Grappling

Russia Looks to Repeat at World Grappling Championships in Astana

Monday, September 3, 2018 - 23:48 By Marc Berman

Share this article
Eldar Eilovs (RUS) 84kg

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (September 6th) -- The 2018 World Grappling Championships start next week in Astana with wrestlers from 16+ nations expected to compete in Grappling and Grappling Gi in both men’s and women’s divisions.

In the senior division defending champion Russia will have a difficult path to repeating as Brazil has entered a variety of ex-pat countrymen into the competition, including grappling superstars the Miyao brothers. Poland will also look to challenge the European champions for the world title having taken double bronze at the continental championships.

Ukraine (silver in Grappling-Gi) and France (silver in Grappling) will bring veteran lineups to Astana and are front runners to take home team medals.

The championships will be streamed on FloGrappling.com in the United States and internationally on United World Wrestling.

Men’s Grappling

62kg (Saturday)

Magomedbek TEMEEV (RUS), who won the 2017 world championships, will not be defending his title this year. Also out is this year’s European champion Magomedov MAKHACH (RUS). Adriano  Andrè COLAZINGARI (ITA) who finished with Bronze in April at the European Championships is one to watch.

66kg (Saturday)

Gairbeg IBRAGIMOV (RUS) will be in the mix to defend his title. He is poised to do so after a first place finish in Kaspiysk earlier this year.

71kg (Saturday)

This division is without an medalists from last year’s world championships. Mikhail FRANKLIN (PAN) is a veteran grappler who will certainly be in the mix for gold.

77kg (Saturday)

Watch for Steven RAMOS (USA), he is a 5th place finisher from 2017 who has shown steady improvement in a variety of competitions. He comes to Astana be the highest placed finisher from last year’s competition.

84kg (Saturday)

With 15 competitors in the division anything can happen. Shamil MAGOMEDEV (RUS) will be favorite after a strong performance at the Europeans this year.

92kg (Saturday)

Another division without a returning medalist, seasoned competitor Avraham IBRAGIMOV (ISR) could have a medal in his future and is always in the mix for the podium. Isichko YAROSLAV (UKR) is another veteran with experience at the international level.

100kg (Saturday)

MMA fighter Nurbek ISAMILOV (KGZ) is in the hunt for the top spot on the podium. Kamil UMINSKIi (POL) is in the way with a 2nd place finish at the European championships this year and 3rd place at the World Championships last year.

100+kg (Saturday)

Last year’s champion Ruslan ABDULAEV (RUS) will not be defending his title. Watch big man Denis SUKOL (LTU) to be a potential champion.

Women’s Grappling

53kg (Saturday)

Laetitia BOES (FRA) will be present to defend her title at 53 kg is the largest women’s division in both styles, Watch for last year’s bronze medalist Svitrlana SKYYPNK (UKR) to be a potential roadblock.

58kg (Saturday)

Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) and Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA) seemed destined for a rematch of the 2017 world finals. Shakalova came out on top last year but, the American will look to stand in the way of any plans to repeat.

64kg (Saturday)

Lulia TORIANSKAIA (RUS) is a favorite after coming off a gold medal performance at Europeans. We could see a finals rematch from Europeans with Irina GROMOVA (RUS). Both would need to get past defending champion Hrynko TETIANA (UKR).

71kg (Saturday)

Rimma ANUFRIEVA (RUS) finished with Bronze in Baku and reached the top spot at this year’s Europeans. Rival Irene MUNGAI (ITA) shared the 3rd place spot last year with her in Baku and fell short in the finals at Europeans. This could be a finals matchup.

71+kg (Saturday)

Veronika KORENIUGINA (UKR) is not in the mix to defend her title. Chloe BARRE (FRA), who finished second last year, is a good bet to be one of the finalists in Astana.

Men’s Grappling- GI

62kg (Sunday)

This weight features Magomedbek TEMEEV (RUS) who won gold without the Gi last year and defending champion Baranov DMYTRO (UKR).

Cristofer BARRIOS (ESP) took 3rd at Europeans this year is in the mix.

66kg (Sunday)

Gairbeg IBRAGIMOV (RUS) is a favorite at a gold metal at this year's Europeans. America Luis QUINONES (USA) returns to his second worlds team. After a strong performance at the team trials this year, Luis is on the hunt for a podium spot.

71kg (Sunday)

Alibekov GADZHIMURAD (RUS) and Francisco ALCALDE (ESP) are two likely to be vying for the top podium position. Gadzhimurad was unstoppable at Europeans this year, earning gold. While Alcalde was runner up in Baku last year.

77kg (Sunday)

In a very competitive division, Yusef KADDUR (ESP) will be defending his title. Rene KARAMANITES (PAN) is seeking revenge after falling short to Kaddur last year.

84kg (Sunday)

World silver medalist Shamil MAGOMEDOV (RUS) moves up a weight this year. Purtiyev  HAJIMURAD (AZE) took gold this year at Europeans and will be challenging for gold.

92kg (Sunday)

Piotr BAGINSKI (POL) finished with Bronze in Baku with both finalists not present this year, it could be his year.

100kg (Sunday)

Isa UMAROV (RUS) was a runner-up at the Europeans this year, he is one to watch as a potential finalist.

100+kg (Sunday)

Abdulaev RUSLAN (RUS) will be present to defend his title. Sheraz Mohammad Ahmed KHAN (PAK) is a dark horse ready to make a run at gold.

 

Women’s Grappling GI

53kg (Sunday)

Polina KRUPSKAIA (POL) is ready to take gold back to back years. Laetitia BOES (FRA) could be her biggest challenge this year.

58kg (Sunday)

Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) is defending GI and No Gi titles this year. She could make it back to back years with double gold.

64kg (Sunday)

Last years champion Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA) moved down a weight category, fellow finalist last year Hrynko TETIANA (UKR) will be looking to step up to the top position on the podium this year.

71kg (Sunday)

Silver medalist Irene MUNGAI (ITA) is a favorite to take gold this year. Olena SUSHKO (UKR) can not be counted out either.

71+kg (Sunday)

Chloe BARRE (FRA) was a finalist last year and has the stuff to challenge for gold this year. Poland’s Magdalena ZASZCZUDLOWICZ (POL) is in the mix also for the top position.

SCHEDULE

Thursday, Sept 6th:

11:00-14:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling- Novice and Schoolboys/girls)

15:00-19:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling-Cadets, Veterans and Juniors)

19:00-20:00 Finals (All categories)

Friday, Sept 7th:  

11:00-14:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling GI- Novice and Schoolboys/girls)

15:00-19:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling GI-Cadets, Veterans and Juniors)

19:00-20:00 Finals (All categories)

Saturday, Sept 8th:

11:00-12:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling-Men 62, 66, 71, 77kg, Women 53, 58, 64kg)

12:00-13:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling-Men 84, 92, 100 +100kg, Women 71, +71kg)

18:00-19:00 Finals (All categories)

Sunday, Sept 9th:

11:00-12:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling GI-Men 62, 66, 71, 77kg, Women 53, 58, 64kg)

12:00-13:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling GI- Men 84, 92, 100 +100kg, Women 71, +71kg)

17:00-19:00 Finals (All categories)

#WrestleBucharest

Cengiz vs Losonczi on cards, Kayaalp eyes European record

Wednesday, February 7, 2024 - 10:47 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BUCHAREST, Romania (February 7) -- World champions Ali CENGIZ (TUR) and David LOSONCZI (HUN) may have shared the 87kg world title from Belgrade but the two are on course to meet and settle the scores at the European Championships in Bucharest next week.

Cengiz won the gold medal in Belgrade but a United World Wrestling review ruled that a referee error cost Losonczi the title. The Hungary wrestler was later awarded a shared world title.

But we are likely to find who is the clear winner in Bucharest as Greco-Roman will kick off the tournament on February 12. The European Championships will be live on UWW+ which can be watched on uww.org or the UWW App.

Losonczi and Cengiz can only meet in the final as they are seeded one and two respectively. And to reach the gold medal bout, both have to navigate a tough bracket.

The biggest threat will be Alan OSTAEV (AIN) who won a bronze medal at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in January. He stunned a packed house in Zagreb by beating Losonczi 9-0 in the first round. Ostaev had two big throws which helped him win the contest in the first period itself.

The second bronze medalist from Zagreb, Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) will also be in action in Bucharest hoping to win his first medal at a championship for Serbia.

Tokyo Olympic champion and world bronze medalist Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) will also make a comeback to the European Championships. He last wrestled at the tournament in 2021, winning a bronze medal. He won the gold medal in the 2019 edition of the championships.

Young stars in the weight class include U20 world champion Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO), former U20 world champion Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and former U23 world champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR).

At 130kg, Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is going for a record-breaking 13th European Championships title. A gold medal will take him past the 12th title Aleksandr KARELIN holds in Greco-Roman.

Kayaalp suffered a loss in the final at the World Championships but will hope that his reign in Europe doesn't meet the same fate. Sergei SEMENOV (AIN), veteran Heiki NABI (EST), home favorite Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) and young star Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) are the few other names in the bracket.

Another packed weight class in 77kg as Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) looks to defend his title from Zagreb. But challenging him are world silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 72kg world champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), Robert FRITSCH (HUN), U23 world champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), former world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) and former European champion Yunus BASAR (TUR).

Amoyan's run last year included a semifinal victory over Basar who later won a bronze medal. Gutu was injured in the repechage round and pulled out.

Suleymanov lost his first-round bout but he reached the final of the World Championships and won the Zagreb Open last month. He will also be seeded number one for the European Championships, making a clash with Amoyan possible in the gold-medal bout.

Ghanem won the world title at 72kg but he suffered an early loss at the Zagreb Open. Arsalan won a bronze medal at that event.

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)Defending champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) (blue) and silver medalist Kiril MILOV (BUL) are entered at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) will also be wrestling for the first since the World Championships in which suffered a shocking loss in the final to win a silver medal at 97kg. The defending champion will be seeded third and looking for his seventh gold medal at the competition.

The field includes top seed world bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE), Zagreb Open winner and second seed Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), former world bronze medalist Artur SARGSIAN (AIN), 2022 European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL), Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Felix BALDAUF (NOR).

Milov is making a comeback since his silver medal at the 2023 European Championships as he suffered a career-threatening injury that also forced him to skip the World Championships.

Last year, Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Kerem KAMAL (TUR) offered an action-packed bout and the two are expected to clash again. Since Kamal is unseeded, he can meet Ciobanu in any round of the bracket. 

Ciobanu, the returning silver medalist, reached the final of the Zagreb Open but pulled out, handing the victory to Sadyk LALAEV (AIN). Lalaev is entered to compete in Bucharest and Ciobanu will be keen to have a go this time.

Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) and Pridon ABULADZE (GEO) will be part of the bracket but with defending champion Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) moving to 63kg, the 60kg weight class will have a new European champion.

Nazaryan's task to win the 63kg weight class won't be a walk in the park as he has to face world and defending champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO). Zhambolat LOKYAEV (AIN) and Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) will also look to win the gold medal.

Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is the defending champion at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) has had a tough time since winning the gold medal at 67kg at the last European Championships as he lost the final of the World Championships and then got pinned at the Zagreb Open. But he will look to return to gold-winning ways in Bucharest.

Jafarov will be the favorite to win the gold medal despite the likes of Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA), Morten THORESEN (NOR), Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Murat FIRAT (TUR) in the weight class.

82kg world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) will be eyeing another European title after skipping the last edition. Huseynov won the world title in 2021 but failed to repeat in 2022. He moved back to 82kg for the 2023 edition and won the gold medal.

He will have a young field to navigate as former U20 world champion Islam ALIEV (AIN) is joined by multiple-time age-group world medalist Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) and U20 world champion Alperen BERBER (TUR).

Azerbaijan has another chance at winning the gold medal at 72kg defending champion Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) returns to defend his title. He will face the likes of Krisztian VANCZA (HUN), Mate NEMES (SRB), Selcuk CAN (TUR) and Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) among others.

At 55kg, Adem UZUN (TUR) had a dream run last year, winning the gold medal. He will look to repeat as the champion even though Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), who suffered a 13-3 semifinal loss to Uzun, hopes to finally win the European title. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) has decided to skip the tournament.