#WrestleWarsaw

Akgul Bests Geno and Salkazanov Shocks 74kg Field in Warsaw

Tuesday, April 20, 2021 - 19:15 By Eric Olanowski

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WARSAW, Poland (April 20) – In a colossal battle of titans, Taha AKGUL (TUR) avenged his ’19 world finals loss to Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and kept his hopes of winning an eighth continental title alive.

The two superstars who have won every continental gold medal since the ’12 European Championships met early Tuesday morning in the opening round at European Championships in Poland’s Hala Widowiskowo-Sportowa COS Torwar.

“My last match before surgery was against Geno, and my first match back was against Geno,” said the Rio Olympic champion who returned from a 15-month layoff after undergoing shoulder surgery last January. He continued, saying, “It’s been well over a year since I wrestled, but I felt good. I think it’s a good point to move forward to the Olympics and I’ll continue to train and hopefully get better before Tokyo.”

Akgul put on a near-flawless performance and controlled the match from whistle to whistle. He scored a trio of takedowns against the reigning three-time world champ – two of which came from go behinds off Petriashvili’s shot attempts – and won the match 6-1.

“For me, I don’t care too much about when Geno and I wrestle. I knew we were going to wrestle at some point during the competition, so It didn’t change much whether it was in the qualification round, semifinals or finals.”

Akgul continued to roll throughout the day and picked up wins against Kamil Tomasz KOSCIOLEK (POL) and Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) en route to the 125kg finals where he’ll wrestle Russia’s Sergei KOZYREV (RUS).

Meanwhile, underdog Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) scored three shocking wins on Tuesday and punched his ticket to the 74kg finals. The former Russian-turned-Slovakian picked up wins over a two-time world champion, U23 world champion and world silver medalist.

After running through Switzerland’s Marc DIETSCHE, Salkazanov threw two-time world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) to his back with less than 10 seconds left and won, 6-2. That set up a quarterfinals match against ’18 world silver medalist Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO).

Salkazanov trailed Kentchadze, 5-0, but scored six unanswered points in the second period and upset the Georgian Tokyo Olympian, 6-5. Then, in the semifinals, he erased a five-point deficit for a second consecutive match and moved into the finals with a surprising 6-5 win over tournament-favorite and Individual World Cup champion Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS).

Salkazanov will square off with Miroslav Stefanov KIROV (BUL) on Wednesday night for 74kg gold.

On the finals side of the day, Zagir SHAKHIEV (61kg), Israil KASUMOV (70kg) and Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (97kg) finished atop the podium for the Russian Federation, while Nachyn MONGUSH (57kg) finished in second place.

Shakhiev slashed the title hopes of Poland’s battle-tested 30-year-old veteran Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI. After the heavy-footed Russian surrendered a takedown from a snatch single, he scored 13 unanswered points from two takedowns and four leg laces to win the 61kg title, 13-2.

The second Russian to hoist his nation’s flag was Israil Kasumov. The reigning Russian National champion had a slender 1-0 disadvantage after the first period but struck early in the second period with a stepout and a takedown. Despite leading by two points, Kasumov was never threatened offensively by Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE). Last year’s 12th-place European finisher played defense for the final two minutes and walked away with the 3-1 win.

Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) grabbed Russia’s third gold of the night. He stopped Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR) from winning back-to-back European titles with a 6-4 victory.

In the opening period, Zhabrailov got to a low-level attack and chased down the ankles of Karadeniz. The pair went out of bounds and the Russian thought he had a takedown near the edge, but the refs had differing opinions. Zharailov’s corner threw the brick but lost the challenge and headed into the second period with the 2-1 advantage.

In the closing frame, Zhabrailov fired off an attack and transitioned to a gut wrench. He extended his lead to 6-2 before conceding a takedown but hung on to win 97kg gold, 6-4.

The other two golds on the night went to Suleyman ATLI (TUR) and Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK).

At 57kg, Atli wrestled until exhaustion and claimed his second European title in the last three years with a 6-5 win over Russia’s Nachyn Mongush.

“This gold medal shows me that I'm on the right track,” said Atli. “For me, it's one of the main stages before the Olympics. Now, I have a gold medal to win, and I'll be training more to win it.”

This is an improvement from his silver medal from a year ago, but the goal for Atli is to remain on top. “It is not important to become a champion, but to remain the champion.” He’ll have the opportunity to stay on top as he’s set to compete in three upcoming competitions before Tokyo. “I want to wrestle in as many tournaments as possible before the Olympic Games. I’d like to take part in the Polish Ranking Series event, the Ivan Yariguin and Yasar Dogu.”

Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) defeated Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA), 2-1, in the 79kg finals and became Slovakia's second-ever freestyle European champion. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

The final gold of the night went to Slovakia's Akhsarbek Gulaev. He planted Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA) on his back and had the French wrestler dead to rights but the clock expired and the Slovakian led, 2-1, heading into the final period. After a scoreless second period, Gulaev hung on to improve on his ninth-place finish from a year ago and became Slovakia's second-ever freestyle European champion.

Wrestling resumes tomorrow at 11:30 (local time) with women’s wrestling action. The freestyle medal matches are set to begin at 18:00.

Semifinal Results

61kg
GOLD - Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) vs. Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Eduard GRIGOREV (POL), 4-2
SEMIFINAL - Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) df. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO), 5-3

74kg
GOLD - Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) vs. Miroslav Stefanov KIROV (BUL)
SEMIFINAL - Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS, 6-5
SEMIFINAL - Miroslav Stefanov KIROV (BUL) df. Valentin BORZIN (MDA), 5-0

86kg
GOLD - Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) vs. Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO) 
SEMIFINAL - Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 9-0
SEMIFINAL - Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO)  df. Ali SHABANAU (BLR), 3-2

92kg
GOLD - Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) vs. Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
SEMIFINAL - Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 6-2
SEMIFINAL - Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) df. Hajy RAJABAU (BLR), 5-4

125kg
GOLD - Taha AKGUL (TUR) vs. Sergei KOZYREV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR), 4-0
SEMIFINAL - Sergei KOZYREV (RUS) df . Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 10-0

Final Results
57kg
GOLD - Suleyman ATLI (TUR) vdf Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS), 6-5
BRONZE - Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) df. Aryan TSIUTRYN (BLR), 2-2
BRONZE - Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) df. Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL), 9-4

65kg
GOLD - Zagir SHAKHIEV (RUS) df. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), 13-2
BRONZE – Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) df. Andrei BEKRENEU (BLR), 5 - 2
BRONZE - Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) df. Andrii SVYRYD (UKR), 3-2

70kg
GOLD - Israil KASUMOV (RUS) df. Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE), 3-1
BRONZE - Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Mihail SAVA (MDA), 4-3
BRONZE - Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR) df. Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR), via inj. def.

79kg
GOLD - Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) vs. Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA), 2-1
BRONZE - Alans AMIROVS (LAT) vs. Rashad YUSIFLI (AZE), 4-3
BRONZE - Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Arman AVAGYAN (ARM), 10-0

97kg
GOLD - Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) df. Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR), 6-4
BRONZE - Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) df. Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE), via fall
BRONZE - Radoslaw BARAN (POL) df. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 8-1

#WrestleBratislava

European history for Serbia; Matcharashvili makes 3rd straight final

Monday, April 7, 2025 - 17:44 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 7) -- Paris silver medalist and defending 97kg champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) posted his photo on Instagram last week and captioned it: "I declare the hunting season open."

Two weeks later, Matcharashvili is doing exactly that. He marked the start of the season at 97kg by making it to his third European Championships final in Bratislava.

The first day of the European Championships, which got underway at the X-Bionic Sphere on Monday, turned out to be historic for Serbia as it got its first-ever Freestyle finalist at the European Championships and France ended its drought of missing out on the finals.

Matcharashvili, who participated in the Zagreb Open at 125kg, returned to his preferred 97kg and spent only 4 minutes and 45 seconds in his two bouts in Bratislava to make the final.

In the semifinal, Richard VEGH (HUN) failed to challenge Matcharashvili who scored a takedown and four gut-wrenches to post 10-0 technical superiority in just a minute and 24 seconds.

Matcharashvili has never lost at the European Championships, winning two back-to-back golds in 2023 and 2024. He is a step closer to a third straight gold medal and will take on Magomed KURBANOV (UWW) for it.

Kurbanov, a former European champion at 92kg, had to tougher path to the final. He scored a 5-2 win over Radu LEFTER (MDA) in the other semifinal. He was ahead 3-0 but got surprised by a Lefter front headlock exposure for two. However, Kurbanov recovered and scored a match-winning takedown to win and book a spot in the final.

Kurbanov was a late replacement for Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) at 97kg after Sadulaev failed to travel to Bratislava with the team

Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB)Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) became the first Serbian Freestyle wrestler to enter final of European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

History for Serbia

Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) created history for Serbia when he reached the 57kg final, becoming the first Freestyle wrestler from the country to make it to the final.

The 2020 European champion for Russia, Tuskaev switched to Serbia in 2024 and returned to the final after five years. He will face Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) for the gold medal bout at 57kg.

In the semifinal, Tuskaev defeated Aryian TIUTRIN (UWW), 3-1, after the two were put on 30-second activity clocks. Tuskaev scored a stepout in addition to the activity clock point to take the lead in the final minute of the bout. Tiutrin tried to get the one point for a criteria win but failed to break Tuskaev's defense.

Mongush blanked Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) 5-0 in the other semifinal which he controlled for full six minutes. He got on the scoreboard when Bazarganov as cautioned for one point for hitting him with open hands.

Bazarganov was on activity clock when he was cautioned and as the clock expired, Mongush led 2-0. Mongush added two stepouts to make it 4-0 at the break before another activity lock point in the second period was enough for a 5-0 win for Mongush.

Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) tries to defend an attack from Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

France also had something to rejoice as two wrestlers reached the finals, ending a four-year drought of a finalist in Freestyle. Young star Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) and veteran Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) booked finals spot for France at 70kg and 79kg respectively, putting the nation in the finals for the first time since 2021.

However, their path to gold will be tricky.

Arsamerzouev will have the repeat of the European U23 Championships from 2024 and face two-time world U23 champion Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW) for the 65kg gold medal. Ibragimov won that bout 6-2 for the gold medal.

The French wrestler barely made it to the final as Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) had him in a tangle in the final 10 seconds and scored an exposure. However, Arsamerzouev also got two points for exposure to win 4-3.

Rahimzada had fallen behind 2-1 earlier when challenged for a stepout but lost the challenge, denying him any other opportunity to challenge in the match.

Ibragimov rolled into the 65kg final on his senior European Championships debut with a stunning 11-0 win over Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinal. He led 1-0 at the break for Otinashvili's passivity but second period saw Ibragimov break into action as he defended a leg attack and countered with a takedown. He scored two turns using gut-wrench and leg lace to lead 7-0. A go-behind takedown put him 9-0 ahead before an easy turn got him into the final 11-0.

While this was a dominant win, Ibragimov pulled off an incredible comeback against former European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the quarterfinal, beating him 3-2. Tevanyan led 2-1 with 90 seconds remaining on the clock but Ibragimov hit a collar-tie snap to score a takedown and take a 3-2 lead which he defended till the end.

Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA)Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) defeated Ion MARCU (MDA) 7-0 in the 79kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

For Khadjiev, a two-time silver medalist, world 79kg champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) stands between him and the gold medal which Khadjiev lost in 2018 and 2019 after losing in two straight finals.

The 30-year-old broke Ion MARCU (MDA) down with his attacking style and claimed a 7-0 victory in the semifinal. Khadjiev had two stepouts, an activity clock point and two takedowns in his win.

"It was really tough," Khadjiev said. "Three years ago I went to Oklahoma State [University] to train and even young wrestlers were beating easily. But I didn’t give up. I wanted to win something."

While there have been many instances of Khadjiev losing in the final seconds earlier in his career, the 2025 season has begun on a positive note for the French.

He won the Zagreb Open in January and is now a win away from his first gold medal at the European Championships. Khadjiev put the success on wrestling more 'professionally.'

"I can say that now my wrestling in more mature," he said. "I don’t risk it or do something aimlessly. I even watch the matches of my opponents, try to analyze them. I never did that before. I would say I wrestle more professionally now."

Akhmed USMANOV (UWW)Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) defends an attack from Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP) in the 79kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

If he watched Usmanov's wrestling videos from Monday, Khadjiev may think he has a chance. Usmanov was a shadow of himself from the 2023 World Championships. Though he reached the final, Usmanov never got going, winning the final 7-0 against Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP) with his counter wrestling.

In the quarterfinal, Usmanov barely managed to sneak through against former European champion Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR). Usmanov was trailing 1-1 on criteria after the two wrestlers failed to score in the activity periods. In the final minute of the bout, Mykhailov was put on the activity clock for the second time. He failed to score, giving Usmanov a 2-1 lead which he defended for the final 28 seconds and secured the win.

European Championships debutant David BAEV (UWW), wrestling internationally for the first time since winning the world gold in 2019, booked spot in the 70kg final with a cautious 3-0 win over Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) in the semifinal.

In his opening bout, he defeated world 65kg champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) rather easily with a score of 10-0.

Baev will take on defending champion Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) for the gold medal after the Armenian managed to hang on for a 3-1 win over Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO).

Andreasyan scored takedown and got a point for Kemertelidze's passivity which took him to his third European final.

Photo

RESULTS

Freestyle Semifinals

57kg
GOLD: Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) vs. Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW)

SF 1: Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 5-0
SF 2: Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) df. Aryian TIUTRIN (UWW), 3-1

65kg
GOLD: Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW) vs. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)

SF 1: Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) df. Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE), 4-3
SF 2: Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW) df. Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO), 11-0

70kg
GOLD: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) vs. David BAEV (UWW)

SF 1: David BAEV (UWW) df. Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE), 3-0
SF 2: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), 3-1

79kg
GOLD: Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) vs. Akhmed USMANOV (UWW)

SF 1: Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) df. Ion MARCU (MDA), 7-0
SF 2: Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) df. Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP), 7-0

97kg
GOLD: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) vs. Magomed KURBANOV (UWW)

SF 1: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Richard VEGH (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Magomed KURBANOV (UWW) df. Radu LEFTER (MDA), 5-2