Award Season

2017 Comeback Wrestlers of the Year

Sunday, December 24, 2017 - 23:32 By Eric Olanowski

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After incredible comebacks in 2017, Jordan Burroughs (USA), Vanesa Kaladzinskaya (BLR), and Frank Staebler (GER) have earned the 2017 Comeback Wrestlers of the Year award.

74kg - Jordan Burroughs (USA)
Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs (USA) was coming off an Olympic Games where his hand was only raised once. Leaving Rio, Burroughs was slotted as the ninth best wrestler at the Olympic Games.

After surviving a scare from Ali SHABANAU (BLR) in round one of the World Championships, Burroughs rallied off two technical superiority victories to reach the 74kg semifinals. Burroughs avenged one of his two Rio losses, defeating Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB), 6-5. In the finals, Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) led with one minute remaining, but Burroughs tallied back-to-back takedowns to lock up the 9-6 win.

53kg - Vanesa Kaladzinskaya (BLR)
Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) won the 2012 World Championship at 48kg. Since then, her highest finish at a world championship came in 2014 where she finished in 25th place.

In the world finals, the five-time world team member found herself four points away from giving up a technical superiority victory to 2016 world champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN). Kaladzinskaya outscored Mukaida 8-0 to capture her second world title.

71kg - Frank Staebler (GER)
Frank Staebler (GER), the 2015 world champion, went into Rio as one of the favorites to win the 66kg weight class. Staebler’s one win at the Olympic Games was only good enough for a seventh-place finish.

Up a weight, Staebler clearly wrestled with a chip on his shoulder in the 2017 World Championships. He knocked off 2015 world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) in the second round. Staebler regained his world title by winning four additional matches, including an 8-3 win in the finals over Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ).

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 Freestyle Live Blog

Sunday, June 1, 2025 - 02:15 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 1) -- The fourth and final day of the Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 will see seven weight classes in Freestyle with Olympic bronze medalist AMAN (IND) returning as well.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

14:15: Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW) has a rematch with Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) after beating Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) 12-1 in the 125kg semifinal. Mukhtur defeated Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL) 5-0.

14:05: Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) makes it to the final at 97kg and the small crowd here is all for it. He defeated VICKY (IND) 4-2 in the semifinal, a match the Indian complained of wrong score on the scoreboard.

He will face Ahmad BAZRI (IRI) in the final after the Iranian won 8-0 over Resul GUNE (TUR) in the other semifinal.

13:50: In the 79kg semifinals, Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) with a fall over Dalaitseren JAVKHLANKHUU (MGL) and Fariborz BABAEIR (IRI) with a controlled win over AMIT (IND).

13:33: Mohammadali AMOUZAD (IRI) with a last-ditch attempt to win against Aliakbar FAZLI (IRI) but his head pinch is only worth two points as he goes down 10-6 in the 70kg semifinal. Fazli trailed 4-1 but scored consistently to make it 9-4 before Amouzad got two points to exposure, too little too late. 

Konstantin KAPRYNOV (UWW) needs only two minutes and 26 seconds to finish his semifinal against Usukhbayar BAATARKHUU (MGL) and win 10-0.

13:20: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) holds off Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) for a 3-3 win in the 65kg semifinal and enter the final in which he will face Dzhambulat KIZINOV (UWW) who proved extremely strong for Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ) and won 9-3.

13:11: Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) takes out compatriot Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) 9-1 in the other 61kg semifinal and he will wrestle UDIT (IND) in the final.

13:10: UDIT (IND) reaches the final at 61kg with a 2-1 win over Artem GOBAEV (UWW). A takedown in the first period the difference between the two. The one point for Gobaev came from a lost challenge from India.

13:00: Another disappointing semifinal loss for India at 57kg as RAHUL (IND) falls to Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) 6-3 after the Mongolian scored three takedowns in the first period and defended his lead.

12:55: Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) two huge four-pointers which set up his 14-11 win over AMAN (IND), the Paris Olympic bronze medalist from India. Aman maintained continued pressure and scored at regular intervals. However, Bravo Young never let the lead swell too much. Aman led 11-10 in the final 20 seconds when Bravo Young scored a takedown and turn to win 14-11, ultimately called a pin.

Semifinals begins straightaway on Mat A and B

12:45: In the final match of the qualifications round, Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) wins 6-2 against Narantulga DARMAABAZAR (MGL) in Round 3 at 125kg.

12:35: Aliakbar FAZLI (IRI) with a takedown with less than 30 seconds left in the match to claim a 5-1 win over Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) at 70kg. Fazli got a point for stepout during his activity period to take a 1-0 lead. Tumur Ochir took the 1-1 criteria lead after Fazli was called passive in the second period. However, Fazli got behind and then scored a takedown. Tumur Ochir was cautioned for fleeing but Mongolia challenged the call which was upheld and it lost the challenge making the score 5-1.

12:23: Mohammadali AMOUZAD (IRI), the twin brother of Paris Olympic silver medalist Rahman, with a clutch takedown over Vishal KALIRAMANA (IND) from disadvantageous position to win 3-2 at 70kg.

12:10: Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) with a bodylock throw for four and then laces ROHIT (IND) for an 11-0 victory at 65kg to enter the semifinals.

11:55: Iran's Ahmad BAZRI (IRI) opens his campaign at 97kg with a 4-0 win against Irbeg TAVGAZOV (UWW). Bazri will wrestle Resul GUNE (TUR) in the semifinal after he defeated Bady SAMDAN (UWW) via fall.

11:46: Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), silver medalist from Asian Championships, gets his first win of the day with a 6-0 shutout of AMIT (IND) at 79kg.

11:40: Asian silver medalist UDIT (IND) with a solid 11-0 win over Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ) in the quarterfinals at 61kg. Great defense whenever Myrzanazar Uulu tried attacks.

11:30: Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) beats compatriot Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL) 7-3 to book a semifinal spot at 57kg against RAHUL (IND) who defeated Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ).

11:20: Pan-Am champion Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) starts off at 57kg with a 12-2 win over Bekir KESER (TUR). With the win, he gets a shot at Paris bronze AMAN (IND) in the semifinals.

11:13: Zagir SHAKHIEV (UWW), the 2021 world champion at 65kg and hoping to make a comeback to international wrestling at 70kg, drops his opening bout to Konstantin KAPRYNOV (UWW). He gives up two stepouts and a takedown and scores only one stepout as Kaprynov wins 5-1. Kaprynov was silver medalist at the Yarygin tournament to David BAEV (UWW) this year.

11:10: Paris bronze medalist AMAN (IND), wrestling first time since the Games in August 2024, starts off with an 11-1 win over Almaz SAMABEKOV (KGZ). Typical Aman win where he wears his opponents out and then scores his takedowns. 

10:52: In 125kg Round 1, Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW) started off well with two stepouts but world medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) rallies his attacks and wins 9-1.

10:48: Olympian Georgii OKOROKOVV (AUS) was almost pulling off a huge upset against Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ), taking a 6-0 lead but his conditioning gave up on him and Myrzanazar Uulu wins 13-6 at 61kg. As it is a round-robin bracket, Okorovv will wrestle again.

10:40: RAHUL (IND) with an upset win over European U23 champion Lev PAVLOV (UWW) at 57kg. Pavlov was warned for being passive in the first period which gave Rahul the 1-0 lead. But there was no change in Pavlov's intent in the second period and was warned again which made it 2-0 for Rahul. A beautiful duck under from Rahul for a takedown extended his lead 4-0. Pavlov, who had been warned for finger-grabbing before, was cautioned again and Rahul got one point. That was all as Rahul won 5-0.

10:36: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) begins his 57kg campaign with a 12-2 win over Jiguur SARANTUYA (MGL) which included a huge arm throw for four points.

10:30: The Ulaanbaatar Open enters its last day with Freestyle action in 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, 97kg and 125kg.