#WrestleBelgrade

Greco-Roman seeds released for Belgrade World Championships

By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (August 26) -- Greco-Roman wrapped up the World Championships in Oslo last year. But in Belgrade, Greco-Roman will kick off the competition on September 10. With just two weeks remaining for the first whistles at the '22 World Championships, United World Wrestling released the tentative top eight Greco-Roman seeds.

The point-based seeds were determined by a wrestler's participation and placement at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, 2021 World Championships, 2022 Continental Championships, 2022 Ranking Series events, and selected Regional Games.

While the seeds may or may not hold in the 10 weight classes, here's how the bracket will look leading up to the gold-medal match according to the top-eight seeded system:

Quarterfinals: 
No. 1 vs. No. 8 (top side)
No. 4 vs. No. 5 (top side)
No. 2 vs. No. 7 (bottom side)
No. 3 vs. No. 6 (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 vs. No. 4 (top side)
No. 2 vs. No. 3 (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 vs. No. 2 

*National Federations were required to submit their world entries by last week but can still update them until 24 hours before the draws. This means these seeds and entries are subject to change.

 

55kg
No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
No. 2 Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
No. 3 Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
No. 4 Max NOWRY (USA)
No. 5 Fabian SCHMITT (GER)
No. 6 Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ)
No. 7 Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB)
No. 8 Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR)

If seeds hold at 55kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. No. 8 Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR) (top side)
No. 4 Max NOWRY (USA) vs. No. 5 Fabian SCHMITT (GER) (top side)
No. 3 Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) vs. No. 6 Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) (bottom side)
No. 2 Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. No. 7 Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. No. 4 Max NOWRY (USA) (top side)
No. 2 Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. No. 3 Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. No. 2 Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)

Azizli, Tsutsumia best
2021 World Championships bronze medalists Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) are the top two seeds at 55kg. Azizli went on to win the European Championships in Budapest while Tsurtsumia was second to him.

Three other seeded wrestlers on Azizli's side of the bracket are Koriun Fabian SCHMITT (GER), Max NOWRY (USA) and Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR). The first clash of the seeded wrestlers will be a quarterfinal between Azizli and Sahradian. The other quarterfinal will be Schmitt taking on Nowry.

Azizli will then proceed to a semifinal against Nowry with a win taking him to the gold medal bout.

The lower side has Tsurtsumia along with Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) and Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB). Tsurtsumia will face Asian bronze medalist Ortikboev in the quarterfinals and will face the winner of Ozturk and Bekbolatov in the semifinals.

A rematch of the European final between Azizli and Tsurtsumia is on the cards in Belgrade as well.

 

60kg
No. 1 Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
No. 2 Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
No. 3 Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)
No. 4 Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
No. 5 GYANENDER (IND)
No. 6 Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
No. 7 Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY)
No. 8 Helary MAEGISALU (EST)

If the seeds hold at 60kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs. No. 8 Helary MAEGISALU (EST) (top side)
No. 4 Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) vs. No. 5 GYANENDER (IND) (top side)
No. 3 Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) vs. No. 6 Kerem KAMAL (TUR) (bottom side)
No. 2 Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. No. 7 Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs. No. 4 Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) (top side)
No. 2 Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. No. 3 Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs. No. 2 Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)

Sharshenbekov poised to reach third Worlds final
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) has reached the gold medal bout at World Championships twice but finished with silver on both occasions. He has a chance to change that record as he is seeded number one in the 60kg bracket. To reach another world final, he will have to go through Helary MAEGISALU (EST) in the quarterfinal and one of Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) and GYANENDER (IND) in the semifinal as these are the seeded wrestlers on the top side of the bracket.

The Asian champion finished seventh at the Olympics before winning the silver in Oslo. He won the gold at Asian Championships in Mongolia.

On the bottom side, Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) is seeded number two and will face Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) in the quarterfinal. Barring upsets, the other quarterfinal will be a clash of Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) and European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) as they are seeded number three and six respectively. The winner will then get Mammadov in the semifinal.

 

63kg 
No. 1 Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
No. 2 Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
No. 3 Erik TORBA (HUN)
No. 4 Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
No. 5 Ahmet UYAR (TUR)
No. 6 Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
No. 7 NEERAJ (IND)
No. 8 Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)

If the seeds hold at 63kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Leri ABULADZE (GEO) vs. No. 8 Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) (top side)
No. 4 Victor CIOBANU (MDA) vs. No. 5 Ahmet UYAR (TUR) (top side)
No. 3 Erik TORBA (HUN) vs. No. 6 Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) (bottom side)
No. 2 Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. No. 7 NEERAJ (IND) (bottom side)

Semifinals: 
No. 1 Leri ABULADZE (GEO) vs. No. 4 Victor CIOBANU (MDA) (top side)
No. 2 Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. No. 3 Erik TORBA (HUN) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Leri ABULADZE (GEO) vs. No. 2 Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)

Abuladze locks up top seed
He fell agonizingly short of the gold in Oslo but Leri ABULADZE (GEO) will hope to win the gold this time at 63kg. He locked up the top seed with his silver in Oslo and a gold medal at the European Championships. Abuladze's quarterfinal will be against Asian champion Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) who is seeded number eight.

The other quarterfinal on the top side will feature 60kg world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Ahmet UYAR (TUR), who are seeded number four and five respectively.

Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE), who was fifth at the World Championships, is seeded number two and will feature on the bottom side of the bracket with a potential quarterfinal against NEERAJ (IND). His semifinal will be against one of Erik TORBA (HUN) or Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM).

An Abuladze-Mammadov final will be a repeat of the European Championships final which the Georgian won.

 

67kg 
No. 1 Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI)
No. 2 Murat FIRAT (TUR)
No. 3 Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
No. 4 Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
No. 5 Morten THORESEN (NOR)
No. 6 Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
No. 7 Hansu RYU (KOR)
No. 8 Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER)

If the seeds hold at 67kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) vs. No. 8 Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER) (top side)
No. 4 Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) vs. No. 5 Morten THORESEN (NOR) (top side)
No. 3 Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) vs. No. 6 Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) (bottom side)
No. 2 Murat FIRAT (TUR) vs. No. 7 Hansu RYU (KOR) (bottom side)

Semifinals: 
No. 1 Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) vs. No. 4 Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) (top side)
No. 2 Murat FIRAT (TUR) vs. No. 3 Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) vs. No. 2 Murat FIRAT (TUR)

Geraei primed for gold
To reach back-to-back World finals, Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) will need to go through an Olympic bronze medalist in the final. Olympic champion Geraei will face Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER) in the quarterfinals before facing Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) in the semifinal if the Egypt wrestler can beat Morten THORESEN (NOR) in the other quarterfinal in the top half.

The bottom half of the bracket has number two seed Murat FIRAT (TUR) facing former world champion Hansu RYU (KOR) in the quarterfinals. Firat finished fifth in Oslo before winning the European Championships and the Mediterranean Games to clinch the second seed.

If he wins against Ryu, U23 world champion and fellow fifth at Worlds Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) awaits Firat. Jafarov has to beat Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) in the quarterfinals to set up a match against Firat.

Geraei will have the winner of the Firat-Jafarov semifinal if he manages to get past Elsayed as both have a similar style.

 

72kg 
No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
No. 2 Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
No. 3 Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
No. 4 Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI)
No. 5 Valentin PETIC (MDA)
No. 6 Selcuk CAN (TUR)
No. 7 Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL)
No. 8 Robert FRITSCH (HUN)

If the seeds hold at 72kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) vs. No. 8 Robert FRITSCH (HUN) (top side)
No. 4 Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) vs. No. 5 Valentin PETIC (MDA) (top side)
No. 3 Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) vs. No. 6 Selcuk CAN (TUR) (bottom side)
No. 2 Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) vs. No. 7 Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) vs. No. 4 Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) (top side)
No. 2 Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) vs. No. 3 Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) vs. No. 2 Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)

Sleiva eyes history
With both the finalists from Oslo not registered, top seed Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) will hope to improve on his bronze medal from Oslo. Lithuania has never won the gold medal at World Championships but can pin hopes on Sleiva who locked the top seed with bronze in Oslo, fifth place at European Championships, gold at Matteo Pellicone and silver in Istanbul at the start of the season.

But a big quarterfinal against European champion Robert FRITSCH (HUN) will test Sleiva. If he manages to win that, he will have Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) in the semifinal. Sleiva defeated Mokhtari for the bronze in Oslo.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) is seeded second and will be in the bottom half with third seed Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL), number six Selcuk CAN (TUR) and number seven Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL). Ganizade finished eighth in Oslo but won bronze at Euros and silver at Matteo Pellicone. He also has a 10th-place finish in Istanbul.

He will face Dimitrov in the quarterfinals before getting one of Sahakyan or Can in the semifinal. A final against Sleiva will be a rematch from the European bronze medal bout in which Ganizade won. But Sleiva won the gold in Rome over Ganizade.

 

77kg 
No. 1 Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
No. 2 Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI)
No. 3 Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
No. 4 Viktor NEMES (SRB)
No. 5 Shohei YABIKU (JPN)
No. 6 Yunus BASAR (TUR)
No. 7 Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB)
No. 8 Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)

If the seeds hold at 77kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) vs. No. 8 Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) (top side)
No. 4 Viktor NEMES (SRB) vs. No. 5 Shohei YABIKU (JPN) (top side)
No. 3 Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) vs. No. 6 Yunus BASAR (TUR) (bottom side)
No. 2 Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) vs. No. 7 Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) vs. No. 4 Viktor NEMES (SRB) (top side)
No. 2 Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) vs. No. 3 Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) vs. No. 2 Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI)

Suleymanov top at 77kg
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) will that the top seeding helps him end the misery of missing out on the gold last year. The silver medalist from Oslo finished with a bronze at European Championships and silver in Istanbul to lock up the top seed.

Given the seeds hold, Suleymanov will face Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) in the quarterfinal before moving to the semifinals against Viktor NEMES (SRB) who is seeded fourth. But Nemes will have to beat Olympic bronze medalist Shohei YABIKU (JPN) in the quarterfinals.

The stacked bottoms side has World bronze and Olympic fifth Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) as second seed along with Olympic silver Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) as third, European champion Yunus BASAR (TUR) as sixth and Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) as the seventh seed.

Geraei will face Flores in the quarterfinal while Makhmudov will take on Basar. According to the seeds, Geraei and Makhmudov will advance to the semifinal, a mouth-watering match-up. The winner will face Suleymanov in the final.

 

82kg
No. 1 Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
No. 2 Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
No. 3 Pejman POSHTAM (IRI)
No. 4 Mihail BRADU (MDA)
No. 5 Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
No. 6 Harpreet SINGH (IND)
No. 7 Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
No. 8 Dias KALEN (KAZ)

If the seeds hold at 82kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs. No. 8 Dias KALEN (KAZ) (top side)
No. 4 Mihail BRADU (MDA) vs. No. 5 Ranet KALJOLA (EST) (top side)
No. 3 Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) vs. No. 6 Harpreet SINGH (IND) (bottom side)
No. 2 Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) vs. No. 7 Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs. No. 4 Mihail BRADU (MDA) (top side)
No. 2 Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) vs. No. 3 Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs. No. 2 Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)

Huseynov, Akbudak rematch on cards
For long, Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) have held the top two seeds at 82kg. Heading into the World Championships, the two will remain one and two respectively.

Huseynov won the gold in Oslo and Budapest to add to his bronze in Tokyo and Istanbul to claim the top seed. He faces Dias KALEN (KAZ) in the quarterfinals. A win will take Huseynov to the semifinals against Mihail BRADU (MDA) who is seeded number four. Bradu will have to beat Ranet KALJOLA (EST) in the quarterfinal to wrestle Huseynov.

On the bottom side, Akbudak faces European silver medalist Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) in the quarterfinals. World bronze medalist Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) has Harpreet SINGH (IND) in the other quarterfinal.

Akbudak and Poshtam will clash in the semifinals if they win according to the seeds before a rematch from 2021 Worlds between Huseynov and Akbudak occurs.

 

87kg
No. 1 Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
No. 2 Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)
No. 3 Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
No. 4 Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
No. 5 Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
No. 6 Mohamed METWALLY (EGY)
No. 7 Sunil KUMAR (IND)
No. 8 Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)

If the seeds hold at 87kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) vs. No. 8 Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) (top side)
No. 4 Islam ABBASOV (AZE) vs. No. 5 Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) (top side)
No. 3 Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) vs. No. 6 Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) (bottom side)
No. 2 Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. No. 7 Sunil KUMAR (IND) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) vs. No. 4 Islam ABBASOV (AZE) (top side)
No. 2 Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. No. 3 Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) vs. No. 2 Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)

Datunashvili top-seeded at home
Serbia will have its own top seed as Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) hopes to defend his title at 87kg. Olympic bronze and gold in Oslo helped him to be in the top three before silver in Istanbul and eight-place at European Championships pushed him to the top.

To win gold in front of his home crowd, Datunashvili will have to navigate through eighth seed Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) in the quarterfinal, fourth seed Islam ABBASOV (AZE) in the semifinals and second seed Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) in the final. Abassov in the semifinals is a massive match-up as he has defeated Datunashvili in the previous two meetings.

European champion Bisultanov, who finished fifth in Oslo, is on the bottom side and faces Sunil KUMAR (IND) in the quarterfinals before Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) in the semifinals.

 

97kg 
No. 1 Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)
No. 2 Alex SZOKE (HUN)
No. 3 Kiril MILOV (BUL)
No. 4 Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
No. 5 Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
No. 6 Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
No. 7 Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
No. 8 Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)

If the seeds hold at 97kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) vs. No. 8 Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) (top side)
No. 4 Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. No. 5 Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) (top side)
No. 3 Kiril MILOV (BUL) vs. No. 6 Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) (bottom side)
No. 2 Alex SZOKE (HUN) vs. No. 7 Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) vs. No. 4 Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) (top side)
No. 2 Alex SZOKE (HUN) vs. No. 3 Kiril MILOV (BUL) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) vs. No. 2 Alex SZOKE (HUN)

Saravi, Szoke rematch at 97kg
Another World Championships final rematch can happen in Belgrade if Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) and Alex SZOKE (HUN) can hold their seeds.

Olympic bronze and world champion Saravi locked up the top seed with those two medals and will face Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) in the quarterfinals. Second seed Szoke, a silver medalist from Oslo, has Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) in his quarterfinal on the bottom side.

The other quarterfinal on the top side will see two Olympic medalists from the Tokyo clash. Silver medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) will return to the competition and will have bronze medalist Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) in the quarterfinals. The bottom side will see Oslo fifth Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA), seeded sixth, face European champion and fifth seed Kiril MILOV (BUL) in the quarterfinals.

Saravi will get a chance to avenge his loss from Olympics as he faces Aleksanyan in the semifinal. In the other semifinal, Olympic fifth Szoke will have Milov.

Szoke lost the final in Oslo 3-1 against Saravi but if the two meet again for the gold, he will hope to turn the result in his favor. 

 

130kg
No. 1 Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
No. 2 Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
No. 3 Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI)
No. 4 Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
No. 5 Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
No. 6 Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)
No. 7 Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
No. 8 Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)

If the seeds hold at 130kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) vs. No. 8 Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) (top side)
No. 4 Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) vs. No. 5 Oskar MARVIK (NOR) (top side)
No. 3 Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) vs. No. 6 Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) (bottom side)
No. 2 Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs. No. 7 Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) vs. No. 4 Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) (top side)
No. 2 Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs. No. 3 Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) vs. No. 2 Riza KAYAALP (TUR)

Kajaia locks top seed at 130kg
Olympic silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) will be seeded number one for the World Championships he won a bronze in Oslo and has ranking points from European Championships and Bolat Turlykhanov Cup.

The top seed puts him on the opposite side of Riza KAYAALP (TUR) who is looking for his fifth world title and first since 2019.

Kajaia will face U23 world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) in the quarterfinals as he is seeded eighth. Kayaalp on the bottom side will have seventh seed Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU).

The two other quarterfinals will have Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) wrestling Oskar MARVIK (NOR) on the top side and third seed Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) wrestling Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) on the bottom side.

The semifinals will feature Kajaia and Knystautas from the top side and Kayaalp and Acosta from the bottom with both Kajaia and Kayaalp primed to win according to their seeds.

Kajaia will try to Kayaalp from winning the title one more team and instead win his first.

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024: Saravi wins Iran's first gold after beating Aleksanyan

By Ken Marantz

PARIS (August 7) -- Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) notched his first win in four career meetings with superstar Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), and it couldn't have come at a better time or place.

Saravi scored a late takedown against Aleksanyan in the Greco 97kg final on Wednesday at the Paris Olympics, giving him a 4-1 victory to improve on the bronze medal he won three years ago in Tokyo and assuring that the Armenian's fourth career Olympic medal would be a second straight silver.

"Thank God I got the first gold for Iran at Paris 2024, and my first gold at an Olympics after I took bronze at Tokyo 2020," Saravi said. "And thanks to my coaches. I’m so happy."

In other action at the packed Champs de Mars Arena, one day after Japan won its first Olympic Greco gold in 40 years, it got another when Nao KUSAKA (JPN) claimed the 77kg title, while Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) emerged victorious when the dust cleared on a chaotic day in the women's 50kg division.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) with his coach at the medal ceremony at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Saravi, winner of three tournaments this year including the Asian Championships, looked confident against the veteran Aleksanyan, who had previously beaten him in the semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics and at both the 2019 and 2022 World Championships.

"It’s so sweet to win the gold medal after three attempts," Saravi said. "I have a lot of respect for my opponent in the final. He’s so professional, but I was able to beat him."

Both wrestlers were unable to score from the top in par terre, and Saravi held a 1-1 lead on criteria in the second period. In a quick flurry, Aleksanyan was knocked backward toward the ground, and Saravi spun behind for a takedown.

The Armenian side challenged that Saravi had gone out of bounds during the move, but the takedown was upheld, tacking another point onto the Iranian's tally. He then held on to become Iran's fifth Olympic Greco champion in its history.

"I had lost matches before, even though I still won medals, but now I won, and it is like getting revenge, and at the most important tournament to do that," said Saravi, the 2021 world champion who won bronzes in 2022 and 2023.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) tries to score on Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Saravi knows that celebrations have started in his hometown of Amol in north central Iran.

"My city and province is the home of Greco-Roman wrestling in Iran," he said. "Everybody is really happy there and celebrates my medal, so I am really proud to have made this happen.”

Aleksanyan did not take the defeat very well. With a full collection of Olympic medals -- he also won a gold at Rio 2016 and bronze at London 2012 -- a second silver was not anything he desired.

Immediately after the medal was placed around his neck at the award ceremony, he took it off and kept it in his hand, even as the medalists were paraded around the arena for photo shoots. He did not attend the medalists' press conference.

Nao KUSAKA (JPN)Nao KUSAKA (JPN) celebrates after winning the 77kg final in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the other Greco final, world bronze medalist Kusaka scored a 4-point takedown in the second period that propelled him to the 77kg gold with a 5-2 victory over four-time Asian medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ).

The victory came a day after Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN), Kusaka's predecessor at powerhouse Nippon Sports Science University, won the 60kg gold, ending Japan's 40-year Greco drought at the Olympics.

"I was in junior high and high school when Kenichiro won world titles and he was someone I always looked up to," the 24-year-old Kusaka said. "As my senior colleague, he was the one who pulled me along the most."

In the final, Zhadrayev struck first with a stepout and a passivity point, but he was unable to turn Kusaka from par terre and went into the second period leading 2-0.

Kusaka, who had beaten Zhadrayev in their only previous meeting at the 2023 German Grand Prix, turned the match around when he stuck the Kazakh with a pancake for 4. He then received a passivity point to make it 5-2 and held on to finish up the victory.

"To be honest, it didn't go according to my game plan," Kusaka said. "But all I could do was believe in myself all the way to the end. Once I got on the mat, there was nobody there to save me. I just believed in myself and all the training that I put in and kept putting the pressure on."

Nao KUSAKA (JPN)Nao KUSAKA (JPN) scores two points against Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) in the 77kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Three years ago in Tokyo, Japan got a surprising bronze medal in this weight class from Shohei YABIKU (JPN). But in the ensuing years, Kusaka seemed to come out of nowhere to not only depose Yabiku, but rise to a world-class level.

He first made himself known with a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships. After going on his own to Germany and Hungary for intense training, he started this year off with a bronze at the Zagreb Open.

It got better from there, as he won the Asian Championships, beating reigning world champion Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) in the process, then the Budapest Ranking Series to suddenly make himself the top seed in Paris.

"It's like a dream," Kusaka said. "For this moment, from when I was little, I got through tough times and it's great that I became the champion."

Nao KUSAKA (JPN)Nao KUSAKA (JPN) celebrates with his mother after winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

It could be said that Kusaka was destined for Olympic success from the day he came into the world. He was born two months after Naoko TAKAHASHI (JPN) won the gold medal in the women's marathon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, a feat that makes her among Japan's most beloved athletes to this day.

So impressed was Kusaka's mother that she used the same kanji character for "Nao" in Takahashi's first name for her newborn son.

Kusaka paid tribute to his namesake after his win. After Takahashi's won in Sydney, she famously said, "It was a really fun 42 kilometers."

After Kusaka won in Paris, he commented, "It was a really fun six minutes."

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) celebrates after winning the gold medal at 50kg at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Hildebrandt seemed to be having fun throughout the day, from the time she stood in the tunnel awaiting the women's 50kg final to the time she stood for the endless photos and hugged numerous well-wishes over her hard-earned gold medal.

Hildebrandt gave the U.S. two golds in two days of women's wrestling with a 3-0 victory over Yusneylis GUZMAN (CUB), who was not her opponent when everyone went to sleep the night before.

"My mind and body are not computing everything, especially with the chaotic morning I had with the change of opponent, so it's all been crazy," Hildebrandt said. "Mostly, I just feel gratitude and I just want to go squeeze my family."

Much of the wrestling world awoke to the shock of 50kg finalist Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) failing to make weight. Phogat had produced the surprise of the competition when she handed defending champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) her first-ever international loss, and was aiming to give India its first-ever Olympic women's gold.

Under UWW rules, Guzman, as the losing semifinalist to Phogat, took her place in the final. At first, Hildebrandt and her team did not know how the disqualification would affect the competition.

"We get the news that she didn't make weight, and we were under the impression that it was a forfeit," Hildebrandt said. "So, there was a lot of celebrating. It was very strange, like 'Oh my god, I just won the Olympics.'

"Then an hour later, they were like, 'You did not win the Olympics.' I'm like, 'Oh, this is very weird.' So there had to be a reset. I took a nap, woke up, and it was like a fever dream."

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)The four medalists at the 50kg weight class at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Hildebrandt had beaten Guzman 10-0 in the semifinals of last year's Pan Am Championships, but the Cuban did a good job of keeping the Paris final close.

In the end, a takedown in the first period and an activity point in the second were all that three-time world medalist Hildebrandt could put on the scoreboard, but it was enough to add the Paris gold to her bronze from Tokyo.

For Hildebrandt, it marked a remarkable journey in which she made the drastic drop from 55kg down to the Olympic weight of 50kg.

"The weight cut has taken a lot of deliberate education and discipline," she said. "I actually started the weight cut for these Games back at the end of 2022. I was like, 'Everything I do, from
here on out, is going to feed into [Paris] 2024. So, it's going to be uncomfortable in 2023.'

"I'm so happy to say I've had the smoothest cut of my life for Paris 2024. It paid off."

Yui SUSAKI (JPN)Yui SUSAKI (JPN) defeated Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in the bronze medal bout in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Susaki, Makhmudov bounce back to bag bronzes

Susaki bounced back from her dethroning as Olympic champion by winning a bronze medal -- the first time in her life that she had ever taken part in a third-place match.

Putting on a display of the lightning-quick takedowns that had made her 94-0 against non-Japanese opponents prior to Tuesday's defeat, Susaki cruised to a 10-0 victory over Oksana LIVACH (UKR), finishing off the match 17 seconds into the second period.

"After losing in the first round yesterday, it's been a really rough two days," Susaki said. "But the people around me had my back and helped me get back on my feet. I am grateful to them from the bottom of my heart."

Susaki said she was moved by the many non-Japanese fans who cheered for her. "I had thought that without being 'Yui Susaki, Olympic champion,' I would have no value. But win or lose, I was encouraged by the cheers and I want them to see me again as an Olympic champion. I will fight hard over the next four years."

According to the Japan Federation website, a third place at the 2017 All-Japan Championships marks the only time Susaki finished out of the top two in any competition both at home and abroad, dating back to junior high school. In that tournament, the losing semifinalists received the bronze medals without a playoff.

World bronze medalist Ziqi FENG (CHN) picked up the other bronze at women's 50kg, storming to a six-point lead and holding on for a 6-4 vicory over world silver medalist Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL).

Feng opened with two slick takedowns, following the second with a gut wrench, before Dolgorjav struck back to make it 6-2 at the break. Dolgorjav kept the pressure on in the second period, but it wasn't until the final four seconds that she finally got behind for a takedown that was too little, too late.

At Greco 77kg, Makhmudov, the Tokyo silver medalist who looked bound for an Olympic gold in Paris after winning back-to-back world titles, also had to settle for a bronze, and it was no easy task at that.

Makhmudov, who fell to Zhadrayev in the quarterfinals, got a 4-point lift-and-throw early in the second period, and that made the difference in a 6-5 win over Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), whose late rally came up just short.

Down 5-1, Suleymanov got a stepout and fleeing point, then scored a takedown with six seconds left. But Makhmudov had the criteria advantage, and a last-ditch challenge by the Azeri side only added an unneeded point.

European champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM), the bronze medalist at the last two World Championships, picked up the other bronze at Greco 77kg when he hung on for a 6-5 victory over Aram VARDANYAN (UZB).

Amoyan opened with a stepout that became an afterthought when he launched a 4-point throw from par terre for a 6-0 lead. But in the second period, Vardanyan hit a 4-point throw of his own from par terre using a front headlock, but that early stepout left him one point short.

Kyrgyzstan picked up a second bronze when five-time Asian medalist Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) edged Mohamad GABR (EGY) 2-1 at Greco 97kg. Dzhuzupbekov had the criteria advantage after each received a passivity point when Gabr had the option for a second par terre in the final minute, but opted to remain standing. After time ran out, Egypt made a dubious challenge that added a point to Dzhuzupbekov's tally.

The other 97kg bronze-medal match ended on a sad note when 40-year-old Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) was forced to default after injuring his shoulder early in his clash with reigning world champion Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB).

Assakalov landed on the shoulder as he tried an arm throw. He tried to continue, but after a few seconds realized it was not to be, awarding the victory to Rosillo.

It would be the two-time world medalist's last chance for an Olympic medal in three appearances, as he left his shoes on the mat after the match as a sign that he was retiring.

Day 3 Results

Greco-Roman

67kg
SF 1: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), 3-3
SF 1: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM), 10-4

77kg
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) df. Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 5-2

BRONZE: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Aram VARDANYAN (UZB), 6-5
BRONZE: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 6-5

87kg
SF 1: Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) df. Zhan BELENIUK (UKR), 3-3
SF 1: Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 4-1

BRONZE: Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) df. Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) by Inj. Def., :42 (2-0)
BRONZE: Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) df. Mohamad GABR (EGY), 2-1

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Yusneylis GUZMAN (CUB), 3-0

BRONZE: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 3:17
BRONZE: Ziqi FENG (CHN) df. Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL), 6-4

53kg
SF 1: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) df. Annika WENDLE (GER) by TF, 10-0, 4:29
SF 1: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Qianyu PANG (CHN) by TF, 10-0, 4:40