#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open Ranking Series day four finals set

Saturday, February 4, 2023 - 09:08 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 4) -- The Zagreb Open Ranking Series enters its fourth day with four women's wrestling and two Greco-Roman weight classes. A huge crop of talent is competing at 67kg including Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) who won the gold at 60kg in Tokyo.

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15:00: Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) is so good. Iman Hossein Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) tried every trick he had but failed to break Mammadov's defense. The Azerbaijan wrestlers wins 4-4 and reaches the 63kg final.

14:35: Yelena MAKOYED (USA) is quickly becoming a threat at 76kg. She beats Dymond GUILFORD (USA) 12-2 to reach the final. If she can win domestically, she will have a chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics. But Adeline GRAY (USA) is standing on that path.

14:20: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) with a fall over Juan WANG (CHN). She moves into the 76kg final and will face the winner of Yelena MAKOYED (USA) vs. Dymond GUILFORD (USA).

14:00: HUSIYUETU (CHN) with the upset of the tournament as he wins 13-4 over Luis ORTA (CUB). Perhaps Orta was pushed to the limits by Jafarov and Sohrabi in the previous. But here he was helpless. Husiyuetu got the par terre advantage and trapped one of Orta's arms and scored via exposure. Nothing much Orta could do there. This also means that a Jafarov vs Sohrabi rematch won't take place.

13:40: Helen MAROULIS (USA) up against Patrycja GIL (POL) at 57kg. Gil with a takedown and tries to pin but Maroulis with excellent defense. Gil leads 4-0. Maroulis scores stepout to cut the lead to 4-3. A takedown just before the break for Gil. She begins the second period with a counter takedown and it's 8-3 for Gil who is struggling to keep up. Maroulis takedown on the edge to make it 8-5 with around a minute remaining. Gil with another spin behind and it's 10-5 for her. Maroulis will take a 10-5 loss at 57kg.

13:15: The quarterfinals at GR 63kg

Samuel JONES (USA) vs. Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB) vs. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
Perica DIMITRIJEVIC (SRB) vs. Iman Hossein Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI)
SAGAR (IND) vs. Aref Hossein Khoun MOHAMMADI (IRI) 

12:50: Luis ORTA (CUB) is on a roll here. After beating Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), he now takes out Daniel SOHRABI (IRI). Sohrabi got a stepout and passivity point in the first period but Orta managed to escape. As the pressure built, Sohrabi tried pushing Orta out but a head pinch from Orta resulted in four points. Sohrabi was penalized for keeping his head low. Orta on 6-2.

12:30: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) with a resounding win over KIRAN (IND) at 76kg. She got the cradle to fall to move into the quarterfinals.

12:10: Sae NANJO (JPN) with a technical superiority win over  Alexandria TOWN (CAN). She is on course to wrestle Maroulis in what can prove to be a blockbuster.

12:05: Helen MAROULIS (USA) was checked by Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) as the latter scored the first takedown on her but she quickly fizzled out. Maroulis quickly turned up and won her opening bout at 57kg 11-2.

11:45: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) with those perfect low singles against Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU). Despite all the tricks in her bag, Yepez has no idea how to deal with the phenom named Fujinami, who rolls to another technical superiority win at 53kg

11:36: Daniel SHORABI (IRI) is an absolute master at his craft. The young star gets Sylla into positions of no return. Shorabi scores three takedowns in his 10-2 win over Sylla.

11:35: Luis ORTA (CUB) hands Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) a 5-1 loss. He scores from par terre and two stepouts while Jafarov, despite getting the passivity point, fails to break Orta's defense.

11:20: Two big Greco-Roman bouts on adjacent mats. Luis ORTA (CUB) is wrestling Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE). Danial SOHRABI (IRI) is up against Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA). Both bouts are at 67kg. 

11:15: That has to be the calmest performance ever! Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) was trailing REETIKA (IND) 4-0 with 10 seconds remaining. With no signs of panic, Niikura used a head-pinched Reetika twice to win 4-4. So clutch.

10:55: Ningning RONG (CHN), competing for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics, could not get going in that bout against Patrycja GIL (POL). Shabby defense from Rong each time they got into scrambles and Gil built a 5-0 lead. Rong switched gears one in the final minute, scoring two takedowns but that was too little too late. 

10:40: A fall for Sam STEWART (CAN) over world champion Dominique PARRISH (USA) at 53kg. Parrish was going for the single leg and seems like her knee hit the mat before she could finish the move and lost her balance. Stewart kept Parrish on the back for the fall.

10:30: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) looks like she was never off the mat. A dominant 10-0 win over Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) at 53kg. Fujinami last competed internationally at the Asian Championships and has been struggling with a few injuries.

10:15: Tokyo Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) makes his debut at 67kg and begins with a win! A combination of big throws and pushouts gives him a 9-1 victory over Karanjit SINGH (IND).

10:00: Welcome to a very windy day here in Zagreb! The wrestlers are ready for another long day of wrestling. The return of Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) to international competition since the Asian Championships in April last year is the biggest story of the day.

#WrestleTirana

Six-Time World Champ Sadulaev is Now Six-Time European Champ

Saturday, April 25, 2026 - 19:29 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 25) -- "Six-time world champion, six-time European champion."

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) says the sentence has a "nice ring to it."

In 2024, Sadulaev wrestled at his first World Championships in three years in Tirana and won his sixth world title. On Saturday and in Tirana, Sadulaev wrestled at his first European Championships in six years and won his sixth European gold medal.

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Sadulaev, who is now unbeaten in 26 bouts in Europe, outwrestled Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 14-3, in the 97kg final. However, it was Tsakulov who opened the scoring in the final.

"Tirana has become such a lucky place for me," Sadulaev said. "In just two months, I’ve already managed to visit here for the second time. Two years ago, I won the World Championships here. The welcome here is so warm. The crowd and the atmosphere were absolutely top-notch."

In front of a packed Feti Borova Olympic Park Arena, Sadulaev lived up to the expectation of a world champion he was crowned at the same arena in 2024.

Barring the first attack from Tsakulov, Sadulaev remained in complete control of his final, and completed his 17th win via technical superiority in all European history.

Tsakulov surprised Sadulaev as he shot a double-leg early in the match and the latter tried to defend using a chest-wrap. But Tsakulov kept the pressure and put Sadulaev in danger to get his two points. Sadulaev quickly reversed and scored one point before turning Tsakulov three times for a 7-2 lead.

Sadulaev challenged the decision, which he later realized that he shouldn't have, and lost it as all the scoring was accurate. Tsakulov was awarded a point for the lost challenge.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW)Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW), red, battles it out against Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the second period, Tsakulov threatened with some quick attacks but Sadulaev was quick on his feat to escape. He managed to score a stepout to extend his lead to 8-3. With 20 seconds remaining, Tsakulov tried another double-leg attack but Sadulaev was ready for it, countering it with a go-behind and scored a takedown.

Sadulaev could have well defended his lead but in the final 10 seconds, he hit his own attacks, scoring a takedown and then a turn to finish the bout 14-3.

"I’ve known Tsakulov since 2012," he said. "Back then we were both in the junior ranks, and he was already competing for the national team. We were competing in almost the same weight class at the time. Ever since then, I’ve known that you really can’t let your guard down against him at all. He’s capable of attacking at any moment."

After winning the final, Sadulaev was relieved to regain the top spot in the continent and said it gave him "peace."

"The last time I competed at the European Championships was six years ago in Rome," he said. "I really missed the international stage and the official competitions like the European Championships, the World Championships and the Olympic Games. They’re not like other ranking events, no other competition can compare to these.

"That’s why this victory was particularly important to me, so that I could have peace and a place in Europe."

But when asked to pick his most memorable European title among the once won in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020, Sadulaev picked his first gold he won in 2014 in Finland. Wrestling at 86kg then, Sadulaev defeated Murad GAIDAROV (BLR), 5-2, in the final and outscored his opponents 50-3 in five bouts.

"The first one I ever won," he said. "It was in Finland, in the town of Vantaa, I remember. I won quite easily and confidently there. But I was probably hungry back then, and I still am now."

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW)Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) looks at his medal during the European Championships in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Sadulaev is perhaps hungry for his seventh world title that he could win later this year after winning them in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024.

"I’ve been keeping an eye on them [97kg opponents]," he said. "Unfortunately, last year I had to watch them on TV, both at the European Championships and the World Championships. So I’m keeping an eye on them, watching them, and moving forward."

But it won't be a straightforward quest. He would have to win the national championships, a virtual qualification for the World Championships.  

"If I do qualify, I think the 97kg category will be one of the most exciting World Championships in history. I really do," he said.

While that is still six months away, Sadulaev will be keen on regaining his 97kg world title which he last won five years ago in Oslo and change his record to seven-time world champion.

Akhmed USMANOV (UWW)Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) completes a takedown against Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) during the 79kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

In other marquee match on Saturday, Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) got the better of Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), 4-2, in the 79kg final. Usmanov was awarded an activity period point after Kadzimahamedau was warned for passivity in the first period.

Kadzimahamedau was put on the activity clock again in the second period and it was during this that Usmanov hit a double-leg attack to make it 3-0. When the activity clock expired, his lead extended to 4-0. It was only in the final few seconds that Kadzimahamedau managed a takedown but failed to get anything more.

David BAEV (UWW)David BAEV (UWW) celebrates his 2-1 victory over Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) in the 70kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Defending champion at 70kg David BAEV (UWW) saw off the challenge of rising star and U23 European champion Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) and retained his gold medal after a 2-1 victory in the final.

Baev needed a stepout in the second period to take a clear one-point lead and then kept Gaidarli at a distance to win his second consecutive Euro title.

Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW)Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) scores two points on Islam DUDAEV (ALB) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

At 65kg, Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) stunned the home fans by beating home-favorite and Olympic bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) in what turned out be a very one-sided final, beating Dudaev 10-0.

After a slow start to the final, it was Dudaev who blinked first, shooting for a far-fetched attack and Magomedov defended. It resulted in both wrestlers being in a tangle, but Magomedov came out on top for two points.

Magomedov wrapped his hands around Dudaev's legs and brought him down for another two points before turning him for two more, leading 6-0 at the break.

Dudaev gave up two easy takedowns in the second period as Magomedov completed the technical superiority with two minutes left in the final.

Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) celebrates after winning the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

The 57kg final saw Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) stage an impressive comeback against Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) only to be denied in the final moments. Bazarganov led 8-0 before Mekhtikhanov scored six points in the second period. But he failed to score the making winning takedown and Bazarganov took the gold medal home.

Bazarganov used a slide-by to score the opening takedown for two points before an easy snapdown gave him two more points. He also rolled Mekhtikhanov to lead 6-0 after 1:12 in the match.

His third takedown also came using a slide-by and Mekhtikhanov fell on the mat as if he did not have any defense. Bazarganov led 8-0 at the break.

Mekhtikhanov woke up in the second period and managed to score a takedown after much effort to get on board with two points. A single-leg takedown made it 8-4 as Mekhtikhanov continued to reduce the gap. He used a sweep single to take off two more points but was left with only 17 seconds to score the match winning takedown.

But Bazarganov locked fingers, fled and threw his legs back when Mekhtikhanov attacked to save his lead and win the gold medal.

Photo

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) df. Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW), 8-6

BRONZE: Aryian TIUTRIN (UWW) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 8-5
BRONZE: Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM) df. Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB), 16-6

65kg
GOLD: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Islam DUDAEV (ALB), 10-0

BRONZE: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Rashid BABAZADE (AZE), 7-0
BRONZE: Islam GUSEINOV (UWW) df. Ahmet DUMAN (TUR), 9-8

70kg
GOLD: David BAEV (UWW) df. Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA), 2-1

BRONZE: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) df. Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 4-0
BRONZE: Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) df. Mikyay NAIM (BUL), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) df. Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), 4-2 

BRONZE: Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) df. Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM), 11-1
BRONZE: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) df. Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD), 8-0

97kg
GOLD: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) df. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 14-3

BRONZE: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Richard VEGH (HUN), 5-3
BRONZE: Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL) df. Radu LEFTER (MDA), via fall (4-2)

Semifinals

61kg
SF 1: Zavur UGUEV (UWW) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), via fall (4-3)
SF 2: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) df. Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE), 9-2

74kg
SF 1: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 1-1
SF 2: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO), 1-1

86kg
SF 1: Ibragim KADIEV (UWW) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 9-4
SF 2: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Ivars SAMUSONOK (LAT), 12-2

92kg
SF 1: Ahmed BATAEV (BUL) df. Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW), 3-2
SF 2: Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) df. Samuel SCHERRER (SUI), 6-0

125kg
SF 1: Vladislav BAJCAJEV (HUN) df. Mohsen SIYAR (GER), 4-3
SF 2: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR), 3-1