#DanKolov2019

Dan Kolov Freestyle Preview

Tuesday, February 26, 2019 - 20:56 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

RUSE, Bulgaria (February 26) – Four Olympic gold medalists and reigning world champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) will take the mat at the Monbat Sports Park Arena in Ruse, Bulgaria, to compete in the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament, United World Wrestling’s second freestyle and women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the 2019 season.

The four Olympic champions entered into this week’s four-day tournament are Taha AKGUL (TUR), Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), Kyle SNYDER (USA), and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI).

Two-time world champion Geno Petriashivili, along with fellow returning Dan Kolov champions Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) and Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) will try to defend their titles from a year ago. 

For Petriashvili and Chamizo to repeat as Dan Kolov gold medalists, they’ll each have to go through an Olympic champion and multiple world medalists.


Chamizo vs. Burroughs Round 4?
The road for Italy's two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Frank Chamizo to defend his 74kg Dan Kolov title could head through his biggest rival, Jordan Burroughs. 

The pair of worldwide superstars are no strangers to each other and have sparked one of the most intriguing rivalries in recent memory since Chamizo bumped up to 74kg last year.

If they were to meet this weekend, it would be their fourth meeting in the last twelve months.

Burroughs, the four-time world and Olympic champion, scored the come-from-behind win in their first meeting at last May's Beat the Streets in New York City. Then, Chamizo returned the favor, knotting up the rivalry at one match a piece when he grabbed the 10-10 victory over Burroughs at the Yasar Dogu. Most recently, Burroughs gained the 2-1 match advantage when he came out on top in the Budapest World Championships bronze-medal bout, 4-4.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 2 Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
No. 3 Jordan Ernest BURROUGHS (USA)
No. 4 Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)
No. 5 Azamat NURYKAU (BLR)
No. 6 Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
No. 7 Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ  (ITA)
No. 11 Yakup GOR (TUR)


Can Petriashvili Navigate 125kg Gauntlet?  
Two-time world champion Geno Petriashvili will be looking to defend his 125kg Dan Kolov title from a season ago, too. For the Georgian big-man to repeat as a Dan Kolov champion, he’ll have to potentially defeat his biggest rival, Olympic champion Taha Akgul, and each of the three other 125kg Budapest world medalists.

China’s DENG Zhiwei (CHN) was last year’s runner-up, while Parviz HADI (IRI) and Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) finished with the pair of bronze medals.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 1 Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
No. 2 DENG Zhiwei (CHN)
No. 4 Taha AKGUL (TUR)
No. 5 Parviz HADI (IRI)
No. 6 Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)
No. 11 Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (RUS)
No. 12 Said GAMIDOV (RUS)


Yazdani to Make Ranking Series Debut  
Hassan Yazdani, Iran's world and Olympic champion, will make his Ranking Series debut this weekend at the Dan Kolov, where he’ll wrestle at 86kg.

The Iranian superstar is coming off winning his fourth straight medal at the world championships or Olympic games.

Yazdani fell short in the 2015 world finals but rebounded to reach the top of the podium at the Rio Olympics and Paris World Championships. He dropped his opening-round bout of the 2018 world championships to eventual champion David TAYLOR (USA) (Taylor will not be wrestling this weekend) but bounced back to win a Budapest bronze.

To win his first Ranking Series event, Yazdani “The Greatest” will have to upend Rio runner-up Selim YASAR (TUR) and 2017 world finalist Boris MAKOEV (SVK).

Yazdani has already defeated both guys at least once. The Iranian beat Yasar in the finals of the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games and pummelled Makeov 10-0 in the gold-medal of the 2017 world championships to win his first world title.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 5 Hassan Aliazam YAZDANI (IRI) 
No. 6 KIM Gwanuk (KOR)
No. 7 Ville HEINO (FIN) 
No. 8 Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
No. 12 ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL) 


Can Snyder Rebound After Back-to-Back Losses? 
Two-time world and Rio Olympic champion Kyle Snyder returns to action after suffering back-to-back losses in the world finals and the opening round of the Ivan Yariguin, United World Wrestling’s first Ranking Series event.  

Snyder, who’s the second-ranked wrestler at 97kg, went to Krasnoyarsk’s Ivan Yariguin with hopes of erasing the memory of the 2018 world finals where he was stuck by Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) in the opening period but instead lost his second straight match when he was stunned in the first round by Russia's Rasul MAGOMEDOV.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 2 Kyle SNYDER (USA)
No. 3 ULZIISAIKHAN Batzul (MGL)
No. 4 Abraham CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
No. 5 Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO)
No. 14 Baki SAHIN (TUR)


Atli’s Comeback After World Bronze
Suleyman ATLI (TUR) will take the mat for the first time since October’s Budapest World Championships where he defeated Thomas GILMAN (USA), 5-4, in the bronze-medal bout.

The 24-year-old brings 25 Ranking Series points into the Dan Kolov and is ranked fourth in the world at 57kg. He’s the lone returning world medalist but isn’t the highest ranked wrestler competing at 57kg. The above mentioned Gilman finished with a bronze medal at the Ivan Yariguin and jumped Atli in the world rankings, where he currently sits in the third spot with 32 Ranking Series points.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 3 Thomas GILMAN (USA)
No. 4 Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
No. 12 Sandeep TOMAR (IND)
No. 14 ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL)
No. 15 Wanhao ZOU (CHN)


Rahimi Returns, Will Wrestle Up At 61kg
Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) will wrestle outside of Iran for the first time since winning the 57kg bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.   

Rahimi underwent knee surgery and took nearly two years off before wrestling at 61kg for Team Bimeh Razi Babol at the 2018 World Clubs Cup. “I had knee surgery after the Rio Olympic Games, and I missed out on wrestling for about two years. I am very happy to be competing again. I love wrestling, and it is like blood in my vessel,” Rahimi said after one of his two World Clubs Cup wins.

Rahimi usually competes at 57kg but plans on staying up to 61kg, at least until the 2019 World Championships. “It was my first appearance at 61kg, and I am satisfied with my performance. I have aimed to compete at 61kg in the next World Championships, but I should think forward to the Olympic Games. I should choose between 57kg and 65kg, but it depends on the future situation.”

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 3 Joe COLON (USA) 
No. 11 Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)


Punia Looking to Keep Hot Streak Alive
Bajrang PUNIA (IND) is looking to keep his 2018 hot streak rolling and comes into the Dan Kolov as the 65kg front runner. He’s currently ranked third in the world at 65kg and holds 40 Ranking Series points (40rsp).

Punia, one of the sport’s biggest rising stars, is hoping to continue the success he achieved last year where he captured a medal in all six competitions he entered – including capping off the year with a runner-up finish at the 2019 world championships.

Last season, the Indian wrestler won the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games, the Yasar Dogu, and G. Kartozia & V. Balavadze Price, and also finished in third place at the Asian Championships.

To win his first Dan Kolov title, he’ll have to stop Bulgaria's two-time world medalist Vladimir DUBOV from defending his title from a year ago.

(SIDE NOTE: Punia is coming off a win over Azerbaijan's three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV at the 2019 Indian Pro League.)

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 3 Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
No. 4 TUMUR OCHIR Tulga (MGL)
No. 7 George BUCUR (ROU)
No. 9 Niurhun SKRABIN (BLR)
No. 11 Dimitar Lyubomirov IVANOV (BUL)


Four Deep at 70kg
World champion from 2017 Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) leads a pack of four top-ten wrestlers into Ruse.

The fourth through seventh-ranked wrestlers at 70kg competing this weekend are Iakobishvili, BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL), Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR), and Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB).

Outside of world title holder Iakobishvili, the only other ranked wrestler at this weight who has claimed a world or Olympic medal is seventh-ranked Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB). Navruzov won the 65kg bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

James GREEN, the United States' two-time world medalist will also wrestle at 70kg. Green won a bronze medal in 2015 and a silver medal in 2017, but only won one match at the 2018 world champion before falling to Bat Erdene in the second round, 4-2. 

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 4 Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)
No. 5 BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL)
No. 6 Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR)
No. 7 Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) 


Two Ranked Wrestlers Entered at 79kg and 92kg
PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) and Alexander DIERINGER (USA) are the two wrestlers who reside in the top-15 of the 79kg world rankings. Purevjav is ranked fourth in the world, and Dieringer, who collected 10 Ranking Series point after a third-place finish at the Ivan Yariguin, sits in the No. 12 spot. 

At 92kg, LUVSANDORJ Turtogtokh (MGL) and Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) are ranked top-10 in the world entering the Dan Kolov.

Luvsandorj lost in the 2018 world bronze-medal bout and left Budapest with a fifth-place finish. The Mongolian wrestler owns 20 Ranking Series points and is ranked sixth in the world at 92kg. 

Magomed Kurbanov holds 14 Ranking Series point and is the tenth-ranked wrestler in the world at 92kg. Kurbanov won the prestigious Ivan Yariguin after he swept the competition, going 4-0 in the round-robin tournament. 


Ranking Series Point Structure (Placement Points + Entry Points = Total Points) 

Placement Points
GOLD - 8 points 
SILVER - 6 points 
BRONZE - 4 points 
BRONZE - 4 points 
Fifth - 2 points 
Fifth - 2 points 

Entry Points 
10 or less entries - 6 points 
11-20 entries  - 8 points 
20 or more entries - 10 points 

SCHEDULE

February 27 (Wednesday) 
16:30 - Draw - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

February 28 (Thursday) 
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR (+2 kg) - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
10:00 - Elimination rounds - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
16:00 - Draw - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR-87 ,97, 130; WW - 62 ,68 ,76kg
16:30 - Opening ceremony
17:00 - Semifinals FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

March 1 (Friday) 
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR (+ 2 kg) - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
8: 30 - Weigh-in 2 FS - 61,70,79, 92 kg; GR (+ 2 kg) - 55,63,72,82 kg; WW - 55,59,65, 72 kg Referee meeting
10: 00 - Elimination rounds FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76 kg
10: 00 - Repechages FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
16: 30 - Draw - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
17: 00 - Semi-finals FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
18:00 - Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 61,70,79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

March 2 (Satuday) 
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg 
8:30: - Weigh-in 2 - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR (+ 2 kg) - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg 
10: 00 - Elimination rounds - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
10:00 - Repechages - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
17:00 - Semifinals - FS 86, 97, 125kg;GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
18: 00 - Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg

March 3 (Sunday) 
8:00 - Weigh-in 2 - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
Repechages - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg

#WrestleTirana

Muhamet Malo 2025 Ranking Series Day 5 Recap

Sunday, March 2, 2025 - 09:59 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

TIRANA, Albania (March 2) -- The final day of Muhamet Malo 2025 Ranking Series will see Greco-Roman action in six weight classes. 55kg, 60kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg and 130kg wrestlers will be on the mat.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

16:15: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) and Hamza BAKIR (TUR) enter the final at 130kg. Mirzazadeh scores a gut wrench from par terre against Wenhao JIANG (CHN) to lead 3-0 at the break. Jiang gets the forced par terre advantage in the second period but no points from the position for him. Mirzazadeh wins 3-1.

Bakir had Tokyo silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) in the semifinal. Kajaia gets the par terre in first period but doesn't turn Bakir, who got the par terre position in the second period but can't turn. Bakir holds the 1-1 criteria lead for the win.

16:00: Kiril MILOV (BUL) with a front headlock exposure for two and he led Alex SZOKE (HUN) 3-1. Szoke got the third passivity and as he tried to gut wrench Milov, he got stuck on the mat and Milov pinned him to enter the 97kg final.

He will take on Giorgi MELIA (GEO) in final after the Georgian defeated Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) 5-2. Melia blocked a turn from Ragginger and got two points. Ragginger got both the passivity calls and led 2-0 before the defended throw from Melia. Ragginger challenged for a defensive foul but lost it as Melia got another point and lead 3-2 with 1:30 remaining on the clock. Ragginger needs two points for a win. Melia with a stepout with 54 seconds remaining to lead 5-2. Ragginger fails to breakthrough and drops the semifinal.

15:50: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) defends from par terre when Ramon BETSCHART (SUI) got the third passivity and keep his 2-1 lead to enter the 82kg final. He will face Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) in the final after he got a gift from Svetoslav NIKOLOV (BUL) who committed two offensive leg fouls and was cautioned out of the semifinal.

15:35: Mehmet SAHIN (TUR) enters the 72kg final with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ). He will face Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) who beat Otar ABULADZE (GEO) 6-3 which may give him a look in the Georgian team for the European Championships.

15:20: Quick finishes to the 60kg semifinals! Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO) with two headpinch front throws to beat Haodong TAN (CHN) 8-0 and enter the final.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) brings out two reverse suplexes from par terre to beat Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ) 9-0. Lost challenge from Kyrgyzstan makes it 10-0

15:10: Emre MUTLU (TUR) with a huge four-point throw and then a turn from par terre as he leads Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ) 7-0 at the break in the 55kg semifinals. But Mamyrbekov storms back with two suplexes for two points each to make it 7-5. A challenge from Kazakhstan asking for a foul from Mutlu but there isn't any. A lost challenge makes it 8-5 for Mutlu with a minute remaining. Mutlu defends his lead and wins 8-5.

In the other semifinal, Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) was attacking from the start and earned two turns from par terre to lead 6-0 at the break Yersin ABYIR (TUR). Lolua also pulls out a good defense to keep it 6-1 when he was put on par terre in the second period. Abyir scores three points but a 6-4 win for Lolua.

The semifinals begin at 15:00 hours local time

14:40: Two turns from par terre for Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) to lead 5-1 and he may have thought that it was enough for a win. However, Shahin BADAGHI (QAT), of Iranian origin, scores a takedown to make it 5-4. Bolkvadze scores a stepout however Badaghi challenges and wins as Bolkvadze pulled his singlet. Badaghi down 5-4 with 1:21 left in the 82kg quarterfinal. Badaghi challenges for a headbutt but this time loses the challenge which makes Bolkvadze's score 6-4 whihc is also the winning score.

14:30: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) with a five-pointer as he moves into the semifinals at 60kg! Shiotani blanks Ziyue XI (CHN) 11-0. 

14:20: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) with a grand-amplitude over Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) for five points. Sleiva blocked with his hands which gives to more to Lomadze who leads 7-0 at the break. Sleiva can manage only two points in the second period as Lomadze wins 7-2

14:10: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) pulls out his best defense from par terre and stops Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) from turning him in the second period. A turn would have surely given Knystautas a 3-3 criteria lead. But Mirzazadeh wins 3-1

14:00: China has brought some hammers here! Haodong TAN (CHN) pins Paris Olympian Enes BASAR (TUR) at 60kg. Tan got the third passivity [no points are awarded for third passivity in Greco] and got a defensive foul from Basar. He then turned him and held Basar on the mat for a fall.

13:45: Ziyue XI (CHN) takes out Victor CIOBANU (MDA) at 60kg! What a performance from Xi. He defended his par terre position before scoring a correct throw from par terre in the second period to lead 3-1. Ciobanu gave up a stepout with 40 seconds remaining to fall behind 4-1. Ciobanu challenged so a foul but there was none. Xi gets a 5-1 lead. Ciobanu could not find a way to break Xi who wins 5-1 at 60kg.

13:35: Hamza BAKIR (TUR) scores an 8-0 win over Yuta NARA (JPN) at 130kg. Bakir has been impressive so far as he prepares himself for the big challenge at the European Championships. 

13:25: Tokyo Olympic silver medalist at Greco-Roman 130kg Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) turns Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) from par terre to lead 3-0 at the break before defending his position from forced par terre in the second and win 3-1 at 130kg.

13:10: The world is missing out on Yu SHIOTANI (JPN). A series of reverse lifts from par terre and Shiotani has Ergi UKU (ALB) in all sorts of trouble. An 11-0 win for Shiotani.

13:07: Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) brings out a reverse lift slam on Ji LENG (CHN) to score four points and snatch the win 4-2 against Leng who is a little dumbfounded with that move. Top move from Sleiva

13:05: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) can't find a way to break Iuri LOMADZE's (GEO) defense and drops his 72kg bout 5-1. Lomadze with a defensive block when Arsalan was trying to score on him.

12:50: Kyrgyzstan wrestlers are out here demoralising big star. Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ) takes out Selcuk CAN (TUR) at 72kg. After leading 5-0, Khamzaev defended well from par terre and gave up only two points. Can made it 5-5 with a push out but Khamzaev keeps the criteria win.

12:40: Former European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL), who wrestled at Paris Olympics at 130kg, drops down to his natural 97kg, and he dominates Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) 6-1. He scored two turns from par terre in the first period while Sterkenburg failed to do so in the second.

12:05: Hamza BAKIR (TUR) gets two par terre positions in the match and he scored three turns to beat 8-0 Laga BAYI (CHN) at 130kg. He expected to be the heir apparent to Riza KAYAALP (TUR) for Turkiye

11:50: Olympic bronze medalist Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) using his aggressive style against Heiki NABI (EST) for a 4-0 win at 130kg. While he did the par terre in the first period, he asked for standing in the second.

11:45: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) gives a reality check to U20 world champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) of the senior level. Shiotani was in forced par terre in the first period but he didn't let Ahmadi Vafa score. The referees were about to give Ahmadi Vafa the second par terre which may have made Ahmadi Vafa relax as he gave up a takedown. A reversal in the same sequence was scored one point for Ahmadi Vafa. But Shiotani with a big lift and throw for two points. Shiotani challenges and gets two more points for a foul from Ahmadi Vafa to lead 6-2. From par terre, Shiotani would score three more points and lead 9-4 with 35 seconds on the clock.

Ahmadi Vafa threatened to cause an upset as he scored a takedown and a turn to make it 9-6 before Shiotani blocked the next turn for two points. He then score another exposure and held Ahmadi Vafa on the mat for a fall.

11:35: Ali ARSALAN (SRB), world bronze medalist at 72kg, impresses with a 4-4 win over Levente LEVAI (HUN). Levai led 3-0 at the break but Arsalan with a headpinch for four. Levai blocked his second attempt. A stepout in the end gave Levai another point but Arsalan won 4-4 on criteria.

11:31: Selcuk CAN (TUR), wrestling at 72kg, with an impressive 7-3 win against Mikko PELTOKANGAS (FIN). Can with a top defense from par terre to keep Peltokangas at bay

11:25: Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) needed two successful challenges to remaining in the opening match at 97kg against Alex SZOKE (HUN) who committed two offensive leg fouls. Szoke still had a 7-1 lead at the break. Savolainen managed two points in the second period but failed get a move on. Szoke with a 7-3 win.

11:00: Greco-Roman all day as the final day of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series is here. Long day ahead but some classic match ups in various weight class. By the way, rain is back in Tirana.