#WrestleBelgrade

#WrestleBelgrade FS Preview: Akmataliev, Harutyunyan and Abakarov Eye 2nd World Medal Since October

Wednesday, October 27, 2021 - 06:28 By Eric Olanowski

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BELGRADE, Serbia (October 26) – Even after stamping their mark on the Senior World Championships, Oslo world medalists Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) return to the mat after a short rest with a shot to add a U23 world medal to their resume.

In addition to the established senior-level competitors, seven rising prospects who claimed '21 U23 European titles -- Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO), Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), Chermen VALIEV (RUS), Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), Ramazan SARI (TUR), Amanula RASULOV (RUS) and Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) – will also lay it on the line in Serbia.

Akmataliev reached the 70kg finals of the Senior World Championships in Norway but lost to Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), falling short of becoming the first Kyrgyz freestyle wrestler to win a world title.

The other two senior world medalists, Harutyunyan and Abakarov, each dropped one bout in Oslo but fought back and finished with bronze medals.

Akmataliev, fresh off his impressive four-match silver-medal run in Norway, is one of the three headliners at 70kg. He'll have his hands full with Tokyo Olympians Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) and Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE).

Turan BAYRAMOVTuran BAYRAMOV (AZE) is a defending U23 world champion. (Photo: UWW / KAdir Caliskan)

Bayramov replaced the injured Khadzhimurad Gadzhiyev (AZE) in Azerbaijan's Tokyo Olympic lineup at 74kg but will return to 70kg in Belgrade. He'll be looking for a second U23 world title and first since '19.

The 20-year-old has been the world's most active wrestler this season. He'll lace up his boots for a sixth time during his '21 campaign. This year, the future of Azeri wrestling has competed at the Tokyo Olympic Games, Junior and Senior World Championships and the Junior and Senior European Championships.

Bayramov has a 13-5 record this season, but all five of his losses came against wrestlers who have World or European titles to their names. His losses came against Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), Keegan OTOOLE (USA) and Israil KASUMOV (RUS).

Armenia's Tevanyan ended '20 on a high note after winning gold at the Individual World Cup with an impressive 9-1 win over '19 world bronze-medal winner Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN). He followed that up by beating three world champions -- Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) and Haji ALIYEV (AZE) – to punch Armenia's ticket to the Tokyo Olympic Games.

But since announcing his presence in late '20, Tevanyan has come back down to earth. He's looking to get back to his winning ways after a ninth-place finish in Oslo and a 14th-place finish at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Outside the three big names entered at 70kg, '21 U23 European bronze Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) and cadet world bronze medalist Aliakbar FAZLIKHALILI (IRI) are other guys to pay attention to.

Arsen HARUTYUNYANArsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), blue, won a bronze medal at the Oslo World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

At 61kg, Harutyunyan enters Belgrade fresh off a bronze-medal finish in Oslo. The Armenian youngster has fluctuated between 57kg and 61kg but will wrestle at 61kg in back-to-back competitions for the first time since early '19. While at 61kg, Harutyunyan has podium finishes at the '21 World Championships and a pair of European Championships, yet he's looking for his first U23 world medal. He competed in Budapest at the '19 U23 World Championships but dropped his bronze-medal match and finished in fifth place.

Harutyunyan's biggest threat will be Georgia's '21 U23 European champion, Teimuraz Vanishvili.

The favorite at 86kg has to be Abakarov. He put together four wins at the Senior World Championships in Oslo and grabbed a bronze medal. Although Abakarov fell to Olympic champion David TAYLOR (USA) in the semifinals, he scored an early first-period takedown. He led the match for over two minutes but got caught on his back and surrendered the fall.

A second guy to keep an eye on at 86kg is this year's U23 European champion, Amanula RASULOV (RUS).

Seven U23 European Champs in Action

Outside of the aforementioned Vanishvili and Rasulov, five other guys who won '21 continental gold medals will take the mat in Serbia.

Erik ARUSHANIANErik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) is a U23 European champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 65kg, Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) tops the bracket and comes into Belgrade undefeated in the season. He went 5-0 at the U23 European Championships and capped off his run to continental gold with a crazy 13-10 win over Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (RUS).

Arushanian biggest foes will be Greece's Tokyo Olympic Georgios PILIDIS and U23 European bronze medalists Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Cavit ACAR (TUR).

The road to gold at 74kg will likely weave through two guys, Chermen VALIEV (RUS) and Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE). Earlier this year, both guys won continental titles in Skopje, but Gadzhiev will be moving from his title-winning weight of 70kg to 74kg.

Ramazan SARI (TUR) is the top dog at 79kg. After winning the U23 European title in May, he earned his spot on Turkey's senior-level world team. Unfortunately, he went 1-1 in Oslo and is looking to get back in the winners' circle in Belgrade.

Sari's most significant threats will be Iran's Asian runner-up Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) and Azerbaijan's junior world silver medalist Ashraf ASHIROV.

Erhan YAYLACIErhan YAYLACI (TUR) will be looking to add U23 Worlds medal to his continental one. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Erhan YAYLACI (TUR), the reigning U23 European champion, will have the tough task of navigating the 92kg bracket that'll feature reigning junior world champ Amirhossein FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI) and the other three medalists from the continental championships.

Anil KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) will be in a similar position as his fellow Turkish teammate, Yaylaci. He'll share the 125kg bracket with Iranian junior world champion Ali AKBARPOURKHORDOUNI (IRI).

A third guy that should be on wrestling fans' radars is Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (BLR). Earlier this year, the Belarusian wrapped up his U23 European campaign with a bronze medal.

Freestyle action starts on November 5, Friday and closes out the U23 World Championships. Fans can follow all the action live on www.uww.org.

#WrestleTirana

Proud to Break Karelin's Record: Says Kayaalp After 13th European Gold

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - 21:34 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 21) -- Soon after he broke Aleksandr KARELIN's record of 12 European Championships gold medals, Riza KAYAALP (TUR) was asked to go through the journey of winning 13 European gold medals in his career.

Kayaalp gave a smirk before going on to replay his journey from his first European Championships title in 2010.

"When you look back, you realize you’ve made 15 finals," Kayaalp said after winning the 130kg gold medal in Tirana. "Back then, I was just thinking whether I could win one or two medals. But then, making the final every time at the European Championships, it’s like a child being born and growing up to 15 years old.

"That’s how long this journey has been. It’s difficult. It requires great consistency. It requires respect for what you do."

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READ MORE: Kayaalp's 13 - New Gold Standard in Europe

Kayaalp's consistency led him to 15 European Championships finals from which he won 13, taking him past Karelin's record. Apart from 2026, Kayaalp won gold in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2010.

"It’s an incredible feeling," he said. "This was my 15th final, and in my 15th final, I achieved my 13th title. I truly believe I’ve set a record that will be very difficult to break. This title is especially valuable to me because achieving such long-term and consistent success -- especially in Europe, where there are very strong nations -- is not easy. I’m very proud to have broken such a big record."

READ MORE: Riza KAYAALP Breaks Karelin's 26-Year Old Record 

Wrestling Tirana for the record, Kayaalp won four bouts, including a 1-1 criteria win against Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) bruised Kayaalp with aggressive wrestling.

"The matches were not easy. I had tough matches," he said. "One of my matches ended 1–1. In the semifinal, I can say I was subjected to some disrespect from a strong opponent in a very intense bout. But compared to those, the final match was more meaningful for me."

WATCH: All of Kayaalp's 13 European Gold Medals

But the final followed a different script as Kayaalp used his gut-wrench to beat Darius VITEK (HUN), 7-1, and finally claim the gold after falling short in 2024 and missing the tournament in 2025.

"When it became 7-0, well, I’m an athlete who doesn’t like to concede points," he said. "I don’t like giving points away, so I managed to protect that score. I can say I went through the second period quite comfortably, and having a 7–0 lead helped."

The 16-year dominance in Europe has taken a big part of Kayaalp's career but the five-time world champion believes that his commitment sets an example for the young wrestlers in Turkiye. 

"This comes from the respect I have for wrestling," he said. "If I’m going to do this, I have to do it at the highest level. I believe this success came because I always aimed to be the best. I’ve always done it with love.

"There are tens of thousands of wrestlers in Turkiye. We’ve been able to set an example for them. That’s very important. There are also many people around the world who look up to us."

WATCH: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs Darius VITEK (HUN)

Though they were not present in Tirana, Kayaalp dedicated his title to his wife and daughter. He shared that when he was away from wrestling, his daughter would pray for his return to the mat.

"[I want to dedicate this medal] to my wife and daughters, who have always been by my side through both good and bad times," he said. "To my family, to my father, to everyone who loves us, to my coaches, my fellow athletes, and to the Turkish people. I dedicate this great success to all of them."