#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!

#WrestleBelgrade

Adar Pins Olympic Champ Wiebe, Moldova Advances 3 to Finals

By Andrew Hipps

Link:
Semifinal Highlights

BELGRADE, Serbia (December 15) -- World champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) punched her ticket to the 76kg final of the Individual World Cup with a fall over Olympic champion Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN).

Adar, a two-time world finalist and four-time European champion, trailed 1-0 after the opening period of her semifinal against Wiebe. Early in the second period, Wiebe fired off a shot and Adar scored an exposure before pinning the Canadian star's shoulders on the mat to earn the fall. 

The 29-year-old Adar was one of four wrestlers from Turkey competing in Tuesday's semifinals, but the lone Turkish wrestler to reach the finals. She will face Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER), who advanced with a 6-4 semifinal win over Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ). Focken led 4-1 after one period. Medet Kyzy battled back in the second period and made the score 4-4 late while still trailing on criteria. Focken responded with a takedown to seal the victory. 

Moldova had a strong semifinal round, going 3-for-3, with finalists coming in the first three weight categories contested Tuesday. All three of Moldova's semifinal victories came over Turkey. Advancing to the finals for Moldova were Anastasia NICHITA (57kg), Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (59kg) and Irina RINGACI (65kg).

Anastasia NICHITA (57kg) was one of three semifinal winners for Moldova (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Nichita, a 2020 European champion, found herself in an early 4-0 hole after getting thrown to her back by Mehlika OZTURK (TUR). But Nichita battled back, scoring seven unanswered points to lead 7-4 at the break. Ozturk cut the deficit to 7-5 in the second period before Nichita picked up four straight takedowns on her way to a 15-5 technical superiority. She will face ANSHU (IND), who earned her spot in the 57kg finals with a fall over Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS).

Cherdivara Esanu reached the 59kg final by shutting out Elif YANIK (TUR), 4-0. Cherdivara scored a takedown in each of the two periods, with the final one coming with six seconds remaining in the match. 

Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) reached the 59kg final (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Russia's lone semifinal winner Tuesday was Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) at 59kg. She trailed for most of her semifinal match against Elif YANIK (TUR). Down 2-0 after giving up both points off passivity, Lipatova fired off a shot with just under a minute remaining and scored a takedown to take the criteria lead and eventually earn the victory. 

Moldova's third semifinal winner was Irina RINGACI (65kg). Facing Asli DEMIR (TUR) in the 65kg semifinal, Ringaci fell behind 4-2 before throwing the Turkish wrestler to her back and nearly securing a fall as the first period came to a close. She carried that momentum into the second period, outscoring Demir 10-0 in the second period to earn the 14-4 technical superiority.

Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) cruised to a 13-8 win at 65kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) topped European champion Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) 13-8 in a semifinal match at 65kg. Rizhko broke open the match early in the second period after a scoring with a four-point move to go up by six after an unsuccessful challenge by Bulgaria. Rizhko built her lead to nine before Hristova picked up two late takedowns to make the score respectable. 

At 68kg, 21-year-old Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), a 2019 junior world silver medalist, edged 2013 world champion Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR) 7-6 to reach the championship match. Berezhna made it interesting late, scoring a two-point exposure with 30 seconds left to make the score 6-6, but Zhumanazarova held on for the narrow victory. 

Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) reached the 68kg final by earning a fall over Khanum VELIEVA (RUS). Velieva started fast, scoring a four-point takedown early to go up 4-0. The score remained that way until the second period when Hanzlickova took a shot and exposed Velieva before earning the fall.

Women's Wrestling Semifinal Results

57kg
Anshu ANSHU (IND) df. Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) by VFA, 7-4
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Mehlika OZTURK (TUR) by VSU1, 15-5

59kg
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA) df. Elif YANIK (TUR) by VPO, 4-0
Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) df. Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) by VPO1, 2-2

65kg
Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Asli DEMIR (TUR) by VSU1, 14-4
Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) df. Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL) by VPO1, 13-8

68kg
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) df. Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) by VFA, 2-4
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR) by VPO1, 6-6

76kg
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) df. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) by VPO1, 6-4
Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN) by VFA, 2-1