#GRWorldClubsCup

Iran and Russia in Final of GR World Clubs Cup, Kayaalp Beats Semenov

By Ali Feizasa

ARDABIL, Iran (December 23) -- Iranian and Russian teams advance to the final match of 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup in Ardabil, Iran’s Hossein Rezazadeh Sports Hall.

The nine teams were split into two groups. In group A, Iranian team Bimeh Razi Ardabil finished 3-0 to qualify for the final match. The most important match of group A was between Bimeh Razi Ardabil and Turkey, which Iranian side won, 8-2.

The first win for the Iranian side came with 2018 World Champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)  from Azerbaijan who defeated Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) by technical fall, 8-0.

After four wins by Bimeh Razi team, Ahmet YILMAZ gave Turkey their first win by defeating Boroumand ASLAN (Bimeh) in 72kg.

In 77kg, Pejman PASHTAM had great performance as he beat U23 gold and bronze medal winner Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 6-3.

Former world champion and 2016 Olympics bronze medal winner Saeid Abdevali secured the victory of his side. Abdevali downed 2017 U23 world champion Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), 5-0.

Although the 130kg bout was not important for team results, it was a match between two titled wrestlers. nine-time Olympic and world medalist Riza Kayaalp (TUR) met 2018 world champion Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) which was in Bimeh Razi line up. Kayaalp which failed to win a medal in 2018 World Championships, succeed to earn a narrow 3-3 victory over world champion Semenov.

Despite the heavyweight result, Bimeh Razi Ardabil downed Turkey team 8-2, advancing to the final match with three consecutive victories.

In group B, Russia's team came strong by defeating another Iranian team, Sina Sanat Izeh  

Lead by former world silver medalist Evgeni Saleev, Russian team won the match 6-4.

The Iranian side started with two wins but Russia came from behind with three victories from Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (63kg), Maksim SURKOV(67kg) and Denis MURTAZIN (72kg).

Keyvan REZAEI (77kg) tied the team score, 3-3 by defeating Dmitrii PETAIKIN, 9-2 but three victories in a row by Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (82kg), Evgeny SALEEV (87kg)and Murat LOKYAEV (97kg), made the Russian team the winner of the match, 6-4 and advanced to the final match.

 

Second day program:
Final match:Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) VS Russia
Third place match:Turkey VS Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI)
Fifth place match:Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI) VS Georgia
Seventh place match:Ukraine VS Serbia

Group Standings

Group A: 1- Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) 2-Turkey 3- Shohadaye Modafe Haram(IRI) 4- Serbia
Group B: 1- Russia 2- Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) 3- Georgia 4- Ukraine 5- Kyrgyzstan

Group stage results of 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup:

Round 1

Group A

Turkey df. Serbia, 9-1
55kg-Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) df. Kristijan GAZDAG (SRB), 8-1
60kg- Hammet RUSTEM (TUR) – No wrestler
63kg- Abdurahman ALTAN (TUR) df. Tamas NAD (SRB), 6-1
67kg- Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Atakan YUKSEL (TUR), 2-1
72kg- Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 3-3
77kg- Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) df. Viktor NEMES (SRB), 4-3
82kg- Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Oliver TOT (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0
87kg- Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Nikolai DOBEREV (SRB), 7-5
97kg- Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0 
130kg- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0

Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) df. Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI), 9-1
55kg- Eldaniz AZIZLI (Bimeh) df. Mosayeb AKBARI (Shohadaye Modafe) by Tech Fall, 10-0
60kg- Mohammad NOURBAKHSH (Bimeh) df. Alireza NEJATI (Shohadaye Modafe), 7-2
63kg- Meysam DELKHANI (Bimeh) df. Shirza BEHESHTI TALA (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
67kg- Hossein ASADI (Bimeh) df. Mohammad Saeid AZIZI (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
72kg- Erfan SAADATIFAR (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Azim GARMSIRI (Bimeh), 9-4
77kg- Pejman PASHTAM (Bimeh) df. Mohammad SORKHENEJAD (Shohadaye Modafe), 4-4
82kg- Mahdi EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Mehdi MOHAMMADZADEH (Shohadaye Modafe), 4-4
87kg- Ramin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Iman ANSARI (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
97kg- Aliakbar HEYDARI (Bimeh) df. Mohammad BEYRANVAND (Shohadaye Modafe), 3-2
130kg- Amir GHASEMI MONJAZI (Bimeh) df. Mohsen FATAHI (Shohadaye Modafe), 4-0

Group B

Georgia df. Ukraine, 7-3
55kg- Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR), 6-3
60kg- Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) df. Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) df. Hevorh ARZUMANIAN (UKR), 7-6
67kg- Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR), 7-2
72kg- Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Saaino DAVITAIA (GEO) by Tech Fall, 11-2 
77kg-Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0
82kg- Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df. Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR), 8-3
87kg- Serhii OMELIN (UKR) df. Lasha DEVIDZE (GEO), 8-4
97kg-Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) df. Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR), 4-1
130kg- Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO) df. Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) by FALL

Russia df. Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI), 6-4
55kg- Pouya NASSERPOUR (Izeh) df. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS), 5-2
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS), 4-4
63kg- Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) df. Shahin BODAGHI (Izeh), 6-1 
67kg- Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (Izeh), 5-5
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Ramaz Zoidze (Izeh), 7-4
77kg- Keyvan REZAEI (Izeh) df. Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS), 9-2
82kg- Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS) df. Mehdi HODAEI (Izeh), 6-2
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Saman AZIZI (Izeh) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Murat LOKYAEV (RUS) df. Edris EBRAHIMI by FALL
130kg- Behnam MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS), 2-0

Round 2

Group A

Turkey df. Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI), 7-3
55kg-Mehdi GHORBANI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Muslim ALINLI (TUR), 11-8
60kg- Alireza NEJATI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Ahmet UYAR (TUR) by Tech Fall, 11-0
63kg- Shirzad BEHESHTI TALA (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Altan ABDURAHMAN (TUR) by Tech Fall, 11-2
67kg- Atakan YUKSEL (TUR) df. Bahram MAROOFKHANI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-6
72kg- Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Milad NEDAYI (Shohadaye Modafe) by Tech Fall, 10-0
77kg- Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR) df. Ali NOROUZI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-0
82kg- Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Hadi ALIZADE POURNIA (Shohadaye Modafe), 7-3
87kg- Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Reza MOHAMMAD ALIPOUR (Shohadaye Modafe), 2-1
97kg- Fatih BASHKOY (TUR) df. Mohammad BEYRANVAND (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-1
130kg- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Parsa NAZARI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-0

Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) df. Serbia, 8-2
55kg- Kristijan GAZDAG (SRB) df. MoslemNADERI KHADEM (Bimeh), 5-1
60kg- Mohammad NOURBAKHSH (Bimeh) – No wrestler
63kg- Saman ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Tamas NAD (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0
67kg-Mohammad ELYASI (Bimeh) df. Mate NEMES (SRB), 7-2
72kg- Boroumand ASLAN (Bimeh) df. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 4-3
77kg- Viktor NEMES (SRB)df. Rasoul GARMSITI (Bimeh), 5-0
82kg- Saeid ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Oliver TOT (SRB) by FALL
87kg- Mehdi FALLAH (Bimeh) df. Nikolai DOBEREV (SRB) by FALL
97kg- Mehdi ALIYARI (Bimeh) df. Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0 
130kg- Amir GHASEMI MONJAZI (Bimeh) df. Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB), 6-0

Group B

Russia df. Georgia, 7-3
55kg- Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO)by Tech Fall, 9-0
60kg- Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) df.  Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS), 6-3
63kg- Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) df. Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO), 7-1
67kg- Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Maksim SURKOV (RUS), 7-2 
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Tornike JANGAVADZE (GEO), 8-4
77kg- Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) by Tech Fall, 12-3
82kg- Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df.  Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS) by Tech Fall, 12-2 
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0 
97kg- Murat LOKYAEV (RUS)df. Irakli KAJAIA (GEO), 1-1
130kg- Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS) df. Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO), 7-3

Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Kyrgyzstan, 8-2
55kg-Reza KHEDRI (Izeh) df. Abdykarim KUTTUBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Ermek KANYBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
63kg- Mohammad Javad REZAEI (Izeh) df. Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
67kg- Manas USONOV (KGZ) df. MMajid KHALILI (Izeh) by Tech Fall, 9-0
72kg- Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ) df. Mohammad Amin AHMADPOUR (Izeh), 4-3
77kg- Keyvan REZAEI (Izeh) df. Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ) by FALL
82kg- Abbas MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
87kg- Saman AZIZI (Izeh) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) byTech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Mohammad YEGANEH (Izeh) df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-1
130kg- Masoud NEMAT CHEKANI (Izeh) df. Murad OMAROV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0

Round 3

Group A

Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI) df. Serbia, 7-3
55kg- Mehdi GHORBANI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Kristijan GAZDAG (SRB) , 5-2
60kg-Alireza NEJATI (Shohadaye Modafe) – No wrestler
63kg- Shirzad BEHESHTI TALA (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Tamas NAD (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0
67kg- Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Mohsen TAHERI (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
72kg- Erfan SAADATIFAR (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB) by FALL
77kg- Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Ali NOROUZI (Shohadaye Modafe), 2-0
82kg- Hadi ALIZEDH POURNIA (Shohadaye Modafe) – No wrestler
87kg- Reza Mohammad ALIPOUR (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Oliver TOT (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) df. Mohammad BEYRANVAND (Shohadaye Modafe), 2-1 
130kg- Parsa NAZARI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB), 11-4

Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) df. Turkey, 8-2
55kg-Eldaniz AZIZLI (Bimeh) df. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
60kg- Mehrdad MARDANI (Bimeh) df. Hammet RUSTEM (TUR), 6-2
63kg- Saman ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Altan ABDURAHMAN (TUR), 3-1
67kg- Mohammad ELYASI (Bimeh) df. Atakan YUKSEL (TUR), 3-1
72kg- Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Boroumand ASLAN (Bimeh), 7-4
77kg- Pejman PASHTAM (Bimeh) df. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 6-3
82kg- Saedi ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), 5-0
87kg- Ramin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Metehan BASAR (TUR), 5-0
97kg- Mehdi ALIYARI (Bimeh) df. Cenk ILDEM (TUR), 3-1
130kg- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Sergey SEMENOV (Bimeh), 3-3

Group B

Russia df. Kyrgyzstan, 9-1
55kg- Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Abdykarim KUTTUBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0
60kg- Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS) df. Ermek KANYBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ) df. Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) by Tech Fall, 8-0
67kg- Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Manas USONOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0 
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ), 3-0
77kg- Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS) df. Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ), 6-1
82kg- Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) by FALL
97kg- Murat LOKYAEV (RUS)df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
130kg- Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS) df. Murad OMAROV (KGZ) by FALL

Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Ukraine, 6-4
55kg- Pouya NASERPOUR (Izeh) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Mohammad Javad REZAEI (Izeh) df. Hevorh ARZUMANIAN (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
67kg- Majid KAHLILI (Izeh) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
72kg- Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Mohammad Amin AHMADPOUR (Izeh), by FALL 
77kg-Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR) df. Asghar Aali MOHAMMADI (Izeh) by Tech Fall, 8-0
82kg- Abbas MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR) , 4-0
87kg- Serhii OMELIN (UKR) df. Saman AZIZI (Izeh), 3-1
97kg- Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR) df. Mohammad YEGANEH (Izeh), 3-3
130kg- Masoud NEMAT CHEKANI df. Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0

Round 4

Group B

Ukraine df. Kyrgyzstan, 9-1
55kg- Abdykarim KUTTUBEK (KGZ) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR), 7-6
60kg- Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) df. Ermek KANYBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
63kg- Hevorh ARZUMANIAN (UKR) df. Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ), 5-3
67kg-Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR) df. Manas USONOV (KGZ), 11-10
72kg- Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 11-2
77kg-Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR) df. Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-1
82kg- Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by FALL
87kg- Serhii OMELIN (UKR) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ)
97kg- Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR) df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
130kg- Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) df. Murad OMAROV (KGZ) by FALL

Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Georgia, 8-2
55kg- VReza KHEDRI (Izeh) df. Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO), 5-4
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Mohammad Javad REZAEI (Izeh) df. Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0
67kg- Shmagi BOLKVADZE (Izeh) df. Otar ABULADZE (GEO), 4-0 
72kg-Ramaz ZOIDZE (Izeh) df. Tornike JANGAVADZE (GEO), 6-1
77kg- Keyvan REZAEI (Izeh) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO), 5-0
82kg- Abbas MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO), 7-5
87kg- Lasha DEVIDZE (GEO) df. Saman AZIZI (Izeh) by forfeit 
97kg- Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) df. Edris EBRAHIMI (Izeh) by forfeit
130kg- Behnam MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 8-0

Round 5 

Group B

Russia df. Ukraine, 8-2
55kg- Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
60kg- Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS) df. Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR),4-0
63kg- Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) df. Hevroh ARZUMANIAN (UKR), 4-0
67kg- Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR), 5-5 
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
77kg- Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS) df. Oleksanr KUKHTA (UKR) by FALL
82kg- Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR) df. Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS), 4-1
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Serhii OMELIN (UKR), 5-1
97kg- Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR) df. Murat LOKYAEV (RUS)by forfeit
130kg- Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS) df. Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) by forfeit

Georgia df. Kyrgyzstan, 8-2
55kg- Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO) – no wrestler
60kg- Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) – no wrestler
63kg- Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) df. Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ), 8-5
67kg- Otar ABULADZE (GEO) – no wrestler
72kg- Saaino DAVITAIA (GEO) df. Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
77kg- Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) by forfeit
82kg- Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by FALL
87kg- Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg-Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
130kg- Murad OMAROV (KGZ) df. Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO) b

#WrestleBudapest

Takahashi marks return from injury with Ranking Series gold

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 18) -- The last memories of Kota TAKHASHI (JPN) on the mat were painful. He had a heavily strapped right knee and was wrestling at the Non-Olympic World Championships in Tirana last year. He was torn.

A surgery and nine months later, Takahashi returned to international wrestling at the Budapest Ranking Series on Friday and captured the 74kg gold medal.

The world U23 champion was the third gold medalist from Japan in Budapest after Takara SUDA (JPN) and Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) won at 61kg and 70kg, respectively.

In the other two weight classes that were in action on Friday, Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) and Trent HIDLAY (USA) captured the gold medal at 86kg and 92kg as Freestyle came to a close at the Ranking Series.

Takahashi, who won the Asian Championships gold in 2024, made himself a gold-medal threat for the World Championships in Zagreb with an impressive performance that saw him score wins over Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and David CARR (USA).

"This was my first international competition since my right knee surgery, and I wanted to show my true abilities," Takahashi said. "I'm very happy that I was able to win by thoroughly executing my tackles and aggressive wrestling style."

Takahashi was up against Salkazanov in his first match and began by blasting two double-leg attacks to race to a 4-0 lead. But the second period was not the same as he was put on the activity clock and Salkazanov cut the lead with a takedown during that.

Just when it seemed that Salkazanov can take the lead, Takahashi hit a low leg-attack and converted it into takedown to make the gap 6-3. Salkazanov did not let it go and scored a stepout with nine seconds left.

Takahashi was happy to not engage in those nine seconds, and happily gave a stepout and a caution. He won 6-6 and set up a quarterfinal against Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN). He did not need any of those attacks as he managed a 3-0 win.

The semifinal against Carr was a challenging one as Takahashi struggled to keep his conditioning for six minutes. He opened with a stepout and Carr was called for fleeing. As Carr used a chest wrap to stop Takahashi's double-leg attack, he fell on his back with hand opens. Only Takahashi was awarded two points which made his lead 4-0. Two stepouts later, it was 6-0.

Carr got going in the final two minutes as he scored two takedowns inside 20 seconds to make it 6-4. So far, Takahashi had remained low in his stance and cancelled Carr's long reach. However, his defense began to break up.

As Carr tried to turn Takahashi after the second takedown, Takahashi blocked the turn and got two points. Carr scored a reversal to make it 8-5. He then made it 8-7 with 10 seconds remaining but that was the final scoring action of the bout.

"Car is very aggressive, and I am also good at aggressive wrestling, but in the second half, my opponent's attacks were superior to mine. I ended up conceding points," he said. "I think that was my mistake. In the second period, I tried to attack, but the opponent kept attacking repeatedly. I ended up just defending, and that was the reason I lost points. I need to be more aggressive and attack more."

Takahashi's aggressive wrestling was once again on show in the final against another former world U23 champion Magomed KHANIEV (AZE). He scored two takedowns and defending so well that Khaniev was not able to score a point and Takahashi won gold medal, 4-0.

But the Japanese accepted the chinks in his armor and has decided to work on them before the World Championships where he knows that the competition will be even tougher.

"Similar story against Salkazanov. I want to review my stamina to maintain an aggressive attack throughout the six minutes without breaking my stance, and keep solid stance," he said. "In the second half, my desire to attack weakened, and I ended up being attacked by the opponent, leading to them scoring points. I need to improve on that."

Carr returned for the bronze medal bout and defeated Salkazanov 4-4, avenging his previous to the Slovak from Zagreb.

Trent HIDLAY (USA)Trent HIDLAY (USA) defeated Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) 7-2 in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Trent HIDLAY (USA), a 86kg silver medalist last year in Budapest, upgraded to gold medal after beating world silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 7-4, in the 92kg final.

Hidlay was in red-hot form the whole day as he began with a win over Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)  and then posted a 10-0 win over Krizstian ANGYAL (HUN) in the quarterfinal. He began the semifinal against Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) with a powerful double-leg takedown.

As Kurugliev fell, he landed on his knee and suffered an injury so bad that he was unable to walk off the mat. Hidlay reached the final after the injury forced Kurugliev to stop.

It was Maisuradze who opened the scoring in the final with a snapdown to takedown for two points but Hidlay answered with two stepouts and the Georgian led 2-2 on criteria at the break.

Hidlay opened the second period with a takedown to take a 4-2 lead and then continued to put pressure on Maisuradze. It paid off as he scored another takedown on the edge to lead 6-2. Georgia challenged that both wrestlers were already out of the zone and it should be one point. But the challenge was lost, making it 7-2 for Hidlay with 1:47 left on the clock.

That was all in the bout as Hidlay captured the gold and put his name in contention for the gold medal at the upcoming World Championships.

At 86kg, Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) was the gold medalist after European silver medalist Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) pulled out of the final injured.

Kadzimahamedau suffered a knee injury in the semifinal against Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) as the Iranian did not let go off his knee despite it turning more than 90 degrees.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Magomed KHANIEV (AZE), 4-0

BRONZE: David CARR (USA) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 4-4
BRONZE: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) df. Yeldos KUANYSHBAY (KAZ), 8-2

86kg
GOLD:  Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 3-2
BRONZE: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) df. Nurzhan ISSAGALIYEV (KAZ), 3-0 

92kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 7-4

BRONZE: Benjamin HONIS (ITA) df. Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN), via fall (5-5)
BRONZE: Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df. Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), via inj. def.