Defending champion Iran, which has won the last five Freestyle World Cup titles, is seeking a repeat at home at the 2017 Freestyle World Cup in Kermanshah.

Led by Olympic champion Hassan YAZDANI, Iran defeated Turkey 8-0 in the opening match of the Freestyle World Cup. Yazdani needed one minute and 44 seconds to down Serdar BOKE (TUR) by technical fall, 11-1, at 86kg. Yazdani has moved up to 86kg after the Olympic Games and he has won all of four of his matches in his new weight class by technical fall (three matches in Takhti Cup and one in Freestyle World Cup).

In other match of Group B, Mongolia defeated India 7-1.

In group A, Azerbaijan defeated Russia in a tough match. The result was 4-4 in individual matches and 16-16 in points, but Azerbaijan won the bout by 32-29 advantage in technical points.

Russian has sent mostly wrestlers who won silver and bronze medals in the 2017 Yariguin Cup.

2012 Olympic champion Dzhamal OTARSULTANOV (RUS) stepped on mat at 61kg, but Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) came from behind to win the match 6-6.

In decisive bout, 2015 world silver medalist Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) beat Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) 8-1, helping his side win a crucial match.

Meanwhile, USA looked strong in defeating Georgia 7-1. 2012 Olympic champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) stepped on the mat for the first time since the 2016 Rio Games and the 3000 Iranian fans cheered him during his match against Jumber KVELASHVILI (GEO). Burroughs was pushed in the match, but came away with a 2-2 victory in 74kg.

The second round of the Freestyle World Cup begins at 5:30 P.M local time after the opening ceremony.

Round 1 results

Group A

AZERBAIJAN (AZE) df. RUSSIA (RUS), 4-4 (32-29 in technical points) 
57 kg - Artem GEBEKOV (RUS) df. Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE), 5-2
61 kg - Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) df. Dzhamal OTARSULTANOV (RUS), 6-6
65 kg - Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Alan GOGAEV (RUS), 2-1
70 kg - Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. David SUYNYUCHKHANOV (AZE), 10-6
74 kg - Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) df. Radik VALIEV (RUS), 6-2
86 kg - Vladislav VALIEV (RUS) df. Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE), 2-1
97 kg - Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE), 2-1
125 kg - Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS), 8-1

UNITED STATES (USA) df. GEORGIA (GEO), 7-1
57 kg - Anthony Joseph RAMOS (USA) df. Otari GOGAVA (GEO), 6-1
61 kg - Logan Jeffery STIEBER (USA) df. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO), 7-4
65 kg - Frank Aniello MOLINARO (USA) df. Iveriko JULAKIDZE (GEO), 10-1
70 kg - James Malcolm GREEN (USA) df. Levan KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO) by TF, 10-0
74 kg - Jordan Ernest BURROUGHS (USA) df. Jumber KVELASHVILI (GEO), 2-2
86 kg - David Morris TAYLOR III (USA) df. Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO), 8-3
97 kg - Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA) df. Zviad METREVELI (GEO) by TF, 11-0
125 kg - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Zachery William REY (USA) by TF, 11-0

Group B

IRAN (IRI) df. TURKEY (TUR), 8-0 
57 kg - Hassan Sabzali RAHIMI (IRI) df. Sezar AKGUL (TUR), 6-0
61 kg - Behnam Eshagh EHSANPOOR (IRI) df. Cengizhan ERDOGAN (TUR), 7-5
65 kg - Meisam Abolfazl NASIRI (IRI) df. Safa AKSOY (TUR), 5-2
70 kg - Mostafa Mohabbali HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) df. Yakup GOR (TUR), 4-0
74 kg - Peyman Morteza YARAHMADI (IRI) df. Islam KILIC (TUR), 12-10
86 kg - Hassan Aliazam YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) df. Serdar BOKE (TUR) by TF, 11-1
97 kg - Amir Mohsen MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Faruk AKKOYUN (TUR) by TF, 10-0
125 kg - Komeil Nemat GHASEMI (IRI) df. Salim ERCAN (TUR) by TF, 10-0

MONGOLIA (MGL) df. INDIA (IND), 7-1 
57 kg - Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) df. Amit KUMAR (IND) by forfeit, 0-0
61 kg - Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL) df. Harphool HARPHOOL (IND), 4-2
65 kg - Batmagnai BATCHULUUN (MGL) df. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), 3-1
70 kg - Mandakhnaran GANZORIG (MGL) df. Amit Kumar DHANKHAR (IND), 4-3
74 kg - Ankhbayar BATCHULUUN (MGL) df. Jitender JITENDER (IND), 8-7
86 kg - Deepak DEEPAK (IND) df. Unurbat PUREVJAV (MGL) by FALL, 8-7
97 kg - Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL) df. Roublejit Singh RANGI (IND), 14-6
125 kg - Zolboo NATSAGSUREN (MGL) df. Krishan KRISHAN (IND), 3-0