#Trnava2018

Steveson Eyeing Fourth World Title

By Eric Olanowski

TRNAVA, Solvakia (September 16) - Daton FIX (USA) and Gable STEVESON (USA), the duo of American returning champions lead a freestyle #Trnava2018 field that boasts 245 wrestlers from 40 different nations. 

The reigning 55kg champion, Fix, enters the Junior World Championships at 57kg, while Steveson, the 120kg gold-medal winner enters at 125kg. 

Steveson, the reigning three-time world champion will be looking for his fourth age-level world title. Since stepping on the international scene in 2015, Steveson has yet to drop a match on his way to claiming two Cadet World titles, and a Junior World gold medal. 

Daton FIX (USA), 2017 Tampere World champion. (Photo by Marion Stein). 

The other reigning champion, Fix, will be competing in his fifth age-level World Championship. Since taking tenth place at the 2014 Cadet World Championships, Fix has rallied to win three world medals. Fix won back-to-back bronzes, before claiming his first World gold at the Tampere World Championships. 

If Fix has hopes of winning back-to-back Junior World titles, he’ll have to go through returning bronze medalist, Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM). 

Harutyunyan, the two-time age-level European champion dropped his 2017 Junior World quarterfinal bout against Ismail GADZHIEV (RUS), 11-9. Gadzhiev went on to take second place, dropping his finals bout to Fix, 12-1. 

The United States’ roster was scheduled to feature two of the three 2017 cadet world champions that were entered, but due to an undisclosed injury to Daniel KERKVLIET JR (USA), Aaron BROOKS (USA) will be the only American cadet world champion that is entered. 

Mehdi ESHGHIVASOUKOLAEI (IRI), 2017 Cadet World champion. (Photo by Martin Gabor) 

Iran’s Mehdi ESHGHIVASOUKOLAEI is the third cadet world champion that will be in action in Trnava where he’s currently entered at 61kg. 

With the absence of Kerkvliet at 97kg, the gold medal favorites are Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)  and Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM). 

Akturk is down from 120kg where he grabbed the bronze medal at last years Junior World Champions, while Saparov is down from 100kg where he won a cadet world bronze medal. 


Piotr CARASENI (MDA), 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist. (Photo by Martin Gabor) 

Other previous age-level world medalists to pay attention to are Piotr CARASENI (MDA)(74kg), Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI) (92kg), Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE)  (70kg), and Seyedabolfazl HASHEMIJOUYBARI (IRI) (86kg). 

SCHEDULE
Friday 
10:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
17:15 - Semifinal FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Saturday 
10:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
10:30 - Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
17:15 - Semifinal FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kgSunday 

Sunday 
16:00 - Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open Day 5 Greco Finals Set

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 9) -- The Zagreb Open 2025 enters its final day with a full day of Greco-Roman wrestling. Wrestlers in 55kg, 60kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg and 130kg will be in action.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | BISULTANOV WINS GOLD

14:00: Two losses for Azerbaijan in the 130kg semifinalsAliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) beats Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) 9-1 and Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) drops his bout 4-3 against Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN). Kandelaki was leading 3-0 but tripped on the mat and Maeenpaeae scored a go behind and turn to win 4-3.

13:52: Quick finishes to the 97kg semifinals! Artur SARGASIAN (AIN) gets a turn, a throw and another turn to beat Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) 9-0 to enter the final. He will take on Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) also scored a technical superiority win over Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI). 

13:45: Big win for Gholamreza FAROKHI (AZE) who beats Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) 11-3. Farokhi was 3-0 down but got a bodylock for four to lead 4-3 in the first period. He scored a takedown as Gurbanov fell while fleeing a hold and then rolled him three times for six points using a trap-arm. He will take on world silver medalist Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) in the final after the Hungarian defeated Mihail BRADU (MDA) 4-3.

13:35: In the two 72kg semifinals, both of which were Iran vs Hungary, the two countries share a win each. Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) falls to Levente LEVAI (HUN) 1-1 despite Geraei getting two par terre advantages. However, in the other semifinal, Danial SOHRABI (IRI) takes out Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) 6-1 to enter the final.

13:25: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) with a high-paced win over Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) in the other 60kg semifinal. He gets both par terre advantages and also scores a turn to win 4-0. Ganiev vs Tibilov final.

13:20: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) may have beaten two world champion but he can't get past U23 world champion and compatriot Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg semifinals. Bakhramov is put in par terre first and Ganiev reels off with two turns before a big four-point throw to win 9-0.

13:00: First semifinals at 55kg. European champion Artium DELEANU (MDA) suffers a big upset as Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI) scores four turns from par terre to win 9-0. He will take on Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) in the final who defeated Brady KOONTZ (USA) 5-0 in the other semifinal.

12:20: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) gets a walk over from world champion Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) who hurt his shoulder in the previous bout at 72kg

12:15: Alisher GANIEV (UZB), U23 world champion at 60kg, just gut wrenched Maxwell BLACK (USA) for a 8-0 win. He will wrestle Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) in the 60kg semifinals.

12:00: A 97kg bout that was missed due to all the Bakhramov hype! Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) registered a 3-2 win over Alex SZOKE (HUN).

11:40: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) has to be the most unfazed wrestler today! After beating Edlaniz AZIZLI (AZE), he takes out another world champion in Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) at 60kg. After a 4-0 lead, Bakhramov got thrown for four points but comes out all guns blazing in the second period to earn a par terre advantage. As he tries to turn Mammadli, a foul committed by the Azerbaijan which was confirmed on challenge. With 7-4 lead, Bakhramov hits a beautiful throw for four. Two stepouts in the final minute but Bakhramov holds on for a 11-6 win

11:30: Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) survived a fall attempt from Iman Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) after the latter blocked a headpinch attempt. Geraei was down 3-2 but keeps his calm to win 8-3 at 72kg

11:15: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) comes out with a top quality win over Hamidreza BADKAN (IRI) at 97kg. No issue for the Paris Olympian

Wrestling on Mat C is on hold as there is some issue with the mat. Action will resume soon

11:00: 2021 world champion at 130kg, Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) gets his par terre going and rolls to an 11-1 win over European champion Sergei SEMENOV (AIN)

10:50: U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) opens his day with a 8-0 technical superiority win over Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) at 60kg. At just 18, Ganiev has built a great resume for himself.

10:45: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) needed 49 seconds in the second period to see off Melkamu FETENE (ISR) in his opening bout at 60kg! The world champion is hoping to be Azerbaijan's rep for the European Championships.

10:30: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) has tossed Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) around from par terre! Azizli, world champion at 55kg, is wrestling at 60kg in Zagreb but perhaps it's not meant to be. Bakhramov with two lifts and easy 9-0 win

10:15: At the Non-Olympic World Championships in Tirana last year, Benjamin PEAK (USA) stunned the wrestling world with a 11-3 victory over Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) at 72kg. However, Sunday is a different story as Geraei draws him first bout here in Zagreb and toys with Peak to win 11-0.

10:10: That is a great start for Iran as Hamidreza BADKAN (IRI) pulls off a 2-1 victory over Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) at 97kg.

10:00: Big wrestling day in Zagreb with six Greco-Roman weight classes in action. We have a few current and former world champions wrestling