Labazanov Leads Russia to Two Golds at U17 World Championships

Tuesday, July 28, 2026 - 19:40 By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (July 28) -- Shamil LABAZANOV (RUS) shocked Ibrahim NASIBOV (UKR) and the Ukrainian could never recover from that.

The two clashed in the 65kg final of the U17 World Championships final in Baku on Tuesday. Nasibov had looked in top form coming into the final and Labazanov had scored a 29-seocnd win in the semifinal using a deadly front headlock.

Nasibov must have watched Labazanov's semifinal and thought that the front headlock will come. Yet, he was not able to stop it.

When Labazanov was awarded the par terre in the first period, he did not go for the traditional gut-wrench as Nasibov was prepared to defend it. But he went for the front headlock which Nasibov failed to defend.

Labazanov scored the first turn as Nasibov was still trying to stable himself to defend. But then he did it again with brute force and then again to lead 7-0. Nasibov was left playing catch from there on.

Nasibov managed to cut the lead to 7-2 before the break and despite the par terre in the second period, it was never enough as Labazanov won 7-5 to capture the 65kg title.

Wrestling Soltan IUSUPOV (RUS) Soltan IUSUPOV (RUS) with the world champion belt at the podium. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

This was the second gold medal for Russia on Tuesday, coming after Soltan IUSUPOV's (RUS) dominant win at 48kg. In the first final of the night, Iusupov and Ali ALMAS (KAZ) clashed and when the Kazakhstan wrestler got the par terre in the first period, it seemed that it will an even contest.

However, Iusupov did not think so. He first defended that position and then scored a takedown and turn in the first period to lead 4-1 at the break. He was not done yet as he began the second period also with a takedown, and then used a slideby to make it 8-1. He turned Almas in the same sequence to earn a 10-1 win. Kazakhstan challenged the last call and it was changed to one takedown and scored returned to 8-1.

Almas managed to bring him down in the final 20 seconds to cut the lead to 8-3 but that was all he managed despite getting the only par terer of the final.

Kazakhstan's moment of glory came at 55kg when Diyar AMANALI (KAZ) won the gold medal at 55kg after beating Keve KOVACS (HUN), 1-1 in the final. The two traded passivity but it was the Kazakhstan wrestler who kept the criteria as he got the par terre first.

Wrestling Alireza REZAEI (IRI) Alireza REZAEI (IRI) loads to launch Isfahan HASANOV (AZE) for a throw during the 80kg final in Baku. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Rezaei Gives Iran Gold

Iran's campaign got a breather after Alireza REZAEI (IRI) grabbed the 80kg gold medal by upsetting Isfahan HASANOV (AZE), 2-1, in the final and the home crowd. In the low scoring final, Rezaei was put in par terre first but he defended the position to keep Hasanov's lead to 1-0.

In the second period, Rezaei got his chance from par terre and while he could not perform a big move, he lifted and threw Hasanov out of bounds for a step out point to lead 2-1. This left Hasanov needing at least one point to win but the Iranian evaded any such situation to claim gold, the first medal for Iran in Baku.

Wrestling Tymofii Prykhodko (UKR) Tymofii PRYKHODKO (UKR) tries to pin Bruno PALLONE (USA) during the 110kg final at the U17 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Prykhodko's Golden Throws

Ukraine also went home with a gold medal as Tymofii PRYKHODKO (UKR) clinched the 110kg title after a big-throwing show in the final against Bruno PALLONE (USA). Both wrestler went all out and complete four-point throws with ease. However, Prykhodko never gave up the lead and eventually won 14-5.

Prykhodko began with an arm-spin which resulted in a takedown for two points. He then completed his first big throw for four points and had Pallone in danger for fall but the U.S. wrestler managed to escape the position. A stepout before the break gave Pallone a point which cut the lead to 6-1.

Instead of playing the waiting game, Pallone hit a four-pointer at the start of the second period and came within one point distance, 6-5, of Prykhodko. At one point, both wrestlers bear-hugged each other but it was the Ukrainian who risked a headlock and once again threw Pallone for four points.

Pallone had no choice but go for the big throw himself as Prykhodko kept the pressure. But when he did, it was in a bad position and he tamely fell on his own back, giving Prykhodko four points, the win and the gold medal.

Wrestling Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) dominated his way to the 51kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Hasanov, Nazaryan Aim Repeat; Barotov Chases History

Two returning world champions, Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) and Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), will look to repeat as gold medalists after reach the 51kg and 71kg finals respectively on Tuesday.

Hasanov will aim to become the first wrestler from Uzbekistan two win the U17 world gold twice when he takes on returning bronze medalist from 45kg, Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE), in the 51kg gold-medal bout.

In the semifinal, Hasanov wrestled Vadim TARELUNGA (MDA) and completed a 10-0 victory inside the first period. He unleashed a strong gut-wrench from par terre for two turns and a 5-0 lead.

Tarelunga tried a headlock throw but Hasanov blocked him to get two points and then turned the Moldova wrestler just in time to win but Moldova challenged the call as it may have been risk from Tarelunga but it was confirmed as takedown. The lost challenged added one more point to Hasanov's score.

Huseynli also went into a commanding 7-2 lead from par terre against Saba ABASHIDZE (GEO) but he had to defended as well when the Georgian got the par terre in the second. From 7-3, Huseynli got two stepouts for a 9-3 win.

Wrestling Janes NAZARYAN (ARM) Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), red, reached the 71kg final and will aim for his second world gold. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Nazaryan, who won gold last year at 65kg, will face U17 European champion at 65kg Aslan DZUEV (RUS) in the 71kg final after both posted commanding wins in the semifinals.

The Armenian blanked Kristiyan KRASTEV (BUL), 8-0, while Dzuev defeated Esmaeil ZAHERDOUST (IRI), 10-1, to reach the gold medal bouts.

At 45kg, U17 European champion Ali JAVADLI (AZE) will look to give the home country its first gold of the tournament when he takes on Rylen WAX (USA) for the gold medal.

In a bizarre turn of events, Javadli's opponent in the semifinals, Armin ESMAEILI (IRI) did not show up for the mat and gave a forfeit.

Wax controlled his semifinal against Afruzbek IBRAGIMOV (UZB) and completed a 2-1, win. When Ibragimov got the par terre, he lifted Wax but ended up giving up a reversal which gave Wax a 1-1 criteria lead. Wax got the par terre in second period for the 2-1 lead and the win.

Wrestling Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) has the chance to become Tajikistan's first-ever world champion in Greco-Roman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

More history in on the line on Tuesday as Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) will try to become Tajikistan's first-ever Greco-Roman world champion at any level after he reached the 60kg final. He defeated Alexandru LUNGU (ROU), 2-1 in the semfinals.

But the task will not be easy as he faces U17 Asian champion Amirreza TAHMASBPOUR (IRI) who staged a stunning comeback for a close 5-4 victory over Elmir CHARKAZOV (AZE).

Charkazov got the first par terre of the match but did not score any points but he managed a pushout point before the break to lead 2-0. Tahmasbpour tried a duckunder in the second period which Charkazov countered with a takedown to double his lead to 4-0.

Tahmasbpour up the pace of the bout and Charkazov tried a blank throw, only to land on his own back and give up two. He tried another desperate throw but the Iranian did not land in danger, countering with a takedown to take a 4-4 criteria lead.

Azerbaijan challenged the decision, asking for two points for the throw but lost it which added one more point to Tahmasbpour's score.

At 92kg, U17 European champion Tomasz MITAL (POL) is one step away from adding the world gold medal. He pinned Yusuf AKSU (TUR) in the semifinal to reach the final where he will take on Hlib YEVSIEIEV (UKR) who had no trouble beating Mirjalol SHOVKATOV (UZB), 8-0.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Soltan IUSUPOV (RUS) df. Ali ALMAS (KAZ), 8-3

BRONZE: Ararat AVETISYAN (ARM) df. Benedek TOMBOR (HUN), 8-0
BRONZE: Omar SALMANOV (AZE) df. Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), 7-1

55kg
GOLD: Diyar AMANALI (KAZ) df. Keve KOVACS (HUN), 1-1

BRONZE: Edem PAIZIEV (RUS) df. Danimir YORDANOV (BUL), 8-0
BRONZE: Vlad TRIP (ROU) df. Tsimafei SEMIANENKA (BLR), 6-2

65kg
GOLD: Shamil LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Ibrahim NASIBOV (UKR), 7-5

BRONZE: Imre JUHASZ (HUN) df. Vazgen MNATSAKANYAN (ARM), 3-2
BRONZE: Orkhan HABIBLI (AZE) df. Kunal DAGAR (IND), 7-5

80kg
GOLD: Alireza REZAEI (IRI) df. Isfahan HASANOV (AZE), 2-1

BRONZE: Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) df. Ivan IVANOV (USA), 12-4
BRONZE: Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU) df. Abdulhalik BAL (TUR), 5-2

110kg
GOLD: Tymofii PRYKHODKO (UKR) df. Bruno PALLONE (USA), 14-5

BRONZE: Andrej SIMIC (SRB) df. Yahor SAVICH (BLR), 5-1
BRONZE: Aliakbar AKOO (IRI) df. Fedor SUKHAREV (RUS), 1-1

Semifinals

45kg
SF 1: Rylen WAX (USA) df. Afruzbek IBRAGIMOV (UZB), 2-1
SF 2: Ali JAVADLI (AZE) df. Armin ESMAEILI (IRI), via forfeit

51kg
SF 1: Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) df. Vadim TARELUNGA (MDA), 10-0
SF 2: Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE) df. Saba ABASHIDZE (GEO), 9-3

60kg
SF 1: Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) df. Alexandru LUNGU (ROU), 2-1
SF 2: Amirreza TAHMASBPOUR (IRI) df. Elmir CHARKAZOV (AZE), 5-4

71kg
SF 1: Janes NAZARYAN (ARM) df. Kristiyan KRASTEV (BUL), 8-0
SF 2: Aslan DZUEV (RUS) df. Esmaeil ZAHERDOUST (IRI), 10-1

92kg
SF 1: Tomasz MITAL (POL) df. Yusuf AKSU (TUR), via fall (7-3)
SF 2: Hlib YEVSIEIEV (UKR) df. Mirjalol SHOVKATOV (UZB), 8-0

#WrestleTirana

Bisultanov Throws His Way to Second European Gold

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 - 13:06 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 21) -- In one of the most viral and recognizable videos of the many social media edits of wrestling is the one of Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) performing a huge arm throw. He did it at the 2022 European Championships, which he went on to win.

Four years later, Bisultanov had to rely on the arm throw again to beat an Olympic champion and to win his second European title, making him the first wrestler from Denmark to achieve the feat.

Starting as the underdog against Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) in the 87kg final in Tirana on Tuesday, Bisultanov performed a near-perfect throw, tossing Novikov on the mat for four points. That gave Bisultanov a huge advantage and Novikov played catch up in the six-minute final. He scored two counter exposure in the same sequence but Bisultanov still led 4-4 on criteria.

Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN), red, performs the arm throw to score four points against Semen NOVIKOV (BUL). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The Denmark wrestler scored a stepout and got the passivity point in the second period to extend his lead to 6-4, leaving Novikov needing at least three points for the win. Novikov tried a desperate throw in the final moments but Bisultanov blocked him and secured the fall.

When the final ended, Bisultanov was a two-time European champion. Novikov, who had defeated Bisultanov twice before including at the Paris Olympics, was now the second best in Europe two times in a row.

"Last time I lost to him, it was the Olympics," Bisultanov said. "Before that, it was the European Championships [2023]. I have not wrestled at the European Championships since that."

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Returning the continental tournament after three years, Paris bronze medalist Bisultanov showed early signs of form in Tiran when he won three bouts via technical superiority. He began with an 8-0 win against Matej MANDIC (CRO), then a similar victory over Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM) and a 9-0 shutout in the quarterfinals against Ihar YARASHEVICH (UKR).

In the semifinals, he faced Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) but took just 46 seconds in the second period to pin the Ukrainian, who had beaten Novikov last week.

"I'm speechless," Bisultanov said. "Actually, I told my coaches I would win it by finishing every match before time. And thank God, a few seconds before the time finished in the final, they called the pin. So I completed my promise to my coaches."

WATCH: All Matches of Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) at European Championships

Giving a small insight into the planning he had for Novikov, Bisultanov explained how one training session in Porec, Croatia in February helped them devise a strategy.

"I had only one sparring session with Novikov in that camp," he said. "My coach told me defend the par terre by moving behind. But during that training session, I tried to defend and Novikov rolled me two times."

"So before the final, my coach reminded me how to defend. And I told my coach. that the last time I tried this defense, he rolled me. Then coach said just do what you would like to do. I did the arm throw."

Bisultanov missed out on a medal at the 2025 World Championships, but the 24-year-old reteriated that he is not finished yet.

"I want to achieve even more," he said. "I know I'm not done. My ultimate goal is to be an Olympic champion."

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) is now a five-time European champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Amoyan Claims Fifth Straight Title

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) is quickly becoming a European legend as he claimed his fifth straight gold medal on Tuesday.

In what was a rematch of the 2025 final, Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) was looking to avenge his 3-1 loss against Amoyan. While Zoidze was able to make it a close final this time around, he was not able to stop Amoyan from a 1-1 win.

Both wrestlers exchanged passivity points but it was Amoyan who got the first position which gave the Armenian the criteria for the win.

"Every year the victory becomes more difficult for me," Amoyan said. "I have truly gone through a very difficult journey, and I still have more to achieve in order to accomplish even greater victory."

Amoyan began his European Championships career in 2020 but he finished 16th at 72kg, In 2021, he fell short at the last hurdle and finished with a silver medal at 72kg.

But in 2022, he moved up to 77kg and won his first of the five gold medals.

"Honestly, I don’t think about whether it will be the 5th, 6th, or 7th title," he said. What matters to me is the victory itself. I go into every tournament aiming only to win the gold medal."

At 55kg, 18-year-old Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) fell short against the experienced Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) who defended his European title with a 2-1 victory.

Lolua had the 1-1 criteria lead after both wrestlers exchanged par terre positions. However, in a flurry of action with just about a minute remaining, Sefershaev managed to push Lolua out of bounds and take a 2-1 lead. He defended the lead to claim the gold medal, his third at the European Championships.

Veteran Sergey EMELIN (UWW) also won his third European title in contrasting manner than Sefershaev. Facing U23 world champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) for the gold medal, Emelin got the par terre and gut-wrenched the Moldova wrestler for a 9-0 win.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) df. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), 2-1

BRONZE: Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Omer RECEP (TUR), 8-0
BRONZE: Stefan GRIGOROV (BUL) df. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 3-1

63kg
GOLD: Sergey EMELIN (UWW) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 9-0

BRONZE: Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Mairbek SALIMOV (POL), 11-0
BRONZE: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Pridon ABULADZE (GEO), 6-2

77kg
GOLD: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), 1-1

BRONZE: Edvin BAFF (SWE) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), 2-1
BRONZE: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) df. Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO), 1-1

87kg
GOLD: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) df. Semen NOVIKOV (BUL), via fall (8-4)

BRONZE: Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) df. Ihar YARASHEVICH (UWW), 1-1
BRONZE: Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Dogan KAYA (TUR), 5-1

130kg
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Darius VITEK (HUN), 7-1

BRONZE: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) df. Marat KAMPAROV (UWW), 10-5
BRONZE: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 3-1

Labazanov Leads Russia to Two Golds at U17 World Championships

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Bisultanov Throws His Way to Second European Gold