#WrestleBudapest

Kusaka, Losonczi shine on final day of Budapest Ranking Series

Sunday, June 9, 2024 - 08:31 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 9) -- The final day of the Ranking Series with seven Greco-Roman weight classes. Four Olympic weights will be in action -- 67kg, 77kg, 87kg and 97kg -- with ranking points to be earned.

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Incredible session of wrestling. The finals are set and Iran is likely to have a few wrestle-offs for the Paris Olympics

14:30: Ali CENGIZ (TUR) and David LOSONCIZ (HUN) wrestle in the 87kg semifinal. Cengiz and Losonciz shared the World Championships gold after Losonciz won an appeal for a judge's error. But in the rematch here, Losonciz pins Cengiz in the second period after racing to a 5-0 lead. He knows what it means! This is the first time the two have wrestled after that World Championships final

14:10: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) with a stepout in the second period to beat world silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) 2-1 and enter the 77kg final against Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) who defeated Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) 1-1 

13:50: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) has defeated world champion Luis ORTA (CUB)! OH WAIT WHAT?! What did we just witness here! Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) was clearly the better wrestler for five minutes and 58 seconds. He led 6-0 at the break but gave up a four pointer in the second as Orta closed the gap to 6-4. Iran challenged the call asking for two points for counter but lost to make the score 6-5. Esmaeili did well to keep the lead but for the last two seconds. As Orta dropped his guard, Esmaeili began celebrating but Orta launched a massive throw for four. It was originally not scored as the clock expired but Cuba challenged the call. On review, the move was completed with 0.1 seconds remaining on the clock. Esmaeili is inconsolable.

13:35: 63kg world champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) hands Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) a 6-1 loss at 67kg. A big setback for Geraei and his Olympic dreams. He would now hope that Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) fails to win the gold medal here and the two get to have a playoff later in the evening.

13:25: David LOSONCZI (HUN) gives up a turn from par terre in the second period but that is not enough for Mohammadhossein MAHMOODI (IRI) to win their 87kg bout. Losonczi had a 5-0 lead from the first period and he looked in control of the bout.

13:22: Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) has given a walkover to Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) in their 77kg quarterfinal. Akbudak will now wrestle Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) for a spot in the final.

13:00: Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) may feel he has been hard done here against Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) at 77kg. Geraei defended two par terre positions and led 1-1 on criteria with 23 seconds left on the clock. He made an arm throw but had no contact with Suleymanov who was awarded two points and two more for a turn. Geraei was not defending thinking the referees would call it a risk. Iran challenged for the same but it called points and Geraei dropped his bout 6-1.

12:55: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) beats Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) at 77kg to enter the semifinals. He will now wait for the winner of Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) and Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI). 

12:40: World champion Luis ORTA (CUB) and Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) now wrestling at 67kg. Orta launches a big four-pointer on the edge for the early lead. He then is then awarded a point for Sogabe's passivity. No turn in par terre but he scored a takedown to lead 7-0 at the break. Sogabe is unable to break Orta's defense in the second period. Orta closes out the match 7-1.

12:00: A tough opening round for world champion Ali CENGIZ (TUR) as he needs six minutes to beat Payton JACOBSON (USA) 6-1 at 87kg. He is on his way for a clash with David LOSONCIZ (HUN). Both were awarded the World Championships gold medal after Hungary won an appeal for a referee error in the final

11:40: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) continues to chip away at 77kg. He beats Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) 6-0 to advance to the 1/8 finals. In the same weight class, Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) has set up a 1/8 final with Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE).

11:30: A minute and 29 seconds is all Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) needs to win 8-0 against Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) in their round two bout at 55kg. Azizli looking absolutely dominant so far.

11:05: Mohmmadreza GERAEI (IRI) did not look his best in his opening match against Souleymen NASR (TUN) at 67kg as he failed to perform his throw from par terre. Nasr was called for negative wrestling twice which gave Geraei a 4-0 lead. But a lost challenge from Gereaei and par terre in the second period made it 4-2. Geraei holds on to that score to win. Iran's second wrestler at 67kg, Saeid ESMAEILI LEIVESI (IRI) rolls to a 10-0 win over Nestor ALMANZA (CHI) in no time.

10:55: World champion Luis ORTA (CUB) shows up and rolls over David MANYIK (HUN) for a technical superiority win at 67kg. He earns a quarterfinal date with Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN).

10:50: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) dominates his first bout over Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (4), winning 11-3 and marching on at 77kg. He will face Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) next. In the same weight class, a quick finish as Zoltán LEVAI (HUN) pins Levente LEVAI (HUN).

10:40: Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) has been trying to get the better of Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) at 55kg but he will have to wait another day for that as Azizli beats Dad Marz in the first bout at 55kg. On Mat A, Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) beats Marat GARIPOV (BRA).

10:30: Long day ahead in Budapest with some top matches scheduled. Nao KUSAKA (JPN), Geraei brothers, Ali CENGIZ (TUR), David LOSONCIZ (HUN), Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) are among the stars to be on the mat.

#WrestleNoviSad

Eriomenco, Farokhi run through U23 Worlds field to reach finals

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 - 00:57 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 20) -- Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) has already won the gold medal at the U23 World Championships. The Moldovan won gold in the 63kg weight class in Tirana, Albania last year.

In a bid to repeat, Eriomenco entered the 2025 edition as well, making it his fifth appearance the season-ending World Championships. Now, Eriomenco is one win away from defending his world title.

The recent bronze medalist in Zagreb, Eriomenco made it to the 63kg final at the U23 Worlds in Novi Sad, Serbia on Monday and will face a familiar opponent in the final in Ziya BABASHOV (AZE).

The two met in the U23 European Championships final earlier this year which Eriomenco won 3-1. However, Babashov had defeated the Moldovan in the final of the same tournament in 2024.

With the head-to-head locked at 1-1, Eriomenco and Babashov will clash Tuesday, the second day of the U23 Worlds which kicked off in Serbia on Monday with four Greco-Roman weight classes.

Iran and Ukraine had two finalists each while Georgia and Armenia also managed to get one each on the first day. Iran was led by world 82kg champion Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) who has moved up to 87kg but unbothered by the weight change. Defending champion at 130kg Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) returned to the final as well.

Eriomenco was heads above the field at 63kg as he won his four bouts via technical superiority. In the semifinals, he faced Kuttubek ABDURAZAKOV (KGZ) but had no trouble beating the Kyrgyzstan wrestler 10-1, scoring four turns from par terre.

Babashov on the other hand had to work hard for his 2-1 victory over Servet ANGI (TUR) in the other semifinal. He got on the scoreboard first as he scored a stepout using a two-on-one to lead 1-0. He was given the par terre position soon after but he failed to score. He still had a 2-0 lead going into the break.

Angi got his chance in the par terre in the second period but he failed to score any points over Babashov who defended his 2-1 lead to enter the final. He would now hope to repeat the performance from 2024 U23 Euro final which he won against Eriomenco 3-2.

At 87kg, Farokhi was also in top form, winning all his four bouts via technical superiority. He faced Payton JACOBSON (USA) in the semifinals but took no time as he rolled him four times from par terre to win 9-0 and advance to the final.

He will face Ivan CHMYR (UKR) for the gold medal bout after the Ukrainian defeated a surprise semifinalist in Yassine BEN LABED (POL), 2-1. Chmyr, who finished fifth at the U23 European Championships this year, held his own to beat Ben Labed.

Chmyr began with a win over Andrija MIHAJLOVIC (SRB) before beating Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO), 1-1. He then handed U23 Euro silver medalist Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) a 3-1 defeat.

In the semifinals against Ben Labed, who had beaten Ruben GEVORGYAN (ARM), Deni NAKAEV (GER) and Brian RUIZ (VEN) to reach last four, Chmyr threw Ben Labed out of bounds from par terre to lead 2-0.

But when Ben Labed got a chance in par terre, there were no points scored and Chmyr booked a place in the final against world champion Farokhi.

Hedayati, the multiple-time age-group world champion, is closer to another title at 130kg after he reached the final. He defeated Laszlo DARABOS (HUN), 4-0, in the semifinals using a stepout and a takedown on either side of the par terre position.

He will face Ramzik KURDYAN (ARM) in the final after the Armenian defeated Aleksandr MELEKHOV (UWW), 5-1, in the final. Kurdyan, who has a silver from U17 Worlds in 2019, rolled Melekhanov twice from par terre after defending his par terre position to win 5-1.

At 77kg, Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) upset European 72kg champion Levente LEVAI (HUN), 2-2, to reach the final as he looks to better his silver medal from 2022. Levai had a clear 2-1 lead in the semifinals when he scored takedown on the edge.

Levai increased his lead to 4-1 but Ukraine challenged and a foul was confirmed by Levai and he docked a point for stepping out which made the score 2-2 with Mirzoiev lead on last-point scored criteria. He defended that lead to reach the final for the second time in his career.

Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO) will try to stop him from winning the gold medal on Tuesday after he got the better of U23 Asian champion Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 6-2.

Nakibov got the first par terre position but was blocked by Orjonikidze who scored a reversal and turn to lead 3-1. Georgia challenged asking for four points and on review it was confirmed that Nakibov fell in danger for four points.

With a 5-1 lead, Orjonikidze went into the passive mode and was put down in par terre in the second period. Nakibov tried to score with a turn but Orjonikidze never came in danger.

Uzbekistan challenged asking for two points but it was lost, giving one more point to Orjonikidze who won 6-2 and reach the final. 

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) vs. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA)

SF 1: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) df. Servet ANGI (TUR), 2-1
SF 2: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Kuttubek ABDURAZAKOV (KGZ), 10-1

77kg
GOLD: Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO) vs. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR)

SF 1: Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO) df. Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 6-2
SF 2: Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) df. Levente LEVAI (HUN), 2-2

87kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) vs. Ivan CHMYR (UKR)

SF 1: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Payton JACOBSON (USA), 9-0
SF 2: Ivan CHMYR (UKR) df. Yassine BEN LABED (POL), 2-1

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) vs. Razmik KURDYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Laszlo DARABOS (HUN), 4-0
SF 2: Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) df. Aleksandr MELEKHOV (UWW), 5-1