#Pankration

Ukraine, Kazakhstan dominate Pankration World Championships

By Vinay Siwach

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (May 10) -- Athletes from 10 countries descended upon Tashkent to perform at the Pankration World Championships on May 2-4 and the action did not disappoint. The competition was held in two styles -- Elite and Traditional -- for both men and women.

Pankration is an ancient combat sport with a combination of wrestling and striking techniques, fought on a mat with protective gear and gloves.

At the World Championships, held for the first time since 2021, Pankration powerhouse Ukraine won five gold medals in the men's Elite competition while Kazakhstan captured four. However, Kazakhstan finished top of the team rankings with 190 points to Ukraine's 180, thanks to its other medals.

On the women's side, Ukraine was better and pipped Kazakhstan to take the top spot. Ukraine won six out of nine gold medals with the remaining three going to Kazakhstan. Ukraine finished with 165 points while Kazakhstan managed 162 points.

In men's Traditional, Ukraine and Kazakhstan both finished with 184 points but the former had five gold medals compared to four for Kazakhstan, giving them the first place.

But the ranks were reversed in women's Traditional as Kazakhstan finished with 190 points while Ukraine had 170 points. Ukraine only fielded seven athletes in nine weights which cost them the top rank.

RESULTS

Men's Elite

57kg
GOLD: Perdekhan SHYNDALIYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Vitalii YAKYMENKO (UKR) 
BRONZE: Umidjon TODJIDINOV (UZB)

62kg
GOLD: Meirbek TULEGENOV (KAZ) df. Almaz SARSEMBEKOV (KAZ), via submission

BRONZE: Abdukarim ANVAROV (UZB) df. Anvar ABDULLAEV (UZB), via submission

66kg
GOLD: Sabit ZHUSSIP (KAZ) df. Yerkanat OSPAN (KAZ), via submission

BRONZE: Ihor ZHOVNIR (UKR) df. Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR), via knockout
BRONZE: Zafar RASHIDOV (UZB) df. Ali Allahverdi GULIYEV (AZE), 15-3

71kg
GOLD: Oleksandr HULIAIEV (UKR) df. Ivan KURELARU (UKR), 13-8

BRONZE: Ruslan SARIYEV (KAZ) df. Imran ABBASGULIYEV (AZE), via forfeit
BRONZE: Zhassulan AKIMZHAN (KAZ) df. Ali SHARIFOV (AZE), 14-0

77kg
GOLD: Aidyn TOLEPBAYEV (KAZ) df. Olzhas YESKARAYEV (KAZ), 12-6

BRONZE: Dostonbek BOZOROV (UZB) df. Asadbek SAIDOV (UZB), via submission

84kg
GOLD: Kyrylo HOROBETS (UKR) df. Samat SHAGYRAYEV (KAZ), 16-7

BRONZE: Andrei CIUBOTARU (MDA) df. Aditya BUKKI (IND), 12-2
BRONZE: Asroriddin MUKHRIDINOV (KAZ) df. Khasan NAFULLAEV (UZB), 8-7

92kg
GOLD: Roman KIZIUK (UKR) df. Islom BALTAEV (UZB), 18-6

BRONZE: Jonibek NAMOZOV (UZB) df. Duman BALMUKHANOV (KAZ), 11-10
BRONZE: Kairatbek ZHAREKEYEV (KAZ) df. Andrii ROMANIUK (UKR), via knockout

100kg
GOLD: Bohdan HNIDKO (UKR) df. Diyar NURGOZHAY (KAZ), 17-7

BRONZE: Konstantin LI (KGZ) df. Martin NUSSMANN (GER), via forfiet

+100kg
GOLD: Oleksandr PYSANKO (UKR)
SILVER: Shakhmaral JETPISSOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Rustamhuja SAIDUMAROV (UZB)

Women's Elite

50kg
GOLD: Aidyn ABDIBAY (KAZ) df. Polina TUMAYEVA (KAZ), via forfeit

53kg
GOLD: Anna BEZHENAR (UKR)
SILVER: Ayan TURSYN (KAZ)
BRONZE: Mukhlisa NABIJONOVA (UZB)

57kg
GOLD: Viktoriia SYNIAVINA SERHIIENKO (UKR) df. Anastasiia HOLINKO (UKR), 10-8

BRONZE: Lorenza SONGTHIANG (IND) df. Shokhida RAKHIMOVA (UZB), via forfeit

61kg
GOLD: Khilola SOBIROVA (UZB)
SILVER: Gulmira AZATBEK (KAZ)
BRONZE: Diana HRYHORENKO (UKR)

65kg
GOLD: Daria CHIBISOVA (UKR) df. Florika LUCHYCH (UKR), 5-1

BRONZE: Esmira MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Dana YERMAGAMBETOVA (KAZ), 17-11

70kg
GOLD: Amina NAKOPIUK (UKR) 
SILVER: Aikorik KUANDYKOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Yogita KHADE (IND)

75kg
GOLD: Kateryna STEPANOVA SHAKALOVA (UKR) df. Dinara ORALBAY (KAZ), 14-4

80kg
GOLD: Olena SUSHKO (UKR) df. Mereke ZHUNUSSOVA (KAZ), 14-8

+80kg
GOLD: Kundias SAGINDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Aru JANGUTINOVA (KAZ), via forfiet

Men's Traditional

57kg
GOLD: Vitalii YAKYMENKO (UKR)
SILVER: Yerbolat SHORA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Viacheslav VASEICHUK (UKR)

62kg
GOLD: Dmytro BARANOV (UKR)
SILVER: Alibi IDIRIS (KAZ)
BRONZE: Perdekhan SHYNDALIYEV (KAZ)

66kg
GOLD: Koshen AKANOV (KAZ) df. Ali Allahverdi GULIYEV (AZE), 12-0

BRONZE: Umedjon ESHMURODOV (UZB) df. Ruslan SARIYEV (KAZ), 8-8

71kg
GOLD: Daniyar KOISHYBEK (KAZ)
SILVER: Oleksandr HULIAIEV (UZB)
BRONZE: Iman AGHAPOUR (IRI)

77kg
GOLD: Adilbek KAIRGALI (KAZ)
SILVER: Olzhas YESKARAYEV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Illia SUKHODIEIEV (UKR)

84kg
GOLD: Kyrylo HOROBETS (UKR) df. Andrei CIUBOTARU (MDA), 7-1

BRONZE: Akramjon DUSIMBAYEV (UZB) df. Turkman MAMMADLI (AZE), 4-2
BRONZE: Vadym ZHUKOV (UKR) df. Batyrzhan SEITKHAL (KAZ), via forfeit

92kg
GOLD: Nurtas ZHUMAGAZYULY (KAZ) df. Yuriy TITORENKO (KAZ), via submission

BRONZE: Andrii ROMANIUK (UKR) df. Danial LARI (IRI), via defualt

100kg
GOLD: Yurii CHYZHEVSKYI (UKR)
SILVER: Konstantin LI (KGZ)
BRONZE: Nurlan NURSEITOV (KAZ)

+100kg
GOLD: Oleksandr PYSANKO (UKR)
SILVER: Manarbek SHAIKHENOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Meirzhan KOZHANTAYEV (KAZ)

Women's Traditional

50kg
GOLD: Polina TUMAYEVA (KAZ) df. Aidyn ABDIBAY (KAZ), 11-5

53kg
GOLD: Anna BEZHENAR (UKR) df. Ayan TURSYN (KAZ), 12-0

57kg
GOLD: Anastasiia HOLINKO (UKR) df. Viktoriia SYNIAVINA SERHIIENKO (UKR), via cautions

BRONZE: Zhuldyzay IBRAYEVA (KAZ) df. Lorenza SONGTHIANG (IND), 8-2

61kg
GOLD: Diana HRYHORENKO (UKR)
SILVER: Gulmira AZATBEK (KAZ)
BRONZE: Akzhunis UTEGENOVA (KAZ)

65kg
GOLD: Meruyert IBRAYEVA (KAZ) df. Daria CHIBISOVA (UKR), 14-12

BRONZE: Florika LUCHYCH (UKR) df. Esmira MAMMADOVA (AZE), 13-7

70kg
GOLD: Amina NAKOPIUK (UKR)
SILVER: Aikorik KUANDYKOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Moldir UAKHITKYZY (KAZ)

75kg
GOLD: Kateryna STEPANOVA SHAKALOVA (UKR)
SILVER: Shakhnoza FAIZULLAYEVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Aizhan ANARBAY (KAZ)

80kg
GOLD: Olena SUSHKO (UKR) df. Mereke ZHUNUSSOVA (KAZ), 13-1

+80kg
GOLD: Kundias SAGINDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Aisulu ARYSTANOVA (KAZ), 16-4

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series 2026 Day 1 Results & Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 15) -- The last stop for the Ranking Series in Budapest will kick off with Freestyle. Wrestlers in  57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 74kg and 86kg will take the mat and aim to win the medals.

Wrestling UWW+

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

86kg semifinals: Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) moves into the 86kg final after a 10-0 win over Nan CAO (CHN) using leg lace to score his points. He seemed injured at the end and needed medical assistance. He will, if healthy, wrestle Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian defeated compatriot Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO), 12-4.

74kg semifinals: Feng LU (CHN) with a stepout in the final second of the 74kg semifinals against Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) to complete a stunning, 2-2, criteria win and advance to the final. He will now face former 70kg world champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) who got the better of Muhammed BESIR (TUR). Besir led 2-2 on criteria but Kaipanov got on the legs and scored exposure for two points, a counter from Besir made it 4-4 criteria lead for Besir. However, Kaipanov did not let go off his hold and exposed Besir again to win 6-4. Besir challenged the scoring but lost it to add one more point to Kaipanov's score.

70kg semifinals: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) stuns world silver medalist Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 3-2, in the semifinals. He will face Ridge LOVETT (USA) for the gold medal after the American pinned U23 world champion Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE).

65kg semifinals: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) reaches his second straight Ranking Series final after a 10-0 win over Mohit KUMAR (IND). He used a strong gut-wrench and leg lace to complete a 10-0 win over Kumar. He will now try to claim the gold medal when he faces Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) who got the better of Vishal KALIRAMANA (IND), 5-5 on criteria. Up 2-1, Ebrahimzadeh gave up a takedown and turn but countered the next attempt and scored two points. He also scored a turn to take the criteria lead and the win.

61kg semifinals: Tolga OZBEK (TUR) gives Turkiye a finalist in Budapest after beating Adilet ALMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ), 15-7, in a high-scoring semifinal. Ozbek with constant takedowns that rattled Almukhanmedov. Ozbek will now try to beat another Kazakhstan wrestler for the gold medal when he takes on Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) in the final. Aitakyn reached the final after beating DEEPAK (IND), 2-1, in the other semifinal. Deepak, who won gold at the Ulaanbaatar Open, failed to find any opening in the second period in which Aitakyn scored a takedown for two points.

57kg semifinals: An 11-0 victory for AMAN (IND) over European champion Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) in the 57kg semifinals. Aman works stepouts in the first period and Bazaganov is called passive as well. A takedown and turn make it 7-0 for Aman at the break. He comes back to score a takedown and one turn using Figure 4 to win

For the gold medal, Aman will take on Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) who blanks Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), 4-0, in the others semifinal. He scored two points in each period for the win.

Semifinals will start soon after the last quarterfinals.

13:30: Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) scores eight points in the second period and beats Sagar JAGLAN (IND), 8-1, at 74kg. He scored a stepout before getting a point for Jaglan's passivity to add to the takedown he scored. He then comes out with big throw for four points to make it 8-1 and secure the win.

13:15: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) blanks Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ), 10-0, at 65kg. No trouble for Mamedov as he scored five different takedowns for an easy win advance to the semifinals

12:52: Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) scored the opening takedown on AMAN (IND) in their 57kg bout he could not sustain the pressure and counter Aman's relentless attacks. Aman eventually wins 10-3 

12:43: At 70kg, Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) and Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) traded four pointers but it was Tumur Ochir who did it in the last minute and pinned Muszukajev. Tumur Ochir led 2-0 after two activity clock points but Muszukajev hit a four-pointer soon after to make it 4-2. He challenged asking for more points but there were none in that sequence, losing the challenge. Tumur Ochir, lead 4-3 now, scored a stepout but Muszukajev still had a 4-4 criteria lead. Then both went in a bear hug position and Tumur Ochir hit the throw for four and the fall.

12:38: A huge win for Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) as he takes out European champion Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 5-0, at 74kg. Kuramagomedov blocked out Salkazanov who failed to find any scoring moves.

12:30: European champion Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) with scores off two counters to beat RAHUL (IND), 5-3, at 57kg. Both were called passive but it was Bazarganov who scored a stepout and takedown to maintain a lead.

12:25: Sagar JAGLAN (IND), who won gold medal at the Ulaanbaatar Open, produces the leg lace and rolls to a 10-0 win over Sangho HAN (KOR) at 74kg.

12:22: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) and his conditioning gave up against Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO). Leading 5-0 in the 86kg bout, Savadkouhi dropped the match 15-5 and 15 seconds remaining.

12:15: Peiman BIABANI (CAN) got two points for Quentin STICKER (FRA) passivity and then stuck to that lead despite giving up a point. Sticker, down 2-1, tried a few moves late in the bout but Biabani managed to counter it and score four points and win 6-1 at 65kg.

12:10: Farhad NOURI (UWW), a refugee wrestlers and European bronze medalist, starts his 74kg campaign with a technical superiority 10-1 win over Jorge GATICA (CHI). Here's Nouri's story.

12:05: Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ) manages to secure a fall over U23 European champion Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) using a cradle and advance at 65kg.

12:00: Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) moves into the next round at 86kg after Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) abandons the bout due to injury. It seemed that Sakayev hit head first on the mat that caused the bleeding. Magamdov was leading 4-0 when the stoppage occured.

11:50: Stunning result for Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO) as he pins Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) at 61kg. Abakarov had a comfortable 6-0 lead but Goniashvili used a head pinch for four points and then pinned Abakarov who tried find a foul in the move but there was none.

11:30: Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) stuns Asian champion ABHIMANYOU (IND) at 70kg. Elahi scores a takedown and then rolls Abhimanyou four times for a technical superiority win.

10:45: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) begins with a technical superiority win over Adil OSPANOV (KAZ) at 65kg. Mamedov competed at the Ulaanbaatar Open and reached the final. He was on the verge of upsetting Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) in the final as he led 8-0. But Amouzad mounted a comeback and won 17-10.

10:45: Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ) controls the first match against Ali KHORRAMDEL (IRI) throughout and wins 13-2 at 65kg. Khorramdel opened a few attacks but Kuular never looked in trouble. He even had a solid cardio