#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest Ranking Series women’s wrestling entries

By Eric Olanowski & Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 26) — Like the previous three Ranking Series events, the fourth and final event in Budapest, Hungary promises to be a thrilling affair as close to 600 wrestlers are registered for the July 13-16 tournament.

Women’s wrestling too has received entries that include full-strength squads from the USA, China, Canada, Mongolia, Ukraine, France and Turkiye.

Wrestlers are also shifting to the Olympic weight classes as the Paris Olympic qualifying World Championships are just two months away. The Ranking Series allows two-kilogram weight tolerance and awards prize money to all the medal winners.

For Budapest, a host of nations have entered three wrestlers in the Olympic weights with the hope of getting their final entry to the Belgrade World Championships.

At all of the Olympic weight classes — 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg and 76kg — fans can expect a preview to how competitive the World Championships are going to be as the wrestlers battle for five Paris Olympic spots at each weight.

All the action from Budapest can be followed live on uww.org and the UWW App from July 13.

50kg
Kamila BARBOSA (BRA)
Madison  PARKS (CAN)
Katie  DUTCHAK (CAN)
Ziqi FENG (CHN)
Jacqueline MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU)
Nada MOHAMED (EGY)
Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA)
Julie SABATIE (FRA)
Szimonetta SZEKER (HUN)
Bianka FATH (HUN)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
Gabija DILYTE (LTU)
Vestina DANISEVICIUTE (LTU)
Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL)
Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Agata WALERZAK (POL)
Emilia VUC (ROU)
Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
Erin GOLSTON (USA)
Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)

53kg
Karla GODINEZ (CAN)
Diana WEICKER (CAN)
Samantha STEWART (CAN)
Min ZHANG (CHN)
Qianyu PANG (CHN)
Lucia YEPEZ (ECU)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Tetiana PROFATILOVA (FRA)
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN)
Vivien MATYI (HUN)
Hyunyoung OH (KOR)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL)
Thalia MALLQUI PECHE (PER)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Roksana ZASINA (POL)
Andreea ANA (ROU)
Ahinsa FERNANDO (SRI)
Jonna MALMGREN (SWE)
Tuba DEMIR (TUR)
Liliya HORISHNA (UKR)
Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)
Dominique PARRISH (USA)

55kg
Li DENG (CHN)
Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN)
Gerda TEREK (HUN)
VINESH (IND)
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Laura STANELYTE (LTU)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)
Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)
Alisha HOWK (USA)
Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA)

57kg
Engracia PANDA (ANG)
Ana PELENDA (ANG)
Giullia PENALBER (BRA)
Alexandria TOWN (CAN)
Hannah TAYLOR (CAN)
Qi ZHANG (CHN)
Kexin HONG (CHN)
Anna MICHALCOVA (CZE)
Luisa VALVERDE (ECU)
Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA)
Elena BRUGGER (GER)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Gerda TEREK (HUN)
Anna SZEL (HUN)
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Jeongae BARK (KOR)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Patrycja GIL (POL)
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Evelina HULTHEN (SWE)
Nova BERGMAN (SWE)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR)
Xochitl MOTA PETTIS (USA)
Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)
Alexandra HEDRICK (USA)
Betzabeth SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

59kg
Nikolett SZABO (HUN)
Viktoria BORSOS (HUN)
SARITA (IND)
Magdalena GLODEK (POL)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
Olena NASIBOVA KREMZER (UKR)
Jennifer PAGE (USA)
Brenda REYNA (USA)

62kg
Angelina LELO (ANG)
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Ana GODINEZ (CAN)
Xiaojuan LUO (CHN)
Lydia PEREZ (ESP)
Viktoria VESSO (EST)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)
Yasmine SOLIMAN (HUN)
Eniko ELEKES (HUN)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Hanbit LEE (KOR)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Natalia KUBATY (POL)
Zuzanna WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
Amina CAPEZAN (ROU)
Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
Kayla MIRACLE (USA)
Bridgette DUTY (USA)

65kg
Anne NUERNBERGER (GER)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)
Emma BRUNTIL (USA)

68kg
Sara LANDO (ANG)
Olivia DI BACCO (CAN)
Feng ZHOU (CHN)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Kendra DACHER (FRA)
Koumba LARROQUE (FRA)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Karolina POK (HUN)
Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ)
Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Tayla FORD (NZL)
Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER)
Natalia STRZALKA (POL)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
Alexandria GLAUDE (USA)
Forrest MOLINARI (USA)

72kg
Shauna KUEBECK (CAN)
Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR)

76kg
Justina DI STASIO (CAN)
Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN)
Juan WANG (CHN)
Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Samar HAMZA (EGY)
Epp MAE (EST)
Cynthia VESCAN (FRA)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Veronika NYIKOS (HUN)
Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Seoyeon JEONG (KOR)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Fanni NAGY (SRB)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR)
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)
Dymond GUILFORD (USA)
Yelena MAKOYED (USA)

#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest: Aliyev, Muszukajev to clash for European gold

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 MUSZAKAJEVIszmail 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 RZAZADEAliabbas 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)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 BAITSAEVVladislav 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