#WrestleTallinn

Iran's Foroutanrami Defends Junior World Title; Russia Leads After Day Two

By Eric Olanowski

TALLINN, Estonia (August 13) – Iran’s Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI successfully defended his junior world title from last year’s Trnava Junior World Championships, while the Russian Federation medaled in four of the five weights on Tuesday night and have control of the team race heading into the final day of freestyle wrestling at the Junior World Championships. 

Foroutanrami, backed by the defining Iranian chants pouring through the Tondiraba Hall, won his second consecutive junior world title with a punishing 10-0 win over Yonger BASTIDA POMARES (CUB).

Foroutanrami was clearly on another level than Bastida Pomares, and it was apparent from the opening whistle of the 97kg finals. The Iranian showed his power early and often, as he drove the Cuban wrestler to the out of bounds line and scored a one-point step out. Shortly after putting his first point on the board, Foroutanrami halted a high crotch attempt and capitalized on a counteroffensive opportunity -- giving him the 3-0 lead. He continued to push the pace and tacked on an inactivity point before using an underhook throw-by to score his second takedown of the opening period.

Foroutanrami’s smothering pace came back into display in the second period as Bastida Pomares back-peddled and tried to slow the match down but got hit for a caution-and-one. With the eight-point advantage, another counteroffensive takedown gave Foroutanrami the 10-0 victory, but also his second consecutive junior world title. 

Amirhossein MAGHSOUDI (IRI) improved on his silver-medal finish from last year's World Championships with an 8-4 win over Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS) in the 61kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Amirhossein MAGHSOUDI (IRI) was the second Iranian who carried his nation's flag around the mat after an 8-4 win over Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS) in the 61kg finals. 

Maghsoudi was in front 4-0 after a takedown and right-sided gut wrench but nearly gave up the fall after he surrendered a four-point fireman’s carry to his Russian opponenet. Once the Iranian fought off his back, the challenge cube came in from the Russian corner, who was looking for more than four points from Shiraev's fireman’s carry. Russia didn’t get what they wanted and the failed challenge handed Maghsoudi the outright lead, 5-4.

Maghsoudi wrestled a tactical second period -- scoring on three one-point exchanges and improving on his second-place finish from a year ago with the 8-4 victory. 

Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS) was the lone Russian to win a world title on Tuesday. He defeated Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO), 7-1 in the 79kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Meanwhile, the Russian Federation, who are cornered by 2014 world champion Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS), lead Iran by 16 points heading into the final day of freestyle wrestling at the Junior World Championships. 

Russia’s lone 25-point gold-medal winner was Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS), who tallied a rock-solid six-point victory over Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) in the 79kg finals. 

Tashukhadzhiev scored a takedown and a step out in the opening period and carried the 3-1 lead into the second period. Early in the closing three minutes, the Russian launched a series of attacks and scored his second takedown of the bout. While holding onto the four-point lead, Tashukhadzhiev scored his third takedown with a snap down spin behind and reached the top of the world podium for the first time in his career with a 7-1 victory.

Russia also collected 20 points from Kurban Shiraev's 65kg second-place finish, and 30 combined points from Akhmed IDRISOV and Alan KUDZOEV bronze-medal finishes at 57kg and 70kg, respectively. 

The other pair of Day 2 gold medals were claimed by Toshiya ABE (JPN) and Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), who won titles at 57kg and 70kg, respectively. In the relatively slow-paced 57kg finals, Abe capitalized on a matches’ lone takedown with 15 seconds left to move past Vitali ARUJAU (USA), 2-2 on criteria, while Arushanian scored six unanswered points and edged last year's junior world bronze medalist Vasile DIACON (MDA), 6-5. 

Wrestling resumes tomorrow morning with the women's wrestling portion of the tournament kicking off at 10:30 (local time).  

RESULTS 
57kg
GOLD - Toshiya ABE (JPN) df. Vitali ARUJAU (USA), 2-2 
BRONZE - Vrezh GEVORGYAN (ARM) df. Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ), 9-7 
BRONZE - Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) df. Vijay Bajirao PATIL (IND), 10-0 

65kg
GOLD - Amirhossein Azim MAGHSOUDI (IRI) df. Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS), 8-4 
BRONZE - Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Ahmet Salim YIGIT (TUR), 8-0 
BRONZE - Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) df. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), 4-3 

70kg 
GOLD - Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) df. Vasile DIACON (MDA), 6-5 
BRONZE - Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI) df. Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE), 5-4 
BRONZE - Alan KUDZOEV (RUS) df. Omer Faruk CAYIR (TUR), 10-7

79kg
GOLD - Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS) df. Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO), 7-1  
BRONZE - Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df. Arman AVAGYAN (ARM), 6-4
BRONZE - Milan MESTER (HUN) df. Max KASPEROVICH (ISR), 2-0 

97kg
GOLD - Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI) df. Yonger Pauli BASTIDA POMARES (CUB), 10-0 
BRONZE - Makhsud VEYSALOV (UZB) df. Akash ANTIL (IND), 9-3 
BRONZE - Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df. Reheman RUSIDANMU (CHN), 11-1 

#WrestleAthens

U17 World Wrestling Championships 2025: Day 1 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 28) -- The World U17 Championships kicks off in Athens, Greece with five Greco-Roman weight classes. Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia will be in contention to win the team title.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | FULL PREVIEW

READ THE REPORT OF ALL SEMIFINALS HERE

18:00: Welcome back to the World U17 Championships coverage! The semifinals in 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg will begin now!

15:00: The semifinals will begin at 18:00 hours local time! The opening ceremony will be at 17:00 hours. Stay tuned!

14:45: Asian domination at 55kg! Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) will face Aditya GUPTA (IND) and Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) will take on Nurali ASKAR (KAZ) in the semifinals.

14:35: Asian champion HARDEEP (IND) beats European bronze medalist Anatolii NOVACHENKO (UKR), 9-0, with turns from par terre and enters the semifinals at 110kg.

14:30: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) holds his positions good and gets both par terre points in the match against Hu Anshi NUERLEBIEKE (CHN) and makes it to the 110kg semifinal.

14:20: Aditya GUPTA (IND) with a takedown in the final second of the bout to beat Rakhman GAMIDOV (UKR) 4-2. He was down 2-2 on criteria but manages to wrap his arm around Gamidov to score a takedown. Ukraine challenges for time but it was inside the last second.

14:02: Madness on Mat A! Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) was trying to stop a pin from Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) and turns it around and manages to pin the Azerbaijan wrestlers for the win at 80kg!

13:50: Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) continues his good show at 55kg as he pins Osman OZDEMIR (TUR) and advances to the quarterfinals.

13:45: Asian silver medalist Sadriddin TULKINBOEV (UZB) drops his 55kg 1/8 final to Aditya GUPTA (IND), 4-1. Gupta did not get any turn from par terre but Tulkinvoev scored a stepuot in the second period and made it 1-1. But due to a new rule currently being tested by UWW, a 1-1 scoring in Greco-Roman will see the wrestler who scored the first point, win on criteria. Gupta keeps his attacks and there is no par terre for Tulkinboev. Uzbekistan throw a challenge for "nothing", as the review team said. Gupta wins 4-1

13:25: Rakhman GAMIDOV (UKR) digs deep and pulls off a four-pointer later in the match to win 5-2 against Naru SEMBA (JPN) at 55kg. He was down 2-1 with just 30 seconds left.

13:15: Big win for ANUJ (IND) at 65kg as he beats Asian bronze medalist Xusan GIEZIDINOV (UZB) 8-0. High pace match from Anuj to block Geizidinov.

13:05: Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), European silver medalists, reaches the quarterfinal at 65kg, after a technical superiority 9-1 win over Huseyn ISGANDAROV (AZE).

12:50: Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) bounces back from 5-0 down by blocking a throw from Mardanbek MAKHKAMBAYEV (KAZ) and gut wrenches his way to a 13-5 win at 80kg.

12:46: Ismail BEREKET (TUR) continues his big-throwing streak as he beats Stepan DANHEL (CZE) 9-0 in a minute 50 seconds at 80kg. The European bronze medalist is looking better with every win.

12:45: How do you win with one second remaining?! Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN) hits a four-pointer in the final second after getting thrown by Martin MANJIKYAN (ARM) and wins 6-6. He can't believe it as well

12:40: Zhanarbek SEIITOV (KGZ) uses the gut-wrench to great effect and wins his 48kg bout against Fuhua KANG (CHN) 10-2. He gets Asian bronze medalist Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) in the next round after Hsanov pulled off a late throw against Amirmohammad HAJIVAND (IRI) and win 4-3.

12:35: HARDEEP (IND), Asian champ at 110kg, gets both the par terre points and beats Baktur SOVETKHAN (KAZ), 2-0, in the opening round.

12:30: Quick work from Sayidamir NEMATOV (UZB) at 110kg as he beats European champ Rihad IBRAHIMLI (AZE) 10-0 in the first period.

12:20: Hu Anshi NUERLEBIEKE (CHN) was so calm despite being down 8-1 against Vasileios BOUNTOULIS (GRE) at 110kg. Nuerlebieke locked Bountoulis in bodylocks twice in last 15 seconds and threw him for two four-pointers to win 9-8. He was thrown for two four-pointers in the first period by Bountoulis.

12:15: A 2024 Asian U15 champ Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) stops European silver medalist Giorgi CHACHUA (GEO) 4-2 in their 55kg bout.

11:50: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) pulls off a stunning win over Amirreza  TAHMASBPOUR (IRI) 5-3 at 55kg. Abdirasulov scores a correct throw to lead 3-3 on criteria but Iran challenges for no points. The challenge is won but on review, it's four points for Abdirasulov wins the bout

11:20: Pan-Am champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) has a hard time against Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), who is an European silver medalist, as he cannot get a turn but Nazaryan manages to score. Nazaryan wins 4-1

11:05: Big match between Asian champion Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) and European silver medalist Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU). Kholmirzaev and Bubelevicius go back-and-forth but Kholmirzaev manages to hang on for an 11-6 win.

10:45: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO), who finished 5th at 92kg at the European Championships, is back at 80kg and finishes with two front headlocks to win 9-0 in just 21 seconds against David VILK (CRO).

10:40: Big throws right from the start in Athens! European bronze medalist Ismail BEREKER (TUR) launches Samarth GOVEKAR (IND) for big throws and wins the opening bout at 80kg 11-0 in just a minute and 28 seconds.

10:30: Welcome to the World U17 Championships in Athens. It is being held at the iconic Ano Liosia Olympic Hall, the venue where wrestling competition during the 2004 Olympics was held.