#WrestleFaenza

Makaranka Ends Khachidze's Hopes of Repeating as European Champion

Monday, June 17, 2019 - 18:00 By Eric Olanowski

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FAENZA, Italy (June 17) – Hleb MAKARANKA (BLR) came into Faenz, Italy, for the 2019 Cadet European Championships relatively unknown, but established himself as a huge threat to win the 55kg title when he upset defending European champion Dimitri KHACHIDZE (GEO) in arguably the biggest match of his career. Now, Makaranka will have an even bigger test when he meets cadet world runner-up Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) in Tuesday’s 55kg Greco-Roman gold-medal bout. 

Makaranka opened up his day with a blistering 10-0 win over Nordic bronze medalist Kasper Nikolai OEVERBY (NOR). Then, Makaranka picked up one of the most impressive wins of his young career in the second round when he stopped Georgia’s Dimitri Khachidze from winning his second consecutive European title. The Belarusian used a left-sided gut wrench after an inactivity point to carry the three-point lead into the second period. After surrendering an inactivity point himself, Makaranka moved into the quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory. 

Makaranka easily handled Germany’s Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER), 8-0 in the quarterfinals. Makaranka's shutout win against the German top-ten finisher from the 2018 Cadet World Championships set up a semifinals match against Ukraine’s four-time European representative, Eduard STRILCHUK (UKR)

Makaranka scored his second 3-1 victory of the day and inserted himself into the continental finals. In the 55kg finals, Makaranka will square off with one of the few cadet world medalists in this year’s competition, Nihat Mammadli.

Mammadli, the 2017 cadet world silver medalist, scored three wins on his road to his first European finals. He started his day with a 3-1 win against Artem KOLESNIK (RUS). Then, Mammadli ended two-time Balkin champion Seyitcan BEYTEKIN’S (TUR) run to a European title with an 8-0 shutout win. Finally, in the semifinals, the Azeri grabbed his second straight shutout with a 4-0 win over Varuzhan ANTONYAN (ARM). 

The Day 2 finals begin at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

RESULTS 

48kg 
GOLD - Damir KALAKUTOK (RUS) vs. Malik ALIYEV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Damir KALAKUTOK (RUS) df. Karapet MANVELYAN (ARM), 9-7
SEMIFINAL - Malik ALIYEV (AZE) df. Maksim STUPAKEVICH (BLR), 4-1 

55kg 
GOLD - Hleb MAKARANKA (BLR) vs. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Hleb MAKARANKA (BLR) df. Eduard STRILCHUK (UKR), 3-1 
SEMIFINAL - Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. Varuzhan ANTONYAN (ARM), 4-0 

65kg
GOLD - Imran BABOCHIEV (RUS) vs. Muslim BARGA (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Muslim BARGA (TUR) df. Dzmitry BONKA (BLR), 4-2 
SEMIFINAL - Imran BABOCHIEV (RUS) df. Khasay HASANLI (AZE), 5-0 

80kg
GOLD – Vasile Daniel COJOC (ROU) vs. Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM)
SEMIFINAL - Vasile COJOC (ROU) df. Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE), 4
1 
SEMIFINAL - Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM) df. Umut CELEM (TUR), 2-1 

110kg
GOLD - Said MUSAEV (RUS) vs. Mate GOKADZE (GEO) 
SEMIFINAL - Said MUSAEV (RUS) df. Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), 13-4 
SEMIFINAL - Mate GOKADZE (GEO) df. Omer AYGUL (TUR), 4-2 

#WrestleBudapest

Grace Bullen Move: Outside Trip That Defines European Champ

Thursday, July 9, 2026 - 10:31 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 9) -- Grace BULLEN (NOR) lost the most important match of her career while attempting her trademark outside trip, trying to finish the bout with a fall. It came in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games semifinal against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), who countered with a neck bridge, tossing Bullen over for the fall.

UWW+

Despite the mixed results the move has produced over the years, Bullen did not hesitate to use it in the 2026 European Championships final against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS). Trailing 9-0, Bullen hooked her left foot behind Tandelova's heel and brought her down for the fall.

Three months after their epic European 62kg final, Bullen and Tandelova will be at the Budapest Ranking Series from July 15 to 19, the last stop to gain ranking points before the World Championships.

They will be joined by a strong field that includes former world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN), world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), and European medalists Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR).

The field also includes Ana GODINEZ (CAN) and former U20 world champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN), who will have the backing of the home crowd. Two Indians, MANSI (IND) and SAVITA (IND), are also entered among others.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) performs the outside trip against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) during the 62kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The same move also rescued Bullen at the Tirana Ranking Series, where she trailed Mansi before winning 6-5.

Speaking after winning European gold, Bullen acknowledged both the risk and the reward of the move.

"I know it's my go-to when I'm down, but I also lost in that situation, the same place," Bullen said. "I know how it is being on the receiving end, also being an attacker in that situation. But glad it worked out for me.

"It's more risky that way and just locking the leg and going forward it's much less risky, especially for me."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Grace Bullen (@gracebullen7)

 

A pivotal career decision saw Bullen relocate her training base to Georgia under coach Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI. Since moving to 62kg, she has won world and Olympic medals and established herself as one of the division's most dangerous wrestlers. The demanding training in Georgia and the move up in weight have transformed her wrestling and her mindset, even if the results have occasionally fluctuated.

"I'm also getting older," she said. "I have to be wise with how I train and so I keep my shape."

That experience has also made Bullen more patient than she was five years ago.

"I've years of experience in wrestling," she said. "I take losses with a greater smile than I ever did before. Just knowing that this year I was in two ranking series competitions and only won one match, I am more patient with everything. I know that even though I lose, I can win in the future."