18-Year-Old Nazaryan Upsets World Champion Azizli

Monday, February 10, 2020 - 20:26 By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (February 10) --- The star-studded list of Monday-night semifinalists featured countless Olympic, world and continental medalists. But it wasn't any of the well-known stars who shinned the brightest under the lights at the Pala Pellicone Arena in the seaside town of Ostia, Italy.

Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL), the barely 18-year-old baby-faced Bulgarian, was the unlikely star who blew the roof of the arena on his way to locking up a trip to the European finals.

Nazaryan rose to the occasion in his senior debut and scored the improbable come-from-behind fall over 2018 world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE). He’ll wrestle for European gold on Tuesday night, two weeks after his 18th birthday.

Nazaryan, the son of two-time Olympic champion Armen NAZARYAN (BUL), surrendered five first-period points but responded by lighting up the scoreboard with seven unanswered points before pancaking Azizli to his back for the fall.

The youngster will wrestle eighth-ranked Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) on Tuesday night for the 55kg gold medal.

Kabaloev defeated Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) in the battle of reigning world champion and returning European champion. Kabaloev, the defending European champion, avenged his world quarterfinals loss against top-ranked Tsurtsumia with a 5-2 semifinals win on Monday night.

Kabaloev will jump from fifth to second in the next rankings after locking up his finals spot. He can earn no less than 18 points, which would give him 41 Ranking Series points. He’ll hold the three-point lead over Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ).

Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) holds one finger up, signifying he'll be the top-ranked wrestler in the world at 87kg after Tuesday night's finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Lorincz Reaches Finals, Set to Take Over No. 1 Spot at 87kg
Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) gained the No. 1 ranking in the world at 87kg after going 3-0 on Monday and inserting himself into Tuesday night’s finals. He entered the European Championships ranked second in the world with 56 points and added at least 18 points to his total after he reached the European finals for the second time in his career.

If Lorincz wins gold on Tuesday night, he’ll control a 16-point advantage over Zhan BELENIUK (UKR). And even if he loses in tomorrow night’s finals, he’ll still carry a 14-point lead over Beleniuk, the reigning world champion, heading into the final Ranking Series event.

Lorincz cruised to a 6-1 semifinals victory over Islam ABBASOV (AZE) and will take on Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) for the 87kg European title.

Novikov, who is stepping in for Beleniuk, capped off his run to the finals with wins over two-time world champion Metehan BASAR (TUR) and four-time age-group world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS).

Novikov stole his finals appearance from Komarov, who led 1-1 with six seconds left. The Ukranian locked up a front head pinch and transitioned into a gut wrench to steal the match from the Russian, 5-1.

Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) will wrestle Levan ARABULI (GEO) in the 130kg European finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Alexuc Ciurariu’s Win Knocks out Kayaalp from Medal Contention
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) defeated Mykola KUCHMII (UKR), 2-1, in the semifinals and knocked off four-time world champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) from European medal contention.

Kayaalp needed Kuchmii to win to pull him back into the repechage round.

The Turkish big man came into the European Championships searching for his tenth European title. Up until today, Kayaalp never finished lower than second place in his previous 11 trips to the European Championships. But a 5-1 quarterfinals loss to Kuchmii ended his streak of 11 consecutive European finals appearances.

Alexuc Ciurariu will square off with Levan ARABULI (GEO) in the 130kg finals. Arabuli annihilated Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 9-0, and will wrestle for European gold for the first time in his career. His previous highest finish came in 2017 when he finished with a bronze medal.

Zotlan LEVAI (HUN) will be ranked third in the world at 77kg after the European Championships. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Levai to Join “Little Lorincz” in Top-Three of 77kg Rankings
Thanks to Zotlan LEVAI’S (HUN) run to the European finals, Hungary will occupy two of the top three spots in the 77kg world rankings after the European Championships. Reigning world champion Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) is ranked first, and Levai will climb from 11th to third after the conclusion of the European finals.

Levai, who won the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event three weeks ago, was ranked 11th with 16 points. But after making the finals, Levai will depart Rome with no less than 20 Ranking Series points, moving him ahead of Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) for the third spot in the rankings.

Levai shutout Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR), 9-0, in the semifinals, and will take on Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) on Tuesday night. The Azeri also picked up a shutout win in his semifinals match. He blanked Karapet CHALYAN (ARM), 3-0.

Labazanov and Nehoda Stop 2018 European Finals Rematch from Happening
Ibragim LABAZANOV (RUS) and Maksim NEHODA (BLR) scored wins in their semifinal matches and stopped the 2018 European finals rematch between Mihai MIHUT (ROU) and Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) from happening.

Labazanov collected an inactivity point and a pair of exposures from the par terre position and did his part in stopping the potential continental finals rematch from taking place. He defeated Mihut, 5-1, after trailing 1-0.

Nehoda blocked Berge from reaching the European finals for the third consecutive year. He scored a second-period inactivity point and a two-point exposure after trailing 1-0 and claimed the 3-1 victory over the 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medalist.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD - Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) vs. Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL)
SEMIFINAL - Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), 5-2
SEMIFINAL - Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), via fall

63kg
GOLD - Ibragim LABAZANOV (RUS) vs. Maksim NEHODA (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Maksim NEHODA (BLR) df. Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR), 3-1
SEMIFINAL - Ibragim LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU), 5-1

77kg
GOLD - Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) vs. Zotlan LEVAI (HUN)
SEMIFINAL - Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) df. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM), 3-0
SEMIFINAL - Zotlan LEVAI (HUN) df. Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR), 7-0

87kg
GOLD - Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) vs. Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
SEMIFINAL - Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 6-1
SEMIFINAL - Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) df. Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS), 5-1

130kg
GOLD - Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) vs. Levan ARABULI (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Levan ARABULI (GEO) df. Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 9-0
SEMIFINAL - Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) df. Mykola KUCHMII (UKR), 2-1

SCHEDULE

Tuesday (February 11)
8:30 - Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
8:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
15:30 - Technical conference – all WW teams
15:30 -Draw WW – All weight categories
16:45 - Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
18:00 - Award ceremonies

Wednesday (February 12)
8:30 - Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
8:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
16:45 - Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18:00 - Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Award ceremonies

Thursday (February 13)
8:30 - Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
8:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
14:00 - Technical conference – all FS teams
14:00 - Draw FS – All weight categories
16:45 - page4image515539072Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18:00 - Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18:00 - Award ceremonies

Friday (February 14)
8:30 - Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
8:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
16:45 - Semi Final FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
18:00 - Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18:00 -Award ceremonies

Saturday (February 15)
8:30 - Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
8:45 - Medical Examination & Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
16:45 - Semi Final FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
18:00 - Award ceremonies

Sunday (February 16)
8:30 - Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
16:00 - Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Award ceremonies
21:30 - Final banquet

#UWWAwards

Ono, Bondar, Hedayati named UWW's Rising Stars for 2024

Thursday, December 12, 2024 - 15:56 By Vinay Siwach

United World Wrestling has named Masanosuke ONO (JPN), Iryna BONDAR (UKR) and Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) as the Emerging Stars of the Year in Freestyle, Women's Wrestling and Greco-Roman for 2024.

Masanosuke ONO (JPN)

A storm hit the wrestling world late in the season. 20-year-old Masanosuke ONO (JPN) went on a rampage at the U20 and senior World Championships, winning both titles.

He first competed internationally at the Yasar Dogu tournament in March this year, winning the gold medal in a 28-wrestler 61kg bracket. Then he moved up to 65kg for the Asian Championships in Bishkek. However, he suffered a fall against Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) in his first bout. He returned to win the bronze medal.

That loss against Tumur Ochir would be a distant memory as Ono went on to win gold at the U20 World Championships, winning three out of four bouts via technical superiority. Then came the World Championships Tirana with Ono being a dark horse.

He quickly changed that to the favorite to win the gold medal as he opened with a huge 10-2 win over Tokyo Olympic champion Zavur UGUEV (AIN). He went on to add four more wins for the gold medal with scores reading 12-0, 11-0, 12-0 and 10-0.

Ono, currently a student at Yamanashi Gakuin University, earned new fans in Tirana with his dynamic style of wrestling and his celebrations. Most fans are glued to their seats when Ono is on the mat as in Tirana as he showed his range of attacks, from leg attacks to par terre and from upper body throws to leg laces.

Iryna BONDAR (UKR) won six gold medals, including two at world championships, this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

Among one of the most active wrestlers this year, Iryna BONDAR (UKR) clearly emerges as the future star in the making.

Bondar has competed at a staggering eight tournaments this year and won gold medals at six. Bondar began the year with an eighth-place finish at the Zagreb Open, her first senior competition, but then began a prolific run of winning gold medals at all age-group tournaments.

Bondar began with the U23 European Championships, added the second at the Budapest Ranking Series before adding the gold at the U20 European Championships. Then came the World Championships season. She won the U20 World Championships gold medal at 62kg, a month later she added the U23 World Championships gold medal at 62kg.

She could have capped off her season on a high but she participated in her first senior World Championships days after the U23 event. Wrestling at 65kg, she suffered a close loss to Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN).

In the four championships this year, Bodnar has outscored her opponents 155-25 in 18 bouts. Before that loss in Tirana, she was on a 24-0 winning run this year.

Bondar has been an active wrestler on the tour and won medals at the U20, U23 World Championships before, finishing with silvers and bronzes. However, the gold rush came this year.

Her form at 62kg makes her the heir apparent to two-time Olympic medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) who recently won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) won the 130kg gold at the U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)

While a lot can be said about Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) and his age-group world titles, his stunned the wrestling world in Budapest this year.

At the Budapest Ranking Series in July, a tune-up tournament for the Paris Olympics, Hedayati shocked world and Olympic champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) at Greco-Roman 130kg with a 4-0 win. Hedayati broke the Turkish legend in the six-minute bout and claimed the most famous win of his career so far.

Hedayati has been knocking on the 130kg door of the Iran team for long but Olympic bronze medalist Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is still holding the spot. But the 2024 year has further Hedayati's claim over it.

Beginning the year with the Zagreb Open Ranking Series, Hedayati won he gold medal at 130kg with victories over Laszlo DARABOS (HUN), Wenhao JIANG (CHN), Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) and Lingzhe MENG (CHN).

Then came the 2024 Vehbi Emre tournament in which he challenged Mirzazadeh for the spot on Iran team but suffered a loss, his only of the season. He bounced back quickly from that and won the Budapest Ranking Series gold medal. Hedayati's style an be gauged with the fact that he did no give up a single point in three bouts in Budapest, making him a highly active wrestler.

He capped off the year with his first U23 World Championships gold medal at 130kg in Tirana. Hedayati's golden run included victories over some of the biggest names in age-group wrestling like Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN), Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), Hamza BAKIR (TUR).

Only Vyshnyvetskyi, who defeated Hedayati for the gold at the U20 World Championships in 2022, was able to score points on Hedayati when he hit an arm-throw. However, even in that bout, the Iranian never looked in any trouble.

Hedayati's active wrestler makes it difficult for his opponents to get him in forced par terre, making it difficult for them to score.

18-Year-Old Nazaryan Upsets World Champion Azizli

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Ono, Bondar, Hedayati named UWW's Rising Stars for 2024