#WorldClubsCup

Iran and Turkey to Meet in FR World Clubs Cup Final

Friday, December 14, 2018 - 15:25 By Ali Feizasa

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BABOL, Iran (December 14) - Teams from Iran and Turkey advanced to the final match of 2018 Freestyle Clubs World Championships in Babol City, Iran.  Both sides went undefeated on the day and finished with 3-0 records to qualify for the final.

Iran's Bimeh Razi Babol had an easy job in pool A with their pair of Iranian and Russian stars in the lineup.

In the opening match, the host team beat the Team Ukraine, 9-1. The first and the last win for Ukraine came at 57kg, where Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) dominated Nader HAJAGHANIA, 14-3. Marovych, a U23 world bronze medal winner, finished all his opening day bouts with technical victories. 

In arguably the most important match, 70kg, 2016 world champion and 2018 European gold medal winner, Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS), earned a 2-1 win over Ukraine's Semen RADULOV. At 79 kg, 2018 world bronze medal winner Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) defeated Alfes DOLIDZE (UKR) by technical fall, 13-3. Also, 2018 U23 world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) added a technical fall victory for Team Babol, defeating Andril GYKA (UKR), 10-0.

In their second-round matchup, Team Babol downed Team Hungary, 10-0. 

After being absent for nearly two years, five-time world and Olympic medal winner, Hassan RAHIMI (IRI), stepped on the mat and defeated Karoly KISS (HUN), 10-0. It was Rahimi's first appearance since winning the 2017 World Cup title.

In other matches, 2018 92kg world bronze medalist, Alireza KARIMI (IRI), moved down to 86kg and edged Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN), 12-0.

In the third round of pool A, two Iranian sides met to determine the first finalist of the tournament, but Bimeh Razi Babol came out on top against Setaregan Sari, 9-1.

This year's Asian Games bronze medal winner, Reza ATRI (IRI) (57kg), former Asian champion, Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI)(61kg), and two-time Asian medal winner Meysam NASIRI (IRI) (65kg) claimed victories and gave Team Babol the 3-0 lead.

Magomed Kurvanaliev (70kg) and Akhmed Gadzhimgomedov (79kg) added two more victories and secured the win for their team.

Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) (74kg), Alireza KARIMI (IRI) (86kg), Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (IRI) (92kg), and Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR (IRI) (97kg) added three other victories for Babol, giving them the 9-0 lead.

At heavyweight, Bimhe's Iranian youngster Abbas FOROUTAN (IRI) didn’t compete against Yadollah MOHEBI (IRI). Foroutan was the 2018 junior world champion at 92kg, and it seems he'll be a future star of Iran at the senior level. 

In pool B, Team Turkey opened the tournament with a 6-4 win against Team India, then earned an 8-2 victory over Georgia. They also beat Kyrgyzstan, 6-4, and will meet Iran's Bimeh Razi Babol in the final.

Ahmet BILICI (86kg), Semih YAZICI (92kg) and Bekir ERYUCEL (125kg) were three Turkish wrestlers who finished all their matches undefeated.

On the final day, Iran's Bimeh Razi meets Team Turkey for the team title, and Iran's Setaregan Sari will compete against  Georgia's Raindi for third place.

Results

Groups standings:
Pool A: 1- Bimeh Razi Babol (Iran) 2- Setaregan Sari (Iran) 3- Ukraine Club 4- Hungary Club
Pool B: 1- Turkey Club 2- Raindi (Georgia) 3- Kyrgyzstan club 4- India club

Round 1

Pool A
Bimeh Razi Iran df. Ukraine, 9-1
57kg- Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) df. Nader HAJAGHANIA (Bimeh) by Tech Fall, 14-3 
61kg- Behnam EHSANPOOR (Bimeh) df. Volodymyr BURUKOV (UKR), 7-2
65kg- Mehran NASIRI (Bimeh) df. Pavlo VYZIR (UKR), 6-0
70kg- Magomed KURBANALIEV (Bimeh) df. Semen RADULOV (UKR), 2-1
74kg- Reza AFZALI (Bimeh) df. Mukhammed ALIEV (UKR), 12-4
79kg- Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Bimeh) df. Alfes DOLIDZE (UKR) by Tech Fall, 13-3
86kg- Kamran GHASEMPOUR (Bimeh) df. Andril GYKA (UKR)  by Tech Fall, 10-0
92kg- Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Bohdan HRYTSAI (UKR) by Tech Fall, 13-2
97kg- Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR (Bimeh) df. Andriy VLASOV (UKR), 5-0
125kg- Amin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Danylo KARTAVY (UKR), 6-4

Setaregan Sari df. Hungary, 10-0
57kg- Amir PARASTEH (Setaregan) – No wrestler
61kg- Mehran SHEIKHI (Setaregan) df. Karoly KISS (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
65kg- Abolfazl HAJIPOUR (Setaregan) – No wrestler
70kg- Mehdi YEGANEH JAFARI (Setaregan) df. Csaba VIDA (HUN), 10-1
74kg- Hossein ELYASI (Setaregan) df. Botond IUKACS (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
79kg- Bahman TEYMOURI (Setaregan) df. Milan MESTER (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
86kg- Masoud MADADI (Setaregan) df. Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
92kg- Arashk MOHEBBI (Setaregan) df. Pejman FAZLOLLAHTABAR (HUN), 4-1
97kg- Amir MOHAMMADI (Setaregan) df. Hossein RAMEZANIAN (HUN), 4-2
125kg- Alireza GORZBAR (Setaregan) df. Mihaly NAGY (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0

Pool B

Georgia df. Kyrgyzstan, 9-1  
57kg- Lasha TALAKHADZE (GEO) df. Khurshid PARPIEV (KGZ), 9-5 
61kg- Otari GOGAVA (GEO) df. Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ), 7-1 
65kg- Giorgi REVAZISHVILI (GEO) df. Ravil SAMAT UULU (KGZ), 6-1  
70kg- Adelit MAMATAEV (KGZ) df. Levani KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO), 5-5
74kg- Daviti TLASHADZE (GEO) df. Elaman DOGTURBEK UULU (KGZ) by FALL 
79kg- Aleksandre SATHVADZE (GEO) df. Bekten ABDIMUSA (KGZ), 11-3 
86kg- Giorgi KVATADZE (GEO) df. Dinislambek TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) by FALL 
92kg- Mukhran NARSAVIDZE (GEO) df. Symbat SULAIMANOV (KGZ) by FALL 
97kg- Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO) df. Kunai NURDAVLETOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 11-0 
125kg- Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO) df. Ayan ALYMOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0 

Turkey df. India, 6-4 
57kg- Ravi KUMAR (IND) df. Ali KARABOGA (TUR), 9-2
61kg- Saban KIZILTAS (TUR) df. MANDEEP (IND) by Tech Fall, 10-0 
65kg- HARPHOOL (IND) df. Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR), 9-6
70kg- RAJNEESH (IND) df. Mustafa ZOPALI (TUR), 4-0
74kg- No Wrestler – Nazim KARA (TUR)
79kg- JITENDER (IND) df. Muhammet NURI KOTANOGLU (TUR), 4-1
86kg- Ahmet BILICI (TUR) df. PARVEEN (IND) by Tech Fall, 14-3 
92kg- No Wrestler – Semih YAZICI (TUR)
97kg- No Wrestler – Fatih YASARLI (TUR)
125kg- Bekir ERYUCEL (TUR) SATENDER (IND), 3-1

Round 2
Pool A

Bimeh Razi Iran df. Hungary, 10-0
57kg- No wrestler –Nader HAJAGHANIA (Bimeh)
61kg- Hassan RAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Karoly KISS (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
65kg- No wrestler – Meysam NASIRI (Bimeh)
70kg- Mehran NASIRI (Bimeh) df. Csaba VIDA (HUN) by Tech Fall, 11-0
74kg- Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (Bimeh) df. Botond IUKACS (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
79kg- Akhmet GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Bimeh) df. Milan MESTER (HUN) by Tech Fall, 11-0
86kg- Alireza KARIMI (Bimeh) df. Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN), 12-0
92kg- Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI df. Pejman FAZLOLLAHTABAR (HUN) by forfeit
97kg- Abbas Foroutan (Bimeh) df. Hossein RAMEZANIAN (HUN) by forfeit
125kg- Amin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Mihaly NAGY (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0

Setaregan Sari Iran df. Ukraine, 7-3
57kg- Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) df. Amir PARASTEH (Setaregan) by Tech Fall, 12-2
61kg- Younes SARMASTI (Setaregan) df. Volodymyr BURUKOV (UKR) by Tech Fall, 12-0 
65kg- Abolfazl HAJIZADEH (Setaregan) df. Pavlo VYZIR (UKR), 12-5
70kg- Semen RADULOV (UKR) df. Mehdi YYEGANEH JAFARI (Setaregan), 6-6
74kg- Hossein ELYASI (Setaregan) df. Mukhammed ALIEV (UKR) by Tech Fall, 13-2 
79kg- Hamidreza ZARRINPEYKAR (Setaregan) df. Alfes DOLIDZE (UKR), 3-2 
86kg- Ali MOJERLOU (Setaregan) df. Andril GYKA (UKR), 8-2
92kg- Bohdan HRYTSAI (UKR) df. Arashk MOHEBI (Setaregan) by FALL
97kg- Amir MOHAMMADI (Setaregan) df. Andriy VLASOV (UKR), 4-2
125kg- Yadollah MOHEBI (Setaregan) df. Danylo KARTAVY (UKR), 8-3

Pool B
Turkey df. Georgia, 8-2
57kg- Ali KARABOGA (TUR) df. Lasha TALAKHADZE (GEO), 7-3
61kg- Otari GOGAVA (GEO) df. Saban KIZILTAS (TUR), 9-2 
65kg- Giorgi REVAZISHVILI (GEO) df. Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR), 11-10
70kg- Mustafa ZOPALI (TUR) df. Levani KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO), 4-3
74kg- Nazim KARA (TUR) df. Daviti TLASHADZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 11-0
79kg- Muhammet NURI KOTANOGLU (TUR) df. Aleksandre SATHVADZE (GEO), by FALL
86kg- Ahmet BILICI (TUR) df. Giorgi KVATADZE (GEO) by FALL 
92kg- Semih YAZICI (TUR) df. Mukhran NARSAVIDZE (GEO), 5-2
97kg- Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO) df. Fatih YASARLI (TUR), 3-2
125kg- Bekir ERYUCEL (TUR) df. Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO), 5-3

Kyrgyzstan df. India, 5-5 (24-20)
57kg- Ravi KUMAR (IND) df. Khurshid PARPIEV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 11-0 
61kg- Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ) df. MANDEEP (IND), 6-3 
65kg- HARPHOOL (IND) df. Ravil SAMAT UULU (KGZ), 10-1
70kg- Adelit MAMATAEV (KGZ) df. RAJNEESH (IND), 6-3 
74kg- No Wrestler - Elaman DOGTURBEK UULU (KGZ)
79kg- JITENDER (IND) df. Bekten ABDIMUSA (KGZ), 11-2
86kg- PARVEEN (IND) df. Dinislambek TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) by FALL
92kg- No Wrestler - Symbat SULAIMANOV (KGZ)
97kg- No Wrestler - Kunai NURDAVLETOV (KGZ)
125kg- DEEPAK (IND) df. Ayan ALYMOV (KGZ), 9-5

Round 3
Pool A

Ukraine df. Hungary, 8-2
57kg- No wrestler - Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR)
61kg- Volodymyr BURUKOV (UKR) df. Karoly KISS (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
65kg- Pavlo VYZIR (UKR) - No wrestler
70kg-Semen RADULOV (UKR) df. Csaba VIDA (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0 
74kg-Mukhammed ALIEV (UKR) df. Botond IUKACS (HUN), 5-4
79kg- Alfes DOLIDZE (UKR) df. Milan MESTER (HUN), 2-1
86kg- Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN) df. Andril GYKA (UKR), 4-2
92kg-Bohdan HRYTSAI (UKR) df. Pejman FAZLOLLAHTABAR (HUN) by Tech Fall, 11-0
97kg- Hossein RAMEZANIAN (HUN) df. Andriy VLASOV (UKR), 13-11
125kg- Danylo KARTAVY (UKR) df. Mihaly NAGY (HUN) by Tech Fall, 11-0

Bimeh Razi Iran df. Setaregan Sari Iran, 9-1
57kg- Reza ATRI (Bimeh) df. Amir PARASTEH (Setaregan), by Tech Fall, 11-0 
61kg- Behnam EHSANPOOR (Bimeh) df. Mehran SHEIKHI (Setaregan), 7-2
65kg- Meysam NASIRI (Bimeh) df. Farzad AMOUZAD KHALILI(Setaregan), 3-2
70kg- Magomed KURBANALIEV (Bimeh) df. Farhad NOURI (Setaregan) by Tech Fall, 12-1
74kg- Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (Bimeh) df. Hossein ELYASI (Setaregan), 5-3
79kg- Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Bimeh) df. Bahman TEYMOURI (Setaregan), 3-3
86kg- Alireza KARIMI(Bimeh) df. Ali MOJERLOO by Tech Fall, 12-2
92kg- Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Arashk MOHEBI (Setaregan), 8-2
97kg- Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR (Bimeh) df.Amir MOHAMMADI (Setaregan), 7-1
125kg- Yadollah MOHEBI (Setaregan) df. Abbas FOROUTAN (Bimeh) by Forfeit

Pool B

Georgia df. India, 5-5 (24-22)
57kg- Ravi KUMAR (IND) df. Lasha TALAKHADZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 11-1 
61kg- MANDEEP (IND) df. Otari GOGAVA (GEO) by forfeit 
65kg- Giorgi REVAZISHVILI (GEO) df.HARPHOOL (IND), 3-3  
70kg- Levani KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO) df. RAJNEESH (IND), 4-2
74kg- Daviti TLASHADZE (GEO) – No wrestler 
79kg- JITENDER (IND) df. Aleksandre SATHVADZE (GEO), 6-2 
86kg- PARVEEN (IND) df. Giorgi KVATADZE (GEO) by FALL 
92kg- Mukhran NARSAVIDZE (GEO) – No wrestler
97kg- Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO) – No wrestler 
125kg- SATENDER (IND) df. Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO), 6-2

Turkey df. Kyrgyzstan, 6-4
57kg- Ali KARABOGA (TUR) df. Khurshid PARPIEV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0 
61kg- Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ) df. Saban KIZILTAS (TUR) by Tech Fall, 19-8 
65kg- Ravil SAMAT UULU (KGZ) df. Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR), 9-4
70kg- Adelit MAMATAEV (KGZ) df. Mustafa ZOPALI (TUR), 6-4
74kg- Elaman DOGTURBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Nazim KARA (TUR), 4-3
79kg- Muhammet NURI KOTANOGLU (TUR) df. Bekten ABDIMUSA (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0
86kg- Ahmet BILICI (TUR) df. Dinislambek TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0
92kg- Semih YAZICI (TUR) df. Symbat SULAIMANOV (KGZ)by FALL
97kg- Fatih YASARLI (TUR) df. Kunai NURDAVLETOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 11-0
125kg- Bekir ERYUCEL (TUR) df. Ayan ALYMOV (KGZ) by forfeit

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open: Six Paris medalists in action; Blades drops to 68kg

Saturday, February 1, 2025 - 17:26 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 1) -- With a couple of factors determining her decision, Kennedy BLADES (USA) will be moving down to 68kg, six months after winning the Olympic silver medal at 76kg in Paris.

Blades will make her 68kg debut at next week's Zagreb Open which coincides with her college wrestling season in which she wrestles at 160 pounds (around 72kg).

"Since I am in the middle of the college wrestling season and I am close to the weight (160lbs), I wanted to see how I felt," Blades told UWW.

Zagreb Open has a two-kilogram weight allowance and Blades revealed that she weighs around 72kg-73kg which makes it ideal for her to wrestle at 68kg in Zagreb. Even in Paris, Blades was wrestling under 76kg.

"I was naturally 2-4 kilograms under 76kg," she said. "So I wanted to see how I feel at my natural weight. Depending on how I feel, I'll determine if I want  to stay at 68kg or go back to 76kg."

Over her international career, Blades has never wrestled below 69kg, winning gold at the U17 Pan-Am Championships in 2018. She moved to 73kg for the U17 World Championships a year later and 72kg for the U20 World Championships in 2021. For her senior debut, Blades moved up to 76kg for the Henri Deglane in 2023 and competed at all tournaments for two years at that weight.

At 68kg in Zagreb, Blades will have to face a few long-timers.

World silver medalist from 2023 Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) and world bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) will be her biggest challenge. Former Asian silver medalist RADHIKA (IND) is also in the mix.

The United States will bring a solid team in Women's Wrestling with Blades, former world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Michaela BECK (USA), Sofia MACALUSO (USA), Skylar GROTE (USA) and Yelena MAKOYED (USA).

PRIYA (IND)PRIYA (IND) is a U20 world champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

India has a full squad going to Zagreb with a few young stars. Former U17 and U20 world champion PRIYA (IND) will be at 76kg, along with Asian medalist MANISHA (IND).

Azerbaijan will be pinning hopes on its first-ever U23 world champion in Women's Wrestling Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) to shine in the 57kg which also has Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN), Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) and TAPSYA (IND). It also has Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) wrestling in Zagreb.

Paris Olympian Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) will be at 62kg a week after winning the Dan Kolov tournament in Varna. She will face challenges from Ameline DOUARRE (FRA), Nikolett SZABO (HUN), Bhagyashree FAND (IND) and Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA).

Freestyle

A battle of two Olympic medalists at 57kg is on the cards as Spencer LEE (USA) and AMAN (IND) are registered for the tournament. Lee won a silver medal at the Paris Games while Aman came home with a bronze medal.

While these two are the biggest achievers in the field, former European champion Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) will pose a significant challenge as he continues to find his space since he changed his nationality to Serbia. Paris Olympian Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) is also in the fray, giving a mouth-watering clash for the U.S. fans between him and Lee.

Iran is debuting Ahora KHATERI (IRI) at the senior level. He won the 2023 U17 World Championships at 45kg but moved to 60kg in one year and finished eighth at the U17 World Championships in 2024.

Iran's struggle at the lower weights has continued over a decade now and Khateri is touted as the most promising of the new lot. It is also trying its new batch at 61kg, sending Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), Ebrahim KHARI (IRI) and Reza Hossein MOMENI (IRI) to Zagreb.

But the star of the Iran line-up will be Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) who won the U20 and U23 World Championships gold medals at 125kg. He is likely to go unchallenged in Zagreb but the field includes Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO), Hayden ZILLMER (USA) and Mason PARRIS (USA) to name a few.

More closely contested battles will be on display at 92kg as Aaron BROOKS (USA) moves up from 86kg, a weight class he won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. He will have his hands full with Asian champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) and former U20 world champion Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI).

World silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) will be among the favorites for the gold along with former world silver medalist and Paris Olympian Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) who is returning to 92kg and will be joined by compatriot Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE). Boris MAKOEV (SVK) is also listed at 92kg for the competition.

Former Olympic and world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) will kick off his season in Zagreb and hope to reclaim the gold he lost in 2024 to Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI). The field at 97kg is a little thin but still has Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), Radu LEFTER (MDA) and Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) among others.

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is entered at 70kg for the Zagreb Open. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

2023 world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is entered at 70kg. He finished fifth at the same tournament in 2023 but will be the most experienced wrestler in the field this year. He will have a few known rivals in the field including James GREEN (USA), Alec PANTALEO (USA) and Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE).

Iran has gone with 2022 U17 world champion Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) and Sina KHALILI (IRI), a 2023 U17 world champion who finished seventh at the World Championships in Tirana last year.

Greco-Roman

Azerbaijan is all out with their Greco-Roman team in the first Ranking Series of the year. Three recent world champions, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) and Uvli GANIZADE (AZE) are part of a 22-member strong squad that also has Paris Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), Tokyo bronze medalist Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) among other younger stars.

Jafarov will be back in action at 67kg and hopes to start his season on a high. The wrestlers trying to stop him include teenager Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI) and U20 world champion Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI). The field also has former world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Morten THORESEN (NOR).

At 60kg, defending champion Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) leads the field, followed by Mammadli, the newly crowned world champion at 63kg. However, as Azerbaijan's first choice at the Olympic weight class, he is moving down to 60 kg. Paris Olympian Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) is also entered, along with U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB), who is known for his big moves.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) will face a tough challenge from the Iranian duo of Danial SOHRABI (IRI) and Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI). World champion Ganizade is the defending champion at 72kg but Geraei will be keen on getting on top of the podium at an international event, a feat he hasn't achieved since winning gold at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in June 2022. Sohrabi too has blown hot and cold since winning gold at the U23 World Championships in 2022.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Zagreb Open will be a big test for Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) at 77kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The two of the highly competitive weight classes in Greco-Roman are 77kg and 87kg and the Zagreb Open will be no different.

At 77kg, Sergei KUTUZOV (AIN) will be back in action, facing a few of the mainstays of this weight class. Suleymanov will be looking to shake off his disappointment of missing a medal in Paris with a better showing in Zagreb.

But there are a few challenges. Paris Olympians Amin KAVIYANI (IRI) and Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) are competing in Zagreb and so is Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) who continues to build his profile. Gutu narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Paris Olympics but is one of the most dynamic wrestlers in the weight class. Surprisingly, former U17 world champion and Gutu's teammate Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) is also at 77kg.

Hungary has also sent Robert FRITSCH (HUN) and Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) at 77kg while Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) is a dark horse.

Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) is likely to have his Olympic bronze-medal bout rematch against David LOSONCZI (HUN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The 87kg weight class will see Paris bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) and a few other Paris Olympians as well. Bisultanov may have a rematch of his bronze-medal bout against David LOSONCZI (HUN) who is one of three Hungarian wrestlers entered. Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Istvan TAKACS (HUN) will also try to claim their stake for the spot on the Hungarian national team in this weight class.

Aues GONIBOV (AIN) and Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) are the two neutral athletes with decorated resumes. Former world champion Huseynov is also entered along with Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), Naser ALIZADEH (IRI), Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), Marcel STERKENBURG (NED), Exauce MUKUBU (NOR), Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) and Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB).