#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 5 Greco-Roman Highlights

Sunday, February 8, 2026 - 09:18 By Vinay Siwach

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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.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

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

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

On return, Dzhuzupbekov secures gold at Ulaanbaatar Open 2025

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - 18:08 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 29) -- Paris Olympic bronze medalist Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) looked rusty on his return to competition since winning the medal in August 2024. But he had enough experience to win gold medal at the Ulaanbaatar Open 2025, his first competition since.

"This was my first start after the Olympics," Dzhuzupekov said. "It was very difficult, to be honest. It was quite tough to wrestle here, especially since the climate is different."

In his three bouts at 97kg, Dzhuzupbekov struggled for conditioning. He opened the day with a 10-6 win over Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) before beating Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) 9-1. But it was his last match against Asian bronze medalist NITESH (IND) which troubled him the most.

Dzhuzupekov began the match with an arm-throw for four but Nitesh scored a reversal to make it 5-1 and the Indian the scored a turn to close the gap to 5-3 at the break. On resumption, Dzhuzupbekov held his position and was only called passive with just over a minute left.

Nitesh, now trailing 5-4, needed a turn to turn the match in his favor but he failed to score any and Dzhuzupbekov defended the one-point lead to win the gold medal at 97kg.

"It's dry here, and we're at an altitude of about 1,400 meters," he said. "That made it really challenging. It was hard for the whole team to compete. But overall, I’m happy with the result. Starting with the very first match it was really tough, I couldn't  breathe properly here. We’ll analyze things and keep preparing." 

Dzhuzupbekov has been off since winning bronze in Paris and got married after the Olympics. But as one of three medalists for Kyrgyzstan's Greco team, Dzhuzupbekov is now hoping to build on that result.

"I’ll be preparing for the World Championships," he said. "But I think there will be another tournament after this one — probably in Hungary or Poland. And we’ll likely prepare differently for that. Overall, I think the team spirit is good right now. I don’t focus too much on any one opponent, because the competition is very strong. Especially with all the Europeans — they’re all big and strong. I think I just have to be ready, be in good shape. I try not to overthink who I’ll wrestle or how the match will go. I just believe that if I’m in good form, I’ll win."

Dzhuzupbekov's gold was one of the three Kyrgyzstan won on day one of the tournament which doesn't award team title as it is not a championships.

Asian Championships silver medalist and Muhamet Malo Ranking Series gold medalist Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) defeated Murat FIRAT (TUR) in Round 2 bout and won the gold medal at 67kg.

Firat got the first par terre advantage in the first period but he failed to score and just before the break, Beishekeev surprised him with a headlock throw for four to lead 4-1. In the second period, Beishekeev got the par terre but he did not score and was happy to defend his 5-1 lead and win.

World U23 champion Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) won the gold medal at 87kg after won his bouts with dominance. He defeated Batbayar TSOGTBAATAR (MGL), 8-0, and Karan KAMBOJ (IND), 9-0, to finish at the top. 

Alperen BERBER (TUR) was also entered but he pulled out injured after suffering a hamstring injury in his first bout against Karan KAMBOJ (IND).

Another Turkiye wrestler who pulled out injured was Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR). He suffered an infection in his elbow day before coming to Mongolia and did not wrestle a single bout. Since only three wrestlers were entered at 82kg, Akbudak still managed to win gold.

But the gold medal was historic. Shahin BADAGHI (QAT) became the first wrestler from Qatar to win gold medal at any international event in Greco-Roman.

Badaghi, an Iranian transfer to Qatar, defeated PRINCE (IND) 9-0 in the only bout the two wrestled in the day. Badaghi scored a takedown and then a suplex for a 6-0 lead. India lost a challenge to make it 7-0 before Badaghi scored a takedown to finish the bout via technical superiority.

Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) gave Turkiye its lone gold medal after beating Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) in the 77kg final, 5-1. In the earlier Nelson bracket bout, Yilmaz defeated the Kyrgyzstan wrestler 11-3.

Iran and India also won gold medals as Asian champion Danial SOHRABI (IRI) put on a show to win four of his bouts and the gold medal at 72kg.

For India, Anil MOR (IND) won the gold medal at 55kg after he pinned Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ) in the evening session. In his four bouts, Mor gave only two points, against Muratbek Uulu, but pinned him to remain one of the most dominant wrestler of the day.

The 19-year-old was wrestling his first senior international tournament and hails from Bass village, Hisar district in Haryana. He trains at the Guru Mehar Singh Akhada in Rohtak which has always given wrestlers to the Indian team.

For his Round 5 bout against Muratbek Uuku, Mor decided to defend more than attack.

"I had watched his bouts and he was trying to do the underhook and then throw you for the fall," Mor said. "I never gave my arm to him for the drag to underhook."

Though he was given passive in the first period, Mor knew that he has to get out of the par terre position quickly. He did so by sneaking out of Muratbek Uulu's gold and then scoring a takedown.

Instead of going for the turns, Mor held Muratbek Uulu to the mat and then secured the fall to get his first-ever senior medal internationally.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Anil MOR (IND)
SILVER: Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ)
BRONZE: Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL)

67kg
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ)
SILVER: Murat FIRAT (TUR)
BRONZE: NEERAJ (IND)

72kg
GOLD: Danial SOHRABI (IRI)
SILVER: Mustafa SAHIN (TUR)
BRONZE: Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ)

77kg
GOLD: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ), 5-1

BRONZE: Nishant PHOGAT (IND) df. Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL), 11-0

82kg
GOLD: Shahin BADAGHI (QAT)
SILVER: PRINCE (IND)
BRONZE: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)

87kg
GOLD: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ)
SILVER: Batbayar TSOGTBAATAR (MGL)
BRONZE: Karan KAMBOJ (IND)

97kg
GOLD: Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ)
SILVER: NITESH (IND)
BRONZE: Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)