#WrestleBelgrade

Freestyle Semifinal Matchups: 61kg, 65kg, 79kg, 86kg, 97kg

By United World Wrestling Press

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Day 6 Photos

BELGRADE, Serbia (December 17) -- The Individual World Cup semifinal matchups are set in freestyle at 61kg, 65kg, 79kg, 86kg and 97kg. The semifinals are scheduled to begin at 16:45 local time.

61kg
Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE) vs. Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK) 
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) vs. Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)

65kg
Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR) vs. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) 
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) vs. Haji ALIYEV (AZE)

79kg
Baliyan GOURAV (IND) vs. Akhmed USMANOV (RUS) 
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) vs. Muhammet KOTANOGLU (TUR) 

86kg
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) vs. Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP) 
Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) vs. Deepak PUNIA (IND)

97kg
Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR) vs. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) 
Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE) vs. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR)
 

#UWWAwards

Muszukajev, Rosillo, Tosun tabbed Breakout Performers for 2023

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 15) — Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), Bose TOSUN (TUR) and Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) stunned the world with their performances in 2023 and have been named United World Wrestling’s Breakout Performances of the Year in Freestyle, Women’s Wrestling and Greco-Roman respectively.

Muszukajev was a two-time world bronze medalist before 2023 but orchestrated a stunning career turnaround with his performance in Belgrade. The 65kg weight saw Musukajev triumphantly seize the world title, overcoming defending champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) and reigning Olympic gold medalist Takuto OTOGURO (JPN). In a defining moment in Belgrade, Muszukajev became Hungary’s second-ever world champion, bringing an end to a 44-year freestyle world title drought dating back to 1979.

Perhaps the most shocking run to the world title in Belgrade was that of Bose TOSUN (TUR) who captured the 68kg gold in the field that had Irina RINGACI (MDA), Ami ISHII (JPN), Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL), Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), Feng ZHOU (CHN), Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), among others. 

Tosun dominated her competition with five resounding victories, including three falls, solidifying her status alongside Yasemin ADAR (TUR) as Turkiye’s only women’s wrestling world champions.

Another top performance in Belgrade was by Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) who defeated two world champions, Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), in semifinal and final, transforming his 2019 ninth-place finish at the World Championships into a glorious 97kg gold medal.

A U20 world champion in 2019, Rosillo finished 13th at the Tokyo Olympics but has now made himself the top contender for the 97kg title in the Paris Olympics.