Asian Games

Geraei Grabs Greco Gold Among Stacked Field, Cho Pulls Stunner

Wednesday, August 22, 2018 - 17:44 By United World Wrestling Press

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The winner of the big showdown between three current Asian champions all entered in the Greco-Roman 77kg class at the Asian Games on Wednesday was...none of the above. 

Instead, it was Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) who emerged from the pack to land on the top of the podium.

Geraei, one of two Iranian champions on the fourth and final day of the wrestling competition, scored an impressive 7-3 victory in the final over Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), who had thrilled the home crowd when he won the 72kg title at the Asian Championships in Bishkek in February-March.

Hossain NOURI (IRI) followed with a victory at 87kg, giving Iran three of the six Greco-Roman golds at stake in the tournament using only the Olympic weight classes. Iran, however, missed chances for medals at 97kg and 130kg when both of its wrestlers lost bronze-medal matches.

Geraei, a bronze medalist at the 2017 World Championships in Paris at 71kg, had started the day by avenging a loss  to YANG Bin (CHN) in the 77kg final in Bishkek, putting the Chinese away with an 8-0 technical fall in 2:17 that he capped with a 5-point throw. 

The other Bishkek gold medalist in the field, 82kg winner Ashkat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ), never made it past the quarterfinals, where was dealt a 3-3 defeat on last point by Shohei YABIKU (JPN). 

In the final, Geraei gained the first point for passivity, but on his spectacular lift-and-throw from the par terre position, he failed to expose Makhumodov's back to the mat and only gained 2 points. 

Geraei padded his lead with two more 2-point moves, but on a third attempt, Makhmudov stopped him in mid-throw for a 2-point counter, making it 7-2 after the first period.

Neither wrestler could put together an attack in the second period. Makhmudov got one last chance in the final minute when Geraei was called for passivity, making it 7-3. But Geraei firmly resisted the Kyrgyz teen's gut wrench attempts to secure the victory.

Yang came away with a bronze medal with a close 4-3 victory over Yabiku. The other bronze went to KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR), who chalked up an 8-0 technical fall over Bishkek 2018 bronze medalist Shermet PERMANOV (TKM).


In the 87kg final, Nouri continued his reign over the continent by taking full advantage of a clearly fatigued Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB), scoring five unanswered and largely uncontested points in the second period for a 6-1 victory. 

Nouri, a Paris 2017 bronze medalist, added the Asian Games gold to the Asian titles he won in 2017 and 2018. Assakalov, who won the 2014 Asian Games title in Incheon, took the silver at Bishkek 2018 at 97kg.

Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ) captured one of the bronze medals, with some inadvertent help from opponent Harpreet SINGH (IND). Trailing 5-0 in the second period, Singh scored a takedown, then forced a passivity penalty to cut the lead to 5-3. 

But Indian failed to properly take the par terre position, giving his opponent a penalty point and depriving himself of a chance to tie the score. Kustubayev then defended his 6-3 lead to the end. 

Shyhazberdi OVELEKOV (TKM) gave Turkmenistan its lone wrestling medal, needing just 39 seconds to put away Mohammed ALQUHALI (YEM) with an 8-0 technical fall.

Prior to the tournament, the 97kg class was deemed to be the most open and unpredictable, but even that couldn't detract from the surprise of CHO Hyochul (KOR)---10 days short of his 33rd birthday and 6 1/2 years after his last major tournament---walking away with the gold.


The stocky Cho ripped off a lightening-quick headlock throw for 4 points early in the second period, giving him a 5-4 lead that he made stick to defeat XIAO Di (CHN) in the final. 

Cho prepped for Jakarta by posting ninth-places finishes in Tbilisi and Sofia this year, marking his return to international mat after a six-year absence. It was 10 years ago that he won a bronze medal at 84kg at the Asian Championships, before adding a silver in 2011. 

Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ), the 2014 Asian Games champion ahead of Xiao, captured a bronze medal with a somewhat bizarre victory over Ali Akbar HEIDARI (IRI). 

Iskakov needed a long timeout to bandage a bleeding eyebrow, but still built up a 7-0 lead. In the second period, Heidari himself had to receive treatment and a bandage for a cut, before the bout suddenly ended when the Iranian was assessed a 2-point penalty for a head butt. An unsuccessful challenge made it officially a 10-0 technical fall at 4:25.

Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) scored a first-period takedown, and that was enought to beat Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB), 2-0, for the second bronze. 

Bishkek 2018 silver medalist Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) capped the competition with an 8-0 technical fall in the 130kg final over defending Asian Games champion Nurmakhan TINALIYEV (KAZ).


Abdullaev built up a 7-0 lead in the first period with a passivity point, a 4-point throw and a 2-point roll. He ended the bout by forcing Tinaliyev out for his eighth point at 4:16. 

In the bronze-medal matches, Arata SONODA (JPN) denied the host country an improbable medal with a fall in 52 seconds over Papang RAMADHANI (INA), while KIM Minseok (KOR) eked out a 1-1 victory over two-time Asian champion and favorite Behnam MAHDIZADEH (IRI), by virtue of his passivity point coming in the second period.

In the end, eight countries came away with medals in the six Greco weight classes, with Iran and South Korea each winning two golds. Kazahstan had the most medalists with five, although none were gold. 

Greco-Roman

77kg (16 entries)

Gold - Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) df. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), 7-3
Bronze - KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) df. Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) by TF, 9-0, 1:48
Bronze - YANG Bin (CHN) df. Shohei YABIKU (JPN), 4-3

SF - Geraei df. Yabiku, 8-1
SF - Makhmudov df. Permanov by TF, 8-0, 1:32

87kg (12 entries)

Gold - Hossein NOURI (IRI) df. Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB), 6-1
Bronze - Shyhazberdi OVELEKOV (TKM) df. Mohammed ALQUHALI (YEM) by TF, 8-0, :39
Bronze - Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ) df.  Harpreet SINGH (IND), 6-3

SF - Assakalov df. Singh by TF, 10-0, :38
SF - Nouri df. Alquhali by TF, 8-0, 1:07

97kg (9 entries)

Gold - CHO Hyochul (KOR) df. XIAO Di (CHN), 5-4
Bronze - Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ) df. Ali Akbar HEIDARI (IRI) by TF, 10-0, 4:25
Bronze - Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) df. Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB), 2-0

SF - Xiao df. Dzhuzupbekov by Fall, 1:27 (8-1)
SF - Cho df. Heidari, 4-3

130kg (11 entries)

Gold - Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Nurmakhan TINALIYEV (KAZ) by TF, 8-0, 4:16 
Bronze - Arata SONODA (JPN) df. Papang RAMADHANI (INA) by Fall, :52 (2-0)
Bronze - KIM Minseok (KOR) df. Behnam MAHDIZADEH (IRI), 1-1

SF - Abdullaev df. Mahdizadeh, 2-2
SF - Tinaliyev df. Sonoda, 6-0


 

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds: U.S. wins 3 golds to shock Iran for FS team title

Sunday, August 3, 2025 - 16:32 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 3) -- Three gold medals for the United States and Iran's incredible choke on Sunday saw the U.S. defend its Freestyle team title at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece.

Going into the final day, Iran needed to win one bout out of four it had wrestlers in to claim the title irrespective of U.S. results. On the other hand, U.S. needed to win all its four bouts, including two head-to-head finals, and hope that Iran loses all its other matches as well.

That is exactly what transpired on the mat as U.S. put on an inspired show and won three gold and one bronze medal to reach 154 points. Iran finished with 150 points after its three loses in the finals and one in a bronze-medal bout.

Kazakhstan managed to pip Azerbaijan by one point and finish third with 91 points. Azerbaijan finished fourth 90 points and Japan got 79 points and finished fifth.

On Saturday, Ariah MILLS (USA) had won one gold as well apart from Japan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and one UWW wrestler winning gold medals.

It began with Keegan BASSETT (USA), who gave hope to U.S. by claiming the gold medal at 45kg, as he pinned Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) in the final inside the first period.

The first scramble saw the two wrestlers called back to center as neither wrestler was able to break the arm-lock. Bassett got the first takedown to lead 2-0 and then a turn made it 4-0. The American wrestler got another takedown and kept Tahmasbi's back on the mat.

The referees took their time but eventually called the fall, giving Bassett the gold medal at 45kg. Incidentally, its the same weight class his brother Bowen won the world U17 gold medal in 2021.

"Ever since I started wrestling, this was one of my goals to be a world champ," Bassett said. "It feels unbelievable to find a way to do it."

Over the two days he wrestled, Bassett showed how technically sound and physically strong he is at the weight class.

"I wrestled pretty good overall. First match was a little rough; nerves, and it was my first match in about three months," he said. "But I think I got better overall as the weekend went on and that's what I needed."

Four years ago, he was in Budapest watching Bowen win the gold medal in similar fashion as he pinned his opponent in the final. Keegan recalled that day.

"I definitely had that in mind going into this," he said. "Four years, that's unreal. I was there for him when he won in Budapest. I cried then, I cried now. It's just means so much. We work so hard and it's just truly such a surreal moment."

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA)Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) scores the gold winning takedown against Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) in the 51kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA), a returning world champion facing another returning world champion Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB), consolidated U.S. position by winning a thrilling 51kg final.

Rashidov was put on the passivity clock in the first period which gave Sanchez a 1-0 lead. He tried to score a go-behind and was awarded two points in the sequence. The U.S. challenged the decision and on review, it was clear that Rashidov never passed behind Sanchez and the two points were removed.

Sanchez came out attacking in the second period and got on a single-leg attack. Rashidov got his best defense of the match and defended that attack. Soon, Sanchez was put on the clock but he got the takedown on the edge with another leg attack to lead 3-0 and also got the activity time removed .

While Rashidov did get a front headlock turn in the final five seconds, Sanchez did not let him another and planted Rashidov's back on the mat for two more points as the time expired.

"I knew he was going to be a tough opponent," Sanchez said. "I got a little tired in the match, but I  kept going, kept digging deep and going through it. I got a couple shots but wasn't able to finish. But my last shot, I was able to take him out of bounce and get the two-point takedown."

Sanchez now has two gold medals at the World U17 Championships, having won at 45kg last year.

"This year I was definitely better than I was last year at controlling my opponent and moving him around," he said. "Not letting them on my legs as much. Last year, I was down like 5-0 in the finals. This year, didn't take me down."

Jayden JAMES (USA)Jayden JAMES (USA) defeated Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI), 9-2, in the 71kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Jayden JAMES (USA) put the U.S. closer to the title as he humbled Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI), 9-2, in the 71kg.

Vahabian was looking for his leg attacks but they never came as James showed some of the best defense of the night. He countered and scored a takedown. That remained the theme of the match as James kept going and did not even return to his corner during the break.

Soon, James had Vahabian broken and he ended the bout as Vahabian tried to pull of a headpinch. The win made U.S. go to 139 points while Iran was on 130 points.

In the 92kg bronze medal bout, Tanner HODGINS (USA) rallied to beat Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 10-0, and took the final tally of U.S. to 154 points.

David DZEBISOV (UWW)David DZEBISOV's (UWW) win over Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI) in the 92kg final indirectly helped the U.S. win the team title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

It was now on Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI), who needed to win his 92kg final, a win which would have propelled Iran to 155 points and the team title.

But David DZEBISOV (UWW) ruined that party. Dzebisov defeated Alizadeh 6-2 in the 92kg final to deny Iran and earn a world title for himself.

Dzebisov scored the first takedown to lead 2-0 but Alizadeh fired one back on the second period to make it 2-2 and lead on criteria. He went into defense mode after that.

He, however, got caught in a tangle with Dzebisov who managed to finish on top and score two points and a lead of 4-2. There was only desperation from Alizadeh after that as he gave up two more points to drop the final 6-2.

In the only final in which neither Iran nor the U.S. featured, SITENDER (IND) won India's first Freestyle gold medal by beating Rihito HIURA (JPN) in the 60kg final.

A takedown masterclass saw Sitender break Hiura to the core and he was not able to finish his attacks nor defend the ones from Sitender.

The gold was first in Freestyle for India at U17 Worlds since 2022 and only the second time ever that the country had gold medals in all three styles.

USAThe 10 United States Freestyle wrestlers with the champion's team trophy. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Keegan BASSETT (USA) df. Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI), via fall (6-0)

BRONZE: Mirjalol MUKAMMILOV (UZB) df. Arnur NURSAIDOV (KGZ), 4-4
BRONZE: Ibragim VELIULLOV (UWW) df. Bakdaulet AGABEK (KAZ), 9-2

51kg
GOLD: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) df. Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB), 5-2

BRONZE: Danael ABDYKASSYM (KAZ) df. Temuri TUTARASHVILI (GEO), 9-4
BRONZE: Dzhamal BAKAEV (UWW) df. Haruku SHIINA (JPN), 12-5

60kg
GOLD: SITENDER (IND) df. Rihito HIURA (JPN), 9-4

BRONZE: Hasan HASANOV (AZE) df. Nathan NASH (CAN), 5-4
BRONZE: Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ) df. Arian MEHRALIZADEH (IRI), 9-0

71kg
GOLD: Jayden JAMES (USA) df. Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI), 9-2

BRONZE: Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK) df. Jason KEIL (GER), 6-0
BRONZE: Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM) df. Farrukhbek JUMANAZAROV (UZB), 7-6

92kg
GOLD: David DZEBISOV (UWW) df. Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI), 6-2

BRONZE: Tanner HODGINS (USA) df. Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Said PASHAYEV (AZE) df. Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ), 5-3