#WrestleBudapest: Muszukajev brings Aliyev down to claim historic gold for Hungary

Tuesday, March 29, 2022 - 20:23 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 29) -- Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) may have broken his infamous curse of fizzling out in the second period of the bout.

What fans witnessed Tuesday was a different Muszukajev who not only ended Hungary's 19-year wait for a freestyle European champion, he destroyed two-time Olympic medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE) with a 12-1 victory in the 65kg final.

For long, Muszukajev has been an unpopular wrestler for his second-period conditioning. Many of his losses have been a result of him not being able to match the pace of his opponents. In one of those losses, he was up 9-0 at the break.

So when he set up a final against Aliyev at the European Championships in Budapest, a similar fate was expected -- Muszukajev would give up after the initial burst.

"I didn’t expect that score," Muszukajev said. "The opponent is really good and last time it was really difficult to win. This time I was in a better shape, after the Olympics I got down to training straight away and I was mentally preparing for the European Championships."

Iszmail MUSZAKAJEV Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) ended Hungary's 19-year wait for a gold medal at the European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Muszukajev was referring to their semifinal bout at the 2020 Individual World Cup which he won 7-6. He had built a 6-1 lead in that semifinal but Aliyev mounted a comeback with three takedowns and leveled it 6-6 with five seconds remaining. A tired Muszukajev somehow managed to hold on for the win.

Just over a year later, the stakes had changed. Aliyev was now a two-time Olympic medalist while the Hungary wrestler was becoming a flash in the pan after his 2019 World bronze medalist.

Before the final, Aliyev was warming up with his coach while Muszukajev was zen-like in the warm-up room. As the announcers called for their names, Azerbaijan fans let out a loud cheer to welcome their three-time world champion. But seconds later, the local Hungary fans with their vuvuzelas made the atmosphere electric.

As he waited for Muszukajev to reach the mat, Aliyev jogged around, making it obvious that he is ready for the final. Muszukajev sprinted to the center.

It was all going according to Aliyev's game plan of keeping Muszukajev busy with hand-fighting and not allowing him to get to his legs. The referees called the Hungary wrestler passive. Aliyev got the first point.

From there on, it was a flashback to the Belgrade final. A funky Muszukajev moved around on his knees trying to find an opening. He finally got one in the third minute when he scored a takedown after getting to the far ankle of Aliyev when the two were involved in a hip-to-hip position. He stayed low and worked a leg lace to build a 6-1 lead at the break.

Aliyev needed to get going from the word go in the second period and he got a takedown but the referee penalized him for a singlet-pull. When he got another takedown, the referee once again cautioned him for another singlet-pull. Muszukajev now led 8-1 with 1:40 remaining.

"I don't know how my mind was working," Aliyev said as he stared at the empty warm-up hall. "But such is wrestling. I can't explain what happened."

Aliyev's desperation had reached a level where he tried to trip Muszukajev but the Hungary wrestler sent Aliyev to his back to get the four points and the technical superiority win.

"You can never know how much you score," he said. "I was mentally preparing for the match because you never know what to expect, you’re just focusing on the win, so to not lose even a position."

Outscoring his opponents 33-1 in Budapest, Muszukajev has once again put himself in the mix of top wrestlers at the deepest weight category in the world. While he could not win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics after losing the bronze medal bout to the then world champion Gazdhimurad RASHIDOV (RWF), he still has the ambition to win a Games medal.

"I was definitely going for gold at the Olympics. Since I had many different injuries I couldn’t perform in my best shape," he said.

But just seven months later, he is now a European champion in Hungary, ending the 21-year wait for the host nation. Hungary last had a European champion in 2003 when Arpad RITTER (HUN) won the gold at 74kg.

"I didn’t know that it hadn’t happened for 21 years," he said. "I knew it was quite a while. I am glad I could make Hungarian fans happy."

Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) gave Azerbaijan the first gold medal of the '22 European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Historic wins

The result was reversed in the other Hungary-Azerbaijan final. At 97kg, Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) wrestled Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN) in the summit clash and used two four-point throws in his 11-5 win. That result gave Azerbaijan its first gold of the night, the only out of the four finals its wrestlers were competing in.

"I have wrestled Baitsaev before," Magomedov said. "I understood his wrestling and thankfully I was able to win my first gold."

Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), red, defeated Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) in the 79kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In two other historic finals, Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) became Greece's first-ever freestyle European champion after he won the 79kg gold while Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) won the 57kg gold to end North Macedonia's 23-year wait for gold at the continental championships.

Two weeks earlier, Kougioumtsidis had won the U23 European Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and was unsure of participating in the senior event. But after the perusal of his father and trainer, he accepted the challenge.

"They told me that this experience can help me later in my career," Kougioumtsidis said. "I am so proud and happy to be my country's first-ever gold medalist."

He wrestled Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) in the final and began with a takedown and added a gut-wrench. A step-out helped him lead 5-0 at the break.

But after the first minute of the second period, he struggled to keep up with the pace of Ashirov and was taken down on the edge. A head-pinch exposure cut his lead to 5-4. In the final 10 seconds, Ashirov went for another head-pinch and got the two points but was also held to his back to give up two. That helped the Greece wrestler win 7-6.

Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) celebrates with his coach after winning the 57kg gold. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In the 57kg final, Egorov had U23 world champion Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) and began with a takedown. That was the only action in the first period and he led 2-0 at the break. But the second period saw him come out with an arm-trap and he scored six straight points to lead 8-0.

Rzazade did try to make it interesting with six points in the second period but the bout was not as close as the 8-6 scoreline suggests.

Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) won his first gold at the European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

At 70kg, 2017 world champion Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) captured his first-ever European title when he defeated Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) in the final, 2-1. All three points in the bouts were non-action ones.

"I had the gold medal of the Worlds but not a European gold," Iakobishvili said. "That's why I came here to Hungary and I am happy I’ve won it.

"In 2017, it was the first time I wrestled at a World Championships. Back then I was much happier since it was my first time winning the world title."

The remaining five freestyle gold medals will be decided Wednesday with Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) wrestling for the top medal at 125kg.

Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) will have a chance to avenge his last year's loss to Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) as the two meet in the 74kg final.

Women's wrestling also begins Wednesday with 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg.

Results

Day 2 Medal Bouts

57kg
GOLD: Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) df Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), 8-6

BRONZE: Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM) df Niklas STECHELE (GER), 6-2
BRONZE: Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) df Mikyay NAIM (BUL), 11-0

65kg
GOLD: Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) df Haji ALIYEV (AZE), 12-1

BRONZE: Munir AKTAS (TUR) df Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), via fall
BRONZE: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) df Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), 5-0

70kg
GOLD: Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) df Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 2-1

BRONZE: Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) df Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL), via fall
BRONZE: Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) df Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR), via fall

79kg
GOLD: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE), 7-6

BRONZE: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df Arman AVAGYAN (ARM), 9-7
BRONZE: Alans AMIROVS (LAT) df Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR), via inj. def.

97kg
GOLD: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN), 11-5

BRONZE: Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) df Erik THIELE (GER), 7-0
BRONZE: Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) df Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), 4-2

Day 2 Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) vs Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) df Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 6-3
SF 2: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df Eduard GRIGOREV (POL), 13-8

74kg
GOLD: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) vs Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)

SF 1: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM), 7-1
SF 2: Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE), 8-2

86kg
GOLD: Myles AMINE (SMR) vs Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)

SF 1: Myles AMINE (SMR) df Osman GOCEN (TUR), 6-6
SF 2: Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL), 3-1

92kg
GOLD: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) vs Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)

SF 1: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 5-2
SF 2: Ahmed BATAEV (BUL) df Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 4-4

125kg
GOLD: Taha AKGUL (TUR) vs Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)

SF 1: Taha AKGUL (TUR) df Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df Robert BARAN (POL), 2-1

#WrestleAmman

Olympic champs prevail as Iran bounces back with 4 golds

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 - 19:27 By Ken Marantz

AMMAN, Jordan (March 26) -- With its two Olympic champions in action, it was a pretty sure thing that Iran would do better than its disappointing showing the previous day in Greco-Roman at the Asian Championships.

The wrestling powerhouse sure did, rebounding all the way to the top of four medal podiums. Paris Olympic gold medalists Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) and Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) defended their Asian titles in leading a quartet of Iranians who captured titles on Wednesday in Amman, a day after Iran came away with just a single gold.

Danial SOHRABI (IRI) and Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) also emerged victorious as Iran stormed to the team title with 201 points, well ahead of the 168 chalked up by second-place Uzbekistan, which claimed three golds on the opening day Tuesday -- all in head-to-head clashes with Iranian opponents. Japan finished third with 131 points.

Olympic bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK) won the other gold on offer on Wednesday with a victory at 60kg after taking silvers in 2018 and 2019.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) wrestles Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Saravi, competing for the first time since Paris, showed again why he has been the dominant force at Greco 97kg in recent years when he easily outclassed 2023 world U23 bronze medalist Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) 8-0 in the final.

"This is my first official appearance after the Olympic Games," Saravi said. "Thank God I was able to put on a good performance and win the gold medal."

Put in par terre, Saravi scored a roll against the gutsy but outmanned Nakazato, then added an arm drag takedown for a 5-0 lead. Just seconds into the second period, Saravi got behind for a takedown during a scramble that landed him out of bounds.

The Japanese side took a risk and challenged the call, even though losing it would give Saravi the winning point. That's just what happened, and Saravi was champion at 3:08 with his third technical fall in three matches without conceding a point.

"After the Olympics, I suffered a knee injury, but thankfully, I’m in much better condition now," Saravi said. "Over the past two or three months, I’ve been able to train at the camp under the supervision of the national team and I’ve reached a decent level of readiness and felt good.

"I hope to reach full readiness by the World Championships and deliver a strong performance there to achieve the best possible result."

The 27-year-old Saravi, who also won a bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, has not lost since falling 3-0 to Gabriel ROSSILO (CUB) in the semifinals of the 2023 World Championships.

Perhaps more impressively, he has finished in the top-three in every competition he has entered since the 2019 worlds, a streak of 18 tournaments that includes a world gold in 2021 and Asian gold in 2020.

Saravi said he looks forward to renewing his rivalry with four-time Olympic medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), whom he defeated in the final in Paris.

"Artur Aleksanyan is a great wrestler and someone I have a lot of respect for," Saravi said. "I see it as motivation for myself to face him several times in the coming years.

"I hope Aleksanyan can achieve the best results in the European Championships, and that we can put on a great match together at the World Championships so that the fans can enjoy it."

Saied ESMAEILI (IRI) sets up to throw Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) during the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Earlier, Esmaeili, also making his first appearance since the Olympics, had to work a bit harder than Saravi to prevail 3-0 in the 67kg final over world U23 champion Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), a repeat of the outcome of last year's final.

"This edition of the Asian Championships had a high level of competition, with renowned wrestlers from Japan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan," Esmaeili said. "The Kyrgyz wrestler was the world U23 champion and a strong competitor. The Japanese wrestler was the Asian Games champion and showed a high level of performance."

Esmaeili got a 2-point throw from par terre in the first period, then held his ground to avoid giving up a passivity point in a scoreless second to relegate Beishekeev to the silver medal again.

"In the final, I fought for those six minutes, but my opponent wasn’t really there to wrestle with me," Esmaeili said. "I attacked him during those six minutes, and in the second period, he kept stopping the match to catch his breath. Honestly, the final was the toughest match."

Esmaeili said he had to make the tough transition that comes with the notoriety of becoming an Olympic champion.

"After becoming an Olympic champion, people expect a lot from me, and because of the matches I’ve had, their expectations have increased," he said. "Every competition we enter is more stressful than before because people say, 'He’s an Olympic champion, so he has to perform well.'

"That’s why we have to be careful not to lose. The pressure of competition has become much heavier for us since the Olympics."

The loss was Beishekeev's first since last year's final in Bishkek, after which he won titles at the 2024 World U23 Championships and at this year's Tirana Ranking Series tournament. He also has bronze medals from both the Asian Games and Asian Championships in 2023.

Danial SOHRABI (IRI) celebrates after winning the 72kg final against Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 72kg, Sohrabi completed a dominant run to the title by putting away 2024 bronze medalist Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) 8-0 in the final for his fourth technical fall in four matches -- all without giving up a point.

Sohrabi, the 2023 world U23 champion, took advantage of the first shot at par terre by scoring consecutive rolls for a 5-0 lead, added a stepout, then finished the match with a takedown at 2:38.

Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) wrestles Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) in the 82kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

World U23 champion Naghousi had his work cut out for him in forging a 3-1 victory over Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) in the 82kg final.

Naghousi used a body lock throw to score from par terre in the first period, then defended well from the bottom in the second period, avoiding giving up points on a rolling throw attempt by Satayev, whose silver marks his first senior-level medal.

Se Ung RI (PRK) celebrates after winning the gold medal at the 60kg weight class. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 60kg, Ri used his agility to step over and gain a 2-point exposure on a takedown attempt by world U23 champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the second period, giving him a 6-4 win and his first victory in three trips to the Asian final.

"I trained really hard to make sure I would win first place here," Ri said. "In the match against the Uzbekistan athlete, since I was stronger overall, I tried my best to overpower him tactically and secure the gold medal."

Ri took the early lead with an arm drag takedown and gut wrench to go up 4-0, but Ganiev came back with a lateral drop for 2, then spun behind after stopping an arm throw to make it 4-4 with the criteria in his favor.

In the second period, Ganiev got in tight on a takedown attempt on the mat, but Ri stepped over the top to wrench Ganiev temporarily onto his back for the 2 that would give him the title.

Ri, who prevented Iran from having finalists in all five weight classes when he defeated Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) 8-4 in the semifinals, said he prepared well for what he knew would be a tough competition in the Olympic weight class.

"The 60kg category is an Olympic category, that's why I studied all of the opponents carefully, watched a lot of match footage and worked hard to win," Ri said.

Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) edged Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) 6-5 in the 82kg bronze-medal bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Qatar gains 2nd-ever Asian medal, with an Iranian tint

In the bronze-medal matches, Qatar picked up just its second-ever medal -- again thanks to the efforts of an import -- when Iranian-born Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) edged two-time bronze medalist Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) 6-5 at 82kg.

Badaghimofrad, who finished fifth for Iran at the 2023 Asian Championships and made his debut for Qatar earlier this year, had fallen behind 5-4 from a scramble that was started from a nice 4-point fireman's carry by Rasulov. But Badaghimofrad used an arm drag for a takedown to go ahead before the break, then held off Rasulov in a second period that saw no passivity points assessed.

Qatar's only previous medal was a silver won at freestyle 125kg by Georgian-born Giorgi SAKANDELIDZE (QAT) in 2018 in Bishkek. There have been a handful of fifth-place finishes by native Qataris.

In the other 82kg match, Boseong KANG (KOR) pulls a surprise with a 6-6 victory over dethroned defending champion Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), using an effective arm throw to build a six-point lead before holding off a late charge from the Japanese teen.

At 60kg, Kaito INABA (JPN) added a bronze to the silver he won last year in Bishkek, defeating Iran's Naserpour 1-1 on last-point criteria in a match limited to passivity points.

With Inaba on top in the second period, Naserpour did an amazing job of preventing being thrown, but Inaba clinched the win when he wriggled out of a Naserpour arm spin late in the match.

The second bronze-medal match at 60kg was also decided on last point, as Ziyue XI (CHN) used a high-chest wrap to turn over Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ) from par terre and secure a 3-3 victory for the first major medal of his career.

Sulaimanov, who won an Asian U23 bronze here last year, converted a reverse body roll in his turn from par terre in the first period.

At 67kg, Man Gwang SON (PRK) scored a stepout with :43 second left, giving him the criteria advantage and a 2-2 victory over Nozimjon BOYKUZIEV (UZB). Boykuziev had gone ahead with a stepout during a throw in par terre to go up 2-1.

Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) won the 67kg bronze medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Asian Games champion Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) hit a rolling 4-point throw from par terre in the first period and that was more than enough to defeat NEERAJ (IND) 5-0 in a battle between the 2022 bronze medalists. The loss denied Neeraj a third career Asian bronze.

In a bizarre finish at 72kg, Ji LENG (CHN) was on his way to a victory over Omar AL DARAGHMEH (JOR) when a misguided challenge from the Jordan side gave the Chinese the points he needed for an 11-3 technical fall.

Leng had a pair of stepouts and a takedown-roll combination in the second period to build up a 9-3 lead when Al Daraghmeh attempted a pancake that was stopped and originally scored as 2 for Leng. The call was overturned as a slipped throw, but Jordan challenged anyway -- and "won" the challenge because Al Daraghmeh was instead assessed a 2-point leg foul penalty which ended the match.

Issei HONNA (JPN) earned the other 72kg bronze for his first international medal, ripping off three rolls from par terre en route to a 10-0 victory over Begmyrat NOBATOV (TKM) in 2:13.

At 97kg, NITESH (IND), a two-time Asian U23 medalist, earned his first senior medal with a one-sided 9-0 victory over Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM). Nitesh scored three gut wrenches from par terre, then ended the match with an arm drag takedown with :04 left in the first period.

Youfang ZHANG (CHN) snatched the other 97kg bronze in impressive fashion, reversing Jewoo PARK (KOR) during a gut wrench and securing a fall at 2:00.

Day 2 Results

Greco-Roman

60kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Se Ung RI (PRK) df. Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 6-4

BRONZE: Kaito INABA (JPN) df. Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI), 1-1
BRONZE: Ziyue XI (CHN) df. Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ), 3-3

67kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), 3-0

BRONZE: Man Gwang SON (PRK) df. Nozimjon BOYKUZIEV (UZB), 2-2
BRONZE: Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) df. NEERAJ (IND), 5-0

72kg (14 entries)
GOLD: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) df. Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) by TF, 8-0, 2:38

BRONZE: Ji LENG (CHN) df. Omar AL DARAGHMEH (JOR) by TF, 11-3, 5:14
BRONZE: Issei HONNA (JPN) df. Begmyrat NOBATOV (TKM) by TF, 10-0, 2:13

82kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Omar SATAYEV (KAZ), 3-1

BRONZE: Boseong KANG (KOR) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 6-6
BRONZE: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) df. Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB), 6-5

97kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) by TF, 8-0, 3:08

BRONZE: NITESH (IND) df. Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM) by TF, 9-0, 2:56
BRONZE: Youfang ZHANG (CHN) df. Jewoo PARK (KOR) by Fall, 2:00 (3-3)

#WrestleBudapest: Muszukajev brings Aliyev down to claim historic gold for Hungary

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Olympic champs prevail as Iran bounces back with 4 golds