#WrestleSofia

Amouzadkhalili wins second-straight men's freestyle Cadet World title

By Taylor Miller

Photo of Rahman Mousa AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI).

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Rahman Mousa AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) won his second-straight Cadet World title, winning the 48 kg bracket on Tuesday evening in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Amouzadkhalili completed the feat with a dramatic 4-4 win on criteria against 2019 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Kamronbek KADAMOV (UZB) in the finals.

Last year, Amouzadkhalili claimed gold at 45 kg. He is also a 2018 and 2019 Cadet Asian champion.

Also winning gold for Iran was Amirhossein Biglar FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI), who added to his 2019 Cadet Asian championship from earlier this year.

In the 80 kg finals, Firouzpourbandpei dominated Arslan BAGAEV (RUS), using two takedowns and two leg laces for an 8-1 victory.

2018 Youth Olympic Games champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) won his second Cadet World medal in as many attempts. In 2017, he won a silver medal at 42 kg.

A two-time Cadet Asian champion, Jalolov earned a spot atop the podium with a 3-1 decision over two-time Cadet Asian bronze medalist Mahdi Mehrdad VEISI (IRI) in the 55 kg gold-medal finals.

Azerbaijan and Russia also picked up gold medals on Tuesday.

At 65 kg, Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) met up with Batyrbek TSKHOVREBOV (RUS) in a rematch of the 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival finals. The last time they wrestled, Gadzhiev defeated the Russian for the EYOF gold medal.

This time, Gadzhiev notched another victory against Tskhovrebov with a 6-4 decision for the Cadet World title.

For the gold medal at 110 kg, Arsamag ZASSEEV (RUS) picked up a 10-0 tech fall in less than a minute over Giorgi CHIKHRADZE (GEO) to win his first international tournament.

Finals matchups
48 kg
GOLD - Rahman Mousa AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) dec. Kamronbek KADAMOV (UZB), 4-4
BRONZE – Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) dec. Stevo POULIN (USA), 8-6
BRONZE – Udit UDIT (IND) dec. Javid JAVADOV (AZE), 11-2

55 kg
GOLD - Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) dec. Mahdi Mehrdad VEISI (IRI), 3-1
BRONZE – Aman AMAN (IND) dec. Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR), 10-6
BRONZE – Riku SUGANUMA (JPN) dec. Robert HOWARD (USA), 5-4

65 kg
GOLD – Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) dec. Batyrbek TSKHOVREBOV (RUS), 6-4
BRONZE - Manish GOSWAMI (IND) dec. Kudratbek NURULLAEV (UZB), 5-2
BRONZE - Ryosuke KERA (JPN) dec. Davit PATSINASHVILI (GEO), 3-1

80 kg
GOLD – Amirhossein Biglar FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI) dec. Arslan BAGAEV (RUS), 8-1
BRONZE - Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) dec. Emre CIFTCI (TUR), 6-1
BRONZE - Denys SAHALIUK (UKR) dec. Ion DEMIAN (MDA), 10-4

110 kg
GOLD - Arsamag ZASSEEV (RUS) TF Giorgi CHIKHRADZE (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE - Adil MISIRCI (TUR) dec. Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM), 3-2
BRONZE - Kumar ANIRUDH (IND) dec. Salar Saeid HABIBIEHSANI (IRI), 8-1

 

Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 Day 4: Tazhudinov, Ghasempour lose

By Vinay Siwach

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 21) -- The final day at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 will see four Freestyle weight classes in action -- 74kg, 86kg, 97kg and 125kg. Every weight class has a world champion wrestling today.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

12:50: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) drops his semifinal against Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) 15-3. Aitmukhan with three exposure for six points in the second period. Tazhudinov struggled to finish his attacks. We have a Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) vs Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) final.

12:40: World silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) with a lace to beat Rifat GIDAK (TUR) 11-0 and enter the final at 97kg.

12:37: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) reaches the 86kg final with an 5-1 win over Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) in the semifinal. Dzhioev will now take on Saipudunov for the gold medal.

12:33: Another Bahrain wrestler in the final as Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) survives an late onslaught from Osman GOCEN (TUR) and wins 8-6 at 86kg. Gocen got a four-pointer which kept him in the match which was otherwise dominated by Saipudinov

12:30: Top match at 74kg semifinal as Younes EMAMI (IRI) holds off Norkhoza KAIPONOV (KAZ) 6-5. Kaiponov was up 4-1 and scored a stepout to make it 5-1. Emami got a stepout to make it 5-2 and a beautiful duckunder to close it to 5-4. He continued the action and used a gut-wrench to make it 6-5 with less than a minute remaining. He defended his lead to enter the final in which he will take on Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE)

12:22: Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) with a takedown in the final 10 seconds to upset Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) who was leading 5-2 till the last 30 seconds. The takedown gave Novruzov a 5-5 criteria lead before Asluev tried to hit exposure. Novruzov got an counter exposure for the 7-5 win. 

12:15: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) is into the 125kg final after a 7-0 blanking of Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) in the semifinal. Easy win for the world champion

12:11: World silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) goes down 7-6 against Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) in the 125kg semifinal. Sharipov scored a four-pointer and led 5-0. But in Meshvildishvili comes back in the second period to make it 6-4 and needed three points for a win. He scored a takedown to make it 6-6 but was down on criteria. In the final 10 seconds, he was close to scoring two times but Sharipov managed to defend. A lost challenge gave him another point.

12:06: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) downs Olympic bronze medalist Mogomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) 12-2 at 97kg. Aitmukhan with a four-pointer and three takedowns in his victory. Solid defense as well whenever Magomedov seemed threatening.

11:55: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) with a cradle to get the fall over Abossolo CEDRIC (CMR) in the second period of his 97kg quarterfinal.

11:50: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) wins his quarterfinal at 97kg against Muhammad GULZAR (PAK) 11-0 after three rolls from par terre. He will wrestle Rifat GIDAK (TUR) who defeated Oucif HOUSSEM (ALG) 13-2

11:42: After taking out Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), Arsenii DHZIOEV (AZE) continues his winning run and enters the semifinal at 86kg with an 11-0 victory over Benferdjallah FATEH (ALG)

11:30: Younes EMAMI (IRI) with an strong defensive performance as he beats Orozbek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 5-2, at 74kg. Emami got a point every time he seemed passive in the match.

11:20: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) powers his way to a 10-0 victory over Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ) at 125kg. World champion Zare is a strong favorite to win gold here.

11:18: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) stops Shams QURAISHI (AFG) from more upsets but not after an incredible match. Quraishi managed to score 9 points on Asluev before dropping his bout 12-9

11:10: Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) opens his 97kg with an 11-1 technical superiority win over 92kg U20 world champion Sherzod POYONOV (UZB).

11:00: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) works his incredible underhook and manages an easy 11-0 victory over Iqbal AHMADI (AFG) at 97kg. Azarpira is a world silver medalist from Zagreb.

10:50: Former world 92kg champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) makes it look easy rolling to a 10-0 win over Mohamed SALAHELDIN (EGY) at 97kg.

10:45: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) takes out Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) in the opening bout at 86kg. In a bout of two halves, Ghasempour got a takedown and passivity point in opening period before Dzhioev scored a takedown during Ghasempour's activity time to lead 3-3 on criteria with just over a minute left. Ghasempour tried a desperate leg attack at the end only to give a takedown and hand the win to Dzhioev

10:37: Osman GOCEN (TUR) hangs on for a 2-2 criteria win over Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB) at 86kg. It was a scramble in which both wrestlers were awarded two points each with Gocen getting it later and holding the criteria. No points were scored in the second period but both wrestler were involved in scrambles. Gocen manages to hold off and win.

10:33: Haider BUTT (PAK) led 3-0 against Farhad MALIK ZADA (AFG) and on the way to give Afghanistan it's first win of the tournament. However, Malik Zada with a comeback and beats the Pakistan wrestler 8-4 at 86kg.

10:25: Orozbek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) took his own time but he manages to beat Khaireddine BEN TLILI (TUN), 11-1, in their 74kg. A four-pointer in the first period for Toktomambetov

10:15: Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), one of the four world champs in action today, starts off with an 11-0 victory over Jafar CHULIBOYEV (UZB) at 74kg. He got a stepout before a takedown and four turns.

10:10: Afghanistan is really having a solid Games for itself. After some impressive wins yesterday and a fifth-place finish, Shams QURAISHI (AFG) gets a fall at 74kg against Omar MOURAD (EGY).

10:00: Last day of the ISG 2025 with four weight classes in Freestyle. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) vs Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) likely to face in the 97kg.