#WrestleRome

Matteo Pellicone freestyle finals set

By Vinay Siwach

ROME, Italy (June 25) -- The final day of the Matteo Pellicone will see eight freestyle weights in action. Just like their Greco-Roman team, Azerbaijan has brought some big names for the freestyle event. Haji ALIYEV (AZE) will be wrestling up at 70kg which means a possible clash against European champion Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO).

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

The 8 freestyle finals are set

57kg: Horst Justin Junior LEHR (GER) vs. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
61kg: Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) vs. Recep TOPAL (TUR)
65kg: Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) vs. Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)
70kg: Joshgun AZIMOV (AZE) vs. Murad EVLOEV (AZE)
74kg: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) vs. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
79kg: Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) vs. Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU)
86kg: Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO) vs. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
92kg: Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) vs. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) 

14:20: Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) beats Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) 6-4 to enter the 92kg final. That means Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), who is already in the final, won't get a chance to avenge his U23 European loss to Yaylace. Nurmagomedov defeated Saba CHIKHRADZE (GEO) in the semifinal.  

14:10: Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) and Boris MAKOEV (SVK) tied 3-3 in their 86kg semifinal. Makoev leads on criteria. Abakarov shoots for the leg and converts it into a takedown to take a 5-3 lead at the break. Makoev tries to get a takedown but Abakarov is solid in defense. Abakarov will wrestle for the 86kg gold after an 8-6 win

14:00: Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) dominates Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE). He scores a trip and then adds three chest wrap finishes to win 10-0 in 90 seconds. He will wrestle Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) for the 65kg gold 

13:45: World bronze medalist Horst LEHR (GER) pins Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) to enter the 57kg final. At 70kg, Joshgun AZIMOV (AZE) received an injury default from Haji ALIYEV (AZE) since Aliyev will be moving down to 65kg for the Worlds.

13:40: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) wrestling in the 74kg semifinal. Bayramov is up 1-0 for Gadzhiev's passivity before he adds a takedown just before the break to lead 3-0. Both wrestlers are given one warning for headbutting and open hands. Bayramov leads 4-1. Gadzhiev gets a point for Bayramov's passivity. He has 30 seconds to score a takedown for the win. A caution against Gadzhiev and he will go down 5-3 against Bayramov in the semifinal. Bayramov will wrestle Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)

13:35: Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) and Shamil OMAROV (ITA) in a battle. Omarov was up 4-0 but Rivera ties it up 4-4 and gets one more for a lost challenge to lead 5-4 against Omarov with five seconds left. Omarov gets a takedown but Rivera is challenging. The clock had expired. He wins 5-4

13:20: The 57kg quarterfinal between Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) and Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) has already seen 21 points in the first period. Rzazade leads 13-8 at the break. An exposure and takedown in the second period for Rzazade as he wins 17-8

12:55: At 57kg, Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) has two four-point throws and one reversal to lead 8-1 but is struggling with a back injury. Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) then scores a takedown to trim it to 8-3. Bujiashvili comes up with another four to lead 12-3 at the break. Yatsenko with a quick takedown and two leg laces to make it 12-9. A counter and two. Yatsenko has closed the gap to 12-11. A stepout for Bujiashvili and he hangs on for a 13-11 win.

12:45: Moving into the semifinal at 70kg, Haji ALIYEV (AZE). Effortless from the Tokyo silver medalist as he gut wrenches Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK) for a 10-0 win

12:35: On the other side in 65kg, Sebastian C RIVERA (PUR) kept his cool after taking an early 6-0 lead over Hamza ALACA (TUR) to win 10-8. He will face the winner of Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) vs. Shamil Makhmudovitch OMAROV (ITA) in the semifinal.

12:30: Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) trails Joshgun AZIMOV (AZE) in their 70kg quarterfinal. He has given up two takedowns. He snatches one single leg to make it 4-3 with 15 seconds left. Azimov won't let Iakobishvili go behind for a takedown. He wins 4-3 over the European champion from Georgia  

12:25: If you missed Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), he is back. The U20 European champion begins at 65kg and won 8-1 against Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU) to reach the semifinal. He will wrestle the winner of Arman ELOYAN (FRA) vs. Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE)

12:15: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) has set up a semifinal against  Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) at 74kg after a close 2-2 win over Vasile DIACON (MDA). The last time the two competed against each other was at the Dan Kolov where Gadzhiev won 1-1. While this may not be the final selection for the World Championships, the winner in Rome may get the preference.

12:00: The 86kg quarterfinals are set

Boris MAKOEV (SVK) vs. Khasan ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
Zaur BERADZE (GEO) vs. Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR) vs. Lars SCHAEFLE (GER) 
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT) vs. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) 

11:45: A fall for Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) over Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) at 65kg. Lomtadze never looked in the bout and was trailing 7-0 before the pin. 

11:30: Former U17 world champion Hamza ALACA (TUR) up against Tornike KATAMADZE (GEO). Katamadze with a cradle and looking for a pin but Alaca manages to survive. Katamdze leads 6-4 after that sequence. But Alaca has increased the intensity of the bout and now Katamdze is struggling. He gives up two takedowns in the final minute as Alaca wins 10-6

11:22: Haji ALIYEV (AZE), wrestling at 70kg, had to work hard against Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR). The Ukraine wrestler led 5-1 before Aliyev managed to score a takedown and a classy four-pointer. He secured the fall in the same sequence

11:10: Another European champion begins with a win! Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) never looked in any trouble against Nestor TAFUR (COL) in his 12-1 win at 79kg. 

11:00: European champion Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) looking for his second straight Ranking Series gold medal and he has begun with a 3-2 win over Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) at 74kg

10:50: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) got a wake-up call with that bout. Cesar BORDEAUX (BRA) gave a tough fight and even led 6-1 before Gadzhiev gathered his thoughts and used three four-point throws in a 14-9 win

10:40: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) have given a winning start to Azerbaijan. Contrasting bouts as Bayramov defeated Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR) 2-1 with all three points being scored for passivity. Nurmagomedov worked more proactively and got a 10-1 win over Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) at 92kg. 

10:30: Welcome to the final day of the Ranking Series event. Eight weights are in action and it will be top-class action from some of the biggest stars of the sport

#WrestleZagreb

World Championships 2025 Freestyle Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (August 14) -- The Freestyle entries for the World Championships are set. In total, close to 900 wrestlers are participating in the September 13-21 tournament in Zagreb.

In Freestyle, 326 wrestlers are entered to compete at the World Championships that will begin with Freestyle action on September 13. The competition will also see 12 Paris Olympic medalist compete including two gold medalists.

Note: These are preliminary entries and subject to change 72 hours before the Freestyle draw at the World Championships.

Zagreb

57kg
Salah KATEB (ALG)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)
Ivaylo TISOV (BUL)
Garette SAUNDERS (CAN)
Chengtao WANG (CHN)
Roland TAMBI NFORSONG (CMR)
Rabby KILANDI (COD)
Peter HAMMER CUDE (CRC)
Guesseppe REA VILLARROEL (ECU)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
AMAN (IND)
Ali Hossein MOMENI (IRI)
Husein ALBEHADILALBORS (IRQ)
Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN)
Adilet ALMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ)
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX)
Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Chong Song HAN (PRK)
Darian CRUZ (PUR)
Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB)
Thomas EPP (SUI)
Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK)
Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)
Vladyslav ABRAMOV (UKR)
Spencer LEE (USA)
Aryan TSIUTRYN (UWW)
Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)
Pedro MEJIAS (VEN)

61kg
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM)
Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS)
Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE)
Jianhao LIU (CHN)
Ndjidda BOUBA (CMR)
Godefroid KALUBI (COD)
Joshua KRAMER (ECU)
Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO)
Solomon ADDICO (GHA)
UDIT (IND)
Ahmad JAVAN (IRI)
Simone PIRODDU (ITA)
Takara SUDA (JPN)
Adil OSPANOV (KAZ)
Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ)
Sangboum HAN (KOR)
Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)
Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Ali ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Kum Hyok KIM (PRK)
Dylan SHAWVER (PUR)
Nils LEUTERT (SUI)
Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)
Jaxen FORREST (USA)
Dzmitry SHAMELA (UWW)
Zavur UGUEV (UWW)
Ibrahim GUZAN (YEM)

65kg
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Chouaib SAHRAOUI (ALG)
Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE)
Ayub MUSAEV (BEL)
Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN)
Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
Peiman BIABANI (CAN)
Tao WEI (CHN)
Roland KALAMBAYI (COD)
Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO)
Nico MEGERLE (GER)
SUJEET (IND)
Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
Mohammed KAREEM (IRQ)
Colin REALBUTO (ITA)
Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)
Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ)
Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Gantulga BATBAATAR (MGL)
Stephen IZOLO (NGR)
Abdullah ASSAF (PLE)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Kwang KIM (PRK)
Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)
Stefan COMAN (ROU)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK)
Cabbar DUYUM (TUR)
Andrii BILIICHUK (UKR)
Real WOODS (USA)
Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW)
Islam GUSEINOV (UWW)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)
Wilfredo RODRIGUEZ BOCANEY (VEN)

70kg
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE)
Shannon HANNA (BAH)
Mihail GEORGIEV (BUL)
Michael ZALE (CAN)
Jorge GATICA (CHI)
Shuang CHEN (CHN)
Gabriel MUANDA (COD)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
ROHIT (IND)
Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI)
Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Yongseok JEONG (KOR)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Austin GOMEZ (MEX)
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)
Viktor VOINOVIC (SRB)
Viktor RASSADIN (TJK)
Khairiddine BEN TLILI (TUN)
Haydar YAVUZ (TUR)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)
PJ DUKE (USA)
Saiyn KAZYRYK (UWW)
Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB)

74kg
Chermen VALIEV (ALB)
Saad BOUGUERRA (ALG)
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE)
Ibragim VELIEV (BEL)
Renato DA SILVA (BRA)
Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN)
Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Adam THOMSON (CAN)
Feng LU (CHN)
Norvil BUKASA (COD)
Vedran LUKETIN (CRO)
Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
JAIDEEP (IND)
Yones EMAMI (IRI)
Luca FINIZIO (ITA)
Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Alibek ABDIKASSYMOV (KAZ)
Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)
Daegil HAN (KOR)
Egzon XHONI (KOS)
Ion MARCU (MDA)
Cristian SANTIAGO (MEX)
Tugsjargal ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Ok Chol HAN (PRK)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR)
Ivan KUSYAK (UKR)
David CARR (USA)
Imam GANISHOV (UWW)
Mirzo KHAYITOV (UZB)
Anthony MONTERO (VEN)

79kg
Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG)
Farid JABBAROV (AZE)
Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN)
Patrik LEDER (CAN)
Tu AHEIYOU (CHN)
Andy MUKENDI (COD)
Marko NIKOLIC (CRO)
Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
AMIT (IND)
Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)
Ryunosuke KAMIYA (JPN)
Daulet YERGESH (KAZ)
Bumgue SEO (KOR)
Alans AMIROVS (LAT)
Vlad STRATAN (MDA)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Dejan MITROV (MKD)
Michael LABRIOLA (PUR)
Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU)
Alfred DANIEL (SLE)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Magomet EVLOEV (TJK)
Azymberdi SAPAROV (TKM)
Okan TAHTACI (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Levi HAINES (USA)
Akhmed USMANOV (UWW)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)
Nan CAO (CHN)
Matteo MONTEIRO (CPV)
Kreso SKUGOR (CRO)
Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY)
Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO)
Joshua MORODION (GER)
Mukul DAHIYA (IND)
Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI)
Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Mukhammad ABDULLAEV (KGZ)
Gyeongyeon LEE (KOR)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Paulius LESCAUSKAS (LTU)
Traian CAPATINA (MDA)
Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL)
Cezary SADOWSKI (POL)
Ethan RAMOS (PUR)
Weng CHOW (SGP)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Soltan BEGENJOV (TKM)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR)
Zahid VALENCIA (USA)
Ibragim KADIEV (UWW)
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW)

92kg
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN)
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Andrew JOHNSON (CAN)
Jumabayi AERGEN (CHN)
Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)
Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)
Deepak PUNIA (IND)
Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN)
Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ)
Gwanuk KIM (KOR)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Demchigdorj TUMURBAATAR (MGL)
Redjep HAJDARI (MKD)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Ivan CHORNOHUZ (UKR)
Trent HIDLAY (USA)
Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW)
Yaraslau IADKOUSKI (UWW)

97kg
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN)
Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN)
Awusayiman HABILA (CHN)
Filip HUKLEK (CRO)
Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB)
Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Ertugrul AGCA (GER)
Emmanuel OSEI SARFO (GHA)
Richard VEGH (HUN)
VICKY (IND)
Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)
Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)
Hosei FUJITA (JPN)
Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ)
Juhwan SEO (KOR)
Domantas PAULIUSCENKO (LTU)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)
Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL)
Adam JAKSIK (SVK)
Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM)
Resul GUNE (TUR)
David MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW)
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (UWW)

125kg
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)
Gabriel DE SOUSA (BRA)
Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN)
Alen KHUBULOV (BUL)
Jorawar DHINSA (CAN)
BUHEEERDUN (CHN)
Filip KOSCIC (CRO)
Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO)
Mohsen SIYAR (GER)
Issah FUSEINI (GHA)
Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE)
Milan KORCSOG (HUN)
Rajat RUHAL (IND)
Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)
Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Gyeongmin KIM (KOR)
Dmitrii DUSCOV (MDA)
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Jonovan SMITH (PUR)
Omar SAREM (ROU)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)
Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA)
Abdulla KURBANOV (UWW)
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW)
Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)