#WrestleNice

Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France Preview

Tuesday, January 12, 2021 - 13:34 By Eric Olanowski

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The 47th Annual Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France kicks off January 14-18. The star-studded entry list is headlined by four Olympic champions, five reigning world champions and will feature nearly 300 athletes from 23 different nations.

Potential Showdown of Olympic Champs Sharifov and Snyder
The most intriguing storyline coming into the competition is the potential showdown of Olympic champions Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) at 97kg. If the pair of superstars meet, it'd be a rematch from the ’19 world championship semifinasl, where the London Olympic champion and Rio Olympic bronze medalist defeated the American, 5-2, en route to his world silver-medal run.

Sharifov shut down all 19 of Snyder's attacks, while only surrendered an inactivity point and a step out in their Nur-Sultan meeting. In addition to earning a stepout point, he capitalized on a pair of Snyder's attacks by scoring a takedown off a high crotch and two exposure points. 

In my opinion, the key adjustment for Snyder to even the series: Get to the corner on his straight on attacks.

Gadzhiev Making '21 Debut Down at 65kg
Poland's Magomedmurad GADZHIEV will make his ’21 debut down at the Olympic weight of 65kg and just his third appearance at the weight since ’17. 

Gadzhiev, a two-time world medalist, is fresh off an undefeated ’20 campaign up at 70kg. He claimed consecutive golds at the World Cup, European Championships, and Waclaw Ziolkowski Memorial.

For Gadzhiev to strike gold at his fourth consecutive competition, he’ll have to get through a long list of tough competition – including Olympic champion Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) and fellow two-time world medalist James GREEN (USA). Tokyo Olympian Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG) and rising star John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) will also compete in the 65kg bracket.


Reigning three-time world champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) will compete at 125kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Other Freestyle World Champs Entered 
Freestyle world champions Beka LOMTADZE (GEO), Kyle DAKE (USA), and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) are the other must-watch wrestlers that'll be in action later this week.

The favorite to win gold at 61kg is reigning world champion Lomtadze. His biggest threat will be '18 world bronze medalist Joseph COLON (USA).

Dake, a two-time world champion at the non-Olympic weight of 79kg, is making his second appearance down at 74kg. In his first showing down at the Olympic weight, he claimed gold at the Matteo Pellicone. Dake dismantled Olympic bronze medalist Soener DEMIRTAS (TUR), 10-0,  is less than a minute to finish atop the Ranking Series podium.

Dake will have to navigate a 74kg field that includes '18 world silver medalist Avtandi lKENTCHADZE (GEO) and '18 junior world champion Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE).

Petriashvili, the reigning three-time world champion, is entered at 125kg. His most credential competition will be two-time world bronze medalist Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA).

Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) will take the mat at 68kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Mensah Back in Action After Downing Gray
Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) will return to action at her normal weight, less than a week after upsetting five-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA). The reigning 68kg world champion bumped up to 76kg and defeated Gray, 4-0, in the headlining bout of Flo Wrestling’s 10-match card.


Olympic champion Helena MAROULIS (USA) will wrestle at 57kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Olympic Champ Maroulis Leads Shuffled Team USA
Rio Olympic gold medalist Helena MAROULIS (USA) leads a shuffled United States squad that'll see multiple world medalists moving down a weight in preparation for the Olympic Games.

Maroulis will compete at 57kg, while Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) and Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) are dropping from their Nur-Sultan world championship weights of 53kg and 55kg, respectively. 

Hildebrandt, a '18 world silver medalist at 53kg, will make her third appearance at 50kg. Her first outing at 50kg came at the '20 Matteo Pellicone, where she upset top-ranked Alina VUC (ROU) with a last-second takedown to win her second Ranking Series title. Hildebrandt followed up that performance by qualifying the United States for the Olympic Games with a second-place finish at the '20 Pan-American Olympic Qualifier. 

Winchester, the reigning 55kg world champion, dropped to the Olympic weight of 53kg. She'll make her second appearance at the weight. Winchester's competed at 53kg for the first time at the '20 Pan-American Olympic Qualifier, where she earned the USA a berth to the Olympic Games through her runner-up finish.


'19 world champion Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) is entered at 55kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Tsurtsumia Leads Greco-Roman Entries
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) is the lone reigning world champion entered in Greco-Roman. He'll face a 55kg field that includes world bronze medalist Ekrem ÖZTÜRK (TUR) and Individual World Cup runner-up Serif KILIÇ (TUR).

The Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France, which will be streamed live on United World Wrestling, begins Friday at 10:30 local time, with women's wrestling qualification rounds at 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg, and 76kg. 

SCHEDULE

Thursday
10:00-12:00: Final entries WW-50kg 53kg 57kg 62kg 68kg 76kg (+2kg)
18:00-19:00: Draw WW-50kg 53kg 57kg 62kg 68kg 76kg (+2kg)

Friday 
8:00: Medical control WW-50kg 53kg 57kg 62kg 68kg 76kg (+2kg)
8:30: Weigh-in WW-50kg 53kg 57kg 62kg 68kg 76kg (+2kg)
10:00: Final entries FS–57kg 61kg 65kg 70kg 74kg 79kg 86kg 92kg 97kg 125kg (+2kg)
10:30: Qualification rounds and finals
18:00: Draw Freestyle FS–57kg 61kg 65kg 70kg 74kg 79kg 86kg 92kg 97kg 125kg (+2kg)
20:30: Finals awards ceremony

Saturday 
8:00: Medical control FS–57kg 61kg 65kg 70kg 74kg 79kg 86kg 92kg 97kg 125kg (+2kg)
8:30: Weigh-in FS–57kg 61kg 65kg 70kg 74kg 79kg 86kg 92kg 97kg 125kg (+2kg)
10:00: Final entries GR–55kg 60kg 63kg 67kg 72kg 77kg 82kg 87kg 97kg 130kg (+2kg)
10:30:  Qualification rounds and finals
18:00: Draw GR–55kg 60kg 63kg 67kg 72kg 77kg 82kg 87kg 97kg 130kg (+2kg)
20:30: Finals awards ceremony

Sunday 
8:00: Medical control GR–55kg 60kg 63kg 67kg 72kg 77kg 82kg 87kg 97kg 130kg (+2kg)
8:30: Weigh-in GR–55kg 60kg 63kg 67kg 72kg 77kg 82kg 87kg 97kg 130kg (+2kg)
10:00: Qualification rounds and finals
10:30: Finals awards ceremony

#WrestleBudapest

Mammadli wins gold in Budapest; Georgia captures two on final day

Sunday, July 20, 2025 - 18:09 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 20) -- World and European champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), five days short of his 23rd birthday, gave himself a birthday present and kept his World Championships preparations on track by winning the Budapest Ranking Series on Sunday.

Three months after winning the European title, Mammadli enjoyed a successful day in Budapest, winning gold at 60kg after beating SUMIT (IND), 5-1, in the final.

There were seven other gold medalist as the Ranking Series came to a close on Sunday. With this, the World Championships season will begin next week in Athens, Greece with the World U17 Championships.

Mammadli was put in par terre in the first period but as casual as he is, Mammadli defended any turn. He blocked Sumit's attempt to get a gut-wrench mid-turn and got two points. He got a bodylock to kick off second period and scored a takedown to make it 4-1. As Sumit was put in par terre, Mammadli further led 5-1. However, he was happy to not put any effort in attempting any turns.

Sumit tried getting a hold of Mammadli in the final two minutes but it to no avail and Mammadli won the final 5-1.

Earlier in the day, Mammadli defeated Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) in the semifinals, 3-2, in what was a rematch of the European final that was won by Mammadli.

Another European champion Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) captured gold medal in Budapest after he beat Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ), 9-0, in the 55kg final.

Apart from the small hiccup he had in the semifinal against Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), Sefershaev had an top tournament, outscoring his opponents 27-7 in four bouts.

Botirov scored five points on Sefershaev but he was able to score five on him as well and won the bout the bout on criteria. In the final, Sefershaev did not have any trouble and rolled Mukashev four time from par terre to finish the bout.

At 63kg, Sergey EMELIN (UWW) denied Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) a Ranking Series gold medal after beating him 5-0 in the final. Emelin scored points from par terre and kept the pressure in the second period as well and was not called passive. He held his 5-0 lead for six minutes of the bout to win gold medal.

Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) emerged as the champion at 67kg after a final of two halves against Valentin PETIC (MDA), who unfortunately ended with another silver medal at the Ranking Series, his third this year. He has silver medals from Zagreb and Albania.

The final began with a quick takedown from Khetsuriani and he then lifted Petic for a suplex for four points. For the next throw, he performed a turn but it was ruled a below-the-waist foul and no points were awarded.

Georgia challenged asking for two points but the referees awarded one point for stepout on review, making the score 7-0 for Khetsuriani. Petric failed to break Khetsuriani's defense for the remaining 4:30 and dropped the final.

Hosts Hungary had a rather disappointing evening session as Robert FRITSCH (HUN) and Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) suffered losses in the 77kg and 82kg finals, respectively.

Fritsch was defeated 5-2 in the 77kg final by Sergei KUTUZOV (UWW) who had a 3-0 lead at the break in the final. Fritsch closed the gap to 3-2 with a stepout and par terre point but he failed to make a move from that position.

Kutuzov was happy defending but Fritsch pushed for a stepout to which Kutuzov circled and returned to center to get a point. A lost challenge late in the bout gave one more point to Kutuzov who won 5-2.

There was further disappointment for Hungary as Levai, moving up from 77kg to 82kg, suffered a 5-1 loss in the 82kg final against Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW).

After getting the par terre position in the first period, Levai failed to score any points. Tiuliubaev made no such mistakes and scored two turns from par terre in the second period and won 5-1.

At 97kg, Giorgi MELIA (GEO) came out as a clear winner as Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) had no answer to Melia's aggressive style of wrestling in the final.

Melia rolled to a 3-1 victory to capture yet another gold medal for Georgia in Budapest.

With the fourth and final Ranking Series in the books, wrestlers will now receive seeds for the World Championships once the final entries are closed.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) df. Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ), 9-0

BRONZE: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df. Alpamys DASTANBEK (KAZ), 1-1
BRONZE: Anil MOR (IND) df. Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), 7-4

60kg
GOLD: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. SUMIT (IND), 5-1

BRONZE: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Seunghak KIM (KOR), 5-2 
BRONZE: Sadyk LALAEV (UWW) df. Galym KABDUNASSAROV (KAZ), 5-3

63kg
GOLD: Sergey EMELIN (UWW) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 5-0

BRONZE: Yerzhet ZHARLYKASSYN (KAZ) df. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), via inj. 
BRONZE: Dinislam BAMMATOV (UWW) df. Karen ASLANYAN (ARM), via fall

67kg
GOLD: Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) df. Valentin PETIC (MDA), 7-0

BRONZE: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df. Minseong KWON (KOR), 8-3
BRONZE: Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) df. Daniial AGAEV (UWW), 1-1

77kg
GOLD: Sergei KUTUZOV (UWW) df. Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN), 5-2

BRONZE: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE: Sergei STEPANOV (UWW) df. Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL), 7-1

82kg
GOLD: Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW) df. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), 5-1

BRONZE: Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) df. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA), 2-1
BRONZE: Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) df. Rafael IUNUSOV (UWW), 2-1

97kg
GOLD: Giorgi MELIA (GEO) df. Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM), 3-1

BRONZE: Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) df. Ilia ERMOLENKO (UWW), 8-4
BRONZE: Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) df. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 6-3