Ivan Yarygin

Sadulaev and Snyder Win Second Yarygin Titles

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KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 28) -- Russian wrestlers capped off the third day of action at the 29th Annual Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix with three additional gold medals, bringing their tournament total to eight. The only two non-Russian wrestlers to capture gold medals were David TAYLOR (USA) and Kyle SNYDER (USA).

In this evenings first men’s freestyle bout, Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) took the 1-0 lead after Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) failed to score while on the shot clock. Tsabolov’s extended his lead to 3-0 with timely takedown that came off a single-leg in the second period, ultimately giving him the 74kg gold medal.

At 86kg, David TAYLOR (USA), 2017 Grand Prix of Paris champion wrapped up his day with back-to-back falls, winning his first Ivan Yarygin title.

Taylor evened the score up after Fatih ERDIN’s (TUR) two-point head- pinch. Taylor picked up his second takedown, taking the 4-2 lead half way through the first period. Taylor then caught Erdin on his back and secured the first period fall.

When asked about winning the Yarygin, Taylor said “Just to hear the national anthem almost brought tears to my eyes because I’ve envisioned hearing that so many times.”

In the 92kg gold medal bout, Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) used three takedowns to defeat Anzor URISHEV (RUS), 6-0. Sadulaev finished the day outscoring his opponents 26-0.This was Sadulaev’s first tournament win since dropping the gold medal bout at the 2017 World Championships. 

At 97kg, Kyle SNYDER (USA) added back-to-back Yargin titles to his resume, becoming the first American to ever do so. 

Snyder, the two-time world champion trailed in the first after being put on the shot clock. He went on to score four answered points, defeating Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 4-1.

In women’s wrestling, China capped off their impressive tournament by going five for seven in gold medal bouts, including going 2-0 on the third and final day.

Their sixth finalist, Juan WANG (CHN) used a four-point bodylock to defeat Masako FURUICHI (JPN) 4-1 in the 72kg final. WANG ‘s victory gave China their fourth gold medal of the tournament. China's fifth gold medal came when Qian ZHOU (CHN) was handed the 76kg  gold medal after Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) injury defaulted.

FINALS RESULTS
74kg
GOLD - Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS), 4-1

BRONZE – Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM) df. Mandakhnaran GANZORIG (MGL), 9-0
BRONZE - Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS) df. Muhammet DEMIR (TUR), 10-0

86kg
GOLD -  David TAYLOR III (USA) df. Fatih ERDIN (TUR), 6-2

BRONZE –  Vladislav VALIEV (RUS) df. Zaur BERADZE (GEO),2-0
BRONZE - Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) df. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB),2-1

92kg
GOLD -  Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Anzor URISHEV (RUS), 6-0

BRONZE –  Yury BELONOVSKIY (RUS) df. Serda BOKE (TUR), 9-3
BRONZE -  Turtogtokh LUVSANDORJ (MGL) df. Nicholas HEFLIN (USA), 4-2

97kg
GOLD - Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 4-1

BRONZE –  Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) df. Yunus DEDE (TUR), 11-0
BRONZE - Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) df. Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL), 10-0

Women’s wrestling
72kg

GOLD -  Juan WANG (CHN) df. Masako FURUICHI (JPN), 4-1

BRONZE – Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) df. Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA MOROZOVA (RUS), 9-0
BRONZE - Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Alena PEREPELKINA (RUS), 8-5

76kg
GOLD - Qian ZHOU (CHN) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS),Inj def

BRONZE – Paliha PALIHA (CHN) df. Viktoriia FROLOVA (RUS), 10-0
BRONZE - Epp MAE (EST) df. Anzhela KATAEVA (RUS), 4-0

Esmaeili survives Jafarov shock to win ISG 2025 gold

By Vinay Siwach

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 18) -- He needed some strong defense to win the world title and on Tuesday, Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) needed some clutch offense to beat Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) for the second time in two one month.

Esmaeili and Jafarov clashed in the final of the 67kg weight class at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Riyad, Saudi Arabi and it seemed that the latter was on his way to upset the Olympic champion and avenge his loss from the World Championships final.

Down 3-3 on criteria, all seemed to be over for Esmaeili as the clock ticked down. In the last 10 seconds, Esmaeili worked on a double-arm lock and then managed to throw Jafarov in danger from standing for four points which changed the result and gave him the win.

Azerbaijan challenged the call but there was no change in the result and Esmaeili defeated Jafarov 8-3, to capture yet another gold medal this year after Asian and World Championships.

Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) throws Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) during their 67kg bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In Zagreb, Esmaeili was put in par terre for third passivity call. Jafarov, down 2-1, needed a point to turn the result but he failed to score any points as Esmaeili defended the par terre position and captured his first world title.

Jafarov blamed a lapse in concentration in the final seconds that costed him the gold medal in Riyadh.

Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) won his fourth gold medal this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran's other world champion from Zagreb, Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) made it seem a little easier as he defeated former world U20 champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 6-0, winning his third gold in one month.

Farokhi, who won gold at 82kg at the World Championships, moved to 87kg for U23 World Championships and won gold without giving up a point in Novi Sad. Just two weeks later, he now gold at 87kg on Tuesday.

Against Yevloyev in the final, Farokhi was awarded both par terre position which gave him a 2-0 lead. From the second par terre, he managed to score a point as he threw Yevloyev for a stepout. The Kazakhstan wrestler was docked two points for defensive foul making it 5-0.

Kazakhstan challenged the foul call but Yevloyev had clearly blocked Farokhi using his elbow on the Iranian's face. The lost challenged made it 6-0 for Farokhi, giving him the win.

Farokhi had a tough match in semifinals against world bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) and needed a takedown in the final minute to win 7-6, first time he has shown some difficulty winning bouts.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) won the 77kg gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Two other gold medals were awarded on Tuesday with former U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) winning the 60kg one and two-time Olympic medalist Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) marking his comeback with gold medal at 77kg.

Makhmudov, who has not wrestled in a full tournament since winning bronze in Paris, was in some form as he made no mistake in his run to the gold medal. In the final, he wrestled Amir ABDI (IRI) and performed a reverse lift throw for five points before securing the fall in the second period.

Abdi got the par terre position in the first period but Makhmudov defended the position, giving only a 1-0 lead to the Iranian. When he got the par terre position, he jumped to the front before performing the lift and holding Abdi on the mat for fall.

Ganiev, who defeated European champion Nihad MAMMADLI (AZE) in the quarterfinal, defeated Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) in the semifinal and humbled Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), 8-0, in the final.

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), 8-0

BRONZE: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE: Sajjad ALBIDHAN (IRQ) df. Fergat ABDELKRIM (ALG), 5-1

67kg
GOLD: Saeid ESMAEILI LEIVESI (IRI) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), 8-3

BRONZE: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT), 5-2
BRONZE: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY), via fall (9-0)

77kg
GOLD: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Amir ABDI (IRI), via fall (6-1)

BRONZE: Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) df. Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE), 2-2
BRONZE: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) df. Sami SLAMA (TUN), via fall (8-1)

87kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 6-0

BRONZE: Sid BACHIR (ALG) df. Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK), 9-0
BRONZE: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 5-1