WORLD CLUBS CUP

Greco-Roman Wold Clubs Cup Semifinals Determined

By Ali Feizasa

The semifinalists of 2017 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup were determined in Isfahan, Iran. In the first semifinal match, Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) will meet the Georgian Club (GEO).  Buyuksehir (TUR) will take on Bimeh Razi Isfahan (IRI) in the second semifinal match-up.

In pool A, defending champions Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) defeated Dinamo (ARM), 6-4.

2017 world champion, Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) gave the Iranian team a technical superiority victory against his fellow countryman in the 82kg bout. Olympic silver medal winner, Zhan BELENYUK’s (UKR) fall over Gegam TORGOMYAN (ARM) secured the victory for Sina Sanat Izeh(IRI).  

In pool B, the Georgian Club (GEO) edged Shohadaye Modafe Haram Qom (IRI), 8-2, and Tajik Air (TJK), 9-1. They will meet Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) in tomorrow’s semifinals.

In pool C, it was key victories from 2017 world champion, Metehan BASAR (TUR) and U-23 world champion, Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) that helped 2016 World Clubs Cup runner-up, Buyuksehir (TUR) defeat Samson (UKR), 6-4.

The most exciting match of the tournament came from pool D, as Bimeh Razi (IRI) defeated Moscow (RUS), 10-0.

Led by two-time Olympic and world three-time world champion, Roman VLASOV (RUS), the Iranian side imposed their will heavily on Moscow. Artem SURKOV (RUS) who is competing for the Iranian team gave the host team a 1-0 victory against Pavel SALEEV (RUS). The match between Bimeh Razi’s Vlasov and Ilias MAGAMADOV (RUS) Moscow didn’t happen, as Magamadov was 400g over weight.

Former world champion, Saeid ABDEVALI (IRI) moved up to 82kg and defeated Roman YUSIPOV (RUS),

At 87kg, six-time Olympic and world medal winner, Aleksei MISHIN (RUS) didn’t continue the match in the second period against Mehdi FALLAH (IRI)  due to injury. Fallah was leading after the first period, 3-0.

In the 97kg match, 2017 Asian champion, Seyed Mostafa SALEHIZADEH (IRI) bested 2017 world finalist, Musa EVLOEV (RUS), 5-1. It was three-time junior world champion Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) who gave Bimeh Razi their tenth straight win.

The semifinals of the 2017 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup will be Friday morning.The finals match will be held in the evening.

First day results:

Pool A
Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Dinamo (ARM), 6-4

55kg- Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM) df. Reza KHEDRI (IRI), 2-1
60kg- Shirzad BEHESHTI TALA (IRI) df. Murad HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), 7-4
 63kg- Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM). Pinned Behnam MORADI  (IRI),
67kg- Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) Pinned Aleksan MIKAYELYAN (ARM)
72kg- Ali ARSALAN (IRI) df. Armen HAKOBYAN (ARM), 10-8
77kg- Ruben GHARIBYAN (ARM) df. Keyvan REZAEI (IRI), 10-6
82kg- Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM/ Sina Sanat Team) TF. Argishti ABGARYAN (ARM), 9-0
87kg- Zhan BELENYUK (UKR/ Sina Sanat Team) pinned Gegam TORGOMYAN (ARM)
97kg- Hassan ARYANEJAD (IRI) df. Vagharsak MINASYAN (ARM), 5-2
130kg- Edgar KHACHATRYAN (ARM) pinned Mehdi NOURI (IRI)

Other matches of Pool A:
Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Dinamo (ARM), 6-4
Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Paok (GRE), 10-0
Dinamo (ARM) df. Olympic Hopes (ROU), 8-2
Olympic Hopes (ROU) df. Paok (GRE), 7-3
Dinamo (ARM) df. Paok (GRE), 9-1

Pool B
Georgian Club (GEO) df. Shohadaye Modafe Haram Qom (IRI), 8-2

55kg- Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) TF. Mehdi GHORBANI (IRI), 8-0
60kg- Beka BALANCHIVADZE (GEO) TF. Alireza NEJATI (IRI), 9-0
63kg- Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO) df. Mehdi MORAD SALEHI (IRI), 4-3
67kg- Tornike JANGAVADZE (GEO) Pinned Aliakbar PASALARI (IRI)
72kg- Ramazi ZOIDZE (GEO)  TF. Ali SOLEIMANI (IRI), 8-0
77kg- Hadi ALIZADEH (IRI) df. Bakuri GOGOLI (GEO), 3-1
82kg- Varlami KVARATSKHELIA (GEO)- df. Mohammadreza REZAEI (IRI), 4-0
87kg- Mehdi EBRAHIMI (IRI) df. Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO), 2-0
97kg- Kukuri KIRTSKHSLIA (GEO) df. Omid EFTEKHARIASL (IRI), 2-1
130kg- Levani ARABULI (GEO) df. Parsa NAZARI (IRI), 3-1

Other matches of Pool B:
Shohadaye Modafe Haram Qom (IRI) df. Tajik Air (TJK), 7-3
Georgian Club (GEO) df. Tajik Air (TJK), 9-1

Pool C
Buyuksehir (TUR) df. Samson (UKR), 6-4
55kg- Muslum ALINLI (TUR) pinned Sergii STOROZHENKO (UKR)
60kg- Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) df. Hammet RUSTEM (TUR), 4-2
63kg- Fatih UCUNCU (TUR) df. Anton KUTSENKO (UKR), 6-0
67kg- Fevzi MAMUTOV (UKR) TF. Atakan YUKSEL (TUR), 12-4
72kg- Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Artur POLITAIEV (UKR), 9-2
77kg- Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) df. Pavlo MOLNAR (UKR), 7-1
82kg- Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR), 3-1
87kg- Metehan BASAR (TUR), Iurii SHKRIUBA (UKR), 3-2
97kg- Mykola KRYSOV (UKR) df. Irfan METE (TUR), 8-5
130kg- Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) df. Fatih BASKOY (TUR), 4-0

Other matches of pool C:
Samson (UKR) df. Budapest SC (HUN), 8-2
Buyuksehir (TUR) df. Budapest SC (HUN), 10-0

Pool D
Bimeh Razi (IRI) df. Moscow (RUS), 10-0
55kg- Moslem NADERI KHADEM (IRI) df. Aleksei KINZHIGALIEV (RUS) 4-2
60kg- Mehrdad MARDANI (IRI) df. Sergey EMELIN (RUS), 3-2                 
63kg- Saman ABDEVALI (IRI) df. Sanal SEMENOV (RUS), 5-1
72kg- Mohammad Ali GERAEI (IRI) df. Denis MURTAZIN (RUS), 4-1
77kg- Roman VLASOV (RUS/ Bimeh Team) won by forfeit. Ilias MAGAMADOV (RUS) failed in weigh in.
82kg- Saeid ABDEVALI (IRI) df. Roman YUSIPOV (RUS), 4-0
87kg- Mehdi FALLAH (IRI) df. Aleksei MISHIN (RUS), 3-0 (MISHIN didn’t continue in second round)
97kg- Seyed Mostafa SALEHIZADEH (IRI) df. Musa EVLOEV (RUS), 5-1
130kg- Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO/ Bimeh Team) df. Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RUS), 3-1

Other matches of Pool D:
Moscow (RUS) df. Sport Club Physical Academy (KGZ), 9-1
Bimeh Razi (IRI) df. Sport Club Physical Academy (KGZ),10-0

 

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UWW Comebacks of the Year 2025: Uguev, Maroulis, Amoyan

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 18) -- United World Wrestling’s 2025 Comeback Wrestlers of the Year are three wrestlers who refused to let their careers be defined by defeat and setbacks.

Freestyle Comeback Wrestler: Zaur UGUEV (UWW)

There was a time not too long ago where Uguev career trajectory was pointing him in the direction of becoming the greatest lightweight of this generation, but he hit a slump in 2023 and 2024, finishing fifth at the World Championships.

This year, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist returned to top form. He went from an afterthought to one of the sport's most dominant wrestlers -- reclaiming world gold for a third time in his career and first time since the 2019 World Championships with a 11-2 win over Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) in the 61kg finals.

"This is a very joyful event in my life -- I am once again on the top of the podium," Uguev said. "I am very happy and grateful to my team, my coach, my sparring partners, our national team -- thanks to everyone who played a part in my victory."

Women’s Wrestling Comeback Wrestler: Helen MAROULIS (USA)

For most, 2021 seems like yesterday. But for Maroulis, it’s been a grueling four years of waiting and working to reclaim her spot a top the world ranks. Despite having to completely change her style of wrestling due to lack of conditioning that stemmed from an allergic reaction to antibiotics before the World Championships, Maroulis found a way to bolster her resume with a fourth world title -- adding to her career wins 2015, 2018, and 2021, not to mention her three Olympic medals.

She did so with three quick pins in Zagreb before inside tripping Il-Sim SON (PRK) in dramatic fashion, stealing the world title as the clock expired.

After the match, the 11-time world and Olympic medalist said, "I had to really, really dig deep for that and, I don't know, before the last exchange started, I just had to dig deep and find it. It was just some scramble flurry and just that it came out my way. I'm grateful."

Greco-Roman Comeback Wrestler: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)

Like Maroulis’ four-year battle to get back to the top, Amoyan found himself fighting an uphill battle to regain world gold since his last title-winning run in Oslo in 2021. But after moving up from 72kg to 77kg, he struggled. He fell one match short of his goal at the World Championships in 2022 and 2023, and again at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games where he settled for a bronze medal.

But 2025 was different as the 26-year-old put on arguably the greatest Greco-Roman performance of the Zagreb World Championships, capping off his run to a second world title with an unexpected 9-1 thumping of reigning Olympic gold medalist Nao KUSAKA (JPN).

"I became a world champion back in 2021 [at 72kg], but I really wanted to become world champion at 77kg. For two years, I struggled with injuries, and nothing was going as it should. Thankfully, at this World Championships I was prepared -- mentally, physically, and functionally -- and by God's grace I managed to triumph and become a two-time world champion."