#BuchaWrestU23

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

Tuesday, November 13, 2018 - 18:33 By Taylor Miller

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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

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 World Championships 2025 Day 6 Freestyle Highlights

Saturday, October 25, 2025 - 08:17 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 25) -- The U23 World Championships 2025 in Novi Sad will see four Freestyle weight classes -- 57kg, 70kg, 79kg and 125kg -- in action on day six.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 5 RESULTS

14:00: Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI), a world U20 silver medalist, reaches the semifinals at 125kg in Novi Sad after an 8-0  win over Khachatur KHACHATRYAN (ARM).

13:40: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) got taken down by Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) for the opening score in their match but Lilledahl comes back and scores three takedowns to lead 6-2 at the break. He keeps the momentum going in the second period and beats Valizadeh 11-5 at 57kg.

13:25: Levi HAINES (USA) is on a mission here. He blanks Aykan SEID (BUL), 10-0, in the 79kg quarterfinals and powers his way into the semifinals.

13:10: PJ DUKE (USA) was challenged a little by Kaito MORITA (JPN) but he uses a big four-pointer to win 7-3 and advance to the semifinals at 70kg.

12:55: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) had to wait for it but he beats Luka GVINJILIA (GEO), 12-2, at 57kg. Solid gut-wrench from Valizadeh to win his bout.

12:40: U20 world champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) needed four minutes and 25 seconds to see off Honghang LIAO (CHN) at 57kg. Lilledahl is the favorite to capture the gold here in Nvoi Sad. 

12:30: Yuta KIKUCHI (JPN) stars off with a 7-2 win against Vladyslav ABRAMOV (UKR) at 57kg. Very controlled win from the Japanese who has world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) in his corner.

12:15: In a match between world silver medalist Levi HAINES (USA) and U20 world champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI), Haines comes out on top 7-0. Yousefi completely shut down there in this 79kg bout.

11:45: Sina KHALILI (IRI) with a 12-2 technical superiority win over Naveen KUMAR (IND) at 70kg. That gu-wrench was very effective for Khalili.

11:40: PJ DUKE (USA) with a huge 10-0 win over Rostislav LEICHT (GER) at 70kg. He looks in top form and better than his run in Samokov where he won gold at the U20 World Championships. 

11:25: Luka GVINJILIA (GEO) with an excellent strategy against recent U20 world silver medalist Sumit MALIK (IND). Gvinjilia scored a double leg attack and turned Malik twice to lead 6-0. Despite his strong efforts, Malik could only score 5 points and lost his 57kg bout 6-5

11:00: Sina KHALILI (IRI) hangs on to beat Omar OMAROV (UWW) 6-5 at 70kg. Both Omarov led 5-4 when Khalili forced a stepout with 24 seconds left. Omarov challenged the call for a par terre position but the challenge was lost, giving a 6-5 lead to Khalili. Omarov then tried two pushouts which were both called pushouts. Khalili survived there to win 6-5

10:50: Luka CHKHITUNIDZE (GEO) with a brilliant fireman's carry for four points against CHANDERMOHAN (IND) before he adds a huge reverse slam for a five points. A pushout to end the match 10-0 in two minutes and 18 seconds at 79kg.

10:35: U20 world champion PJ DUKE (USA) up against Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB) at 70kg. He gets a point for Kuldashev's passivity before scoring a takedown for two points and lead 3-0 at the break. A point for Kuldashev in the second period but Duke hits two takedowns and then defends to win 7-1.