#WrestleBudapest: Aliyev, Muszukajev to clash for European gold

Monday, March 28, 2022 - 17:25 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 28) -- Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE) marked his return to the mat by reaching the final of the European Championships in Budapest. In that process, he set an exciting final against fellow Tokyo Olympian Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN).

The Azerbaijan star led four wrestlers from his country into the final, making it the most successful nation on the first day of the competition.

DAY 1 PHOTO GALLERY

Aliyev wrestled Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) in the semifinal, and after giving up the initial takedown, he came back to secure a comfortable 12-2 win. He used a big five-point suplex to end the bout.

In his two Monday bouts, Aliyev looked rusty due to the seventh-month break after the Tokyo Games. But if the three-time European champion wants to win his fourth gold, he will have to step up against a familiar foe in Muszukajev in Tuesday night's final.

Iszmail MUSZAKAJEV Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) made it to his first-ever European Championships final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The two met in the final of the 2020 Individual World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia, in which the Hungarian wrestler stunned the three-time world champion to win the gold.

Muszukajev began with a 10-0 technical superiority win which included a double-leg throw that earned him five points. In the semifinal, he wrestled Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL) and managed to close off that bout with a suplex to win, 11-0.

He led 1-0 at the break, ironically for a point for inactivity. In the second period, he began with a double leg and got two laces, grabbing the 7-0 lead before the big four-point move.

The rematch Tuesday can be another thriller as the two looked in control of their game. Aliyev's defense will be put to test once again against the sneaky attacks of the Hungarian world bronze medalist from 2019.

Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) throws Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) for four points. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

At 57kg, U23 world champion Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) stunned Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinal by finishing the bout in just two minutes. The 10-0 win marked his entry to his first-ever European Championships final.

He will face Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) in the gold-medal bout, in what will be a historic match. North Macedonia has never had a wrestler reach the final of a European Championships since 1999, but Egorov did that by beating Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 10-0. He got an arm trap to finish it quickly.

The two other Azerbaijan wrestlers who reached the final were Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) and Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE). They will wrestle for gold at 79kg and 97kg, respectively.

Ashirov faced Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) in the semifinal, and after a couple of hiccups, managed to secure a spot in the final. Gamkrelidze scored a takedown and then scored two more via gut-wrench. Ashirov answered with a single leg takedown and cut the lead to 4-2.

In the second period, Ashirov body locked the Georgian for four points to take the lead 6-4. The two traded step-outs and Gamkrelidze scored a takedown to make it 7-7 with Ashirov leading on criteria.

Gamkrelidze tried two desperate attempts in the final 17 seconds and gave up six points on those. He lost the semifinal, 13-7.

Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) became the first-ever wrestler from Greece to enter a European final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Ashirov will face U23 European champion Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), as he beat Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR) 15-10 in the other semifinal. The Greek wrestler took a 2-0 lead before Akdeniz managed to score two but also gave up two in the scramble.

The second period began with another scramble with Akdeniz scoring via crotch-lift but he lost control gave up two before an exposure add two more for Kougioumtsidis. A reversal gave Akdeniz one point.

A four-point throw at this point gave a comfortable 12-5 lead to Kougioumtsidis, and in the end, he won 15-10 to become the first wrestler from his country to reach the final in 19 years.

In the first 97kg semifinal, Magomedov scored two takedowns in the first period to lead 4-0 at the break against Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), but the Polish wrestler managed to start the second period with a takedown before Magomedov scored for himself.

Baranowski managed another takedown in the final five seconds but it was too little too late, as Magomedov reached the final with a 6-4 win.

Earlier in the day, the Azerbaijan junior world silver medalist handed a beating to World bronze medalist Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), 14-7.

Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN), red, reached the final of the European Championships at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hungary had its second finalist in Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN). He comfortably made it past Erik THIELE (GER) in the second semifinal, 8-1. He also made it to the semifinal after beating a World medalist in Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD), 6-4.

The only wrestler who managed to stop Azerbaijan from making it a perfect evening was Zurabi IAKOBASHVILI (GEO) who won a thrilling semifinal at 70kg against U23 European champion Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE).

Bayramov and Iakobashvili left it all on the mat as the latter led 3-0 at the break. But Bayramov came back strong in the second period with a takedown to cut the lead to 3-2. A passivity call against the Georgian made it 3-3 giving Bayramov the lead on criteria.

Iakobashvili had 50 seconds to score a point for the win, and with seven seconds remaining he did that with a step-out to win 4-3.

He will now take on Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) in the final. The bronze medalist from the European Championships last year wrestled Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) in the semifinal and beat him 6-2.

His superior defense frustrated Grahmez and Andreasyan managed to take a 4-0 lead at the break. But the two exchanged two points each in the second period but it was not enough for Grahmez to reach his first continental final.

Tuesday's medal bouts, along with the second-day semifinals of the remaining five weights; 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg begin at 16:45 (local time).

Hungary

RESULTS:

FS Semifinals

57kg
GOLD: Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) vs Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)

SF 1: Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) df Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 10-0
SF 2: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) df Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)

SF 1: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 12-2
SF 2: Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) df Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), 11-0

70kg
GOLD: Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) vs Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) df Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE), 4-3
SF 2: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA), 6-2

79kg
GOLD: Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) vs Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

SF 1: Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) df Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 13-7
SF 2: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR), 15-10

97kg
GOLD: Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN) vs Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)

SF 1: Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN) df Erik THIELE (GER), 8-1
SF 2: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), 6-4

#WrestleNoviSad

Eriomenco, Farokhi run through U23 Worlds field to reach finals

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 - 00:57 By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 20) -- Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) has already won the gold medal at the U23 World Championships. The Moldovan won gold in the 63kg weight class in Tirana, Albania last year.

In a bid to repeat, Eriomenco entered the 2025 edition as well, making it his fifth appearance the season-ending World Championships. Now, Eriomenco is one win away from defending his world title.

The recent bronze medalist in Zagreb, Eriomenco made it to the 63kg final at the U23 Worlds in Novi Sad, Serbia on Monday and will face a familiar opponent in the final in Ziya BABASHOV (AZE).

The two met in the U23 European Championships final earlier this year which Eriomenco won 3-1. However, Babashov had defeated the Moldovan in the final of the same tournament in 2024.

With the head-to-head locked at 1-1, Eriomenco and Babashov will clash Tuesday, the second day of the U23 Worlds which kicked off in Serbia on Monday with four Greco-Roman weight classes.

Iran and Ukraine had two finalists each while Georgia and Armenia also managed to get one each on the first day. Iran was led by world 82kg champion Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) who has moved up to 87kg but unbothered by the weight change. Defending champion at 130kg Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) returned to the final as well.

Eriomenco was heads above the field at 63kg as he won his four bouts via technical superiority. In the semifinals, he faced Kuttubek ABDURAZAKOV (KGZ) but had no trouble beating the Kyrgyzstan wrestler 10-1, scoring four turns from par terre.

Babashov on the other hand had to work hard for his 2-1 victory over Servet ANGI (TUR) in the other semifinal. He got on the scoreboard first as he scored a stepout using a two-on-one to lead 1-0. He was given the par terre position soon after but he failed to score. He still had a 2-0 lead going into the break.

Angi got his chance in the par terre in the second period but he failed to score any points over Babashov who defended his 2-1 lead to enter the final. He would now hope to repeat the performance from 2024 U23 Euro final which he won against Eriomenco 3-2.

At 87kg, Farokhi was also in top form, winning all his four bouts via technical superiority. He faced Payton JACOBSON (USA) in the semifinals but took no time as he rolled him four times from par terre to win 9-0 and advance to the final.

He will face Ivan CHMYR (UKR) for the gold medal bout after the Ukrainian defeated a surprise semifinalist in Yassine BEN LABED (POL), 2-1. Chmyr, who finished fifth at the U23 European Championships this year, held his own to beat Ben Labed.

Chmyr began with a win over Andrija MIHAJLOVIC (SRB) before beating Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO), 1-1. He then handed U23 Euro silver medalist Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) a 3-1 defeat.

In the semifinals against Ben Labed, who had beaten Ruben GEVORGYAN (ARM), Deni NAKAEV (GER) and Brian RUIZ (VEN) to reach last four, Chmyr threw Ben Labed out of bounds from par terre to lead 2-0.

But when Ben Labed got a chance in par terre, there were no points scored and Chmyr booked a place in the final against world champion Farokhi.

Hedayati, the multiple-time age-group world champion, is closer to another title at 130kg after he reached the final. He defeated Laszlo DARABOS (HUN), 4-0, in the semifinals using a stepout and a takedown on either side of the par terre position.

He will face Ramzik KURDYAN (ARM) in the final after the Armenian defeated Aleksandr MELEKHOV (UWW), 5-1, in the final. Kurdyan, who has a silver from U17 Worlds in 2019, rolled Melekhanov twice from par terre after defending his par terre position to win 5-1.

At 77kg, Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) upset European 72kg champion Levente LEVAI (HUN), 2-2, to reach the final as he looks to better his silver medal from 2022. Levai had a clear 2-1 lead in the semifinals when he scored takedown on the edge.

Levai increased his lead to 4-1 but Ukraine challenged and a foul was confirmed by Levai and he docked a point for stepping out which made the score 2-2 with Mirzoiev lead on last-point scored criteria. He defended that lead to reach the final for the second time in his career.

Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO) will try to stop him from winning the gold medal on Tuesday after he got the better of U23 Asian champion Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 6-2.

Nakibov got the first par terre position but was blocked by Orjonikidze who scored a reversal and turn to lead 3-1. Georgia challenged asking for four points and on review it was confirmed that Nakibov fell in danger for four points.

With a 5-1 lead, Orjonikidze went into the passive mode and was put down in par terre in the second period. Nakibov tried to score with a turn but Orjonikidze never came in danger.

Uzbekistan challenged asking for two points but it was lost, giving one more point to Orjonikidze who won 6-2 and reach the final.

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) vs. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA)

SF 1: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) df. Servet ANGI (TUR), 2-1
SF 2: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Kuttubek ABDURAZAKOV (KGZ), 10-1

77kg
GOLD: Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO) vs. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR)

SF 1: Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO) df. Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 6-2
SF 2: Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) df. Levente LEVAI (HUN), 2-2

87kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) vs. Ivan CHMYR (UKR)

SF 1: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Payton JACOBSON (USA), 9-0
SF 2: Ivan CHMYR (UKR) df. Yassine BEN LABED (POL), 2-1

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) vs. Razmik KURDYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Laszlo DARABOS (HUN), 4-0
SF 2: Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) df. Aleksandr MELEKHOV (UWW), 5-1

#WrestleBudapest: Aliyev, Muszukajev to clash for European gold

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Eriomenco, Farokhi run through U23 Worlds field to reach finals