LIVE BLOG: Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series, Day One

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 08:55 By United World Wrestling Press

Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series Day 1

The first day of the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event is in the books. Musa EVLOEV (RUS) won his third RS gold medal while Istvan TAKACS (HUN) stopped fellow countryman Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) from claiming a record-extending seventh RS gold medal. Riza Kayaalp dominated the 130kg category and was crowned the champion. Kazakhstan once against showed their dominance in Greco-Roman and claimed six medals including two golds.

Friday, will be another action filled day with three more Greco-Roman categories and four women's freestyle weight categories in action.

The recap of all the action from Greco Roman

WATCH: Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series

FINALS' RESULTS

55kg Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS) df Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) 9-1
60kg Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) df Ahmet UYAR (TUR) via inj. def.
63kg Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) df Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) via inj. def.
67kg Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) df Mate KRASZNAI (HUN) 12-2
87kg Istvan TAKACS (HUN) df David LOSONCZI (HUN) 4-1
97kg Musa EVLOEV (RUS) df Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) 8-0
130kg Riza Kayaalp (TUR) df Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY) 7-0

2020 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Riza KAYAALP (TUR) completes a 7-0 shutout victory over Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY) and is crowed the champion at 130kg. That will close out the first day of action in Rome

2015 hrs: Abdellatif Mohamed thought he has two points against Kayaalp but Turkey challenge the call and the scores are 0-0. Mohamed is then warned for passivity. Opening for Kayaalp and he doesn't waste any time. He gets three exposures and is up 7-0 in the 130kg gold medal bout

2011 hrs: Final bout of the day and it's four-time world champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) taking on Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)

2010 hrs: Bronze medals for Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RUS) and NAVEEN (IND). The Russian completes a 3-1 win while Naveen hangs on for 1-1 criteria win over David STEPHAN (CZE)

2000 hrs: Final three medal bouts coming up in Rome. On Mat B, Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) is wrestling Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RUS) while on Mat A, Stepan DAVID (CZE) is up against NAVEEN (IND)

1955 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Musa EVLOEV (RUS) with a big four-point throw and then comes back to claim the victory with a pushout! Technical superiority finish for him. A third Ranking Series gold medal for EVLOEV

#WrestleRome 97kg GR Medal Match Results
?Musa EVLOEV ??df. Erik SZILVASSY ??, 8-0
?Olzhas SYRLYBAY ?? df. Ondrej DADAK ??, 9-0
?Cenk ILDEM ?? df. Luca SVAICARI ??, 7-1
— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) March 4, 2021

1950 hrs: 97kg final! Two-time defending world champion Musa EVLOEV (RUS) takes on Erik SZILVASSY (HUN). This will be his third Ranking Series gold medal if he can finish in Rome

1947 hrs: Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ) with a pushout and the win! He wins the bronze medal by a technical superiority win. Cenk ILDEM (TUR) also pockets the bronze medal with a 7-1 win

1945 hrs: Both bouts are the 30-second break point. Coincidentally, Syrlybay is leading by 7-0 on Mat B, same as Ildem on Mat A

1940 hrs: Bronze medal bouts in the 97kg weight category. On Mat B, Ondrej DADAK (CZE) is taking on Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ) and on Mat A, it's Rio Olympics bronze medalist Cenk ILDEM (TUR) against Luca SVAICARI (ITA)

1930 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Istvan TAKACS (HUN) caps of a stunning day for himself and Hungary with a gold medal in the 87kg final. He beats fellow countryman David LOSONCZI (HUN) 4-1 in the final. He had earlier stopped Lorincz from winning his record seventh gold medal by beating him in the semis

1920 hrs: Lorincz completes a 8-0 win over Fidelbo. His seventh medal at RS events but first which is not gold. In the second bronze medal bout, Bekkhan OZDOEV (RUS) steamrolls against Josef Patrick RAU (USA) for a 8-0 technical superiority win at 87kg

1915 hrs: This may well be an unfamiliar feeling for Viktor LORINCZ (HUN). He had won six gold medal in previous Ranking Series events but he is wrestling for the bronze in Rome. He is up against Simone FIDELBO (ITA)

1910 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) adds a second Ranking Series gold and fourth medal overall as he completes a technical superiority 12-2 win over Mate KRASZNAI (HUN)

#WrestleRome 67kg GR Medal Match Results
?Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET ??df.
Mate KRASZNAI ??, 12-2
?Almat KEBISPAYEV ??df. Enes BASAR??, 3-2
?Nazir ABDULLAEV ??df. Murat FIRAT ??, 1-1
— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) March 4, 2021

1907 hrs: Final bout at 67kg. Mate KRASZNAI (HUN) is wrestling for the gold medal against Asian Championships silver and former World Championships bonze medallist Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)

1905 hrs: Challenge won! The score is back 3-1 for Kebispayev. 10 seconds still remaining in the bout. Basar tries a desperate move but only gets a pushout and a point. Kebispayev wins the bronze medal with a 3-2 win

1902 hrs: Nazir Rachidovitch ABDULLAEV (RUS) wins the bronze medal after holding on to a 1-1 win against Murat FIRAT (TUR). On Mat B, Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) was leading 3-1 when Enes BASAR (TUR), went for a big throw. It was scored 4 points for the Kazakhstan wrestler. Turket with the challenge

1900 hrs: Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) wrestling for bronze at 67kg against Enes BASAR (TUR). On Mat A, Murat FIRAT (TUR) is leading Nazir Rachidovitch ABDULLAEV (RUS) in the second bronze medal bout of the category

#WrestleRome 63kg Medal Match Results
?Aidos SULTANGALI ?? df. Sultan ASSETULY , inj. def.
?Neeraj NEERAJ ?? df. Samuel JONES ??, 6-4
?Mohammad ALAJMI ?? df. Marat GARIPOV ??, via inj. def.
— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) March 4, 2021

1850 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Two Kazakhstan wrestlers in the final of 63kg and it's Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) winning the gold medal after Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) withdraws via injury default

1845 hrs: Both Neeraj and Jones exchanges points but it's the former with a 5-4 lead after Jones failed to complete a throw. USA has challenged the call. Challenge lost and Neeraj leads 6-4 with 22 seconds to go. He will hang on to the lead and will take home a bronze medal from Rome

1835 hrs: NEERAJ (IND) and Samuel Lee JONES (USA) are wrestling on Mat B for the bronze medal at the 63kg weight category. In the other bronze medal bout, Mohammad F Kh M J ALAJMI (KUW) is the winner via injury default against Marat Maksumovitch GARIPOV (RUS)

1830 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Russia's U23 World Championships silver medallist Emin Narimanovitch SEFERSHAEV (RUS) is the champion at 60kg via injury default from Ahmet UYAR (TUR)

1825 hrs: What a finish! Hafizov tried a head-pinch but gives up two of his own. Sarsenbiyev increases his lead by two points. Final six seconds left and Hafizov gets going with head lock exposure for two. He challenges it but it is lost. Zhanserik SARSENBIYEV (KAZ) takes the bronze medal at 60kg.

1820 hrs: Sarsenbiyev gets a two and then exposes Hafizov for two more. 5-3 lead for the Kazak with two minutes left in the bronze medal bout. Hungary's Kecskemeti hangs on for a 2-1 win and the bronze medal

1815 hrs: The two bronze medal bouts at 60kg are underway. On Mat B, Zhanserik SARSENBIYEV (KAZ) had 1-0 lead before Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) got a point for passivity and an exposure to take 3-1 lead. On Mat A, Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN) leads Joshua Xavier MEDINA (PUR) 2-1.

1810 hrs: Both Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS) and Khorlan Zhakansha (KAZ) exchange passivity points but the former then launches a big four-point throw and three gut-wrenches to claim the gold medal at 55kg with a dominant 11-1 win via technical superiority

1750 hrs: We are just minutes are away from the medal bouts in Rome. The bouts will take place on Mat B and A with Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS) and Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) battling it out for the 55kg gold on the former and Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN) vs Joshua Xavier MEDINA (PUR) fighting for the bronze medal at 60kg on the latter.

In case you missed the first session of the day, below is the recap of some upsets and Kazakhstan and Hungary advancing four wrestlers each to the finals

That'll wrap the first session of the day in Rome. The line-up for the finals is set and the second session will give us seven Greco-Roman champions at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event. We will be back after a three-hour break

In the warm-up hall in Rome today, two of wrestling's biggest stars sparred. Theo Lowenstien was there to capture this epic moment

1350 hrs: With that, we have our finals set in seven Greco-Roman weight categories

55kg Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS) vs Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ)
60kg Ahmet UYAR (TUR) vs Emin Narimanovitch SEFERSHAEV (RUS)
63kg Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) vs Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ)
67kg Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) vs Mate KRASZNAI (HUN)
87kg David LOSONCZI (HUN) vs Istvan TAKACS (HUN)
97kg Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) vs Musa Evloev (RUS)
130kg Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)

1335 hrs: Defending world champion Musa EVLOEV (RUS) storms into the final of 97kg. He beats Rio Olympics bronze medallist Cenk Ildem (TUR) 6-0 and will wrestle Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) in the final

1330 hrs: Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) is wrestling his countryman Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ). He gets tossed early in the bout and down 0-6. He had a very good run so far but now in deep trouble

1315 hrs: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) with a fall! The four-time world champion secures a place in the 130kg final against Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed (EYG), who defeated Naveen NAVEEN (IND) 3-1

1312 hrs: Give it to Istvan TAKACS (HUN)! He hands Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) his first defeat ever in Ranking Series events. He shuts out the defending champ 3-1. He moves into the 87kg final

1310 hrs: Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) is staring at his first defeat in Ranking Series events. He trains compatriot Istvan TAKACS (HUN) 1-3

1255 hrs: We are set for the semi-finals on Day 1 in Rome

60kg (TUR) Ahmet UYAR vs (PUR) Joshua Xavier MEDINA
60kg (USA) Ildar HAFIZOV vs (RUS) Emin Narimanovitch SEFERSHAEV
63kg (KAZ) Aidos SULTANGALI vs (RUS) Marat Maksumovitch GARIPOV
63kg (USA) Samuel Lee JONES vs (KAZ) Sultan ASSETULY
67kg (KAZ) Almat KEBISPAYEV vs (KAZ) Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET
67kg (RUS) Nazir Rachidovitch ABDULLAEV vs (HUN) Mate KRASZNAI
87kg (RUS) Bekkhan OZDOEV vs (HUN) David LOSONCZI
87kg (HUN) Istvan TAKACS vs (HUN) Viktor LORINCZ
97kg (RUS) Musa EVLOEV vs (TUR) Cenk ILDEM
97kg (KAZ) Olzhas SYRLYBAY vs (HUN) Erik SZILVASSY
130kg (IND) Naveen NAVEEN vs (EGY) Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED
130kg (RUS) Zurabi GEDEKHAURI vs (TUR) Riza KAYAALP

1240 hrs: Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS) with an upset! He takes out Tokyo Olympian Mohamed ELSAYED (EYG) 6-5 to move into the semi-finals at 67 kg

1230 hrs: Russian Championships runner-up Marat Maksumovitch GARIPOV (RUS) gets two four-point throws in the final 12 seconds to beat Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) and move into the 67kg semi-final

1225 hrs: Almat Kebispayev (KAZ) with a very close win! Trailing 2-4, he got a point for Jamel Rasheed JOHNSON'S (USA) passivity and then gets the exposure to lead 5-4. That remains the final score between the two.

1222 hrs: 2-0 win for Riza KAYAALP (TUR)! He moves into the semi-finals at 130kg. On Mat A, Kebispayev is in trouble as Johnson is leading 4-2 at the break in their 67kg quarter-final

1217 hrs: Multiple-time world medallist Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) is up on Mat A against Jamel Rasheed JOHNSON (USA). Meanwhile, Kayaalp is controlling the bout against Fernandez with a 2-0 lead

1210 hrs: Four-time world champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is wrestling against Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) on Mat C in the 130kg quarter-final

1201 hrs: A comfortable win to start off his tournament! Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) scores a point for passivity, takedown, and pushout to seal a 4-0 win against Azamat Kustubayev (KAZ)

1200 hrs: Rio Olympics bronze medallist from Turkey Cenk ILDEM leads Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ) 3-0 at the break in their 97kg quarter-final on Mat A

1152 hrs: The six-time champion at Ranking Series tournaments Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) makes his way to MAT C for his first-round bout against Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ). The Hungarian is 23-0 so far in Ranking Series

1150 hrs: Emin Narimanovitch SEFERSHAEV (RUS) gives up a point for passivity but Zhanserik SARSENBIYEV (KAZ) could not capitalize. The Russian plays the clock well and will hold on for a 2-2 victory by criteria and advance to the semi-finals

1145 hrs: World Cup champion Emin Narimanovitch SEFERSHAEV (RUS) leads 2-1 at the break against Zhanserik SARSENBIYEV (KAZ) in their 60kg quarter-final. The Kazak also has a caution warning against him

1133 hrs: Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) holds on for a win! Kerem KAMAL (TUR), the defending champion from the 60kg weight category, goes down 3-3 in the first round of 67kg in Rome. What a stunning first hour we have had here

1130 hrs: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) gets a pushout and rewarded with two points to take a 4-3 lead but Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) with a challenge to that call. Challenge won! 3-3 with 0:11 to go

1127 hrs: Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) got the advantage after Kerem KAMAL (TUR) was warned for passivity. The Kazak wrestler gets a head pinch and a lead of 3-1 over the Turkish wrestler

1120 hrs: Match of the morning in Rome! Kerem KAMAL (TUR) is facing Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) on Mat C. Kerem KAMAL (TUR) is the defending champion in Rome

1115 hrs: Eypgt's Tokyo Olympian Mohamed Ibrahim Elsayed Ibrahi ELSAYED gets going with a victory by fall in 67kg first round

1045 hrs: Four-time world champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) begins with a comfortable 4-2 win over Mansur SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)

1030 hrs: All set for the first bouts in Rome! This will be the start of the new ranking cycle for all the wrestlers for 2021

#WrestleZagreb

Olympic champ Saravi reclaims world title in stacked 97kg division

Sunday, September 21, 2025 - 00:52 By Ken Marantz

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 19) -- Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) ended a four-year wait to regain the title of world champion. He had his share of triumphs in the meantime -- a gold at the Paris Olympics, to say the least -- just not on this stage.

Saravi ended the drought by scoring an early takedown and going on to defeat Artur SARGSIAN (UWW) 3-1 in the 97kg final at the World Championships in
Zagreb on Saturday night, when three Greco titles were decided.

"In my opinion, this tournament wasn’t easy at all; it was one of the most exciting and diverse competitions I’ve ever been part of," Saravi said. "There were new opponents, and some wrestlers reached the finals and repechage rounds that I honestly hadn’t expected. The level was much higher than I thought it would be."

In other finals, Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) gave Kazakhstan its first Greco world champion since 1999 with a quick victory at 60kg, while Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) defeated Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) in a headache-inducing clash at 72kg that was a repeat of the 2024 world final.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) scores a takedown on Artur SARGASIAN (UWW) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

After winning the world gold in Oslo in 2021, Saravi had to settle for bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 worlds in Belgrade, falling in the semifinals both times.

But he righted the ship for the Paris Olympics, where he defeated long-time rival Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) in the final to add the gold to the Olympic bronze he won at Tokyo in 2021. And from 2023 to this year, he three-peated as Asian champion.

In Zagreb, while Aleksanyan and Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB), who defeated Saravi in the 2023 world semifinals, fell by the wayside, Saravi marched into the final without pomp or drama, winning his matches by such scores as 4-0, 1-1 and 3-1.

"In this weight class, the champions are among the greats of wrestling: Artur Aleksanyan, the Cuban Rosillo, and of course, my final opponent, Artur Sargsian, who is a very well-known and skillful wrestler," Saravi said. "But with my preparation, I was able to execute my plans and win."

His meeting with Sargsian in the final was a rematch of their first-round match at the 2021 World Championships, which Saravi won 6-4 en route to his first world gold. Sargsian took a bronze.

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On Saturday, the 27-year-old Saravi drew early blood when he used an arm drag to get behind and force Sargsian down at the edge for a 2-0 lead. He made it 3-0 with a passivity point, but was unable to turn Sargsian from par terre.

That left the door open for Sargsian, the winner of the Zagreb Ranking Series event in the same arena in February, when he was put in par terre in the second period. But he also could not budge the Iranian, who then ran out the clock for the win.

"As we had planned with my coaches, even though some of my expected rivals didn’t make it to the later rounds, with the analysis we had done we were able to plan well and make it to the final," Saravi said.

"I had wrestled [Sargsian] twice before, and with the strategies we had, I managed to beat him. Thankfully, this time, too, I was able to execute my plans perfectly on
the mat and win the match."

Saravi reflected on coming up short at the two previous World Championships.

"I think in the two World Championships where I won bronze, I had some technical weaknesses," Saravi said. "I was able to fix those before the Olympics and
keep that level through this year’s worlds.

"I hope I can keep improving for the upcoming tournaments and continue winning big medals."

Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) scores a four-pointer on Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

At 60kg, Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals over the five-year span between 2018 and 2022, snared his first gold with a masterful 9-0 win over Asian silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB).

"Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, who also beat the reigning Asian
champion, Se Ung RI (PRK), in the quarterfinals. "I am happy that my country is happy."

Sultangali started the rout in the final by spinning behind for a takedown against Ganiev, then adding a roll for a 4-0 lead.

He used an arm drag to great effect to score two more takedowns to finish off the victory in 1:07. The Uzbekistan challenged the final move, but it failed, making the
final score 9-0.

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened."

It was a much more fortuitous outcome for Sultangali than in their previous meeting at the Budapest Ranking Series event in July. Ganiev was leading that match 5-1 when Sultangali hit an arm throw, then continued to spin while clamping on the arm. That caused an injury to Ganiev's shoulder and got Sultangali automatically disqualified.

The 72kg final evolved into a messy affair when Ganizade was head-butted by Ghanem in the second period, a painful clash that not only drew blood, but induced a 2-point penalty that would be instrumental in the Ganizade's 4-2 victory.

The Egyptian-born Ghanem received the first passivity point in the first period, but could not score. In the second period, Ganizade was put on top in par terre, but he missed on an attempted throw, then was low on a second attempt at the edge.

The Azerbaijan side challenged the call on the second throw, but it was deemed "not a total lift," giving Ghanem a point for a 2-1 lead.

Had Ghanem just rode out the rest of the match, the gold would have been his. Instead, with :42 left, he rammed Ganizade's head, sending Ganizade sprawling to the mat in pain with blood spurting from the cut. The 2-point penalty gave him a 3-2 lead.

As if to add insult to injury, at the restart Ghanem flopped backwards, allegedly from a head to the chin from Ganizade. He challenged, but the match chairman was having none of his shenanigans, saying there was no contact and nixing the challenge to put Ganizade up 4-2.

"The competition was very tough," said Ganizade, a four-time European medalist. "Even though it was difficult, we had prepared a lot for this event and had attended many training camps. Because of the effort I put in, I believed I could become the champion at this competition -- and that is how I became champion."

It was Ganizade's third straight win in four career meetings with Ghanem, who won the world title in 2023. Previous to last year's 3-2 win in the world final, Ganizade pulled out a close 7-7 victory in the final at the 2023 European Championships.

In their first meeting, Ghanem came out on top, winning 2-1 in the first round of the Individual World Cup in 2020, a tournament set up during the pandemic.

"I have now become world champion for the second time," Ganizade said. "I also hope that after this, I will become world champion a third time and make our nation and people proud. For that reason, I will do my best."

As for what lies ahead, he said, "I’m not thinking about anything else yet. I plan to go rest first. After resting, I’ll decide what comes next."

Se Ung RI (PRK) won a bronze medal at the 60kg weight class. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Ri earns 1st Greco medal since 2015 for DPR Korea

In the bronze-medal matches, Paris Olympic bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK) gave the DPR Korea its first world Greco medal since 2015 and fourth overall with a victory by fall at 60kg over Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO).

Ri scored a takedown and 2-point throw for a 4-0 lead, then got in deep on a bear hug. When Shavadze tried to counter by lifting up and back, Ri just pressed forward and drove Shavadze to his back for a 4-pointer that would have ended the match anyway by technical superiority. The end came at 2:11 and the scenario was confirmed on challenge.

The other 60kg bronze went to Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM), a two-time world U23 bronze medalist who outlasted Georgij TIBILOV (SRB), winning 1-1 by earning the first of the two passivity points awarded in the match.

Both 72kg bronze-medal matches came to early and similar conclusions, with two-time Asian medalist Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) and reigning Asian champion Danial SOHRABI (IRI) both cruising to 8-0 victories for their first senior world medals.

Aliev defeated Yeonghun NOH (KOR), with the decisive points coming from an odd twist in a challenge following a 4-point throw by Aliev.

After scoring an early stepout, Aliev launched his 4-point throw from par terre. The Korean side issued a challenge, which it won -- except that the change was a 2-point leg foul against Noh, which made it an 8-point difference and ended the match at 1:40.

Sohrabi went the more traditional route in defeating Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ). The Iranian scored only a stepout on a throw attempt while in par terre, but rebounded to put on a six-point spree, finishing with a gut wrench to win in 2:51.

The 97kg bronze-medal matches proved to be wild affairs, with one having the rare occurrence of a fall being nullified on challenge, while the other had a fall confirmed.

Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) came out on top in a 5-5 decision over Alex SZOKE (HUN) in which the Azeri thought he had reversed to a fall, but was instead flagged for a foul that kept the bout going.

Ahmadiyev started the match with a 4-point arm throw, then stepped over to keep Szoke on his back and nearly secure a fall. The Hungarian side challenged, it was denied and Ahmadiyev led 5-0 going into the second period.

Szoke put the pressure on and gained an activity point, then executed a roll from par terre. But as he tried another, Ahmadiyev suddenly turned to face him and knocked him backward to the mat.

The referee called a fall, but on challenge, a leg foul was detected and Szoke was awarded a 2-point penalty that tied the score, but left him trailing on criteria. Due to the caution, Szoke got another chance at par terre, but couldn't turn Ahmadiyev.

Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW) saw his fall of Giorgi MELIA (GEO) in the other 97kg bronze-medal match held up after, like Ahmadiyev, he used a stepover to get Melia onto his back.

Melia was on top in passivity, but when he attempted a roll, Maskevich stepped over to put him into a danger position. Melia temporarily spun out, but Maskevich reeled him back in and secured the fall in 1:54. The action was all upheld on challenge.

Day 8 Results

Greco-Roman

60kg (25 entries)
GOLD: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) df. Alisher GANIEV (UZB) by TF, 9-0, 1:07

BRONZE: Se Ung RI (PRK) df. Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO) by Fall, 2:11 (9-0)
BRONZE: Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) df. Georgij TIBILOV (SRB), 1-1

63kg (26 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) df. Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI), 5-3
SEMIFINAL: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) by TF, 8-0, :36

67kg (34 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Daniial AGAEV (UWW) by TF, 10-0, 1:44
SEMIFINAL: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), 3-1

72kg (30 entries)
GOLD: Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) df. Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), 4-2

BRONZE: Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) df. Yeonghun NOH (KOR) by TF, 8-0, 1:40
BRONZE: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) df. Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ) by TF, 8-0, 2:50

87kg (30 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Alireza MOHAMADI (IRI) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 6-3
SEMIFINAL: Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) df. Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW), 1-1

97kg (29 entries)
GOLD: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Artur SARGSIAN (UWW), 3-1

BRONZE: Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW) df. Giorgi MELIA (GEO) by Fall, 1:54 (5-1)
BRONZE: Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) df. Alex SZOKE (HUN), 5-5

LIVE BLOG: Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series, Day One

Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series Day 1

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Olympic champ Saravi reclaims world title in stacked 97kg division