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Saturday's Bishkek Ranking Series finals set

By Eric Olanowski

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (June 2) --- The third day of wrestling at the Bishkek Ranking Series event will welcome in 97kg and 125kg in freestyle and the final six women's wrestling weights--50kg, 53kg, 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg. 

Everything you need to know:
📍Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬
🗓️: June 1-4
🕙: Qualification = 10:30
🥇🥈🥉= 18:00
#️⃣#WrestleBishkek
🖥️: http://uww.org 
📱: UWW App

Saturday's final matches:

Freestyle 
97kgAwusayiman HABILA (CHN) vs. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) 
125kg: Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB) vs. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) 

Women's Wrestling
50kg: Meng FAN (CHN) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) 
53kg: Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) vs. Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) 
55kg:  Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) vs. Karla Lorena GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) 
59kg: Yuliia TKACH (UKR) vs.  Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
65kg: Nordic-style bracket
72kg: Nordic-style bracket

1:42: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) just punched her ticket to the finals with a four-point throw with 5 seconds left. She trailed Ziqi FENG (CHN), 4-1, winning the match 5-4 after the late throw.

1:27: Petriashvili puts in a gutsy performance in the semifinals and fishes off Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB), 10-0, before the mid-match break. He'll wrestle tonight for gold against the winner of Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB) and Buheeerdun BUHEEERDUN (CHN)

1:07: The first semifinal is about to be called to Mat A. We have nine matches left--including repechage--on each mat before the end of the morning session. 

12:42: Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) is in a tight race over on Mat A against Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR). They put up 14 points in the first period with the Mongolian leading the Ukrainian, 8-6.

12:40: We're going to roll right into the women's wrestling quarterfinals across all mats now.

12:38: Geno won, but something went wrong with his right knee. It clearly bothered him throughout the entire second period as he continued to favor it. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the last match that we see today from the three-time world champ.

12:28: Three-time world champion Petriashvili making his way to Mat B where he'll wrestle Georgian teammate Manashvili. 

12:11: This is my first time seeing Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), the 20-year-old Asian champion from Bahrain, in person. His length and athleticism is impressive for a 97kg guy. With time, I could see him giving the top guys at 97kg trouble in a few years. 

12:05: Feng picked up a point for a Demirhan hair pull and moved into the 50kg quarterfinals, 8-4, where she'll meet Chinese teammate Chun LEI (CHN).

11:59: European bronze medalist Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) is in trouble over on Mat A. She's down 7-4  Ziqi FENG (CHN) has a 7-4 lead with :43 second in the second period.

11:49: Yepez breaks the Pan-Am champ losing streak in Bishkek, scoring the 11-0 win over Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) in the first round at 53kg. Her 53kg quarterfinals match will be against Min ZHANG (CHN).

11:34: Petriashvili and Deng lived up to the hype, with the Georgian big man edging his Nur-Sultan world finals opponent, 4-3. 'Petro' will face fellow Georgian Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) next.

11:30: After a slight wifi issue, we're back. While we were down, reigning Asian champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) picked up a 10-0 win over Serik BAKYTKHANOV (KAZ). He'll  meet Nursultan AZOV (KAZ), who scored a late four-point to narrowly move past Mostafa Aly Elsayed Gabr ELDERS (EGY).

11:00: The headliner of the competition, Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) is coming up in two matches on Mat B. The three-time world champ opens up his day in Bishkek against his 2019 world finals opponent, DENG Zhiwei (CHN).

10:56: Let's see if  Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) can turn around the luck for the Pan-American champions. Yesterday, Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) and Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) fell in their opening round matches. 

Yepez will wrestle in four matches on Mat A against Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB).

10:49: In the opening round 55kg Nordic bracket, Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) just handled European bronze medalist Othelie HOEIE (NOR), 12-1. She'll have Round 2 off, then will meet fellow Ukrainian and former world champion Yuliia TKACH (UKR).

10:40: Godinez holds off Vynnyk and wins the opening round bout in the 55kg Nordic bracket. 

10:36: Karla Lorena GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) and Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) are in a close battle over on Mat A. The Canadian leads 4-2.

Godinez has been the aggressor, taking the only shots of the bout, but there's only 30 seconds left so expect Vynnyk to get the motor running. 

10:16: We're 15 minutes away from the first whistle here at the Bishkek Arena. The hockey arena turned wrestling hot bed is freezing this morning, so the goal for the next 15 minutes is to stay as warm as possible.

Iran strikes three golds to close ISG 2025

By Vinay Siwach

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 21) -- World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) led an inspiring performance from Iran which captured three out of four gold medal on the final day of the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Riyadh on Friday.

Zare, who won gold medal at 125kg in Zagreb in September, dominated his way to the gold in Riyadh outscoring his opponents 28-0 in three bouts.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) scores a takedown on Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) during the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Facing Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) in the final, Zare combined his skills to score stepouts at win and also scored two takedowns to finish the match 10-0, capturing his fourth gold medal of the season.

Sharipov reached the final after securing a shocking win over world silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) 7-6 in the semifinal. Meshvildishvili had to mount a comeback in the second period after he was down 5-1 in the match. He managed to make it 6-6 but trailed on criteria and as he tried to score a stepout in the final 10 seconds, Sharipov managed to remain inside the zone to survive attack.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) tries to control Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) during the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 97kg, a rematch between Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) and world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) was on the cards but Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) denied that as he defeated Tazhudinov 14-3 in the semifinals.

Azarpira and Aitmukhan faced each other in the final but the former was clearly the better wrestler as he blanked Aitmukhan 5-0 to win the gold medal. He scored three stepouts and Aitmukhan was cautioned when aggressively pushed Azarpira. One more stepout was enough for Azarpira to win the gold medal.

Tazhudinov declared himself injured in the bronze medal bout which gave Olympic bronze medalist Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) the medal.

Younes EMAMI (IRI)Younes EMAMI (IRI) reaches for the leg of Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) during the 74kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran's gold rush began when former Asian champion Younes EMAMI (IRI) completed a 5-0 victory over Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) at 74kg. Emami scored a takedown to take a 2-0 lead against Novruzov before pushing the Azerbaijan wrestler out of bounds twice before the break.

With a lead of 4-0, Emami began the second period on the aggressive and Novruzov was called passive. He failed to score in the 30-second period and Emami got another point to lead 5-0 which remained the winning score.

To reach the final, Emami had to go through 2024 world 70kg champion Norkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals. The Iranian defeated the Kazakhstan wrestler 6-5 in a thriller.

With the three golds, Iran finished the tournament with four gold medal while Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan won one each.

Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) celebrates after beating Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) in their opening bout at 86kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Dzhioev's impressive gold

One of Iran's favorite to win gold medal, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), suffered a heartbreaking loss at 86kg to Arsenii DIZHOEV (AZE) who capped off an incredible day with gold after beating Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) 5-1 in the final. 

The win over Ghasempour was quite impressive from Dzhioev. Down 3-0, he scored two takedowns and one point for Ghasempour's passivity to win the bout 5-3.

In the final against Saipudinov, he opened scored a takedown in the opening period after being called passive and giving up a point. He scored two stepouts and one point for passivity in the second period to win the final.

Ghasempour returned to win the bronze medal by beating Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 7-0, in the bronze-medal bout.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Younes EMAMI (IRI) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 5-0

BRONZE: Orozbek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 4-2
BRONZE: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) df. Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR), 4-3

86kg
GOLD: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN), 5-1

BRONZE: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 7-0
BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Bekzat RAKHIMOV (KGZ), 10-2

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), 5-0

BRONZE: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Muhammad GULZAR (PAK) df. Rifat GIDAK (TUR), via fall (4-5)

125kg
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), 10-0

BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ), 14-3
BRONZE: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Abdelrahman SHEYATAN (EGY), 5-0