#GRWorldClubsCup

Iran Team Wins GR World Clubs Cup, Azizli & Kayaalp Remain Undefeated

Monday, December 24, 2018 - 03:05 By Ali Feizasa

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ARDABIL, Iran (December 24) -- Iran's Team Bimeh Razi Ardabil defeated Team Russia to capture 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup title in Ardabil city of Iran.

The Iranian team which had two 2018 world champions in the line up defeated Russia, 8-2 in the final match.

Azerbaijan’s world champion Eldaniz Azizli gave the first win to the Iranian team by a technical fall victory over Vitalii Kabaloev (RUS) at 55kg. Azlili won all of his matches in the tournament with technical falls.

Mehrdad Mardani (60kg) and Saman Abdevali (63kg) added other victories, helping Bimeh Razi take the 3-0 lead.

The first victory of the Russian team came from the 67kg bout, where Maksim Surkov beat Mohammad Elyasi narrowly, 1-1. Then Denis Murtazin doubled Russia's wins as he earned a 10-8 victory over Boroumand Aslan in a fantastic match.

But the Iranian team won all other bouts of the final match.

At 77kg, Iran's 2018 world team member Pejman Pashtam defeated Dmitrii Petakin, 6-4. At 82kg, former world champion and 2016 Olympic medal winner, Saeid Abdevali downed Gadzhimurad Dzhalalov, 5-0, while two-time Asian champion Ramin Taheri defeated former world silver medalist Evgeny Saleev, 5-0 in the 87kg match.

Mehdi Aliyari, the only world medalist of Iran in Budapest, gave Bimeh Razi Ardabil their seventh victory as Murat Lokyaev didn’t compete and the last victory of the Iranian side was at 130kg where 2018 Russian world champion Sergey Semenov, who was competed for the Iranian team, pinned Vasilii Parshin. This helped his team defeat Russia 8-2 in the final of 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup.

In the third place match, another Iranian team Sina Sanat Izeh had a difficult job against Team Turkey, but won the match narrowly, 6-4.

Rio Olympic bronze medal winner Shmagi Bolkvadze from Georgia was in the Iranian team line up and won the 67kg bout against Turkish veteran Atakan Yuksel. Riza Kayaalp, the nine-time world and  Olympic medalist,  2016 Olympic bronze medalist Cenk Ildem and U23 2017 world champion Burhan Akbudak were among winners wrestlers of Team Turkey.

Kayaalp had a great victory over 2018 world champion Sergey Semenov and remained undefeated during the tournament. Kayaalp failed to win his 10th Olympic and world medal during 2018 world championships but had an excellent return in World Clubs Cup.

In fifth place match, Georgia defeated Iranian team Shohadaye Modafe Haram, 6-4, and Ukraine beat Serbia 8-2 to place seventh. Viktor Nemes, 2017 world champion and 2018 world bronze medal winner, competed for Team Serbia and had three wins and one deficit.

Final day results of 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup:

Final match: Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) df. Russia, 8-2
55kg- Eldaniz AZIZLI (Bimeh) df. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) by Tech Fall, 9-0 
60kg- Mehrdad MARDANI (Bimeh) df. Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS), 8-3 
63kg- Saman ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) by Tech Fall, 8-0 
67kg- Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Mohammad ELYASI (Bimeh), 1-1 
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Boroumand ASLAN (Bimeh), 10-8
77kg- Pejman PASHTAM (Bimeh) df. Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS), 6-4 
82kg- Saeid ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS), 5-0
87kg- Ramin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Evgeny SALEEV (RUS), 5-0 
97kg- Mehdi ALIYARI (Bimeh) df. Murat LOKYAEV (RUS) by forfeit 
130kg- Sergey SEMENOV (Bimeh) df. Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS) by FALL 

Third place match: Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Turkey, 6-4
55kg-Pouya NASERPOUR (Izeh) df. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), 2-1
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Hammet RUSTEM (TUR) by FALL 
63kg- Abdurahman ALTAN (TUR) df. Mohammad Javad REZAEI (Izeh), 3-1 
67kg- Shmagi BOLKAVADZE (Izeh) df. Atakan YUKSEL (TUR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
72kg- Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (Izeh), 8-7 
77kg- Keyvan REZAEI (Izeh) df. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) by Tech Fall, 8-0 
82kg- Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Abbas MEHDIZADEH (Izeh), 4-2 
87kg- Saman AZIZI (Bimeh) df. Metehan BASAR (TUR), 7-3 
97kg- Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Mohammad YEGANEH (Izeh), 6-2 
130kg- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Behnam MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) by forfeit 

Fifth place match: Georgia df. Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI), 6-4
55kg- Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO) – No wrestler 
60kg- Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) df. Omid OLIYAYI (Shohadaye Modafe) by Tech Fall, 16-8
63kg- Mosayeb AKBARI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 8-0
67kg- Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Mohsen TAHERI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-0
72kg- Tornike JANGAVADZE (GEO) df. Milad NEDAEI (Shohadaye Modafe) by Tech Fall, 10-0
77kg- Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) df. Mohammad SORKHI NEJAD (Shohadaye Modafe)
82kg- Hadi ALIZADEH POURNIA (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) by forfeit
87kg- Mehdi MOHAMMADZADEH (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Lasha DEVIDZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 10-1
97kg-Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) df. Ali KANANI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-0
130kg- Parsa NAZARI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO) by forfeit

Seventh place match: Ukraine df. Serbia, 8-2
55kg- Sergii DZIUBA (UKR) df. Kristijan GAZDAG (SRB), 9-7
60kg- Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) – No wrestler
63kg- Hevorh ARZUMANIAN (UKR) – No wrestler
67kg- Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR) df. Tamas NAD (SRB) by Tech Fall, 14-6 
72kg- Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Mate NEMES (SRB)
77kg-Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR) df. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB)
82kg- Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
87kg- Serhii OMELIN (UKR) df. Oliver TOT (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR) df. Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0
130kg- Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) df.Horvat SABOLC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0

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

#WrestleBudapest

Ranking Series: Double delight for Japan, Sujeet gives India gold

Thursday, July 17, 2025 - 22:39 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 17) -- Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN) and world silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) showed on Thursday why they will be prime contenders for gold medal at the World Championships in Zagreb in September.

Suda and Aoyagi earned two gold medals at 61kg and 70kg respectively, and reminded the world about Freestyle powerhouse Yamanashi Gakuin University in Japan.

Suda, who has not lost a match this year, won his second Ranking Series gold medal in 2025, adding to his gold from Tirana. But he needed a big comeback in the 61kg final against Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the dying seconds, winning 5-3.

Zhumashbek Uulu led 3-1 with 13 seconds remaining in the match when Suda used a snap to off balance Zhumashbek Uulu and go behind. He tried a takedown but then switches the direction and brings Zhumashbek Uulu to the mat, back first.

Zhumashbek Uulu tried to defend it with a whizzer but failed and Suda turned on his head without any danger to get the two points and win 3-3 on criteria. Kyrgyzstan challenged the call but on review, Suda was awarded four points and the scored changed to a 5-3 win for the Japanese.

In February, Suda won the gold medal in Tirana after an 8-8 victory over Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) and then won the Asian Championships gold medal over UDIT (IND) 6-4 in March.

Zhumashbek Uulu, who won Mongolian Open in June at 65kg, returned to 61kg after an year of competing at 65kg. He defeated Udit earlier in the day and reached the final but failed to cross the final hurdle.

With the win, Suda has clearly shown signs that he will be a gold-medal threat in Zagreb at 61kg, a weight class won by his high school and university teammate Masanosuke ONO (JPN) in 2024.

Aoyagi, who had also won gold medal in Tirana, was more dominant in his gold medal run. In Tirana, European silver medalist Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) had pulled out injured in the final.

Incidentally, he made the final against Aoyagi in Budapest on Thursday and this time he decided to wrestler. However, the winner was the same.

Aoyagi used a head-in-the-hole move to score four points in his 8-0 victory in the final of the 70kg weight class. Andreasyan had no answer to Aoyagi's attack despite being in advantageous positions during the final.

The Armenian was put on the activity clock during which he failed to score and gave up four points. Aoyagi, leading 5-0, won a challenge when Andreasyan was awarded two points for a takedown but on review, it was clear that Andreasyan had both his feet outside before completing a takedown.

With a 6-0 lead, Aoyagi scored a beautiful duck-under for two points and lead 8-0, the final score for the winner.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND) celebrates after beating Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Sujeet ends Indian drought

India failed to win any gold medals at the senior level in 2025 as it drew blank at the Asian Championships in March and Mongolian Open in June. However, Asian U23 champion SUJEET (IND) ended that curse for India by winning the 65kg gold medal in Budapest.

While he has age-group world and continental medals, Sujeet's run in Budapest and gold medal can be considered his biggest medal yet as he defeated Paris bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) in the first bout, European U23 silver medalist Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) in the quarterfinal and world medalist Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the semifinal.

Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) was up in the final and Sujeet, who showed glimpses of Tokyo bronze medalist Bajrang PUNIA (IND), made sure he doesn't let his guard down in the last match.

Sujeet conceded an activity point in the first period and was down 1-0 at the break against Rahimzade. But as soon as the second period began, Sujeet put pressure on Rahimzade, who kept dropping on his knees in the zone to avoid the pushout.

But Sujeet did not back down and scored a takedown when Rahimzade was on the activity clock. Leading 3-1, Sujeet added another takedown and completed a 5-1 victory over Rahimzade and captured the gold medal, his first of Ranking Series events.

At 57kg, world U20 champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) needed three straight comebacks to win the gold medal. He defeated Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) 3-1 in the final to capture his first gold at the senior level.

Lilledahl scored a takedown using a reattack with 20 seconds remaining in the match against Bazarganov to clinch a 3-1 win. His semifinal victory over RAHUL (IND) was even more dramatic as he managed to come back from 6-2.

Rahul used a leg-turk to score six point and lead 6-2 but Lilledahl scored a stepout and then blocked an attempted duck-under and put Rahul's back on the mat for two points. In the final 20 seconds, he threw off Rahul when the Indian was trying to hit a double-leg attack and won 7-6. In his first bout of the day, he scored a pushout with just 0.01 seconds left on the clock and dashed the dreams of Niklas STECHELE (GER).

World silver medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) returned to 79kg from 86kg and instantly showed results, winning the gold medal in Budapest. He blanked Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 5-0, in the final

At 125kg, Bahrain won its second gold of the tournament as Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) defeated Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 5-3.

Photo

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 3-1

BRONZE: RAHUL (IND) df. Niklas STECHELE (GER), 4-0
BRONZE: Aryan TSIUTRYN (UWW) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

61kg
GOLD: Takara SUDA (JPN) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 5-3

BRONZE: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR), 4-3
BRONZE: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) df. Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), 7-7
BRONZE: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 9-0

70kg
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 8-0

BRONZE: Sina KHALILI (IRI) df. Austin GOMEZ (MEX), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) df. Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI), 11-4

79kg
GOLD: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 5-0

BRONZE: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Lucas KAHNT (GER), 10-0
BRONZE: Fariborz BABAEI (IRI) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 2-0

97kg
GOLD: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) df. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), 11-0

BRONZE: Jonathan AIELLO (USA) df. Juhwan SEO (KOR), 10-0
BRONZE: Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) df. Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 9-4

125kg
GOLD: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 5-3

BRONZE: Robert BARAN (POL) df. Demetrius THOMAS (USA), 6-0
BRONZE: Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) df. Vladislav BAJCAJEV (HUN), 3-0