Sadulaev Still Reigns Supreme at 97kg with Win over Sharifov; Yazdani Regains 86kg Crown

Sunday, September 22, 2019 - 17:05 By Ken Marantz

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (Sept. 22) --- Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) wasn’t surprised that his opponent in the final wasn’t the one everyone expected. He just went out and showed again he could dominate whoever stood between him and another gold medal.

Sadulaev captured his second straight world title and fourth overall with a rock-solid 4-o victory over Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) in the freestyle 97kg final to bring the curtain down on the Nur-Sultan World Championships.

The victory establishes Sadulaev as the one to beat at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he will look to add to the 86kg gold he won at Rio 2016.

This year’s World Championships served as the first qualifier for Tokyo 2020, with the top six finishers in each of the Olympic weight classes securing berths for their country.

The pretournament hype at 97kg revolved around a potential rematch between Sadulaev and Kyle SNYDER (USA) of the 2018 final in Budapest, which the Russian won to avenge a loss to the American the previous year in Paris.

Asked if he regretted not facing Snyder this time, Sadulaev replied, “No, because the most important final is still waiting for us, the Olympic Games.”

Sharifov, a former Olympic champion in his own right, spoiled the party in Nur-Sultan by beating Snyder in the semifinals.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) shutout fellow Olympic champion Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE), 4-0, in the 97kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

“In our weight category, there are so many wrestlers with many titles,” Sadulaev said. “Even in the final, I met with an Olympic champion. His technique is very good. I wasn’t surprised that Sharifov reached the final because all wrestlers have equal chances.”

In the final---a battle between natives of the wrestling hotbed of Dagestan, a Russian republic situated on the Caspian Sea---Sadulaev gained a point with Sharifov on the activity clock, then added a single-leg takedown just before the first period ended.

In the second period, a stepout for Sadulaev was the lone point as the powerful Russian kept his Azeri opponent at bay.

Sadulaev said he never imagined himself winning the title before stepping on the mat.

“I never think like that,” he said. “I know situations when sportsman becomes a champion in their mind, then they don’t have good result.”

Sadulaev said this gold will be special because of the warm reception he received in the former Soviet republic from the crowd at Barys Arena.

“I will keep this championship in my memory for a long time because the organization was of the highest degree and I was surprised that I have so many fans in Kazakhstan,” he said.

“Even when I met with the Kazakh wrestler, I saw that many Kazakh people supported me.”

Sadulaev’s victory topped off a dominant tournament by Russia, which ran away with the team title with 190 points after medaling in all but one weight class (125kg) and coming away with five of the 10 golds.

Host Kazakhstan had no champions, but enough wrestlers in the medal matches to finish second with 103 points, while the United States edged Iran by 1 point for third place with 94 after each added a gold and a bronze on the final day.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) won his second world title after Deepak PUNIA (IND) was forced to withdraw from the gold-medal match due to injury (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Iran’s title on Sunday came without a match, although Deepak PUNIA (IND) would have been hard-pressed to prevent Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) in the 86kg final from regaining the world title he won in 2017 after finishing third last year.

Yazdani was declared the winner when Punia defaulted due to a left ankle injury suffered in his opening match. While Yazdani would have preferred having to work for the victory, it capped a dominant run through the field in which he won three matches by fall or technical fall.

“The level of this competition is high,” Yazdani said. “But I trained very hard and I was given the opportunity and the chance to win.”Yazdani, the Rio 2016 gold medalist at 74kg, minced no words in stating his determination to earn a second Olympic title at Tokyo 2020.

“After a few days rest, I will start to become more prepared and get the best medal in the Olympics,” he said. “This medal was to raise the flag of my country and I want to raise the flag at the next Olympics and make the Iranian people happy.”

Kyle DAKE (USA) defeated Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) for the second year in a row in the 79kg finals. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

In the non-Olympic weight of 79kg, Kyle DAKE (USA) repeated his victory from the Budapest 2018 final over Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE), this time coming away with a 4-1 victory for his second world title.

“I did a lot better job this time,” said Dake, who won 2-0 a year ago. “I moved my feet, which has been a really big focus of mine this past eight months. I’m glad to see it’s coming together.”

Dake went on the offensive from the outset and picked up a pair of stepout points in the first period. He padded the lead in the second period with a single-leg takedown before Hasanov, with his back to wall, finally began launching attacks.

“There were some positions where he got in on my leg at the end, and he would never shoot if it was 0-0,” Dake said.

“I knew I could not leave it in the hands of the refs. I couldn’t leave it up to cautions, I needed to go out and execute. I got the first pushout, second pushout, takedown and that was the difference.”

In the final minute, Hasanov’s efforts only resulted in a pair of stepouts as Dake forced stalemates from the Azeri’s takedown attempts to come up golden.

“I was hoping they would have let those scrambles go a little bit longer,” Dake said. “I feel I was ready to score a couple of times, but it is what it is.”

It was the latest major accomplishment for the 28-year-old father of two, who became the first wrestler in U.S. collegiate history to win four titles in four different weight classes, when he did it while at the Ivy League’s Cornell University.

“It’s a testament to the way I live, the way my wife and family support me, my friends, coaches, teammates, sponsors---I couldn’t do it without them,” he said. “It’s been a crazy road this past year to say the least, and I’m just really excited I was able to get it done again.

Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) scored a trio of takedowns and defeated Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS), 6-1, in the 61kg finals. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

In the final at 61kg, also a non-Olympic weight, European silver medalist Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) relegated 2018 world U23 champion Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) to second place by scoring three takedowns in the second period for a 6-1 win.

In the bronze-medal matches, Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI) became the first-ever world freestyle medalist from Switzerland when he chalked up three stepouts to defeat Carlos IZQUIERDO (COL) 3-1 at 86kg.

History was going to be made regardless of the outcome as Colombia also has never had a freestyle medalist. Switzerland had previously won one world bronze each in the other styles---Kurt RUSTERHOLZ (SUI) in Greco-Roman 87kg in 1953, and Inge KRASSER (SUI) at women’s 57kg in 1989.

Artur NAIFANOV (RUS) won the other bronze at 86kg with a 6-0 victory over Myles AMINE (SMR), the U.S.-born wrestler who clinched the first-ever Olympic berth for tiny San Marino, the birthplace of his grandfather.

At 97kg, Snyder gained some consolation from his semifinal loss to Sharifov when he grinded out a 5-0 win over Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) at 97kg to add a world bronze to his collection of two golds and a silver.

Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD) captured a bronze medal with an 8-5 win over Alisher YERGALI (KAZ). (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD) became the first wrestler to win a world medal while competing for the newly named nation of North Macedonia when he rallied to defeat Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) 8-5.

Host Kazakhstan came up short in its other shot for a medal before the home crowd when Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) edged Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ) 3-2 at 79kg.

Gadzhi NABIEV (RUS) built up an 8-point lead against Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) and held on for a 8-3 victory for the other 79kg bronze.

Asian bronze medalist Rahul AWARE (IND) became the 10th wrestler in Indian history to win a world freestyle medal when he defeated Tyler GRAFF (USA) 11-4 at 61kg.

Aware, nursing a 4-2 lead, scored a takedown with a slick duck under, then padded his lead with a pair of 2-point exposures.

Two days earlier, Kumar RAVI (IND) became the eighth Indian medalist when he won a bronze at 57kg, and Punia become No. 9 when he was assured of at least a silver by making the 86kg final.

The other 61kg bronze went to Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI), an 8-0 winner over Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB).

Day 9 Results

Freestyle

61kg (25 entries)
Gold – Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) df. Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS), 6-1
Bronze – Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) df. Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB), 8-0
Bronze – Rahul AWARE (IND) df. Tyler GRAFF (USA), 11-4

79kg (23 entries)
Gold – Kyle DAKE (USA) df. Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE), 4-1
Bronze – Gadzhi NABIEV (RUS) df. Rashid KURBANOV (UZB), 8-3
Bronze – Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ), 3-2

86kg (43 entries)
Gold – Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. Deepak PUNIA (IND) by Inj. Def.
Bronze – Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI) df. Carlos IZQUIERDO (COL), 3-0
Bronze – Artur NAIFANOV (RUS) df. Myles AMINE (SMR), 6-0

97kg (26 entries)
Gold – Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE), 4-0
Bronze – Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), 5-0
Bronze – Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD) df. Alisher YERGALI (KAZ), 8-5

#WrestleAmman

Uzbekistan dominates first day with 3 Greco golds, all at Iran's expense

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 - 20:02 By Ken Marantz

AMMAN, Jordan (March 25) -- While the ageless wonder Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) no longer wreaks havoc on the mat, his influence was strongly felt off it on the opening day of the Asian Championships on Tuesday.

With Assakalov offering encouragement and inspiration from the coach's corner, Uzbekistan came away with three of the five Greco-Roman golds on offer -- all with victories over Iranian opponents -- with teenager Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) joining veterans Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) and Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) on the top of the podium.

"Generally speaking, we’ve been working hard for this," said Assakalov, a three-time Asian champion who retired after placing fifth at the 2024 Paris Olympics three weeks after his 40th birthday. "We were aiming to wrestle in at least four finals. Our 130kg wrestler is still a bit weak, but we will work on it and improve."

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) kept Iran from being shut out of the gold medals by keeping the 130kg title safely in Iranian hands, while Japan picked up the other title when collegian Kohei YAMAGIWA (JPN) triumphed at 55kg.

Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) won the 63kg final against Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI), 13-4, in Amman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Khalmakhanov started the gold rush for Uzbekistan in dramatic fashion, coming back from a four-point deficit to stun Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) with a 13-4 win in the 63kg final that included a pair of 4-point throws.

Keshtkar, among a number of young, unproven wrestlers being given a chance by Iran, jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a takedown and 2-point throw. Khalmakhanov responded with a stepout and 2-point arm throw to cut the gap to 4-3 at the break.

In the second period, Khalmakhanov got the first chance at par terre and he took advantage, launching a 4-point throw to take the lead. He then brought an abrupt end to the match with a 4-point hip throw at 4:16.

The victory avenged a 5-4 loss in the quarterfinals at the Zagreb Ranking Series, where Kashtkar finished second and Khalmakhanov, the 2022 world U17 champion, took a bronze medal.

"Khalmakhanov was the first to set the bar high," Assakalov said. "This guy is only 18 years old, which is why all the others followed his example."

In the 77kg final, Vardanyan also needed a comeback to defeat two-time reigning world U20 champion Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI), and he couldn't have cut it any closer, scoring a takedown with one second left on the clock for a dramatic 4-2 victory.

Vardanyan, who placed fifth at the 2024 Paris Olympics following an extended drought of results in major competitions, gave up a first-period takedown and trailed 2-1 with the clock ticking down in the second period.

But he managed to drive in low and secure a body lock, then forced Abdevali backward to the mat for the winning takedown as time expired. An Iran challenge was unsuccessful, tacking on an additional point.

The 29-year-old Vardanyan had failed to make a major podium since winning a world silver medal at 72kg in 2019. His best previous finishes at the Asian Championships were a pair of bronzes back in 2016 and 2017.

Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) won his second career Asian Championships gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Unlike his compatriots, two-time world medalist Berdimuratov never had to play catch-up in defeating Yasin YAZDI (IRI) 7-2 to take the 87kg gold for his fifth Asian medal overall.

Berdimuratov stormed to a 7-0 lead in the first period with a 4-point throw and 2-point roll from par terre, then held on after giving up a passivity point and a penalty point for grabbing fingers in the second period.

Berdimuratov, the 2023 Asian Games champion, had previously won an Asian gold at 82kg in 2021. He also has a silver and two bronzes in his collection.

"We are on our way to becoming the best team in the world," Assakalov said. "It doesn’t matter if we’re competing against the national teams of Iran, Russia -- every one of our guys gave it their all and wrestled until the very end. Thank God, we showed a good result today."

At 130kg, Hedayati established himself as a rising force in Iran's packed heavyweight corps by cruising to a 7-0 victory over three-time Asian medalist Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ).

"It was a good competition and at a relatively high level," Hedayati said. "I managed to wrestle four matches and become the champion without losing a single point."

Hedayati, last year's world U23 champion and the 2023 world U20 gold medalist, combined two stepouts, an arm-throw takedown and a passivity point for a 5-0 lead in the first period. In the second, he got behind for a takedown while completely neutralizing an attacks by Syzdykov.

Hedayati's victory gave Iran the 130kg gold for the fourth straight year and ninth time in 10 years. The only year in that span that Iran missed out was 2020 -- the winner? Syzdykov.

"I’m grateful to everyone who supported me along the way," Hedayati said. "I hope to keep progressing so I can win the most beautiful medal at the World Championships and the Olympics."

Kohei YAMAGIWA (JPN) won his first-ever Asian Championships on debut. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Yamagiwa won the first gold of the tournament when he nailed a 4-point back suplex to clinch a 7-1 victory over Iranian-born Sajjad ALBIDHAN (IRQ) in the 55kg final.

Yamagiwa scored his first points from the bottom of par terre in the first period, when he stopped a roll with a headlock for a 2-1 lead.

A scramble that would have put him up 5-3 was wiped out by a challenge that ruled the original move a slipped throw, but Yamagiwa came back by locking up the head and an arm, then tossing Albidhan to his back for 4 with just under a minute left. The Japanese added a late stepout for his final point.

"He suppressed my wrestling and I didn't get a chance in par terre," Yamagiwa said. "To be honest, I have to wonder if I really did enough to win. But I gave it everything I had at the end and scored a 4-point move and I'm glad I was able to win."

Yamagiwa got over his biggest hurdle in the semifinals, when he won an action-packed battle with defending champion Yu Chol RO (PRK) 11-9 in which the lead changed hands several times.

"He was the champion last year, and if I beat him I could see a championship for me," Yamagiwa said. "It was a back-and-forth match, but I came out as the winner."

In winning the Asian gold, Yamagiwa emulated two of his predecessors and role models at powerhouse Nippon Sports Science University, Shinobu OTA (JPN) and Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN), who both won senior Asian golds. The latter, who is still active, is among his training partners.

Now he hopes he can follow in their footsteps to Olympic glory -- Ota was a silver medalist at Rio 2016, while Fumita was the Tokyo 2021 silver medalist before winning the gold at Paris 2024.

Host Jordan denied first medal since 2013

In the bronze-medal matches, Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) completed the collection of Asian medals while denying the host country its first hardware since 2013, making the most of his chance at par terre to storm to an 11-3 victory at 77kg over Amro SADEH (JOR).

Sadeh had raised hopes of becoming the third Asian medalist in Jordanian history when he scored a roll from par terre for a 3-0 first period lead. But in the second period, he had no answer from the bottom as Magomadov ripped of five rolls this way and that to end the match in 4:21.

Magomadov's previous medals had come at 72kg, taking the silver in 2020 in New Delhi and the gold two years ago at home in Astana.

Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ), winner at this year's Zagreb Ranking Series, needed little time to grab the other 77kg bronze, taking down Lai Hsing YAO (TPE) to his back and securing a fall in 1:28.

At 55kg, the DPR Korea's Ro wasn't able to successfully defend his title, but he won't leave Amman empty-handed after muscling to a 5-0 victory over Yun LU (CHN) for a bronze.

Ro secured an underhook, dropped down and pancaked Lu to his back for a quick 4, then added a passivity point. Lu did a good job to keep from getting turned in par terre, but in a scoreless second period, Ro kept the enough pressure and never had to go on bottom.

Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) picked up the other bronze at 55kg and the second of his career with an 8-4 come-from-behind victory over 2023 Asian U23 champion Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ).

Botirov had scored a gut wrench from par terre in the first period, only to fall behind in the second when Kamaliyev returned the favor using a front body lock. But Botirov rolled through and reversed Kamaliyev to his back, then added a gut wrench for good measure.

At 63kg, Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) really earned his third Asian bronze and fourth medal overall, scoring three takedowns in the second period for a 6-3 victory over Godai MITANI (JPN), who was making his international debut in Amman.

Chung trailed 3-0 in the second period when he countered a throw attempt for a takedown, then went ahead with a hip throw that, on challenge, was degraded from 4 points to 2 because Mitani skillfully avoided landing on his back. A third takedown clinched the win for the Korean.

Chan KIM (PRK) won his second straight Asian bronze with a dominant 7-0 win over 2021 Asian champion Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ). Kim ripped off two rolls from par terre in the first period, then added an arm spin in the second for a takedown to ice the victory.

At 87kg, Russian-born Shamil OZHAEV (KAZ), a former world U23 bronze medalist, unleashed a 4-point throw from par terre and was never really challenged the rest of way in posting a 5-1 victory over Sanghyeok PARK (KOR).

It was the same scoreline in the other match at 87kg, as Sunil KUMAR (IND) captured his fifth Asian medal by defeating Jiaxin HUANG (CHN) 5-1. Sunil, the 2020 gold medalist, piled up the points with a pair of rolls from par terre.

At 130kg, Ali AL SHARUEE (IRQ) prevented Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB) from joining the Uzbek parade to the medal podium, rebounding after giving up a 4-point move to triumph 6-4.

After scoring a stepout, Al Sharuee gave up a 4-point arm throw, but reversed Nasimov and added a 2-point exposure to trail 4-4 on criteria. He rectified that by scoring a stepout in the final second of the first period to take a 5-4 lead. An unsuccessful challenge gave the Iraqi his lone point of the second period as he went on to capture Iraq's second medal of the night.

Yuta NARA (JPN) won the other 130kg bronze in spectacular fashion, scoring a 4-point amplitude throw with :05 left to stun Erlan MANATBEKOV (KGZ) 7-3 and deny him a second straight bronze medal.

Nara, a 2023 bronze medalist at 97kg who moved up to the heaviest weight last year, appeared to go ahead with a gut wrench from par terre, but Manatbekov managed to stop the Japanese in mid-roll for 2 and a 3-3 lead on last-point criteria.

Day 1 Results

Greco-Roman

55kg
GOLD: Kohei YAMAGIWA (JPN) df. Sajjad ALBIDHAN (IRQ), 7-1

BRONZE: Yu Chol RO (PRK) df. Yun LU (CHN), 5-0
BRONZE: Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) df. Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ), 8-4

63kg
GOLD: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) by TF, 13-4, 4:16

BRONZE: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) df. Godai MITANI (JPN), 6-3
BRONZE: Chan KIM (PRK) df. Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ), 7-0

77kg
GOLD: Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) df. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI), 4-2

BRONZE: Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) df. Amro SADEH (JOR) by TF, 11-3, 4:21
BRONZE: Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Lai Hsing YAO (TPE) by Fall, 1:28 (2-0)

87kg
GOLD: Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) df. Yasin YAZDI (IRI), 7-2

BRONZE: Shamil OZHAEV (KAZ) df. Sanghyeok PARK (KOR), 5-1
BRONZE: Kumar SUNIL (IND) df. Jiaxin HUANG (CHN), 5-1

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ), 7-0

BRONZE: Ali AL SHARUEE (IRQ) df. Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB), 6-4
BRONZE: Yuta NARA (JPN) df. Erlan MANATBEKOV (KGZ), 7-3

Sadulaev Still Reigns Supreme at 97kg with Win over Sharifov; Yazdani Regains 86kg Crown

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Uzbekistan dominates first day with 3 Greco golds, all at Iran's expense