#BudaWrestle2018

Chakaev Knocks Off 2 World Champs to Reach Semifinals

By Andrew Hipps

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)

#WrestleBudapest

Mammadli wins gold in Budapest; Georgia captures two on final day

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 20) -- World and European champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), five days short of his 23rd birthday, gave himself a birthday present and kept his World Championships preparations on track by winning the Budapest Ranking Series on Sunday.

Three months after winning the European title, Mammadli enjoyed a successful day in Budapest, winning gold at 60kg after beating SUMIT (IND), 5-1, in the final.

There were seven other gold medalist as the Ranking Series came to a close on Sunday. With this, the World Championships season will begin next week in Athens, Greece with the World U17 Championships.

Mammadli was put in par terre in the first period but as casual as he is, Mammadli defended any turn. He blocked Sumit's attempt to get a gut-wrench mid-turn and got two points. He got a bodylock to kick off second period and scored a takedown to make it 4-1. As Sumit was put in par terre, Mammadli further led 5-1. However, he was happy to not put any effort in attempting any turns.

Sumit tried getting a hold of Mammadli in the final two minutes but it to no avail and Mammadli won the final 5-1.

Earlier in the day, Mammadli defeated Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) in the semifinals, 3-2, in what was a rematch of the European final that was won by Mammadli.

Another European champion Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) captured gold medal in Budapest after he beat Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ), 9-0, in the 55kg final.

Apart from the small hiccup he had in the semifinal against Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), Sefershaev had an top tournament, outscoring his opponents 27-7 in four bouts.

Botirov scored five points on Sefershaev but he was able to score five on him as well and won the bout the bout on criteria. In the final, Sefershaev did not have any trouble and rolled Mukashev four time from par terre to finish the bout.

At 63kg, Sergey EMELIN (UWW) denied Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) a Ranking Series gold medal after beating him 5-0 in the final. Emelin scored points from par terre and kept the pressure in the second period as well and was not called passive. He held his 5-0 lead for six minutes of the bout to win gold medal.

Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) emerged as the champion at 67kg after a final of two halves against Valentin PETIC (MDA), who unfortunately ended with another silver medal at the Ranking Series, his third this year. He has silver medals from Zagreb and Albania.

The final began with a quick takedown from Khetsuriani and he then lifted Petic for a suplex for four points. For the next throw, he performed a turn but it was ruled a below-the-waist foul and no points were awarded.

Georgia challenged asking for two points but the referees awarded one point for stepout on review, making the score 7-0 for Khetsuriani. Petric failed to break Khetsuriani's defense for the remaining 4:30 and dropped the final.

Hosts Hungary had a rather disappointing evening session as Robert FRITSCH (HUN) and Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) suffered losses in the 77kg and 82kg finals, respectively.

Fritsch was defeated 5-2 in the 77kg final by Sergei KUTUZOV (UWW) who had a 3-0 lead at the break in the final. Fritsch closed the gap to 3-2 with a stepout and par terre point but he failed to make a move from that position.

Kutuzov was happy defending but Fritsch pushed for a stepout to which Kutuzov circled and returned to center to get a point. A lost challenge late in the bout gave one more point to Kutuzov who won 5-2.

There was further disappointment for Hungary as Levai, moving up from 77kg to 82kg, suffered a 5-1 loss in the 82kg final against Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW).

After getting the par terre position in the first period, Levai failed to score any points. Tiuliubaev made no such mistakes and scored two turns from par terre in the second period and won 5-1.

At 97kg, Giorgi MELIA (GEO) came out as a clear winner as Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) had no answer to Melia's aggressive style of wrestling in the final.

Melia rolled to a 3-1 victory to capture yet another gold medal for Georgia in Budapest.

With the fourth and final Ranking Series in the books, wrestlers will now receive seeds for the World Championships once the final entries are closed.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) df. Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ), 9-0

BRONZE: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df. Alpamys DASTANBEK (KAZ), 1-1
BRONZE: Anil MOR (IND) df. Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), 7-4

60kg
GOLD: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. SUMIT (IND), 5-1

BRONZE: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Seunghak KIM (KOR), 5-2 
BRONZE: Sadyk LALAEV (UWW) df. Galym KABDUNASSAROV (KAZ), 5-3

63kg
GOLD: Sergey EMELIN (UWW) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 5-0

BRONZE: Yerzhet ZHARLYKASSYN (KAZ) df. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), via inj. 
BRONZE: Dinislam BAMMATOV (UWW) df. Karen ASLANYAN (ARM), via fall

67kg
GOLD: Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) df. Valentin PETIC (MDA), 7-0

BRONZE: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df. Minseong KWON (KOR), 8-3
BRONZE: Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) df. Daniial AGAEV (UWW), 1-1

77kg
GOLD: Sergei KUTUZOV (UWW) df. Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN), 5-2

BRONZE: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE: Sergei STEPANOV (UWW) df. Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL), 7-1

82kg
GOLD: Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW) df. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), 5-1

BRONZE: Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) df. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA), 2-1
BRONZE: Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) df. Rafael IUNUSOV (UWW), 2-1

97kg
GOLD: Giorgi MELIA (GEO) df. Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM), 3-1

BRONZE: Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) df. Ilia ERMOLENKO (UWW), 8-4
BRONZE: Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) df. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 6-3