#WrestleBelgrade

Live Blog, U23 World Championships Day 5: FS 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, 97kg

By United World Wrestling Press

BELGRADE, Serbia (November 5) -- As we move towards the business end of the tournament, freestyle action takes center stage at the U23 World Championships in the Serbian capital. Wrestlers from 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg will be on the mat for their qualification and semifinal Friday.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

The semifinals for freestyle will begin at 1645 local time and we will be back for that. Thank you for following and join us for the next session.

1520: What a bout closing out the session! Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) was down 3-4 with about 15 seconds left and then he scores two points via takedown on the edge. Refs white paddle it but Armenia challenge and win it. 5-4 to Tevanyan with nine seconds left. He wins 5-4

1510: Aliakbar FAZLIKHALILI (IRI) and Akmataliev match each other for attacks but it's the latter who has a 4-2 lead. But Fazlikhalili continues to attack. Akmataliev continues to counter. It's 10-6 Akmataliev with 10 seconds to go. It stays that way and Akmataliev makes his way to the semifinals at 70kg

1505: Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) was trailing 0-2 with just seven seconds left but he scored a takedown and leveled it 2-2 to earn the victory and move into the semifinal of 65kg.

1450: Two big matches coming up as Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) is wrestling on Mat A while Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) in on Mat C. 

1425: Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) led 8-6 against Rezuan KAZHAROV (RUS) when the two arm-locked each other and went out of bounds. The refs called it no points but the Kazakhstan corner challenged it asking for two points. Challenge lost and it became 8-8 with Talgat leading on criteria. Kazharov then scores a final second takedown to win 10-8

1410: Jonathan AIELLO (USA) for the win! He scores a takedown to lead 4-4 on criteria and then hangs on to it to win against Shamil GADZHIALIEV (RUS). He will wrestle in the 97kg semifinals

1400: Strong start from Oslo Worlds silver medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) at 70kg. He gives up two exposure points but has no trouble scoring 12 unanswered points to win 12-2 and reach the quarterfinals

1355: Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) is keeping it simple here. He scores a controlled 4-1 win over PARVINDER (IND). Great defense from the former cadet world champion

1330: The quarterfinals at 97kg are set.

1. Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO) vs Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)
2. Radu LEFTER (MDA) vs Milan KORCSOG (HUN)
3. Shamil GADZHIALIEV (RUS) vs Jonathan AIELLO (USA)
4. Sahil AHLAWAT (IND) vs Danylo STASIUK (UKR)  

1315: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) continues his winning run and moves into the quarters with a 10-0 thrashing of Oktay HASAN (BUL).

1250: Mohammadnezhadjavan with a big four after Glory's exposure but the USA wrestler still leads. A lot of scramble there and it's 11-5 for Glory. The Iran wrestler has less than a minute to win this. He gets a takedown and then a gut to make it 11-9. He is looking for another gut and gets it on the edge. 11-11. 18 seconds to go. He defends the criteria lead

1240: Patrick GLORY (USA) and Ahmad MOHAMMADNEZHADJAVAN (IRI) are in an intense battle but it's Glory who leads at the half way mark 5-1

1220: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) had a tough one to start against Shamil USTAEV (GER) but he hangs on for a 3-1 win. A takedown the difference

1200: Toktogul Uulu with a hard-fought win over Arushanian! They traded a takedown each but the Kyrgyzstan wrestler led 4-3 with ten seconds remaining. Arushanian tries hard to get a step out but Uulu circles back as time expire

1145: Pilidis gave up the lead 2-2 on criteria but he finds a final attack with a double leg and score two points to win 4-2. On the other side on Mat A, junior Euro champion Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) is facing Aibek TOKTOGUL UULU (KGZ).

1130: Junior world silver Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) gets a walkover in his first bout. We have to wait a little more to see him in action on the mat. Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympian Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) is making his way on Mat C

1120: Ibragim ABDURAKHMANOV (RUS) could not have asked for a better World Championships debut as he beats Colin REALBUTO (ITA) 11-0 with a strong leg lace

1110: On Mat B, Asian silver medalist Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) scores four straight points to beat VICKY (IND) 4-4 in the opening round at 79kg. It was a little tense for Iran there

1100: Junior Euro bronze Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO) is up against Saurabh IGAVE (IND). Two points to start for Igave and then he adds a four-point throw. Turmanidze starts the second period with a four-point and then adds a takedown to make it 7-6. Igave has locked a double leg and he will finish leading 8-7. The Georgian with a front headlock for exposure for two. India reversal and it's 10-9 Igave. Georgia challenge

1030: Welcome to day five of the U23 World Championships in Belgrade. The freestyle wrestlers are ready to begin the day. Another rainy day in the Serbian capital. We will have a few repechage bouts before moving to the qualifications.

2026 World Championships

Hedayati Beats World Champ Mirzazadeh to Claim Iran's World Team Spot

By Vinay Siwach

KERMAN, Iran (June 16) -- World champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) decided to skip the second bout of the best-of-three series against Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), ending his hopes of defending his world title this year.

Hedayati, who has been knocking on the door of Iran's world team for more than two years, defeated Mirzazadeh, 5-1, in the opening selection bout at 130kg to secure a spot on Iran's Greco-Roman team for the 2026 World Championships, to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1.

Mirzazadeh still had a chance to claim the spot if he won the remaining two bouts, but he chose not to continue in the series, effectively conceding the berth to Hedayati.

Hedayati scored on a passivity point, two pushouts and a two-point go-behind. Mirzazadeh's only point came from passivity as he failed to score from par terre.

"I respect Mirzazadeh a lot as he is a world champion," Hedayati told UWW. "But we worked a lot for one year to beat him."

In the selection bout last year, Hedayati hoped to hang on for a 1-1 criteria victory but Mirzazadeh scored a par terre turn to win 3-1. Hedayati switched his strategy this year and did not wait for the par terre position. He even asked for a standing restart when Mirzazadeh was called passive.

"Last year, I waited for the second period to win 1-1, but now I started to push right off the whistle," he said. "My plan was to push him out because I can do it. When I got passivity advantage, I asked for a start in standing."

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) defeated Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI), 5-1.

The 22-year-old Hedayati, who hails from Amol, the same town as 125kg freestyle world champion Amirhossein ZARE (IRI), will be making his senior World Championships debut in Astana as part of a strong Iran team that features three champions among seven returning medalists.

Zare was present in Kerman to support and coach Hedayati, who calls the Freestyle wrestler 'a brother'.

"I train with Zare because of our weight classes and he came here for my match," he said. "Outside of the mat, we run together, go for hiking, cross country and share a lot of time together to discuss wrestling. We always talk about winning the gold medal together, especially at the Olympics."

The Olympics are still two years away, but Zare and Hedayati can both win gold at the World Championships in Astana.

Hedayati, despite his debut, will enter as the favorite at 130kg. He has already won golds at the U20 and U23 World Championships, the Asian Championships and Ranking Series. He has registered wins over all major 130kg wrestlers including Riza KAYAALP (TUR), Oscar PINO (CUB), Pavel HLINCHUK (BLR), among others.

His only international loss came in 2022 in the U20 World Championships final, 6-4, against Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) that he has since avenged.

"I am training with Ghasem REZAEI (2012 London Olympic champion at 96kg) to improve my par terre offense so I can be a complete wrestler. My defense in par terre is good," he said.

In other weight classes, Iran will be bringing seven medalists including three champions. Olympic champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) will be at 67kg and Hadi SARAVI (IRI) at 97kg. Both are defending world champions along with Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) who will be at 82kg.

The returning silver medalists are Payam AHMADI (IRI) at 55kg and Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) at 87kg, while Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) at 63kg and Danial SOHRABI (IRI) at 72kg are returning bronze medalists.

Former U20 world champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI), who finished 17th last year, will look to win a medal for his team along with Ali OSKOU (IRI) at 77kg who will be making his World Championships debut.

Iran's Freestyle team for the 2026 World Championships will be selected on Friday, June 19 with Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) and Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI), both at 97kg. 

Iran's Greco-Roman Team for 2026 World Championships

55kg: Payam AHMADI (IRI)
60kg: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI)
63kg: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI)
67kg: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)
72kg: Danial SOHRABI (IRI)
77kg: Ali OSKOU (IRI)
82kg: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)
87kg: Alireza MOHMADI (IRI)
97kg: Hadi SARAVI (IRI)
130kg: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)