Grappling

Grappling Shines Bright in Kazakhstan as 2019 World Champions Decided

By United World Wrestling Press

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (Sept. 23 and 24) --- Athletes from 18 nations made the trip to Kazakhstan to claim individual and team world titles in No-Gi Grappling and Grappling Gi styles. The competition took place in Bary’s Arena following the Greco Roman, Women’s Wrestling and the Freestyle Wrestling World Championships. This was the second year in which Kazakhstan played host to No-gi Grappling and Grappling Gi world championships. These events are part of the lead up to Nur-Sultan hosting the 2021 World Combat Games which the Grappling styles will be a participant. 

Men’s No- Gi Grappling

In the 62KG division, Anthony Guy DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) caught the attention of many with his positional and submission expertise. Winning his first qualification match 7-0, he then scored submission victories in the Quarter and Semi-Finals to advance to a finals match showdown with Magomedbek TEMEEV (RUS). After a brief exchange on the feet, DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) pulled guard giving TEMEEV (RUS) a 2-0 lead. After defending some aggressive guard passing from the Russian, DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) was able to sweep to bring the score to 2-2. With time running short DE OLIVEIRA (FRA), was awarded 1 point for a leg lock attempt.

 

Dmytro Baranov (UKR) was another highlight reel at 62KG and would go on to take home a bronze medal. After falling short in the opening round against DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) in a rematch of this year's European Finals. Baranov (UKR) would score two exciting submission victories to land his spot on the podium.

Gairbeg IBRAGIMOV (RUS) capped off a dominant run at Men’s No-gi Grappling 71KG with a 15-0 technical decision in the Finals match. He used a variety of takedowns and guard passes to overwhelm his opponent. He scored submission victories over opponents from Georgia and USA on Day 1 to reach the finals.

Team Russia once again proved their dominance, putting a finalist in all 8 final’s matches. They walked away with 7 golds and 1 silver as well as the team title. Team USA advanced 4 members to medal matches with Carlos SOTO walking away with the only medal, a silver at 92KG

Women’s Grappling No-gi

Zofia Maria SZAWERNOWSKA (POL) met Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) in the 58KG final. SZAWERNOWSKA (POL) jumped ahead early leading 2-0, she quickly attacked to secure the back control. SHAKALOVA (UKR) defended the back attack but got caught in a triangle choke as she worked her way out of the bad position and was again forced to defend. SHAKALOVA (UKR) found her way out of the submission attempt but, time ran out as she fell short on points 4-2.

 

 

At 64KG Meshi ROSENFELD (ISR) scored a submission victory over Iuliia TORIANSKAIA (RUS) after leading 4-3. She used an active guard during the tournament, scoring 3 submission victories, 1 victory on points and a victory by forfeit. Iuliia TORIANSKAIA (RUS) reached the final after making her Italian opponent tap-out in the Semifinals

Rimma ANUFRIEVA TROPINA (RUS) claimed her world championship title at 71KG in a come from behind victory. She trailed Magdalena Zofia LOSKA (POL) most of the match until LOSKA (POL) attacked a toe-hold. TROPINA (RUS) defended well and scrambled out and snatched up her own submission. Forcing her opponent to tap to a kneebar with less than 30 seconds remaining.

Russia once again lead all teams with 3 team members landing in the finals. Ukraine came second with 2 members in finals matches. Team France walked away with its 2nd gold medal No-gi Grappling with Claire France THEVENON’s gold medal at +71KG 

Men’s Grappling Gi

Anthony Guy DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) once again secured gold this time in Men’s Grappling Gi at 62KG. He faced off against Dmytro Baranov (UKR). Baranov (UKR) had defeated him in the finals of this year's European Championship. Tied 2-2 with 3 minutes remaining in the match, DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) hit a slick backstep pass to go-ahead 5-2.  He worked his way to the back control and finished a choke to win his 2nd gold medal of the day. Also at 62KG, hometown favorite Vladislav MUKHORTOV (KAZ) bounced back from a Quarterfinal’s points loss to submit his opponent in the bronze medal match.

Gairbeg IBRAGIMOV (RUS) had a scare early in his finals match against Abdyldabek KEKENOV (KGZ) in the 71KG final. With the matched tied 2-2, KEKENOV (KGZ) got behind IBRAGIMOV (RUS) and secured one hook from the back position forcing IBRAGIMOV (RUS) to defend his neck and back to not give up the 4 points. After scrambling back to the top position the Russian star racked up 14 more points to win big and secure his 2nd gold medal of the event.

Team Russian again advanced the most competitors to finals matches with 5, followed by team Poland with 3.  Abdurahmanhaji MURTAZALIEV made sure Kyrgyzstan walked away with gold when he submitted his opponent in the 84KG final

 

 

Women’s Grappling Gi

Zofia Maria SZAWERNOWSKA (POL) squared off against Barbara CARIANI (ITA) in the 58KG Final. SZAWERNOWSKA (POL) opted for the guard pull after a minute of standing work. CARIANI (ITA)  quickly forced her to the turtle position to avoid giving up points on the guard pass. After an exchange of leglock submissions, SZAWERNOWSKA (POL) worked her way on to the back of CARIANI (ITA) sinking in the hooks to take a 6-2 lead with 32 seconds remaining. A reversal by CARIANI (ITA) brought the score to 6-4 as time expired. Making Zofia Maria SZAWERNOWSKA (POL) champion of the world after 5 victories.

Meshi ROSENFELD (ISR) advanced past Irina GROMOVA (RUS) to win her 2nd gold medal of the day at 64KG.  ROSENFELD (ISR) pulled guard at the start of the match giving GROMOVA (RUS) the 2-0 lead. Using a slick back take from the spider-guard ROSENFELD (ISR) took a 6-4 lead. She locked in a choke and it looked as though the match would end there.  GROMOVA (RUS) displayed her toughness as she worked her way out and brought the score to 7-4. Time would run out there in an exciting finals match.

#WrestleBelgrade

Live Blog: World Championships, Day 2

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 11) -- After the finals of the four Greco-Roman weight classes were set on Saturday, the World Championships enter day two in Belgrade with four more Greco weights.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 WRAP

Here are the semifinals for the evening session

63kg
Sebastian NAD (SRB) vs. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO) vs. Ali Reza Ayat Ollah NEJATI (IRI) 

67kg
Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) vs. Mate NEMES (SRB) 
Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) vs. Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) 

82kg
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) vs. Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
|Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) vs. Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) 

97kg
Kiril MILOV (BUL) vs. Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE)
Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) vs. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) 

15:15: Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) will not advance to the semifinal as Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) wins 5-3 and another huge hit to Iran's team title hopes here.

15:11: Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) was knocked off the 82kg throne in dramatic fashion. 2019 world bronze medalist Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZ) drops the Olympic bronze medalist with a bear hug for 4, with another 2 tacked on as Huseynov is penalized for fleeing. Brought back to the mat in par terre, Berdimuratov gets a 4-point throw for an 11-0 win.

15:10: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) is close to joining his brother as a finalist. He beats Roland SCHWARZ (GER) via fall at 82kg.

15:05: Kiril MILOV (BUL) got the rare two par terre positions in his quarterfinal against (ITA). Though he failed to get any rolls, he wins 2-0 to move into the semifinals at 97kg.

15:03: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) proves too much for aging Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB), advancing to the 97kg semifinals with a one-sided 7-0 win.

14:56: Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE) needs just 1:12 to roll to a 10-2 technical fall over Alex SZOKE (HUN) and into the 97kg semifinals.

14:58: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is moving into the semifinals for the first time in his career as he beats HUSIYUETU (CHN) 7-0. 

14:51: Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) slams former world champion Hansu RYU (KOR) down onto his neck during their 67kg quarterfinal. The move is judged as 'brutality' and the points taken away. But Ryu is unable to continue due to the impact on his ribs, and Geraei advances with a 5-1 win by injury default.

14:49: On Mat C, Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) has no answers to Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) and falls in the quarterfinals 7-0.

14:47: Mate NEMES (SR) scores a gut wrench from par terre and books a place in the 67kg semifinals with a 2-1 win over Mateusz BERNATEK (POL), much to the delight of the partisan crowd.

14:36: Olympic champion Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) won't be taking home a world gold after losing a razor-close 2-1 decision to Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) at 63kg. Mammadov gets a late stepout to go ahead 2-1, and in the final seconds, manages to keep from touching down as the Cuban scrambles to get behind for a takedown.

14:31: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) takes a 5-2 lead off an early scramble, then holds on for a 7-2 victory over Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) in their 63kg quarterfinal.

14:20: Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI) takes out world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA). Both wrestlers got a chance in par terre but it was Nejati who got two rolls to win 5-3 in the quarterfinal.

14:15: Serbia has another semifinalist at the World Championships. Sebastian NAD (SRB) gave no openings to Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) and scored a 4-0 win

14:09: After a long wait, defending 82kg champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) finally takes the mat. The Olympic bronze medalist scores a cross-body roll from par terre against Yuya OKAJIMA (JPN) and easily advances to the quarterfinals with a 7-1 win.

14:00: European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL), a world silver medalist in 2018, rips off four gut wrenches from par terre to put away Deepanshu AHLAWAT (IND) 9-1 and gain a spot in the 97kg quarterfinals.

13:37: Defending 97kg champion and Olympic bronze medalist Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) gets a pair of gut wrenches from par terre against Felix BALDAUF (NOR). A takedown and a stepout in the second period to finish the 8-0 technical fall. 

13:30: Mihai MIHUT (ROU) has pulled off an upset. He led 1-1 on criteria and defended the par terre position against Hansu RYU (KOR) when the Korean got the second passivity. Mihut was warned for fleeing and with 4 seconds remaining, he is penalized with two points. Challenge from Mihut but the negative wrestling is confirmed. Ryu wins 4-1.

13:19: Reigning Olympic and world champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) gets a 4-point lift from par terre, then finishes off a 9-0 technical fall over Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) with a takedown just before the end of the first period to advance to the 67kg quarterfinals. 

13:19: In a classic battle between former world champions, Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)--looking for his sixth world medal---scores a 3-1 victory at 97kg over Metehan BASAR (TUR).

13:13: Sebastian NAD (SRB) continues to feed off the energy from the home crowd, scoring a pair of gut wrenches from par terre and advancing to the 63kg quarterfinals with a 5-1 win over Razvan ARNAUT (ROU). 

13:06: Asian champion Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) with a winning start. He beats  Nikolay VICHEV (BUL) 6-1 at 63kg.

13:03: 2021 world silver medalist Leri ABULADZE (GEO) gets a pair of stepouts in the final 30 seconds to secure a 4-1 win over 2019 Asian champion Erbatu TUO (CHN) and gain a place in the 63kg quarterfinals. 

12:41: The refugee wrestler, Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW), looked fearless in facing 2021 world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA). But put on the bottom of par terre, courage can only get you so far, as Ciobanu lifts and rolls his way to a 9-0 technical fall to advance to the 63kg quarterfinals. 

12:39: Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) up against Neeraj CHHIKARA (IND) at 63kg. He gets the par terre and out comes the chest wrap. Strong grip from Orta and he wins 9-0 with four exposures

12:31: Roland SCHWARZ (GER), a 2021 world bronze medalist at 77kg, has moved up to 82kg. He got a takedown and roll combination just before the end of the first period and rode that to a 5-1 victory over David ZHYTOMYRSKY (ISR).

12:20: Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI) is up against Abdolmohammad PAPI (GER) at 63kg. He was included in the team after world champion Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) failed to recover from an injury. He opens the account with an exposure for two. 

12:02: At 38, two-time world medalist Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) is showing more grey in his facial hair, but he still knows how to win. A headlock for 4, and a later takedown-gut wrench combination gives him an 8-0 technical fall at 97kg over Islam UMAYEV (KAZ). 

11:56: More success for the home team, as two-time world bronze medalist Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) foils a bear-hug attempt by Mathias BAK (DEN) late in the match, stepping over for 2 to finish off a 5-1 victory at 97kg. 

11:52: The indomitable Hansu RYU (KOR), still going strong at 34, advanced at 67kg when his opponent Nestor ALMANZA (CHI) defaulted due to injury in the second period. Ryu, the world champion in 2013 and 2017, had just taken a 7-1 lead.

11:45: U20 world bronze medalist Braxton AMOS (USA) with two big arm throws in his 12-6 win over Vladen KOZLIUK (UKR) at 97kg. 

11:22: In a barn-burner on Mat B at 67kg, Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist at 63kg, took a 5-point lead, only to fall behind to Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM). But he got the points he needed to pull out a 7-7 victory. Galstyan was a 2019 world bronze medalist at 63kg.

11:20: A bout that should be a thriller. Olympic bronze Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) is taking on upcoming star Abror ATABAEV (UZB). Elsayed with a stepout and a caution for fleeing to lead 2-0. Atabaev has slowly crawled back into this bout with two stepouts. But El Sayed still has 2-2 criteria lead due to the caution for fleeing. El Sayed is warned for fleeing the hold. With 8 seconds remaining, El Sayed is penalized for second fleeing. Atabaev gets the 3-2 lead. A lost challenge from El Sayed as Atabaev wins 4-2.  

11:10: 2021 European champion Mate NEMES (SRB), whose twin brother Viktor will wrestle for a bronze medal at 77kg tonight, made it to the next round at 67kg with a 9-0 technical fall over ASHU (IND).

11:08: 60kg Victor CIOBANU (MDA) is competing at 63kg this year and has begun well as he got two rolls from par terre against one from Jinseub SONG (KOR) to win 5-3

11:05: Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB), the Tokyo Olympic champion at 60kg, made a successful start in moving up to 63kg, powering to a 10-0 technical fall over European bronze medalist Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR). 

10:56: Sebastian NAD (SRB) gets the home crowd fired up, scoring all his points in the first period and cruising to a 7-1 victory at 63kg over Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG).

10:51: Representing the UWW team, refugee wrestler Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW) begins his campaign at 63kg with an 8-0 win over Emerson FELIPE (GUA).

10:45: After Iran failed to get into any of the four finals yesterday, Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI), a 2019 world bronze medalist, gets his campaign at Greco 63kg started with a solid 5-0 win over European bronze medalist Ahmet Uyar (TUR). 

10:27: Hello again from Belgrade! If Day 2 is anything like yesterday's opening day, we're in for plenty of fast-paced action and high-level drama. Today's morning session will see wrestlers at Greco 63kg, 67kg, 82kg and 97kg try to battle their way into the semifinals. Buckle up!