#WrestleBelgrade

Olympic champ Orta wins first world title in move up to 67kg

By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 24) -- Two years after winning the gold at the Tokyo Olympics in Greco-Roman at 60kg, Luis ORTA (CUB) made a successful jump up to the next Olympic weight and captured his first world title.

Orta rallied in the second period to defeat Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) 4-3 in the 67kg final and secure a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics for his country on Sunday, the final day of the World Championships in Belgrade.

"The result of this gold medal is due to hard training and good work of my coaches, and the good preparation we did before coming here, and in the end, we got it," Orta said.

Ali CENGIZ (TUR) survived being on his back for nearly a minute to claim the gold at 87kg, while Leri ABULADZE (GEO) finally struck gold after finishing second the past two years in the non-Olympic weight of 63kg.

Azerbaijan, with three champions and two silver medalists, won the team title for the first time in its history with 120 points, followed by Iran with 102 and Turkiye with 93.

The tournament was also serving as the initial qualifier for the Paris Games, with five berths up for grabs in each of the six Olympic divisions. Iran came away with four in Greco, while Cuba and Armenia secured three each and Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Azerbaijan and Turkey two apiece. Asian countries swept all five spots at 60kg.

Orta transitioned to 67kg by competing at 63kg in 2022, but could only manage a seventh-place finish at last year's World Championships in the same Stark Arena in Belgrade.

"After the Olympic gold in Tokyo, I couldn't step on the podium again so I am so happy that it happened today," Orta said.

He showed he could handle the extra weight at 67kg this year, beating defending champion Mate NEMES (SRB) in a tight semifinal and winning all three of his other matches en route to the final by technical fall.

Orta denied Jafrarov, the losing semifinalist to Nemes last year, of the world title by overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the second period with two stepouts, the second one coming after he opted to stay on his feet after being awarded a second passivity point.

Orta's bypassing ground wrestling was understandable. In the first period, he was put on top in par terre, only to see Jafrarov stop him during a gut wrench for 2, then add a stepout on an attempted throw.

Luis ORTA (CUB)Luis ORTA (CUB) celebrated his gold medal with a somersault. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

"I already beat Jafrarov once, but all finals are different," said Orta, who defeated the Azeri 5-1 in an early round at the Zagreb Open in February. "They can't be compared. We had a tough match. I think he was a very good opponent, and our fight was worthy of a final match for gold."

This year, Orta prepped for Belgrade and the new weight class by entering two of the Ranking Series events, finishing third in both Zagreb and Bishkek.

"After the gold in the Olympics in 2021, we decided to change the weight category. I went from 60 to 63 last year and we did good work. We did this as a step to fighting in the 67 category where there are very tough opponents. Since the weight change, I had to work harder."

Orta said he did not make any changes to his regimen after his Olympic triumph.

"I was training as before and I did not consider winning the gold in the Olympics as something that would change my life," he said. "I don't think about it and I'm focused on what I have to do next to get the same result in Paris next year."

Ali CENGIZ (TUR)Ali CENGIZ (TUR) celebrates after winning the 87kg final. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In a clash between the bronze medalists from a year ago in the 87kg final, all looked lost for Cengiz until he fought off his back and held on for an 8-7 victory over David LOSONCZI (HUN).

In the first period, after Losonczi failed to score off par terre, he was pressing Cengiz at the edge when the Turk hit a front headlock throw for 4. Losonczi had inadvertently grabbed Cengiz's singlet, resulting in another 2 being tacked on for a 6-1 lead.

Cengiz's worst nightmare nearly came true in the second period. Attempting a reverse lift from par terre, Losonczi stepped over and landed chest-to-chest, getting 2 as Cengiz fought to avoid the fall, which the mat referee signaled but got no confirmation.

Ali CENGIZ (TUR)Ali CENGIZ (TUR), red, defends an attempted pin from David LOSONCZI (HUN). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Losonczi's repositioning to a reverse front headlock gave him 2 more and put Cengiz in danger again. But Cengiz somehow managed to extricate himself from the predicament, although his woes were still far from over.

He was assessed a 2-point caution for a foul, making it 7-7, although he held the criteria advantage due to the 4-pointer. That gave Losonczi one last chance in par terre, but he failed to budge Cengiz, and a late challenge that had no chance of succeeding over a suspected stepout added the final point.

For Losonczi, it will forever be a matter of what might have been. "I knew he would get tired, and he got tired and made a mistake," Losonczi said. "I had the opportunity to finish the match, but I didn't finish it, and that was it."

Still, achieving the objective of earning the Paris spot relieves some of the sting of defeat.

"My dream was to make it to the Paris Olympics," he said. "Being the world's best wrestler was not completed today, but I'm happy. I think I gave my all in this match. There is nothing left in me."

Leri ABULADZE (GEO)Leri ABULADZE (GEO) won the gold medal at 63kg after two silver-medal finishes. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 63kg, Abuladze finally made it to the top of the podium, beating Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) 2-2 on last-point criteria to add the world crown to the European title he won earlier this year.

Mammadov received the first passivity point, but Abuladze scored a reversal from par terre, only to see Mammadov gain a stepout to go up 2-1 in the first period.

Abuladze was the recipient of the second passivity point, which put him ahead on criteria. He nearly clinched the deal with a gut wrench that put Mammadov's back at about an 85-degree angle, just shy of the 90 degrees needed. Put on the bottom later, Abuladze held out for the win.

Geraei, Belenuik bag bronzes, Paris places

Two other Olympic champions in action, Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Zhan BELENIUK (UKR), both made it through the repechage earlier and came away with bronze medals to open the door for them to defend their Olympic crowns in Paris.

At 67kg, Geraei, taking full advantage of the challenge process as he did throughout the tournament, defeated Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) by a rare disqualification for two leg violations.

After gaining a passivity point and going on top on par terre, Geraei received a 2-point leg penalty on a challenge. That kept him on top, and he then lifted up Galstyan and unleased a 2-point throw. Again Galstyan was flagged for a leg foul, which ended the match at 2:09.

Geraei, the world champion in 2021 and silver medalist last year, posted a wild 11-10 victory over Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) in the second round. After losing to Jafarov in the quarterfinals, he made it through the repechage earlier Sunday by rallying from four points down to defeat Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) 6-5.

Beleniuk, a two-time former world champion who was competing for just the second time since his triumph in Tokyo, reeled off three rolls in par terre in the first period against Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) and cruised to a 7-2 victory at 87kg.

"It was a very difficult competition," Beleniuk said. "Today this was my second fight, but I kept with it and I got the license for the Olympic Games and a bronze medal for my country, which is very important because now is a very tough situation in Ukraine."

The victory gave the 32-year-old Beleniuk his fifth world medal. In Paris, he will have a chance at a third Olympic medal, having also won a silver in Rio in 2016.

The other 87kg bronze went to European bronze medalist Semen NOVIKOV (BUL), who used some nifty dexterity to turn the tide against Islam ABBASOV (AZE) and come out with a 6-3 victory.

After being rolled in par terre, Novikov responded with a gymnastics-like kip-up over Abbasov to secure a reversal and went right into a 4-point throw to take a 5-3 lead. Novikov received a passivity point in the second period to account for the final score.

The Ukrainian-born Novikov, who transferred to Bulgaria this year because of his inability to displace Beleniuk, lost to Losonczi in the semifinal and Cengiz at the European U23 in 2019.

Regarding his three fellow medalists, he said, "I need three rematches."

Host Serbia came away with two bronze medals on the final night from Nemes at 67kg and Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) at 63kg, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Nemes notched a 3-3 win on last-point criteria that denied Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) a second straight world bronze.

Nemes trailed after Ismailov scored with a 2-point lift from par terre in the first period. In the second, Nemes uncorked a gut wrench from par terre to make it 3-3 before running out the clock.

Tibilov, normally a 60kg wrestler, took home a medal in his first senior world appearance when he defeated Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) 4-0. Tibilov, after receiving a passivity point in the first period, stopped a lateral drop attempt for 2 in the second period, then added the icing on the cake with a stepout.

The Serbian came into the tournament with a third-place finish at the European Championships and the Wladyslaw Pytlasinski Cup in Warsaw, both at 60kg.

At 63kg, Enes BASAR (TUR) scored eight points in the first period, then survived a bizarre second period in which he handed Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) five free points to take the other bronze with a 9-6 victory.

Basar, making his senior world debut a decade removed from winning a world junior (U20) silver medal, was put on the bottom of par terre in the first period, but stopped a gut wrench attempt and had Clement on his back and near to a fall.

Clement was also assessed a 2-point penalty for a leg violation, which put Basar on top, and he took advantage with two gut wrenches for an 8-1 lead.

One point from ending the match, Basar instead was twice hit with a 2-point penalty for grabbing the singlet early in the second period, with an unsuccessful challenge of the second one giving Clement a further point to cut the gap to 8-6.

But a caution on Clement gave Basar a point, and the period ended with no technical points scored and the Turk, the bronze medalist at the Grand Prix of Germany, defeating the champion of that tournament in August.

Armenia, Kazakhstan gain last Olympic spots

Galstyan returned to the mat later for the fifth-place playoff for the Olympic berth but didn't stay long as he needed less than a minute to roll to an 8-0 technical fall over Ismailov to gain the spot for Armenia.

The lanky Galstyan grabbed a quick takedown and, wrapping his long arms around Ismailov's waist, put together a series of three gut wrenches to end the match in 59 seconds.

Kazakhstan's Tursynov also earned a ticket to Paris with an 8-0 victory in the first period, helped by a number of penalty points and capped with a gut wrench in defeating Abbasov.

Tursynov opened with a stepout, then, put on top in par terre, he received in succession a 2-point leg penalty, an unsuccessful challenge point, and a fleeing point. In the third start, he uncorked the gut wrench with the final move of the tournament.

g

Day 9 Results

63kg (24 entries)
GOLD: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), 2-2

BRONZE: Enes BASAR (TUR) df. Stefan CLEMENT (FRA), 9-6
BRONZE: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM), 4-0

67kg (41 entries)
GOLD: Luis ORTA (CUB) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) 4-3

BRONZE: Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ), 3-3
BRONZE: Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) by Disq., 2:09 (8-0)

5th-Place Playoff: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) by TF, 8-0, :59

87kg (42 entries)
GOLD: Ali CENGIZ (TUR) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 8-7

BRONZE: Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) df. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ), 7-2
BRONZE: Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 6-3

5th-Place Playoff: Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE) by TF, 8-0, 2:14

#WrestleBelgrade

Sakurai stuns Maroulis for 57kg title; U.S. wins 2 golds

By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 15) -- After winning a world title last year at 55kg, Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) moved up this year to 57kg to get an early start in her bid to achieve the difficult task of making Japan's team to the Paris Olympics.

Beating the reigning champion can certainly provide a welcome boost of confidence.

Sakurai scored a second-period takedown to win an intense struggle with former Olympic champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) 3-0 in the 57kg final as women's wrestling finished up on Thursday night with the last four weight classes at the World Championships in Belgrade.

"My opponent was an Olympic champion and is an athlete who always competes on the top level," Sakurai said. "I knew she was a strong wrestler. But I'm young, and I thought that I have to win. I had a strong desire to win, and I'm really happy to come out with the victory."

It was otherwise a good night for the U.S., as Olympic champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) regained the 68kg world title with a victory by fall in another U.S.-Japan match-up, and teenager Amit ELOR (USA) belied her years with a dominant run to the 72kg gold.

The other gold up for grabs went to Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), who won the 59kg title to become Moldova's second female world champion in history, just one year after Irina RINGACI (MDA) became the first.

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) scored the all-important takedown over Helen MAROULIS (USA) during this sequence. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In the 57kg final, Sakurai received an activity point in the first period, then scored the lone technical points of the match with a go-behind takedown off a 2-on-1 arm hold.

From there, she remained the aggressor, getting in several times on a single, and while those forays did not produce points, it kept her off the activity clock and burned precious time.

"Scoring points would not be easy, so when I got in on a tackle, I didn't panic, even though there were times I was stopped," the 21-year-old Sakurai said. "In the second period, I didn't hold back. I thought the opponent would come forward and I launched my moves."

Sakurai's gold was the fifth won by Japan, which easily won the team title with 190 points as all nine of its wrestlers who made the trip to Belgrade will return with a medal (Japan had no entry at 53kg after a late injury withdrawal). The United States, with three titles, was second with 157, followed by China with 84.

The match with Sakurai represented the latest chapter in the fierce rivalry that Maroulis, who also won world titles in 2015 and 2017, has developed with Japanese wrestlers that hit a pinnacle when she stunned the legendary Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) in the final at the 2016 Rio Olympics. That prevented Yoshida from becoming a four-time Olympic champion and made Maroulis a household name in Japan.

Fast forward five years to the Tokyo Olympics, and Risako KAWAI (JPN), also a gold medalist in Rio, moved down to 57kg and clashed with Maroulis in the semifinals. Kawai won that battle 2-1 and went on to win the gold, while Maroulis ended up with a bronze.

Sakurai, who won her first Asian senior title in April, currently holds the national team spot at 57kg in the absence of Kawai, who got married after her triumph at the Tokyo Games and recently gave birth to her first child. Kawai will be returning to the mat when the qualifying process for the 2024 Paris Olympics gets started in December, and the victory in Belgrade gives Sakurai a mental boost.

"To be able to beat the world to me is a link to going to the Paris Olympics," Sakurai said. "There are many strong wrestlers in our country. First, if I don't win at home, I can't be at [next year's] World Championships, the [Olympic] qualifier."

While Sakurai was relatively unknown when she triumphed at the World Championships a year ago in Oslo, she said that it became apparent in Belgrade that she had been scouted.

"I was a champion last year, and from the first match I felt like others had done their homework on me," Sakurai said. "But to be able to still win makes you a champion."

But scouting is a two-way street, and Sakurai said she had an idea of what Maroulis would throw at her.

"Basically, I stuck fully with my wrestling," Sakurai said. "But the opponent is one who constantly wins and has many techniques. I watched a number of matches and I took measures so she couldn't use the moves on me."

Sakurai said she had confidence that her training prepared her to go all out for the full six minutes.

"I put in a lot of time in practice," she said. "Compared with other countries, our wrestlers are not inferior in terms of stamina. So I thought I was better in that regard."

Taymra MENSAH STOCK (USA)Taymra MENSAH STOCK (USA) pinned U20 world champion Ami ISHII (JPN) for the 68kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

For Mensah Stock, her victory by fall over Ami ISHII (JPN) in the 68kg final provided some redemption for a stunning loss to another Japanese wrestler in Oslo, which came on the heels of a gratifying triumph at the Tokyo Olympics.

Asked if it was poetic justice, the spirited Mensah Stock replied, "Whether it is poetic or not, the fact is that I did it, I took an opportunity and I was not letting go of it and these are the fruits of what happened. I love it!"

Mensah Stock showed she was ready for business by opening the match with a driving tackle for 2. After the American got a second takedown, Ishii tried to stand up with her back to the American's chest. Mensah Stock alertly shifted back and pulled down on the chin, dropping the Japanese onto her back.

It took just moments to secure the fall in 2:11. She won all of her matches by fall or technical fall, outscoring her opponents 36-0.

It was far different from what occurred in Oslo, when in the semifinal, she was caught off guard and pinned by Rin MIYAJI (JPN). Mensah Stock came back to take the bronze and, after some months of soul-searching to decide if she wanted to continue in the sport, she resolved never to make the same mistake.

"I had a lot of anxiety, I was just kind of frightened if I did one slip-up like I did last year, that could be the end of a world title," she said. "But I had way more training this year than I did last year and I just had to trust the process."

For Mensah Stock, it is a vast support system that provides the motivation for her to continue putting in the time and effort.

"I have so many people in my corner believing in me, even when I don't believe in myself," she said. "I kid you not, I wanted to quit. This sport is hurting me. I'm going to be 30 in October. And these kids are getting younger and younger, and faster and faster. But I can hang with them.

"My coaches...just kept telling me, 'You got this. You got this.' And when I was done, they were like, 'Welcome back.' I'm back. It's great."

The 19-year-old Ishii, a teammate of Sakurai's at Ikuei University who won the world U20 title a month ago, had to defeat Miyaji along the way in making Japan's team to Belgrade. Mensah Stock said she expects to see more of her.

"Japan has so many opportunities for their young girls to just wrestle, and to just be in the room with so many incredible wrestlers," she said. "So without a doubt, she is going to learn from this, and she's going to get better, and I'm going to have to be looking back because I know I'm a target. But I'm a moving target."

Amit ELOR (USA)Amit ELOR (USA) became the youngest U.S. world champion. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

While Mensah Stock and Maroulis are established stars, few could have expected the sheer dominance with which Elor stormed to the gold in her senior world debut to relegate Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) to a second straight silver medal.

In the 72kg final, Elor scored a go-behind takedown, then, emulating a move the Japanese use so effectively, secured a lace lock and ripped off four straight rolls to end the proceedings at 1:13 and become the youngest world champion in U.S. history.

"I am in shock," Elor said. "I kept wrestling and this is where I am. This is unbelievable. This is unreal."

Elor showed she had the potential when she won both the world U17 and U20 titles in 2021, then repeated as champion of the latter last month in Sofia, Bulgaria.

On the biggest stage of all, she managed to keep her composure. She won her opening match by fall, then advanced to the final with a 3-2 win over defending champion Masako FURUICHI (JPN).

"There were a lot of nerves and every time I feel nervous, I reminded myself why I am wrestling and I love the sport so much," Elor said. "So go out there and enjoy it and if you don't enjoy it, it's not worth it."

For now, the sky seems to be the limit. "There is so much more [to challenge myself]. My number one dream is to be an Olympic champion. Each year is a new year and a chance to prove that you are number one."

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) held off a Grace BULLEN (NOR) attack in the final seconds to win the 59kg gold. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

At 59kg, Nichita survived a late scramble with the ever-dangerous Grace BULLEN (NOR) to preserve a 4-1 win and deny her opponent from becoming Norway's first female world champion since 1998.

"I was worrying a lot because during yesterday’s match I injured my knee and I had pain in my rib," Nichita said. "That’s why I didn’t want to attack a lot, I tried to defend more."

In the first period, Bullen received an activity point, after which Nichita countered a tackle attempt and spun behind for a takedown and a 2-1 lead. Nichita then added a stepout in the second period.

In the waning seconds of the match, Bullen appeared bound for a winning takedown when she got on top and stuck in her legs, but Nichita managed to grab one and hang on to keep Bullen from completing the move. An unsuccessful challenge added the final point.

"Honestly, I hoped that there were no points in the final challenge, but anything could have happened," Nichita said. "Our country is very small, they could have given the points to her. I am glad it went eventually like that."

Nichita said having another top-class wrestler in the country in Ringaci makes both of them better. "I think we motivate each other," she said. "I hope the next generation will take us as an example."

From now, Nichita said she will drop to the Olympic weight of 57kg, knowing it presents a stiff challenge.

"Of course, I am already getting ready for the 57kg weight class," she said. "There are different opponents. Some of them I’ve wrestled before, so I know what to do, but there are some American and Japanese wrestlers who are really good. I will work even harder to beat them."

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)U20 world champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) won a bronze medal at the 59kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Motoki, Furuichi add bronzes to Japanese till

In the bronze-medal matches, Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) and Furuichi came through with victories to ensure every Japanese team member will be returning with a medal.

Motoki, a month after winning the world U20 gold, picked up the senior bronze with a victory by fall over Qi ZHANG (CHN) at 59kg. Leading 3-1, Motoki secured a takedown and immediately applied a chicken wing, then levered the Chinese onto her back for the fall in 3:46.

The other 59kg bronze went to Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), who won one of two bronzes for Poland on the night with a dramatic last-second 4-2 victory over Erdenesuvd BAT ERDENE (MGL).

Seemingly out of luck when she was denied after getting in deep on a takedown, Wrzesien gave it another desperate shot and managed to spin behind with :01 on the clock.

Furuichi, the defending champion at 72kg dethroned in the semifinals by Elor, needed a little luck and a late penalty point to defeat Buse TOSUN (TUR) 3-2 for her third career senior world medal.

Tosun's second-period takedown put her ahead on criteria, but the Turk was flagged for grabbing the singlet with :20 to go to give Furuichi the win and deny Tosun a second consecutive world bronze.

Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) won the other 72kg bronze by routing Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) by a 10-0 technical fall in 4:54.

Anhelina LYSAK (POL)Anhelina LYSAK (POL) won Poland's third medal at the World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Poland's other winner was Ukrainian-born Anhelina LYSAK (POL), who used a double arm lock to gain a 4-point throw and a takedown in a 10-6 victory over Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) at 57kg.

Ironically perhaps, a Ukrainian took the other 57kg bronze, when Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) scored five takedowns in defeating Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) by a 10-0 technical fall in 3:45.

The two 68kg bronzes were decided by falls. Defending champion Ringaci came out on the top from one of those situations which can go either way as she back-dropped Feng ZHOU (CHN) to her back and secured a fall in :51.

In the second match, 2019 world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) gave up a 4-point tackle to Nisha DAHIYA (IND) but came back with an arm throw to a lace lock. Dahiya appeared to injure her knee and that allowed Morais to record the fall at 2:45.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) used his double-leg attacks to great effect to reach another Worlds final. (Photo: UWW / Kostandin Andonov)

Burroughs makes final; Yazdani, Taylor set up another golden clash

In the freestyle semifinals earlier in the night session, Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) earned a shot at an American record world or Olympic gold by making the final at 79kg, while superstars Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) and David TAYLOR (USA) set up yet another clash for the crown at 86kg.

Burroughs stayed aggressive throughout his 9-2 victory over Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL), scoring three stepouts along with a pair of takedowns to stay on track for a sixth world title dating back to his first in 2011. He also has three world bronzes on his gleaming resume.

Standing in his way will be Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), who advanced with a 5-4 victory over Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) to set up a rematch of the final a year ago in Oslo which Burroughs won 5-1.

Nokhodi took the lead with an activity point and a takedown in the first period, before 2020 European bronze medalist Mykhailov came back with a takedown in the second. Later on, a scramble gave them both two points to put Nokhodi up 5-4, and that's how it ended.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) and David TAYLOR (USA) set up a mouthwatering clash at 86kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Yazdani and Taylor set up their fifth career match-up and third in a major final with their third technical fall victories of the day, all without conceding a point.

"I hope we both have a good performance to make wrestling fans happy," Yazdani said. "I will do my best and I ask Iranian people to pray for me."

Yazdani was a whirlwind of action in piling up points from the get-go against an overmatched Boris MAKOEV (SVK), ending the match with a takedown to win 10-0 in 1:54.

By making the final, Yazdani assured himself of a combined eight world and Olympic medals, the most-ever by an Iranian and breaking a tie with legends Gholamreza TAKHTI and Hamid SOURIAN.

"I don't think about such records," he said. "I just want to make fans happy with my performance."

Taylor took a little longer. He only had an activity point to show for his efforts in the first period against Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), but turned on the burners in the second, when he reeled off four straight takedowns before finishing the job at 5:12 with an exposure. An unsuccessful challenge made the final score 11-0.

Taylor leads the head-to-head series with Yazdani 3-1, including a 4-3 win in the final at the Tokyo Olympics. Yazdani finally came out on top two months later at the World Championships in Oslo, where he won the gold with a 6-2 win.

At 125kg, a weight class that included five Olympic medalists in the field, Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) scored the biggest victory of his career when he toppled one of the giants of the division, while two-time former world champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) pulled off a thrilling last-second victory to dethrone reigning champion Amir ZARE (IRI).

Both victories avenged losses from a year ago in Oslo.

Munkhtur showed no fear in facing three-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), and he was the dominant force in forging out a 4-2 win. It was quite a change from the 11-1 pasting Petriavishili handed him in the second round in Oslo.

On Thursday, Munkhtur got a stepout in the first period, then added a takedown and a stepout in the second to pad the lead. Petriashvili finally got on the scoreboard with a takedown, but that would be all for the Olympic silver medalist.

In the other semifinal, Zare was on the brink of repeating his semifinal win in Oslo over Akgul when the wily Turk spun out of a single-leg takedown attempt and got behind with :01 on the clock for a 4-2 victory.

At 70kg, there is never a dull moment in a match involving the unorthodox Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN), who bulled his way to a takedown with :20 left for a wild 11-10 victory over Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) in a repeat of the final at this year's Asian Championships.

Both wrestlers had 4-point moves, including Narikuni's dazzling lateral drop with :05 left in the first period. The Japanese, whose mother was a two-time world champion in the 1990s, trailed 10-6 midway through the second period before launching a furious comeback.

In the final, Narikuni will take on Zain RETHERFORD (USA), who has looked impressive in ousting 2021 bronze medalist Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) 7-0.

Retherford, a three-time NCAA champion at Penn State, had appeared at two previous World Championships at 65kg, but with little success, and seems to have found his niche at 70kg, going unscored upon in four matches.

 

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Day 6 Results

Freestyle

70kg (28 entries)
Semifinal - Zain RETHERFORD (USA) df. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), 7-0
Semifinal - Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) df. Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), 11-10

79kg (32 entries)
Semifinal - Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL), 9-2
Semifinal - Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) df. Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 5-4

86kg (30 entries)
Semifinal - David TAYLOR (USA) df. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) by TF, 12-0, 5:12
Semifinal - Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK) by TF, 10-0. 1:34

125kg (24 entries)
Semifinal - Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Amir ZARE (IRI), 4-2
Semifinal - Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 4-2

Women's Wrestling

57kg (19 entries)
Gold - Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) df. Helen MAROULIS (USA), 3-0

Bronze - Anhelina LYSAK (POL) df. Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL), 10-6
Bronze - Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) df. Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) by TF, 10-0, 3:45

59kg (14 entries)
Gold - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Grace BULLEN (NOR), 4-1

Bronze - Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) df. Erdenesuvd BAT ERDENE (MGL), 4-2
Bronze - Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Qi ZHANG (CHN) by Fall, 3:46 (7-0)

68kg (23 entries)
Gold - Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) df. Ami ISHII (JPN) by Fall, 2:11 (6-0)

Bronze - Linda MORAIS (CAN) df. Nisha DAHIYA (IND) by Fall, 2:45 (4-4)
Bronze - Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Feng ZHOU (CHN) by Fall, :51 (4-0)

72kg (14 entries)
Gold - Amit ELOR (USA) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 1:13

Bronze - Masako FURUICHI (JPN) df. Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR), 3-2
Bronze - Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:54