Communications)