#WrestleBelgrade

Live Blog, U23 World Championships Day 6: FS 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg, 125kg

By United World Wrestling Press

BELGRADE, Serbia (November 6) -- The penultimate day of the U23 World Championships is here. The final five weigh classes of freestyle will be in action at the Belexpocentar. Later in the day, we will have the five freestyle finals.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

1540: Artur CHEBODAEV (RUS) never looked in trouble as he makes his way to the semifinals after a 7-0 win over Christopher CANNON (USA). He will face Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL) in the semins. Narmandakh defeated Arman ELOYAN (FRA) in the semifinal.

1500: At 92kg, junior world championAmirhossein FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI) looks unstoppable. He beats Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ) 11-0. U23 European champion Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) also moves into semis with a 12-4 win over Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR).

1440: Sajjad GHOLAMI (IRI) with another win for Iran. The 86kg wrestler in now into the semifinal after beating Mher MARKOSYAN (ARM) 5-0 and on Mat A, Zagid KARIMOV has two cautions against him but he wins 7-3 against Sandeep Singh MANN (IND).

1415: Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI) keeps the winning ways for Iran. He beats Praveen MALIK (IND) 12-2. On Mat B, Arsen HARATYUNYAN (ARM) moves on to the quarterfinals with a 6-0 win

1345: Valiev scored a stepout, added a takedown and in the same action he gets a roll to lead 5-0. Bayramov cuts it to 5-2 with a takedown and then tries to score to pushouts but Valiev is quick to not go out in standing and refs call it neutral. Bayramov fails to get the takedown. Valiev will move into the quarterfinals after the 8-3 win

1330: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Cherman VALIEV (RUS) are making their way for their 1/8 final on Mat C

1300: Junior world champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI) looks good in Belgrade. He starts with a first-period 10-0 win over Kolyo DIMITROV (BUL) at 92kg

1240: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) starts with a controlled win over Gamzatgadzhi KHALIDOV (HUN). He was looking for the pin but the time ran out in the first period. He comes back to win 11-1

1230: Christopher CANNON bringing the fire on Mat A! He fends off attacks from Suraj KOKATE (IND) and then adds leg lace and a carry for four to win 10-0

1200: Cherman VALIEV (RUS), one of the favorites to win here, starts with an easy 11-0 win over  Tino RETTINGER (GER) and moves to the 1/8th against Bayramov

1140: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) is wrestling at his sixth international tournament this year. He takes his time but scores an easy 6-0 win over Vadym KURYLENKO (UKR)

1130: Do we have a new Geno PETRIASHVILI? Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) uses his express speed to win his opening bout Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR) 

1115: Canada's Hunter LEE gave up two points but Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO) cannot answer Lee's other attacks. The Canadian wins 13-2

1100: Emre CIFTCI (TUR) begins with a 10-0 hammering of Benjamin GREIL (AUT) to get going at 86kg. A couple of forfeits here at 86kg

1030: Welcome to yet another day of wrestling action at the U23 World Championships. Freestyle action continues as we have five more weight classes going on the mat. Big session coming up

#WrestleBelgrade

Orta, Jafarov set showdown at World Championships

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 23) -- Tokyo Olympic champion at 60kg Luis ORTA (CUB) will be back in Paris, although in a new weight class, made it to his first-ever World Championships final on Saturday.

Orta moved up to the 67kg weight class at the start of the year and delivered results instantly, winning the Pan-Am gold and bronze medals at the Ranking Series events.

In Belgrade, Orta was slated to face world champion Mate NEMES (SRB) in the quarterfinals and after securing a hard-fought win over the local wrestler. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) tried stopping him in the semifinals but Orta scored three takedowns in his 9-1 win over the Kyrgyz wrestler.

By reaching the final, Orta confirmed a spot for Cuba at the Paris Olympics next year.

But to be a world champion, Orta will have to beat the returning bronze medalist and a young star of the sport Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE).

The 20-year-old former U20 and U23 world champion reached the final after beating three top wrestlers in three straight bouts. He first took out European silver medalist Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) before beating Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), 10-0, in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, Jafarov was made to work hard by Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) for his 5-3 win. Jafarov scored a turn from par terre to lead 3-0. Jafarov was awarded a second passivity in the second period to change the score to 4-0 but he failed to score any points.

Galstyan scored a takedown in the second period and cut Jafarov's lead to 4-2 and got a stepout in the final second to make it 4-3. Armenia's challenge for fleeing could not be confirmed on review, adding a point to Jafarov's score.

At 87kg, David LOSONCIZ (HUN) showed why he is the most dynamic wrestler of the weight class, mauling his opponents in the run to the final. After winning his first two bouts via technical superiority, he defeated Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) 6-1 in the final before a brutal rolling of Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) in the semifinals.

He will face European silver medalist and returning bronze Ali CENGIZ (TUR) for the gold who scored a come-from-behind victory over Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) in the other semifinal. 

Cengiz had earlier beaten Olympic champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) 3-1 in the 1/8 finals before winning 3-3 against Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) who was a silver medalist at 82kg last year.

In the non-Olympic weight class, two-time world silver medalist Leri ABULADZE (GEO) will try to win a gold medal as he reached the final for the third straight year. Abuladze defeated Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) 3-1 in the semifinals.

For the gold, Abuladze will have a rematch of the 2022 European Championships final as Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) reached the final after beating Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) from the other side of the bracket. Abuladze won the gold at Euros 3-1.