News

UPDATED Nov. 6: News from Around the World

By United World Wrestling Press

Yazdani, Geraei Among Champions at Iran World Team Trials

Iran held its world team trials for the 2020 World Championships. Strict protocols were followed, including PCR testing and quarantining for all participants.

In the freestyle competition, Olympic and world champion Hassan YAZDANI was dominant at 86kg, defeating Asian silver medalist Ahmad BAZRI, 11-0. Yazdani will seek his sixth world or Olympic medal. Other freestyle champions included Reza ATRI (57kg), Majid DASTAN (61kg), Amir Mohammad YAZDANI (65kg), Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (74kg), Ali SAVADKOUHI (79kg), Kamran GHASEMPOUR (92kg), Ali SHABANI (97kg) and Amin TAHERI (125kg).

In Greco-Roman, two-time world bronze medalist Mohammad Ali GERAEI earned a spot on the Iran national team at 77kg with a victory over Pejman POSHTAM, 4-2. Other Greco-Roman champions included Poya DADMARZ (55kg), Alireza NEJATI (60kg), Meysam DELKHANI (63kg), Hossein ASADI (67kg), Amin KAVIANINEJAD (72kg), Mohammad NAGHOUSI (82kg), Hossein NOURI (87kg), Mohammad Hadi SARAVI (97kg) and Amir GHASEMI MONJAZI (130kg).     
   
Freestyle

57kg  (Winner: Reza ATRI)
Reza ATRI df. Rahman AMOUZAD KHALILI, 4-4
Alireza SARLAK df. Nader HAJAHANIA, 5-3
Rahman AMOUZAD KHALILI df. Nader HAJAGHANIA by forfeit
Alireza SARLAK df. Rahman AMOUZAD KHALILI, 10-8
Reza ATRI df. Alireza SARLAK, 2-1

61kg (Winner: Majid DASTAN)
Majid DASTAN df. Behnam EHSANPOOR, 2-1

65kg Winner: (Amir Mohammad YAZDANI)
Meysam NASIRI df. Amir Hossein MAGHSOUDI, 9-0
Morteza GHIASI df. Shayan HAMZE, 12-5
Amir Mohammad YAZDANI df. Peyman BIABANI, 3-1
Meysam NASIRI df. Peyman BIABANI, 3-1
Amir Hossein MAGHSOUDI df. Shayan HAMZE, 11-10
Amir Mohammad YAZDANI df. Morteza GHIASI, 6-6
Morteza GHIASI df. Amir Hossein MAGHSOUDI, 11-0
Amir Mohammad YAZDANI df. Meysam NASIRI, 7-4

70kg (Winner: Younes EMAMI)
Amir Hossein HOSSEINI df. Erfan ELAHI, 5-1
Younes EMAMI df. Amir Hossein HOSSEINI, 5-2

74kg (Winner: Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI)
Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI df. Saeid DADASHPOUR, 3-1
Mohammad NOKHODI df. Mohammad Sadegh FIROOZPOOR, 5-2
Jamal EBADI df. Masoud KAMARVAND, 10-10
Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI df. Mohammad Sadegh FIROOZPOOR, 4-0
Mohammad NOKHODI df. Masoud KAMARVAND, 2-1
Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI df. Jamal EBADI, 3-0
Jamal EBADI df. Mohammad NOKHODI, 3-2
Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI df. Mohammad NOKHODI, 9-4

79kg (Winner: Ali SAVADKOUHI)
Hamidreza ZARRINPEYKAR df. Peyman YARAHMADI 2-2
Ali SAVADKOUHI df. Bahman TEYMOURI, 3-0
Ali SAVADKOUHI df. Peyman YARAHMADI, 4-2
Hamidreza ZARRINPEYKAR df. Bahman TEYMOURI, 11-6
Ali SAVADKOUHI df. Hamidreza ZARRINPEYKAR, 5-4

86kg (Winner: Hassan YAZDANI)
Hassan YAZDANI tf. Ahmad BAZRI, 11-0

92kg (Winner: Kamran GHASEMPOUR)
Arashk MOHEBI df. Hossein SHAHBAZI, 5-2
Hossein JALALINEJAD df. Mohammad Hossein MIRBAGHBAN, 7-4
Kamran GHASEMPOUR df. Hossein SHAHBAZI, 4-0
Arashk MOHEBI df. Mohammad Hossein MIRBAGHBAN, 7-6
Kamran GHASEMPOUR df. Hossein JALALINEJAD, 6-0
Kamran GHASEMPOUR df. Arashk MOHEBI, 6-2
Arashk MOHEBI df. Hossein JALALINEJAD, 3-0

97kg (Winner: Ali SHABANI)
Ali SHABANI df. Mojtaba GOLEIJ, 7-3
Mohammad Hossein MOHAMMADIAN df. Danial SHARIATINIA, 5-0
Mohammad Hossein MOHAMMADIAN df. Mojtaba GOLEIJ, 2-1
Ali SHABANI df. Danial SHARIATINIA, 6-2
Ali SHABANI df. Mohammad Hossein MOHAMMADIAN, 8-4
Ali SHABANI df. Mohammad Hossein MOHAMMADIAN, 4-0

125kg (Winner: Amin TAHERI)
Amin TAHERI df. Parviz HADI, 9-4
Amir Hossein ZARE df. Yadollah MOHEBI, 4-1
Amin TAHERI df. Yadollah MOHEBI by forfeit
Amir Hossein ZARE df. Parviz HADI, 4-0
Amin TAHERI df. Amir Hossein ZARE, 2-0
Amir Hossein ZARE df. Amin TAHERI, 3-1
Amin TAHERI df. Amir Hossein ZARE, 4-3

Greco-Roman

55kg (Winner: Poya DADMARZ)
Poya DADMARZ df. Sajad ABBASPOUR, 6-2

60kg (Winner: Alireza NEJATI)
Alireza NEJATI df. Poya NASERPOUR, 9-5

63kg (Winner: Meysam Delkhani)
Meysam DELKHANI tf. Reza MARDI, 8-0

67kg (Winner: Hossein ASADI)
Hossein ASADI df. Mohammad Javad REZAEI, 3-1

72kg (Winner: Amin KAVIANINEJAD)
Ali ARSALAN tf. Ashkan SAADATIFAR, 9-0
Amin KAVIANINEJAD df. Ali ARSALAN, 1-1

77kg (Winner: Mohammad Ali GERAEI)
Mohammad Ali GERAEI df. Pejman POSHTAM, 4-2

82kg (Winner: Mohammad NAGHOUSI)
Mohammad NAGHOUSI df. Jamal ESMAEILI, 3-0

87kg (Winner Hossein NOURI)
Hossein NOURI df. Ramin TAHERI, 2-1

97kg (Winner: Mohammad Hadi SARAVI)
Mehdi BALI df. Mehdi ALIYARI, 4-1
Mohammad Hadi SARAVI df. Mehdi BALI, 5-1

130kg (Winner: Amir GHASEMI MONJAZI)
Amir GHASEMI MONJAZI df. Ali Akbar YOUSEFI, 3-1


Grand Prix of Zagreb Homepage http://gpzagrebopen.com/

Also, you are free to use press materials from the link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A7xzbWtmOx8pioVMPLrJw09hNNornIle?usp=sharing

Here are the links for live streaming

Saturday, November 7th

MAT A: https://youtu.be/FRbP0ElYCLo

MAT Bhttps://youtu.be/9VmGDXvXKNA

MAT C: https://youtu.be/dL3DUJzvpmw

Sunday, November 8th

MAT A: https://youtu.be/zhlq5IXR-U0

MAT B: https://youtu.be/jZJzGneQQX4

MAT C: https://youtu.be/Sa8z2zHrcHU

FINALS: https://youtu.be/DSOyIRgvJWw

IG https://www.instagram.com/gpzagrebopen/ 

>>>

Zagreb and Poland to Host International Competitions

The National Federations of Croatia and Poland are hosting international tournaments this week.

For Poland the trio of tournaments will be competed starting November 4. The tournaments will also be held early next year as Ranking Series tournaments. Entry lists are not currently available but the live stream links are below and will be updated via Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Freestyle gold-medal match results from the @pzz_official Poland Open:
57kg: Razvan KOVACS ?? df. CraciunPETRU ??, 12-2
61 kg: Ahmet DUMAN ?? df. Recep TOPAL ??, 1-1
65 kg: Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI ?? df. Ilman MUKHTAROV ??, 4-3
70 kg: Magomedmurad GADZHIEV ?? df. Haydar YUVUZ ??, 3-2
74 kg: Fazli ERYILMAZ ?? df. Maxim VASILIOGLO ??, 4-1
79 kg: Saifedine ALEKMA ?? df. Alan AMIROVS ??, 12-6
86 kg: Pitor IANULOV ?? df. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI ??, 5-1
92 kg: Erhan YAYLACI ?? df. Arif OEZEN ??, 10-0
97 kg: Suleyman KARADENIZ ?? df. Radoslaw BARAN ??, 10-0
125 kg: Robert BARAN ?? df. Daniel LIGETI ??, 3-2

The Croatian Federation is hosting the Zagreb Open, a Greco-Roman tournament that last hosted the Ranking Series in 2018. A short selection of entries can be find below with the official list expected November 6. The competition page for the event is http://gpzagrebopen.com/

Doninik Etlinger (Croatia)
Ivan Huklek (Croatia)
Bozo Starcevic (Croatia)
Riza Kayaalp (Turkey)
Kerem Kamal (Turkey)
Fatih Cengiz (Turkey)
Balazs Kis (Mađarska)
Viktor Nemeš (Serbia)
Mate Nemeš (Serbia)
Davor Štefanek, (Serbia)
Alexandros Kessidis (Sweden)
Ciobanu Victor (Moldova)
Aleksandrov (Bulgaria)
Milov (Bulgaria)

Livestreams for the Poland Open and Zagreb Open will be on the UWW homepage and updates on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Spanish Wrestling Federation Hosts U23, Junior Championships

The Spanish Wrestling Federation recently hosted the Spanish U23 Wrestling Championships and Spanish Junior Wrestling Championships. View links to the results below.

Spanish U23 Wrestling Championships Results

Junior Wrestling Championships Results

Iranians Compete in Premier League

Iranian wrestlers, following strict protocols, returned to competition for the first time in eight months with the return of the Iranian Premier Wrestling League.

Wrestlers, coaches, referees and organization staffs were the only people allowed in the competition hall. Everyone entering the hall was required to pass an antiseptic box and all participants received PCR tests before competitions and were placed in quarantine after testing.

Wrestling in Iran typically means excitement, sold-out arenas and thousands of cheering fans. This time the story was something else. There were no spectators at Azadi Sports Complex, which seats 12,000. Referees wore face shields and coaches wore masks.

After the United World Wrestling bureau approved existing plans to host the 2020 Senior Wrestling World Championships, the Iranian Premier Wrestling League was halted, and wrestlers were invited to the national training camp. All wrestlers and coaches were required to take PCR tests again before training. Iran's wrestling training center became a quarantine area.

"I am happy to be back again to wrestling camp," said Olympic and world champion Hassan YAZDANI.

"We didn't have training camp for about seventh months because of the coronavirus and I only followed my personal trainings," said Yazdani. "Competing in the league helped us to get more prepared. The federation has provided a quarantine place for our safety and nobody is allowed to leave the camp during the trainings. I have only one goal and it is to win at world title at the 2020 World Championships."

Sports federations in Iran are not allowed to start activities without the permission of the ministry of sport, as well as the health ministry. Wrestling was the first contact sport in Iran that started its league and national team training camps.

"We tried hard to receive permission and finally we succeed to hold league competitions and training camps under strict protocols," said 2000 Olympic champion and Iran wrestling president Alireza DABIR.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Une publication partagée par Olympic Wrestling (@unitedworldwrestling) le

#WrestleAmman

Iran wins three Greco-Roman golds in Amman

By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 19) -- A technical superiority, a defensive masterclass and a power show. Iran wrestlers have made a habit of clinching the Greco-Roman team title early at most World Championships and the U20 World Championships in Amman, Jordan was no different as Iran, with its three golds, all but locked up the title.

After sweeping the Freestyle team title earlier this week, Iran got going in Greco-Roman adding 105 points after five weight classes and steering clear of other countries for the team title.

Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI)Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) scores a takedown against Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) in the 63kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

The gold rush was led by rising start Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEHZAD (IRI) at 63kg. He wrestled 2022 U17 Asian champion Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) in the gold medal bout and came out 9-0 on top.

The technical superiority in the final by Mohsen Nehzad was set up on the basis of an aggressive show by Ahmadreza. Mirzaliev was put in par terre and the Iranian got one turn to lead 3-0. He scored a stepout to lead extend his lead to 4-0 at the break.

Mirzaliev would have hoped to get an advantage of par terre in the second period but in a rare case, Ahmadreza got the second par terre position. On this occasion, Ahmadreza got two gut-wrenches to finish the bout 9-0.

One can be forgiven for mistaken identity as a glance at Ahmadreza would remind them of multiple-time Asian and U23 world medalist Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI), Ahmadreza's elder brother.

The Mohsen Nejad family hails from Kuzestan, Iran and all four siblings are wrestlers. Apart from Mehdi and Ahmadreza, Emarreza and Yasin are also Greco-Roman wrestlers with the former being the U15 Asian champion at 68kg.

As far as world events go, Ahmadreza has already bettered his brother Mehdi's position. Mehdi finished fifth at the 2016 U20 Worlds but Ahmadreza has won gold in his first World Championships experience.

Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI)Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) and Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) battle it out in the 77kg final. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

After completing his final, Ahmadreza took to cheering for Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) against returning silver medalist Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) in the 77kg final. Abdevali, one of the seven siblings, denied Solovei a chance to create history for Moldova, beating him 1-1 in the 77kg final.

Solovei was hoping to become Moldova's first U20 world champion in Greco-Roman but for the second straight year, he will have to be satisfied with a silver medal. Abdevali and Solovei exchanged activity points in the final with Abdevali holding the criteria and despite his best efforts, Solovei failed to score the point needed to win.

By winning the final, Abdevali also avenged his 2021 U17 World Championships final's loss to Solovei. That was also a similar final in which the criteria was with Solovei, giving the Moldovan a gold medal.

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) defeated Wenhao JIANG (CHN) in the 130kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

The focus then turned to Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) as he wrestled for the 130kg gold for the second straight year. He suffered a heartbreaking loss in Sofia last year but Hedayati made amends and won the gold medal via technical superiority.

It was in Amman a month ago that Hedayati rocked Wenhao JIANG (CHN) 11-1 in the 130kg final of the U20 Asian Championships. Jiang was hoping to at least close the gap but there was no change in the result as Hedayati beat Jiang 8-0 and put behind the disappointment from last year. Hedayati scored four steptous and two takedowns in the 8-0 win over Jiang.

"I’m glad that I was able to change the silver I won in Sofia to gold in Amman and make my people happy," Hedayati said. "I won all the bouts with excellent scores and became the world champion without giving a single score."

In his four bouts in Amman, Hedayati outscored his opponents 32-0 which also means that he was not in par terre for being passive even once. For the final, Hedayati was aware of Jiang's style which made it easier for him to prepare for the gold medal bout.

"I wrestled with him in the finals of the U20 Asian Championships and won 11-1," he said. "I was able to defeat him in less than three minutes with a score of 8-0. Jiang is a good wrestler as well."

Back home in Iran, the 130kg weight class is dominated by world silver medalist Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI). But Hedayati, who hails from the Freestyle hub of Mazandaran, is open to have a go at any wrestler. 

"I have very good opponents in Iran including Amin Mirzazadeh and other dear friends," he said. "I respect all of them. I’m doing my best to be a good representative for my country in the 2024 Olympics. I want to become a champion in Paris and having good opponents motivates me to increase my training and be able to pass these champions and reach the top of an Olympics."

Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO)The throw that gave Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) a win over Ali CHOUBANI (IRI). (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Iran could have had another gold medalist if Ali CHOUBANI (IRI) had found a way to beat Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) in the 87kg final.

Last year, Choubani suffered a dramatic 2-1 final's loss at the 2022 U20 World Championships but Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) added insult to injury as he scored two points via correct throw on third passivity to take a 3-1 lead. Choubani could not score the takedown needed to win the gold medal and for the second successive year, he will go home with a silver medal.

After exchanging activity points, Choubani had the criteria but the referees called him inactive. Bolkvadze asked for par terre and got the lift but Choubani stood his ground. From the bear-hug, Bolkvade managed to implement a correct throw to get two points. Iran challenged the call but lost on review.

As Bolkvadze celebrated his exception win, Choubani lay on may in disbelief after losing the final for the second straight year. 

The fifth gold medal on Saturday was won by Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ) who defeated Farid SADIKHLI (AZE), 5-1, in the 55kg final. This was Kazakhstan's first gold medal in Greco-Roman at U20 Worlds in seven years.

 

df

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ) df. Farid SADIKHLI (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Nuristan SUIORKULOV (KGZ) df. Emre MUTLU (TUR), 2-1
BRONZE: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI), 9-0

63kg
GOLD: Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) df. Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ), 9-0

BRONZE: Dinislam SAGITZHAN (KAZ) df. Landon DRURY (USA), 9-0
BRONZE: Komei SAWADA (JPN) df. SANDEEP (IND), 4-0

77kg
GOLD: Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) df. Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA), 1-1

BRONZE: Deepak PUNIA (IND) df. Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO), 4-2
BRONZE: Abdulmasih ABDULMASIH (AIN) df. Erlan MARS UULU (KGZ), 11-2

87kg
GOLD: Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Abolfazl CHOUBANI (IRI), 4-1

BRONZE: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Tourpal MAGAMADOV (FRA), 13-4
BRONZE: Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM) df. Wyatt VOELKER (USA), 7-0

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 8-0

BRONZE: Achilleas CHRYSIDIS (GRE) df. Aleksandr MELEKHOV (AIN), 5-0
BRONZE: Fekry EISSA (EGY) df. Talip CIFTCI (TUR), 3-2 

GR Semifinals

60kg
GOLD: SUMIT (IND) vs. Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM)

SF 1: SUMIT (IND) df. Amirreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI), 10-0
SF 2: Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) df. Emirlan DUISHENALIEV (KGZ), 

67kg
GOLD: Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) vs. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) df. Ahoura BOUVEIRI PIANI (IRI), 9-4
SF 2: Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) df. Nestori MANNILA (FIN), 5-2

72kg
GOLD: Imran ALIEV (AIN) vs. Levente LEVAI (HUN)

SF 1: Imran ALIEV (AIN) df. Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO), 9-0
SF 2: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER), 5-1

82kg
GOLD: Alperen BERBER (TUR) vs. Yasin YAZDI (IRI)

SF 1: Alperen BERBER (TUR) df. Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO), 8-0
SF 2: Yasin YAZDI (IRI) df. Ruben GEVORGYAN (ARM), 4-0

97kg
GOLD: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) vs. Gor AYVAZYAN (GEO)

SF 1: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) df. Kevin USPENSKI (EST), 14-4
SF 2: Gor AYVAZYAN (GEO) df. Rostislav COVALI (MDA), 3-1