#WrestleYakutsk

Russia Rolls Over Iran, Wins Freestyle World Cup Title

Sunday, March 17, 2019 - 09:46 By Eric Olanowski

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YAKUTSK, Russia (March 17) - Deafening chants of “Russia” echoed throughout Yakutsk’s Triumph Sports Training Center as the Russian Federation claimed their seventh overall Freestyle World Cup title and first gold since their title-winning performance at the 2011 Makhachkala World Cup.  

The goal for the Russian Federation coming into the 2019 Freestyle World Cup was simple and well stated, “Win the Freestyle World Cup on home soil.” 

That’s exactly what Russia did, and they did so in dominant fashion. Russia closed out the weekend with a perfect 4-0 team record while having a combined individual record of 36-4. Even more impressive, the host nation strung together a 25 match win streak that extended through three duals. The streak began at the 65kg match in the Japan dual, went through the 10-0 shutout win over Turkey, and finally ended after the 92kg match in the Iran dual. 

The host nation proved that they were without a doubt the deepest team entered into the tournament, wrapping up the World Cup on Sunday by easily halting Iran from winning their seventh World Cup title in the last eight years.

In the finals, Russia stomped Iran, 9-1, and ended the country's eight-year World Cup title drought.

The Russians cruised, winning the first seven matches and clinched the dual after Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) stuck Mojtaba ASGHARI OSMAVANDANI (IRI) in the 79kg bout. 

Russia’s final win against Iran was their fourth win of the weekend. They went 2-0 on the opening day of competition, tallying wins over Cuba and Japan, then followed that up with a third-round win over Turkey. That Sunday morning win over Turkey locked up the perfect 3-0 record in Group A and handed Russia their spot in the World Cup finals for the first time since 2011. 

This was Russia’s seventh Freestyle World Cup title-winning performance, and sixth on home soil. The last time Russia won a World Cup that wasn’t on home soil came at the 1998 Freestyle World Cup which was held in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.

Meanwhile, in the third-place bout, the defending champion the United States edged Japan, 6-4. 

The pair traded blows and were tied three-all after the first six matches. Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) broke that tie after his 14-3 routing of Samuel Joseph BROOKS (USA), but three consecutive American wins from Hayden ZILLMER, Kyven Ross GADSON, and Anthony NELSON gave the Stars and Stripes the 6-4 advantage, and ultimately the third-place finish. 

Cuba finished fifth place after they defeated Mongolia, 6-4, and Georgia claimed seventh place after beating Turkey, 8-2. 

RESULTS

First-Place Match
Russia df. Iran, 9-1 
57kg - Aryian TIUTRIN (RUS) df. Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI), 11-2 
61kg - Ramazan FERZALIEV (RUS) df. Iman SADEGHIKOUKANDEH (IRI), 8-2 
65kg - Viktor RASSADIN (RUS) df. Morteza Hassanali GHIASI CHEKA (IRI), 10-2 
70kg - David BAEV (RUS) df. Meisam Abolfazl NASIRI (IRI), 6-1
74kg - Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Reza Alireza AFZALIPAEMAMI (IRI), 6-0 
79kg - Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) df. Mojtaba ASGHARI OSMAVANDANI (IRI), via fall 
86kg- Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) df. Mersad MARGHZARI (IRI), 10-0 
92kg - Mohammadjavad EBRAHIMIZIVLAEI (IRI) df. Magomed KURBANOV (RUS), 2-1  
97kg - Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) df. Ali Khalil SHABANIBENGAR (IRI), 2-1 
125kg - Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (RUS) df. Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI), 10-0 

Third-Place Match 
United States df. Japan, 6-4 
57kg - Zachary Luke SANDERS (USA) df. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN), via inj. def. 
61kg - Yudai FUJITA (JPN) df. Nicholas Daniel MEGALUDIS (USA), 4-4
65kg - Zain Allen RETHERFORD (USA) df. Daichi TAKATANI (JPN), 10-0
70kg - Kojiro SHIGA (JPN) df. Jason Lyle CHAMBERLAIN (USA), 5-3
74kg - Isaiah Alexander MARTINEZ (USA) df. Yuto MIWA (JPN), 10-0
79kg - Yuta ABE (JPN) df. Thomas GANTT JR (USA), 3-2
86kg - Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) df. Samuel Joseph BROOKS (USA), 14-3
92kg - Hayden Nicholas ZILLMER (USA) df. Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN), 10-0
97kg - Kyven Ross GADSON (USA) df. Naoya AKAGUMA (JPN), 3-2 
125kg - Anthony Robert NELSON (USA) df. Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA (JPN), 5-3 

Fifth-Place Match
Cuba df. Mongolia, 6-4 
57kg - TUMENBILEG Tuvshintulga (MGL) df. Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB), 2-1
61kg - Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) df. GANSUKH Otgonbaatar (MGL), 3-2
65kg - BATCHULUUN Batmagnai (MGL) df. Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB), via forfeit 
70kg - Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB) df. ENKHBAYAR Byambadorj (MGL), 4-0
74kg - BYAMBASUREN Bat-Erdene (MGL) df. Cristian COLOMBAT RIVERA (CUB), via fall 
79kg - Reinier PEREZ ABREU (CUB) df. BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL)10-0
86kg - ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL) df. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB), 4-4
92kg - Lazaro HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB) df. BAASANTSOGT Ulziisaikhan (MGL), 11-0
97kg - Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) df. ULZIISAIKHAN Batzul (MGL), 2-0
125kg - Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) df. DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL)

Seventh-Place Match 
Georgia df. Turkey, 8-2 
57kg - Ali KARABOGA (TUR) df. Lasha LOMTADZE (GEO), via inj. def. 
65kg - Munir Recep AKTAS (TUR) df. Tornike KATAMADZE (GEO), via inj. def.
70kg - Amiran VAKHTANGASHVILI (GEO) df. Cengizhan ERDOGAN (TUR), via forfeit 
74kg - Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) df. Serhat ARSLAN (TUR), 6-2
70kg - Zurabi ERBOTSONASHVILI (GEO) df. Nazim Selami KARA (TUR), 11-0
74kg - Davit KHUTSISHVILI (GEO) df. Abdulkadir OZMEN (TUR), 7-2
79kg - Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO) df. Fatih ERDIN (TUR), via inj. def. 
86kg - Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) df. Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR), 6-2
97kg - Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO) df. Ali BONCEOGLU (TUR), 9-6
125kg - Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO) df. Abdullah OMAC (TUR), 6-5

#WrestleBaku

Europe's best in Baku for Paris 2024 qualification in Greco-Roman

Thursday, April 4, 2024 - 11:01 By United World Wrestling Press

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 4) -- Europe qualified four wrestlers for the Paris Olympics at 87kg from the World Championships in Belgrade. That number is the highest for Europe in any Greco-Roman weight class.

Yet, some of the top wrestlers in the continent have not been able to earn a Paris 2024 spot. Those stars will clash at the European OG Qualifier in Baku from April 5 to 7 to earn the two quotas available at 87kg.

Leading the field at 87kg is newly minted European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) who looked in top form at the European Championships. In the final, he even convincingly beat world champion Ali CENGIZ (TUR).

Islam ABBASOV (AZE) is seeded number one at 87kg and Komarov is number four resulting in the two falling on the same side of the bracket. The two met in the semifinal at the European Championships which Komarov won 3-1. European bronze medalist Kiyrl MASKEVICH (AIN) gets the second seed and Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) is third, putting them together on the lower side of the bracket.

Though they will be unseeded, former U23 world champion Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) and former European champion Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) will be roaring to go as the latter returns from injury. Former U23 world champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) also hopes to earn the quota.

A few other big clashes are expected in Baku, especially with wrestlers from non-Olympic weight classes moving to the Olympic ones.

Leri ABULADZE (GEO), a 63kg world champion, is moving down to 60kg to earn an Olympic quota. But it won't be easy for him. A two-time U23 world champion Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) and European champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) will be the biggest challenges for the unseeded Abuladze.

Add to the line-up top seed and Tokyo Olympian Victor CIOBANU (MDA) who reached the final at the European Championships before losing to Mammadli. Ciobanu and Mammadli are separated by seeding and will not face each other in Baku. Leo TUDEZCA (FRA) enjoys the third seed and Jacopo SANDRON (ITA) will be seeded fourth.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) will be looking to return to the Olympics by winning a quota in Baku. He was at 72kg at the European Championships and won a bronze medal. The European champion at 72kg, Selcuk CAN (TUR), is dropping to 67kg.

Nasibov will be seeded number four in Baku which pits him on the same side as top seed Krisztian VANCZA (HUN). Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA) is seeded second with Mihai MIHUT (ROU) getting the third seed.

European bronze medalist Abu AMAEV (BUL) is entered for the tournament along with some hammers like Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU), Morten THORESEN (NOR), Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) and Niklas OEHLEN (SWE).

At 97kg, Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) will look to build on his silver-medal finish at the European Championships and earn a spot for the Paris Games. He defeated Kiril MILOV (BUL) and Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) before losing to Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM).

Milov has pulled out due to an injury and will not be competing at the Paris Olympics. Savolainen will be in Baku and seeded number one for the competition followed by Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU) at number two and Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) at three. Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE) is seeded number four.

Alex SZOKE (HUN), Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA), Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) and Felix BALDAUF (NOR), among others, will be drawn randomly.

European champion and two-time Olympic medalist Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) has the best chance to earn a Paris 2024 spot. He stunned Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the 130kg final, denying the legend a record-breaking 13th European title. Despite his gold, Semenov will be unseeded in Baku.

Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU) is the top seed followed by 2012 London Olympic silver medalist Heiki NABI (EST) at second. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) will be number three and Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) is number four.

At 77kg, world champion at 72kg Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), former world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), U23 world champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), Viktor NEMES (SRB) and former world champion Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) will battle for the two spots.