#WrestleRome

Matteo Pellicone day three finals set

By Vinay Siwach

ROME, Italy (June 24) -- The third day of the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series will feature six women's wrestling weight classes and two from freestyle. Ukraine dominated day two, winning three out of the four women's wrestling gold medals. Azerbaijan clinched the Greco-Roman title with ease.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

An absolutely thrilling session of wrestling comes to an end in Rome. Here are the final match-ups for the evening session. Action begins 1800 hours local time:

Women's wrestling

50kg: Madison PARKS (CAN) vs. Agata WALERZAK (POL)
53kg: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) vs. Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)
55kg: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) vs. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
59kg: Grace BULLEN (NOR) vs. Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
65kg: Nordic style -- Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) won gold
72kg: Nordic style -- Skylar GROTE (USA) won gold

Freestyle

97kg: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) vs. Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK)
125kg: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) vs. Robert BARAN (POL)

13:30: Quick 2-0 lead for Grote and she then gets on a single leg and adds two more to lead 4-0 at the break against Schell. Another shot from Grote and she gets two more. Schell adds a takedown with 41 seconds left. Grote defends and takes the gold at 72kg 

13:20: Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) absolutely thrashes Veronica BRASCHI (ITA) in the Round 5 bout at 65kg and seals the gold medal. What a performance from the European champion. On Mat A now, the Round 5 bout, with the gold medal on the line, between Anna SCHELL (GER) and Skylar GROTE (USA) 

13:10: Is that another upset? Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) scored a takedown in the final 20 seconds against European champion Andreea ANA (ROU). Even as Ana got on a two-on-one, Vynnyk hangs on for the win and enter the 55kg final 

13:00: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) in trouble against Jowita WRZESIEN (POL). She warned for fleeing in danger and is trailing 3-0 at the break in the 59kg semifinal. A double leg to begin the second period and she gets on the scoreboard with a takedown. Adekuoroye gets on another double leg but the series of exposures scored to Wrzesien. Challenge from Adekuoroye. She wins it but the exposures are for Wrzesien while Adekuoroye gets a point for negative from Wrzesien. She has 10 seconds to overturn a 9-3 score. She cannot and she will be wrestling for a bronze later. 

12:45: Grace BULLEN (NOR) is on a roll. She is in the final at 59kg after a 10-0 win over Abigail NETTE (USA). This is the first time in two years that Bullen has managed to reach a final at an international competition.

12:43: Anna SCHELL (GER) and Skylar GROTE (USA) both dominate their Round 4 bouts and have set up a clash for the gold in Round 5. They will wrestle in the evening session for the 72kg gold.

12:35: Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK) has a strong leg lace and he uses it to perfection. He reaches his second straight Ranking Series final after beating fellow European bronze medalist Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) 11-0 in the 97kg semifinal 

12:25: A rivalry that goes four years back. Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) vs. Kriszta INCZE (ROU) are on Mat B for their virtual gold-medal bout. Both are the only unbeaten wrestlers at 65kg. Rizhko once again gets exposure to lead 2-0 but Incze with a reversal. Incze circles around and get behind Rizhko in standing but the Ukrainian tosses her for four. It's 6-1 for Rizhko as Incze rues a missed opportunity. No points were scored in the second period. European champion Rizhko once again beats Incze

12:20: Talk about comebacks! Emma BRUNTIL (USA) was down 6-0 but worked her way to a 7-6 lead before giving up 2 for a trip. But she scores a takedown to lead 9-8 with a minute left. Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) tried hard and desperately for a point but failed. Bruntil won 11-8

12:10: Pan-Am champion Skylar GROTE (USA) has picked up two wins at 72kg. After getting past compatriot Marilyn GARCIA (USA) 11-0 in Round 2, she beats Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) 6-3 in Round 3 to strengthen her position for the gold. 

11:45: A minute and 10 seconds is all Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) needs to upset European champion Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE). Strong performance so far from him after beating BAITCAEV (HUN) in the opening round. He will face Erik THIELE (GER) in the semifinal after the German defeated Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN) 10-0.  

11:40: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) squaring off in the 59kg quarterfinals. A stepout for Adekuoroye to begin proceedings before she adds a takedown to lead 3-0 at the break. Vynnyk with a four and looks to pin Adekuoroye. Exposure sequence and it's 2 each with Vynnyk lead 6-5. Adekuoroye manages to go behind in the same sequence. She leads 7-6. She wins 10-6

11:30: Big match up at 65kg. Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) up against Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR). She gets two takedowns before working a leg turk. Zelenykh survives the fall. She then tries to reach Rizhko's far leg but ends up in a cradle and gives up two more. 8-0 for Rizhko. Zelenykh drives Rizhko out to make it 8-1. Rizhko with some crafty defence and puts Zelenykh on her back to secure the fall

11:15: European bronze medalist Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK) began with two takedowns against Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO). But he survived a cradle before securing an 8-4 win  

11:05: Winning start for Romania. First, European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) pins Alice BEVILACQUA (ITA) at 55kg and then Kriszta INCZE (ROU) controls the bout against Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) for a 4-1 win at 65kg  

10:55: Vladislav BAITCAEV (HUN) was up 7-2 but fails to keep the intensity and suffers a 14-9 loss to Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) at 97kg. Not the start the European Championships silver medalist would have hoped for. 

10: 50: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) with a composed 11-0 win over Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER). He did not waste too much energy and let the bout stroll into the second period.

10:45: We are moving very quickly. At 97kg, Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK) got an injury default win over Radoslaw BARAN (POL) while European champion Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) uses a gut wrench to secure a technical superiority win over  Radu LEFTER (MDA).

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) throws Nikolett SZABO (HUN) in their opening round bout at 59kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

10:41: What a start for Grace BULLEN (NOR)! She leg laces Nikolett SZABO (HUN) before securing a fall with a huge five at the end.

10:40: Emma BRUNTIL (USA) held off Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) for a few moments but the European champion secures a first-period fall over the American. Big result for Rizhko as she looks to add a gold  

10:35: World bronze medalist Anna SCHELL (GER) with a series of go behinds and she secures an 11-0 win in Round 1 at 72kg.

10:30: Ukraine won four gold medals Thursday and Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) begins the new day like her teammates. He wins 11-0 over Veronica BRASCHI (ITA) at 65kg. 

#WrestleRome

Sadulaev Leads Group of Four Russians into Saturday's European Finals

By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (February 13) --- The Russian Federation, led by Abdulrashid SADUALEV (RUS), posted a 13-1 record on the opening day of freestyle wrestling and inserted four of five wrestlers into Saturday night's European finals. 

Sadulaev extended his European win streak to 21 consecutive matches after bringing an unblemished 17-0 record into Rome. 

The four-time world champion and Rio Olympic gold medalist picked up top-ten wins over No. 4 Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD) and No. 6 Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), and also had his hand raised against Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) and Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE). 

Sadulaev started his day with an 8-2 win over reigning world bronze medalist Nurov. Despite picking up the 8-2 win, he got lateral dropped for two points in the opening period and trailed 2-0.

Sadualev survived another scare in his second match when Bolukbasi locked up a cradle and nearly pinned him. He fought off his back and scored nine unanswered points, winning the match, 9-4. 

In the quarterfinals, he defeated Nurmagomed Gadzhiev, 10-4, in a rematch of last year’s European Games finals. 

In the semifinals, Sadulaev ousted sixth-ranked Odikaze, 6-0. He took Odikadze down three times in the first period and led 6-0 after the opening three minutes of the match. He moved into the European finals for the sixth time after a scoreless second period.

He’ll square off with Olympic bronze medalist Albert SARITOV (ROU) in the 97kg gold-medal match. Saritov slammed Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER), 10-0, and will wrestle for European gold for the first time in his career. 

Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) was one of four Russian wrestlers who reached the European finals with wins on Friday night (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS), Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS) and Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) are the three other Russians who’ll join Sadualev in gold-medal matches on Saturday night. 

Tuskaev defeated Horst LEHR (GER), 5-4, in the semifinals and will take on defending champion Suleyman ATLI (TUR) in the finals. The Russian led Lehr 4-0 in their semifinals match, and though he was outscored 4-1 in the final period, he hung on to win, 5-4.

Tuskaev’s final opponent, Atli, won three matches and is one win away from defending his European crown from last year. Atli defeated No. 3 Stevan MICIC (SRB), 7-5, in the opening round. He tossed Micic to his back with a massive four-point throw and scored a second consecutive win over the Serbian Olympian and “2020 History Maker of the Year” award winner. He also beat Micic in the semifinals at the 2019 World Championships.

In his second match, Atli cruised to a 7-1 win over two-time European medalist Andrei DUKOV (ROU), who knocked off ninth-ranked Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA), 4-4, in his opening-round match. 

Atli wrestled Mihran JABURYAN (ARM) in the semifinals and reached the finals with a 6-3 win over the Armenian. 

Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS) looks to finish on shot on Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) in the 65kg semifinals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

At 65kg, 20-year-old ring star Kurban Shiraev carried over his hot streak from the Ivan Yariguin and made it to the European finals in his senior-level continental debut.

Shiraev, who defeated Rio Olympic champion Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) in the Yariguin finals, tallied four takedowns and stepout against Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) and inserted himself into the finals with a 9-2 win. 

He’ll compete against Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR) in the 65kg gold-medal match. 

Skriabin scorched fourth-ranked Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), 10-0, in their quarterfinals meeting. Then, in the semifinals, Skriabin upended Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), who was fresh off a 7-0 opening round thumping of Rio Olympic champion Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO).

Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) finishes a shot on two-time world runner-up Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) in the 79kg semifinals. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Magomed Ramazanov reached the 79kg European finals in his continental debut. He capped off his day with a win over reigning two-time world silver medalist Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE). Ramazanov stopped the Rio Olympic bronze medalist from reaching the European finals for the seventh time in his career with a 4-2 win. 

Ramazanov and Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) will wrestle for the 79kg gold medal. Kadzimahamedau efficiently handled Dzhemal ALI (BUL), 10-1, in their semifinals meeting.


Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) will wrestle in his fifth European finals. He'll take on Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) in the 70kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Mustafayev and Gadzhiev to Wrestle for the 70kg Gold 
The lone finals match on Saturday night that won’t feature a Russian wrestler will be the 70kg gold-medal match. 

Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) moved pasted Mihail SAVA (MDA) and will meet fourth-ranked Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) in the gold-medal match.

Mustafayev, a returning European finalist, outscored Fati VEJSELI (MKD) and Haydar YAVUZ (TUR), 12-0, and reached the semifinals. He picked up the 5-2 win over Sava and will look to improve on his runner-up finish from a year ago. 

Gadzhiev, a reigning world bronze medalist, outscored Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO), 4-0, in the final 90 seconds of the pair's ultra-physical semifinals bout and claimed the 4-1 victory. He’ll wrestle in the European finals for the fifth time in his career. Gadzhiev is 1-4 in European finals and is hoping to reach the top of the podium for the first time since 2016.  

Gadzhiev European Finals Appearances 
2010 European Championships – Silver 
2015 European Games – Silver
2016 European Championships – Gold 
2017 European Championships – Silver 
2018 European Championships – Silver 

Saturday’s freestyle finals being at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 
57kg
GOLD - Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) vs. Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) df. Horst Justin Junior LEHR (GER), 5-4
SEMIFINAL - Suleyman ATLI (TUR) df. Mihran JABURYAN (ARM), 6-3 

65kg 
GOLD - Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR) vs. Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 5-1 
SEMIFINAL - Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS) df. Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), 9-1 

70kg
GOLD - Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) vs. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
SEMIFINAL - Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) df. Mihail SAVA (MDA), 5-2
SEMIFINAL - Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df. Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO), 4-1 

79kg
GOLD - Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) vs. Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) df. Dzhemal Rushen ALI (BUL), 10-1 
SEMIFINAL - Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) df. Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE), 4-2 

97kg
GOLD - Albert SARITOV (ROU) vs. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Albert SARITOV (ROU) df. Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df.  Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), 6-0