#WrestleAlmaty

LIVE BLOG: Senior Asian Championships, Day Five

By United World Wrestling Press

The rivalries are back in action as freestyle actions begins in Almaty. Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) are the biggest superstars in action

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

1440 hrs: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)  and Ali Khalil SHABANIBENGAR (IRI) are the finalist at 97kg. 

1425 hrs: Ali Bakhtiar SAVADKOUHI (IRI) has done it. He will wrestle for gold at 79kg after beating defending champion USSERBAYEV (KAZ) 8-2 in semifinal. Byungmin GONG (KOR) pulls of thriller against Narsingh Pancham YADAV (IND) 5-5

1410 hrs: Sirojiddin KHASANOV (UZB) will wrestle for a gold medal at 70kg against Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)

1355 hrs: We have a rematch! Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) will redo the final of 65kg after they did that in New Delhi last year. Otoguro came out on top last year

1340 hrs: Ravi KUMAR (IND) will defend his 57kg title as he makes it to the final with a 11-0 win over Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE). In his way, however, is Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI) who takes out Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN) 5-1

1315 hrs: Narsingh Pancham YADAV (IND) will go up against Byungmin GONG (KOR) in the 79kg semifinal but it's the other one which should be a top match.  Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ) takes on Ali Bakhtiar SAVADKOUHI (IRI)

In the 97kg weight category, Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL) will be up against Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) while the other semifinal will see Ali Khalil SHABANIBENGAR (IRI) wrestling Satywart KADIAN (IND)

1310 hrs: We are moving closer to the the semifinals! At 57kg, Ravi KUMAR (IND) will wrestle Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE) while the second semifinal will see Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI) take on Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN)

65kg is set as Bajrang PUNIA (IND) goes against Bilguun SARMANDAKH (MGL). Defending champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) Morteza Hassanali GHIASI CHEKA (IRI)

1250 hrs: Two minutes and 10 seconds is all Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) needs to win 13-0 against Nodir RAKHIMOV (UZB) and move into the semifinal of his title defence at 65kg

1245 hrs: Bajrang PUNIA (IND) with a tactical 3-0 win at 65kg to reach the semifinal. Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) up next on Mat B

1235 hrs: Ravi KUMAR (IND) begins his title defence at 57kg with a dominant 9-2 win over Nodirjon SAFAROV (UZB) in the quarterfinal

1230 hrs: Down go both silver medalists! Karan MOR (IND) beats Amirhossein Ali HOSSEINI (IRI) 3-1 while young Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN) does it against Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK)

1215 hrs:  Amirhossein Ali HOSSEINI (IRI) and Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK), both silver medalist in their respective weights in Delhi last year are on Mat B and Mat C respectively

1200 hrs: Defending champion at 79kg Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ) rallies back from 1-4 down to win his qualification round bout 13-4 against Gurbanmyrat OVEZBERDIYEV (TKM)

1145 hrs: 2020 silver medalist Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK), Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN) and Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI) all begin on a winning note 

1130 hrs: The whistle are off! Almaty is ready for men's freestyle action. Many star wrestlers to claim the five gold medals on offer

#Grappling

Grappling Gi: Prendes doubles up as world champ; Gudanatov stunned

By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 15) - Whether it is Gi or No-Gi, it seems that Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) is making a habit of winning gold medals.

After winning double-gold at the 2024 World Grappling Championships, Prendes Larios repeated the feat in 2025, winning gold in Gi and No-Gi competition in Novi Sad.

The Spanish grappler won the 53kg gold in No-Gi on Tuesday with a dominant performance and continued the same form in Gi. She won her first two bouts via submission and in the final against Zuzanna KOWALSKA (POL) and won via submission.

She began by top control in the first minute but was called passive, giving one point to Kowalska to lead 2-1. She moved to a back mount and then performed a rear naked choke for submission to claim the gold medal at 53kg.

At 90kg, Tatiana KABANOVA (UWW) made amends and won gold medal after finishing with silver in No-Gi event. She was defeated by Alena VLASOVA (UWW) in that competition but Kabanova managed to remain unbeaten in a three-grappler bracket.

She defeated Vlasova via submission in the first bout and then won 3-1 against Justyna SITKO (POL) to claim the gold medal.

Gudanatov stunned

Defended 130kg world champion Abu GUDANATOV (UWW) was stunned by Bilal KURBABAGAMAEV (UWW) in thrilling final at 130kg. Gudanatov tried to set up a choke but Kurbabagamaev never gave up position and got two points for a controlling Gudanatov on ground.

As the two remained in the same position, Kurbabagamaev was called passive two times in which he failed to score. However, he still led 2-2 on criteria as he had a bigger scoring action than Gudanatov's sequence of one points.

But in the last minute, Gudanatov was called passive and cautioned one point which gave Kurbabagamaev a clear 3-2 lead in the final which he defended to win the gold medal.

In another thrilling final, Shamil MAZHIDKHANOV (UWW) defeated Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA), 5-3, to win the gold medal at 100kg. Mazdhikhanov scored the first two points for control but he was called passive on top which made the score 2-1. But he managed to move into a side mount for three points and lead 5-1.

With only intention of defending his four-point lead, Mazhidkhanov was docked two more points for passivity but he won 5-3 and captured the gold medal.

At 71kg, making his senior debut, 20-year-old Stefanos VAVILIS (GRE) stunned Sandor LAKATOS (HUN), 2-1, in the final and win his first gold medal.

RESULTS

Men's Grappling Gi

71kg
GOLD: Stefanos VAVILIS (GRE) df. Sandor LAKATOS (HUN), 2-1

BRONZE: Said ZAIPULAEV (UWW) df. Kevin MARTIN TINOCO (ESP), 5-2
BRONZE: Zaur AKHMEDOV (UWW) df. Nico PULVERMUELLER (GER), 2-2

100kg
GOLD: Shamil MAZHIDKHANOV (UWW) df. Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA), 5-3

BRONZE: Konstantin LI (KGZ) df. Pavel SLANINA ANTON (ESP), 9-3
BRONZE: Khasan ZAPIROV (UWW) df. Ramazan ABDRAKHIMOV (KAZ), 4-1

130kg
GOLD: Bilal KURBABAGAMAEV (UWW) df. Abu GUDANATOV (UWW), 3-2

BRONZE: Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA) df. Abraham COBY MARTINEZ (ESP), via submission (6-2)
BRONZE: John HANSEN (USA) df. Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE), 8-4

Women's Grappling Gi

53kg
GOLD: Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) df. Zuzanna KOWALSKA (POL), via submission (6-1)

BRONZE: Anorbi GRISHINA (UWW) df. Giulia ANGIOLINI (ITA), 7-3
BRONZE: Radomira OSTANINA (UWW) df. Evelina FLORIAK (UKR), 9-1

90kg
GOLD: Tatiana KABANOVA (UWW) 
SILVER: Justyna SITKO (POL)
BRONZE: Alena VLASOVA (UWW)