Books

New Book Released on the Educational Value of Wrestling

Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 13:43 By United World Wrestling Press

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SOFIA, Bulgaria (July 18) -- The Secretary General of the Bulgarian Olympic committee and President of the UWW Ethical and Legal Commission Mr. Beltcho GORANOV  and professor Lozan MITEV presented their book, "The Educational Values of Wrestling" at the National Museum of Archeology in Sofia, Bulgaria.

"You will not find any techniques, tactics or ranking in this book,” said Goranov. "It is about the human qualities and shows how this ancient sport leads you to struggle to overcome yourself and your own fears. If you manage to overcome them, you are the winner!"

The completion of the project has taken almost a year of researching and enhanced work. The idea emerged when Mr. Goranov and Prof. Mitev worked on a study on the occasion of the Bulgarian participation in the First Modern Olympic Games Athens 1896. "Then Prof. Lozan Mitev discovered the first interview of Panayot Belev, leader of the Bulgarian delegation and that is how it all started...", the General Secretary of the Bulgarian Olympic committee added.

The book studies the history of wrestling worldwide and its impact on those who have got in touch with it. It tracks its development as an educational tool during the centuries. Other accents are an overview of the educational systems and the Olympic concept as a part of the modern athlete’s education. The book was published in French, English and now also in Bulgarian and Russian.

“This book is a synthesis of the best in Sport, Art and Pedagogy. It tells us about the moral, human and sport maturing and education of young people as a continuous process, subject to two main factors – Will and Dream. The main merit of this book is that it follows the development of this unity through the centuries as one of the paths of Humanism, as a constant struggle for perfection, development, triumph and unity of will and dream”, Assoc. Prof. Efrem Efremov, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Journalism and Mass communications of the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” said in his speech during the presentation.

The ceremony was attended also by the Minister of Youth and Sport Mr. Krasen Kralev. “The contemporary values that we speak so much about in our United Europe like integrity, morality, tolerance are at the same time core values in Sport and in Wrestling. Therefore, I endlessly admire those researchers who managed to explore in such depth the main processes in the public life and to describe them, and  to narrate them to us,” Minister Kralev said.

He pointed out that the wrestling is not only the most successful Bulgarian sport but also the oldest Olympic sport.

“Our ancient predecessors discovered the magic and values of this sport millennia ago. Wrestling needs people like professor Mitev and Beltcho Goranov. You probably remember how only several years ago the big wrestling family managed to preserve this magnificent sport for the Olympic Family,” Mr. Kralev added. He congratulated the authors on the completion of this project and the enormous effort, as well as their overall contribution to the development of Bulgarian sport.

"This book is another look at the struggle, but also the Sport, based on the human values of the personality. It shows us the fighting of two persons, the sense of self-realization, but also the respect to the opponent. The book presents variants of training and education, and also shows that Sport is a tool of overcoming difficulties and challenges, but also a way of realizing the personality. It is very useful and interesting book", said Mr. Tzeno Tzenov, President of the UWW European Council.

Among the guests of the event were the double Olympic champions in Wrestling Mr. Boyan Radev and Mr. Petar Kirov, the Secretary General of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation Mr. Valentin Raychev, the Rector of the National Sports Academy Prof. Pencho Geshev, sports officials and media.

2026 Muhamet Malo

Live Updates: 2026 Muhamet Malo Ranking Series Day 2

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 - 23:08 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (February 26) -- The Muhamet Malo Ranking Series event is being held in Tirana, Albania. On day two of the competition, Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) will be in action at 97kg along with world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA). Other weight classes in action are 79kg, 92kg and 125kg. Women's Wrestling will also being with 50kg and 55kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS | SNYDER vs SADULAEV

Women's Wrestling

14:50: 55kg semifinals - Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) with a takedown with four seconds left to beat European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) at 55kg. Trailing 3-1, she got Verbina down on the edge to take a 3-3 criteria lead. Verbina challenged only to lose it and drop the semifinal 4-3.

Malanchuk will face Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ) in the final after the Kazakhstan wrestler pinned Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER).

14:40: 50kg semifinals - Asian bronze medalist Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) with an excellent win over MUSKAN (IND) at 50kg. She uses the snap to score three different takedowns to lead 8-1 at the break. She shoots an early takedown and then a turn to finish the bout 12-1.

She will another Indian, Priyanshi PARAJAPAT (IND), in the final after the Indian pinned Valeriia TIUKPIEKOVA (UWW)

Freestyle

14:35: 125kg semifinals - Mason PARRIS (USA) dumps Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) for four points to complete a stunning 14-3 win at 125kg. He will face a stiff challenge in the final against Abdulla KURBANOV (UWW), who defeated Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 9-1.

14:25: 97kg semifinals - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) is so quick! He opens with a fireman's carry to throw Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) and then turns two times to lead 8-0. A reversal gives Aitmukhan a point before he adds a stepout to make it 8-2. Sadulaev scores a takedown and then manages only a point when Aitmukhan defends a takedown but goes out of bounds. Sadulaev leads 11-2 at the break. Aitmukhan manages a stepout but Sadulaev hits a front headlock turn for two points to complete a 13-3 victory. Aitmukhan asks for a stepout with a challenges but loses it, making Sadulaev's score 14-3

Sadulaev will have Mukhammed KHANIEV (UWW) in the final with spot in the European Championships spot on the line. Khaniev, who defeated Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the quarters, gets a 10-0 victory over Magomedkhan MOGAMEDOV (AZE) in the semifinals.

14:15: 92kg semifinals - Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) works on several different takedowns and shuts down Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ), 10-0, in the semifinal. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) will challenge Firouzpour in the final after he beats Ahmed BATAEV (BUL), 4-0. Two points for two passivity calls against Bataev and a takedown from Maisuradze to complete the victory.

14:00: 79kg semifinals - Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) takes 35 seconds to beat Sagar JAGLAN (IND), 10-0, using a gut-wrench. Nokhodi will face Dean HAMITI (USA) for the gold medal. Cameron AMINE (USA) and Dean HAMITI (USA) opened the semis with fireworks with the latter taking a 4-2 lead. However, they both wore down. Hamiti hangs on for a 5-3 win.

Semifinals will begin with 79kg. Followed by 92kg, 97kg and 125kg. Women's Wrestling will follow with 50kg and 55kg

13:45: In the last quarterfinal, Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) beats Benjamin HONIS (ITA), 13-0 and sets up a semifinal against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) at 97kg 

So far, Mukhammed KHANIEV (UWW) stunned world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the quarterfinals at 97kg with a 10-4 victory, denying a final between Snyder and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW).

Sadulaev on the other hand has made it to the semifinals with in what has looked like a rather easy outing. If he faces Khaniev in the final, the winner will go the the European Championships.

13:20: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (USA) had worked up an 8-0 lead inside the first minute but Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ) injured his elbow in that exchange with Sadulaev. Initially looked a serious injury but Bekenov manages to stand up, holding his elbow. Sadulaev into the semifinals at 97kg

13:10: Kyle SNYDER (USA) facing Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) in the quarterfinals at 97kg. Khaniev is called passive and he gives up a point but manages to score exposure point in on exchange. Snyder with a stepout but Khaniev holds 2-2 criteria. Snyder open second period with two stepouts to take a 4-2 lead. Khaniev fires a leg-attack and converts it into a takedown to make it 4-4 and lead on criteria. He shoots another similar attack and scores another takedown before countering a fake shot from Snyder to make it 8-4 with less than a minute left. One way traffic as Khaniev manages to hold his ground against Snyder and complete a 10-4 victory to advance to the semifinals.

13:00: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) got thrown for a four by Giorgi MESHDESHVILI (AZE) but he comes back with a takedown and powerful gut wrench to take an 11-4 lead. He then scores another takedown and turn to win 15-4. All in the first period at 125kg

12:50: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) hands Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) a 7-2 loss at 79kg. Nokhodi led 4-0 at the break before working a takedown and another point. Gadzhiev managed to score a takedown at the buzzer but Nokhodi in total control of that match. 

12:30: European champion and world silver medalist Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) keeps Aleksandra SKIRENKO (UWW) at a distance and wins 6-2 at 55kg. Slow start to the match before Verbina manages to open up and score takedowns.

12:22: World champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) returns to the same venue he won his sixth world title. He is facing Jointy KUMAR (IND) in his first bout. Sadulaev with patiently waits and doesn't get involved much. Kumar gets called passive in the first period and gives up a point. Sadulaev is quick and scores a takedown soon after and turns Kumar to lead 5-0. A fireman's takedown from Sadulaev and he secures the fall over Kumar to win his first bout at 97kg.

12:15: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) with a quick victory over VICKY (IND) at 97kg. Four takedowns and two stepouts for a 10-0 blanking of the Indian wrestlers. Aitmukhan will face Benjamin HONIS (ITA) in the quarterfinals

12:10: Kyle SNYDER (USA) lost his balance and Radu LEFTER (MDA) used that moment to trip him for four which made the score line 5-4, though in favor of Snyder, in their 97kg bout. But Snyder worked on two more takedowns to beat Lefter 9-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

11:50: Former U23 European champion Giorgi IVANOV (BUL) dumps Trent HIGLER (USA) for a four-pointer in the first period and then control the bout thoroughly to win 7-2 at 125kg.

11:40: Mason PARRIS (USA) overcomes a 4-2 deficit in a very draining 125kg bout to beat Omar SAREM (ROU) and advances with a 15-5 victory. Parris was made to work hard for that win.

11:35: World silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) uses the gut-wrench and chalks up a 12-2 technical superiority win over Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM) at 125kg

11:25: SWEETY (IND) with a dominant 13-1 victory over Natalia WALCZAK (POL) at 50kg. Sweety in total control of that bout and she moves into the quarterfinals

11:15: Svenja JUNGO (SUI) with a late takedown to get a tough 3-1 victory over Agata GOLUCHOWSKA WALERZAK (POL) at 50kg. The Poland wrestler had a 1-1 criteria lead but Jungo with a match-winning takedown

11:00: At 92kg, Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) starts with a 9-2 win over Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ). Firouzpour hit a four-pointer when Dauletbekov was trying to scamper out of a tie. He then added a stepout to lead 5-0 at the break. No more points in the bout.

10:45: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), a world champion at 92kg in 2023, had built an 8-0 lead against Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) in their 97kg bout but seemed to struggle in the second period. However, he manages to defend that lead and win 8-5

10:40: Kyle SNYDER (USA) was first up on Mat and he warms up with a 3-0 win over Ertugrul AGCA (GER). Takedown in the first period and a stepout in the second as Snyder moves into the second round at 97kg. He can face Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW), only if both make the final

10:35: Richard VEGH (HUN) scored nine stepouts against AKASH (IND) and got one point for caution against the Indian as he wins the opening bout at 97kg 10-0. Victory via stepouts if we may

10:20: Welcome to the second day of the Muhamet Malo in Tirana. The Snyder vs Sadulaev chapter five is expected today. Both wrestlers will face each other only if they reach the final.