#WrestleBudapest19

Andreu Ortega and Goleij Seek Second U23 World Titles

Monday, October 28, 2019 - 20:54 By Taylor Miller

Share this article

Photo: Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB). / Photo: Kadir Caliskan

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Two men’s freestyle athletes and 2017 U23 World champions, Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) at 57 kg and Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) at 97 kg, seek to earn their second U23 World gold medals on Tuesday in Budapest, Hungary.

Both Andreu Ortega and Goleij won their first U23 World titles in 2017.

At 57 kg, Andreu Ortega will return to the U23 gold-medal finals, thanks to three wins on Monday in Budapest.

After taking out 2016 Junior World champion Afgan Smail KHASHALOV (AZE) in the first round and 2018 U23 World bronze medalist Wanhao ZOU (CHN) in the quarterfinals, Andreu Ortega battled 2019 Russian Nationals champion Ramiz GAMZATOV (RUS).

Trailing 1-0 at the break, Andreu Ortega used a takedown, trapped-arm gut and a four-point takedown for an 8-2 win and a spot in the finals.

Tomorrow for gold, Andreu Ortega will face 2019 Junior World bronze medalist and 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ).

Askarov had several close battles on the day, including his semifinal match against Alireza Nosratolha SARLAK (IRI).

Sarlak led 3-1 late in the second period, but with less than 20 seconds left, Askarov scored a takedown to take the lead and secure a 3-3 win on criteria.

Photo of Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI). Photo: Kadir Caliskan

Wrestling at 97 kg, Goleij had a big day, opening his day with an 11-0 win against Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU). In the quarterfinals, Goleij took down 2018 U23 World champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) in an 8-6 decision.

To move onto the finals, Goleij put together a decisive 8-2 win against Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) in a rematch of the 2017 U23 World gold-medal match.

In his finals bout tomorrow, Goleij will face 2017 Junior World champion Shamil MUSAEV (RUS), who was dominant in his opening day of competition, picking up three-straight technical falls, including a 12-0 victory over Serik BAKYTKHANOV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals.  

Photo of Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO). Photo: Kadir Caliskan

2018 Cadet World champion Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) seeks his second-career World title, advancing to the 65 kg finals.

Bayramov, a 2019 Junior World bronze medalist and a 2017 Cadet World silver medalist, outlasted Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA) in the semifinals tonight, scoring a second-period takedown to give him a 2-1 advantage.

For gold, Bayramov will take on 2018 Junior Asian champion Takuma TANIYAMA (JPN). In his semifinal, Taniyama held off Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) with a 4-3 decision.

Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) locked up his second U23 World medal by battling his way to the 70 kg finals. He was a bronze medalist at the 2017 U23 World Championships.

For the 70 kg title, Skhulukhia will go head-to-head with Cherman VALIEV (RUS), who did not give up a single point in his first four matches of the tournament. He outscored his opponents on Monday, 39-0, including a 10-0 win over Amirhossein HOSSEINI (IRI) in the semifinals.

Wrestling in the gold bout at 79 kg is 2016 Junior World bronze medalist Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) and three-time World medalist Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE).

Abakarov is a 2016 Cadet World champion, 2018 Junior World silver medalist and a 2019 Junior World bronze medalist.

The finals will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Fans can watch live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Semifinals results
57 kg
Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) df. Ramiz GAMZATOV (RUS), 8-2
Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) df. Alireza SARLAK (IRI), 3-3

65 kg
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA), 2-1
Takuma TANIYAMA (JPN) df. Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), 4-3

70 kg
Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) df. Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 9-5
Cherman VALIEV (RUS) df. Amirhossein HOSSEINI (IRI), 10-0

79 kg
Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) df. Ramazan SARI (TUR), 10-6
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df. Ver Dev GULIA (IND), 8-1

97 kg
Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR), 8-2
Shamil MUSAEV (RUS) df. Danylo STASIUK (UKR), 13-2

Finals matchups
57 kg: Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) vs. Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
65 kg: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) vs. Takuma TANIYAMA (JPN)
70 kg: Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) vs. Cherman VALIEV (RUS)
79 kg: Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) vs. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
97 kg: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) vs. Shamil MUSAEV (RUS)

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds: U.S. and Iran tied in Freestyle team race

Monday, October 27, 2025 - 10:11 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 26) -- Like it has been the story at every World Championships this year, Iran and the United States are locked in a tight race for the Freestyle team trophy yet again.

The U.S. and Iran are tied 102 points at the U23 World Championships in Novi Sad with just one more day of competition left. The scores tied after U.S. won two golds on Sunday while Iran managed only one along with one silver. Azerbaijan won the gold at the expense of Iran.

World silver medalist Levi HAINES (USA) became a U23 world champion one month after missing the title at the senior event with yet another dominant win. He faced Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR) in the final and came out on top 11-1.

Yaprak got the first stepout of the bout but it was all Haines from there on. He used a lateral drop to get four points and lead 4-1. The second four-pointer for Haines came when Yaprak tried to throw him using a chestwrap but Haines easily blocked him and landed on top to lead 8-1. A head outside takedown and one stepout was enough for Haines to complete the technical superiority win.

Luke LILLEDAHL (USA)Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) added a U23 world gold to go with his U17 and U20 golds. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 57kg, U17 and U20 world champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) added a U23 world title to his name with a clinical 4-0 victory over Yuta KIKUCHI (JPN) in the final.

Kikuchi was called passive twice in the match and both times Lilledahl got a point. During the second activity period, Lilledahl hit a sweep single and converted it into a takedown to lead 4-0 with a minute remaining in the final. Lilledahl then defended that lead despite Kikuchi's smart movements to earn his third age-group world title.

Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI)Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) celebrates after beating Khetag KARSANOV (AZE) in the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)  

Iran's gold medal came at 125kg as U20 world silver medalist Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) dominated Khetag KARSANOV (AZE), 11-0, in the final. Mohammad Nezhad moved more swiftly than he did in the final at the U20 Worlds.

Karsanov was called passive in the first period and then he gave up a stepout along with fleeing and Mohammad Nezhad was up 3-0. He scored a nice takedown to extend his lead before two go-behinds to be up 9-0.

Karsanov tried hitting a desperate throw only to fall on his own back and give Mohammad Nezhad the winning two points and the gold medal.

Iran could have managed to win a second medal gold of the night but Sina KHALILI (IRI) got clutched by Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) in the 70kg final.

Khalili began on a good note, getting a point for passivity and then a takedown to lead 3-0 at the break. Heybatov managed to find an opening in the second period with a fireman's carry and transitioned the move, lifting Khalili and dropping him on the mat in danger for four points and take a 4-3 lead.

Iran challenged the decision, perhaps asking for two points for Khalili, but lost it. The 5-3 lead for Heybatov left Khalili to score at least three point for victory with two points remaining.

He got one point for Heybatov's fleeing but he still needed two points to overturn the deficit with 27 seconds remaining. Khalili took a fake shot and Heybatov countered with a takedown and turn to make it 9-4 for the win.

A gold for Khalili would have been Iran a lead of five points over the U.S. but now both countries are tied.

On Monday with medal bouts in four weight classes, the U.S. has one in Jaxen FORREST (USA) while Iran has one wrestler in bronze medal bouts and second in repechage. While Iran needs to win all, it has to also have that Forrest loses his final to win the team title.

Incidentally, the U.S. needed to win all its bouts on the final day at the U17 World Championships in Athens and also hope that Iran loses all its bouts. That actually happened.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) df. Yuta KIKUCHI (JPN), 4-0

BRONZE: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) df. Aiandai ONDAR (UWW), 10-1
BRONZE: Nodirbek JUMANAZAROV (UZB) df. Vladyslav ABRAMOV (UKR), 5-0

70kg
GOLD: Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) df. Sina KHALILI (IRI), 9-4

BRONZE: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Maiis ALIYEV (KAZ), 10-3
BRONZE: PJ DUKE (USA) df. Davit MARGARYAN (ARM), via fall (7-2)

79kg
GOLD: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR), 11-1

BRONZE: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Davud DAUDOV (UWW), 13-3
BRONZE: Geannis GARZON (CUB) df. Nikita DMITRIJEVS MAYEUSKI (UWW), 4-0

125kg
GOLD: Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) df. Khetag KARSANOV (AZE), 11-0

BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Daniel HERRERA (USA), 14-3
BRONZE: Khabib DAVUDGADZHIEV (UWW) df. Khachatur KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 9-5

Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) vs. Jaxen FORREST (USA)

SF 1: Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) df. Tolga OZBEK (TUR), 12-1
SF 2: Jaxen FORREST (USA) df. Akito MUKAIDA (JPN), 15-5

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) vs. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

SF 1: SUJEET (IND) df. Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN), 3-2
SF 2: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ), 5-2

86kg
GOLD: Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA) vs. Arsen BALAIAN (UWW)

SF 1: Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA) df. Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI), 2-1
SF 2: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) df. Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO), 10-0

97kg
GOLD: Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) vs. Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)

BRONZE: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), via fall (10-0)
BRONZE: Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) df. Soslan DZHAGAEV (UWW), 16-5