#WrestleBucharest

European Championships Day Six FS 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg, 125kg semis set

By United World Wrestling Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (February 17) -- The European Championships is now on day six, the last full day of the competition. The competition will run with the repechage, qualification and semifinals in the morning session before moving to the medal bouts in the evening. 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg weight classes will be in action.

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Semifinals for the evening session

61kg
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) vs. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
Niklas STECHELE (GER) vs. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)

74kg
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) vs. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) vs. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)

86kg
Myles AMINE (SMR) vs. Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) vs. Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)

92kg
Magomed KURBANOV (AIN) vs. Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) vs. Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)

125kg
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) vs. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN)
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) vs. Taha AKGUL (TUR)

15:00: Down goes Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)! He drops his quarterfinal against Osman GOCEN (TUR). The 86kg bout was high on action for six minutes with Gocen leading 4-1 at the break. Ramazanov could never come close as Gocen used two gut wrenches to lead 10-3, the final score of the bout.

14:45: Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) doesn't let his opponents catch his legs so easily. Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP) found it out in the 74kg quarterfinal when Salkazaov held on to his 3-1 lead till the match ended.

14:20: Abasgazdhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) looks unstoppable on the mat. Another 10-0 win for the world silver medalist at 61kg. He is likely to face Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) who came back from 5-1 down against Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO). The Georgian had a big throw when both wrestlers body locked each other. However, Abakarov scored a takedown and turn to make it 5-5 with Phartenadze leading on criteria. But a slick takedown in the end gave Abakarov a 7-5 win.

14:00: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) falls to Magomed KURBANOV (AIN) 5-1. No openings for Nurmagomedov there and he drops his 92kg bout. In the same weight class, Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) and Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) move into the quarterfinals. 

13:30: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) beats Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) 11-1 at 74kg followed by defending champion Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) holding off Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM) 2-1 in typical Salkazanov style.

12:55: Myles AMINE (SMR) was in all sorts of trouble there but he hung on for a 6-5 win over Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP) in his 86kg bout.

12:30: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) absolutely breaks Mezhlum MEZHLUMYAN (ARM) in the second period and races to a 9-0 win at 61kg. A little earlier, Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) won 10-0 against Nils LEUTERT (SUI)

12:15: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) takes all six minutes to beat Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT) 9-0. Taha AKGUL (TUR) is much quicker to see off Kamil  KOSCIOLEK (POL) at 125kg.

12:05: The 125kg stalwarts come on the mat for their qualification round. Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (AIN), a 97kg wrestler, is wrestling at 125kg. Zhabrailov starts with a good 10-0 win over Michael MANEA (ROU)

11:30: Defending champion Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) starts with a 10-0 win over Alan BAGAEV (AIN). That is a big win for Kurugliev as Bagaev was expected to challenge him in the first match.

11:15: The 86kg weight class is the one to look out for today. In the first big bout of the day, Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) was up against Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL). He led 2-0 but Ramazanov scored a takedown to make it 2-2. In the second period, Ramazanov hit a strong counter and held Gamkrelidze to his back for a fall!

10:45: Big upset from the repechage as Andre CLARKE (GER) beats Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) at 65kg. The defending champion will be returning home without a medal this year.

10:30: Welcome to day six of the European Championships from Bucharest, Romania. We are in the last leg of this tournament with five weight classes in Freestyle left.

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds 2025: Forrest wins epic final to hand U.S. team title

By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 27) — For a second time this year, the United States and Iran were involved in a thrilling team title race in Freestyle at a World Championships with the U.S. eventually winning the title.

After being tied at 102 points each at the U23 World Championships in Novi Sad, the U.S. needed one win and Iran needed to win all three bouts on the final day of the competition.

The U.S. sealed the team title as soon as Jaxen FORREST (USA) won the 61kg final, giving his country an unassailable lead of 137 points over Iran, which finished second with 127 points. Japan was third with 85 points.

With the team title, U.S. won the top spot in Freestyle in all age-group World Championships while Iran won the title in senior Worlds.

Three gold medals already in pocket, the U.S. won a fourth one on Monday through Forrest who had an unforgettable bout against Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ).

Both teenagers, U20 world bronze medalist Forrest and U17 world champion Asan Uulu put on a match that will be remembered for ages. Both wrestlers settled in, Forrest came up with an over-underhook for four but Asan Uulu soon fired back with two takedown to make it 4-4. After a back-and-forth scramble, Asan Uulu managed to score a push out for a 5-4 lead.

But Forrest took a big lead when he threw Asan Uulu from quad pod position for four points. Kyrgyzstan’s lost challenge added one more point to make it 9-5.

Jaxen FORREST (USA)Jaxen FORREST (USA) scores a takedown against Umurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The two were not done yet. As soon as the second period began, Asan Uulu scored a stepout, Forrest got a takedown to make it 11-6. Asan Uulu managed to get a takedown and score via exposure. He took a 12-11 lead with a takedown on edge with 1:30 left.

There was more left in the match as Forrest got on a low single to get a takedown and as the wrestlers returned to standing, he threw Asan Uulu for a big four, the third of the match to make it 17-12. He was happy to give one takedown to Asan Uulu in the final 10 seconds and win the gold medal 17-14, in what was perhaps the match of the year.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND) scores the match-winning takedown against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 65kg, SUJEET (IND) upgraded his bronze from last year to gold this year after he blanked world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) in the final, his third 10-0 technical superiority over Jalolov this year.

Sujeet began like favorite underhook and snapdowns and Jalolov was put on the clock. Sujeet scored a takedown during that period to lead 3-0 before a stepout made it 4-0, a lead which Sujeet carried into the break.

The second period was no different as Sujeet did not let Jalolov settle down. He scored using a counter takedown to lead 6-0 with 1:52 remaining. Jalolov tried to hit a far reaching leg attack but Sujeet throws thew himself backward before scoring a takedown. A double leg takedown to make it 10-0 with 1:06 remaining.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) celebrates after beating Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan went past Turkiye in the team race by one point, all thanks to Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) winning the gold medal at 97kg by beating Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 12-2, in the final.

For a split second Suleimaniashvili was about to pin Yoshida but apart from that, Yoshida never looked in any kind of trouble. His body frame and power were too much for the Georgian who just folded in the battle.

Yoshida managed to score from various position and used the underhook to perfection to earn his first world title.

One of the most dominant wrestlers in this tournament, Arsen BALAIAN (UWW), capped off his incredible run with a 10-0 victory over Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA), 10-0.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Jaxen FORREST (USA) df. Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ), 17-14

BRONZE: Akito MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Tolga OZBEK (TUR) df. Erdal GALIP (BUL), 11-1

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB), 10-0

BRONZE: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) df. Aykhan ABDULLAZADA (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN), 7-5

86kg
GOLD: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) df. Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA), 10-0

BRONZE: Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) df. Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO), 13-2
BRONZE: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 7-5

97kg
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 12-2

BRONZE: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), 7-1
BRONZE: Soslan DZHAGAEV (UWW) df. David MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 4-2