#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open day one finals set

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 1) -- The season-opening Ranking Series event Zagreb Open is here. Six freestyle weight classes are in action at the Dom Sportva in the Croatian capital. Stars in action include Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), Haji ALIYEV (AZE), Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) among others. Remember this tournament has a two-kilogram weight allowance in all weight classes and the medal winners will also receive prize money.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

Here are the gold medal bouts for the evening session

57kg
Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) vs. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)

61kg
Reza ATRI (IRI) vs. Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL)

65kg
Joseph MC KENNA (USA) vs. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)

70kg
Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs. Alec PANTALEO (USA)

74kg
Yones EMAMI (IRI) vs. Jason NOLF (USA)

86kg
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) vs. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) 

14:20: The last semifinal of the morning session. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) taking on Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN). Tulga gets the stepout before Musukaev adds a takedown in the activity period. Tulga with another stepout just before the break. Musukaev leads 2-2 on criteria at the break. The second period starts with another stepout from Tulga. That could have been more dangerous for Musukaev but solid defense. Musukaev is put on the activity period. Tulga gets Musukaev in cross and scores two before getting the passivity point to lead 6-2. Musukaev tries hard to comeback but cannot break the defense of Tulga who wins 6-2 and will wrestle McKenna in the final.

14:10: Yones EMAMI (IRI) moves into the 74kg final with a 3-2 win over Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR). He will face Jason NOLF (USA) for the gold medal.

13:50: Joseph MC KENNA (USA) will take that 4-3 win over Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) to reach the 65kg final. McKenna had a 4-2 lead at the break and gave up only a point in the second period. Anraku looked slightly tired in the second period. 

13:35: On Mat A, Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) continues his dream run at 86kg and beats Zahid VALENCIA (USA) 12-1. A series of gut wrenches to finish off the bout. He will face Hassan YADANI (IRI) in the final

13:30: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is coming up on Mat B against Mark HALL (USA) at 86kg. He starts with a takedown for two. Another easy takedown for Yazdani as he extends his lead to 4-0. Hall looks much smaller than Yazdani at 86kg. The pressure from Yazdani is immense. He gut wrenches Hall for a 10-0 win.

13:25: Huge underhook to four for Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) as he beats Evan HENDERSON (USA) in the 65kg quarterfinals. He will face Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) next

13:05: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) and Jason NOLF (USA) left it all on the mat but it is Nolf who comes out on top with a 4-3 win. Gadzhiev is showing displeasure for Nolf's passivity but looks clean. Nolf will move into the 74kg semifinal.

12:55: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) moves into the semifinal with a technical superiority win over Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE). Yazdani looks like a man on a mission. He will face Mark HALL (USA) in the semifinal

12:45: There is no stopping Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN). He takes his time against Nick LEE (USA) in the 65kg quarterfinal but shifts gears so quickly. A takedown and exposure to lead 4-0. He works up two more takedowns and a double leg to win 10-0.

12:35: Mark HALL (USA) over Boris MAKOEV (SVK) at 86kg. Makoev got into positions to score on Hall but the American wrestler was solid in defense and countered with exposure to get his own points. He wins 7-2.

12:30: Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) with a takedown and a fall over European champion Myles AMINE (SMR) at 86kg! Amine looks devasted by that. Ishiguro caught Amine by surprise and got the pin.

12:20: Haji ALIYEV (AZE), wrestling at 70kg, survives a scare against Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO). After leading 4-0, Aliyev gave up a takedown and Elbakidze managed to go behind in the final seconds but the time ran out before Aliyev's three points touched the mat. He wins 4-2

12:00: Quentin STICKER (FRA) managed to score four points on Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) but that was all he could. Musukaev gave no more chance to him and won his 65kg bout 10-4 

11:20: Two-time world silver medalist Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and bronze medalist Yones EMAMI (IRI) are now on Mat B. Both wrestlers take their time to get going. Emami is on the board for Salkazanov's passivity. Not much action in the bout but Emami has eked out a 5-0.

11:00: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) looks strong as ever! His first victim is Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) who has no answer to the pressure from the former world champion. Yazdani faces Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) in the next round who managed to beat Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) in the final seconds. Trailing 8-6, Abakarov steps over and forces Gaphrindashvili to put his head on the mat and get the two points to win 8-8.

10:40: At 74kg, Yones EMAMI (IRI) and Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) both begin with wins. Emami gets the better of Kojiro SHIGA (JPN) and Gadzhiev defeats Krisztian BIRO (ROU).

10:25: In early action,  Zane RICHARDS (USA) and Rikuto ARAI (JPN) were involved in a tense battle and after a back-and-forth bout, Richards wins 10-6 at 57kg.

10:15: The tournament has seen an attendance of close to 550 wrestlers which means some long days of wrestling. Beginning with freestyle action in 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 74kg and 86kg, wrestlers will wrestle for the medals on the same day.

10:00: Welcome to the Zagreb Open! The first tournament of the year as we build towards the World Championships later in September. 

#Grappling

Grappling Gi: Prendes doubles up as world champ; Gudanatov stunned

By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 15) - Whether it is Gi or No-Gi, it seems that Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) is making a habit of winning gold medals.

After winning double-gold at the 2024 World Grappling Championships, Prendes Larios repeated the feat in 2025, winning gold in Gi and No-Gi competition in Novi Sad.

The Spanish grappler won the 53kg gold in No-Gi on Tuesday with a dominant performance and continued the same form in Gi. She won her first two bouts via submission and in the final against Zuzanna KOWALSKA (POL) and won via submission.

She began by top control in the first minute but was called passive, giving one point to Kowalska to lead 2-1. She moved to a back mount and then performed a rear naked choke for submission to claim the gold medal at 53kg.

At 90kg, Tatiana KABANOVA (UWW) made amends and won gold medal after finishing with silver in No-Gi event. She was defeated by Alena VLASOVA (UWW) in that competition but Kabanova managed to remain unbeaten in a three-grappler bracket.

She defeated Vlasova via submission in the first bout and then won 3-1 against Justyna SITKO (POL) to claim the gold medal.

Gudanatov stunned

Defended 130kg world champion Abu GUDANATOV (UWW) was stunned by Bilal KURBABAGAMAEV (UWW) in thrilling final at 130kg. Gudanatov tried to set up a choke but Kurbabagamaev never gave up position and got two points for a controlling Gudanatov on ground.

As the two remained in the same position, Kurbabagamaev was called passive two times in which he failed to score. However, he still led 2-2 on criteria as he had a bigger scoring action than Gudanatov's sequence of one points.

But in the last minute, Gudanatov was called passive and cautioned one point which gave Kurbabagamaev a clear 3-2 lead in the final which he defended to win the gold medal.

In another thrilling final, Shamil MAZHIDKHANOV (UWW) defeated Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA), 5-3, to win the gold medal at 100kg. Mazdhikhanov scored the first two points for control but he was called passive on top which made the score 2-1. But he managed to move into a side mount for three points and lead 5-1.

With only intention of defending his four-point lead, Mazhidkhanov was docked two more points for passivity but he won 5-3 and captured the gold medal.

At 71kg, making his senior debut, 20-year-old Stefanos VAVILIS (GRE) stunned Sandor LAKATOS (HUN), 2-1, in the final and win his first gold medal.

RESULTS

Men's Grappling Gi

71kg
GOLD: Stefanos VAVILIS (GRE) df. Sandor LAKATOS (HUN), 2-1

BRONZE: Said ZAIPULAEV (UWW) df. Kevin MARTIN TINOCO (ESP), 5-2
BRONZE: Zaur AKHMEDOV (UWW) df. Nico PULVERMUELLER (GER), 2-2

100kg
GOLD: Shamil MAZHIDKHANOV (UWW) df. Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA), 5-3

BRONZE: Konstantin LI (KGZ) df. Pavel SLANINA ANTON (ESP), 9-3
BRONZE: Khasan ZAPIROV (UWW) df. Ramazan ABDRAKHIMOV (KAZ), 4-1

130kg
GOLD: Bilal KURBABAGAMAEV (UWW) df. Abu GUDANATOV (UWW), 3-2

BRONZE: Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA) df. Abraham COBY MARTINEZ (ESP), via submission (6-2)
BRONZE: John HANSEN (USA) df. Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE), 8-4

Women's Grappling Gi

53kg
GOLD: Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) df. Zuzanna KOWALSKA (POL), via submission (6-1)

BRONZE: Anorbi GRISHINA (UWW) df. Giulia ANGIOLINI (ITA), 7-3
BRONZE: Radomira OSTANINA (UWW) df. Evelina FLORIAK (UKR), 9-1

90kg
GOLD: Tatiana KABANOVA (UWW) 
SILVER: Justyna SITKO (POL)
BRONZE: Alena VLASOVA (UWW)