Abakarov, Gadzhiev Hungry for More after Taking Azerbaijan to Team Title

Sunday, March 13, 2022 - 20:12 By Vinay Siwach

PLOVDIV, Bulgaria (March 13) -- Azerbaijan could not have asked for better preparation for the senior European Championships. It won four gold and three bronze at the U23 European Championships to claim the freestyle team title to make a serious statement before Budapest.

Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) and Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) were the two stars Sunday as they won the gold at 74kg and 86kg respectively, further establishing themselves as big names in the two Olympic weight classes.

Abakarov, who won a bronze medal at the Oslo World Championships, needed only 42 seconds against Lilian BALAN (MDA) to win 10-0. A combination of arm trap and gut-wrench helped him to win the gold with ease but he is looking at the bigger picture.

"I could win easily today," Abakarov said. "But this competition is not the main one since I compete at the senior level.

"For me, the senior European Championship is more important now. I haven’t been training for a while because of the injury and this was a trial event for me."

Since jumping to 86kg in 2020 in a bid to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, Abakarov has had mixed success. But he wants to start this Olympic cycle on a better note.

"I feel that I can compete at a higher level," he said. "I hope I’ll be a leader of this weight class by the time of the Paris Olympics."

That will take some doing as Olympic champion David TAYLOR (USA) and world champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) have dominated the weight class for more than six years now. Abakarov wrestled Taylor in Oslo and even scored points on him before losing.

"It was our first match and next time I’ll be more confident," he said. "I’ll be ready to wrestle against the leaders. I should work on my physical shape as all the wrestlers from this weight category like Taylor, Yazdani, Naifonov are physically very well prepared."

The former U23 world silver medalist also praised fellow gold medalists Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Gadzhiev.

"I think that Gadzhiev at 74kg is good enough to compete at senior level," he said. "Bayramov at 65kg is also a good wrestler even though he is still young [21-years-old]. In a year or two, he will compete against the leaders."

Dzhabrail GAZHIEV (AZE), blue, is now a two-time U23 European champion. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Gadzhiev wrestled for the full period of his 74kg final against Krisztian BIRO (ROU) and won 8-1. After being called passive in the first period, he went for a four-pointer and lead 4-1. He then earned two more points with a double-leg and continued for a leg-lace to make it 8-1. He was happy to hold on to his lead until the clock expired.

"Everything worked out successfully," Gadzhiev said. "It wasn’t easy at all. All the wrestlers are well prepared. But it's Azerbaijan's common success and our hard work."

Gadzhiev had won the 70kg U23 European title last year but he thinks that 74kg is a better category for him. But Azerbaijan has a two-way battle at 74kg with U23 world champion and Tokyo Olympian Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) also looking to stay at the same weight. But the two wrestled in the final at the Dan Kolov Invitation tournament last month with Gadzhiev winning the bout 2-1.

"At 74kg all the wrestlers are very good, but I want to be the leader," he said. "If I really want to achieve results, with the help of God I will get it. I came here with my coaches to become a champion. It was my prior intention to win the European championship."

Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) won the gold medal 61kg. (Photo: UWW / Konstadin Andonov)

Turkey also won two gold medals but finished eight points behind Azerbaijan in the team race with 151 points. Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) defeated Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 4-1 in the 61kg final while Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) beat Joshua MORODION (GER), 10-0 in the 92kg final.

Ormanoglu was passive in the first period while Arsamerzouev was called passive in the second period. But the Turkey wrestler scored a stepout in the activity time to lead 2-1. Arsamerzouev tried hard to get a point for the win but failed. A desperate arm-spin ended in Ormanoglu getting a takedown and two points.

Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) won the gold medal at 92kg. (Photo: UWW / Konstadin Andonov)

At 92kg, Akturk and Morodion were involved in a slow-paced final with the former scoring all 10 points via stepout.

The fifth gold of the night went to Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) as he denied Milan KORCSOG (HUN) from becoming his country's first-ever U23 European champion. In the 8-1 win, Manashvili never looked in trouble and overpowered Korcsog.

His gold helped Georgia win the third spot in the team race as they finished with 149 points, just two behind Turkey.

A few of these wrestlers will now be in Budapest, Hungary as the action shifts to the senior European Championships, the second continental championships of the year.

Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO)

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) df Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 4-1

BRONZE: Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO) df Ruhan RASIM (BUL), 10-0
BRONZE: Norik HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df Besir ALILI (MKD), 10-0

74kg
GOLD: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) df Krisztian BIRO (ROU), 8-1

BRONZE: Vasile DIACON (MDA) df Dimitar ANGELOV (BUL), 10-3
BRONZE: Ismet CIFTCI (TUR) df Menua YARIBEKYAN (ARM), 2-1

86kg
GOLD: Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df Lilian BALAN (MDA), 10-0

BRONZE: Emre CIFTCI (TUR) df Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 4-3
BRONZE: Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) df Mher MARKOSYAN (ARM), 7-2

92kg
GOLD: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df Joshua MORODION (GER), 10-0

BRONZE: Daviti KOGUASHVILI (GEO) df Redjep HAJDARI (MKD), 10-0
BRONZE: Ilia HRISTOV (BUL) df Gheorghe ERHAN (MDA), via fall

125kg
GOLD: Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) df Milan KORCSOG (HUN), 8-1

BRONZE: Adil MISIRCI (TUR) df Lior ALTSHULER (ISR), 7-3
BRONZE: Aydin AHMADOV (AZE) df Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE), 7-3

#WrestleBudapest

Tazhudinov Battles Back for Budapest Gold Ahead of World Championships

Thursday, July 16, 2026 - 22:37 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 16) -- It was a flashback to the 2023 World Championships. A then little-known Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) turned Kyle SNYDER's (USA) double-leg attempt into a four-point throw that launched his rise to world champion.

On Thursday at the Budapest Ranking Series, Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) put Tazhudinov in almost the same position. Tazhudinov reached for the same counter. This time, it failed.

Tsakulov got the four points and a surprised Tazhudinov threw a challenge that he lost. At that point Tsakulov led the 97kg final in Budapest 5-3. Though he rallied to win the final 13-7, the difference between those two counters sums up Tazhudinov's journey over the past two years.

He won the 2023 World Championships and then stormed to the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic. Following multiple surgeries, he returned at the 2025 Budapest Ranking Series and won gold with ease.

Despite the comeback gold, Tazhudinov never looked like the dominant wrestler who swept through the 2023 Worlds and Paris Olympics. He fell in the World Championships semifinals, finished fifth at the Islamic Solidarity Games and opened 2026 with bronze at the Asian Championships after a 15-6 loss to Arash YOSHIDA (JPN).

Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) tries to counter a move from Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) during the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The final suggested that while Tazhudinov is still working his way back to his best, he is learning to win without the overwhelming dominance that once defined him.

After trailing Tsakulov, Tazhudinov regrouped and scored a stepout and exposure to take a 6-5 lead at the break. He scored another stepout in the second period to lead 7-5 but Tsakulov answered with a duckunder for two points to lead 7-7 on criteria.

With 30 seconds remaining, Tsakulov attacked the legs again and tried to finish with forward pressure. This time, Tazhudinov landed the same counter that had failed him earlier in the bout, flinging Tsakulov over for four points and an 11-7 lead. A takedown at the end gave him a 13-7 win and the gold medal, a confidence booster as he prepares to reclaim the world title in Astana.

"I had some setbacks," Tazhudinov said. "I wasn't in my best form and I wasn't fully focused, so I was extremely motivated for this tournament. I managed to get into great shape. This is the second time I've become champion at this tournament, and I'm very happy with the result."

Though he is the 97kg defending champion at the Asian Games, Tazhudinov said he is more focused on the World Championships this year.

"We have the Asian Games coming up, followed two weeks later by the World Championships," he said. "However, our main focus will be on the World Championships. I want to prepare as well as possible, reach peak form."

The World Championships in Astana will see Tazhudinov joined by world champion Snyder, Asian champion Yoshida, former Olympic champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) and potentially 97kg star Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS), among others.

Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) captured the 125kg gold medal in Budapest. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Kassimbek Earns Gold

While the spotlight at the World Championships will be on the established stars, one youngster could emerge as a surprise. U20 world champion Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) will have home-mat advantage after taking another step forward with the 125kg title in Budapest.

The 19-year-old, who won silver at the Ulaanbaatar Open in June, posted a clutch win over Asian Championships silver medalist Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) in the quarterfinals, scoring a takedown in the final 10 seconds.

Sharipov led 3-2 after a scramble in the first period and he tried defending that lead and managed to do that well. However, Kassimbek got to Sharipov's legs in the closing seconds and finished a head-outside takedown to seal a 4-3 victory before blanking BUHEEERDUN (CHN), 10-0, in the semifinals.

Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) advanced from the opposite side of the bracket but was unable to trouble Kassimbek, who claimed his first senior international gold with a 5-0 victory.

Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), blue, won the 79kg final against Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 5-1. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Asian bronze medalist Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) frustrated and defeated Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 5-1, in the 79kg final to capture his first career gold at a United World Wrestling event.

Gadzhiev was put on the activity clock and as he failed to score in the 30 seconds, Olonbayar went up 1-0. The Mongolian then scored a takedown using a leg attack to extend his lead to 3-0. A quick counter when Gadzhiev attacked the legs resulted in another takedown, making the score 5-0.

As he fell behind, frustration crept in for Gadzhiev who was warned for an eye-poke. But Olonbayar kept his cool, gave up a harmless stepout at the end and won the gold medal.

At 92kg, European champion Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) won the gold medal after Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR) injured defaulted in the final. Prior to the final ending by injury default, both Tcokaev and Aliiev scored come-from-behind victories at some stage.

Tcokaev defeated Dustin PLOTT (USA), 8-6, after falling behind early while Aliiev pinned Anton VYHIVSKYI (SVK) despite being down 9-1 at the break. He scored a takedown as soon as the second period began and again brought down the tiring Vyhivskyi to secure the fall.

Ziqi FENG (CHN) scores using the gut-wrench in the 50kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Feng Gut-Wrenches to Gold

Ziqi FENG (CHN) captured the 50kg gold medal in Women's Wrestling, showcasing the powerful gut-wrench that has long been a hallmark of Chinese Women's Wrestling. She faced unheralded Samara CHAVEZ (USA) in the final and the American scored the first takedown for two points.

However, Feng took a 2-2 criteria lead and then turned Chavez five times using a high gut-wrench to claim a 12-2 victory and the gold medal. The Paris Olympic bronze medalist had won the gold medal in Budapest in 2024 as well.

At 55kg, Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR) emerged champion after she posted a 5-0 win over Hansika LAMBA (IND) in the final.

RESULTS

Freestyle

79kg
GOLD: Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) df. Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Aykan SEID (BUL) df. Nurdaulet KUANYSHBAY (KAZ), 2-0
BRONZE: Luka CHKHITUNIDZE (GEO) df. Shamsat TAIR (KAZ), 9-8

92kg
GOLD: Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) df. Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Dustin PLOTT (USA) df. Fatih ALTUNBAS (TUR), 10-0
BRONZE: Anton VYHIVSKYI (SVK) df. Zeteny GANGL (HUN), via fall (4-0)

97kg
GOLD: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) df. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 13-7

BRONZE: Vasyl SOVA (UKR) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) df. Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR), 5-3

125kg
GOLD: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 5-0

BRONZE: Rajat RUHAL (IND) df. Mason PARRIS (USA), via inj. def.
BRONZE: BUHEEERDUN (CHN) df. Omar SAREM (ROU), 10-0

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Ziqi FENG (CHN) df. Samara CHAVEZ (USA), 12-2

BRONZE: Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU) df. Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND), 4-2
BRONZE: Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) df. Oksana LIVACH (UKR), via inj. def.

55kg
GOLD: Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR) df. Hansika LAMBA (IND), 5-0

BRONZE: Karla GODINEZ (CAN) df. Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE), 5-0
BRONZE: Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 9-8