#WrestleZagreb

Monday night's semifinals set

By Eric Olanowski

ZAGREB, Croatia (April 17) --- The final details are being made to the Arena Zagreb before the start of today's European Championships. We're just over 90 minutes away from the beginning of freestyle action 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 92kg.

FULL EUROPEAN C'SHIP SCHEDULE:
- 11:30 - Qualification rounds
- 17:15 - Opening Ceremony
- 18:00 -  Semifinals

Monday's semifinal matches:

57kg 
Suleyman ATLI (TUR) vs. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) 
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) vs. Simone Vincenzo PIRODDU (ITA) 

65kg
Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL) vs. Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU) 
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) vs. Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) 

70kg​​​​​​​
Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR) vs. Ramazan Eldarovitch RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Vasile DIACON (MDA) vs. Haji ALIYEV (AZE) 

79kg
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) vs. Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) 
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) vs. Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE) 

97kg​​​​​​​
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) vs. Vladislav BAITCAEV (HUN) 
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) vs. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) 

2:20: That'll do it for the morning session. We'll see you back at the Arena Zagreb at 18:00 for tonight's semifinals.

2:10: World bronze medalist Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) just scored a step out with less than a second left to beat Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR), 4-3. He'll wrestle Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) in the 97kg semifinals. 

1:43: What a battle between Atli and Vangelov.

Atli led 5-0, but Vangelov fought back and cut the Turkish wrestler's lead to one point. He was in a shot as time expired, but failed to pick up any more points. He'll now have the winner of  Razvan Marian KOVACS (ROU) and Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO).

1:32: Three-time world medalist Suleyman ATLI (TUR) is making his way to Mat C to take on Georgi Valentinov VANGELOV (BUL)

1:24: Arsamerzouev just upset returning world bronze medalist Micic to reach the quarterfinals. He'll wrestle Coman for a spot in tonight's semifinals.

1:11: That's why you wrestle until the last whistle. Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU) just took Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL) down with .08 seconds left on the clock to win, 3-2. 

Coman will wrestle the winner of Khamzat Timourovitch ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) and Stevan Andria MICIC (SRB), who are wrestling now on Mat C. Currently, Arsamerzouev leads 2-0 after the first period.

12:54: U23 world champion Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) leads Muhammed AKDENİZ (TUR), 6-0, on Mat B. 

12:30: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) and Benjamin Konrad HONIS (ITA) were in a tight race on Mat B but the reigning European champion blew the match open with a takedown and four leg laces. The Azeri will wrestle  Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) next. 

12:18:  Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) just upset returning world silver medalist Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK), 6-4, and punched his ticket to the 97kg quarterfinals. He'll wrestle the winner of  Erik Sven THIELE (GER) and Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM)

12:14: Cabolov and Micic both pick up technical superiority wins and continue their quest for Euro gold. 

12:00: World bronze medalist Stevan Andria MICIC (SRB) is wrestling Carlos ALVAREZ IGLESIAS (ESP) over on Mat C. Micic is up from his world bronze-medal weight of the 57kg.
On a side note regarding Micic: He's fresh off a two-week training camp in Japan, where he was invited by world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN).

11:50: Former world champion Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) is up now against  Kreso SKUGOR (CRO) on Mat B. The Russian-turn-Serbian is up at 79kg for the first time in his career. 

11:38: Aliyev is on an 8-0 run after giving up the opening point of the match. He closed out the first period with his patented single leg and a trapped arm gut wrench. In the second, he ended the bout early with three takedowns and a leg lace. He'll wrestle  Kevin Christopher HENKEL (GER) in the 70kg quarterfinals. 

11:31: The wait is over. Wrestlers are being called to the mats. We'll kick things off at 70kg across the board. The biggest star on the elevated stage is up on Mat B as three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE) is taking on Gianluca TALAMO (ITA).

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 World Championships 2025 Day 1 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 20) -- The eighth edition of the U23 World Championships begins in Novi Sad with around 700 wrestlers participating.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | U23 WORLDS PREVIEW

14:25: Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) hangs on a 3-2 win over Artur SARKISJAN (CZE) at 130kg and reaches the semifinals. Sarkisjan with a challenge, asking for a foul but reviews show no foul. The lost challenge gives Kurdyan a clear 3-2 lead.

14:20: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), bronze medalist at the World Championships, makes his way to the semifinals at 63kg. He needs only three minutes and 26 seconds to beat Adham ELSAYED (EGY).

14:00: Yassine BEN LABED (POL) has surprised everyone with his performance here in Novi Sad. After beating Ruben GEVORGYAN (ARM) and Deni NAKAEV (GER), he now beats Brian RUIZ MARIN (VEN) 2-1 and marches into the semifinals at 87kg.

13:55: A 41-second technical superiority win for Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) at 130kg. He scores a takedown and three turns from par terre to win 9-0

13:50: Levente LEVAI (HUN) into the semifinals at 77kg after a 3-1 win over Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM). A turn from par terre gave him a 3-0 lead and he escaped easily when he was put on par terre.

13:40: Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) with a strong defense in the final minutes against Ahoura BOUVEIRI PIANI (IRI) and hands him a 2-1 loss at 77kg. Nakibov did not allow Bouveiri Piani any openings.

13:25: A quick win for world champion Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) against Leon RIVALTA (ITA) at 87kg. He works on a reverse lift before controlling Rivalta on the mat for the fall. He enters the semifinals.

13:02: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) hands Iran its first loss of the tournament as he beats Mohammad ABOUTALEBI NAVID (IRI) 3-1 at 63kg. Aboutablebi Navid failed to score any points from par terre.

13:00: Defending champion Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) scores three turns par terre after taking a 3-0 lead to start his campaign with a 9-0 technical superiority win at 130kg against Saba CHILASHVILI (GEO).

12:40: Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) moves into the quarterfinal at 87kg with a 3-1 victory over Maksat SAILAU (KAZ). He got the turn from par terre while Sailau did not.

12:20: Levente LEVAI (HUN) looks unstoppable at 77kg. He posts his second win, 9-0, against Benjamin HANSEN (NOR) after using a trap-arm and finish the match

12:00: Ahoura BOUVEIRI PIANI (IRI) gets the first par terre against Yeldos KAMELOV (KAZ) and scores a turn to lead 3-0 but he steps out when trying to lift Kamelov again. Iran challenge the call but lose the challenge. Bouveiri Piani scores a takedown and stepout next but Kazakhstan challenge for a foul. Kazakhstan lose the challenge and Bouveiri Piani leads 7-2 at the break. A scramble but Kamelov scores the stepout. Bouveriri Piani answers with a takedown to lead 9-3, before going up one. A stepout makes it 10-5 and he hands on to his lead to win at 77kg.

11:55: Big match at 77kg as Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) faces Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO). Solovei cannot score from par terre but Orjonikidze hits a four to lead 5-1 in the second period. Solovei scores back to back takedown to make it 5-5 but Orjonikidze leads on criteria with a minute left. Solovei with a stepout to make it 6-5. Georgia challenges the call, and on review, it is actually Solovei who stepped out and Orjonikidze who wins 6-5

11:20: Recent world bronze medalist Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) rolls Nurdaulet KAPAS (KAZ) four times from par terre and gets a 9-0 win at 63kg.

11:05: European U23 silver medalist Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) failed to score from par terre but he manages a takedown before the break to lead 3-0 against Mahmoud IBRAHIM (EGY). He counters Ibrahim from par terre in the second period and holds his 6-1 lead to win at 87kg.

10:55: World 82kg champion Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) makes his debut at 87kg and rolls to a 8-0 technical superiority win over Lachin VALIYEV (AZE).

10:35: Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM) took a 5-0 lead and was going to hang on to it before Isami HORIKITA (JPN) mounted a comeback. But the Japanese wrestler could score only four points and Terteryan won 5-4 at 77kg

10:25: European champion at 72kg Levente LEVAI (HUN) begins with a 5-0 blanking of Davud MAMMADOV (AZE) at 77kg in Novi Sad.

10:00: Welcome to day one of the U23 World Championships in Novi Sad. Greco-Roman action will kick off with 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg.