Makhmudov becomes first male Kyrgyz world champion

Sunday, September 11, 2022 - 22:18 By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 11) -- A year ago, Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) came just short of becoming his country's first-ever Olympic gold medalist in any sport. On Sunday night, he never let his opponent come close to preventing him from becoming its first male world champion in wrestling.

Makhmudov emerged from a stacked Greco-Roman 77kg weight class to win the gold medal with a one-sided 8-0 technical fall over Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) on the first night of finals at the World Championships in Belgrade.

"I am very happy to get this opportunity to win the first Greco-Roman gold for the Kyrgyz people," Makhmudov said. "I dedicate this victory to my Kyrgyzstan."

The host country won two of the three other Greco-Roman golds at stake on Sunday, with Georgian-born Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) successfully defending his title at 87kg, and Iranian-born Ali ARSALAN (SRB) winning the 72kg in his first appearance at senior worlds.

European champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) capped off about as dominant a tournament as a wrestler can have by storming to 55kg gold with his fourth straight technical fall without conceding a point.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) uses a four-point exposure to win against Zoltan LEVAI (HUN). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The 23-year-old Makhmudov, the silver medalist at last year's Tokyo Olympics, threw caution to the wind in scoring a pair of bold 4-point moves to blow away Levai in 2:06 of the final.

Makhmudov started with a daring back suplex with a headlock grip that put Levai straight to his back. When the Hungarian fought out of the predicament to his stomach, Makhmudov moved to the front, applied a front headlock and flipped Levai backward for the winning move.

"Yesterday I said that I wanted to show what Kyrgyz wrestling school was capable of," Makhmudov said. "I think I have shown it. I took revenge. Last time I lost to that wrestler and now I took revenge."

Makhmudov has been making waves since he won the gold at the 2018 Asian Championships hosted by Kyrgyzstan, a triumph that he repeated in April in Mongolia.

Only a knee injury that caused him to miss all of 2019 kept him from more titles.

In 2019, Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) beat him to the punch as Kyrgyzstan's first-ever world champion when she won the women's 62kg title in Nursultan. The country has had four male silver medalists, including Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) twice.

For Makhmudov, there are many others who share in the credit for his success.

"I know my family supports me a lot, thanks a lot to them, my coaches and my friends," he said. "And I would like to say something else. We have a coach Ulukbek Karacholokov, his father past away recently, and I would like to dedicate my victory to him because Ulukbek is one of the best coaches and thanks to his father for bringing up such a good son."

At the Tokyo Olympics, Makhmudov lost a heartbreaking 2-1 decision in the final to Tamas LORINCZ (HUN), with a second-period stepout providing the margin of victory. Still, the silver medal made him Kyrgyzstan's fifth Olympic medalist in history and a hero in the country.

"I know my country supports me a lot," he said. "We have a wrestling country. Everybody there loves wrestling and supports it. It gives me the energy to train, I always feel their support when I am on the mat even if they are not present in the wrestling hall."

Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) defended his 87kg world title. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

The Serbs in the finals could certainly hear the support of the partisan crowd in Stark Arena, particularly when Datunashvili ended the day's festivities with a thrilling 6-2 victory over Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) in the final match of the night.

Bisultanov was looking to become his country's first-ever world champion but immediately fell into a 4-point hole when Datunashvili caught him with a nifty arm throw about one minute into the match.

"I had some tactics but I got the opportunity to get the throw and I did and I got four points," Datunashvili said.

In the second period, Bisultanov received a passivity point, but was unable to turn Datunashvili from par terre. The Serb then added a go-behind takedown to pad his lead, and was untroubled when he gave up a stepout.

"He is a young guy, he will get the gold later," Datunashvili said. "Maybe after three years he can beat me."

Datunashvili has been competing for Serbia since 2020 and appeared for the first time at the Olympics for his adopted country in Tokyo, where he took home a bronze medal. He also won the European title that year.

Ali ARSALAN (SRB) defeated Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) 4-3 in the 63kg final. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

In a clash between the European bronze medalists in the 72kg final, Arsalan was trailing 4-3 when he slammed Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) backward to the mat for 4 points, giving him a 7-4 victory and making him the fourth world champion in Serbia's young history.

Arsalan, a 2017 Asian bronze medalist for Iran, scored with a gut wrench from par terre to lead 3-0 going into the second period. But Ganizade tied the match with a passivity point and 2-point penalty, then went ahead 4-3 with a stepout.

"This is what I dreamt of and now I have changed that dream into fact," Arsalan said. "You don’t know the struggles to reach here. This is what it means to be a world champion. For all in Iran and Serbia who supported me, thank you."

Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) blanked Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) 8-0 in the 55kg final. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

At 55kg, Azizli maintained his domination over Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), pummeling the 2019 world champion with an 8-0 technical fall to regain the world title he won in 2018.

Azizli, who had to settle for bronze medals in 2019 and 2021, scored an early stepout, then was put on top in par terre. That proved the beginning of the end for Tsurtsumia, also a bronze medalist last year. After a 2-point penalty, Azizli fired off two consecutive gut wrenches to end the match in 2:06.

"The Georgian wrestler is also a world champion, he was in 2019 and I was the world champion before him," Azizli said. "The match was great, thank God I won."

According to Azizli, he has now beaten Tsurtsumia nine consecutive times. Even so, he was not going to take his opponent lightly.

"This is wrestling," Azizli said. "Anything could happen. Every world championship I had a medal. But not always I was able to win."

Yusu BASAR (TUR) Yunus BASAR (TUR) won the bronze medal at 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Meanwhile, Turkey came away with three bronze medals after victories by Selcuk CAN (TUR) at 72kg, Yunus BASAR (TUR) at 77kg and Ali CENGIZ (TUR) at 87kg.

Can, a 2020 European bronze medalist, eked out a 3-3 win on last-point criteria over Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), scoring a 2-point throw in the second period. Andrii KULYK (UKR) won the other 72kg bronze with a 4-3 win over Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA).

Basar, who won a second straight European silver medal this year, held on for a 4-1 victory over former world champion Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR), a two-time Olympic medalist who was aiming for his first world medal since 2018.

European champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM), the 72kg champion a year ago in Oslo, capped a busy day by defeating Viktor NEMES (SRB) 7-1 to take home the other 77kg bronze.

Amoyan, who lost a close 3-3 decision to Levai in the opening qualification match on Saturday, had to win three repechage matches.

At 87kg, Cengiz scored 4 points with a front lift in the second period to defeat two-time Asian champion Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) 7-1. The other bronze was won by David LOSONCZI (HUN), a 6-2 winner over Alex KESSIDIS (SWE).

At 55kg, Asian champion Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), who had to beat 2021 world champion Ken MATSUI (JPN) just to make the Japanese team, assured he would not leave Belgrade empty-handed when he defeated Max NOWRY (USA) 7-0. Shiotani opened with a 4-point arm throw, then added a stepout and a defensive takedown, all in the first period.

Asian bronze medalist Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB) picked up the other 55kg bronze by rallying from a 5-0 deficit, scoring a 4-point throw among nine second-period points to defeat Asian silver medalist Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ), 9-5.

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) entered the 97kg final after beating defending champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI). (Photo : UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Aleksanyan returns to 97kg final by dethroning Saravi

In semifinal action in four other weight classes earlier in the session, Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) earned a shot at a fourth world title and first since 2017 when he defeated reigning world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) 3-1 at 97kg.

Aleksanyan, scored a gut wrench during his turn in par terre to defeat rising star Saravi, a bronze medalist at last year's Tokyo Olympics and set up a final with European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL).

Milov spotted Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE) a 3-0 lead in the other semifinal but came alive in the second period when put in the par terre. First a classic gut wrench, then a 4-point throw to the back that set up a fall at 4:35.

Aleksanyan, who won a third career Olympic medal when he took the silver in Tokyo, has already assured himself of a sixth career world medal -- Milov is hoping to make it a third silver for the Armenian star.

Host Serbia had another good night, putting two of its wrestlers into the finals to match its results from the opening night. Sebastian NAD (SRB) will be going for the gold at 63kg and Mate NEMES (SRB), Viktor's twin brother, will follow at 67kg.

Nad, a 2019 European U23 silver medalist who is having a breakout tournament, scored a creative exposure from par terre in posting a 5-0 victory over European silver medalist Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE).

In Monday's final, Nad will try to ensure that Leri ABULADZE (GEO) leaves the World Championships with a silver medal for the second year in a row.

Abuladze, this year's European champion, scored a first-period stepout that proved the difference in a 2-1 win over 2019 world bronze medalist Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI).

Nemes, the other world bronze medalist in 2019, defeated a formidable Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) 5-2 in the semifinals. After trading first-period takedowns, Nemes received a passivity point, then got 2 for a penalty to clinch the victory.

For his efforts, Nemes gets a shot at the reigning world and Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), who posted an unusual technical fall over Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO).

Geraei made the unusual choice of challenging a call in which he scored the points, but it paid off by giving him even more than he expected for an 8-0 technical fall.

From the par terre, Geraei lifted up Khetsuriani and dumped him onto his back. The original call was for 4, but Geraei insisted that his coach hit the challenge button, saying his opponent should also be assessed a leg penalty. He not only got the 2-point penalty but the throw was upgraded to 5 points, giving him the victory at 2:02.

Ironically, another semifinal also ended in a technical fall on a challenge call, but that one went against the one lodging the protest.

At 82kg, Asian silver medalist Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) hit a 4-point throw to take a 7-0 lead against Tamas LEVAI (HUN), who decided to take a chance and claim that the Uzbek used his legs. The judges didn't agree and that gave Berdimuratov the 8-0 victory at 2:23, denying a second Levai brother a place in the finals.

In the final, Berdimuratov will face last year's silver medalist Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), who hit a 4-point throw at the edge in the second period to defeat Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) 5-1.

Day 3 will see the start of competition in the final two Greco weight classes, 60kg and 130kg, as well as two women's divisions, 55kg and 62kg.

Day 2 Greco-Roman Results

55kg (18 entries)
Gold - Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) by TF, 8-0, 2:06

Bronze - Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) df. Max NOWRY (USA), 7-0
Bronze - Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB) df. Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ), 9-5

63kg (30 entries)
Semifinal - Sebastian NAD (SRB) df. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE), 5-0
Semifinal - Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df. Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI), 2-1

67kg (30 entries)
Semifinal - Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), 5-2
Semifinal - Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) by TF, 8-0, 2:02

72kg (25 entries)
Gold - Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE), 7-4

Bronze - Andrii KULYK (UKR) df. Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), 4-3
Bronze - Selcuk CAN (TUR) df. Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), 3-3

77kg (33 entries)
Gold - Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) by TF, 8-0, 2:06

Bronze - Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Viktor NEMES (SRB), 7-1
Bronze - Yunus BASAR (TUR) df. Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR), 4-1

82kg (25 entries)
Semifinal - Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) df. Tamas LEVAI (HUN) by TF, 8-0, 2:23
Semifinal - Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR), 5-1

87kg (30 entries)
Gold - Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) df. Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN), 6-2

Bronze - David LOSONCZI (HUN) df. Alex KESSIDIS (SWE), 6-2
Bronze - Ali CENGIZ (TUR) df. Naser ALIZADEH (IRI), 7-1

97kg (29 entries)
Semifinal - Kiril MILOV (BUL) df. Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE) by Fall, 4:35 (7-3)
Semifinal - Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), 3-1

#JapanWrestling

Paris champ Kiyooka sets up clash with Tanabe, Motoki faces Ozaki

Saturday, June 21, 2025 - 12:44 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (June 21) -- Before his astonishing run to an unlikely Olympic title, Kotaro KIYOOKA was the one doing the chasing. Now at the forefront and looking over his shoulder, he sees a familiar face bearing down on him whom he now has to confront.

Paris Olympic champion Kiyooka advanced to the freestyle 65kg final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships on Saturday, where he will face former Nippon Sport Science University teammate Kaisei TANABE with a ticket to this year's World Championships on the line.

Kiyooka is one of three Paris gold medalists, along with Sakura MOTOKI at women's 62kg and Nao KUSAKA at Greco 77kg, who are making their full-fledged returns to the mat at the Meiji Cup, the second of Japan's two domestic qualifiers for the World Championships in Zagreb in September.

Both Motoki and Kusaka advanced with little trouble to Sunday's finals at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym, with Motoki setting up a highly anticipated clash with Paris 68kg bronze medalist Nonoka OZAKI -- whom she beat out for the spot in Paris at 62kg but is intent on reclaiming that weight class.

Kotaro KIYOOK (JPN) Kotaro KIYOOKA, left, ended up scoring 4 points off this scramble in his semifinal match at freestyle 65kg with Yuto NISHIUCHI. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Unlike the other two, Kiyooka has never been to a senior World Championships. Standing in his way is a formidable opponent in Tanabe, two years his junior who is coming off an impressive victory at the Asian Championships in March in Amman, Jordan. Tanabe only moved up to 65kg last year, and the two had not crossed paths before.

Following the Olympics, Kiyooka spent some time (with Kusaka) competing in the German Bundesliga. But the Meiji Cup marks his first high-level competition since Paris.

"It's been awhile since I've been in an official tournament," the 24-year-old Kiyooka said. "Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics, I'm still a long way away. What's important at this tournament is to come out with a victory.

"I have to make adjustments and prepare mentally for tomorrow. It's not just a one-and-done final, there is also a playoff so I can make it to the World Championships."

Tanabe, the son of NSSU coach and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Chikara TANABE, captured the title at the first domestic qualifier for the world team, the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December, in Kiyooka's absence.

As such, Kiyooka will not only have to beat him on Sunday in the final, but again in a playoff to be held at the end of the session.

As an indication of the depth of Japan in the weight class, even with the retirement of Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO, both Kiyooka and Tanabe had to get over tough hurdles to make the championship match.

In the semifinals, Kiyooka struggled to break through the defenses of two-time world U20 champion and current NSSU star Yuto NISHIUCHI. In the end, he used counters to great effect in an 8-1 win, scoring 4 by stepping over during a scramble and 2 more defending against a single leg.

"I'm not usually the type who scores big points," Kiyooka said. "But I have built myself up physically after the Olympics and I think the result was that I could get the big point."

In his opening match, Tanabe needed a stepout with 20 seconds left to get past Shinnosuke SUWAMA 5-4, before topping Ryuto SAKAKI 5-0 to make the final.

While Kiyooka is a bit unsettled about having a target on his back, he seems ready to face whatever comes his way.

"Up to now, it's always been the reverse situation," he said. "I never had the feeling that I was being chased. But I don't want to lose. As being among those who is aiming for the Los Angeles Olympics, I want to be a big barrier for the others. If you give them an opening, they will use it. I don't want to show them any gaps."

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) Sakura MOTOKI pries over Shirin TAKEMOTO en route to a 10-0 win in their women's 62kg semifinal. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

As surprising as Kiyooka's run to gold in Paris was, the bigger shock likely came during the qualifying process when an underrated Motoki, who was "only" a world bronze medalist at 59kg, had the audacity to move up and challenge the highly touted Ozaki at 62kg.

But the 2022 world U20 champion believed in herself, and keeps making believers of others. She returned to competition earlier this year in order to qualify for the World U23 Championships.

Victories at the U23 and senior worlds will make her just the third person in history to achieve the "Golden Grand Slam" of Olympic gold combined with all four world age-group titles.

On Saturday, Motoki's toughest test in advancing to the final came in the opener, when she used a low single to score a takedown in each period of a 5-0 win over two-time world U23 champion Yuzuku INAGAKI.

"She has a good defense," Motoki said. "Being able to get through a tough match really boosts my confidence. When you're an Olympic champion, it's only natural that [opponents] try to come up with a strategy against you.

"In that light, I have to figure out a way to become stronger from the start of Olympic qualifying. That's still under development."

Like Kiyooka, Motoki will have to beat the Emperor's Cup champion twice to secure a place on the world team, and Ozaki won't make it easy.

"She's a really strong wrestler," Motoki said. "I will have to summon up all of my power and try my best."

Nao KUSAKA (JPN) Nao KUSAKA sets up a 4-point overhead lift of Naoki KADODE during their semifinal at Greco 77kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At Greco 77kg, Kusaka chalked up a pair of technical falls to advance to the final, where he will face the Emperor's Cup champion in Kodai SAKURABA, a 2022 Asian bronze medalist whom he aced out in the qualifying for Paris.

In the semifinals, Kusaka romped to a 12-1 victory over Naoki KADODE. After giving up a stepout, he came back with three of his own. Then he got behind and dropped backwards for 4, then ended the match with a 4-point lift at 2:04.

In other weight classes that will finish with medal matches on Sunday, longtime rivals and former NSSU teammates Katsukai ENDO and Kyotaro SOGABE set up their latest clash in the final at Greco 67kg.

Asian bronze medalist Endo, the Emperor's Cup champion, defeated 2021 world bronze 63kg medalist Kensuke SHIMIZU 7-3 in the semifinals, while Paris Olympian Sogabe rallied for a 13-6 win over 2023 world U23 bronze medalist and fellow NSSU alum Haruto YABE.

With Paris bronze medalist Yui SUSAKI still on post-Olympic hiatus, Remina YOSHIMOTO remained on track for a shot at a second world title at women's 50kg when she stormed to 10-0 victories over a pair of teenagers. She will face Umi ITO in a repeat of the Emperor's Cup final, which she won 3-2.

Emperor's Cup champion Rin SAKAMOTO, who has taken the rare collegiate path of going to the United States to compete at Oklahoma State University, advanced to the final at Freestyle 57kg and a showdown with Kento YUMIYA.

Makhmudov becomes first male Kyrgyz world champion

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Paris champ Kiyooka sets up clash with Tanabe, Motoki faces Ozaki