#Zagreb2018

Three Countries Land Multiple Finalists in First Day of Greco Action at Cadet World C’Ships

By Taylor Miller

ZAGREB, Croatia – Iran, Armenia and Georgia each put multiple wrestlers into the first group of Greco-Roman finals, which will be wrestled Saturday night at the Cadet World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.

At 48 kg, 2018 Cadet Asian champion Sajjad ABBASPOURRAGANI (IRI) took out the 2017 Cadet Asian champion Arshad ARSHAD of India to move onto the finals. Tomorrow night, he’ll face 2018 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Abror ATABAEV (UZB).

Iran has back-to-back wrestlers in the finals as 2018 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Amirhossein KHOUNSARI (IRI) advanced at 55 kg. Khounsari edged out Cadet Asian runner-up Amirbek SULTONOV (UZB) in the semis, 6-5.

Tomorrow, he will face Giorgi PERTAIA (GEO), who defeated 2018 Cadet Asian champion Din KOSHKAR (KAZ) with a decisive 10-4 victory.

Tomorrow’s 65 kg matchup will feature a present Cadet Euro champion against a past European champion as 2018 champ Muslim IMADAEV (RUS) and 2016 champ Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) will do battle.

Imadaev trailed late against Khvicha ANANIDZE (GEO) but hit a four-pointer with seconds left to pull out a 7-5 win.

At 80 kg, it was a battle of continental champions in the semfinals as Cadet European champion Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO) downed Asian champion Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI), 7-1, to move on to the gold-medal match.

Tomorrow night, Tsopurasvili will take on Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM), who took fifth at the European Championships earlier this year.

In the heavyweight finals, two-time Cadet European bronze medalist Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) will go head-to-head with this year’s European champion Muhammet BAKIR (TUR).

Mammodaev defeated 2018 European silver medalist Marcel ALBINI (CZE) in the semifinals with a dominant 12-1 tech fall.

The finals will take place Saturday at 12 p.m. ET live on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Finals pairings
48 kg: Sajjad ABBASPOURRAGANI (IRI) vs. Abror ATABAEV (UZB)
55 kg: Amirhossein KHOUNSARI (IRI) vs. Giorgi PERTAIA (GEO)
65 kg: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) vs. Muslim Imadaev (RUS)
80 kg: Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO) vs. Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
110 kg: Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. Muhammet BAKIR (TUR)

#WrestleZagreb

WATCH: Chasing Greco 87kg Gold at World C'ships

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (December 4) -- If there was one weight class in Greco-Roman at the World Championships in Zagreb which was extremely unpredictable, it was 87kg.

Olympic silver medalist Alireza MOHAMDI (IRI) was leading a pack of wrestlers who had medals at the World Championships, both senior and age-group, continental championships and even at the Olympics.

WATCH FULL DOCUMENTARY HERE

Paris bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) was primed to win the gold as well after a good start to the season. Then there was European champion David LOSONCZI (HUN).

Former European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) was expected to be on the podium. Other names included age-group world champs in Asan ZHANYSOV (KGZ), Exacue MUKUBU (NOR), Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM), Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) among others.

As the day progressed in Zagreb, a few of those names fell apart and it was Komarov, Mohmadi, Losonczi and Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW) who reached the semifinals before Komarov and Mohmadi clashed for the gold medal.

Mohmadi, a silver medalist at 82kg from 2023, was leading the final but Komarov made a solid comeback and clinched the gold medal, 4-3, becoming the second male wrestler to win gold medals at all World Championships.