#WrestleSofia

Mammadli defeats returning World champion to earn spot in Greco-Roman finals at #WrestleSofia

By Taylor Miller

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Nihat Zahid MAMMADLI (AZE) advanced to the Cadet World finals for the second time in his young career and will wrestle for a gold medal at 55 kg on Saturday.

Mammadli, who is a 2017 Cadet World silver medalist, knocked off returning World champion Abror ATABAEV (UZB) with a dominant 7-0 victory.

A 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival bronze medalist, Mammadli will face Pravin Pandurang PATIL (IND), who won Cadet Asian bronze earlier this summer.

Also from Azerbaijan, Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) cruised to the finals at his first World Championships, outwrestling 2018 U15 Asian silver medalist Rupin RUPIN (IND) in the 48 kg semifinals.

For gold, Babashov will challenge 2018 Youth Olympic Games champion Amirreza Mohammadreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI), who scored an 8-0 tech fall in his semis match over Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ).

Iran also put a second wrestler in the finals as 2019 Cadet Asian bronze winner Shahrokh Abouzar MIKAEILI (IRI) moved onto the gold match at 110 kg.

Waiting for him in the finals is Razmik KURDYAN (ARM), who was fifth at the Cadet European Championships. He defeated European champion Mate GOKADZE (GEO) to earn a chance at gold.

At 65 kg, Asian bronze medalist Sheroz OCHILOV (TJK) upset Asian champion Hojat REZAEI (IRI) in the semifinals, 3-1.

In Saturday’s final, Ochilov will go head-to-head with 2019 Cadet European bronze medalist Dzmitry BONKA (BLR).

For the title at 80 kg, 2018 Balkan champion Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA) will battle Mykyta ALIEKSIEIEV (UKR).

Lupasco shutout Asian champion Maskat SAILAU (KAZ) in the semis, while Alieksieiev took out Kamran ARGHASH (IRI).

The finals will take place on Saturday at 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals matchups                   
48 kg: Amirreza Mohammadreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI) vs. Ziya BABASHOV (AZE)
55 kg: Pravin Pandurang PATIL (IND) vs. Nihat Zahid MAMMADLI (AZE)
65 kg: Sheroz OCHILOV (TJK) vs. Dzmitry BONKA (BLR)
80 kg: Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA) vs. Mykyta ALIEKSIEIEV (UKR)
110 kg: Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) vs. Shahrokh Abouzar MIKAEILI (IRI)

#WrestleBaku

European Paris 2024 Freestyle Qualification Bouts Set

By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 7) -- The final day of the European OG Qualifier in Baku, Azerbaijan with 12 Freestyle quotas to be won for the Paris Olympics. Wrestlers who finish top two in the six weight classes will qualify their countries for the the Games.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 2 REPORT

Paris Olympic Qualification Bout Set

 

57kg
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) vs. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) vs. Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN)

65kg
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) vs. Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs. Islam DUDAEV (ALB)

74kg
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) vs. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)
Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (AIN) vs. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)

86kg
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) vs. Artur NAIFONOV (AIN)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) vs. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)

97kg
Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (AIN) vs. Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL) vs. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN)

125kg
Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) vs. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN)
Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) vs. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)

14:15: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) puts himself in the 86kg semifinal with a 6-2 win over Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL). Nurmagomedov led 4-0 when Ramazanov scored a takedown and tried to turn Nurmagomedov who blocked Ramazanov during the turn and got two more points.

14:05: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) fails to break Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) defense and suffers a 2-1 loss against Naifonov who has dominated Kurugliev. Naifonov will wrestle for the Paris Olympic quota while Kurguliev will have to fight it out in Istanbul.

13:55: Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (AIN) and Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) put on a show. The two wrestlers scrambled for the lead and on the mat but it was Kadimagomedov who managed to beat Demirtas 6-1. He will take on Salkazanov for a place in Paris Olympics

13:50: Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) survives an attempted pin from Miroslav KIROV (BUL) as the clock expires for the break. Kirov leads 3-1 with two minutes remaining. A stepout for Salkazanov to cut the lead to 3-2. Another one makes it 3-3 with Kirov holding criteria. With 25 seconds remaining, Salkazanov manages to push Kirov out and takes a 4-3 lead and the win at 74kg.

13:40: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) with a 2-0 victory to enter the semifinals at 74kg. He will take on Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) to win a spot for the Paris Olympics.

13:15: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) with a solid 6-0 win over Suleyman ATLI (TUR) at 57kg to move into the semifinals. Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) pins Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)

13:00: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) hangs on! He moves into the 65kg semifinals with a 4-2 win over Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN). The National Gymnastics Arena here in Baku is overjoyed with that.

12:45: Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) and Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) post contrasting wins in their 1/8 finals at 86kg. Naifonov beats  Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT) 10-0 while Kurguliev wins 2-0 against Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL). Naifonov and Kurguliev will clash in the quarterfinals.

12:30: Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) wins 11-0 over Aron CANEVA (ITA) at 86kg. On Mat C, Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) beats Osman GOCEN (TUR) 9-3 at 86kg. A big win for the Georgian wrestler who is moving up from 79kg.

12:10: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) continues the winning start for Azerbaijan wrestlers by winning 10-0 at 74kg. Bayramov took only two minutes and 10 seconds to beat Tobias PORTMANN (SUI).

12:00: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) marches on at 74kg. He beats Simon MARCHL (AUT) 7-1 to make his place in the quarterfinal.

11:40: Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (AIN), who replaced Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN), for Baku, starts with a 12-2 win over Benjamin HONIS (HUN) at 97kg.

11:35: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) entertains the home crowd with a technical superiority 11-0 win over Simone PIRODDU (ITA) at 57kg. Azerbaijan wrestlers are unbeaten so far in Baku

11:25: European champion Islam DUDAEV (ALB) begins his 65kg campaign with a 10-0 win over Dominik JAGUSZ (POL). He will wrestle Joshua FINESILVER (ISR) next

11:10: Two-time Olympic medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE) felt the burn in the final minute but he does well to keep Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) at bay and win 5-2 at 65kg. On Mat A, Erik ARUSHUNIAN (UKR) beats Andre CLARKE (GER) 7-1 at 65kg. 

11:00: Artur NAIFONOV (AIN), wrestling internationally for the first time since the 2021 World Championships, gets going with a technical superiority 10-0 win over Aimar ANDRUSE (EST).

10:45: Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (AIN) uses a big throw for four in an 11-0 win over Stas David WOLF (GER) to move into the quarterfinals at 74kg.

10:40: In the first bout of the day, Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) is up on Mat C facing Patryk OLENCZYN (POL). He leads 6-0 at the break, scoring three takedowns in counters. He adds two more in the second period and gives up three points to win 10-3 and advance at 74kg.

10:30: Day three of the European OG Qualifier in Baku with Freestyle weight classes competing for 12 Paris 2024 spots.