#WrestleIstanbul

Live Blog: Yasar Dogu, Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Ranking Series Day 4

Sunday, February 27, 2022 - 07:26 By United World Wrestling Press

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ISTANBUL, Turkey (February 27) -- The final day of the Yasar Dogu, Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Ranking Series is here. After the Greco-Roman and Women's Freestyle, the men's freestyle will round off the tournament.

Eight weight classes will be in action with five-time world champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) highlighting the field. He wrestles at 79kg. Olympic silver medalist Ravi KUMAR (IND) wrestles at 61kg. U23 world champion Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), world champion Zagir SHAKHIEV (RWF), Tokyo bronze Bekzod ABDURAKHAMANOV (UZB) are the other names to keep an eye on.

MATCH ORDER | LIVE STREAM

1814: Ravi KUMAR (IND) works Mohammad YAKHKESHI (IRI) so much that he gives up a pin. The Tokyo silver medalist is moving on into the final at 61kg

1810: Almaz SMANBEKO (KGZ) humbles Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR) in front of some loud Kyrgyzstan fans. Big 11-0 win inside two minutes in that 57kg semifinal  

1755: James GREEN (USA) waited for the final 30 seconds to score a takedown and take out Viktor RASSADIN (RWF) in the 70kg semifinal

1730: The 74kg semifinal are set

Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) vs Mohmmad FIROUZPOUR (IRI) 
Pritam PRITAM (IND) vs Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR) 

1715: Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) was put on the activity clock in the final minute with a score of 1-1 against Ali Bakhtiar SAVADKOUHI (IRI). But a clear singlet grab from Savadkouhi gives the point to Burroughs and the win at 2-1

1625: Bekzod ABDURAKHAMANOV (UZB), debuting at 86kg, began with a win and is now wrestling in the quarterfinals against Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO). It was 2-1 for the Uzbek wrestler before he scores a takedown on the edge to lead 4-1. A stepout to extend the lead. It's 7-1. Another stepout and he wins 8-1.

1610: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) had it covered with a 5-3 lead and needed to defend 10 seconds. But Mohammad Esmaeil YAKHKESHI (IRI) throws him for four points with 5 seconds remaining and secures the win

1600: The semifinals for the 92kg weight class are set

Elkhan ASSADOV (KAZ) vs. Ahmad Yousef BAZRIGHALEH (IRI)
Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) vs. Guram CHERTKOEV (RWF) 

1545: Viktor RASSDIN (RWF) takes out Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ). After building an 8-0 lead, Rassadin defended all the attacks and hangs on for a 12-7 win.

1445: Are you excited for these 65kg quarterfinals?

Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) vs Ahmet TAS (TUR)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR) vs Mohammad YAKHKESHI (IRI)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) vs Akbar KURBANOV (KAZ) 
Nicholas MEGALUDIS (USA) vs Ravi KUMAR (IND) 

1415: Gulamjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) sneaks one out at the end. He beats Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) 3-2.

1345: The crowd here has is on its feet. Ahmet TAS (TUR) gets two body locks to four points and beats Ramiz GAMZATOV (RWF) 11-0. Just a stunning show of power

1330: Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) with some more double-leg attacks and Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ) has no answers to them. The USA wrestler wins 10-0 

1315: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) has a tendency to give up early points but then rallies to come back in those bouts. In a similar fashion, he beats Anthony ASHNAULT (USA) 10-3 

1300: Jordan OLIVER (USA) was in the lead but Aliakbar FAZLIKHALILI (IRI) scored two takedowns and moves on with a 4-2 win at 70kg

1235: Zagir SHAKHIEV (RWF) wins 11-0. But don't move away from Mat C. We have Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) coming up followed by Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)

1225: Joey MCKENNA (USA) now has two big wins to start off. He won his first bout 10-0 and now beats Evan HENDERSON (USA) 16-9 at 65kg.

1200: Junior Asian champion Mohmmad FIROUZPOUR (IRI) with a good start. A technical superiority win over Abdullah J M Th A ABDALKAREEM (KUW).

1145: Tokyo silver medalist Ravi KUMAR (IND) uses his outside single to great effect and scores a 7-0 win over compatriot Mangal KADYAN (IND) at 61kg.

1130: Russian champion Ramiz GAMZATOV (RWF) got a tough challenge from Daniel DESHAZER (USA) but comes out on top 5-1. Great technical wrestling from him 

1115: Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) got some double-legs, some stepouts and he a win at 79kg. He moves on to the quarterfinals.

1105: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) has nerves of steel. He was trailing 3-4 with 10 seconds remaining and pulls out a huge takedown at the edge to win 5-3 at 70kg

1050: Cadet world champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) with a good win over Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) 10-0. It will be interesting how far Jalolov can go in the tournament at 65kg

1040: Welcome to the final day of the #WrestleIstanbul event. Kicking off proceeding on Mat B is the world champion Zagir Shakhiev (RWF) and Adil OSPANOV (KAZ). Shakhiev with a quick leg lace and leads 6-0. Ospanov with a two and two to make it 4-8. But Shakhiev has bounced back nicely to win 15-5

Iran strikes three golds to close ISG 2025

Friday, November 21, 2025 - 17:17 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 21) -- World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) led an inspiring performance from Iran which captured three out of four gold medal on the final day of the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Riyadh on Friday.

Zare, who won gold medal at 125kg in Zagreb in September, dominated his way to the gold in Riyadh outscoring his opponents 28-0 in three bouts.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) scores a takedown on Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) during the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Facing Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) in the final, Zare combined his skills to score stepouts at win and also scored two takedowns to finish the match 10-0, capturing his fourth gold medal of the season.

Sharipov reached the final after securing a shocking win over world silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) 7-6 in the semifinal. Meshvildishvili had to mount a comeback in the second period after he was down 5-1 in the match. He managed to make it 6-6 but trailed on criteria and as he tried to score a stepout in the final 10 seconds, Sharipov managed to remain inside the zone to survive attack.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) tries to control Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) during the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 97kg, a rematch between Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) and world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) was on the cards but Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) denied that as he defeated Tazhudinov 14-3 in the semifinals.

Azarpira and Aitmukhan faced each other in the final but the former was clearly the better wrestler as he blanked Aitmukhan 5-0 to win the gold medal. He scored three stepouts and Aitmukhan was cautioned when aggressively pushed Azarpira. One more stepout was enough for Azarpira to win the gold medal.

Tazhudinov declared himself injured in the bronze medal bout which gave Olympic bronze medalist Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) the medal.

Younes EMAMI (IRI)Younes EMAMI (IRI) reaches for the leg of Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) during the 74kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran's gold rush began when former Asian champion Younes EMAMI (IRI) completed a 5-0 victory over Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) at 74kg. Emami scored a takedown to take a 2-0 lead against Novruzov before pushing the Azerbaijan wrestler out of bounds twice before the break.

With a lead of 4-0, Emami began the second period on the aggressive and Novruzov was called passive. He failed to score in the 30-second period and Emami got another point to lead 5-0 which remained the winning score.

To reach the final, Emami had to go through 2024 world 70kg champion Norkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals. The Iranian defeated the Kazakhstan wrestler 6-5 in a thriller.

With the three golds, Iran finished the tournament with four gold medal while Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan won one each.

Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) celebrates after beating Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) in their opening bout at 86kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Dzhioev's impressive gold

One of Iran's favorite to win gold medal, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), suffered a heartbreaking loss at 86kg to Arsenii DIZHOEV (AZE) who capped off an incredible day with gold after beating Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) 5-1 in the final. 

The win over Ghasempour was quite impressive from Dzhioev. Down 3-0, he scored two takedowns and one point for Ghasempour's passivity to win the bout 5-3.

In the final against Saipudinov, he opened scored a takedown in the opening period after being called passive and giving up a point. He scored two stepouts and one point for passivity in the second period to win the final.

Ghasempour returned to win the bronze medal by beating Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 7-0, in the bronze-medal bout.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Younes EMAMI (IRI) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 5-0

BRONZE: Orozbek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 4-2
BRONZE: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) df. Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR), 4-3

86kg
GOLD: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN), 5-1

BRONZE: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 7-0
BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Bekzat RAKHIMOV (KGZ), 10-2

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), 5-0

BRONZE: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Muhammad GULZAR (PAK) df. Rifat GIDAK (TUR), via fall (4-5)

125kg
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), 10-0

BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ), 14-3
BRONZE: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Abdelrahman SHEYATAN (EGY), 5-0