#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 5 Greco-Roman Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 8) -- All Greco-Roman day at the Zagreb Open on Sunday with 55kg, 60kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg and 130kg weight classes in action. World and Olympic champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) will be in action today after being away for 2 years.

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15:25: 130kg semifinals -  Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is back in a Ranking Series final after he beats Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ), 4-0. He par terre positions in both periods and a turn the first time to lead 4-0. Syrlybay did get the third passivity which is without any points but he did not score. To capture the gold medal, Kayaalp will face Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) who posted a 2-1 victory over Artur SARKISJAN (CZE). He got a reversal when Sarkisjan was put on top.

15:10: 97kg semifinals - Alex SZOKE (HUN) gets par terre in both the periods of his semifinals against Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) to win the bout 2-0 and a place in the final. He will face another Kazakhstan wrestler in former U20 world champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) who managed to get past Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), 5-3, after a big throw from par terre in the first period. Kajaia failed to turn Yevloyev from par terre but got two points for a defensive foul.

14:55: 82kg semifinals - Mihail BRADU (MDA) blocks Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) when the Iranian was trying to turn Bradu from par terre and he gets the fall. Mokhtari is devasted. Bradu is hyped as he will wrestle for gold against Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) who defeated Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) 4-3 after scoring two stepouts and overturn the result.

14:45: 72kg semifinals - Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY), former U20 world champion, beats Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ), 8-1, and moves into the final at 72kg. He will face Nika BROLADZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian found a way to beat Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) despite being down 2-1. Both wrestlers had locked each other but then Broladze just flung Kuchkorov for two points. He continued the action and scored a suplex for four points to extend his lead to 7-2, which was also the winning score.

14:35: 60kg semifinals - Alisher GANIEV (UZB) takes 29 seconds to finish his semifinal against Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) at 60kg. He gets a bodylock throw for four points and then lifts Shiotani again and completes the suplex for another four points and the world silver medalist reaches the final. But for the gold medal, he will have to go through another Japanese phenom in U23 world champion Koto GOMI (JPN) who rolls to a 10-0 technical superiority win over Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI).

14:25: 55kg semifinals - Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) gets Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) in a front headlock and continues throwing him until securing a 9-0 lead for the win. It is ultimately called a fall. Botirov will face Mohammad HOSSEINVAND (IRI) for the gold medal after he defeated Iran's longtime 55kg wrestler Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) 1-1.

14:00: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) must be heartbroken with that loss. He led 7-0 against Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) in the 60kg quarterfinal but Shiotani gets the par terre in the second period and punishes Tibilov with two reverse lifts. A defensive foul and lost challenge give Shiotani a 11-7 lead. Another reverse lift for four points helps him win 15-7

13:45: In a battle of two age-group champions, Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) pins Abror ATBAEV (UZB) and advances to the semifinal at 72kg. After a review on challenge from Uzbekistan, they cancelled the fall for a foul from Alameldin. However, the Egyptian still posts a 2-1 victory to advance. 

13:30: Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) takes out Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) with a 3-1 victory at 82kg. A turn in par terre was all that was needed for Mokhtari to win the bout

13:15: Two of the most talented wrestlers at 60kg and both U23 world champions in different years, Koto GOMI (JPN) and Alisher GANIEV (UZB), have made it to the semifinals in Zagreb. A treat awaits if both reach the final

12:55: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) looks extremely good in his comeback! Using the gut-wrench against, he marches on with yet another 9-0 win at 130kg, this time over Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO)

12:45: U23 world champion Koto GOMI (JPN) with two beautiful throws to beat Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI), 9-0, and advance to the quarterfinals at 60kg

12:40: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) continues his good form in Zagreb with another technical superiority win at 60kg. This time he beats Mert ILBARS (TUR) 10-0

12:30: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), a mainstay of the Serbian team, begins his 97kg team with 9-2 victory over NITESH (IND). Kajaia had flirted with the idea of moving up to 130kg but has returned to 97kg.

12:20: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), known for his explosive reverse lift, keeps it simple against Maxwell BLACK (USA) at 60kg and battles out a controlled 8-4 win to advance.

12:00: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), Olympic silver medalist at 77kg in Paris, gets the fall over Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE) in their bout at 82kg.

11:45: Riza KAYAALP (TUR), returning to action after two years, begins with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Aden ATTAO (USA). He scores four turns from par terre for the victory at 130kg

11:35: Not something we see everyday but Marko MILANOVIC (CRO), the son of President of Croatia, is wrestling. At 130kg, he is off to a flying start with a technical superiority 9-0 victory over Joginder RATHEE (IND). After leading 5-0 at the break, Milanovic hits a suplex for four to finish the bout.

11:25: World silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB) wins his opening bout at 60kg, 9-0. But that's not the story. He defeated former United States team member in Freestyle Zane RICHARDS (USA), who wrestled Greco-Roman for the first time internationally. 

11:05: Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) stuns former European champion Artiom DELEANU (MDA) at 55kg. He finishes the bout after rolling from par terre and winning 9-0

10:55: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) takes his match into the second period but has not trouble in winning the 82kg bout against Marek VRBA (CZE), 9-0.

10: 45: World bronze medalist and big hope for a medal for the hosts Croatia Karlo KODRIC (CRO) drops his opening bout against Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO) 1-1 after failing to score any points from the two par terre positions he got in the 97kg bout.

10:30: Six Greco-Roman weight classes in action but Riza KAYAALP (TUR) comeback will be the most anticipated event on Sunday in Zagreb

Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 Day 1 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 18) -- The Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 are the sixth edition of the Games and are being held in Riyadh. The first day of wrestling saw four Greco-Roman weight class -- 60kg, 67kg, 77kg and 87kg.

Olympic and world champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) needed an insane comeback to beat Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) in the 67kg final while Alisher GANIEV (UZB), Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) won golds at 60kg, 77kg and 87kg with rather ease.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

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12:35: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) finds a way to score a takedown with a 30 seconds remaining and beat Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ), 7-6, in the 87kg semifinal. Zhanyshov was leading 6-5 at the break. Farokhi, struggling slightly with his conditioning, wrapped his arm around Zhanyshov's waist before slamming him on the mat for two points.

12:30: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) takes out Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY) in the 67kg semifinals and sets up a mouth-watering final against Olympic champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)

12:25: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) bounces back from 2-0 down to beat Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) 5-3 in the 87kg semifinal and reach final.

12:20: Olympic champion Saied ESMAEILI (IRI) lifts Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) against gravity and completes the suplex for four points. He once again hits the four-pointers and wins his 67kg semifinal 9-0.

12:10: Alisher GANIEV (AZE) makes it to the final at 60kg after an 8-0 win over Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI). Big four-pointer in that match from Ganiev. He will face Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) for the gold medal.

11:51: Former world U20 champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) starts off with a Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK) and moves into the semifinals at 87kg. Too easy for him.

11:50: World 82kg champion Gholamreza FAROKHISENJANI     (IRI), who moved up to 87kg and won U23 World Championships gold as well, begins with a 3-0 win over Islam ABBASOV (AZE) at 87kg in Riyadh

11:45: Olympic champion Saied ESMAEILI (IRI), placed directly in the quarterfinals, starts with a big 8-0 win over Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT) at 67kg. He is expected to face Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) in the final, a rematch of the final at World Championships.

11:24: World 63kg champion Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB), who had move up to 67kg for the Games, beats Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR), 5-2, and moves into the semifinals

11:10: Quarterfinal at 67kg between Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) and Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ). The first par terre advantage goes to Beishekeev who scores two points using a front headlock. Jafarov gets the par terre in second period and scores two turns and leads 5-3, which will be his winning score as well.

10:52: World bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) hangs on for 1-1 Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) victory having got the first criteria.

10:45: Big match at 60kg as Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) faces U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB). Ganiev with a over-under control and hits a throw for two points to lead 2-0. Mammadli tries to find some attacks going but fails to get Ganiev down. Ganiev goes into the break leading 2-0. Mammadli is put in par terre in the second period, giving Ganiev 3-0 lead. Mammadli goes down in the quarterfinals as Ganiev defends his 3-0 lead and wins at 60kg.

10:30: Olympic bronze medalist and world silver medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) gets going with a 9-0 victory over Ashraf ASLAM ZADA (AFG) at 67kg.

10:25: Amir ABDI (IRI) hits a front headlock throw for four and then a turn for two to win 8-0 against 72kg world champion Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) in their 77kg bout. Just one minute and 35 seconds needed for him to win 9-0.

10:21: World champion and Olympic bronze medalist Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), who has not wrestled in international competition since the Paris 2024, returns to mat in Riyadh. In his first bout at 77kg, he warms up with an 9-0 technical superiority over Sami SLAMA (TUN).

10:10: European champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) gets the first par terre position and then scores the four gut-wrenches to win 9-0 against Latuf MADI (COM) in the first bout at 60kg.

10:00: Hello from Riyadh! The first day of wrestling at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 and there will four Greco-Roman weight classes in action.