Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! August 6, 2018

Monday, August 6, 2018 - 15:16 By Eric Olanowski

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Reviewing Russian National results along with Russia sweeping the Junior European Championships. Also looking at updated World rankings, Maroulis' special wrestle-off, and the 2018 Junior Pan-American Championships. 

1. Russia’s #Budapest2018 Team Nearly Set 
Russian Nationals wrapped up this past weekend and eight of the ten spots on Russia’s #Budapest2018 team were locked up. 

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS), the three-time world and Olympic champion bumped up to 97kg after winning the 92kg European title and defeated Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS), 8-1 to win the Russian 97kg #Budapest2018 spot. 

Sadulaev’s win potentially sets up the rematch from last year’s World Championship finals with the three-time world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA). 

As mentioned above, eight of ten weight classes were locked up. The two weight classes that are still up for grabs are 61kg and 65kg. 

Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) (61kg) and Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) (65kg) were relieved from participating at Russian Nationals and will compete alongside Russian National champions Magomedrasul IDRISOV and Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) at the final Ranking Series event, the Ziolkowski (Poland Open) on September 7-9. 

The highest placer in these two weight classes at the Ziolkowski (Poland Open) will represent Russia at the 2018 World Championships. 

RESULTS
57kg - Z. UGUEV df. K. DONDUK-OOL, 7-1 
61kg – M. IDRISOV df. I. MUSUKAEV, 5-3 
65kg - A. CHAKAEV df. B. GOYGEREEV, 2-2
70kg – M. GAZIMAGOMEDOV df. A. SAT, 9-0 
74kg - Z. SIDAKOV df. K. TSABOLOV, 2-2 
79kg -  A. GADZHIMAGOMEDOV df. K. SUYUNCHEV, 3-2 
86kg - D. KURUGLIEV df. A. NAIFONOV, 2-1 
92kg – B. TSAKULOV df. A. URISHEV, 7-5 
97kg - A. SADULAEV df. V. BAITSAEV, 8-1
125kg – A. KHIZRIEV df. M. KUSHKOV, 4-4 

 

2. Maroulis and Hedrick Wrestle-off Scheduled for October 6
Helen MAROULIS (USA), the three-time world and Olympic champion will wrestle Alex HEDRICK (USA) on October 6 in a Final X special wrestle-off to determine who will represent the United States at 57kg in October’s World Championships. 

The best-of-three series was originally scheduled for June 23 but had to be rescheduled due to an undisclosed Maroulis injury. 

If Maroulis is victorious, it’ll be her thirteenth time (age-level and senior-level) representing the United States at a World Championship or Olympic Games. 

3. New Freestyle and Greco-Roman Rankings Released  
United World Wrestling released the August 2018 Ranking Series for Freestyle and Greco-Roman. 

Two-time world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) rose four spots to No.1 at 74kg in the August 2018 Ranking Series for freestyle wrestling after capturing a gold medal at the Yasar Dogu with a criteria victory (10-10) over returning world champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), avenging a loss from May.

Also of note, Russia leads the pack with four wrestlers ranked No.1 in freestyle while no other country has multiple top-ranked wrestlers. 

In Greco-Roman, Islam ABBASOV (AZE), Riza KAYAALP (TUR) and Kazbek KILOV (BLR) were the three new No. 1-ranked wrestlers.

Three-time world champion Riza Kayaalp (TUR) moved to No.1 at 130kg after claiming a gold medal in the final Ranking Series event for Greco-Roman wrestling. 

Kayaalp, who climbed from No.5 in the rankings last month, won a gold medal at the Vehbi Emre with a 2-1 victory over Kiryl HRYSHCHANKA (BLR). It was Kayaalp's sixth Vehbi Emre title. Earlier this year he won his eighth European title.

Full Freestyle Rankings 
Full Greco-Roman Rankings 

Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS) captured his fourth age-level European gold medal (Photo Max-Rose Fyne) 

4. Russia Rolls Over European Competition, Sweeps Team Race
Russia, on the back three-time age-level world champion and most dominant Junior in the world, Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS) captured thirteen individual Junior European gold medals, while also obtaining team titles in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling.

Freestyle Results 
Greco-Roman Results 
Women’s Wrestling Results

5. Pan-American Championships Begin Next Week 
Fortaleza, Brazil is poised to host the 2018 Junior Pan-American Championships which takes place August 17-19. 

Greco-Roman wrestling will kick off the championships at the Centro de Formacao Olimpica do Nordeste on Friday and will be followed by women’s wrestling (Friday) and freestyle (Saturday).

Full Schedule

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday! #ActiveWrestling #GrecoRomanWrestling#wrestling #georgian #wrestler LOMADZE Iuri
#takedown #throw #suplex #mma#mixedmartialarts @georgian__wrestling
2. Snyder won the first round. 
If these two meet at the #Budapest2018World Championships, who do you think wins? @sadulaev_abdulrashid or @snyderman45 ? ⬇️ COMMENT ⬇️
3. Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting. 
4. Big Move from Last Day of the Junior European C'Ships #Rome2018!
5. Team Russia celebrates behind the scenes!! ????? -

Saravi, Hedayati win gold to cap Iran's dominance at ISG 2025

Wednesday, November 19, 2025 - 17:36 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 19) -- If there was battle for the most dominant wrestler among the Iranian wrestlers, it would be a close one. Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) won Asian and World Championships and a Ranking Series gold before winning the gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 on Tuesday.

Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) won gold at Zagreb Ranking Series, gold at senior and U23 World Championships and like Esmaeili, gold at ISG 2025.

On Wednesday, Olympic and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) also joined that list as he won gold medal at 97kg at ISG in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Saravi has been unstoppable this year, just like Esmaeili and Farokhi, winning Ranking Series gold, and gold medals at the Asian and World Championships. In Riyadh, he showed why he has been so good this year.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) turns Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) from par terre in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In one of the marquee matches of the night, Saravi held his own to beat world bronze medalist Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) in the 97kg final.Saravi and Ahmadiyev were clearly a notch up the field in Riyadh in their weight class and reached the final with ease. But when the two clashed, Saravi clearly had a gameplan to not get caught in any upset.

Ahmadiyev had pinned Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) at the World Championships after a block when the Armenian was trying a gut wrench. So when Saravi got the chance in par terre in the final, he only tried a gut wrench once and then let the referee call neutral.

Saravi went into the break leading 3-0. He was called passive in the second period and put in par terre but he defend the position and gave only one point. As Ahmadiyev struggled with his conditioning, Saravi managed to score two stepouts and win the gold medal with a 5-1 score.

The Iranian has now not lost since the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade, extending his winning run to over two years.

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) prepares to throw Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY) during the 130kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 130kg, rising star Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) too has a great winning run. Since his U20 World Championships final loss in 2022, Hedayati has not lost an international bout and capped his 2025 season with gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025.

Placed in Group A of the Nelson bracket, Hedayati topped his group before winning the semifinal with ease. In the final, he faced Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), who the Iranian defeated in the first group bout 3-0.

If that was a warm-up win, Hedayati showed what he is capable of, winning the final in just 35 second via fall against Abdellatif. He began with a four-point throw which was challenged by Egypt only to lose the challenge.

Leading 5-0, Hedayati hit an arm-throw for two points before dragging Abdellatif for another takedown with his back on the mat. Hedayati held the Egyptian in that position and secured the fall to end the match and capture the gold medal.

Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) celebrates after winning the 50kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Three women's wrestling weight classes were also in action on Wednesday in Riyadh and three different countries won gold medals.

At 50kg, Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) needed a hip-toss in the last 30 seconds to score four points against Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) and take a 5-1 lead. The Uzbekistan wrestler led 1-0 at the break after Geneisi's passivity. But the Nigerian took an 1-1 criteria lead in the last minute when Keunimjaeva was called passive.

Desperate to find an opening, Keunimjaeva locked both of Geneisis' arms and tossed her for four points, taking a 5-1 lead and defending it to win the gold medal.

Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR)Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) won the gold medal at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The winning country was reversed in the 53kg final as Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) defeated Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB), 11-1, to win the gold medal.

Akhmedova failed to match the power of Ogunsanya who kept scoring with counter takedowns. She scored a takedown and a turn using lace to win the bout 11-1.

The final gold medal of the night went to former U23 world champion Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) who defeated European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) in the 57kg final.

Aliyeva, who had defeated Suleyman in Round 1 bout as well, faced the Turkish wrestler again and kept it simple. She scored three takedown before giving up one in the final few seconds. She managed to hold on to her 6-2 lead for the win.

Photo

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

97kg
GOLD: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR) df. Mohamed GABR (EGY), 3-1
BRONZE: Rouabah FADI (ALG) df. Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), via fall (9-0)

BRONZE: Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) df. Roman KIM (KGZ), 11-2

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) df. Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR), 5-1

BRONZE: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Chebila CHEIMA (ALG), 7-0

53kg
GOLD: Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) df. Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB), 11-1

BRONZE: Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ) df. Yusma DESWITA (INA), via fall (3-0
BRONZE: Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) df. Vatansulton SHAKARSHOEVA (TJK), 14-3

57kg
GOLD: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR), 6-2

BRONZE: Tekouk ACHOUAK DJAMILA (ALG) df. Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), via fall (14-3)