#YasarDogu2018

Burroughs and Chamizo Set to Clash in Yasar Dogu Finals, Alborov Beats Two Olympic Champs on Road to Finals

Friday, July 27, 2018 - 18:42 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

ISTANBUL, Turkey (July 27) - The second installment of Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and Frank CHAZMIO (ITA) is scheduled for tomorrow’s 74kg Yasar Dogu finals after both wrestlers finished the opening day with three solid performances apiece.

This time around, expect the conditions to be a little more conducive to wrestling, as they will compete indoors at the Bağcılar Olympic Sport Hall on a dry mat.

The two superstars who combine for ten world and Olympic medals met outdoors in May’s highly anticipated Beat the Streets finale, now known as “Slip Gate,” due to lack of footing which stemmed from the condensation build up on the mat.

In that Beat the Streets match-up, Burroughs “slipped” past Chamizo and scored the 6-5 come-from-behind victory.

Chamizo, the two-time world champion, and Rio Olympic bronze medalist commanded the 4-0 lead after a pair of first-period takedowns from a slide-by and a counter-offensive high-crotch. But, with short time remaining in the opening period, Burroughs, the London Olympic champion picked up his first two points and closed the Italian wrestlers lead to 4-2.

The second period belonged to America's four-time world champion, as he capped off the match by blasting through Chamizo with his patented double leg, ultimately winning the bout, 6-5.

After the match, both wrestlers admitted that the mat conditions were not ideal and caused a lot of issues.  Burroughs ended  the interview by looking at Chamzio and saying “Go back down to 70kg.”

In addition to Burroughs, fellow American's Thomas GILMAN (USA) and David Morris TAYLOR (USA) made the finals in their respective weight classes.   

 Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE) defeated two Olympic champions on his way to the 97kg gold-medal bout. (Photo by Max Rose Fyne)

Meanwhile, Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE), the 2017 world bronze medalist went 3-0 and beat a 2017 European champion and two Olympic champions on his way to making the 97kg finals.

Alborov opened his day against fellow countryman, Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) who is a two-time Olympic medalist, winning the gold in London and bronze in Rio.

The 2017 world bronze medalist came out on top 1-0 in a match-up that likely determined who is going to represent Azerbaijan in October at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest.

Alborov continued his run into the quarterfinals, picking up the dominant 9-2 win over 2017 European Champion, Riza YILDIRIM (TUR).

Moving to the semifinals, Alborov avenged his 2017 World Championship semifinals loss to 2016 Rio Olympic champion, Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA), picking up the 3-3 win on criteria. 

In the gold-medal bout, Alborov will wrestle U23 world champion and Asian runner-up, Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI). 

The finals are scheduled to take place on Saturday at 5:30 PM local time.  

RESULTS 
Freestyle 
57kg 
GOLD -  Thomas GILMAN (USA) vs. Dzmichyk RYNCHYNAU (BLR) 

BRONZE - Winner 251 vs. Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) 
BRONZE - Winner 252 vs. Vicky VICKY (IND) 

65kg
GOLD -  Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) vs. Mehran NASIRIAFRACHALI (IRI) 

BRONZE - Winner 253 vs. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Winner 186 vs. Hassan MORADGHOLIEI (IRI) 

74kg
GOLD - Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) vs. Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA) 

BRONZE - Winner 185 vs. Saeid DADASHPOURKERIKALAEI (IRI) 
BRONZE - Winner 233 vs. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) 

86kg
GOLD - David Morris TAYLOR (USA) vs. Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) 

BRONZE - Winner 214 vs. Ahmet BILICI (TUR) 
BRONZE - Winner 232 vs. Fatih ERDIN (TUR) 

97kg
GOLD -  Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE) vs. Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) 

BRONZE - Winner 235 vs. Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR) 
BRONZE - Winner 215 vs. Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA) 

Women's Wrestling 
50kg 
GOLD - Sarra HAMDI (TUN) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) 

BRONZE - Winner 254 vs. Semkiv ILONA (UKR) 
BRONZE - Georgina Suzana SEICARIU (ROU) vs. Ciricu EMILIA (MDA) 

55kg
GOLD -  Pinki PINKI (IND) vs. Olga SHNAIDER (UKR) 

BRONZE - Siwar BOUSETTA (TUN) vs. Nurufe NURUFE (TUR) 

59kg
GOLD - Sofiia BODNAR (UKR) vs. Olena KREMZER (UKR) 

BRONZE -  Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR) vs. Sangeeta BALALI (IND) 

65kg 
GOLD - Netreba IRYNA (AZE) vs. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) 

BRONZE -  Mariia ILCHYSHYN (UKR) vs. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) 
BRONZE - Winner 213 vs. Geeta GEETA (IND) 

72kg 
Round 3 -  Rajni RAJNI (IND) vs. Beste ALTUG (TUR) 

#UWWAwards

UWW History Makers of 2025: Kougioumtsidis, Reasco, Sultangali

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:29 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- United World Wrestling has announced the History Makers of the Year 2025. The performance of these three wrestlers transcended competition and produced a once-in-a-generation accomplishment.

Freestyle’s History Maker 2025: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

If there’s one nation that’s draped in sports tradition, it’s Greece, but surprisingly enough, the nation had never produced a male wrestling world champion.

Prior to 2025, wrestlers from Greece were 0-3 in gold-medal matches and had not reached a world finals since 1991. Then came 23-year-old Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS who stunned the world by defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final to become his nation’s first-ever world champion.

Up until Kougioumtsidis' victory, Georgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) lost both of his world finals matches and Iraklis DESKOULIDIS (GRE) lost the final in 1991. The lone Greek woman to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold on home soil in 2002.

"I'm very lucky that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country." He continued, saying, “I'm the first male [from Greece] who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

Women’s Wrestling History Maker: Genesis REASCO (ECU)

Reasco made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion, which came two years following Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) silver-medal finish at the 2023 World Championships where she still become the Ecuador's first-ever world medalist.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over two-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), which came one match removed from knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Greco-Roman’s History Maker: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)

Sultangali ended a 26-year Greco-Roman drought, giving Kazakhstan their first Greco world champion since 1999 with a very quick victory over Uzbek youngster Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg finals at the World Championships.

Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals between 2018 and 2022, only needed 1:07 to cap off masterful first-period 9-0 win over Asian runner-up GANIEV (UZB).

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened. Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, "I am happy that my country is happy."