#WrestleTallinn

Arujau Ascends to World Finals, Upsets Reigning World Champ Idrisov

Monday, August 12, 2019 - 16:22 By Eric Olanowski

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TALLINN, Estonia (August 12) – Vitali ARUJAU (USA) ascended to Tuesday night’s junior world finals after upsetting returning world champion Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS), 8-1 in their 57kg semifinals bout. 

Arujau, a 2016 cadet world runner-up, scored two takedowns and a pair of two-point exposures en route to the unexpected seven-point victory over the Russian wrestler who was one of three returning freestyle world champions looking to win back-to-back titles.

In the opening period, Arujau snatched a high-single leg, and with his opponent hobbling on one foot, the American thunderously swept out the leg of Idrisov and gained the 2-0 advantage. Arujau conceded a step out and slid into the second period with the 2-1 lead. 

In the closing period, Arujau transitioned from a double to a single leg and instead of finishing the move on his feet, the American exposed his Idrisov’s back and extended his lead to 4-1. 

Down by three points, Arujau’s opponent picked up his offensive urgency and shot a double but couldn’t penetrate the defense of the American. With his opponent caught undeath, Arujau capitalized on the Russian wrestler’s mistake and exposed his back for the second time in the period and widened his advantage to 6-1. 

Even with the five-point lead and short time remaining, Arujau remained in attack mode and tacked on another takedown. He ultimately picked up the upset win over the reigning world champion, 8-1 and reached the world finals for the first time since falling in the 2016 cadet world finals. 

Arujau will wrestle Toshiya ABE (JPN) on Tuesday night in the 57kg finals. Abe scored a takedown and three leg laces to build an early 8-0 lead over Vrezh GEVORGYAN (ARM). Though he wasn’t able to close the match out early, the three-time world team representative picked up the 10-3 victory and cemented his first podium finish at a World Championships. 

The finals on Tuesday night begin at 18:00 (local time) and can be watched live on www.unitedworldwresting.org.

RESULTS 
57kg 
GOLD - Vitali ARUJAU (USA) vs. Toshiya ABE (JPN) 
SEMIFINAL - Toshiya ABE (JPN) df. Vrezh GEVORGYAN (ARM), 10-3
SEMIFINAL - Vitali ARUJAU (USA) df. Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS), 8-1 

65kg
GOLD - Amirhossein MAGHSOUDI (IRI) vs. Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL – Amirhossein MAGHSOUDI (IRI) df. Ahmet Salim YIGIT (TUR), 7-0
SEMIFINAL – Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS) df. Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ), 5-2 

70kg
GOLD - Vasile DIACON (MDA) vs. Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)
SEMIFINAL – Vasile DIACON (MDA) df. Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI), 5-5 
SEMIFINAL – Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) df. Omer Faruk CAYIR (TUR), 2-1 

79kg
GOLD - Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) vs. Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL – Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS) df. Arman AVAGYAN (ARM), 3-2
SEMIFINAL – Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) df. Milan MESTER (HUN), 2-1 

97kg
GOLD - Yonger BASTIDA POMARES (CUB) vs. Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI)
SEMIFINAL – Yonger Pauli BASTIDA POMARES (CUB) df. Makhsud VEYSALOV (UZB), 4-3 
SEMIFINAL –  Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI) df. Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR), 4-2 

#WrestleTirana

Kayaalp Breaks European Record with 13th Gold Medal

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - 18:25 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 21) -- "I truly believe I’ve set a record that will be very difficult to break."

Riza KAYAALP (TUR) knows the true effort it takes to win 12 gold medals at the European Championships. It took him 13 years. Now, on Tuesday, he won his record-breaking 13th gold medal at the European Championships in Tirana, moving past Aleksandr KARELIN.

With that, Kayaalp became the first wrestler in any style to win 13 golds in Europe. He defeated Darius VITEK (HUN), 7-1, in a dominant 130kg final.

Apart from Tuesday's gold, Kayaalp has won European titles in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2010.

"It’s an incredible feeling," Kayaalp said. "This was my 15th final, and in my 15th final, I achieved my 13th title. This title is especially valuable to me because achieving such long-term and consistent success -- especially in Europe, where there are very strong nations -- is not easy. I’m very proud to have broken such a big record."

Wrestling Vitek in the 130kg final, Kayaalp got the par terre position in the first period and brought the strong gut-wrench he has made his own to turn Vitek three times for six points. He went into the break leading 7-0. Vitek got the par terre position in the second period but he failed to move the mountain-of-man Kayaalp.

With chants of "Riza, Riza" reverberating at the Feti Borova Hall, Kayaalp defended his lead and despite a few instances of him slipping, Vitek could not inflict any sort of danger to score any points. After six minutes of the final and history created, Kayaalp celebrated the 13th gold medal and took his own time with the fans.

"The matches were not easy. I had tough matches," he said. "One of my matches ended 1–1. In the semifinal, I can say I was subjected to some disrespect from a strong opponent in a very intense bout. But compared to those, the final match was more meaningful for me.

"When it became 7-0, well, I’m an athlete who doesn’t like to concede points," he said. "I don’t like giving points away, so I managed to protect that score. I can say I went through the second period quite comfortably, and having a 7–0 lead helped."

The last time Kayaalp built a 7-0 lead was back in 2017, when he pinned Balint LAM (HUN) in the 130kg final after a 7-0 lead.

Kayaalp's gold is a testimony to his longevity having won his first European title in 2010, a year in which his opponent in the final, Vitek, was 10 years, five months and 12 days when Kayaalp achieved his first gold.

"When you look back, you realize you’ve made 15 finals," Kayaalp said after winning the 130kg gold medal in Tirana. "Back then, I was just thinking whether I could win one or two medals. But then, making the final every time at the European Championships, it’s like a child being born and growing up to 15 years old."

Photo

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) df. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), 2-1

BRONZE: Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Omer RECEP (TUR), 8-0
BRONZE: Stefan GRIGOROV (BUL) df. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 3-1

63kg
GOLD: Sergey EMELIN (UWW) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 9-0

BRONZE: Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Mairbek SALIMOV (POL), 11-0
BRONZE: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Pridon ABULADZE (GEO), 6-2

77kg
GOLD: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), 1-1

BRONZE: Edvin BAFF (SWE) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), 2-1
BRONZE: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) df. Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO), 1-1

87kg
GOLD: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) df. Semen NOVIKOV (BUL), via fall (8-4)

BRONZE: Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) df. Ihar YARASHEVICH (UWW), 1-1
BRONZE: Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Dogan KAYA (TUR), 5-1

130kg
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Darius VITEK (HUN), 7-1

BRONZE: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) df. Marat KAMPAROV (UWW), 10-5
BRONZE: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 3-1