#BuchaWrestU23

2017 Senior World Champion Fumita (JPN) Among #BuchaWrestU23 Semifinalists

By Taylor Miller

Photo: Kenchiro FUMITA (JPN) celebrates a World title at the 2017 Senior World Championships in Paris. Photo by Tony Rotundo.

BUCHAREST, Romania – After a full morning of Greco-Roman wrestling, the semifinals are set for the other five weights at the 2018 U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania.Among those that advanced to the semifinals, there is a 2017 Senior World champion, a U23 World champion, two Junior World champions and two other U23 World semifinalists.

2017 Senior World champion Kenchiro FUMITA (JPN) moved on to the semifinals after a close call against Armen MELIKYAN (ARM) in the quarterfinals. Tonight, Fumita will face Mehdi Seifollah MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI).

Two-time Junior World champion Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) defeated 2016 Junior World champion Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO) in a tight 5-4 match to land a spot in the semifinals. Mammadov will go against 2017 and 2018 Junior World champion Kerim KAMAL (TUR).

Facing each other in the 67 kg semifinals is 2017 U23 World silver medalist Alen MIRZOIAN (RUS) and 2018 Senior World fifth-placer and 2016 Junior World bronze medalist Mohamed Ibrahim ELSAYED (EGY).

The other semifinal pits 2012 Cadet World champion Karim JAFAROV (AZE) against Otto LOSONCZI (HUN).

Battling for a spot in the finals at 72 kg will be Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR) and Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) on the top side of the bracket. To get to the semis, Politaiev pinned 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist Armen HAKOBYAN (ARM) with a first-period fall. Arslan took out 2014 Youth Olympic champion and 2016 Junior World bronze medalist Islambek DADOV (AZE) in the quarters.

On the bottom side, it will be 2016 Junior World silver medalist Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ) against two-time Junior World champion and 2011 Cadet World champion Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO).

At 82 kg, 2017 U23 World silver medalist Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) wrestled his way to the semifinals and will face Takahiro TSURUDA (JPN) tonight.

On the other side of the bracket, home country’s Nicu OJOG (ROU), a 2015 Cadet World bronze medalist, will face two-time Junior African champion Ahmed Hassan AHMED (EGY), who, earlier in the day, knocked off the returning U23 World champion Vaag MARGARIAN (RUS) with a fall.

2017 U23 World champion Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS) defeated 2015 Junior World champion Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) in the quarterfinals to advance to the 97 kg semifinals. There, he will take on 2016 Junior World champion Giorgi MELIA (GEO).

The final semifinal of the night will feature three-time age-group World medalist Zsolt TOEROEK (HUN) and Ali Akbar HEIDARI (IRI).

The semifinals are set for 5:15 p.m. local time (10:15 a.m. ET). Fans can watch live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Semifinal matchups

60 kg
Kenchiro FUMITA (JPN) vs. Mehdi Seifollah MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. Kerim KAMAL (TUR)

67 kg
Otto LOSONCZI (HUN) vs. Karim JAFAROV (AZE)
Alen MIRZOIAN (RUS) vs. Mohamed Ibrahim ELSAYED (EGY)

72 kg
Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR) vs. Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) vs. Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ)

82 kg
Takahiro TSURUDA (JPN) vs. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Nicu OJOG (ROU) vs. Ahmed Hassan AHMED (EGY)

97 kg
Ali Akbar HEIDARI (IRI) vs. Zsolt TOEROEK (HUN)
Giorgi MELIA (GEO) vs. Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS)

#WrestleAthens

Wrestling World U17 C'ships: Freestyle Live Results

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- The World U17 Championships will be moving to Freestyle action with 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

14:30: The big three at 110kg -- Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW), Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI) and LACKY (IND) -- win their respective quarterfinals and enter the semifinals.

14:15: Zhakshylyk BOROBAEV (KGZ) thought he had the win at 55kg. But Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) still had something in him and then. He scores a takedown manages to turn Borobaev for two more points and lead 9-8. He is ecstatic! He will wrestle Burnett later.

14:00: Greyton BURNETT (USA) shuts down Jaiveer SINGH (IND) and gets a 3-0 win over Singh at 55kg. Burnett gave no opening to Singh to score.

13:45: Big match on Mat A at 65kg between Asian U17 champion Gaurav PUNIA (IND) and Pan-Am U17 champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA). Punia tries a leg-attack but Kikinou with a counter and turn for two points. Punia with a reversal. Kikinou led 3-1 at the break. Punia gets the exposure for two points to take a 3-3 criteria lead but Kikinou manages to put Punia in danger in the same scramble which makes it 5-3 for him. Kikinou cautioned for fleeing but he wins 5-4.

13:35: Morteza HAJ (IRI) gets a takedown in the final seconds to beat Ivan ZALISKO (UKR) at 65kg. Zalisko led 4-4 on criteria but Haj makes a  big comeback.

13:10: LACKY (IND) gut-wrenches Hanto HAYASHI (JPN) and wins his 110kg bout 10-0. He is looking to add a world title to his Asian title he won in June

13:06: In a match that saw six stepouts, Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IR) manages keep his breath and beat Zekeriya DOGAN (TUR) 6-2 at 110kg.

12:56: Aaron STEWART (USA) cuts shorts Marshall EVERETT JONES (GBR) tournament with an 11-0 hammering at 80kg. Stewart just overpowered Everett Jones.

12:55: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) hands Mohammadreza BARARI (IRI) a 4-1 loss at 55kg. Solid positioning from Okonogi. Barari's tactics of keeping it slow did not work out.

12:45: Nihad SULEYMANLI (AZE) is shocked after Issa ZANGIEV (UWW) gets front roll for two points and wins the 80kg 1/8 final 6-5. Suleymanli did well to keep his lead but failed in the final second. Azerbaijan challenges but it loses it. Zangiev wins 7-5

12:35: Greyton BURNETT (USA) gets a takedown with 20 seconds remaining to lead 3-1 against Armen PAPIKYAN (ARM) who needed a two-point technique to win. He however gets one a stepout. Burnett wins 3-2 at 55kg.

12:27Asian U17 champion Gourav PUNIA (IND) like a workhorse with five takedowns and he defeats Kodai IWASAKI (JPN) 10-0 at 65kg.

12:25: Adisbek ALTYNBEKOV (KGZ) went five on Kiryl PAULIUCHENKA (UWW), not once but twice to win his 65kg match 10-0. Those were some high level throws from the Kyrgyz, a bronze medalist from Asian U17 Championships

12:05: Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW), European champion at 110kg, begins with a 11-0 win over Yu Chiao CHUANG (TPE), who had his own troubles with bleeding. He needed several medical timeouts

11:45: Marshall EVERETT JONES (GBR), European U17 bronze medalist, comes out with a huge underhook throw for four and then rolls Levan CHERTKOEV (FRA) to win 10-0 at 80kg.

11:40: Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) keeps his strong positions and beats Buyantogtokh BYAMBADORJ (MGL) 7-2 at 80kg to give Iran the third win of the day. Iran is hoping to reclaim the U17 team title.

11:19: European champion Ruslan ALIZADA (AZE) has no trouble seeing off Dan BULGARU (MDA) 10-0 at 55kg. Alizada is one of more exciting prospects in this Azerbaijan team.

11:15: Iran with back-to-back wins! Morteza HAJ (IRI) beats Yandro SOTO RIVERA (PUR) at 65kg and Mohammadreza BARARI (IRI) defends a late attack from Aleksandar DELCHEV (BUL) to win at 55kg.

11:05: Asian U17 champion Gourav PUNIA (IND) slams Changxin WU (CHN) for a big four and then exposes his two times to win 11-0 at 65kg.

10:50: Quick results at 65kg as Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UWW) beats Nikos SOURAILOV (CYP) 10-0, followed by European U17 silver medalist Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) getting a 4-2 win over Liam GORTON (CAN). Pan-Am champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) also has a technical superiority win over Nikita KOZICH (ISR).

10:30: Freestyle action will take centerstage at the World U17 Championships in Athens. The United States will once again be favorite to win the team title but Iran will look to challenge them.