#Zagreb2018

Iran Scores Two Champions to Win Cadet World Team Title at #Zagreb2018

Wednesday, July 4, 2018 - 21:50 By Taylor Miller

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ZAGREB, Croatia – The final five men’s freestyle champions were determined at the 2018 Cadet World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, on Wednesday night.

With two World champions in the final day of men’s freestyle competition, Iran took the top spot in the team rankings, scoring 152 points throughout the event.

Winning for Iran tonight was Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) at 48 kg and Ali Reza ABDOLLAHI (IRI) at 92 kg.

Amouzadkhalili, the 2018 Cadet Asian champion, defeated Rafayel HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) in the 45 kg gold-medal bout with a 5-0 shutout to open the night.

Closing out the tournament was continental champion Abdollahi at 92 kg, who dominated in a 13-2 championship showing against 2017 Cadet European silver medalist Omer AGTAS (TUR).

Overall, Iran leaves Croatia with three World champions as Amir ZARE won the heavyweight title on Tuesday.

Finishing second in the team race with 132 points was USA, achieving one World champion at 51 kg.

Matthew RAMOS (USA) trailed Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN), 4-2, before ending the match in a pin in 2:40 for 51 kg gold.

Georgia and Turkey each snagged a World champion on Wednesday.

At 60 kg, Hamza ALACA (TUR) was dominant in his gold-medal victory over Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), claiming a 10-0 technical fall. Alaca adds to his Cadet European gold medal from earlier this year.

Cadet European champion Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) won the 71 kg World title after trailing late in the match against Baliyan GOURAV (IND). Gagnidze scored four points on two attempted throws within the last 15 seconds for a 6-6 win on criteria.

Rounding out the top-five in the team race was Russia in third with 116 points, Azerbaijan in fourth with 105 points and Japan in fifth with 83 points.

The World Championships continue tomorrow at 4:30 a.m. ET on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Final men’s freestyle team scores (top 10)
1. Iran – 152
2. USA – 132
3. Russia – 116
4. Azerbaijan – 105
5. Japan – 83
6. Georgia – 82
7. Turkey – 80
8. India – 74
9. Uzbekistan – 56
10. Armenia – 44

Final results                
48 kg
GOLD - Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI)
SILVER - Rafayel HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
BRONZE - Shakhbos KOMILOV (UZB)
BRONZE - Ahmet YUCEL (TUR)

1st: Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) dec. Rafayel HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), 5-0
3rd: Shakhbos KOMILOV (UZB) dec. Chance LAMER (USA), 10-2
3rd: Ahmet YUCEL (TUR) TF Thomas FISCHER (SUI), 10-0

51 kg
GOLD - Matthew RAMOS (USA)
SILVER - Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN)
BRONZE - Seyederfan JAFARIANGELYERDI (IRI)
BRONE - Aman AMAN (IND)

1st: Matthew RAMOS (USA) fall Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN), 2:40
3rd: Seyederfan JAFARIANGELYERDI (IRI) dec. Ioannis MARTIDIS (GRE), 6-0
3rd: Aman AMAN (IND) dec. Adem UZUN (TUR), 9-4

60 kg
GOLD - Hamza ALACA (TUR)
SILVER - Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
BRONZE - Ravinder RAVINDER (IND)
BRONZE - Aliakbar FAZLIKHALILI (IRI)

1st: Hamza ALACA (TUR) TF Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), 10-0
3rd: Ravinder RAVINDER (IND) dec. Sabir JAFAROV (AZE), 6-0
3rd: Aliakbar FAZLIKHALILI (IRI) TF Shamil MAMEDOV (RUS), 18-7

71 kg
GOLD - Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO)
SILVER - Baliyan GOURAV (IND)
BRONZE - Alex FACUNDO (USA)
BRONZE - Shinnosuke SUWAMA (JPN)

1st: Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) dec. Baliyan GOURAV (IND), 6-6
3rd: Alex FACUNDO (USA) dec. Makhmud MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 6-6
3rd: Shinnosuke SUWAMA (JPN) dec. Dominik MEZEI (HUN), 6-2

92 kg
GOLD - Ali Reza ABDOLLAHI (IRI)
SILVER - Omer AGTAS (TUR)
BRONZE - Albert FERRARI (USA)
BRONZE - Alik DZHIGKAEV (RUS)

1st: Ali Reza ABDOLLAHI (IRI) TF Omer AGTAS (TUR), 13-2
3rd: Alik DZHIGKAEV (RUS) dec. Giorgi CHANKSELIANI (GEO), 6-4
3rd: Albert FERRARI (USA) dec. Johannes MAYER (GER), 3-2

 

#wrestlemanama

Bahrain to host 2026 World Championships

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 12:02 By United World Wrestling Press

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- For the first time in history, the World Championships are headed to Bahrain.

The 2026 World Championships will be held in Manama, Bahrain from September 5 to 13, United World Wrestling announced on Tuesday, during the ongoing World Championships in Zagreb.

No Arab country has ever hosted a World Championships but Bahrain will etch its name in history with the 2026 edition.

Secretary General of the Bahrain Olympic Committee Faris AL-KOOHEJI attended the press conference at the Arena Zagreb for the historic announcement. UWW President Nenad LALOVIC and Al-Kooheji announced the host together and signed the agreement.

"Bahrain has a superstar in wrestling," UWW President Lalovic said. "They probably want to use this opportunity to promote the sport through this superstar [Akhmed] TAZHUDINOV (BRN). But he's not the only one.

"They also want to develop the local Bahrain born athletes to compete because they have the role model of the top achievement in wrestling. This is something that we considered and that is why we made this decision.

Bahrain won its first-ever gold medal in Olympics in Paris when Tahzudinov ran-through the 97kg weight class and captured the gold medal. A year before that, he won the world title in the same weight class.

Tazhudinov is also an Asian champion, Asian Games champion and winner of other Ranking Series events.

Lalovic on the fact that wrestling wants to change the host continent of the World Championships more regularly.

 "We also want to change the continent regularly," he said. "A state that can organize the Asian [Youth] Games like they will do now in October, they will not face any problem with the championships, especially that we give all the assistance possible for the execution"

Manama, Bahrain will host the Asian Youth Games in which wrestling will be held from October 28 to 30.

Expressing its gratitude to UWW and readiness to host the mega event, Al-Kooheji said that the tournament will help Bahrain take wrestling to the grassroot levels in the country.

"For us, wrestling is a long term project," Al-Kooheji said. "Wrestling is a growing sport. It's a strategic sport for us. We got a gold medal in Paris, and we're looking to getting more medals. That gold medal started to inspire a lot of people, locally, to pursue wrestling, which is why part of the discussions with United World Wrestling is to even help us add wrestling in schools."

The Bahrain Olympic Committee expects that the World Championships will have a positive impact in growing the sport in the country.

"Strong economic impact [from the event]," he said. "We're going to get lots of travel spectators from Iran, the United States, and other countries as well. It's going to encourage the local community. They will understand more wrestling."