Iran League

Gadzhimagomedov, Karimi, Kurbanaliev Give Iran FS League Title to Bimeh

Monday, November 5, 2018 - 12:13 By Ali Feizasa

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GORGAN CITY, Iran - Using Russian and Iranian stars, Bimeh Razi Babol captured the 2018 Iran Freestyle League title, earning a 26-15 victory over Setaregan Sari in the final match in Gorgan city.

Sari's team opened up the finals with back-to-back wins from Nader HAJAGHANIA (IRI) and Mehran SHEIKHI (IRI) 57kg and 61kg respectively. After a 5-3 Hajaghania win at 57kg, Sheikhi (Sari) defeated three-time Asian champion and runner-up Behnam EHSANPOUR (IRI) (Bimeh), 5-2 at 61kg. 

 

Then, Asian champion (2016) Meysam NASIRI (IRI) downed Farzad AMOUZAD (IRI), 6-2, giving Bimeh their first team victory. Russia's 2016 world champion Magomed Kurbanaliev, who was one of the three Russian wrestlers on Bimeh, defeated YEGANEH JAFARI at 70kg by technical fall, 15-4, giving his squad their second victory in a row. 

In the fifth match, it was Hossein ELYASI (IRI) who kept Sari's hopes alive, beating Reza AFZALI, 6-4, breaking the two to two tie and giving Sari the 3-2 lead. 

Russia's 79kg Budapest world team member and 2018 world bronze medalist, Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS), demolished Fariborz BABAEI (IRI), 10-0, evening the bout up at three apiece. 

Alireza KARIMI (IRI), who won 2018 world bronze medal at 92kg, stepped on the mat at 86kg and earned a victory by fall against Masoud MADADI (IRI) to give Bimeh their fourth victory and the outright lead for the first time of the dual. 

Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (IRI) (Bimeh), the 2018 Asian champion, had an easy time against Sina GHOLAMI (IRI) (Sari) in the 92kg bout, defeated him 8-3. Then, 2018 European champion Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS) secured the finals victory for Bimeh by winning over Iran's 2017 world team member, Amir MOHAMMADI, 6-0.

At heavyweight, former world junior champion Jaber SADEGHZADEH (IRI) (Sari) won the match against Abbas FOROUTAN (IRI) (Bimeh), 8-7, but it was useless for his side, and Bimeh Razi defeated Setaregan Sari 26-15 to capture 2018 Iran Freestyle League Title.

Meanwhile, the host team, Shahrsazi Golestan, beat Petroshimi Behshahr, 26-6 in the third-place bout. 

Final Match: Bimeh Razi Babol df. Setaregan Sari, 26-15 (6-4)
57kg- Nader HAJAGHANIA (Sari) df. Mehran REZAZADEH (Bimeh), 5-3
61 kg- Mehran SHEIKHI (Sari) df. Behnam EHSANPOUR (Bimeh), 5-2
65 kg- Meysam NASIRI (Bimeh) df. Farzad AMOUZAD (Sari), 6-2 
70 kg- Magomed KURBANALIEV (Bimeh) df. Mohammad Mehdi YEGANEH JAFARI (Sari) by TF, 15-4
74 kg- Hossein ELYASI (Sari) df. Reza AFZALI (Bimeh), 6-4
79 kg- Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Bimeh) df. Fariborz BABAEI (Sari) by TF, 10-0
86 kg- Alireza KARIMI (Bimeh) df. Masoud MADADI (Sari) by FALL
92 kg- Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Sina GHOLAMI (Sari), 8-3
97 kg- Vladislav BAITSAEV(Bimeh) df. Amir MOHAMMADI (Sari), 6-0
125 kg- Jaber SADEGHZADEH (Sari) df. Abbas FOROUTAN (Bimeh), 8-7

Third Place Match: Shahrsazi Golestan df. Petroshimi Behshahr, 26-6 
57kg- Alireza HATAMI (Petroshimi) df. Pourya TORKAMAN (Golestan), 6-0
61 kg-  Mohammad RAMEZANPOUR (Petroshimi) df. Kheirollah GHAHREMANI (Golestan), 6-3
65 kg- Shayan HAMZEH (Petroshimi) df. Milad TAHMASEBIZADEH (Golestan), 5-1
70 kg- Hamidreza SARGOU (Golestan) df. Mojtaba AMOUZAD (Petrohimi), 2-1
74 kg-  Masoud KAMARVAND (Golestan) df. Hamed RASHIDI (Petroshimi), 4-2
79 kg- Mohammad Javad HAMIDI (Golestan) df. Mehrshad AKBARI (Petroshimi) by TF, 10-0
86 kg- Ahmad BAZRI (Petroshimi) df. Arash NAYERABADI (Golestan),5-1
92 kg- Esmaeil MAHMOUDI (Golestan) df. Ali MOJERLOU (Petroshimi) by FALL
97 kg- Hossein RAMEZANIAN (Golestan) df. Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR (Petroshimi) by forfeit
125 kg- Seyed Ahmad RASOULI (Golestan) df. Abazar ESLAMI (Petroshimi), 3-2

Semi finals:
Bimeh Razi Babol df. Petroshimi Behshar, 32-7
57kg- Mehran REZAZADEH (Bimeh) df. Alireza HATAMI (Petroshimi), 8-5
61 kg-Behnam EHSANPOUR (Bimeh) df. Mohammad RAMEZANPOUR (Petroshimi), 9-0
65 kg- Meysam NASIRI (Bimeh) df. Meysam HEYDARI (Petroshimi), 7-0
70 kg- Magomed KURBANALIEV (Bimeh) df. Mojtaba AMOUZAD (Petroshimi) by TF, 10-0
74 kg- Reza AFZALI (Bimeh) df. Hamed RASHIDI (Petroshimi), 4-3
79 kg- Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Bimeh) df. Mohammad ZAREI (Petroshimi)by TF, 11-0
86 kg- Alireza KARIMI (Bimeh) df. Ahmad BAZRI (Petroshimi), 6-5
92 kg- Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Ali MOJERLOU (Petroshimi), 3-2
97 kg- Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR (Petroshimi) df. Vladislav BAITSAEV(Bimeh), 4-3
125 kg- Abbas FOROUTAN (Bimeh) df. Amir Reza AMIRI (Petroshimi) by FALL

Setaregan Sari df. Shahrsazi Golestan, 23-18
57kg- Nader HAJAGHANIA (Sari) df. Pourya Torkaman (Golestan) by FALL
61 kg- Mehran SHEIKHI (Sari) df. Mehdi ESHGHI (Golestan), 4-0
65 kg- Farzad AMOUZAD (Sari) df. Milad TAHMASEBIZADEH (Golestan), 4-1
70 kg- Hamidreza SARGOU (Golestan) df. Mohammad Mehdi YEGANEH JAFARI (Sari), 3-1
74 kg- Hossein ELYASI (Sari) df. Masoud KAMARVAND (Golestan), 6-4
79 kg- Mohammad Javad HAMIDI (Golestan) df. Fariborz BABAEI (Sari), 3-2
86 kg- Masoud MADADI (Sari) df. Seyed Ali MOUSAVI (Golestan), 5-4
92 kg- Esmaeil MAHMOUDI (Golestan) df. Sina GHOLAMI (Sari), 8-2
97 kg- Amir MOHAMMADI (Sari) df. Hossein RAMEZANIAN (Golestan), 7-1
125 kg- Seyed Ahmad RASOULI (Golestan) df. Jaber SADEGHZADEH (Sari) by forfeit.

#WrestleTirana

Sadulaev shuts down Taylor in World Championships showdown

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - 11:59 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 30) -- Two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) would have expected his return to the World Championships to make all the noise in Tirana. After all, it had been two years since he last competed at the World Championships.

Enter Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) and David TAYLOR (USA). The former, who last won the world title in 2021, was not able to compete at the Paris Olympics and was injured during the semifinal of the 2023 World Championships.

Taylor, world champion in 2023, missed the Paris Olympics after losing the trials in the United States, announced his retirement and took a coaching job. He came out of retirement and decided to compete at the World Championships and retire.

Both are not 92kg wrestlers. Sadulaev has been a true 97kg for eight years now. Taylor is competing at this weight for the first time after dominating 86kg for years. But the two were pitted against each other in the opening round of the World Championships in Tirana at 92kg.

The small Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana did not have space to sit. So where one could, they stood to watch the two wrestle. Saudulaev in a singlet not meant for his 92kg body. Taylor, in his customary elbow on the thigh and waiting for his opponent.

No one knew what was going to happen. Sadulaev was reducing weight, and Taylor was gaining. How would the two match up? It was this lack that prompted the fans to cheer for both. But after the first period, the picture became much clearer. Sadulaev shut down Taylor's offense and came out of the pressure bout 7-0.

After the initial collar ties, Taylor went for the offense. He got on Sadulaev's leg and tried the lift but Sadulaev was swift to get out of the hold. Taylor continued his attack. That's the only way he knows wrestling. Taylor took another offensive shot and Sadulaev, with lessons from the previous attack, pressured forward to neutralize the attack and scored a go-behind for two. Sadulaev resorted to heavy snapdowns and Taylor wasn't able to defend the second one. Within two minutes, Sadulaev was up 4-0.

The speed and power was Sadulaev was impressively superior to that of Taylor who decided to change a little in the second period. He went for the far leg of Sadulaev. But Sadulaev was quick and spun behind Taylor and scored a takedown with less than two minutes left.

By this time, Ghasempour had finished his bout on the other mat. He defeated Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 6-0 in a rather slow bout.

Sadulaev now had to defend his 5-0 lead. Taylor continued his aggressive approach and got on Sadulaev's right leg. What he did not expect was the quick counter from Sadulaev who pushed Taylor and scored an exposure for two. It was evident that Taylor could not match Sadulaev.

David TAYLOR (USA)David TAYLOR (USA) in the warm-up hall after his bout against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) at 92kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I did not score on the two times I shot and he did," Taylor said after the bout. "That was the difference. I needed to score on those two occasions."

Taylor and Sadulaev went to the warm-up hall but the former sat for more than 45 minutes in silence. He finally broke his silence and talked to the United States coaches after his leg attacks. After spending 30 more minutes gathering his thoughts, Taylor packed his bags and left.

On the training mats, Ghasempour and Sadulaev jogged before cooling down after their bouts. If both continue to win, they are expected to meet in the semifinals.

The match will be rather important for Taylor as well. He will hope for a Sadulaev win which will give him the chance to wrestle for the bronze medal.

"I expect him to make the finals and come back tomorrow," Taylor said. "I need to wrestle better that is my focus for now."

If he does wrestle Thursday, fans will only be treated to another blockbuster. A Ghasemoour-Taylor bout. The only downside will be that one will go home empty-handed.