#UWWRankings

Greco-Roman stars maintain top spot in rankings

By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (May 28) -- No other style saw as many changes in rankings as Greco-Roman. With intense battles at the European and Asian Championships, wrestlers saw big movements in the rankings.

A few world champion lost their top spots while others consolidated their ranks as the senior World Championships approached in September. Only three more events are remaining in which wrestlers can obtain ranking points.

Here are the big changes in the Greco-Roman rankings after the four continental championships that were held over the last three months. The full rankings can be accessed at uww.org.

Ken MatsuiKen MATSUI (JPN) won the 55kg title in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

55kg
World champion in 2021 Ken MATSUI (JPN) still holds the top rank at 55kg with 43000 points. This despite him missing the Asian Championships after failing to win the Japan selection trials.

Bronze medalist at the same Worlds Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) added a European gold medal to take his tally to 39000 points and move past Emin SEFERSHAEV (RWF) who has now slipped to fourth with his 35000 points. The third spot is taken by Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) with 37000 points as he won a silver medal at the European Championships.

Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) and Norayr HAKHOYAN (ARM) had finished fifth at the '21 Worlds and each has 23000 points to be ranked fifth and sixth respectively.

Carrying over 16200 points from the Worlds, Sardarbek KONUSHBAEV (KGZ) takes the seventh spot 

He finished 10th at both the World and European Championships which takes Fabian SCHMITT (GER) to the eighth position with 15400 points.

In a close race from there, Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) takes the ninth spot with 15000 points, followed by Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) who won the Istanbul Ranking event and a silver medal at the Asian Championships. He has 14400 points.

Max NOWRY (USA) won 5000 points for his Pan-Am title which helped him to 13500 points and 11th spot. Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR) has 10600 points at 12th.

Asian champion Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) is 13th with 10000 points followed by Hyeokjin JEON (KOR) at 14th with 8800 points, and Adem UZUN (TUR) at 15th with 8000 points.

Victor CIOBANU (MDA)Victor CIOBANU (MDA) has 68000 points at the top at 60kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

60kg
Victor CIOBANU (MDA) finished at the Olympics and later won the World Championships to claim the top rank at 63kg. He has not competed in this weight class since but still remains the top wrestler with 68000 points. World silver and Asian champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) is a close second with 63200 points.

Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) has slipped to third with 51000 points as he has not competed since winning the gold medal in Tokyo. Neither has Tokyo silver Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) as he is fourth with 41400 points.

Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) won bronze medals at the World and European Championships which have helped him climb to the fifth spot with 40500 points while another European bronze medalist Gevorg GHARIBYAN is sixth with 34500 points.

Bronze medalists in Tokyo Sergey EMELIN (RWF) and Sailike WALIHAN (CHN) have 34200 points each and are ranked seventh and eighth respectively. Stepan MARYANYAN (RWF) silver-medal run at the Worlds earned him the ninth spot with 31000 points before Maksim KAZHARSKI (BWF) finishes off the top-10 at the 10th spot with 25000 points.

Ayata SUZUKI (JPN) won a bronze at the Asian Championships to be ahead of Gyanender DAHIYA (IND) by 200 points as Suzuku has 24700 points to Dahiya's 24500 points.

At the 13th spot comes Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) with 23000 points as he had finished fifth at the Olympics followed by Mehrdad MARDANI (IRI) at 14th with 17000 points.

European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) breaks into the ranking at 15th as he has 16800 points.

Leri ABULADZELeri ABULADZE (GEO) is the top ranked wrestler at 63kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

63kg
He could not beat Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) in the World Championships final but Leri ABULADZE (GEO) has beaten the Iranian for the top spot. He now has 50000 points after winning the European title while Dalkhani has 45000 points.

Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) finished fifth at the Worlds, and won a bronze in Istanbul and silver at the European Championships to accumulate 41200 points and reach the third spot in rankings.

World bronze medalist Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) was expected to improve his ranking at the Asian Championships but he finished eighth and got only 4000 points. He now has 35000 points to be ranked fourth.

Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) features in the rankings at 63kg as well as he won a bronze medal at the World Championships at this weight. He has 31000 points in the fifth spot. Erik TORBA (HUN) is ranked sixth with 25000 points which he got for his fifth-place finish at the Worlds.

Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) was seventh at the Worlds and has 18200 points at the seventh spot followed by Deniz MENEKSE (GER) at eighth with 17000 points, Mihai MIHUT (ROU) at ninth with 15500 points and Ahmet UYAR (TUR) at 10th with 14700 points.

Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) missed out on the top-10 as he has 14600 points at 11th. Ibragim LABAZANOV (RWF) is 12th with 14300 points.

Victor CIOBANU (MDA) won a bronze medal at the Istanbul Ranking event at 63kg and finished eighth at the Euros to claim the 14th rank with 13400 points.

Gold medalist in Istanbul finished fifth at the Asian Championships Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) jumped to 14th as he now has 13000 points.

African champion Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) and Asian champion Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) have 10000 points each to be ranked 15th and 16th respectively.

Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI)Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) are one and two in the 67kg rankings. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

67kg
An Olympic and World title in the same year had propelled Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) to the top spot at 67kg and he continues to maintain it with 98000 points. He has since not competed but it is mathematically not possible to remove him from the top.

Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) finished fifth at the Olympics but later returned to win a bronze medal at the World Championships before finishing fifth at the European Championships. He is the closest to Geraei in terms of points as he has 66000 points in second place.

Parviz NASIBOV's (UKAR) silver medal at the Olympics is still good to keep him at the third spot with 43400 points while European champion Murat FIRAT (TUR) is close fourth with 40000 points. 

Nazir ABDULLAEV (RWF) won a silver medal at the Worlds and is now fifth with 37000 points while junior and U23 world champion Hasrat JAFAROV trails him by 500 points at sixth with 36500 points. He finished fifth in Oslo and bronze at the Euros.

Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) got 36200 points for his Tokyo bronze and he is eighth in the rankings while Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) won bronze at Worlds for 31000 points and ninth spot. Morten THORESEN (NOR) is 600 points behind at the 10th spot.

Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) at 11th, Sebastian NAD (SRB) at 12th and Hansu RYU (KOR) at 13th are all within 1000 points of each other.

Artem SURKOV (RWF) with 25000 points takes the 14th spot while Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER) is 15th with 22400 points.

Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) is the first Lithuanian to be top ranked in any style. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

72kg
Lithuania's star Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) continues to remain at the top with 48400 points after finishing fifth at the European Championships. He had won a bronze at the World Championships and finished second at the Istanbul event.

A close second is world champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) with 45000 points but he debuted at 77kg at the European Championships this year. Another world bronze medalist Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) takes the third spot with 38000 points. Silver medalist Sergei KUTUZOV (RWF) is fourth with 37000 points.

After failing to win a medal at the Worlds, Mohammadreza MOKHTARI (IRI) bounced back to win the Asian Championships and climb to the fifth spot with 35000 points.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) won bronze at Euros after finishing seventh at the Worlds to be placed at sixth with 31980 points while fifth at Worlds Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR) is seventh with 28200 points.

The eighth, ninth and 10th spots are taken by Valentin PETIC (MDA) [21800 points], Mikko PELTOKANGAS (FIN) [21300 points] and Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) [18100 points].

Jiyul LEE (KOR) has racked up 15500 points to be placed 11th while Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL) is 12th with 14800 points. 1000 points below at 13th is Abylaikhan AMZEYEV (KAZ).

European champion Robert FRITSCH (HUN) debuts at 14th with 13000 points while silver to him Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) comes in at 15th with 11000 points.

African champion Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) is at 17th with 10000 points.

Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) is the top ranked wrestler at 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

77kg
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) failed to win the World or European Championships but his consistent performance to at least finish on the podium has earned him the top spot with 57900 points. His bronze at Euros has helped him move past Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) who is second with 54000 points.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) returned to UWW competition after winning the silver at Tokyo with a title-winning performance at the Asian Championships to be ranked third with 51400 points while Tokyo champion Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) has slipped to fourth with 51000 points. World champion Roman VLASOV (RWF) is fifth with 45000 points.

Shohei YABIKU (JPN) and Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) won bronze medals in Tokyo and have 34200 points to be placed at sixth and seventh respectively. Viktor NEMES (SRB) is eighth with 31200 points while Roland SCHWARZ (GER) is just 200 points behind at ninth. Pan-Am champion Yosvanys PENA (CUB) had finished 10th at the Olympics and the two tournaments have given him 25300 points to be in the top-10.

Oslo fifth-placers Tsimur BERDYIEU (BWF) and Tamas LEVAI (HUN) are 11th and 12th respectively with 25000 points each while European silver medalist Yunus BASAR (TUR) is 13th with 24000 points, Kodai SAKURABA (JPN) is 14th with 23500 points and Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) is 15th with 23000 points.

Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) continues to maintain his top spot at 82kg since winning the world title last year. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

82kg
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) were involved in a close race at the top after the former won the Worlds and silver to him Akbudak won the Istanbul event. But with Huseynov winning the European title while Akbudak winning bronze at the same event, the Azerbaijan wrestler has taken a lead with 65200 points to Akbudak's 56500 points.

Other wrestlers have not accumulated the same amount of points as World bronze medalists Adlan AKIEV (RWF) and Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) placing third and fourth with 31000 points each. Fifth in Oslo Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) and Laszlo SZABO (HUN) remain fifth and sixth with 25000 points each.

Ranet KALJOLA (EST) is seventh with 22800 points while Edgar BABAYAN (POL) comes in at number eigth with 18200 points.

Mihail BRADU (MDA) won a silver in Istanbul followed by a fifth-place in Budapest to be placed at ninth with 16400 points while Hannes WAGNER (GER) is 10th with 15500 points.

Tarek ABDESLAM (BUL) takes the 11th position with 14300 points while European silver medalist Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) is 12th with 13000 points.

Dias KALEN (KAZ) won silver at Asian Championships to be ranked at 13th with 11520 points while Tamas LEVAI (HUN) is just 20 points behind at 14th.

Four wrestlers have 10000 points each but African champion Abd OUAKALI (ALG) is 15th, Asian champion Rasoul GARMSIRI (IRI) is 16th and Pan-Am champion Daniel GOMEZ (MEX) at 17th.

Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)No wrestler can replace Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) from the top at 87kg till the September World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

87kg
World champion Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) had developed such a big lead over his opponents in the rankings that despite missing out on gold medals in Istanbul and Budapest, he still takes the top spot with 92600 points. The second best is Olympic champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) with 51000 points.

The rankings don't change for the next four spots with Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) claiming the seventh spot with 38000 points. He won the European title in Budapest after finishing fifth at the Worlds. Denis KUDLA (GER) is eight with 34200 points while Metehan BASAR (TUR) has some catching to do as he is ninth with 28700 points. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) takes the 10th spot with 28200 points.

Tokyo Olympian and African champion Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) moves up to 11th with 26200 points while Kristoffer BERG (SWE) moves to 12th with 25600 points. Istvan TAKACS (HUN) got 25000 points for his fifth-place finish in Oslo but he has slipped to 13th.

Pan-Am champion Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB) has moved past Tokyo fifth-placers Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) and Ivan HUKLEK (CRO). They have 23000 points each while the Cuban has 500 more points to be at 14th.

A close 17th is Islam ABBASOV (AZE) with 22900 points as he has two big wins over world champ Datunashvili.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) takes the top spot at 97kg with 79200 points. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

97kg
Tokyo bronze and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) continues to maintain his top spot with 79200 points while silver medalist Alex SZOKE (HUN) is second with 60000 points. Olympic champion Musa EVLOEV (RWF) comes in at the third spot with 51000 points.

Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) has medal-winning performances in Istanbul and Budapest after finishing fifth at the Olympics which has helped him to the fourth spot over bronze medalist in Oslo Tracy HANCOCK (USA). Savolainen has 47400 points, 200 more than Hancock. Kiril MILOV (BUL) won the European Championships and has climbed to the sixth spot as he now has 45500 points.

Silver medalist in Tokyo Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) has 41400 points and sits at the seventh spot ahead of Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) who has 39213 points. Giorgi MELIA (GEO) is ninth with 31700 points while World bronze medalist Artur SARGSIAN (RWF) is 10th with 31000 points.

Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) takes the 11th spot with 27500 points while Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) comes in at 12th with 26620 points. Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE) is 13th with 26400 points while Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) and Peter OEHLER (GER) have 25000 points each to be 14th and 15th respectively.

Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)Top-ranked at 130kg Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) has 20800 point lead over second rank. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

130kg
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) finished eighth at the European Championships but his silver at the Olympics and bronze at the Worlds have helped him to the top spot with a considerable lead. He has 76200 points even as European champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) tries to catch up with 55400 points.

Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) won bronze at the Pan-Ams and has climbed to third with 54500 points, moving ahead of Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) who has 51000 points at the fourth spot. World champion Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI) is fifth with 45000 points he got for his gold in Oslo.

Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RWF) takes the sixth spot with 37000 points followed by Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) with 36000 points.

Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) has 34400 points at the eighth spot while Olympic bronze Sergei SEMENOV (RWF) is ninth with 34200 points. At 10th comes Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) who has 32000 points.

Oslo bronze medalist Oskar MARVIK (NOR) has slipped to 11th for his 31000 points while Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) is 12th with 30900 points.

Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) is 13th with 28000 points while Tokyo fifth-placer and U23 world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is 14th with 23000 points.

African champion Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) takes the 15th spot with 18500 points.

#WrestleZagreb

Uguev ends six-year world title drought with 61kg gold

By Ken Marantz

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 13) -- With a spectacular display of his old form over two days, Zavur UGUEV (UWW) went from an afterthought back to one of the sport's most dominant wrestlers.

Uguev finessed his way to a third world title and first in six years when he captured the freestyle 61kg gold at the World Championships in Zagreb on Sunday, on the first night of finals in four Freestyle weight classes.

Uguev, the Tokyo Olympic champion at 57kg, rolled to the gold with a comprehensive 11-2 victory in the final over Asian bronze medalist Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), adding to the world titles he won in 2018 and 2019, also at 57kg.

"This is a very joyful event in my life -- I am once again on the top of the podium," Uguev said. "I am very happy and grateful to my team, my coach, my sparring partners, our national team -- thanks to everyone who played a part in my victory."

In other finals, Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) also became a three-time world champion with his third victory in five years at 125kg, while the two other golds at stake went to first-time winners who had previously made the podium, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) at 70kg and Zahid VALENCIA (USA) at 86kg.

Uguev had been the dominant lightweight for the span from his first world title in 2018 to his Olympic triumph in 2021. But then he hit a slump with a fifth-place finish in 2023, a result he repeated in 2024, even after moving up to the non-Olympic weight class of 61kg.

This year, he gave an indication of what might lie ahead when he won his first-ever European title, having previously won a bronze in 2017 and a silver in 2018.

"I didn’t change much," Uguev said. "I just worked on our mistakes, that’s all. We didn’t invent anything new. There were mistakes, we thought them through, corrected them, and this time made only minimal ones."

Zavur UGUEV (UWW)Zavur UGUEV (UWW) tries to score against Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) in the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Uguev said he welcomes new challengers coming along to try to knock him off the throne again.

"The more new names that appear, the better," he said. "They don’t let us relax. The young wrestlers are improving a lot, and it also makes me want to work harder — to compete with the younger generation."

Regarding a possible return to 57kg, Uguev replied, "I think it’s already clear that I’ve settled into this weight and built up my physique well. I feel comfortable here now, in this weight.

"There’s still time before the [2028] Olympic Games -- we’re not thinking about that yet. For now, there’s a goal for next year. I will work, move only forward. And later we’ll see how things go."

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) wrestles Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) in the 125kg final at the World Championships. (Photo: United World Championships / Kostadin Andonov)

At 125kg, Zare reconfirmed himself as the preeminent heavyweight with a 5-0 victory in the final over European champion and Olympic bronze medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), with all of the points coming in the first period.

"I’m thankful that this [winning the title] has happened for the third time now," Zare said. "My hope is that as long as I wrestle, I can keep winning gold medals. This third one feels just as good as the others, and I dedicate it to the people of Iran."

The victory helps alleviate some of the sting of a defeat in the final at the Paris Olympics, where he was dealt a heartbreaking 10-9 loss by Geno PETRASHVILI (GEO).

"That tough experience at the Olympics was really painful, and I’ll never forget it," said Zare, who previously won world titles in 2021 and 2023. "I made mistakes myself. For the last 13 months, I’ve only been focused on training -- so that my next medal would be gold and to make up for those mistakes. I’ll keep grinding, keep pushing, until I get better and finally win that Olympic gold."

Zare also has bronze medals from the 2021 Olympics and 2022 World Championships, as well as a gold from his debut at the Asian Championships last year.

At 70kg, Aoyagi wasn't as dominating as he had been in storming into the final, but he took advantage of the opportunities presented and forged a 5-1 victory over Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL).

"The opponent completely had a strategy to counter my movement, so it made it tough," Aoyagi said. "But I also had a plan for the opponent, so I never thought I would lose."

Aoyagi's victory made up for losing in last year's final, a defeat that caused him to make changes in his approach to training and competition.

"After I lost, I dedicated myself to practice and to expanding my horizons in terms of going different places to train, and going overseas," Aoyagi said.

His overseas ventures resulted in victories at the Ranking Series events in Tirana and Budapest, along with a bronze medal at the Asian Championships, where he lost a close semifinal match to Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) -- a loss he avenged in spades in his opening match in Zagreb en route to outscoring four opponents 34-1.

Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) celebrates after winning the 70kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Aoyagi also suffered a setback domestically in June, when he was beaten in the semifinals of the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, the second of two qualifiers for the World Championships. But he came back to earn his ticket to Zagreb by winning a playoff with the eventual champion.

"A little while ago, I lost at a Japan tournament, so right now I'm No. 3 in Japan," he said. "But I never give up in trying to win. I always fight only believing that I can win."

In Sunday's final, Aoyagi gave up an activity point -- the first and only point he surrendered all tournament -- but stuffed a half-hearted arm throw attempt by Tumur Ochir for a 2-point exposure.

In the second period, he was on the verge of giving up a stepout when he suddenly rose up, reversed their positions and gained the stepout himself, which was upheld on challenge to increase his lead to 4-1.

"I knew I had my knee down and it would be no point," said Aoyagi, who would add another stepout in the final seconds. "I was aware of going out, and the opponent pushed me up a bit.

"I didn't want to let the chance get away and I reversed our positions and scored a point. Even if it had been no points, it wouldn't have changed the flow of the match."

Zahid VALENCIA (USA)Zahid VALENCIA (USA) scores a takedown against Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) in the 86kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 86kg, Valencia denied Japan a second gold on the night when he overwhelmed 2023 Asian bronze medalist Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) 12-0 to cap a successful drop from 92kg.

"I felt like I was always the best in the world," Valencia said. "I was confident in myself."

The 28-year-old Valencia, a 2023 world bronze medalist at 92kg, changed his own fortunes when, about a year ago, he decided to train with the Oklahoma State University group under the leadership of former star David TAYLOR (USA) -- a one-time nemesis of his.

"Being able to learn from someone like him, it's been amazing," Valencia said. "That's ultimately why I made the move. He's beat me so many times. I wanted to learn from him and get into his mindset of what it takes to become a world champion. I was able to do it and replicate it and bring home another one for our Team USA."

Zahid VALENCIA (USA)Zahid VALENCIA (USA), right, with coach David TAYLOR, after winning the 86kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Just to make Team USA was a challenge in itself. Valencia had to beat four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) twice at the U.S. trials to earn his ticket to Zagreb. That in itself can be quite a confidence booster.

"If you make the team in the U.S., you're prepared to go be a world champ," he said. "So just go out there and let go of your fears and be courageous and let fly, go up there and score points and enjoy every moment and have fun with it."

Robert BARAN (POL)Robert BARAN (POL) celebrates after winning his bronze-medal bout at 125kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Poland's Baran earns elusive world medal

Making his seventh trip to the World Championships, Robert BARAN (POL) finally made it onto the medal podium at age 34. And he says he wants to get come back for more.

Baran won a bronze at 125kg with a solid 5-0 victory over Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), ending a run of futility that started in 2017.

"I feel very good, it is my long-awaited first [world] medal," Baran said. "I'm very happy, very pleased, and I hope that it is not the last medal."

Baran's previous best finish was a seventh place in Belgrade in 2023. He came close at last year's Paris Olympics, but lost in the bronze-medal match to Meshvildishvili.

On Sunday, he received an activity point in each period before scoring a stepout in the second to go ahead 3-0. He capped his win with a last-second 2-point exposure.

"During the match, I was feeling great," Baran said. "We worked on a plan with the coaches and I made it work 100 percent."

The other bronze at 125kg went to Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), who caught Jonovan SMITH (PUR) with a 4-point counter that sent him to his back, then secured a fall in 4:08.

Meanwhile, Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ), a world medalist on the U23 and U20 levels, picked up his first one as a senior, but it didn't come easy nor without a bit of drama.

Yessengeldi emerged from a wild encounter with high school phenom Jax FORREST (USA) with a 10-8 victory in a bronze-medal match at 61kg that, for an agonizing moment, he had thought he had lost.

Yessengeli came back from a 8-3 deficit to go ahead 9-8 following a scramble that earned him four points. But with the seconds ticking away, he was suddenly flagged for grabbing the singlet, giving Forrest a point -- and the lead on criteria -- with :03 left. But on challenge, his despondence turned to joy when the penalty was overturned.

The other 61kg bronze went to Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE), who put on a master class of counter wrestling to defeat Kum Hyok KIM (PRK) by fall with the last of three scoring moves.

After chalking up a pair of 2-point exposures off Kim's attacks, Novruzov countered him right to his back to secure the fall in 2:19 and gain the bronze medal that evaded him last year.

Akmataliev and Nurkosha KAIPANOV (KAZ) both added to burgeoning world medal collections by taking home the 70kg bronze medals.

Akmataliev went on a six-point run in the second period to finish up an 8-2 victory over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) and add to his world silver from 2021 and bronze from 2022.

Kaipanov, who came into Zagreb as the defending champion, also went on a second-period blitz, with his culminating in a 13-2 victory over Vasile DIACON (MDA) in 4:48. Kaipanov also has a silver from 2019.

At 86kg, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), a two-time world champion at 92kg, bounced back from a disappointing loss to Valencia in the semifinals by manhandling Mukul DAHIYA (IND) with a 10-0 technical fall in 3:33.

Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) gave Azerbaijan its second bronze of the night by handily defeating Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) 7-0 in the other 86kg match.

READ THE DAY 2 SEMIFINALS REPORT HERE

RESULTS

Freestyle

57kg (31 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) by Fall, 3:47 (4-1)
SEMIFINAL: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 8-0

61kg (26 entries)
GOLD: Zavur UGUEV (UWW) df. Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), 11-2

BRONZE: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Jax FORREST (USA), 10-8
BRONZE: Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE) df. Kum Hyok KIM (PRK) by Fall, 2:18 (6-0)

70kg (29 entries)
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 5-1

BRONZE: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 8-2
BRONZE: Nurkosha KAIPANOV (KAZ) df. Vasile DIACON (MDA) by TF, 13-2, 4:47

74kg (35 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), 6-4
SEMIFINAL: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 6-4

79kg (27 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), 8-3
SEMIFINAL: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), 4-1

86kg (29 entries)
GOLD: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) df. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) by TF, 12-0, 4:22

BRONZE: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Mukul DAHIYA (IND) by TF, 10-0, 3:32
BRONZE: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 7-0

92kg (26 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) by TF, 15-4, 6:00
SEMIFINAL: Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 11-6

125kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), 5-0

BRONZE: Robert BARAN (POL) df. Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Jonovan SMITH (PUR) by Fall, 4:07 (5-0)