Takhti Cup

Iran Wins Greco-Roman Takhti Cup Title with 3 Gold Medals

Friday, January 26, 2018 - 18:49 By Ali Feizasa

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MAHSHAHR, Iran (January 26) - Iran captured three gold medals on the final day of the Takhti Cup International Greco-Roman Wrestling Tournament in Mahshahr port. Turkey, Kazakhstan and Kirgizstan won two gold medals each.

By winning the team title, Iran gets 192 points according to the new UWW point system. Runner-up Turkey came second with 171 points. Kazakhstan earned 145 points to place third.

The champions earned 8 points in the 2018 UWW ranking system, runner-ups get 6 points, and bronze medal winners earned 4. Fifth-place wrestlers 2 points.

55kg final:  Ekrem OEZTURK (TUR) TF. Bachana PUTKARADZE (GEO), 9-0 

Ekrem OEZTURK (TUR) only needed 2 minutes and 25 seconds to defeat Bachana PUTKARADZE (GEO) by technical fall. In par terre, OEZTURK collected 8 points by two gut wrenches and a 4-point throw to earn 9-0 victory.
 


60kg final: Uzur ZHOLCHUBEKOV (KGZ) df. Mehrdad MARDANI (IRI), 6-0

Three-time Asian junior medal winner Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) edged Iranian wrestler Mehrdad MARDANI. Dzhuzupbekov gathered 6 points by two consecutive side throws. 

63kg final: Kaly SULAYMANOV (KGZ) df. Kudaibergen TURSYNOV (KAZ), 7-2
 
Former junior world champion Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ) earned two points with a takedown in the first period against Kudaibergen TURSYNOV (KAZ). In the second period Sulaimanov added four more points by a throw and cruised to a 7-2 victory. 

67kg final: Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) df. Fevzi MAMUTOV (UKR), 2-0

Three-time world medalist Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) picked up a takedown just 25 seconds into his finals match against Fevzi MAMUTOV (UKR). In the second period Mamutov was more offensive, but Kebispayev held on for a 2-0 victory.

Olympic and world champion in 59kg Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) fell in the bronze-medal match to returning Takhti Cup champ Hossein ELYASI (IRI) 7-5. It was Borrero's first appearance since the 2016 Olympic Games. 
 


72kg final: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) TF. Murat DAG (TUR), 12-2

Demeu Zhadrayev (KAZ), a 2017 world silver medal winner, shined at 72kg, defeating U-23 world bronze medalist Murat DAG (TUR) by technical fall 12-2.

77kg final: Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) df. Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR), 7-2

World bronze medal winner Mohammadali GERAEI was the first champion of the host country at the Takhti Cup, downing Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR), 7-2.

82kg final: Emrah KUS (TUR) df. Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL), 2-1

2013 world bronze medal winner Emrah KUS (TUR) used his experience to edge Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL), 2-1, achieving a second gold medal for Turkey at the Takhti Cup.
 


87kg final: Saman AZIZI (IRI) df. Khussein MUTSOLGOV (KAZ), 1-1

The 87kg final was a narrow match between Iran and Kazakhstan. MUTSOLGOV (KAZ) was leading 1-0 in the first period, but AZIZI came back to score with a step out and held on for the victory.

97kg final: Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE) df. Cenk ILDEM (TUR), 3-2

Olympic bronze medal winner Jenk ILDEM (TUR) suffered a 3-2 loss in the 97kg final match to Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE). In the last 30 seconds Ildem tried to get points by a gut wrench but NURIYEV was strong in par terre and took the victory.

130kg final: Behnam MEHDIZADEH (IRI) df. Osman YILDIRIM (TUR), 1-1

Two-time Asian champion Behnam MEHDIZADEH (IRI) beat Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) 1-1 by earning the last point of the match. 

Iranian wrestling president Rasoul KHADEM believes the tournament was high level. 

“Adding to UWW ranking series made Takhti Cup a high-level tournament and the quality of the event was better than recent years.” 

“Iran's Greco-Roman team tried to send most of the young wrestlers to ensure the future of Iran's Greco-Roman team. The wrestlers need more time to match themselves with new rules.” 

Medal match results of 2018 Greco-Roman wrestling Takhti Cup

55kg
GOLD- Ekrem OEZTURK (TUR) df. Bachana PUTKARADZE (GEO) by VSU, 9 – 0
BRONZE- Moslem NADERIKHADEM (IRI) df. Ibrahim NURULLAYEV (AZE) by VFA, 7 - 4
BRONZE- Reza KHEDRI (IRI) df. Ziyad ZEYNALOV (AZE) by VFA, 9 – 0

60kg
GOLD- K. ZHOLCHUBEKOV (KGZ) df. Mehrdad MARDANI (IRI) by VPO, 6 – 0
BRONZE- Dastan ZARLYKHANOV (KAZ) df. R. TEIISHOV (KGZ) by VSU1, 11 – 3
BRONZE- Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ) df. Sakit GULIYEV (AZE) by VSU, 10 - 0 

63kg
GOLD- Kaly SULAYMANOV (KGZ) df. Kudaibergen TURSYNOV (KAZ) by VPO1, 7 - 2
BRONZE- Mohammad NOURBAKHSH (IRI) df. Dmytro KOSENOK (UKR) by VPO1, 5 – 1
BRONZE- U. AMATOV (KGZ) df. Khvicha TCHITAVA (GEO) by VPO1, 9 – 5

67kg
GOLD- Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) df. Fevzi MAMUTOV (UKR) by VPO, 2 - 0
 BRONZE- Mohammad ELYASI (IRI) df. Ismael BORRERO (CUB) by VPO1, 7 - 5
BRONZE- Atakan YUKSEL (TUR) df. Murat FIRAT (TUR) by VPO1, 3 - 1

72kg
GOLD- Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) df. Murat DAG (TUR) by VFA, 12 - 2
BRONZE- Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) df. Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) by VSU, 8 - 0
BRONZE- Farshad BELFAKEH (IRI) df. Goga GOGIBERASHVILI (GEO) by VPO, 1 - 0

77kg
GOLD- Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) df. Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) by VPO1, 7 – 2
BRONZE- Boroomand aslan GHAREHDAGHI (IRI) df. Bakuri GOGOLI (GEO) by VPO1, 2 – 1
BRONZE- Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) df. Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) by VSU, 9 – 0

82kg
GOLD- Emrah KUS (TUR) df. Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL), 2-1
BRONZE- Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Keivan rezaei DALINI (IRI) by VSU, 8 - 0
BRONZE- Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df. Yaroslav FLICHAKOV (UKR) by VPO1, 2 - 1

87kg
GOLD- Saman AZIZI (IRI) df. Khussein MUTSOLGOV (KAZ) by VPO1, 1 - 1
BRONZE- Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ) df. Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) by VPO1, 7 – 1
BRONZE- Tarek ABDELSLAM (BUL) df. S. SHIRDAKOV (KGZ) by VPO1, 9 - 3

97kg
GOLD- Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE) df. Cenk ILDEM (TUR) by VPO1, 3 - 2
BRONZE-  Turman EYYUBOV (AZE) df. Mohammad YEGANEH (IRI) by VPO1, 5 - 4
BRONZE- Ali akbar HEIDARI (IRI) df. Dorin constantin PIRVAN (ROU) by VPO1, 1 - 1

130kg
GOLD-  Behnam mahdizadeh ARPATAPEH (IRI) df. Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) by VPO1, 1 - 1
BRONZE- Shahab GHOUREHJILI (IRI) df. Ciurariu alin ALEXUC (ROU) by VPO, 1 - 0

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Kadzimahamedau, Sadulaev Return to European Finals

Friday, April 24, 2026 - 16:53 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 24) -- Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), David BAEV (UWW), and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) were among the wrestlers who reached the final of the European Championships 2026 in Tirana on Friday.

Kadzimahamedau set up a rematch of the final from 2024 against Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) who defeated Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), 3-0, in a rematch of last year's European final.

After last year's European quest at 86kg, Kadzimahamedau returned to 79kg and continued his crafty wrestling, beating Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 5-1, in the semifinals. He used two different takedowns and an activity period point for his scores.

But it was the quarterfinals in which Kadzimahamedau showed his class, Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO), 11-10. He lead 5-0 when Gaphrindashvili scored a double-leg four-pointer to make it 5-4, changed to 7-5 for Kadzimahamedau after a challenge. After a scramble and stepout, the scores read 10-9 for Gaphrindashvili with 11 seconds left but Kadzimahamedau snuck out a takedown with 3 seconds left to win.

At 97kg, five-time European champion Sadulaev returned to the final after six years after a clinical display throughout the day. In the finals, he got the better of Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL), 12-2, using his gut-wrench to score points.

Sadulaev used a outside single-leg attack to score his first takedown and then turned Magamaev to get a four-point lead. But as he was trying to turn Magamaev again, the Bulgarian blocked him for two points but Sadulaev managed to sneak out of any control. He then managed a takedown and two turns for a 10-2 lead before an easy go-behind finished the bout.

Former world silver medalist Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) will challenge Sadulaev in the final after he defeated Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 12-1, using the leg-lace for five turns.

Defending champion Baev had no trouble in defeated Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 9-2, and returning to the final. But a rising star awaits him next in the 70kg final as U23 European champion Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) defeated Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), 11-0, in the other semifinals.

Gaidarli, who won silver at the U20 World Championships last year, did not give any chance to Muszukajev and turned the match into a one-sided affair.

Dudaev Returns to Final

Home-favorite and Olympic bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) returned to the final of European Championships at 65kg after a 4-0 victory over Islam GUSEINOV (UWW). Dudaev scored a stepout to start the bout before getting a activity point in the first period and lead 2-0. He doubled the lead to 4-0 in the final minute with a takedown which he defended.

Dudaev will take on Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) for the gold medal after Magomedov handed former European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) a heartbreaking, 3-3, criteria loss in the semifinals.

Tevanyan scored a takedown and also a point for stepout but in a later scramble, Tevanyan got countered on a leg attack and gave up a takedown on the edge for two points to Magomedov. Armenia challenged, asking for two points for Tevanyan during the scramble.

However, Tevanyan never got complete control over Magomedov and the lost challenge added to the latter's score to give him criteria. Tevanyan waited to launch the attack and when he did during the final moments of the bout, he could not gets a stepout or takedown despite all the action taking place in the zone.

At 57kg, Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) and Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) will battle it out for the gold medal on Saturday. Mekhtikhanov defeated Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 5-0, in the semifinals after two counter takedowns and point for passivity.

Bazarganov was more active in his semifinal against Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) and worked on his lace to beat the Georgian 11-1.

RESULTS

57kg
SF 1: Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) df. Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 5-0
SF 2: Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 11-1

65kg
SF 1: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) df. Islam GUSEINOV (UWW), 4-0
SF 2: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), 3-3

70kg
SF 1: David BAEV (UWW) df. Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 9-2
SF 2: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), 11-0

79kg
SF 1: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) df. Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 5-1
SF 2: Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) df. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), 3-0

97kg
SF 1: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) df. Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL), 12-2
SF 2: Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) df. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 12-1