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Chakaev Knocks Off 2 World Champs to Reach Semifinals

Sunday, October 21, 2018 - 13:11 By Andrew Hipps

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BUDAPEST, Hungry (October 21) – Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) knocked off two world champions en route to reaching the semifinals at 65kg on Sunday at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. 

Chakaev, a 2016 world bronze medalist, opened with a 7-5 victory over 2016 world champion Logan STIEBER (USA). After a picking up an 8-3 victory over Sirojiddin KHASANOV (UZB), the Russian squared off against Olympic and world champion Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO). 

Chakaev dominated Khinchegashvili, picking up a 10-0 technical fall in the quarterfinals. He used two takedowns to go up 4-0 and then broke the match open late in the first period off a four-point takedown. He will now face past cadet world champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), who also won by technical fall in the quarterfinals. 

On the bottom side of the bracket at 65kg, returning world bronze medalist Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) topped three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE).

Valdes Tobier, who pinned Aliyev at the Freestyle World Cup, used a first-period takedown to notch a 2-0 victory over Aliyev on Sunday at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The Cuban carried the momentum in his next two matches, two technical fall victories to earn a spot in tonight's semifinals at 65kg. He will face Bajrang BAJRANG (IND).

The two returning world finalists at 57kg, Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Thomas GILMAN (USA), reached the semifinals. 

The returning world champion Takahashi was pushed in his quarterfinal match, but prevailed 4-1 over Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR). The victory sets him up for a semifinal matchup against Zavur UGUEV (RUS), who shut out U-23 world champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) 6-0. 

Gilman, a silver medalist in Paris, blanked Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) 4-0. His opponent in tonight's semifinals is Asian champion Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ). 

At 92kg, Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI), a 2015 world bronze medalist, shut out 2012 Olympic champion Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) in the quarterfinals, and followed it up with a 12-1 technical fall in the quarterfinals over past cadet world champion Batyrbek TCAKULOV (RUS). In the semifinals he faces Olympic and world bronze medalist J'Den COX (USA).

Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) was unscored upon in two matches to reach the semifinals in the top side of the bracket at 92kg. He now faces Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN), a 3-2 winner over Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN).

Competing in his first World Championships, Kyle DAKE (USA) showcased strong par terre in the quarterfinals at 79kg as he dominated 2011 world bronze medalist Davit KHUTSISHVILI (GEO) 11-0. The victory pits him against European champion Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS), who shut out Unurbat PUREVJAV (MGL) 6-0 in the quarterfinals. 

Olympic bronze medalist Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) advanced to the semifinals at 79kg with a 6-0 win over returning world bronze medalist Ali SHABANAU (BLR).

The semifinals are set to take place at 5:45 p.m. local time. 

Semifinal Matchups 

57kg 
Zavur UGUEV (RUS) vs. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) vs. Thomas GILMAN (USA)

65kg 
Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) vs. Takuto OTOGURO (JPN)
Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) vs. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND)

79kg 
Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) vs. Kyle DAKE (USA)
Ezzatollah AKBARIZARINKOLAEI (IRI) vs. Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE)

92kg 
Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN) vs. Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR)
Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) vs. J'Den COX (USA)

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Maroulis, Blades make U.S. team for World Championships

Sunday, June 15, 2025 - 08:03 By United World Wrestling Press

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NEWARK, United States (June 14) -- The United States Women's Wrestling team for the World Championships is fixed. The final selection of the team was held Saturday in Newark, New Jersey with three-time Olympic medalist Helen MAROULIS (USA) and Olympic silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA) among those making the cut.

The 'Final X', a tournament to select the team's final 10 wrestlers, saw five experienced stars and five young athletes who earned their spot on the World Championships team.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Maroulis, the 2016 Olympic and three-time world champion, continued her amazing run of excellence by pinning Amanda MARTINEZ, winning the best-of-three series 2-0 at 57kg. In the first bout, Maroulis scored a first-period pin in 1:51, then was able to put away Martinez in 4:43 in bout two.

This will Maroulis' 12th world team selection to go along with her three Olympic appearances. Apart from three world gold medals, Maroulis has four other medals at the World Championships.

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Blades, who won silver medal at the 2024 Olympics, finished off a two-match sweep over Brooklyn HAYS at 68kg. Surprisingly, this will be Blades' first appearance at the World Championships. Blades won the first match over Hays, 10-4, and the second 5-2.

Macey KILTY and Kylie WELKER, Blades' teammates at Iowa University, also made the team with convincing victories. Both Kilty and Welker are past world medalists.

Kilty downed Aine DRURY with a pair of 10-0 technical falls, with both matches ending in the first period. Welker, a 2024 world bronze medalist, defeated Dymond GUILFORD in two straight bouts. Welker opened her offense in the second match, she broke open a 1-1 tie with eight second-period points for a 9-1 win. Her first match was a razor-thin 2-1 victory.

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2019 world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER needed all three matches to defeat Abigail NETTE at 59kg. Nette scored a pair of second-period takedowns to beat Winchester, 6-4, in the first bout. In the second match, Nette took a 6-1 lead but a four-point Winchester takedown made it 6-5 before she scored two more takedowns for a 9-7 win. In the deciding third bout, it was all Winchester, who secured a 10-0 technical fall.

The other five wrestlers will be competing in their first senior World Championships, scheduled for September 13 to 21 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Adaugo NWACHUKWU needed three matches to defeat two-time world silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE at 62kg. Nwachukwu had a strong second period to win the first match 14-8. In the second bout, Miracle scored a late step out point to tie it at 3-3 and got another point on a failed challenge for a 4-3 victory. In the deciding third match, after trailing 2-0, Nwachukwu scored eight straight points and went on to win 8-4.

At 50kg, world age-group medalist Audrey JIMENEZ swept her series over veteran Erin GOLSTON. Jimenez began with a 10-2 win over Golston before closing out with a 12-2 technical superiority win in the second bout.

Felicity TAYLOR had a two-match sweep over Brianna GONZALEZ. After winning the first bout 2-1, Taylor scored a takedown and two tilts for a 6-4 victory in the second.

Cristelle RODRIGUEZ, a 2024 world U20 champion, swept her series over high school star Everest LEYDECKER. While the first bout was a close 12-8 win for Rodriguez, she rallied to a 5-1 win in the second.

Alexandria GLAUDE got the 72kg spot after 2024 Olympic champion and two-time world champion Amit ELOR did not compete for personal reasons.

RESULTS (Best of three)

50kg
Audrey JIMENEZ df. Erin GOLSTON, 2-0

Bout 1: Jimenez df. Golston, 10-2
Bout 2: Jimenez df. Golston, 12-2

53kg
Felicity TAYLOR df. Brianna GONZALEZ, 2-0

Bout 1: Taylor df. Gonzalez, 2-1
Bout 2: Taylor df. Gonzalez, 6-4

55kg
Cristelle RODRIGUEZ df. Everest LEYDECKER, 2-0

Bout 1: Rodriguez df. Leydecker, 12-8
Bout 2: Rodriguez df. Leydecker, 8-5

57kg
Helen MAROULIS df. Amanda MARTINEZ, 2-0

Bout 1: Maroulis df. Martinez, via fall
Bout 2: Maroulis df. Martinez, via fall

59kg
Jacarra WINCHESTER df. Abigail NETTE, 2-1

Bout 1: Nette df. Winchester, 6-4
Bout 2: Winchester df. Nette, 9-7
Bout 2: Winchester df. Nette, 11-0

62kg
Adaugo NWACHUKWU df. Kayla MIRACLE, 2-1

Bout 1: Nwachukwu df. Miracle, 14-8
Bout 2: Miracle df. Nwachukwu, 4-3
Bout 3: Nwachukwu df. Miracle, 8-4

65kg
Macey KILTY df. Aine DRURY, 2-0

Bout 1: Kilty df. Drury, 10-0
Bout 2: Kilty df. Drury, 10-0

68kg
Kennedy BLADES df. Brooklyn HAYS, 2-0

Bout 1: Blades df. Hays, 10-4
Bout 2: Blades df. Hays, 5-2

72kg
Alexandria GLAUDE df. Amit ELOR, via forfeit

76kg
Kylie WELKER df. Dymond GUILFORD

Bout 1: Welker df. Guilford, 2-1
Bout 2: Welker df. Guilford, 9-1