#BuchaWrestU23

Cataraga Becomes First to Win Back-to-Back U23 World Titles

By Taylor Miller

Photo of Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) by Martin Gabor. 

BUCHAREST, Romania – Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) became the first two-time U23 World champion in history, winning the 77 kg weight class on Tuesday night at the U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania.

After winning the 2017 U23 World title at 71 kg, Cataraga bumped up to 77 kg to claim his second, putting together a solid tournament to do so.

In gold-medal match, Cataraga faced 2018 U23 European champion Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN).

The Moldova native threw up six quick points on the board before securing a fall and the crown in 2:45.


In the heavyweight finale,
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) battled back from a five-point deficit against Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) to win gold at 130 kg.

Yildirim led 5-0 at the break before Pataridze slowly chipped away at the lead, drawing a passivity, two caution-and-twos and a step out point to win his sixth age-group World championship.

In addition to his U23 World gold, Pataridze is a three-time Junior World champion and two-time Cadet World champion. Last year, Pataridze won silver at the U23 Worlds in Poland.


At 55 kg, Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), who won a Senior World bronze medal in Budapest, Hungary, just two weeks ago, topped the U23 World podium with a steady 3-2 win over 2018 Russia Nationals champion Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS).

Tsurtsumia scored all of his points in the first period and held off an aggressive Kabaloev in the second period for his first World title and second World medal of 2018.


After taking 15th at Senior Worlds in Budapest, Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) dominated Alexandru BICIU (MDA) in the 63 kg finals, 8-0. Endo took advantage of a chance on top in par terre, where he scored five points after the initial passivity point. Endo closed out the match with a takedown late in the first period for the technical fall.

Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) claimed the 87 kg World title, besting 2018 Senior Pan American champion Daniel GRGEGORICH (CUB) with a 10-2 technical fall. Early in the second period, Novikov scored four points on a throw attempt from Gregorich, and moments later, the Ukrainian picked up a takedown to end the bout.

Finals results

Greco-Roman, 55 kg
GOLD – Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) dec. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS), 3-2
BRONZE - Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) dec. Norayr HAKHOYAN (ARM), 7-3
BRONZE - Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) tech. fall Shota OGAWA (JPN), 8-0

Greco-Roman, 63 kg
GOLD – Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) df. Alexandru BICIU (MDA), 8-0
BRONZE – Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU) df. Turabek TIRKASHEV (UZB), 11-2 
BRONZE – Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) df. Meysam Karamali DALKHANI (IRI), 12-4

Greco-Roman, 77 kg
GOLD – Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) df. Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN), fall 2:45
BRONZE – Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) df. Khalid KERCHIYEV (SWE), 5-1  
BRONZE – Ismail SAIDKHASANOV (RUS) df. Sajan SAJAN (IND), 6-5  

Greco-Roman, 87 kg
GOLD – Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) df. Daniel GREGORICH (CUB), 10-2
BRONZE - Anton KURS (BLR) df. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), 10-0
BRONZE - Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Mohamed METWALLY (EGY), 3-3

Greco-Roman, 130 kg
GOLD – Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) df. Osman YILDIRIM (TUR), 6-5
BRONZE - Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) df. Oskar MARVIK (NOR), 2-1
BRONZE – Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI) df. Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN), 5-0

Team standings (top-six)
1. Georgia – 58
2. Russia – 51
3. Ukraine – 46
4. Moldova - 45
5. Japan – 35
6. Turkey – 35

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW decision regarding Chamizo-Bayramov bout

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 23) -- The United World Wrestling Disciplinary Chamber has decided to suspend, for different periods, the refereeing body and refereeing delegates for the alleged violations during the semifinal bout between Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) and Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) at the European OG Qualifier 2024 in Baku.

Despite the sanctions, Bayramov remains the winner of the bout as according to Article 53 of the International Wrestling Rules, under no circumstances may the result of a match be modified after the victory has been declared on the mat.

The Disciplinary Chamber, however, asked UWW to place Chamizo as a top seed in the brackets of the next qualifying event, the World OG Qualifier from May 9 in Istanbul.

During the Chamizo-Bayramov bout, Roman PAVLOV was the referee on the mat, Ali M. SAIWAN was the judge and Aleksei BAZULIN was the mat chairman. The referee delegation comprised Kamel BOUAZIZ, Ibrahim CICIOGLU and Casey GOESSL.

The Disciplinary Chamber has decided to suspend both Pavlov and Cicioglu from all their duties until December 31, 2024. Saiwan is suspended from all his duties until September 30, 2024. Mat chairman for the bout Bazulin is suspended from all his duties until June 30, 2024, and the remaining two members of the referee delegation Bouaziz and Goessl have been handed suspensions from all their duties until June 30, 2024.

Bayramov won the bout 8-8 on criteria and earned a Paris Olympic quota for Azerbaijan. However, the Italian Wrestling Federation complained about several refereeing mistakes during this bout and a controverted challenge decision which are deemed to have caused an incorrect final score and outcome of the match.

UWW formed two different panels to review the complaints and statements from each member of the refereeing body and the refereeing delegates were requested and forwarded to the UWW Administration. The refereeing delegates also submitted their co-signed report on the match.
 
The UWW panels reviewed the match and all alleged errors surrounding the match, including the refereeing sequences and scoring, the challenge decision by the refereeing delegates, and as well as the appointment and distribution of responsibilities among the defendants.

Both panels agreed that some actions during the bout were not scored correctly, including not spotting the passivity of the wrestler(s). It also agreed that the refereeing consultations were not efficient, a timing error was made and the challenge consultation suffered major shortcomings in its functioning.

In addition, the panels reported a gross lack of discernment in the assignment of the refereeing body, and in the distribution of the roles during the challenge for this specific match.

UWW is committed and makes continuous efforts to uphold the integrity of the sport.