#WrestleBudapest19

Three World Champions Struck Down in #WrestleBudapest Semifinals

Tuesday, October 29, 2019 - 21:03 By Taylor Miller

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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)

 

#BeachWrestling, #BeachWrestlingWorldSeries

With Dakar 2026 Approaching, UWW Ramps Up Beach Wrestling in Africa

Friday, July 25, 2025 - 09:38 By Vinay Siwach

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CASABLANCA, Morocco (July 25) -- With Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games less than 500 days away, United World Wrestling is committed to reinforcing wrestling's presence on the African continent.

As a result, for the first time an African city will host the Beach Wrestling World Series. Casablanca, Morocco will see the third leg of the Beach Wrestling World Series from September 6-7, 2025, at the picturesque Ain Diab beach.

There is more in store for Africa. The final of the Beach Wrestling World Series will be held in Alexandria, Egypt on October 18 and 19, 2025.

UWW is calling for participants. REGISTER HERE!

Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)

The World Series participants will be provided with top-class facilities including five-star hotel boarding, food in hotels and transportation to the competition venue. The conditions will therefore be exceptional for a Beach Wrestling event.

Prior to the World Series, the African Championships in U15, U17 and U20 age-groups will also be held in the same venue on September 4 and 5. All wrestlers who are 18 years or older from the African Championships can take part in the World Series as well.

This is not the first time UWW has stepped up its commitment to Beach Wrestling. Along with UWW Africa, UWW provided technical assistance to African wrestlers last year and has now decided to continue that for the U15 and U17 groups.

UWW reminds all countries that the participation in these tournaments is important as the same wrestlers can be considered with priority for the Youth Olympic Games while allotting the decided quotas for Dakar 2026.

UWW's vision is to develop the younger groups who will be part of the Youth Olympics in Dakar. And it was a step in that direction to start U15 competitions in Beach Wrestling from 2025.

Irina RINGACI (MDA)World champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) competes in Beach Wrestling in Porec, Croatia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

One of the outcomes of its continued efforts was the participation numbers in the U17 Pan-Am Beach Wrestling Championships in Rio de Janeiro and the U17 Asian Beach Wrestling Championships in Vietnam this year.

The local organizing committee in Rio had to add one more ring to accommodate the participants during the event. At the Asian Championships, India, China, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam and other nations participated with full teams.

Similarly, the wrestlers are encouraged to participate in the U17 and U20 World Beach Wrestling Championships in Katerini-Pieria, Greece on September 25 and 26.

Check out beachwrestling.org for all Beach Wrestling News!

UWW's decisions underscore its deep commitment to uplifting and expanding the sport of wrestling across Africa, particularly with the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar on the horizon.

For any queries, wrestlers, NFs or organizers can contact -- sports@uww.org.