#WrestleBudapest19

Three World Champions Struck Down in #WrestleBudapest Semifinals

By Taylor Miller

Photo of Vitali GOLOEV (RUS) by Sachiko Hotaka.

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Three world champions lost in the semifinals on Tuesday as the last set of men’s freestyle finals were set for the 2019 U23 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Defeating World champions were Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE) at 86 kg, Bo NICKAL (USA) at 92 kg and Vitali GOLOEV (RUS) at 125 kg.

Magomedsaidov, a two-time Junior World bronze medalist, took out 2018 Junior World champion Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) with a 5-3 decision.

In the 86 kg title match, Magomedsaidov will face returning U23 World champion and 2013 Cadet World silver medalist Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), who won his semifinal 4-4 on criteria.

At 92 kg, Nickal knocked off reigning U23 World champion Shamil Zubairov (AZE) in a dominant 9-1 victory.

For gold, Nickal will take on Batyrbek TSAKULOV (RUS). In his semifinal, Tsakulov cruised past 2019 Junior World runner-up Yonger BASTIDA POMARES (CUB), 6-1.

Moving onto the 125 kg gold-medal match, Goloev impressed with a 10-0 performance against 2017 Cadet World champion and 2018 Cadet World silver medalist Daniel Greg KERKVLIET (USA).

In the finals, Goloev will go head-to-head with Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI), who is a 2018 Junior World champion and a 2019 Junior World silver medalist. Zare won his semifinal with an 11-0 shutout against Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO).

Iran and Russia will also face off in the 74 kg gold match as 2018 Junior World silver medalist Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) takes on 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist Mohammed NOKHODILARIMI (IRI).

Wrestling for the title at 61 kg is 2016 Cadet World bronze medalist Ravinder RAVINDER (IND) and 2019 U23 Asian champion Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ).

The medal matches take place on Wednesday at 6 p.m. local time live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Semifinals results

61 kg
Ravinder RAVINDER (IND) df. Armen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), fall
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) df. Ryutaro HAYAMA (JPN), 12-1

74 kg
Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) df. Giorgi SULAVA (GEO), 15-7
Mohammed NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 9-4

86 kg
Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE) df. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN), 5-3
Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Osman GOCEN (TUR), 4-4

92 kg
Bo NICKAL (USA) df. Shamil Zubairov (AZE), 9-1

Batyrbek TSAKULOV (RUS) df. Yonger BASTIDA POMARES (CUB), 6-1

125 kg
Vitali GOLOEV (RUS) df. Daniel Greg KERKVLIET (USA), 10-0
Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO), 11-0

Finals matchups
61 kg: Ravinder RAVINDER (IND) vs. Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
74 kg: Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) vs. Mohammed NOKHODILARIMI (IRI)
86 kg: Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE) vs. Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI)
92 kg: Bo NICKAL (USA) vs.
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (RUS)
125 kg: Vitali GOLOEV (RUS) vs. Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)

 

#WrestleBudapest

Higuchi, Kiyooka reach finals at Budapest Ranking Series

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- The final Ranking Series before the Olympics kicks off in Budapest. Seven weight classes in Freestyle will be in action with top wrestlers in all the weight categories. The ranking, and ultimately the seeds for the Olympics will be determined after this Ranking Series.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

13:25: Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) blanks Haji ALIYEV (AZE) 6-0 in the 65kg semifinal. Top win for the Iran wrestler who will now wrestle Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) for the gold medal. Kiyooka defended well against a storming Austin GOMEZ (MEX) in the second period to win 12-6.

13:00: AMAN (IND) moves into the final of the 57kg after a 14-4 technical superiority win over Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN). He will wrestle world silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) for the gold medal. Higuchi was in all sorts of trouble in his semifinal against Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) when the Azerbaijan wrestler used a high chest wrap to lead 8-0. But Higuchi managed to defend the last turn. He scores a takedown and uses a gut wrench to finish the bout 18-8 inside the first period.

12:45: An upset from Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) as he pins Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final. Petriashvili looks in some trouble with his elbow and has called for a medical timeout. But the pin takes him out of the final. 

12:40: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) with a stunning late exposure takedown to beat Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) 3-2 and enter the 97kg final. On Mat C, the 92kg world champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) looked like entering the final when he led 5-0 against Magomedkhan MAGOMEDGOV (AZE) but the Azerbaijani world silver medalist came back to beat him 15-7.

12:30: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) with a fall over Nahshon GARRETT (USA) after building a 10-1 lead in the 61kg semifinal. He will wrestle the winner of Shahdad Ali KHOSRAVI (IRI) and Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) for the gold medal.

12:15: That will sting Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) for some time. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) pins Abdullaev in the 57kg quarterfinal and sets up a semifinal against Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) who defeated Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) 11-0 in the quarterfinal.

12:12: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) cannot find a way past Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) at 65kg! After building a 4-1 lead at the break, he hits a huge four-pointer on Aliyev to steer clear and win 9-3.

12:00: Mason PARRIS (USA) was checked by Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) on different occasions but Parris won the 125kg bout 9-2. The Georgian, who qualified for the Paris Olympics at 97kg, is wrestling at 125kg in this Ranking Series.

11:45: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who got a walkover in his first bout, works to a technical superiority win over Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) at 125kg. Moments later, at 57kg, AMAN (IND) rolls to an 11-1 win over Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)

11:35: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) drops his Round 2 bout! Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) scores three technical points to lead 3-0 but Muszukajev's takedown cuts the lead to 3-2 with 30 seconds left on the clock. Kiyooka defends well and hits a counter takedown in the end, adding lace to win 7-2.  

11:27: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) does not show up for his Round 2 bout against Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg. A big result for Aliyev who is now poised to finish at the top of group A.

11:25: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) dominates Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO) at 61kg and wins 18-5 to advance. Harutyunyan will come down to 57kg for the Paris Olympics.

11:20: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), wrestling at 70kg instead of his preferred 65kg, rolls to an 11-0 victory at Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ). The ranking points won at 70kg will not be added to the ranking points of Tevanyan at 65kg.

11:15: Paris-bound wrestler Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) comes back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Ali Hossein MOMENIJOUJADEH (IRI) 6-2 at 57kg. He will wrestle Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) in the quarterfinals.

11:00: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) with a top 9-2 win over Evan HENDERSON (USA) at 70kg. The Armenian controlled the bout throughout for the win. 

10:50: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAKEV (HUN), wrestling for the first time since winning the World Championships, begins with a solid 6-2 win over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). He keeps it under control despite many attacks from Jalolov.

10:45: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) felt like a long bout! Aliyev got a 1-0 lead at the break for Kiyooka's inactivity. Kiyooka got one point in the second period but Aliyev scored a counter just after the clock expired to lead 3-1. A stepout for Kiyooka with 17 seconds left on the clock. He needed a takedown to win and tried for one but Aliyev bodylocked for a takedown to win 5-2.

10:35: Austin GOMEZ (MEX), qualified for the Olympic Games at 65kg, begins with a 10-0 rout of Gyoergy SZILAGYI (HUN). The 65kg wrestlers are drawn in round-robin and will be wrestling again.

10:30: The first bouts in Budapest are crazy. Austin GOMEZ (MEX) is on Mat C but on Mat B, it's world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and on Mat C, it's Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) vs Haji ALIYEV (AZE).