#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open Day 5 Greco Finals Set

Sunday, February 9, 2025 - 09:03 By United World Wrestling Press

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 9) -- The Zagreb Open 2025 enters its final day with a full day of Greco-Roman wrestling. Wrestlers in 55kg, 60kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg and 130kg will be in action.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | BISULTANOV WINS GOLD

14:00: Two losses for Azerbaijan in the 130kg semifinals. Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) beats Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) 9-1 and Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) drops his bout 4-3 against Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN). Kandelaki was leading 3-0 but tripped on the mat and Maeenpaeae scored a go behind and turn to win 4-3.

13:52: Quick finishes to the 97kg semifinals! Artur SARGASIAN (AIN) gets a turn, a throw and another turn to beat Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) 9-0 to enter the final. He will take on Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) also scored a technical superiority win over Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI). 

13:45: Big win for Gholamreza FAROKHI (AZE) who beats Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) 11-3. Farokhi was 3-0 down but got a bodylock for four to lead 4-3 in the first period. He scored a takedown as Gurbanov fell while fleeing a hold and then rolled him three times for six points using a trap-arm. He will take on world silver medalist Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) in the final after the Hungarian defeated Mihail BRADU (MDA) 4-3.

13:35: In the two 72kg semifinals, both of which were Iran vs Hungary, the two countries share a win each. Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) falls to Levente LEVAI (HUN) 1-1 despite Geraei getting two par terre advantages. However, in the other semifinal, Danial SOHRABI (IRI) takes out Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) 6-1 to enter the final.

13:25: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) with a high-paced win over Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) in the other 60kg semifinal. He gets both par terre advantages and also scores a turn to win 4-0. Ganiev vs Tibilov final.

13:20: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) may have beaten two world champion but he can't get past U23 world champion and compatriot Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg semifinals. Bakhramov is put in par terre first and Ganiev reels off with two turns before a big four-point throw to win 9-0.

13:00: First semifinals at 55kg. European champion Artium DELEANU (MDA) suffers a big upset as Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI) scores four turns from par terre to win 9-0. He will take on Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) in the final who defeated Brady KOONTZ (USA) 5-0 in the other semifinal.

12:20: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) gets a walk over from world champion Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) who hurt his shoulder in the previous bout at 72kg

12:15: Alisher GANIEV (UZB), U23 world champion at 60kg, just gut wrenched Maxwell BLACK (USA) for a 8-0 win. He will wrestle Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) in the 60kg semifinals.

12:00: A 97kg bout that was missed due to all the Bakhramov hype! Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) registered a 3-2 win over Alex SZOKE (HUN).

11:40: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) has to be the most unfazed wrestler today! After beating Edlaniz AZIZLI (AZE), he takes out another world champion in Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) at 60kg. After a 4-0 lead, Bakhramov got thrown for four points but comes out all guns blazing in the second period to earn a par terre advantage. As he tries to turn Mammadli, a foul committed by the Azerbaijan which was confirmed on challenge. With 7-4 lead, Bakhramov hits a beautiful throw for four. Two stepouts in the final minute but Bakhramov holds on for a 11-6 win

11:30: Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) survived a fall attempt from Iman Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) after the latter blocked a headpinch attempt. Geraei was down 3-2 but keeps his calm to win 8-3 at 72kg

11:15: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) comes out with a top quality win over Hamidreza BADKAN (IRI) at 97kg. No issue for the Paris Olympian

Wrestling on Mat C is on hold as there is some issue with the mat. Action will resume soon

11:00: 2021 world champion at 130kg, Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) gets his par terre going and rolls to an 11-1 win over European champion Sergei SEMENOV (AIN)

10:50: U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) opens his day with a 8-0 technical superiority win over Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) at 60kg. At just 18, Ganiev has built a great resume for himself.

10:45: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) needed 49 seconds in the second period to see off Melkamu FETENE (ISR) in his opening bout at 60kg! The world champion is hoping to be Azerbaijan's rep for the European Championships.

10:30: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) has tossed Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) around from par terre! Azizli, world champion at 55kg, is wrestling at 60kg in Zagreb but perhaps it's not meant to be. Bakhramov with two lifts and easy 9-0 win

10:15: At the Non-Olympic World Championships in Tirana last year, Benjamin PEAK (USA) stunned the wrestling world with a 11-3 victory over Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) at 72kg. However, Sunday is a different story as Geraei draws him first bout here in Zagreb and toys with Peak to win 11-0.

10:10: That is a great start for Iran as Hamidreza BADKAN (IRI) pulls off a 2-1 victory over Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) at 97kg.

10:00: Big wrestling day in Zagreb with six Greco-Roman weight classes in action. We have a few current and former world champions wrestling

#WrestleSamokov

Kyrgyzstan, Moldova earn chance to end U20 World title drought

Sunday, August 17, 2025 - 18:58 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 17) -- Kyrgyzstan and Moldova earned a chance to end their gold-medal drought at the U20 World Championships.

On the first day of the 2025 World U20 Championships in Samokov, four Freestyle weight classes were in action. Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ) was the surprised finalist at 74kg and will try to become Kyrgyzstan's first gold medal at the U20 World Championships in 20 years. He will take on European U23 champion Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) in the final.

At 70kg, Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) earned the final and will now try to become Moldova's first U20 world champ in Freestyle since 1999. He will take on returning bronze medalist PJ DUKE (USA) in the gold-medal bout.

The 125kg weight class will see an all-Asian final as Asian U20 champion Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) earned a shot for the world title against Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI), a wrestler over whom Kassimbek has a 3-0 head-to-head record.

Two returning bronze medalists, Duke and Justin RADEMACHER (USA), upgrade their bronze medals from last year and earn themselves a chance to win gold on Monday at 70kg and 97kg respectively.

Akylbekov, who had finished at 17th at 79kg last year, had a dream run on Sunday and ended one for Raul CASO (ITA) in the semifinals. Caso had posted two last-second victories, however, he failed to repeat those heroics in the semifinal against Akylbekov.

Caso was 3-2 and went attack-mode in the final 15 seconds. He almost scored a takedown over Akylbekov who managed to sneak out and then Caso jumped over to take control for a takedown. However, the Kyrgyz wrestler stood up to avoid giving up any points. Italy challenged for two points but lost that on review, giving one more point to Akylbekov.

While Caso was leaving it late in his wins, Akylbekov was contrastingly dominating them. He defeated Nicholas HOOPER (CAN), 12-0, in the opening bout, blanked Titas PIJORAITIS (LTU), 10-0 and then handed Dosszhan KUL GAIYP (KAZ) a 6-1 loss.

Ismail KHANIEV (UWW)Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) defeated Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3, in the semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

He will now face Khaniev, who earned himself his first world medal at any level. Khaniev defeated Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3, in a very close semifinal than the scoreline suggests.

Khaniev led 3-3 on criteria but Yamaguchi constantly threatened to score in the final 25 seconds. He hit a double-leg attack and planted Khaniev, who somehow managed to not land in danger. In a counter, Khaniev exposed Yamaguchi for two points and took a 5-3 lead. Yamaguchi tried a desperate throw in the final 15 seconds but Khaniev blocked it for two more points to win.

Earlier in the day, Khaniev avenged his European U20 Championships loss to Manuel WAGIN (GER) with a technical superiority win after he had beaten returning silver medalist Ladrion LOCKETT (USA).

Duke had his first big challenge of the day in the semifinals against former world U17 champion Erfan ELAHI (IRI) at 70kg. Duke scored a takedown while Elahi had a point for stepout and Duke's passivity. Duke's two-point scoring move gave him the criteria.

However, Elahi somehow thought he has the criteria and did not think of attacking in the final 30 seconds. When the bout was over, Elahi celebrated as if he had won only to realize that he has lost 2-2.

Duke will look to win his first a world title before wrestling at the senior World Championships later in September. He will take on Gaidarli for the gold-medal after the Moldovan won his semifinal 7-4 against Nurlan AGHAZADA (AZE).

Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA)Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) reached the 70kg final in Samokov. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Gaidarli became the first Moldovan Freestyle wrestler to reach the final at U20 Worlds since 2019 after a stunningly good run in Samokov. He defeated European U20 champion Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO), 13-3, avenging his loss from Carole, Italy.

In the semifinals, he scored three takedowns in the second period against Aghazada to win 7-4, bettering his 18th-place finish from last year and earning a chance to end the gold-medal drought for Moldova.

Returning bronze medalist at 97kg Rademacher defeated European U20 champion Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinals and will now try to win gold. Rademacher led 4-3 at the break extended his lead with a takedown for two points to start the second period, add another go-behind and single-leg to takedown to lead 10-3.

Petriashvili got an attack for two points but Rademacher was relentless in his wrestling and scored three more takedowns to win 16-5.

Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW)Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) survived to win 11-9 against VISHAL (IND) in the 97kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

For the gold medal, he will face Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) who survived, with some help, for an 11-9 win over VISHAL (IND) who had Magomedov in all sorts of trouble. Magomedov led 10-4 when Vishal mounted a comeback against an absolutely broken Magomedov. He scored a takedown and Magomedov was cautioned for a singlet-pull foul which made it 10-7.

As the bout was restart in par terre, India challenged for two more points but the referee had blown the whistle before control from Vishal. That challenge gave enough breathing time to Magomedov to managed to hang on to his lead and win 11-9.

Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ)Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) celebrates after winning his 125kg semifinal against Cole MIRASOLA (USA). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Kassimbek had a very dominant semifinal as he defeated Cole MIRASOLA (USA), 11-0, inside the first period. He had two excellent counter takedowns and then locked up Mirasola's legs around his head and turns him twice. He finished things with a double-leg takedown.

Kassimbek has lost to two World U17 Championships finals before but he will have a good chance to win his first world title. He will take on Mohammad Nezhad, a wrestler he has defeated three times before.

The Iranian denied former world U17 champion Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE) after a 1-1 victory in the semifinal. Mohmmad Nezhad got the one point for passivity in the second period which gave him the criteria.

Mohammad Nezhad lost to Kassimbek for the first time in 2023 Asian U17 Championships final, 8-1, then at the same tournament in 2024, 2-2 in the semifinals. His third loss to Kassimbek came in the semifinals of the 2024 World U17 Championships, 4-3.

RESULTS

70kg
GOLD: PJ DUKE (USA) vs. Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) 

SF 1: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Nurlan AGHAZADA (AZE), 7-4
SF 2: PJ DUKE (USA) df. Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI), 2-2

74kg
GOLD: Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) vs. Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ)

SF 1: Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ) df. Raul CASO (ITA), 4-2
SF 2: Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) df. Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3

97kg
GOLD: Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) vs. Justin RADEMACHER (USA)

SF 1: Justin RADEMACHER (USA) df. Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 16-5
SF 2: Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. VISHAL (IND), 11-9

125kg
GOLD: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) vs. Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI)

SF 1: Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) df. Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE), 1-1
SF 2: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) df. Cole MIRASOLA (USA), 11-0