Zagreb Open 2026 Day 2 Highlights: Yazdani in 97kg final

Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 09:21 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 5) -- The Ranking Series event, Zagreb Open, enters day two and it will be Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) making his 97kg debut for Iran. The Olympic champion at 74kg in 2016, and two-time Olympic silver medalist at 86kg, is chasing that second gold, this time at 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

13:45: 55kg WW semifinals - World silver medalist Verbina EKATERINA (UWW) with a 1-1 victory over Nagisa HARADA (JPN) in the semifinals. She got an activity point in the second period to keep the criteria lead. Ekaterina will face Karla GODINEZ (CAN) in the final after the Canadian defeated Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA), 2-1, in another low scoring semifinal.

13:30: 50kg WW semifinals - Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) with a controlled 8-2 win over Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) at 50kg. She will wrestle NEELAM (IND) for the gold medal. Neelam defeated MUSKAN (IND), 7-4, in an all-Indian semifinal

13:20: 125kg semifinals - A fall for Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) over Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) in just over two minutes as he reaches the final at 125kg. He will face Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) in the final after the U.S. wrestler scored an 11-1 win over Robert BARAN (POL).

13:10: 97kg semifinals - Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) with a quick fall over Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) in the first semifinal. Now he earns himself a chance to wrestle against Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) after Iranian managed another technical superiority win. While it's rare on Yazdani, Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) scored two takedowns on Yazdani but failed to keep the pressure before losing 14-4

12:55: 92kg semifinals - Mobin AZIMI (IRI) gets a dominant 11-0 win over Dustin PLOTT (USA) as he used a double-leg for four to finish. He earns a chance to avenge his 5-5 loss to Trent HIDLAY (USA) in the final after the American scored another come-from-behind victory. He defeated Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA), 3-3, to setup the gold medal bout against Azimi

12:40: 79kg semifinals - Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) is back in the Ranking Series final with a 10-1 victory over Otari ADEISHVILI (GEO). He looked in complete control of the bout. Khadjiev will face Dean HAMITI (USA) for the gold medal after he defeated Evan WICK (USA), 6-5, in a thrilling semifinal

12:15: Trent HIDLAY (USA) once again shows how to come back and win a bout. Down 6-0 against Abofazl RAHMANI (IRI), he scores a four-pointer and keeps the pressure on the Iranian to win 11-9 and make his spot in the semifinal at 92kg.

11:45: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) gives up a takedown against Richard VEGH (HUN) but that is the only slip in an otherwise dominant bout at 97kg. Two four point throws for Yazdani as he advances to the semifinals.

11:35: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) with a big four-pointer in her 5-0 win against Beatrice FERENT (ROU) at 55kg. The world silver medalist is the favorite to win gold here.

11:25: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) bounces back from his loss to Trent HIDLAY (USA) and beats Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) in his second bout at 92kg round robin. Azimi managed to score a takedown with less than 30 second left to beat Rahmani 4-3.

11:10: Two quick results at women's 50kg. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) beats Kendra RYAN (USA) 12-1 at 50kg before NEELAM (IND) also wins via technical superiority, 10-0, against Agata GOLUCHOWSKA (POL).

11:00: 92kg world champion Trent HIDLAY (USA) makes a comeback from 5-0 down to beat Mobin AZIMI (IRI) 5-5 in the group stage bout. Hidlay scored a takedown in the second period before adding two stepouts. Iran challenged the second one but lost which gave the criteria lead to Hidlay

10:50: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) doesn't the trademark jump before entering the mat but his bout against Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) is a typical Yazdani bout. He uses the underhook to start scoring and then rallies to score takedowns at will before turning Suleimanishvili and winning his bout 11-0

10:45: Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) wrestled well but it is Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (UWW) who manages to win 6-4 at 97kg and win the opening bout.

10:30: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will be on Mat B but before that, a few big results in Zagreb. Richard VEGH (HUN) manages to hang on for a 3-0 victory over Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) at 97kg.

#WrestleBudapest

Mamedov, Aman Dominate to Gold Amid Surprises in Budapest

Wednesday, July 15, 2026 - 19:11 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 15) -- On a day that saw multiple surprises at the Budapest Ranking Series, Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) and AMAN (IND) restored order, winning gold medals at 65kg and 57kg.

The gold medal for Mamedov was significant after his dramatic loss in the 65kg final at the Ulaanbaatar Open to Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI). Though not Amouzad, Mamedov dominated Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) for a 12-0 technical superiority win.

Mamedov led 4-0 at the break and then scored two counter takedown to double the led to 8-0 in the second. A double-leg attack brought Ebrahim straight to his back as Mamedov earned four points for the win. He outscored his opponents 53-1 in bouts, winning the gold medal via five technical superiorities.

"At this tournament I am very satisfied with my wrestling. I gave my best from beginning to the end," Mamedov said. "I learnt a lesson from Ulaanbaatar Open that I should not stop wrestling even if I have a big lead on the scoreboard."

Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) scores a takedown on Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) during the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A month ago at the Ulaanbaatar Open, Mamedov took an 8-0 lead over world champion Amouzad but suffered a stunning collapse, dropping the final 17-10.

"I started very well and I was well prepared," he said. "When I took the lead, I stopped attacking and just defended my lead. There was lot of time left and in the end I got very tired because I had to defend a lot and gave up more points."

One of the major talking points after the loss was Mamedov's conditioning, as he slipped further as Amouzad built the pressure.

"One of the reasons I got so tired against Amouzad because I gave up a lot head control to Amouzad, who kept me in head pinch position," he said. "On the way to the World Championships, we will have three stages of preparations. We will have training camps and start getting ready for the World Championships."

AMAN (IND) tries to complete a takedown against Robert DINGASHVILI (GEO) during the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Olympic bronze medalist Aman, wrestling at 57kg for the first time this year, won the gold medal with similar domination, giving himself a birthday gift as he turns 23 on Thursday.

Up against Robert DINGASHVILI (GEO) in the final, Aman did give up three stepouts but piled up takedowns to complete a 13-3 technical superiority win in the 57kg final. In his four bouts, he outscored his opponents 44-6. In the semifinals, Aman blanked European champion Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 11-0.

"The gold medal has given me confidence before some busy months later in the year," Aman said. "This gold is also special because tomorrow [Thursday] is my birthday."

Feng LU (CHN) scores the match-winning takedown against Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) to win gold at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The surprise of the day came at 74kg as Feng LU (CHN) scored a takedown in the last 15 seconds to complete a 3-3 criteria win over former world champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) in the final. Kaipanov, leading 1-0, scored a takedown right off the whistle after the break to lead 3-1, with the one point for Lu coming from a reversal.

Lu did quick level change, pushing Kaipanov and then bringing him down for two points to take the criteria lead. Lu defended his lead to claim the gold medal.

Pan-American champion Ridge LOVETT (USA) won gold at 70kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Pan-American champion Ridge LOVETT (USA), who pinned U23 world champion Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) in the semifinal at 70kg, finished his day with the gold medal after he secured a controlled 6-0 win over Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) in the final.

The weight class did throw a few surprises as Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) defeated Islam DUDAEV (ALB), 4-4, but then he lost to Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL). The Mongolian looked good to win the gold medal but Kemertelidze stunned him 3-2 in the semifinal.

Silver medalist at the Ulaanbaatar Open in June, Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) upgraded the colour of his medal to gold in Budapest after a 2-2 criteria win over U23 world bronze medalist Tolga OZBEK (TUR) in the 61kg final.

Ozbek led 1-1 on criteria after both wrestlers finished their activity periods. But the Türkiye wrestler took the a 2-1 lead with a minute remaining with a stepout. He tried to defend this lead but Aitakyn managed to push Ozbek's head outside to get a point and take the 2-2 criteria lead with 12 seconds remaining and clinch the gold medal.

At 86kg, Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) won the gold medal after Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) pulled off due to a knee injury he suffered while performing a leg lace in the semifinal that he won.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: AMAN (IND) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 13-3

BRONZE: Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 6-1
BRONZE: Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) df. Timothy LEVINE (CAN), 6-2

61kg
GOLD: Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) df. Tolga OZBEK (TUR), 2-2

BRONZE: Adilet ALMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 6-5
BRONZE: DEEPAK (IND) df. Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE), 9-8

65kg
GOLD: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) df. Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI), 12-2

BRONZE: Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ) df. Mohit KUMAR (IND), 12 -2
BRONZE: Vishal KALIRAMANA (IND) df. Ossimzhan DASTANBEK (KAZ), 8-2

70kg
GOLD: Ridge LOVETT (USA) df. Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), 6-0

BRONZE: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ), 8-2
BRONZE: Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) df. Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE), 6-5

74kg
GOLD: Feng LU (CHN) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 3-3

BRONZE: William LEWAN (USA) df. Muhammed BESIR (TUR), via fall
BRONZE: Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) df. Ibragim VELIEV (BEL), 11-0

86kg
GOLD: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO) df. Abylaikhan UZEMBAYEV (KAZ), 12-2
BRONZE: Alperen ATAR (TUR) df. Nan CAO (CHN), 5-3

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 2 Highlights: Yazdani in 97kg final

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Mamedov, Aman Dominate to Gold Amid Surprises in Budapest