Takhti Cup

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

By Ali Feizasa

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

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2026 Day 2 Results & Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 5) -- The second day of the Ulaanbaatar Open will feature three Greco-Roman and five Women's Wrestling weight classes. Iran, Bulgaria and India won two Greco-Roman gold medals each on day one of the competition.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

Semifinals with Greco-Roman

12:40: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) stuns Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) in Round 3 at 63kg! Sharshenbekov did not score from par terre in the first period. On the other hand, Keshtkar scored an exposure from par terre to lead 3-1 and Sharshenbekov committed a defensive foul to give two more points to Keshtkar which Iran got only after a challenge. As the bout restarted in par terre, Keshtkar lifted Sharshenbekov and threw him for two points while the Kyrgyzstan wrestler committed a leg foul. Kyrgyzstan challenged for no foul but lost it and Keshtkar got another point, taking his score to 10-1.

12:30: Solid match between European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) and MUSKAN (IND). Ana with a takedown and then two trap arm guts to lead 6-0. Muskan got one back and scored a takedown to make it 6-2. But Ana scored another takedown before the break to lead 8-2. Both kept exchange takedowns in the second period but Ana managed to keep her lead at 10-6 with 1:33 left. She then scored a stepout and three different takedown to complete her victory.

12:15: MEENAKSHI (IND) is no match for world champion Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) who gets a 10-0 victory in just over a minute. She scores a takedown and lace to lead 6-0 before scoring another counter takedown and a roll for four more points.

12:10: World silver medalist Il Sim SON (PRK) begins with a 11-0 victory over Danielle LIM (SGP) at 57kg. She needed only a minute and 36 seconds to roll Lim

11:45: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) secures his places in the semifinals with Round 2 victory over Sunny KUMAR (IND). Sharshenbekov did not score from par terre but managed to bring down Kumar for four points using a body lock. He then defended par terre in the second period to complete the win at 63kg

11:35: All-Iranian bout at 63kg in Round 2 between Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) and Erfan JARKANI (IRI). Keshtkar gets the first par terre and he lifts Jarkani, tosses him for four points. Jarkani cannot do the same when he gets the par terre in the second period. He challenges for something not evident but loses it and Keshtkar leads 6-1. Jarkani gets a point for Keshtkar's foul but the latter wins 6-2. The win also confirms Keshtkar's spot on the Iran team for the 2026 World Championships

11:20: World champion at 55kg, Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) was a little rusty in the first period against Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) at 53kg. She tripped the Mongolian for a four-pointer but also gave up for four on a cutback. However, she switches gears in the second period and rolls to a 14-4 victory.

11:05: European silver medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) with a fall in Round 1 of the Nordic bracket at 72kg against HARSHITA (IND). Choler led 4-0 before countering a deep attack from the Indian and sticking her to the mat for the fall.

10:55: Out comes the lace from Pyol HONG (PRK) against Enkhtuvshin BALJINNYAM (MGL) and she rolls to a 10-0 technical superiority win at 59kg.

10:52: Bediha GUN (TUR) scored the opening takedown in her Round 1 bout against Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) at 59kg. But the Mongolia uses an arm-bar to secure the fall over Gun in the second period.

10:45: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) returns to the mat for close to two years and begins with a win. In his 63kg Round 1 bout, Sharshenbekov was up against Erfan JARKANI (IRI) and holds off the Iranian 1-1 on first-point criteria. Jarkani was given par terre twice in the second period, one with 30 seconds remaining, but Sharshenbekov defended both times. Since it's a Nordic bracket, the two can face each other again in the final.

10:30: Ulaanbaatar Open will enter the second day with five Women's Wresting weight classes and the remaining three Greco-Roman weights. Here are the results from day one of the tournament.