#YasarDogu2018

Dake and Taylor Trample Competition, USA Edges Iran to Win Yasar Dogu Team Title

By Eric Olanowski

ISTANBUL, Turkey (July 29) - First-time world team representatives Kyle DAKE (USA) and David TAYLOR (USA) thumped the competition, picking up seven falls and a technical superiority victory on their way to winning gold medals at the 46th Annual Yasar Dogu. 

Kyle Dake closed out the Yasar Dogu in dominant fashion, picking up two falls and a technical superiority victory on his way to grabbing the 79kg gold medal. 

In his opening round match-up, Dake buried three-time world and Olympic bronze medalist, Cabrayil HASANOV (AZE) with a cradle after commanding an 11-2 lead to set up a semifinal match-up with Turkey’s Ayhan SUCU.

It only took the Ivan Yarygin runner-up 60 seconds to score the fall over Sucu, locking for his second championship finals appearance of the year. 

In the finals, Dake squared off against junior world bronze medalist Ibrahim YUSUBOV (AZE). The American used three takedowns, and a pair of gut wrenches to end the gold-medal bout 11-0 in the opening period. This win gave Dake his third overall international gold medal (2014 Granma Cup and 2017 Grand Prix of Paris). 

David TAYLOR (USA) sticks Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) to claim his third gold medal of the year. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

Fellow American David Taylor, the 2018 Pan-American champion also cruised to a gold medal, tallying four dominating wins via fall in route to winning the 86kg gold medal. 

Taylor pinned Kazakhstan’s Azamat DAULETBEKOV in the opening round after being up 14-6. 

In the quarterfinals, Taylor took on 2017 world runner-up Boris MAKOEV (SVK), who lost to Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) in the 86kg Paris World finals a year ago. 

Taylor sealed his spot in the semifinals after pummeling Makoev 11-0 before gathering his second fall of the day. 

In the semifinals, Taylor only needed four minutes to flatten Mediterranean Games champion Ahmet BILICI (TUR) after leading 13-4, making his second Ranking Series event final of the year.

The second-ranked wrestler in the world took less than 90 seconds to trample Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) in the finals. In addition to the Ivan Yarygin and Pan-American gold medal, this is Taylor’s third individual gold medal of the year. 

Thomas GILMAN (USA) was the third wrestler from the United States to win a gold medal at the 2018 Yasar Dogu. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

Four other American’s contributed to the United States’ team title run. Thomas GILMAN (USA), 2017 world runner-up claimed the 57kg gold medal, while world bronze medalist NICK GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) and the three-time world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) took home bronze medals. 

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), the five-time world and Olympic champion was the sixth American medalist, finishing in second place after falling to two-time world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) in an epic 10-10 shootout. With that loss, Burroughs now has more losses (two) at the Yasar Dogu than 11 World Cup’s and World Championships combined (one).  

RESULTS 

Team Scores 
GOLD - United States (150 points) 
SILVER - Iran (146 points)
BRONZE - Turkey (125 points)
Fourth - Azerbaijan (121 points)
Fifth - Ukraine 117 points)

Freestyle 
61kg

GOLD - Mohammadbagher YAKHKESHI (IRI) df. Sandeep TOMAR (IND), 8-2 

BRONZE - Andrei BEKRENEU (BLR) df. Ruslan GASIMOV (AZE), 4-1 
BRONZE - Hasanzada MIRCALAL (AZE) df. Andreyeu ULADZISLAU (BLR), 2-1 

70kg
GOLD - Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) df. Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR) via injury def. 

BRONZE - Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) df. Sefa AKSOY (TUR), 3-0 
BRONZE - Mustafa KAYA (TUR) df. Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI), 12-5 

79kg
GOLD - Kyle Douglas DAKE (USA) df. Ibrahim YUSUBOV (AZE), 11-0 

BRONZE - Rustam DUDAIEV (UKR) df. Bakhtiyar IZBASSAROV (KAZ), 7-0 
BRONZE -  Hasanov CABRAYIL (AZE) df. Ayhan SUCU (TUR), 4-0 

92kg
GOLD - Mohammadjavad EBRAHIMIZIVLAEI (IRI) df. Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI), 2-2 

BRONZE - van YANKOUSKI (BLR) df. Liubomyr SAGALIUK (UKR), 2-1 
BRONZE - Hajy RAJABAU (BLR) df. Serdar BOKE (TUR), via injury def. 

125kg
GOLD -  KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) df. Yadollah MOHEBI (IRI), 9-6 

BRONZE - Nick NICK GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) df. Nick MATUHIN (GER), 6-4 
BRONZE -  Danylo KARTAVYI (UKR) df. Huseyin CIVELEK (TUR), 12-3 

Women's Wrestling 
Team Scores

GOLD - Ukraine (164 points)
SILVER - India (151 points)
BRONZE - Turkey (143 points)
Fourth - Azerbaijan (93 points)
Fifth - Germany (67 points)

53kg
GOLD - Anzhela DOROGAN (AZE) df. Aysun ERGE (TUR), 10-7 

BRONZE - Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) df. Seema SEEMA (IND), 10-2

57kg 
GOLD - Iryna CHYKHRADZE KHARIV (UKR) df. Pooja DHANDA (IND), 11-0 

BRONZE - Tetyana KIT (UKR) df. Mehlika OZTURK (TUR), 10-0 

BRONZE - Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) df. Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER), 10-0 

62kg
GOLD -  Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) df. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), via injury def. 

BRONZE -  Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df. Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE), 10-0 

BRONZE -  Sarita SARITA (IND) df. Cansu AKSOY (TUR), 10-0 

68kg
GOLD -  Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU), 5-4 

BRONZE -  Anna SCHELL (GER) df. Viktoria BOBEVA (BUL), 3-0 

76kg 
GOLD - Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) df. Yasemin ADAR (TUR), 5-3 

BRONZE -  Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Mehtap GULTEKIN (TUR), 4-0 

#development

UWW conducts REDT program in Benin

By United World Wrestling Press

OUIDAH, Benin (December 20) -- United World Wrestling (UWW), in collaboration with the Benin Wrestling Federation, the Benin National Olympic Committee and the national sports authorities, successfully organized the Regional Education and Development Wrestling Tournament (REDT), which took place in Ouidah from November 23 to 30, 2025.

This event represents the first tournament ever organized in West Africa, marking a major milestone in UWW’s wrestling development strategy on the African continent.

Ten countries from the West African region took part in the tournament, contributing to a framework of technical and educational exchanges aimed at enhancing the competencies of wrestling stakeholders.

Deqa NIAMKEY, Director of Development at United World Wrestling, paid an official visit to Benin. She praised the progress achieved by the Benin Wrestling Federation and recalled the core objective of the REDT program.

"The REDT was initiated by United World Wrestling to support countries in the sustainable development of wrestling.”

Niamkey also conducted a sports administration education session with representatives of national federations, while Youssef BOUAZIZ delivered an online training session on ARENA.

Benin

Ahead of the competitions, a regional coaches’ education program was conducted from November 24 to 27, 2025, bringing together coaches, referees, athletes and technical staff from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Senegal.

This program was delivered by Vincent AKA, UWW Expert and Development Officer, and concluded with theoretical and practical evaluations leading to the award of UWW International Coaching Certifications Levels 1 and 2.

Celestin PAVELESCU, UWW Expert, led the refereeing education program in Olympic Wrestling and Beach Wrestling, contributing to the improvement of technical standards and the harmonization of officiating practices across the region.

The competitions were held on November 29, 2025 at the IRSP Gymnasium, while the Beach Wrestling events took place on November 30, 2025 at the Door of No Return Beach, an emblematic site of Ouidah’s historical and cultural heritage.

The host nation particularly distinguished itself during this edition, winning a total of 35 medals (11 gold, 15 silver and 9 bronze).

The development strategy focused on youth and the introduction of wrestling in the school environment, with a strong representation of U17 wrestlers, illustrates the long-term vision pursued by the Benin Wrestling Federation.

At the conclusion of the competition, the President of the Benin Wrestling Federation, Adihunkpéto YVES AZIFAN, congratulated all wrestlers and coaches, while reaffirming the federation’s commitment to position Benin sustainably among the leading nations of African and international wrestling.