#WrestlePontevedra

Diacon Defeats Abdulradyrov As Time Expires, Captures European Title

Saturday, June 8, 2019 - 18:17 By Eric Olanowski

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PONTEVEDRA, Spain (June 8) – The Russian Federation won a Day 6 gold medal and command the 21-point lead over Moldova heading into the final day of wrestling in Spain, but the biggest story doesn’t come to their champion. It actually comes from their 70kg runner-up Magomed ABDULKADYROV (RUS), who gifted Vasile DIACON (MDA) a European title. Abdulradyrov put himself in a perfect position to win the 70kg European title and thought he’d done so, but the score in his head didn’t match the one on the scoreboard. 

The key point in the 70kg finals came with 17 seconds left in the second period. 

Abdulradyrov controlled the 6-5 advantage when he got to a head inside single and drove Diacon out of bounds. The Russian thought he was awarded two points for the takedown but was only given one for the step out. This meant Abdulradyrov led 7-5 and not 8-5 as he expected. 

When the action resumed, Abdulradyrov shot and got his hands locked to a high crotch. What happened next confused everyone inside the arena. The Russian, who was obviously being cautious, unlocked his hands and bellied down – giving Diacon the takedown and the 7-7 lead on criteria.

As the clock hit zero, Abdulradyrov looked over to the Russia corner and fist pumped, thinking he just won the European title. Just as he did that, the Moldovan coaching staff ran on the mat to congratulate Diacon on his victory.

A clearly baffled Abdulradyrov quickly jumped to his feet and went to his corner, asking for a challenge. The Russian corner threw the cube as Abdulradyrov continued to plead his case to the referees. He repeatedly pointed towards the right side of the mat and was clearly signaling two points for the takedown near the 15-second mark. There was nothing to review, and Diacon was awarded his first European title with an 8-7 victory. 

Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) celebrates after defeating Muslim SAIDULAEV (RUS), 1-1 in the 65kg gold-medal bout. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Azerbaijan Defeats Russia Twice, Wins Pair of Golds 

Azerbaijan and Russia met twice for gold medals on Saturday night, and it was the Azeri’s who picked up a pair of titles over their Russian opponents. 

In the 65kg finals, reigning cadet world and European champion Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) was awarded a late inactivity point and edged Muslim SAIDULAEV (RUS), 1-1. 

Bayramov continued to push the pace of the match and put his Russian opponent on the inactivity clock twice. In the opening period, Bayramov gave up a one-point step out while Saidualev was on the clock and trialed 1-0. In the second period, Bayramov’s opponent was put on the clock for a second time, but this time, the Azeri was able to get the point and closed out the 1-1 victory. 

Azerbaijan’s second champion came at 79kg when Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) scored an inactivity point, a stepout point, and a failed challenge as time expired, to win the gold medal with a 3-1 victory over Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS).

The final day of wrestling at the Junior European Championships begins on Sunday at 18:00 and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

RESULTS 

GOLD – Russia (100 points)
SILVER – Moldova (79 points)
BRONZE – Azerbaijan (62 points)
Fourth – Turkey (60 points)
Fifth – Armenia (42 points)

57kg 
GOLD -Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS) df. Ahmet DUMAN (TUR), 9-7 
BRONZE - Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) df. Niklas STECHELE (GER), 8-3 
BRONZE - Nicu CATAVEICA (MDA) df. Ioannis MARTIDIS (GRE), 7-1 

65kg 
GOLD -Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Muslim SAIDULAEV (RUS), 1-1 
BRONZE - Dzianis SALAVEI (BLR) df. Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU), 1-1 
BRONZE - Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) df. Marwane Ahmed YEZZA (FRA), 11-1 

70kg 
GOLD -Vasile DIACON (MDA) df. Magomed ABDULKADYROV (RUS), 8-7
BRONZE - Omer Faruk CAYIR (TUR) df. Elmar KAZIMOV (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE - Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Tobias PORTMANN (SUI), 6-1

79kg 
GOLD -Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df. Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS), 3-1 
BRONZE - Erik REINBOK (EST) df. Ilya KHAMTSOU (BLR), 11-0 
BRONZE - Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) df. Oleksandr VYSHNIAK (UKR), via injury default 

97kg
GOLD - Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df. Radu LEFTER (MDA), via fall 
BRONZE - Danylo STASIUK (UKR) df. Artur VEGH (HUN), 5-4 
BRONZE - Tamik DZHIKAEV (RUS) df. Aleh MATORNY (BLR), 9-6

#WrestleSamokov

Kyrgyzstan, Moldova earn chance to end U20 World title drought

Sunday, August 17, 2025 - 18:58 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 17) -- Kyrgyzstan and Moldova earned a chance to end their gold-medal drought at the U20 World Championships.

On the first day of the 2025 World U20 Championships in Samokov, four Freestyle weight classes were in action. Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ) was the surprised finalist at 74kg and will try to become Kyrgyzstan's first gold medal at the U20 World Championships in 20 years. He will take on European U23 champion Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) in the final.

At 70kg, Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) earned the final and will now try to become Moldova's first U20 world champ in Freestyle since 1999. He will take on returning bronze medalist PJ DUKE (USA) in the gold-medal bout.

The 125kg weight class will see an all-Asian final as Asian U20 champion Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) earned a shot for the world title against Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI), a wrestler over whom Kassimbek has a 3-0 head-to-head record.

Two returning bronze medalists, Duke and Justin RADEMACHER (USA), upgrade their bronze medals from last year and earn themselves a chance to win gold on Monday at 70kg and 97kg respectively.

Akylbekov, who had finished at 17th at 79kg last year, had a dream run on Sunday and ended one for Raul CASO (ITA) in the semifinals. Caso had posted two last-second victories, however, he failed to repeat those heroics in the semifinal against Akylbekov.

Caso was 3-2 and went attack-mode in the final 15 seconds. He almost scored a takedown over Akylbekov who managed to sneak out and then Caso jumped over to take control for a takedown. However, the Kyrgyz wrestler stood up to avoid giving up any points. Italy challenged for two points but lost that on review, giving one more point to Akylbekov.

While Caso was leaving it late in his wins, Akylbekov was contrastingly dominating them. He defeated Nicholas HOOPER (CAN), 12-0, in the opening bout, blanked Titas PIJORAITIS (LTU), 10-0 and then handed Dosszhan KUL GAIYP (KAZ) a 6-1 loss.

Ismail KHANIEV (UWW)Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) defeated Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3, in the semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

He will now face Khaniev, who earned himself his first world medal at any level. Khaniev defeated Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3, in a very close semifinal than the scoreline suggests.

Khaniev led 3-3 on criteria but Yamaguchi constantly threatened to score in the final 25 seconds. He hit a double-leg attack and planted Khaniev, who somehow managed to not land in danger. In a counter, Khaniev exposed Yamaguchi for two points and took a 5-3 lead. Yamaguchi tried a desperate throw in the final 15 seconds but Khaniev blocked it for two more points to win.

Earlier in the day, Khaniev avenged his European U20 Championships loss to Manuel WAGIN (GER) with a technical superiority win after he had beaten returning silver medalist Ladrion LOCKETT (USA).

Duke had his first big challenge of the day in the semifinals against former world U17 champion Erfan ELAHI (IRI) at 70kg. Duke scored a takedown while Elahi had a point for stepout and Duke's passivity. Duke's two-point scoring move gave him the criteria.

However, Elahi somehow thought he has the criteria and did not think of attacking in the final 30 seconds. When the bout was over, Elahi celebrated as if he had won only to realize that he has lost 2-2.

Duke will look to win his first a world title before wrestling at the senior World Championships later in September. He will take on Gaidarli for the gold-medal after the Moldovan won his semifinal 7-4 against Nurlan AGHAZADA (AZE).

Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA)Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) reached the 70kg final in Samokov. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Gaidarli became the first Moldovan Freestyle wrestler to reach the final at U20 Worlds since 2019 after a stunningly good run in Samokov. He defeated European U20 champion Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO), 13-3, avenging his loss from Carole, Italy.

In the semifinals, he scored three takedowns in the second period against Aghazada to win 7-4, bettering his 18th-place finish from last year and earning a chance to end the gold-medal drought for Moldova.

Returning bronze medalist at 97kg Rademacher defeated European U20 champion Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinals and will now try to win gold. Rademacher led 4-3 at the break extended his lead with a takedown for two points to start the second period, add another go-behind and single-leg to takedown to lead 10-3.

Petriashvili got an attack for two points but Rademacher was relentless in his wrestling and scored three more takedowns to win 16-5.

Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW)Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) survived to win 11-9 against VISHAL (IND) in the 97kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

For the gold medal, he will face Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) who survived, with some help, for an 11-9 win over VISHAL (IND) who had Magomedov in all sorts of trouble. Magomedov led 10-4 when Vishal mounted a comeback against an absolutely broken Magomedov. He scored a takedown and Magomedov was cautioned for a singlet-pull foul which made it 10-7.

As the bout was restart in par terre, India challenged for two more points but the referee had blown the whistle before control from Vishal. That challenge gave enough breathing time to Magomedov to managed to hang on to his lead and win 11-9.

Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ)Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) celebrates after winning his 125kg semifinal against Cole MIRASOLA (USA). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Kassimbek had a very dominant semifinal as he defeated Cole MIRASOLA (USA), 11-0, inside the first period. He had two excellent counter takedowns and then locked up Mirasola's legs around his head and turns him twice. He finished things with a double-leg takedown.

Kassimbek has lost to two World U17 Championships finals before but he will have a good chance to win his first world title. He will take on Mohammad Nezhad, a wrestler he has defeated three times before.

The Iranian denied former world U17 champion Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE) after a 1-1 victory in the semifinal. Mohmmad Nezhad got the one point for passivity in the second period which gave him the criteria.

Mohammad Nezhad lost to Kassimbek for the first time in 2023 Asian U17 Championships final, 8-1, then at the same tournament in 2024, 2-2 in the semifinals. His third loss to Kassimbek came in the semifinals of the 2024 World U17 Championships, 4-3.

RESULTS

70kg
GOLD: PJ DUKE (USA) vs. Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) 

SF 1: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Nurlan AGHAZADA (AZE), 7-4
SF 2: PJ DUKE (USA) df. Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI), 2-2

74kg
GOLD: Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) vs. Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ)

SF 1: Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ) df. Raul CASO (ITA), 4-2
SF 2: Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) df. Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3

97kg
GOLD: Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) vs. Justin RADEMACHER (USA)

SF 1: Justin RADEMACHER (USA) df. Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 16-5
SF 2: Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. VISHAL (IND), 11-9

125kg
GOLD: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) vs. Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI)

SF 1: Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) df. Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE), 1-1
SF 2: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) df. Cole MIRASOLA (USA), 11-0