#WrestleCaorle

European U20 Championships 2025 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

CAORLE, Italy (June 27) -- The European U20 Championships will begin in Caorle, Italy from June 30 to July 6.

The seven-day competition will see more than 500 wrestlers in Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling.

Greco-Roman will kick off proceedings on June 30 followed by Women's Wrestling and Freestyle will be held in the end.

For full schedule of European U20 Championships, please click here.

Freestyle

57kg
Sasha PETROSYAN (ARM)
Kristian CIKEL (AUT)
Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE)
Esad BOZALI (BUL)
Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO)
Nico ALTMEYER (GER)
Karoly BARATH (HUN)
Riccardo BONANNO (ITA)
Ion BULGARU (MDA)
Mehmet USINOV (MKD)
Antoni GREGORCZYK (POL)
Nurettin KAPAL (TUR)
Orest PETRANIUK (UKR)
Matsvei SYTSEVICH (UWW)
Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW)

61kg
Ersjan KASHIKU (ALB)
Sargis BEGOYAN (ARM)
Bashir VERDIYEV (AZE)
Murad ILYAZ (BUL)
Rene TALTS (EST)
Danoush JOWKAR (GBR)
Saba GAMBASHIDZE (GEO)
Eliah LUCYGA (GER)
Marcell TOVOELGYI (HUN)
Pasquale LIUZZI (ITA)
Vasili LAZAREV (MDA)
Ivan OKSIUK (POL)
Sandro HUNGERBUEHLER (SUI)
Robert MESZAROS (SVK)
Yusuf KULALI (TUR)
Andrii SHOKALIUK (UKR)
Herbert AKAPIAN (UWW)
Adlan SAITIEV (UWW)

65kg
Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM)
Haji KARIMOV (AZE)
Erdal GALIP (BUL)
Lukas BRANDL (CZE)
Jorge RODRIGUEZ (ESP)
Janar LIPS (EST)
Lazare GUJARAIDZE (GEO)
Jannis REBHOLZ (GER)
Mozes LASZLO (HUN)
Alessandro NINI (ITA)
Maxim DIMOV (MDA)
Jakub KESY (POL)
Benjamin BOEJTHE (ROU)
Samilj DADAJEV (SRB)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Viktor BOROHAN (UKR)
Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (UWW)
Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW)

70kg
Vladimir AZARYAN (ARM)
Ismayil RAHIMLI (AZE)
Kaloyan ATANASOV (BUL)
Denis GIL (ESP)
Rasmus JOGI (EST)
Abdoullah NAKAEV (FRA)
Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO)
Justin FEDERER (GER)
Jozsef TOTH (HUN)
Tomas GORMLEY (IRL)
Daniele GUBBIOTTI (ITA)
Oleg KNISEVSKIJ (LTU)
Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA)
Trim ISMAILI (MKD)
Dominik JAGUSZ (POL)
Eduard LENARD (ROU)
Samuel SEDLAK (SVK)
Remzi TEMUR (TUR)
Mykyta SARIIEV (UKR)
Aliaksandr KAMBAYEU (UWW)
Islam KAZHAROV (UWW)

74kg
Arayik AYVAZYAN (ARM)
Omar GULMAMMADOV (AZE)
Stiliyan DZHOROV (BUL)
Nikolai TARASSOV (EST)
Abdoul NAKAEV (FRA)
Saba KOBAKHIDZE (GEO)
Manuel WAGIN (GER)
Theocharis KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Adam GAZDAG (HUN)
Declan BLIGH (IRL)
Raul CASO (ITA)
Titas PIJORAITIS (LTU)
Gabriel OJOG (MDA)
Mars DOMAJEV (NOR)
Antoni MAJCHRZAK (POL)
Alain HELLER (SUI)
Aslan OZTURK (TUR)
Bohdan OLIINYK (UKR)
Muslim MAKHMUDAU (UWW)
Ismail KHANIEV (UWW)

79kg
Narek NIKOGHOSYAN (ARM)
Mukhammad INSHAPIEV (AUT)
Muradkhan OMAROV (AZE)
Bozhidar DOBREV (BUL)
David KODAKOV GIL (ESP)
Tristan ALEKSANDROV (EST)
Davit TCHETCHELASHVILI (GEO)
Marat KARDANOV (GER)
Avraam MOUSTOPOULOS (GRE)
Mark LAPOSA (HUN)
Daniel SIMONIAN (ISR)
Riccardo DELLE CAVE (ITA)
Vlad STRATAN (MDA)
Filip KLATECKI (POL)
David SOARE (ROU)
Huseyin KABAKTAS (TUR)
Bohdan OLEKSIIENKO (UKR)
Aliaksandr VIARBITSKI (UWW)
Said SAIDULOV (UWW)

86kg
Razmik YEPREMYAN (ARM)
Mahammad ABASZADA (AZE)
Grigor CHERNAKOV (BUL)
Ondrej KOCMANEK (CZE)
Vladislav RJABTSEV (EST)
Mohammad UMKHADJIEV (FRA)
Dachi PAPINASHVILI (GEO)
Adam LEIFRIDT (GER)
Panagiotis POLYCHRONIDIS (GRE)
Zeteny GANGL (HUN)
Tomer DROZHNIAK (ISR)
Lorenzo MARCHESINI (ITA)
Alexandru BORS (MDA)
Bartlomiej NOWAKOWSKI (POL)
Darius SAS (ROU)
Nick SCHERRER (SUI)
Anton VYHIVSKYI (SVK)
Ahmet YAGAN (TUR)
Pavlo VASKOVSKYI (UKR)
Aliaksei KULAKOU (UWW)
Ali SHAMIROV (UWW)

92kg
Albin PEPOSHI (ALB)
Narek IKILIKYAN (ARM)
Anar JAFARLI (AZE)
Nikola PETROV (BUL)
Rakhman KHOUNKAEV (FRA)
Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO)
Grigorios SARIDIS (GRE)
Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN)
Brando MAGNANI (ITA)
Gheorghe MUTU (MDA)
Omer MEMEDI (MKD)
Alexandru OLTEAN (ROU)
Fabio GIANNETTO (SVK)
Eyup ONEN (TUR)
Yehor HOROKH (UKR)
Aliaksei ZHORAU (UWW)
Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW)

97kg
Hrachik MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Ravan MUSAYEV (AZE)
Andriyan VALKANOV (BUL)
Ashab DADAEV (FRA)
Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Nikolaos KARAVANOS (GRE)
Peter ZSIVNOVSZKI (HUN)
Giuliano SPACCAVENTO (ITA)
Armanis BARSAMYAN (LTU)
David ERHAN (MDA)
Ilija ATANASOV (MKD)
Mateusz PUDLOWSKI (POL)
David METEA (ROU)
Samuel BECK (SVK)
Ibrahim BENEKLI (TUR)
Kostiantyn ZADOIANCHUK (UKR)
Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW)

125kg
Henrik HAYKYAN (ARM)
Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE)
Dian MANEV (BUL)
Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA)
Aleksandre ABRAMISHVILI (GEO)
Ahmet SEKMEN (GER)
Daniel SZILAGYI (HUN)
Martino PILIERO (ITA)
Vladimir ANGHEL (MDA)
Michal DUBOWSKI (POL)
Sertac AKSOY (TUR)
Ivan MYROSHNYCHENKO (UKR)
Yaraslau KOKHAN (UWW)
Inal GAGLOEV (UWW)

Adam SILVERIN (SWE)Adam SILVERIN (SWE) will look to defend his title in Greco-Roman 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Levon GHAZARYAN (ARM)
Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE)
Kaloyan IVANOV (BUL)
Jakub SEDLAK (CZE)
Nolan PISSOCHER (FRA)
Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO)
Peter TOTOK (HUN)
Lorenzo ARBORE (ITA)
Maxim SARMANOV (MDA)
Gracjan JEDUT (POL)
Dragos DRAGA (ROU)
Denizhan OGUN (TUR)
Nazarii BABINSKYI (UKR)
Rasim IBRAHIMAU (UWW)
Ivan SOLOMIN (UWW)

60kg
Mikel TROPLINI (ALB)
Yuri KARAPETYAN (ARM)
Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE)
Galin FURNADZHIEV (BUL)
Noa LJUBIC (CRO)
Artturi REINIO (EST)
Lucas LO GRASSO (FRA)
Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)
Levente FIGE (HUN)
Gabriele PUCHER (ITA)
Maxim CARAUS (MDA)
Martin AAK (NOR)
Kacper SOBCZYK (POL)
Ionut MEREUTA (ROU)
Levin MEIER (SUI)
Adam SILVERIN (SWE)
Omer ALTAS (TUR)
Maksut SULTANOV (UKR)
Uladzimir KASTARONAK (UWW)
Murat KHATIT (UWW)

63kg
Aleks MARGARYAN (ARM)
Daniel STRUZINJSKI (AUT)
Tural AHMADOV (AZE)
Kristiyan MILENKOV (BUL)
Tin TURKOVIC (CRO)
Al Bara CHOPALAEV (EST)
Lauri PERKKA (FIN)
Saba SURMANIDZE (GEO)
Lukas BENZING (GER)
Marios KAPANTAIS (GRE)
Bende OLASZ (HUN)
Emanuele POLLINO (ITA)
Dumitru RAPESCO (MDA)
Ilias LAAOUINA (NED)
Mateusz ALOT (POL)
Iosif ZLOTAR (ROU)
Andrej VELISAVLJEV (SRB)
William EKEROT (SWE)
Haci ALTAN (TUR)
Maksym CHUHUIEV (UKR)
Yauheni SHVED (UWW)
Igor PUNCHENKO (UWW)

67kg
Hayk KALAJYAN (ARM)
Isa BEKTEMIROV (AUT)
Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE)
Dimitar GEORGIEV (BUL)
Marko KLARIC (CRO)
Zdenek KUBALA (CZE)
Magnus RASMUSSEN (DEN)
Ilian DOUBACH (FRA)
Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO)
Kevin KARL (GER)
Stavros NTOUNIAS (GRE)
Attila JOZSA (HUN)
Alessio ARANCIO (ITA)
Eimantas ANDRIUSKA (LTU)
Octavian CERNETCHI (MDA)
Bers TIMIRBIEV (NOR)
Jakub SUCHECKI (POL)
Pavel ALEXE (ROU)
Dejan BERKEC (SRB)
Saya BRUNNER (SUI)
Carl SANDIN (SWE)
Abdullah KESKIN (TUR)
Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR)
Mikhail MARKOUSKI (UWW)
Mingiian GORIAEV (UWW)

72kg
Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM)
Seymur GASIMOV (AZE)
Sergey STOEV (BUL)
Jure RAJKOVIC (CRO)
Gonzalo CAPARROS (ESP)
Andreas VAELJA (EST)
Oliver PADA (FIN)
Aleksandre RUSITASHVILI (GEO)
Maik GREIF (GER)
Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE)
Bendeguz FELKAI (HUN)
Federico CANIGLIA (ITA)
Aleksandrs TUMAREVICS (LAT)
Kipras PUIKIS (LTU)
Vladimir PASCARI (MDA)
Lars LETVIK (NOR)
Hubert SIDORUK (POL)
Mitja CENER (SLO)
Jovan MIOLSKI (SRB)
Axel BAFF (SWE)
Ibrahim OZDEMIR (TUR)
Anatolii PASNAK (UKR)
Yan ZIANKO (UWW)
TAMERLAN TARANUKHA (UWW)

77kg
Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM)
Lars MATT (AUT)
Davud MAMMADOV (AZE)
Hristo VALENTINOV (BUL)
Janno ILJAS (EST)
Vikke TARKKIO (FIN)
Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO)
Matti STOLT (GER)
Dimitrios ROMANIDIS (GRE)
Dominik BOTOS (HUN)
Nilo VIRGILII (ITA)
Constantin TASCA (MDA)
Igor DABROWSKI (POL)
Mihajlo ALEMPIJEVIC (SRB)
Yusuf TOSUN (TUR)
Petro SHAFRANSKYI (UKR)
Kiryl VALEUSKI (UWW)
Gamzat GADZHIEV (UWW)

82kg
Martik PETROSYAN (ARM)
Noah WALDER (AUT)
Elmin ALIYEV (AZE)
Martin SHISHEKOV (BUL)
Mihael LUKAC (CRO)
Petr ZAK (CZE)
Uku ESKEL (EST)
Severi MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Haik SARGSYAN (FRA)
Tornike CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
Dominic ARNOLD (GER)
Emmanouil NIKOLAIDIS (GRE)
Szabolcs SZINAY (HUN)
Luigi COMINI (ITA)
Marius STIHARU (MDA)
Alexander AEMAES (NOR)
Oskar LUBERA (POL)
Ognjen JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB)
Bunyamin OZCAN (TUR)
Kyrylo SHNYROV (UKR)
Abdulmasih ABDULMASIH (UWW)
Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW)

87kg
Abraham MURADYAN (ARM)
Paul MAIER (AUT)
Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE)
Petyo ANGELOV (BUL)
Antonio LUKAC (CRO)
Josef CERNY (CZE)
Marcus UHTJAERV (EST)
Elias LYYSKI (FIN)
Luka KOCHALIDZE (GEO)
Eleftherios PAPPAS (GRE)
Vilmos SCHEURING (HUN)
Elia CAIANIELLO (ITA)
Toms IRKLIS (LAT)
Cristian RUSU (MDA)
Martin LJOSAAK (NOR)
Wojciech IWANOWSKI (POL)
Gabriel STAN (ROU)
Branko DUKIC (SRB)
Yasin CAKIR (TUR)
Pavlo TORIANYK (UKR)
Ivan BIALIAYEU (UWW)
Abdurakhman ABDULKADYROV (UWW)

97kg
Lyova SHUKHYAN (ARM)
Ismayil RZAYEV (AZE)
Affan SMAJIC (BIH)
Jachym ZAJACIK (CZE)
Villas CHRISTENSEN (DEN)
Gor AYVAZYAN (GEO)
Darius KIEFER (GER)
Dimitrios PAPPAS (GRE)
Vendel VITAI (HUN)
Riccardo BUFIS (ITA)
Sebastian WARCHOL (POL)
Ozkan METE (TUR)
Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR)
Pavel SAVITSKI (UWW)
Saipula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW)

130kg
Seyran KIRAKOSYAN (ARM)
Leonhard JUNGER (AUT)
Mazaim MARDANOV (AZE)
Tomas RUSI (FIN)
Saba PURTSELADZE (GEO)
Ole STERNING (GER)
Dionysios ZOUGRIS (GRE)
Laszlo DARABOS (HUN)
Loris TUCCI (ITA)
Mateusz BIENCZAK (POL)
Marko SUPIC (SRB)
Yusuf BAKIR (TUR)
Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR)
Viachaslau FEDARYNA (UWW)
Ali ILIASOV (UWW)

Tuba DEMIR (TUR)Tuba DEMIR (TUR) will look to defend her 55kg gold medal at the European U20 Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Elvina KARIMZADA (AZE)
Juliette LESCURE (FRA)
Josephine WRENSCH (GER)
Laura FATH (HUN)
Alice FACCIO (ITA)
Lonisa REKA (KOS)
Adriana DANISEVICIUTE (LTU)
Eliza GONTA (MDA)
Olivia VAN KLEUNEN (NED)
Karolina ZIEN (POL)
Reka HEGEDUS (SVK)
Viktoria JOHANSSON (SWE)
Nil AKTAS (TUR)
Mariia NEMISH (UKR)
Kseniya KOSTSENICH (UWW)
Violetta BIRIUKOVA (UWW)

53kg
Nikol ALEKSANDROVA (BUL)
Lisette BOETTKER (EST)
Maelyss ROUSSELET (FRA)
Sofia MICHAILIDOU (GRE)
Liliana KAPUVARI (HUN)
Angela CRAPIO CASAROLA (ITA)
Dorentina NEZAJ (KOS)
Corina BOSTAN (MDA)
Ilona VALCHUK (POL)
Ana ROTARU (ROU)
Jinhwi OLSSON (SWE)
Sevval CAYIR (TUR)
Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)
Valeryia TSITOVA (UWW)
Ekaterina CHIKANOVA (UWW)

55kg
Nesrin SYULEYMANOVA (BUL)
Pau GIMENO FRANCO (ESP)
Sara RANTONEN (FIN)
Lilya COHEN (FRA)
Katharina KRUPNA (GER)
Gerda TEREK (HUN)
Fabiana RINELLA (ITA)
Amelia TOMALA (POL)
Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU)
Ivana GAJIC (SRB)
Anja EPP (SUI)
Tuba DEMIR (TUR)
Diana KOTVYTSKA (UKR)
Valeryia MIKITSICH (UWW)
Natalia GORLOVA (UWW)

57kg
Gular HABIBOVA (AZE)
Filis KYAMIL (BUL)
Anna KOEBLO (HUN)
Maria PIRA (ITA)
Inna ALIMOVA (LTU)
Ecaterina LAPINA (MDA)
Csilla VAN OS (NED)
Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR)
Nicola WASILEWSKA (POL)
Jana PETROVIC (SRB)
Tindra DALMYR (SWE)
Ozlem GURSOY (TUR)
Albina KLIEFAS (UKR)
Darya ILYASEVICH (UWW)
Dolzhon TSYNGUEVA (UWW)

59kg
Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE)
Desislava IVANOVA (BUL)
Petra MRACKOVA (CZE)
Frida CHRISTIANSEN (DEN)
Rosa MOLINA (ESP)
Franziska BLAUMEISER (GER)
Eda BALAZS (HUN)
Denise PIRODDU (ITA)
Anna TIELIEGINA (LTU)
Madalina PRISACARI (MDA)
Nikola PIECHOCKA (POL)
Amelia SAMUELSSON (SWE)
Sevim AKBAS (TUR)
Mariia MIZIURKO (UKR)
Marta HETMANAVA (UWW)
Elena KUROVA (UWW)

62kg
Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Ivena BLIZNAKOVA (BUL)
Marijana SUMSKI (CRO)
Tereza MRACKOVA (CZE)
Nella HONKANIEMI (FIN)
Leonie STEIGERT (GER)
Foteini NALMPANTI (GRE)
Sophie RITTER (ITA)
Gabriela RUDOI (MDA)
Marija CVETANOVA (MKD)
Maja NOWAKOWSKA (POL)
Masa PEROVIC (SRB)
Anna NORD (SWE)
Dilan TAN (TUR)
Anna KARBOVSKA (UKR)
Karyna FISHCHUK (UWW)
Ekaterina RADYSHEVA (UWW)

65kg
Sara AHMEDOVA (BUL)
Jolana RATAJOVA (CZE)
Annalena POHL (GER)
Viktoria PUPP (HUN)
Manuela CERVONI (ITA)
Melani MITEVSKA (MKD)
Mirijam HANSEN (NOR)
Natalia ZAREBA (POL)
Sabina PETRACHE (ROU)
Emilija JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB)
Viktoria FOELDESIOVA (SVK)
Linnea SVENSSON (SWE)
Beyza AKKUS (TUR)
Iryna BORYSIUK (UKR)
Karalina PAPOVA (UWW)
Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW)

68kg
Ilinka STEFANOVA (BUL)
Laura KOEHLER (GER)
Nikoleta BARMPA (GRE)
Maja MUNK (HUN)
Juliana CATANZARO (ITA)
Lorena DURAJ (KOS)
Alexandra MOISEI (MDA)
Stefani NIKOLOVA (MKD)
Leah SAMSONSEN (NOR)
Dominika POCHOWSKA (POL)
Maria PANTIRU (ROU)
Michaela SEBOEKOVA (SVK)
Wilma HOFFMAN (SWE)
Ayse ERKAN (TUR)
Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR)
Krystsina KURKINA (UWW)
Evangeliia BEREZHNOVA (UWW)

72kg
Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE)
Emili APOSTOLOVA (BUL)
Veronika VILK (CRO)
Petra MUELLER (HUN)
Anna IODICE (ITA)
Karolina JAWORSKA (POL)
Ana MARIOARA (ROU)
Elvira ERSSON (SWE)
Eylem ENGIN (TUR)
Daria KONSTANTYNOVA (UKR)
Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW)
Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW)

76kg
Veronika NYIKOS (HUN)
Auguste GENDVILAITE (LTU)
Evelin UJHELJI (SRB)
Elmira YASIN (TUR)
Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR)
Hanna PIRSKAYA (UWW)
Diana TITOVA (UWW)

#WrestleTirana

Six-Time World Champ Sadulaev is Now Six-Time European Champ

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 25) -- "Six-time world champion, six-time European champion."

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) says the sentence has a "nice ring to it."

In 2024, Sadulaev wrestled at his first World Championships in three years in Tirana and won his sixth world title. On Saturday and in Tirana, Sadulaev wrestled at his first European Championships in six years and won his sixth European gold medal.

UWW Plus

Sadulaev, who is now unbeaten in 26 bouts in Europe, outwrestled Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 14-3, in the 97kg final. However, it was Tsakulov who opened the scoring in the final.

"Tirana has become such a lucky place for me," Sadulaev said. "In just two months, I’ve already managed to visit here for the second time. Two years ago, I won the World Championships here. The welcome here is so warm. The crowd and the atmosphere were absolutely top-notch."

In front of a packed Feti Borova Olympic Park Arena, Sadulaev lived up to the expectation of a world champion he was crowned at the same arena in 2024.

Barring the first attack from Tsakulov, Sadulaev remained in complete control of his final, and completed his 17th win via technical superiority in all European history.

Tsakulov surprised Sadulaev as he shot a double-leg early in the match and the latter tried to defend using a chest-wrap. But Tsakulov kept the pressure and put Sadulaev in danger to get his two points. Sadulaev quickly reversed and scored one point before turning Tsakulov three times for a 7-2 lead.

Sadulaev challenged the decision, which he later realized that he shouldn't have, and lost it as all the scoring was accurate. Tsakulov was awarded a point for the lost challenge.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW)Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW), red, battles it out against Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the second period, Tsakulov threatened with some quick attacks but Sadulaev was quick on his feat to escape. He managed to score a stepout to extend his lead to 8-3. With 20 seconds remaining, Tsakulov tried another double-leg attack but Sadulaev was ready for it, countering it with a go-behind and scored a takedown.

Sadulaev could have well defended his lead but in the final 10 seconds, he hit his own attacks, scoring a takedown and then a turn to finish the bout 14-3.

"I’ve known Tsakulov since 2012," he said. "Back then we were both in the junior ranks, and he was already competing for the national team. We were competing in almost the same weight class at the time. Ever since then, I’ve known that you really can’t let your guard down against him at all. He’s capable of attacking at any moment."

After winning the final, Sadulaev was relieved to regain the top spot in the continent and said it gave him "peace."

"The last time I competed at the European Championships was six years ago in Rome," he said. "I really missed the international stage and the official competitions like the European Championships, the World Championships and the Olympic Games. They’re not like other ranking events, no other competition can compare to these.

"That’s why this victory was particularly important to me, so that I could have peace and a place in Europe."

But when asked to pick his most memorable European title among the once won in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020, Sadulaev picked his first gold he won in 2014 in Finland. Wrestling at 86kg then, Sadulaev defeated Murad GAIDAROV (BLR), 5-2, in the final and outscored his opponents 50-3 in five bouts.

"The first one I ever won," he said. "It was in Finland, in the town of Vantaa, I remember. I won quite easily and confidently there. But I was probably hungry back then, and I still am now."

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW)Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) looks at his medal during the European Championships in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Sadulaev is perhaps hungry for his seventh world title that he could win later this year after winning them in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024.

"I’ve been keeping an eye on them [97kg opponents]," he said. "Unfortunately, last year I had to watch them on TV, both at the European Championships and the World Championships. So I’m keeping an eye on them, watching them, and moving forward."

But it won't be a straightforward quest. He would have to win the national championships, a virtual qualification for the World Championships.  

"If I do qualify, I think the 97kg category will be one of the most exciting World Championships in history. I really do," he said.

While that is still six months away, Sadulaev will be keen on regaining his 97kg world title which he last won five years ago in Oslo and change his record to seven-time world champion.

Akhmed USMANOV (UWW)Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) completes a takedown against Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) during the 79kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

In other marquee match on Saturday, Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) got the better of Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), 4-2, in the 79kg final. Usmanov was awarded an activity period point after Kadzimahamedau was warned for passivity in the first period.

Kadzimahamedau was put on the activity clock again in the second period and it was during this that Usmanov hit a double-leg attack to make it 3-0. When the activity clock expired, his lead extended to 4-0. It was only in the final few seconds that Kadzimahamedau managed a takedown but failed to get anything more.

David BAEV (UWW)David BAEV (UWW) celebrates his 2-1 victory over Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) in the 70kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Defending champion at 70kg David BAEV (UWW) saw off the challenge of rising star and U23 European champion Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) and retained his gold medal after a 2-1 victory in the final.

Baev needed a stepout in the second period to take a clear one-point lead and then kept Gaidarli at a distance to win his second consecutive Euro title.

Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW)Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) scores two points on Islam DUDAEV (ALB) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

At 65kg, Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) stunned the home fans by beating home-favorite and Olympic bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) in what turned out be a very one-sided final, beating Dudaev 10-0.

After a slow start to the final, it was Dudaev who blinked first, shooting for a far-fetched attack and Magomedov defended. It resulted in both wrestlers being in a tangle, but Magomedov came out on top for two points.

Magomedov wrapped his hands around Dudaev's legs and brought him down for another two points before turning him for two more, leading 6-0 at the break.

Dudaev gave up two easy takedowns in the second period as Magomedov completed the technical superiority with two minutes left in the final.

Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) celebrates after winning the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

The 57kg final saw Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) stage an impressive comeback against Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) only to be denied in the final moments. Bazarganov led 8-0 before Mekhtikhanov scored six points in the second period. But he failed to score the making winning takedown and Bazarganov took the gold medal home.

Bazarganov used a slide-by to score the opening takedown for two points before an easy snapdown gave him two more points. He also rolled Mekhtikhanov to lead 6-0 after 1:12 in the match.

His third takedown also came using a slide-by and Mekhtikhanov fell on the mat as if he did not have any defense. Bazarganov led 8-0 at the break.

Mekhtikhanov woke up in the second period and managed to score a takedown after much effort to get on board with two points. A single-leg takedown made it 8-4 as Mekhtikhanov continued to reduce the gap. He used a sweep single to take off two more points but was left with only 17 seconds to score the match winning takedown.

But Bazarganov locked fingers, fled and threw his legs back when Mekhtikhanov attacked to save his lead and win the gold medal.

Photo

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) df. Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW), 8-6

BRONZE: Aryian TIUTRIN (UWW) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 8-5
BRONZE: Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM) df. Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB), 16-6

65kg
GOLD: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Islam DUDAEV (ALB), 10-0

BRONZE: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Rashid BABAZADE (AZE), 7-0
BRONZE: Islam GUSEINOV (UWW) df. Ahmet DUMAN (TUR), 9-8

70kg
GOLD: David BAEV (UWW) df. Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA), 2-1

BRONZE: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) df. Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 4-0
BRONZE: Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) df. Mikyay NAIM (BUL), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) df. Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), 4-2 

BRONZE: Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) df. Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM), 11-1
BRONZE: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) df. Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD), 8-0

97kg
GOLD: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) df. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 14-3

BRONZE: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Richard VEGH (HUN), 5-3
BRONZE: Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL) df. Radu LEFTER (MDA), via fall (4-2)

Semifinals

61kg
SF 1: Zavur UGUEV (UWW) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), via fall (4-3)
SF 2: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) df. Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE), 9-2

74kg
SF 1: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 1-1
SF 2: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO), 1-1

86kg
SF 1: Ibragim KADIEV (UWW) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 9-4
SF 2: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Ivars SAMUSONOK (LAT), 12-2

92kg
SF 1: Ahmed BATAEV (BUL) df. Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW), 3-2
SF 2: Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) df. Samuel SCHERRER (SUI), 6-0

125kg
SF 1: Vladislav BAJCAJEV (HUN) df. Mohsen SIYAR (GER), 4-3
SF 2: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR), 3-1