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Russia Advances Pair to Finals, Stefanek Dominant

Friday, October 26, 2018 - 16:02 By Andrew Hipps

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (October 26) -- Sergey EMELIN and Artem SURKOV won their semifinal matches on Friday at the World Championships in Budapest to give Russia a pair of Greco-Roman finalists on Saturday. 

Emelin scored a first-period technical fall over surprise semifinalist Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) to reach the gold-medal match at 60kg. After scoring a point off a passivity, the 23-year-old Russian locked up a gut wrench and turned Sultangali four times for a 9-0 technical fall. 

He will meet Victor CIOBANU (MDA) in Saturday's gold-medal match at 60kg.

Ciobanu secured his first senior world medal by defeating Kristian FRIS (SRB) in the semifinals at 60kg. Fris jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Ciobanu turned the tables from the bottom position and put Fris in trouble, nearly getting fall. Trailing by two in the second period, Ciobanu used a body lock and drove Fris to his back for four points, which proved to be the difference in the match. 

Surkov, a returning world bronze medalist, will upgrade his world medal after stopping the run of Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) at 67kg. Surkov won 3-1 in the semifinals, scoring all of his points came in the first period, earning a point off a passivity and then getting a turn using a high gut wrench. Awaiting him in the gold-medal match at 67kg is Olympic champion Davor STEFANEK (SRB). 

Stefanek used a big throw in the second period to close out a technical fall over Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) at 67kg. Stefanek led 4-0 at the break and used a turn to go up 3-0. An uncessful challenge gave Stefanek a 4-0 lead at the break. He then a locked up a throw thirty seconds into the period and put the match away. 

Metehan BASAR (TUR) stands one match away from winning a second straight world title after defeating Bekkhan OZDOEV (RUS) 2-1 in the semifinals at 87kg. Ozdeoev led 1-0 at the break, but surrendered his lead early in the second, giving Basar two points after a caution, which closed out the scoring in the match. 

In the other semifinal match at 87kg, Olympic silver medalist Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) defeated Islam ABBASOV (AZE) 5-1. Beleniuk took a 3-0 lead into the break after scoring a passivity point, which he followed up with a gut wrench. He added a late two off a caution to win by four. 

60kg
Victor CIOBANU (MDA) df. Kristian FRIS (SRB) by VPO1, 6-3
Sergey EMELIN (RUS) df. Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) by VSU, 9-0

67kg
Artem SURKOV (RUS) df. Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) by VPO1, 3-1
Davor STEFANEK (SRB) df. Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) by VSU, 8-0

87kg
Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE) by VPO1, 5-1
Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Bekkhan OZDOEV (RUS) by VPO1, 2-1
 

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Staebler Comes Back to Defeat Zhadrayev in 2017 World Finals Rematch

Thursday, October 25, 2018 - 13:01 By Andrew Hipps

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (October 25) -- Two-time world champion Frank STAEBLER (GER) came from behind late to defeat Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals at 72kg in a rematch from last year's world finals match at 71kg in Paris. It was one of the highlight matches in Thursday's opening session of Greco-Roman at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. 

Zhadrayev led 6-0 in the second period, but Staebler worked his way back into the match. He used a four-point throw with just over a minute left to take the lead and help complete the comeback.

Staebler will now face 2015 world champion Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), a 6-4 winner over Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) in the quarterfinals.

Another world champion at 72kg, Balint KORPASI (HUN), a local favorite, was impressive in Thursday's opening session, picking up two technical falls without surrendering a point. In the quarterfinals he defeated Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) 8-0. He meets Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) in the semifinals. 

Returning world bronze medalist Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) made quick work of Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) in the quarterfinals at 63kg, picking up an 8-0 technical fall midway through the first period. Maryanyan now faces Hassan MOHAMED (EGY).

Olympic bronze medalist Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) cruised into the semifinals at 63kg with a 9-0 technical fall over Donior ISLAMOV (MDA). His opponent in the semifinals will be 2010 junior world bronze medalist. Lenur TEMIROV (UKR).

At 82kg, a pair of world champions advanced to the semifinals at 82kg, Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) and Peter BACSI (HUN), while another Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) fell in the quarterfinals. 

2013 world bronze medalist Emrah KUS (TUR) edged the returning champion Manukyan 2-1. 

Abdavali, a 2011 world champion and returning world bronze medalist, shut out Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) 3-0 in the quarterfinals. Bacsi held on to defeat Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ) 2-1. Yerezhepov cut the deficit to one point late in the match but was unable to score again. 

Abdavali will face Kus in the semifinals, while Bacsi will meet Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ).

Nineteen-year-old Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), a junior world finalist in 2017, shined in the opening session at 55kg, picking up two technical falls without surrendering a point to reach the semifinals. He will meet top-seeded Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), a world university champion who had fall and 7-0 victory. 

On the bottom side of the bracket at 55kg, two-time junior world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) rolled to the semifinals with three dominant victories. He will face multiple-time junior world medalist Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) in the semifinals. Tsurtsumia was pushed in his second match by VasilII TOPOEV (RUS) but prevailed 11-9. 

The semifinals are scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m. local time.

Semifinal Matchups

Greco-Roman 

55kg
Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) vs. Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) 

63kg
Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) vs. Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) 
Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) vs. Hassan MOHAMED (EGY) 

72kg
Balint KORPASI (HUN) vs. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) 
Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) vs. Frank STAEBLER (GER)

82kg
Saeid Morad ABDVALI (IRI) vs. Emrah KUS (TUR
Peter BACSI (HUN) vs. Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)