#WrestleXian

Bakhramov Matches Brother as Asian Greco Champion; Geraei, Abdvali Also Strike Gold Among Siblings

Sunday, April 28, 2019 - 15:51 By Ken Marantz

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XI’AN, China (April 28)—Having seen his younger brother win a gold medal the day before, Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) did what comes naturally to a sibling. Wanting what he has.

Bakhramov made it two golds in the family when he captured the 60kg title as the Asian Championships finished up with competition in five Greco-Roman finals on the sixth and final day in Xi’an.

Bakhramov defeated RI Se Ung (PRK) by a 12-4 technical fall, avenging a loss in the semifinals at last year’s Asian Championships in Bishkek, where he had to settle for a bronze medal. 

It also gave Uzbekistan a second gold medal after younger brother Ilkhom captured the 55kg title the previous day.

“Two brothers in one sport is very excellent,” Bakhramov said. “We motivate each other. If the younger brother wins a medal, why shouldn’t the older brother also win? If he wins, I must win.”

Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) celebrates after winning the 72kg gold medal with a 5-0 win over China's ZHANG Hujun. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Meanwhile, Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Saeid ABDVALI (IRI)—who also had brothers competing in Xi’an, both of whom won bronze medals—cruised to the 72kg and 82kg titles, respectively, to help Iran capture the team championship by just two points ahead of Uzbekistan.

The title race came down to the final match of the tournament, and a 3-2 victory by Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) over Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB) in the 97kg final left Uzbekistan two points short of Iran, which won with 165 after securing four golds and three bronzes. 

Kazakhstan was third with 134 points, mainly on the strength of six bronze medals.

Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) tosses RI Se Ung (PRK) in the 60kg gold-medal bout. The Uzbekistan wrestler reached the top of the podium with a 12-4 victory. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

In a never-a-dull moment 60kg final, Bakhramov got the advantage first in the par terre position and executed a roll for a 3-0 lead. But Ri, who knocked off 2017 world champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) and world bronze medalist Sailike WALIHAN (CHN) en route to the final, came back with a 2-point back drop.

Bakhramov replied with a twisting head lock for two points, but Ri struck back with a 2-point head lock throw to cut the gap to 5-4. 

In the second period, the Uzbeki padded his lead with a takedown and 1-point leg-grab penalty. With the seconds ticking down, Ri made a last-ditch leap for a score, but landed on his back, giving Bakhramov four points and the technical fall at the buzzer.

“Last time I didn’t know him, what moves he would do,” Bakhramov said. “This time I was ready absolutely. I trained very well and was completely ready for this championships.”

For Ilkhom Bakhramov, seeing his older brother’s success only doubled the pleasure of his own.

“Yesterday when I won the [gold] medal, I was really happy,” he said. “But it was like 50 percent. Today, my brother also won, so that’s why it’s 100 percent. I was shouting and jumping.”

Geraei, who was third at the Asian Games last summer in Jakarta, earned his first Asian title with a solid 5-0 victory over ZHANG Hujun (CHN) in the 72kg final. 

Geraei, whose older brother Mohammadali was third at 77kg on Saturday, scored a takedown in each period and was never really put in danger. 

Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) shutout India's Singh HARPEET, 8-0 to win the 82kg gold medal. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Abdvali, a former world champion and Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, was even more dominant in putting away Singh HARPEET (IND) by 8-0 technical fall in 3:54, scoring two takedowns and four stepouts.

“My program to prepare for this championships was five months,” said Abdvali, who won all three of his matches by technical falls without surrendering a point to add a first Asian title to two Asian Games crowns. “At the competition, I was strong and ready.”

Advali said younger brother Saman, a bronze medalist at 63kg, had his chance for gold, too. “He made a mistake and that caused him to lose,” he said.

Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) celebrates after scoring the 3-2 win over Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB) in the 97kg gold-medal match. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

In the 97kg final, Dzhuzupbekov, who was third at both the Asian Championships and Asian Games last year, managed to roll Turdiev from the par terre position a minute into the second period to take a 3-1 lead, then held on for the victory.

RYU Hansu (KOR) used a four-point move to top Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ), 5-1 in the final at 67kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

The other title at stake on the final night at Xidian University’s Invengo Gymnasium went to RYU Hansu (KOR), who scored with a 4-point move with :46 left in the 67kg final to top world bronze medalist Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ), 5-1.

With the wrestlers tied at 1-1 from passivity points, Ryu secured a body lock from the side, then twisted Shermakhanbet backwards and down for the big-point move that secured his third Asian gold.  

“It’s something that I practice all the time,” said Ryu, a two-time Asian Games champion and 2017 world champion. “It came natural to me because I have done it so many times.”

Host China, which finished 10 points behind Kazakhstan in the team standings, ended on a positive note with three wrestlers taking bronze medals: ZHANG Gaoquan (CHN) at 67kg, QIAN Haitao (CHN) at 87 kg and XIAO Di (CHN) at 97kg. 

Japan came away with a pair of bronzes from Fumita at 60kg and Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN) at 67kg. Fumita, the 2017 world and Asian champion, won without a fight as Walihan defaulted their bronze-medal match due to a shoulder injury. 

One of the more exciting matches of the evening program was a come-from-behind victory by Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ) in an 82kg bronze-medal match.

Trailing Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) 5-0, Yerezhepov was in the process of being lifted for a roll, when he suddenly clamped down on his opponent’s arm to send him to his back and win by an unlikely fall at 2:02.

Day 6 results

Greco-Roman

60kg (12 entries)
Gold – Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) df. RI Se Ung (PRK) by TF, 12-4, 6:00
Bronze – Gyanender GYANENDER (IND) df. HUANG Jui Chi (TPE) by TF, 9-0, 2:45
Bronze – Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) df. Sailike WALIHAN (CHN) by Default

67kg (14 entries)
Gold – RYU Hansu (KOR) df. Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ), 5-1
Bronze – ZHANG Gaoquan (CHN) df. Abdulkarim AL HASAN (SYR), 7-0
Bronze – Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB), 5-2

72kg (9 entries)
Gold – Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) df. ZHANG Hujun (CHN), 5-0 
Bronze – Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ) df. Yogesh YOGESH (IND) by TF, 8-0, 1:12 
Bronze – Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) df. Aram VARDANYAN (UZB)  by Fall, 2:29 (3-2)

82kg (9 entries)
Gold – Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) df. Singh HARPEET (IND) by TF, 8-0, 3:54
Bronze – Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ) df. Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) by Fall, 2:02 (2-5)
Bronze – QIAN Haitao (CHN) df. Burgo BEISHALIEV (KGZ) by TF, 9-0, 3:29 

97kg (9 entries)
Gold – Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) df. Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB), 3-2
Bronze – XIAO Di (CHN) df. LEE Seyeol (KOR), 1-1 
Bronze – Mahdi ALIYARIFEIZABADI (IRI) df. Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ), 4-2

Team Standings
1. Iran 165 points (4 gold-0 silver-3 bronze)
2. Uzbekistan 163 (2-3-1)
3. Kazakhstan 134 (0-1-6) 

#WrestleBratislava

Milov hands Aleksanyan first European loss since 2017

Saturday, April 12, 2025 - 08:43 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 12) -- Kiril MILOV (BUL) handed seven-time European champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) his first European loss since 2017 as he defeated the Armenian in the 97kg semifinal in Bratislava on Saturday.

Milov blocked Aleksanyan when the latter was going for the turn from par terre and scored a reversal for a 2-1 lead and defended it like his life depended on it to win and reach the European Championships final in which he will face the unheralded Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER).

Aleksanyan last lost at the European Championships to Felix BALDAUF (NOR) at the 2017 edition in Novi Sad when the Norwegian handed him a 2-2 criteria defeat in the quarterfinals.

Milov will now be the favorite for the gold medal, which will be his second if he wins the final on Sunday.

In other semifinals, defending champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) once again tossed Victor CIOBANU (MDA) around, like he did last year in the final.

The 63kg world champion needed only 41 seconds to complete a 8-0 technical superiority win over Ciobanua in the 60kg semifinal. Mammadli scored a takedown, scored a big suplex for four and completed the win with a turn.

Mammadli will take on Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) for the gold medal after the Serbian defeated Sadyk LALAEV (UWW), 1-1, in the other semifinal. Tibilov got the first par terre advantage while Lalaev got the second. According to the new Greco-Roman rules being tested by United World Wrestling, if a match ends 1-1, the wrestler who scored the first point with be awarded the criteria win.

Another defending champion from Azerbaijan Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) showed similar skills and reached the 67kg final after beating Murat FIRAT (TUR), 8-0 in the final.

Jafarov got the first par terre and he turned Firat for two points before completing a massive throw with a perfect back arc to get five points and the win.

The Paris bronze medalist will now take on Abu AMAEV (BUL) who held on for a 4-3 win over Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL). This will be Amaev's first-ever finals appearance at the European Championships.

Salimov was the first to score as he got a stepout and then a par terre advantage for a 2-0 lead. In the second period, Salimov tried an outrageous headlock when the two wrestler were on locked and fell with Amaev on top for two points.

Amaev, with a 2-2 criteria lead, got a point for a stepout to make it 3-2. Salimov needs two points for the win but he only got a stepout as Amaev defended his 3-3 lead and got a point when Poland challenged only in a lost cause.

Rising star Levente LEVAI (HUN) made sure Hungary reaches the final at 72kg after he defeated Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (UWW) in an entertaining semifinal. He got the par  terre in the first period and was awarded the point for Liavonchyk's fleeing. The call got challenged but Liavonchyk lost it and added another point. From par terre, Levai scored a correct throw for two points to make it 5-0. 

When Liavonchyk got he par terre position in the second period, he could only throw Levai out of bounds in standing position which meant only one point. Levai easily maintained his 5-2 lead for the win.

He will face former world champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) for the gold medal who ended Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) dream run with a 4-3 victory at 72kg. Sleiva had rocked the European Championships with 9-0 wins over Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) and world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB).

But Ghanem was having none of that. He got the first par terre and turned Sleiva who blocked Ghanem during the second turn and got two points. When he got the par terre advantage, Sleiva got the 3-3 criteria lead but failed to score from that position. Ghanem immediately answered with a stepout and reclaimed the lead 4-3 to win the semifinal.

Hungary and Azerbaijan will go head-to-head in the 82kg after world silver medalist Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) and Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) made it to the final.

Szilvassy defeated Burhan AKBUDAK by scoring a beautiful arm-drag for takedown and turn to lead 4-3. This was soon after he had given up par terre and a turn. In the second period, he got a point for par terre and defended his 5-3 lead for the win.

Former world U20 champion Gurbanov blanked Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 4-0, in the other semifinal. He scored from par terre and then got the second par terre as well.

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) vs. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)

SF 1: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Sadyk LALAEV (UWW), 1-1
SF 2: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. Victor CIOBANU (MDA), 8-0

67kg
GOLD: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) vs. Abu AMAEV (BUL)

SF 1: Abu AMAEV (BUL) df. Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL), 4-3
SF 2: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Murat FIRAT (TUR), 8-0

72kg
GOLD: Levente LEVAI (HUN) vs. Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)

SF 1: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (UWW), 5-2
SF 2: Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) df. Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU), 4-3

82kg
GOLD: Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) vs. Gurban GURBANOV (AZE)

SF 1: Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) df.  Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), 5-3
SF 2: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df.  Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 4-0

97kg
GOLD: Kiril MILOV (BUL) vs. Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER)

SF 1: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 2-1
SF 2: Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER) df. Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW), 5-1

Morning session results and blog follows below

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 5 RESULTS

14:15: Victor CIOBANU (MDA), returning silver medalist at 60kg, manages to hold on for a 5-1 victory over Nedyalko PETROV (BUL). He moves into the semifinals.

14:05: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) scores a pushout from par terre and defends well when he is in par terre to score a 2-1 victory over Mihail BRADU (MDA) at 82kg.

13:55: Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) with a big upset! He takes out Paris silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) 10-0. Sleiva got the par terre first and he comes out with two suplex throws for four points each. Nasibov challenges but loses it to give one more point to Sleiva.

13:45: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) takes only 30 seconds to roll to an 8-0 win over Jakub SIMCIK (CZE) at 72kg.

13:35: Former world and European champion at 72kg Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) comes back and scores a takedown to take a 6-4 lead against Mehmet SAHIN (TUR) who led 4-4 on criteria. One more point for Ghanem as he wins 7-4.

13:27: Alex SZOKE (HUN) holds on for a 4-1 victory over Giorgi MELIA (GEO) at 97kg. Melia got the second par terre and needed one more point for victory but Szoke blocks him during the turn and scores two points. Melia challenges but no change after review. Szoke wins 4-1.

13:25: At 72kg, world champion Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) scores a comeback victory over Levente LEVAI (HUN) who gold gold medal at the Zagreb Open. Levai scored a turn from par terre to lead 3-0 but Ganizade with a stepout to start the second period. He is then awarded a par terre point before he completes a correct throw for two points to lead 4-3. A takedown from Levai with five seconds remaining on the clock to reclaim the lead 5-4. Ganizade challenges for a headbutt. There is no offensive foul on review and Levai will upset the world champ 6-4

13:20: Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW) with two big four-pointes and the fall over Arvi SAVOLANIEN (FIN) and advance at 97kg. So far so good for Maskevich in the new weight class.

13:10: Four-time Olympic medalist and seven-time European champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) starts off with a 5-1 win over Richard KARELSON (EST) at 97kg. Two gut wrenches from par terre for the win.

13:05: Kiril MILOV (BUL) and world bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE) are warned by the referee that both will be disqualified if they continued the aggressive wrestling constituting to fouls. Milov gets the first par terre and scores two turns on Omarov before defending his par terre to win 5-1

12:55: Paris Olympic bronze medalist and defending champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) rocks Andreas VETSCH (SUI) and wins his first bout at 67kg 8-0.

12:50: Former world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) with a 3-1 win over Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) at 67kg. A turn from par terre the difference between the two wrestlers. 

12:40: Returning silver medalist Ruslan BICHURIN (UWW) has no trouble seeing off Valentin PETIC (MDA) 5-0 in their 67kg match. He is looking for a revenge match with Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE).

12:30: Paris fifth-placer Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) with a 9-0 win over Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) who is moving up to 67kg from his weight class of 63kg in which he has European medals.

12:15: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), two-time Olympic silver medalist, is hit with an early throw from Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) for four points and then he turns Nasibov for a 6-0 lead. However, Nasibov gets on board with a takedown. Two stepouts later, he makes it 6-4 at the break. Nasibov keeps pushing action in the second period and he finally gets his reward with a four-pointer and then a takedown as Khachatryan struggles for conditioning. Nasibov takes the 10-6 win at 72kg.

12:05: Former world champion Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW), who is moving up to 97kg, begins with a win against Markus RAGGINGER (AUT). 

12:00: Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) stuns Artur SARGSIAN (UWW) at 97kg! That has to be one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. Sterkenburg with a big arm throw to get four against Sargsian who later made it 4-4 but Sterkenburg still led on criteria. Sargsian tried a big throw but landed on his back and Sterkenburg got two points. A stepout made it 7-4. A stepout, fleeing caution brough Sargsian back and Sterkenburg's lead was 7-7 on criteria with 40 seconds left. However, there is a technical issue with the scoreboard and there is no power in the arena for 25 minutes. When the bout resumes, Sterkenburg defends his criteria lead and wins 7-7.

Technical issues at the arena have delayed the bouts

11:22: Former champion Kiril MILOV (BUL) starts his European campaign with a technical superiority win over Nicu OJOG (ROU) at 97kg.

11:15: World champion at 63kg Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), wrestling at 60kg, begins with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU) as he hopes to defend his title.

11:00: Remember that 1-1 match in Greco-Roman will end with the winner being the wrestler who scored the first point. Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) gets a benefit of this rule as he gets the par terre advantage first against Felix BALDAUF (NOR) at 97kg. Baldauf, who got it in the second period, is down 1-1 on criteria but cannot score. He goes down 1-1 to Kakhelashvili

10:30: Welcome to the full day of action at the European Championships and it's all Greco-Roman. We will run till the semifinals in 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg. The medal bouts in 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg will begin at 18:00 local time.