#GRWorldClubsCup

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

By Ali Feizasa

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:
1Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) 2-Turkey 3- Shohadaye Modafe Haram(IRI) 4- Serbia

Group B:
1Russia 2- Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) 3- Georgia 4- Ukraine 5- Kyrgyzstan

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 Live Blog: Day 2

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 30) -- The action after Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 continues with three Greco-Roman weight classes and five Women's Wrestling weight classes in the Mongolian capital. European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) is at 63kg while a strong women's field will also be on the mat.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

14:55: NEHA (IND) ends the 57kg semifinal with a double-leg attack for four points and beats Ana PEREIRA (BRA) 11-0 to enter the final at 57kg against Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL).

14:50: Mongolia has a finalist! Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) manages to beat European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) 4-0 in the 57kg semifinal.

14:40: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) enters the final at 53kg after an 11-4 win over Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL). Apart from the four-point throw from Chinbold, Malysheva never looked in trouble in the semifinal. She will face Antim in the final, who won their round-robin match.

14:27: ANTIM (IND) puts on a takedown masterclass in the 53kg semifinal and beats Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) 10-0 to enter the final.

14:24: Another pin in semifinals! Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) survives a pin attempt from Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) and then flips the script with a over-under throw and secures the fall. She will wrestle Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) for the gold medal.

14:20: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) and NEELAM (IND) put on a show in the 50kg semifinal. Neelam tried to trip Demirhan who counter trips for four points. India challenge but is lost. Neelam goes behind in the next action and throw Demirhan for four points. But Demirhan keeps Neelam in a headlock and secures the pin.

14:10: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) books a rematch with Kerem KAMAL (TUR) in the 63kg final after a hard-fought victory over Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI). Keshtkar was cautioned early and Chung led 1-0. He got the par terre to be 2-0 up but failed to score. Keshtkar got on board with the par terre point in the second period but did not score any points. He threw everything he had at Chung who defended all attacks for a 2-1 win.

14:00: In the first semifinal at 63kg, Kerem KAMAL (TUR) manages to hold off an attacking Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT) for a 6-3 win. Mohammadi scored a takedown early to lead 2-0 but Kamal got a reverse left for two points from par terre and then a takedown to lead 6-2. A stepout late made it 6-3 but that was all as Kamal enters the final.

13:40: In the final match of the session, Enes BASAR (TUR) bounces back after being 2-0 down with a series of gut wrenches and wins 10-2 at 60kg. The semifinals for a few weight classes will begin now. 

13:10: ANTIM (IND) was kept quiet for the first two minutes of the bout but Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) gives up a takedown and Antim goes for the leg lace for a turn. Malysheva defends but Antim then goes the other way for lace and gets the 11-0 win at 53kg.

13:00: Asian medalist and former world U17 champion HARSHITA (IND) with her second win at 72kg. She beats Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) 11-0 in Round 3

12:55: Bediha GUN (TUR) would be upset with herself as he lets go off an advantageous situation and leads 6-6 on criteria to Anudari BATKHUYAG (MGL) at 59kg.

12:45: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) continues to power his way at 63kg as he downs Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) majorly with his defense. Chung got the par terre advantage but Kamal managed to sneak out of a bodylock. He failed to score from par terre as well but scored a takedown later to make it 3-1. Lost challenge from Korea gave him another point.  

12:35: NEHA (IND) seems unfazed in her first senior international tournament. She pins Munkhchimeg URJIN (MGL) in her second bout of the day.

12:30: Enes BASAR (TUR) needs only one minute and 18 seconds to beat SURAJ (IND) 8-0 at 60kg and take a big step towards the gold medal.

12:15: Hamza BAKIR (TUR) keeps his winning run at 130kg. He beats PREM (IND) via technical superiority and is now the favorite to win the gold medal.

11:55: Big win for world U20 bronze medalist NEHA (IND) over European silver medalist Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) at 57kg. The 18-year-old physical overpowered Kamaloglu and scored takedown. Kamaloglu scored a four-pointer but still went down 7-4 in a Round 2.

11:45: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) with a big comeback win over NEELAM (IND). Pudova claims a 6-5 win at 50kg. The two wrestlers may wrestle again in the final if they can win all their remaining matches.

11:35: Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ) gave a scare to Enes BASAR (TUR) when he made it 5-5 with two minutes to go but Basar never got deterred with the score. He remains calm and wins 15-5.

11:26: European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) with a 4-1 win over Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ). Kamal scored a turn from par terre and also had a point for lost challenge and then defended from par terre to win 4-1 at 63kg.

11:15: The only Brazil wrestler to have made the long trip to Ulaanbaatar Open makes it worth it as Ana PEREIRA (BRA) begins with a 2-1 win over Enkhtuvshin BALJINNYAM (MGL) at 57kg.

11:00: A little heated bout on Mat C between Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) and Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT) at 63kg, which ends in a thrilling fashion. Mohammadi was given both passivity advantages and he led 2-0 till the final 10 seconds. However, Keshtkar tried desperate headlock which Mohammadi seemed to have blocked. As Mohammadi scored the takedown, Keshtkar countered with a continuous roll and got two points. It was scored two points for Mohammadi and two points for Keshtkar. However, Iran challenged the call and on review, it was scored only two points for Keshtkar, as his attempted headpinch was called a slip throw. Keshtkar wins 2-2 on criteria.

10:55: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) with two massive throws to stun Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ) in the Round 1 bout of 63kg. Chung has been a former Asian Championships medalist and always a threat for medal.

10:50: Former world U17 champion SURAJ (IND) got throw for a four-pointer from Ganbayar NAMSRAI (MGL) but that was his only loss in concentration as he wins 8-5 against Namsrai at 60kg.

10:45: Paris Olympian Enes BASAR (TUR) defended well from par terre and beats Kurmanbek ZHAPAROV (KGZ) 8-3 to start his 63kg campaign.

10:30: Mongolia had some wrestle-offs to decide its competitors for the main draw as it had 5 wrestlers entered in a few categories. But we are all set for the Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling now.