#WrestleOslo

Yazdani details emotional win over Taylor that propelled him to third world title

Friday, November 26, 2021 - 12:58 By Eric Olanowski

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OSLO, Norway (November 26) --- Hassan “The Greatest” YAZDANI (IRI) headed into the Oslo World Championships with revenge on his mind. He lost to career rival David TAYLOR (USA) in three consecutive matches – including once in August via a last-second takedown in the Tokyo Olympic finals.

Yazdani turned the tides in Oslo on a cold October night and exacted revenge on Taylor and claimed his third world title.

United World Wrestling sat down with Yazdani after his epic win to talk about the losses that drove him to become a three-time world champion, what was different about his Iranian team in Oslo and what’s motivating him to chase a second Olympic gold medal.

The Epic Oslo Matchup:
Yazdani controlled the 86kg world finals match from start to finish to notch a solid 6-2 victory over Taylor in the highly anticipated 86kg final at the Oslo World Championships.

Yazdani's victory, coming two months after a heartbreaking loss to Taylor in the final at the Tokyo Olympics, gave him a third world title to go with his 2016 Rio Olympic gold, and capped a remarkable day for Iran in the Jordal Amfi arena.

"I made the people of Iran happy," Yazdani said. "I need to appreciate Taylor, because he worked as a motivation and inspiration for me to work better and better and become the champion."

The vocal contingent of Iranian fans were sent into a frenzy when rising star Amir ZARE (IRI) claimed the 125kg title, having earlier seen Iran gain finalists in all four weight classes that got underway Sunday, including Yazdani's cousin Amir YAZDANI (IRI).

"Iran always supports their wrestlers and fans here were great," Yazdani said. "And it was because of them and God I won."

The United States had mixed success in the two other finals, with Kyle DAKE (USA) prevailing at 74kg, but Daton FIX (USA) coming up short against Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) at 61kg.

In Tokyo, Yazdani had to settle for the Olympic silver when Taylor scored a takedown with 17 seconds left for a 4-3 win in the final. On Sunday, he never gave the American the chance to get close.

Yazdani continually kept the pressure on, using an underhook to force Taylor to the edge and score a pair of stepout points in the first period. In the second period, he added a takedown, before Taylor got on the scoreboard with a takedown with 1:03 left.

With the clock ticking down, Taylor tried a counter lift, but Yazdani held firm and dumped him to the mat for a takedown and the final points of an well-earned victory.

"He's a great competitor," said Taylor, whose lone world title came in 2018, where he beat Yazdani in the first round. "Not my day."

Asked what he could have done differently, Taylor quipped, "Scored my points. He's a good wrestler. We will go again."

#WrestleBelgrade

2023 World Championships GR 55kg, 77kg, 82kg, 130kg semis set

Thursday, September 21, 2023 - 08:36 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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BELGRADE, Serbia (September 21) -- The Greco-Roman begins at the World Championships! With the results in Freestyle and Women's Wrestling, it will be no surprise that Greco-Roman also sees some big upsets in the early rounds.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 5 RESULTS

15:16: Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) hits a 4-point counter lift in the second period, giving the 2021 silver medalist a 5-1 victory over Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) and a place in the 77kg semifinals. He will face European champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM), a bronze medalist last year, who defied the home crowd and Viktor NEMES (SRB) by scoring a 2-point throw to secure a 3-1 victory.

15:15: Nao KOSUKA (JPN) is on a roll! He moves into the 77kg semifinals with a 10-0 thrashing of Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) on Mat A. Kosuka tweeted yesterday about his desire to win a spot for the Paris Olympics in Belgrade. If he wants to achieve that today, he will have to beat Olympic silver and world champ Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) who blanked Aram VARDANYAN (ARM) 6-0.

15:05: Adem UZUN (TUR) sees his world turn upside down in an instant. He seemingly went ahead with a stepout in the second period at 55kg against Poya DAD MARZ (IRI), but upon challenge was instead hit with a 2-point penalty for a push below the waist. Uzun was coming off a victory over Azizli in the final of this year's European Championships.

15:01: Another defending champion is into the semifinals as Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) scores a stepout, a gut wrench from par terre and a takedown in the first period to handily defeat Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ) at 55kg. 

15:00: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), chasing his second world title, moves into the semifinals with a 10-0 win over Artiom DELEANU (MDA) at 55kg. But to move into the final, he will have to beat Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB). Tsurtsumia beat Ortikboev 5-2 in the quarterfinals last year. Ortikboaev defeated Denis MIHAI (ROU) 9-0 in the quarterfinals.

14:50: Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) comes on top 4-1 against Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) in the 82kg quarterfinals. He will face a surprise candidate Mihail BRADU (MDA) who down Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) 4-3

14:49: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) moved a step closer to a second straight 82kg title when he defeated Kristoffer BERG (SWE) with what turned out to be a 7-point play. Leading 1-1 on criteria when he got a reversal from par terre in the first period, Akbudak hit a 4-point throw from the top of par terre in the second. Berg was hit with a 2-point leg-touch penalty, and a lost challenge added another point to end the match. Next up is a semifinal clash with 2021 world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), who rallied from a 5-0 deficit to defeat Aues GONIBOV (AIN) 10-5.

14:37: Lingzhe MENG (CHN) takes out Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO). Meng was down 1-1 on criteria but scored a stepout to be up 2-1. Kajaia challenged it for pushing but lost. Meng moved on with a 3-1 win. He has to wrestle Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the semifinals

14:36: Amir MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is through to the semifinals at 130kg with a 1-1 criteria win over Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU). Mirzazadeh received the latter of the passivity points, which alone put him on top by criteria. He nearly got Fridrikas over, but in the end, it didn't matter.

14:34: Oscar PINO (CUB) is back in the semifinals as he beats Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) 9-0 in the semifinal. Alexuc was penalized for two singlet grabs before Pino finished the match with a takedown.

14:32: There's no stopping Riza KAYAALP (TUR), who makes short work of 38-year-old Heiki NABI (EST) to reach the semifinals at 130kg. Put on top in par terre, Kayaalp goes back and forth with a gut wrench, then repeats the process for a 9-0 technical fall in 1:48.

14:10: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) looks in complete control. He gets a grand amplitude five-pointer over Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) and won 9-0 at 77kg

13:54: Demeu ZHADRAVEV (KAZ), a four-time Asian medalist looking for his first world medal, ousts last year's silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) at 77kg, with a second-period gut wrench capping a 4-1 win.

13:48: In a repeat of their semifinal at the 2019 worlds, Aram VARDANYAN (UZ) edges Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) 2-2 at 77kg. The Bulgarian has only himself to blame. A 2-point penalty for blocking the legs in the second period gave Vardanyan the victory.

13:38: 2021 world champion Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE) has to battle hard but manages to win 4-3 against Erik SZILVASSY (HUN). The next match has Idris IBAEV (GER) and Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) exchanging takedowns but Bolkvadze wins 3-2. A few words were exchanged at the end between the two wrestlers.

13:25: Asian champion Poya DAD MARZ launches Sabolc LOSONC (SRB) with a 4-point arm throw, then tops it off with a pair of gut wrenches for an 8-0 win in 1:15 to advance to the 55kg quarterfinals.

13:32: Eldiniz AZIZLI (AZE), pursuing his second straight gold at 55kg and third overall, gets the roll from par terre in the first period and eases to a 3-1 victory over teenager Taiga ONISHI (JPN), a 2022 world U20 bronze medalist.

13:20: Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) with another 1-1 victory and this time Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) falls to the Olympic silver medalist at 130kg.

13:18: Defending 82kg champion Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) gets his title defense started with a 4-point lift to beat Asian bronze medalist Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) 5-1 and book his place in the quarterfinals.

13:14: Asian champion Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) gets the stepout to finish off an 8-0 victory over Branko KOVACEVIC (SRB) to secure a spot in the 82kg quarterfinals. Kovacevic's loss ended the tournament of Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Shohei YABIKU (JPN).

13:08: Amir MIRZAZEDEH (IRI) stays on track for a rematch in the final with Kayaalp, getting a reversal in the first period and a passivity point in the second to defeat Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) 2-1 and move into the 130kg quarterfinals. 

13:05: A Japanese wrestler denied Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) a bronze medal in Tokyo and now Nao KUSAKA (JPN) beats Geraei at 77kg in the World Championships. Kusaka led 5-2 using two takedowns. Geraei got the par terre and turn to make it 5-5 but Kusaka held on for a criteria win as he had two two-point techniques to Geraei's one.

12:59: Superstar Riza KAYAALP (TUR), the defending champion at 130kg, begins his campaign for a sixth world title by putting away Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) 7-2 to advance to the quarterfinals. Kayaalp reels off three gut wrenches from par terre for all of his points in the first period. Mohamed gets a passivity point and a stepout in the second period as Kayaalp seems to be conserving his energy.

12:48: Yunus BASAR (TUR) will long regret not being able to throw Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE) when he had him in the air in their 77kg match. Prevolarakis gets 2 with a front headlock from par terre in a 5-3 victory over Basar, a bronze medalist last year and two-time European silver medalist. In the first period, Basar lifted up Prevolarakis, but spent too much time setting up his throw. It allowed the Greek to grab his waist, and Basar didn't have the leverage to complete a throw.

12:45: Returning bronze medalist Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) with a technical superiority win over Paulius GALKINAS (LTU). That match is followed by world champion Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) pinning Per Anders KURE (NOR) after the Norwegian managed to get a big throw.

12:25: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), a young and exciting talent from Moldova, begins his campaign at 77kg with a 9-3 win over Per Albin OLOFSSON (SWE). Next, he will have 2021 World silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) who defeated Kamal BEY (USA).

12:22: 2017 world champion Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) returned to wrestling after three years but had his run cut short by Idris IBAEV (GER) who won 9-6 at 82kg. Manukyan, 36, could not match the pace of wrestling in that bout 

12:15: Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), the silver medalist last year at 77kg, gets off to an explosive start, slamming Gurpreet SINGH (UWW) to the mat for 4 and finishing him off with a fall.

12:09: There will be an Irina RINGACI (MDA)-Ami ISHII (JPN) showdown after all. Ringaci, the 2021 world champion at 65kg, advanced to a 68kg bronze-medal match against Ishii with a victory by fall over Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) in the repechage final. Ringaci had suffered a stunning first-round defeat yesterday to Bose TOSUN (TUR), who surprisingly manhandled 2022 silver medalist Ishii in the semifinals.

12:06: Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ)'s courageous bid for her first world medal since 2010 ends with a heart-breaking 3-2 loss to Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) in the women's 68kg repechage final.

11:52: Branko KOVACEVIC (SRB) thrills the home crowd when he hangs on for a 7-6 victory at 82kg over Tokyo Olympic  77kg bronze medalist Shohei YABIKU (JPN). Kovacevic gets three gut wrenches from par terre to take a 7-0 lead. Yabiku, who moved up to 82kg when he failed to make the Japan team at 77kg, had a problem handling the extra weight. He never came close to turning Kovacevic after scoring two takedowns and being put on top in par terre.

11:40: Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) with a 1-1 win over Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) at 130kg. Kajaia got his par terre position in the second period to keep the criteria.

11:32: In a battle of oldies, 38-year-old Heiki NABI (EST), London Olympic silver medalist, beats 35-year-old Vitalii SHCHUR (AIN) 1-1 after the two trade passivities. Nabi qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, originally scheduled for 2020, but was banned for 2 years in June 2021, two months before the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

11:30: Oscar PINO (CUB), who has long toiled in the shadow of the great Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), gets a victory by forfeit over Daniel GASTL (AUT) as he looks to add a first world gold to his silver and two bronzes. 

11:26: Returning 130kg silver medalist Amir MIRZAZADEH (IRI) rips off a series of gut wrenches and that's it for  Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA), a quick 9-0 victory by technical superiority. 

11:05: Three-time world bronze medalist Mohammadaii GERAEI (IRI) begins his bid for an elusive gold at 77kg by getting past a difficult opponent in Adlet TIULIUBAEV (AIN) 2-0. Geraei gets the passivity call in each period and, although he can't budge Tiuliubaev, those two points prove the difference when he defends while on the bottom in the final minute.

10:50: In the repechage at 72kg in women's wrestling, Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) moves into the bronze medal bout after beating Nesrin BAS (TUR). Morikawa was the world champion at 65kg last year but has made the jump to 72kg after failing to make the Japan team in the Olympic weight class of 68kg.

10:47: Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), the 2021 silver medalist at Greco 77kg, gets a 4-point throw after a walk from the center to the edge, and advances with a 5-1 victory over Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN).

10:40: Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ) starts the action on Mat B with a victory by fall over Emilja JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB) in the repechage round at women's 68kg.  The 36-year-old Shalygina is a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and three-time world medalist who was inactive between 2013 and 2021. An Asian bronze medalist this year, she will next face Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) for a place in a bronze-medal match later in the evening.

10:30: Nothing prepares anyone for Greco-Roman! Today is the day as the World Championships will see Greco-Roman in 55kg, 77kg, 82kg and 130kg with 77kg and 130kg being the Olympic weight classes