#WrestleZagreb

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

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.

#Pankration

Ukraine emerges as showstopper at U17 World Pankration C'ships

By United World Wrestling Press

LOUTRAKI, Greece (November 9) -- Ukraine showed why it is one of the best countries in Pankration as it won both men's and women's U17 team titles at the World Championships.

For the first time, Pankration was held in U15 and U17 age categories while Amateur MMA World Championships was held in U20 age category in Loutraki, Greece.

Ukraine won the U17 men's title with 135 points, Kazakhstan finished second with 73 points while the United States was third with 51 points.

Out of the eight gold medals on offer, Ukraine won four gold medals. Kazakhstan and Poland won one gold each while UWW fighters won the remaining two gold medals.

The gold rush for Ukraine began with Maksym SHEVCHENKO (UKR) who won via submission against compatriot Yehor TARASENKO (UKR) in the 62kg final. Ivan SOFRONII (UKR) then defeated Magomed DZHABRAILOV (UWW) in the 71kg final via unanimous decision to give Ukraine the second gold medal.

At 77kg, Oleksii BOLBOCHAN (UKR) also won his final via unanimous decision over Mukhammadzhon DAVLIATOV (UWW) before Ivan MYSLOVSKYI (UKR) had a close 84kg final against Rowdy HERRMANN (USA), winning it via split decision.

For Kazakhstan, Adilzhan TALGATOV (KAZ) won the 57kg gold medal after he submitted Vadym SHOVKOPLIAS (UKR) in the final with ease. Damian BABA (POL) gave Poland the gold medal at 93kg after he got the split decision of the judges over Sviatoslav ZOLOTOV (UWW) in the final.

At 66kg, Adam OMAROV (UWW) managed to impresses the judges to win his final against Adian NOKHAEV (UWW) via split decision. Daud ITSARAEV (UWW) was more dominant in the 100kg final as he won the via unanimous decision against Gleb KOMAROV (UWW).

In women's, Viktoriia RAZNOSILINA (UWW) won gold at 50kg, Elmira GALLIAMOVA (UWW) at 53kg, Kseniia FEDOSEEVA (UWW) at 62kg, Kira SKRIPNIK (UWW) at 66kg and Valeriia NOIKINA (UWW) at 71kg.

Ukraine's only gold medal came at 57kg Daria ZHENEVSKA (UKR) who defeated Polina ROMASHOVA (UWW) in the final.

RESULTS

U17 Men's Pankration

57kg
GOLD: Adilzhan TALGATOV (KAZ)
SILVER: Vadym SHOVKOPLIAS (UKR)
BRONZE: Mariks KRAUKLIS (LAT)
BRONZE: Aleksandr ANDREEV (UWW)

62kg
GOLD: Maksym SHEVCHENKO (UKR)
SILVER: Yehor TARASENKO (UKR)
BRONZE: Martin KUNZ (CZE)
BRONZE: Ibrokhim NOZIMOV (UWW) 

66kg
GOLD: Adam OMAROV (UWW)
SIVER: Adian NOKHAEV (UWW) 
BRONZE: Andrew DEVITO (USA)
BRONZE: Krystian WOJNIAK (POL)

71kg
GOLD: Ivan SOFRONII (UKR)
SILVER: Magomed DZHABRAILOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Andrea RIZZO (ITA)
BRONZE: Matvei ZOLOTOVERKH (UWW)

77kg
GOLD: Oleksii BOLBOCHAN (UKR)
SILVER: Mukhammadzhon DAVLIATOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Isaac MCLAUGHLIN (NZL)
BRONZE: Denis KOZHIN (UWW)

84kg
GOLD: Ivan MYSLOVSKYI (UKR)
SILVER: Rowdy HERRMANN (USA)
BRONZE: Davide MORENA (ITA)
BRONZE: Ali TALPYNOV (KAZ)

93kg
GOLD: Damian BABA (POL)
SILVER: Sviatoslav ZOLOTOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Nikita VITRENKO (UKR)
BRONZE: Stanislav LEMESHKO (UKR)

100kg
GOLD:  Daud ITSARAEV (UWW)
SILVER: Gleb KOMAROV (UWW)
BRONZE: Tyson KAIVELATA (NZL)

U17 Women's Pankration

50kg
GOLD: Viktoriia RAZNOSILINA (UWW)
SILVER: Uliana SHCHETININA (UWW)
BRONZE: Viktoriia PROKHATSKA (UKR) 
BRONZE: Yuliya KORENEVA (KAZ)

53kg
GOLD: Elmira GALLIAMOVA (UWW)
SILVER: Amina SAFARBEKOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Eleni TOLIA (GRE)
BRONZE: Daria MALCHEVSKA (UKR)

57kg
GOLD: Daria ZHENEVSKA (UKR)
SILVER: Polina ROMASHOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Scarlett SHREVE (USA)
BRONZE: Shyla MULHOLLAND (NZL)

62kg
GOLD: Kseniia FEDOSEEVA (UWW)
SILVER: Daria GRITSAEVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Arina TIKHONOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Lamprini PERGELI (GRE)

66kg
GOLD: Kira SKRIPNIK (UWW)
SILVER: Valeriia PIANNIKOVA (UWW)

71kg
GOLD: Valeriia NOIKINA (UWW)
SILVER: Sofiia MANZHIKOVA (UWW)