#WrestleWarsaw European C'ship Entries

Wednesday, April 14, 2021 - 17:24 By Eric Olanowski

WARSAW, Poland (April 14) --- All eyes will be on Warsaw, Poland next week (April 19-25) as 444 athletes from 37 countries will compete for continental gold at the European Championship. Greco-Roman leads the tournament entries with 77 athletes while there will be 156 freestyle competitors and 111 women's wrestlers.

Freestyle wrestling kicks off the competition next Monday (April 19). The spotlight turns to women's wrestling on Wednesday, while Greco-Roman takes center-stage starting on Friday.

*Please note that these entries were pulled on Wednesday (April 14) and are subject to change.

57kg
Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE)
Aryan TSIUTRYN (BLR)
Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL)
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO)
Ioannis MARTIDIS (GRE)
Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA)
Anatolii BURUIAN (MDA)
Razvan Marian KOVACS (ROU)
Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)

61kg
Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE)
Dzimchyk RYNCHYNAU (BLR)
Georgi Valentinov VANGELOV (BUL)
Arman Norik ELOYAN (FRA)
Beka LOMTADZE (GEO)
Viktor Viktorowitsch LYZEN (GER)
Richard VILHELM (HUN)
Daniel POPOV (ISR)
Simone Vincenzo PIRODDU (ITA)
Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Eduard GRIGOREV (POL)
Ivan GUIDEA (ROU)
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Sebastian KOLOMPAR (SRB)
Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR)
Andrii DZHELEP (UKR)

65kg
Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM)
Gabriel JANATSCH (AUT)
Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE)
Andrei BEKRENEU (BLR)
Ruhan Hyusnyu RASIM (BUL)
Quentin Jean-René STICKER (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Shmagi TODUA (GEO)
Niklas Dietmar DORN (GER)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
Zagir SHAKHIEV (RUS)
Hamza ALACA (TUR)
Andrii SVYRYD (UKR)

70kg
Orges LILA (ALB)
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Dzianis SALAVEI (BLR)
Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR)
Davit TLASHADZE (GEO)
Daniel ANTAL (HUN)
Gianluca TALAMO (ITA)
Artem AUGA (LTU)
Mihail SAVA (MDA)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
Israil KASUMOV (RUS)
Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK)
Haydar YAVUZ (TUR)
Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR)

74kg
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE)
Davud ALIZALAU (BLR)
Miroslav Stefanov KIROV (BUL)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Charlie James BOWLING (GBR)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Daniel SARTAKOV (GER)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
Valentin BORZIN (MDA)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Zurab KAPRAEV (ROU)
Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Tajmuraz Mairbekovic SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR)
Semen RADULOV (UKR)

79kg
Osman HAJDARI (ALB)
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Rashad YUSIFLI (AZE)
Andrei KARPACH (BLR)
Oktay Ruzhdi HASAN (BUL)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Eduard TATARINOV (GER)
Salvatore DIANA (ITA)
Alans AMIROVS (LAT)
Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA)
Dejan MITROV (MKD)
Andrzej Piotr SOKALSKI (POL)
Malik SHAVAEV (RUS)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Muhammet Nuri KOTANOGLU (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

86kg
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE)
Ali SHABANAU (BLR)
Dzhemal Rushen ALI (BUL)|
Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA)
Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO)
Joshua Philipp David MORODION(GER)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Edgaras VOITECHOVSKIS (LTU)
Gheorghi PASCALOV (MDA)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Artur NAIFONOV (RUS)
Myles Nazem AMINE (SMR)
Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Mraz DZHAFARIAN (UKR)

92kg
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Hajy RAJABAU (BLR)
Akhmed Adamovitch MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Irakli MTSITURI (GEO)
Robin Michael FERDINAND (GER)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Georgii RUBAEV (MDA)
Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL)
Magomed Guseynovitch KURBANOV (RUS)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)
AndriI VLASOV (UKR)

97kg
Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE)
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR)
Ahmed Sultanovich BATAEV (BUL)
Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Magomedgadji Omardibirovich NUROV (MKD)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Albert SARITOV (ROU)
Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS)
Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR)
Islam Timurovich ADIZOV (BUL)
Jere Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Egzon SHALA (KOS)
Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA)
Kamil Tomasz KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Sergei KOZYREV (RUS)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)

Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is on a quest to win his tenth European title. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman
55kg
Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
Artsiom KATSAR (BLR)
Nedyalko Petrov PETROV (BUL)
Mattias Tero Alarik POUTANEN (FIN)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Fabian Bernhard SCHMITT (GER)
Andre Ricardo CARDOSO OLIVEIRA SILVA (POR)
Teodor HORATAU (ROU)
Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS)
Sebastian KOLOMPAR (SRB)
Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
Mykhaylo STUPIN (UKR)

60kg
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Murad BAZAROV (AZE)
Hleb MAKARANKA (BLR)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO)
Jozsef ANDRASI (HUN)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Nicolai BURGHILA (MDA)
Michal Jacek TRACZ (POL)
Grzegorz KUNKEL (POL)
Antonio MARTINS CABRAL (POR)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Sergey EMELIN (RUS)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Viktor PETRYK (UKR)

63kg
Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
Soslan DAUROV (BLR)
Nikolay Ivanov VICHEV (BUL)
Yasin OZAY (FRA)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Andrej GINC (GER)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Andrea SETTI (ITA)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Mateusz Radoslaw SZEWCZUK (POL)
Julinho Benjamim CORREIA DJU (POR)
Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU)
Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS)
Perica DIMITRIJEVIC (SRB)
Niklas Jan Olov Pontus OEHLEN (SWE)
Abdurrahman ALTAN (TUR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)

67kg
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
Namaz RUSTAMOV (AZE)
Maksim NEHODA (BLR)
Ivo Krasimirov ILIEV (BUL)
Fredrik Holmquist BJERREHUUS (DEN)
Stefan Roger CLEMENT (FRA)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER)
Mate KRASZNAI (HUN)
Zaur KABALOEV (ITA)
Edgaras VENCKAITIS (LTU)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Mateusz Lucjan BERNATEK (POL)
Artem SURKOV (RUS)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)
Oleksii MASYK (UKR)
Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW)

72kg
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)
Christoph BURGER (AUT)
Khasay HASANLI (AZE)
Anton KORABAU (BLR)
Alen FODOR (CRO)
Mikko Petteri PELTOKANGAS (FIN)
Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamed Hassan GHANEM (FRA)
Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)|
Frank STAEBLER (GER)
Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Juan Sebastian AAK (NOR)
Roman PACURKOWSKI (POL)
Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS)
Aleksandar MAKSIMOVIC (SRB)
Leos DRMOLA (SVK)
Daniel Mattias SOINI (SWE)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Maksym YEVTUSHENKO (UKR)

77kg
Varuzhan GRIGORYAN (ARM)
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Tsimur BERDYIEU (BLR)
Stoyan Stoychev KUBATOV (BUL)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Jakub BIELESZ (CZE)
Waltteri Harri Kristian LATVALA (FIN)
Johnny Just BUR (FRA)
Sachino DAVITAIA (GEO)
Michael Felix WIDMAYER (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Roman ZHERNOVETSKI (ISR)
Riccardo Vito ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Mantas Kazimieras SINKEVICIUS (LTU)
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
Exauce MUKUBU (NOR)
Iwan NYLYPIUK (POL)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS)
Aleksa ERSKI (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Bogdan KOURINNOI (SWE)
Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR)
Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR)

82kg
Karapet CHALYAN (ARM)
Tunjay VAZIRZADE (AZE)
Radzik KULIYEU (BLR)
Rosian Ognyanov DERMANSKI (BUL)
Filip SACIC (CRO)
Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN)
Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
Mikko Tapani LYTTINEN (FIN)
Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO)
Hannes WAGNER (GER)
Laszlo SZABO (HUN)
Igor PETRISHIN (ISR)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Edgar BABAYAN (POL)
Adlan AKIEV (RUS)
Branko KOVACEVIC (SRB)
Marc WEBER (SUI)
Alex Michel BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)

87kg
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR)
Svetoslav Nikolaev NIKOLOV (BUL)
Vjekoslav LUBURIC (CRO)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Turpan Ali Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN)
Andreas VAELIS (EST)
Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO)
Denis Maksymilian KUDLA (GER)
Dimitrios PAPADOPOULOS (GRE)
Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
Fabio PARISI (ITA)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Viorel BURDUJA (MDA)
Arkadiusz Marcin KULYNYCZ (POL)
Milad Valerikovitch ALIRZAEV (RUS)
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Oskar Alexander Patrick JOHANSSON (SWE)
Dogan GOKTAS (TUR)
Zhan BELENIUK (UKR)

97kg
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Zamir MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Mikalai STADUB (BLR)
Kiril Milenov MILOV (BUL)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Giorgi MELIA (GEO)
Balazs KISS (HUN)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Musa EVLOEV (RUS)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Ibrahim TIGCI( TUR)
Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR)

130kg
Pavel RUDAKOU (BLR)
Marko KOSCEVIC (CRO)
Stepan DAVID (CZE)
Konsta Johannes MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
Eduard POPP (GER)
Alexandros PAPADATOS (GRE)
Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU)
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RUS)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR)

Two-time world champion Mariya STADNIK (AZE) leads the women's wrestling entries. She's entered at 50kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling
50kg
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Natallia VARAKINA (BLR)
Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Emilia CIRICU BUDEANU (MDA)
Ramona ERIKSEN (NOR)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emilia Alina VUC (ROU)
Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS)
Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

53kg
Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE)
Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Kamile SERNAUSKAITE (LTU)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)

55kg
Katsiaryna PICHKOUSKAYA (BLR)
Sezen Behchetova BELBEROVA (BUL)
Hilary Ysaline HONORINE (FRA)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Jessica Cornelia Francisca BLASZKA (NED)
Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
Sofia Magdalena MATTSSON (SWE)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Khrystyna Zoryana DEMKO (UKR)

57kg
Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)
Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Francesca INDELICATO (ITA)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS)
Mehlika OZTURK (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)

59kg
Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR)
Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL)
Ineta DANTAITE (LTU)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Jowita Maria WRZESIEN (POL)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS)
Elif YANIK (TUR)
Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR)

62kg
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR)
Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)
Debora LAWNITZAK (GER)
Marianna SASTIN (HUN)
Sara DA COL (ITA)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL)
Valeria KOBLOVA ZHOLOBOVA (RUS)
Malin Johanna MATTSSON (SWE)
Cansu AKSOY (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)

65kg
IrIna Petrovna NETREBA (AZE)
Tatsiana PAULAVA (BLR)
Sofiya Hristova GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Henna Katarina JOHANSSON (SWE)
Asli TUGCU (TUR)
Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)

68kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR)
Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
Tindra Linnea SJOEBERG (SWE)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR)

72kg
Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL)
Maria SELMAIER (GER)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)
Merve PUL (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE)
Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
Mariya Gerginova ORYASHKOVA (BUL)
Epp MAEE (EST)
Cynthia Vanessa VESCAN (FRA)
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
Zsanett NEMETH (HUN)
Eleni PJOLLAJ (ITA)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR)
Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR)

#WrestleBelgrade

Zare sets up final with Petriashvili after blanking Akgul

Saturday, September 16, 2023 - 21:07 By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 16) -- For the third straight year, Amir ZARE (IRI) had to take on Taha AKGUL (TUR) in the semifinals at freestyle 125kg at the World Championships. For the second time, the Iranian came out on top, even by the same score.

Zare forged a 4-0 victory over defending champion Akgul in the tournament's first major clash of titans -- and secured the bonus of a berth for Iran at next year's Paris Olympics -- on Saturday, the opening day of the nine-day tournament in Belgrade, Serbia.

Zare set up a showdown in Sunday's final at the Stark Arena with the other member of the Big Three at 125kg, Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who will be looking to avenge a loss to Zare in the 2021 final.

"I hope I can wrestle well tomorrow and not make my last year's mistake and present a beautiful gold medal to my dear people," Zare said through an interpreter.

Petriashvili, who has not made the top of the podium since winning three straight titles from 2017 to 2019, advanced with a tough 8-6 win over young Mason PARRIS (USA).

In the other Olympic weight class in action Saturday, another classic duel was set up at 86kg between defending champion David TAYLOR (USA) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), who have combined to win every world and Olympic title in the weight class dating back to 2017.

The tournament is serving as the first qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with five quotas on offer in each Olympic weight class. The winners of the semifinals automatically secured one for their national federation, while the bronze medalists and the winner of a playoff between the losers of the bronze-medal matches will secure the remaining three.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) defeated Taha AKGUL (TUR) 4-0 in the 125kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Zare assured Iran a place in Paris at 125kg with a solid win over Akgul, his fellow bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics who is among the most successful heavyweights in history. At 32, Akgul is Zare's senior by a decade, but he showed last year he was not going to allow a changing of the guard so easy.

Akgul, the 2016 Olympic champion, beat Zare 4-2 in the semifinals a year ago in Belgrade en route to his third career world title. That avenged a 4-0 loss to Zare from the previous year.

On Saturday, Zare repeated his 2021 win when he received an activity point in each period, then closed the deal with a takedown with 40 seconds remaining.

"I dedicate this win to all of the dear people of Iran and to all who waited for this victory," Zare said. "I lost this match by mistake last year but thanks to god, with the help of coaches, a ready body and a good analysis, we were able to go according to plan and I implemented this analysis."

Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) celebrates after beating Mason PARRIS (USA) in the 125kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

For Petriashvili, his win prevented a repeat of his nightmarish loss in the Tokyo Olympic final to another young American, Gable STEVESON (USA), who pulled off a last-second 10-8 victory to deny Petriashvili an Olympic gold after placing third in 2016.

Steveson, who retired after the 2022 NCAA Championships to pursue a career in professional wrestling, had "unretired" and earned a place on the U.S. team to Belgrade. But he became a late withdrawal, opening the door for Parris, the 2019 world U20 champion.

Parris gave Petriashvili a fight that he probably did not expect. Parris led 4-1 and 6-4 at certain points of the second period before Petriashvili went ahead on criteria 6-6 with a key takedown with 44 seconds left, then added a late 2 in the final seconds.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) overcame Myles AMINE (SMR) in the 86kg quarterfinals. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 86kg, neither Taylor and Yazdani had to go the distance in defeating Asian opponents who had otherwise looked very impressive in making the semifinals in a weight class with 48 entries, the former winning by fall and the latter by 10-0 technical fall.

"We're back at it, this is what people want to see," Taylor said. "This is what I've been training for, this is what Hassan has been training for. It's going to be another epic battle."

Yazdani, who had relied on stepouts for the bulk of his points in his earlier bouts, went into full-out takedown mode and scored three in taking a 7-0 first-period lead against Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB). A takedown and a stepout in the second period and the match was over at 4:04.

David TAYLOR (USA) pinned Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) in the 86kg semifinals. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Taylor needed slightly more time against Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) and struggled a bit in the early going. Taylor had to settle for an activity point and a 1-0 lead in the first period, but got through Dauletbekov's defenses and scored a pair of takedowns off single-leg attacks in the second.

After the second takedown, Taylor applied a half-nelson and pried Dauletbekov over before securing a fall in 4:37. The victory was a repeat of last year's semifinal Taylor won 12-0 en route to his third world gold.

"It was almost identical to the match last year," Taylor said. "These guys have a good plan. They spend a whole year preparing for two people. You just have to stay patient and be smart. Everyone's got a trick or two, but I've been doing it for a while, so you feel those things and keep building."

Against Yazdani, Taylor has the upper hand when it comes to their career meetings, holding a 4-1 record. Yazdani's lone win was a 6-2 decision in the 2021 final in Oslo.

Zain RETHERFORD (USA), blue, controlled his semifinals for a 7-0 win over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

In the non-Olympic weights, Zain RETHERFORD (USA) will get a chance to win the gold medal that eluded him at 70kg last year when he bunched all of his points in the first period and cruised to a 7-0 victory over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM).

Retherford scored with a takedown, then went to a grapevine ride. Andreasyan stood up, providing an intriguing situation that backfired when, at the edge, Retherford spun him down to the mat for a 4-point move. An unsuccessful challenge added the seventh point, and that was how it stayed until the end.

In the final, Retherford will face the other Yazdani in action on Saturday -- Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI), a distant cousin -- who put on a takedown clinic in a 13-2 technical fall over Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL).

"I don't scout too much, I know who he is, I know he's been in the world final before," Retherford said of Yazdani. "He's a great wrestler. He's a Yazdani. I'm just excited for that. I know these Iranian fans are going to be excited and I just have to go do my thing."

Things got heated between Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) and Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) in their 70kg quarterfinals. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Yazdani, the 2021 world 65kg silver medalist, used a powerful single to score three takedowns in the first period, after one of which he immediately transitioned into a gut wrench, to take a 9-1 lead into the second period. A stepout, unsuccessfully challenged, and a shuck-by takedown ended the match at 4:39.

That avenged a 7-6 loss to Ramazanov in the semifinals at the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov International in Bulgaria in March.

"I had lost to this wrestler and it was more like a revenge thing for me," Yazdani said. [My coaches] arranged a good program for me and I wrestled according to that program."

Vitali ARUJAU (USA) defeated Asian champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) 12-2 in the 61kg semifinals. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

The 61kg final will see a clash between 2021 world champion Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) and Vitali ARUJAU (USA), an NCAA champion this year at Cornell University who is making his senior world debut. Both advanced with technical fall victories.

Magomedov scored four takedowns in the first period, then got the fifth 46 seconds into the second to finish up a 10-0 win over European bronze medalist Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO).

Arujau completed his mission in the first period against Asian champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ). After taking a 4-2 lead, he gained a single-leg takedown, secured a lace lock and reeled off three rolls for a 12-2 victory in 2:36.

"I think my build and my style were a pretty good counter [to his attacks]," Arujau said. "I was able to get to a lot of multiple attacks and create these flurries that may have looked really chaotic, but I was planning out where I was going. There was just a lot of good wrestling out there."

Day 1 Results

Freestyle

61kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Vitali ARUJAU (USA) vs. Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN)

Semifinal - Vitali ARUJAU (USA) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) by TF, 12-2, 2:36
Semifinal - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) by TF, 10-0, 3:46

70kg (30 entries)
GOLD: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) vs. Zain RETHERFORD (USA)

Semifinal - Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) df. Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) by TF, 13-2, 4:39
Semifinal - Zain RETHERFORD (USA) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 7-0

86kg (48 entries)
GOLD: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) vs. David TAYLOR (USA)

Semifinal - Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:04
Semifinal - David TAYLOR (USA) df. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) by Fall, 4:37 (7-0)

125kg (33 entries)
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) vs. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)

Semifinal - Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Taha AKGUL (TUR), 4-0
Semifinal - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Mason PARRIS (USA), 8-6

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Zare sets up final with Petriashvili after blanking Akgul