#WrestleWarsaw

Live BLOG: European C'ships, Day One

Monday, April 19, 2021 - 09:35 By Eric Olanowski

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WARSAW, Poland (April 19) -- We're live from Warsaw, Poland for the opening day of wrestling at the European Championships.

Monday’s Freestyle Schedule:
11:30 - Qualification rounds
17:15 - Opening ceremony 
18:00 - Semifinals

19:19: It'll be Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Israil KASUMOV (RUS) wrestling for gold at 70kg. Masumov making the finals at 70kg means Russia is three-for-three in semifinal matches. 

18:30: Russia puts their second wrestler into the finals. Zagir SHAKHIEV (RUS) outscored Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 8-1 to close out the match and moved into the 65kg finals. 

18:23:  Atli will see Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS) for 57kg gold. The Russian picked up a pair of inactivity points and moved into the finals with the 2-0 shutout win over Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE). 

18:04: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) and Mikyay NAIM (BUL) traded inactivity points, but a first-period takedown from the Turkish two-time world medalist was the difference in punching his ticket to a second consecutive European final.

 

 

14:22: That'll do it for the morning session. We'll see you back here at 17:15 for the opening ceremony, which will be followed by the freestyle semifinals at 18:00.

Semifinals Matchups (As they come in)

57kg
SEMIFINAL - Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS) vs. Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Mikyay NAIM (BUL)vs. Suleyman ATLI (TUR)

65kg
SEMIFINAL - Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) vs. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
SEMIFINAL - Zagir SHAKHIEV (RUS) vs. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE)

70kg
SEMIFINAL - Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) vs. Israil KASUMOV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR) vs. Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)

79kg
SEMIFINAL - Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA) vs. Rashad YUSIFLI (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) vs. Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO)

97kg
SEMIFINAL - Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR) vs. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Radoslaw BARAN (POL) vs. Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS)

13:27: Odikadze narrowly escapes an upset. He scored a takedown, but gave up two one-point moves and hung on to defeat Aliaksandr Hushtyn, 2-2, on criteria.

13:20: Atli looked in mid-season form in his quarterfinals match against Kerymonv. He only need four minutes to pick up the 11-0 win over the Ukrainian wrestler. Atli will take on the winner of Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL) and Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) in the 57kg semifinals.

13:01: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) medaled at the '18 and '19 World Championships. Last year's European silver medalist will make his '21 debut on Mat B next against Kamil KERYMOV (UKR). 

12:50: World bronze medalist Elizbar ODIKADZE ?? has a few European medals. He's coming up in three matches on Mat A.

Odikadze's European Resume:
'15 Euro Games ?
'16 Euro C'ships ?
'17 Euro C'ships ?
'18 Euro C'ships ?
'19 Euro C'ships ?
'20 Euro C'ships ?

12:45: The lone returning champion that'll be in action today is Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR). He's coming up next on Mat A against Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE).

12:37: Kentchadze eases his way into the quarterfinals with a 10-5 win over Babii. 

12:33: Russian national champion and two-time European bronze medalist Israil KASUMOV (RUS) will wrestle Mihail SAVA (MDA) next on Mat A. 

12:12: U23 world champion Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) is coming up next on Mat B. He'll wrestle Valentyn BABII (UKR).

11:57: Tsiutryn lost a challenge after giving up a four-point chest wrap and fell to Mongush, 7-6.

11:53: We have ourselves a battle going on over on Mat B. Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS) and Aryan TSIUTRYN (BLR) and tied, 6-6, with 90 seconds left to go!  

11:46: Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) starts his day off with a 5-0 upset over Italy's '18 world bronze medalist Abraham CONYEDO (ITA).

11:38: HERE. WE. GO! We're hearing whistles, which means the first day of wrestling is officially underway.

#WrestleBudapest

Ranking Series: Maroulis, Blades lead strong U.S. team to Budapest

Saturday, July 12, 2025 - 09:46 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 11) -- Although it will a Ranking Series by name, Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial tournament starting on Thursday in Budapest will serve more than just that for many wrestlers.

For some it will be about the ranking points, for other it is a preparatory tour for the World Championships. The United States is bringing its world team, almost while some others will test this event to select their representatives for the World Championships, to be held in September in Zagreb.

Helen MAROULIS (USA), who has not wrestled since winning the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in August 2024, will be leading the team which also has Paris Olympics silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA), who continues to shine at 68kg, a weight class she moved from 76kg at the start of the season.

Turkiye, Canada, India, Kazakhstan and a few United World Wrestling wrestlers will light up Budapest from July 17 to 20. Women's Wrestling will be held on 18 and 19. 

A few other individual stars will be making an appearance, namely, Irina RINGACI (MDA), Grace BULLEN (NOR), Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ).

Here's a breakdown of all 10 weight classes for Women' Wrestling in Budapest:

For Maroulis, who booked her World Championships spot on the U.S. team in June, the Budapest Ranking Series will pose a challenge as she returns to the mat. Having dominated the 'Final X' competition in the U.S., Maroulis will now look to show her dominance at the international stage. The U.S. has also entered Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) to the competition at 57kg.

Tokyo silver medalist and former European champion Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) and 2025 European champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) look to be the toughest challenge for Maroulis in the bracket. 

India's world U17 champion and world U20 medalist NEHA (IND) has made a few headlines by winning the Mongolian Open Ranking Series and followed that up with a gold medal at Yasar Dogu. Budapest will be a stern test for the youngster.

European silver medalist Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) is also in the mix to get Ranking points and get a seed for the World Championships.

Blades should run through the 68kg bracket in Budapest. She has the likes of world champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) and European champion Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the draw but Blades is a level above the field entered for the competition.

Blades won the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in February and also her first Pan-Am title in May. She is currently 12th in the rankings but has a chance to jump as high as sixth with a gold medal.

Tosun won a bronze medal at the European Championships in her first competition since the Paris Games and looked in good form, something she would love to carry to Budapest as well. An appearance in the final and she can well become the top ranked wrestler at 68kg.

Shevchenko made a great impression by winning the European gold in a tough bracket and has a consolidate on that win with a good show in Budapest.

Other names include Kendra DACHER (FRA), Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) and Brooklyn HAYS (USA).

Dymond GUILFORD (USA)Both Dymond GUILFORD (USA) and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) are entered at 76kg which could give us a rematch of Tirana final from February. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 76kg, a rematch of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series final is on the cards as both Medet Kyzy and Dymond GUILFORD (USA) are entered. Guilford managed to beat Medet Kyzy in the final in Tirana but Medet Kyzy has since won the Asian Championships and Yasar Dogu golds.

Two young stars in the bracket include PRIYA (IND) and Elmira YASIN (TUR), both have multiple age-group continental and world medals. Former Asian champion Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) is also entered.

The 62kg and 65kg weight classes can throw some interesting match-ups, especially with Bullen and Rigaci continuing their season at 65kg. Bullen is a regular 62kg while Ringaci was at 68kg at Olympics and World Championships.

Ringaci and Bullen met in the 65kg final of the European Championships this year and the latter managed to beat Ringaci to capture the gold medal. Both can meet again in Budapest.

World bronze medalist Macey KILTY (USA), who will be in Zagreb for the U.S., will look to win gold and throw her hat in the ring as a contender for world title in Zagreb.

Dudova, Ana GODINEZ (CAN), MANISHA (IND), Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA), Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) and Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) are some of the names that highlight 62kg.

Dudova won bronze at the European Championships while Godinez won the Pan-Am gold in May. Manisha was the Asian champion in April but lost at the Mongolian Open in June and will be keen on returning to winning ways.

Kolawale is the African champion while Nwachukwu won the 'Final X' and will be in Zagreb for the World Championships. Kasabieva has blown hot and cold so far, but had good wins at the Mongolian Open to build some momentum in the season.

Tandelova, the youngster with medals at Zagreb Open and European U23s, finished fifth at the senior Europeans but has the potential to be on the podium in Budapest.

At 53kg, world and Asian bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) will start as the favorite in the bracket, especially after her domination at the Mongolian Open. She won gold in Mongolia without giving up a point in four bouts.

European medalist Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), Felicity TAYLOR (USA) and Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) will look to finish on the podium as well.

In what will be one of the biggest brackets in Budapest, the 50kg will see European silver medalist Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), Mongolia Open winner Natalia PUDOVA (UWW), European bronze medalist Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (UWW), multiple world age-group medalist Audrey JIMENEZ (USA), Madison PARKS (CAN), Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA) among others.

Pudova and Demirhan put on a stunning 50kg final in Ulaanbaatar which the former managed to win 7-6 despite comebacks from Demirhan. A medal in Budapest will put Pudova as one of the contenders for a podium-finish in Zagreb.

Pan-Am champion Karla GODINEZ (CAN), European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) and the U.S. rep for Zagreb Worlds Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) and Turkiye's young sensation Tuba DEMIR (TUR) will be the key names at 55kg.

At 59kg, world bronze medalist Othelie HOEIE (NOR) will look to win her first Ranking Series medal but has a tough road to medal bouts. She will have Elena BRUGGER (GER), Erika BOGNAR (HUN), Bediha GUN (TUR), Abigail NETTE (USA) and Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) in the same bracket.

Gun suffered a heartbreaking loss in the European finals but won Yasar Dogu tournament and will likely finish on podium in Budapest. Nette and Sidelnikova are strong contenders for a place in the final.

Three-time world silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) should have an easy path to 72kg gold unless Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) or HARSHITA (IND) spring a surprise to deny her.