Munkhtur leads Mongolian charge at Ulaanbaatar Open
Monday, June 2, 2025 - 04:57 By Vinay Siwach
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 1) -- Sunday saw the biggest crowd at the Buyant Ukhaa Sports Complex during the four-day Ulaanbaatar Open 2025.
Backed by vocal fans and some top-tier technical wrestling, the host country won three gold medals on the final day of the tournament.
Apart from two-time world medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL), Asian bronze medalist Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) and veteran Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) won gold medals.
Paris Olympian Munkhtur was the most assured of the lot, winning the 125kg gold medal with rather ease. In a Nelson bracket, Munkhtur was in Group A with Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW) and Narantulga DARMAABAZAR (MGL). He won his first bout against Khramiankou 9-0 before beating Darmaabazar 6-2.
In the semifinals, Munkhtur faced another Mongolian, Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL), and won 5-1 to set up the final against Khramiankou who managed to win his semifinal as well.
But the final was a similar story as the group match as Munkhtur won 5-0, scoring two takedowns in the match and captured the third gold medal of the evening for Mongolia.
Earlier, Asian Championships silver medalist Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) posted a thrilling 6-3 win over Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX), 6-3, escaping a gut-wrench attempt from Bravo Young in last 10 seconds to score two points.
Batkhuyag led 2-0 but Bravo Young scored a takedown and tried to turn the Mongolian, who escaped and got a point to lead 3-2 and then turned the Mexican to make it 5-2. A reversal gave Bravo Young another point but Mexico challenged the scoring.
As the challenge was lost, Batkhuyag won 6-3 and celebrated winning his first Ranking Series gold.
Bravo Young had defeated AMAN (IND) in the semifinals earlier, a thrilling 14-11 win which was ultimately called a pin. Aman led 10-6 when Bravo Young hit a crafty move to score four points and make it 11-10. He scored a takedown via single leg and a turn in the final 10 seconds to win the semifinal.
Soon after, 32-year-old Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) added another gold by beating Asian Championships silver medalist UDIT (IND), 6-4, in the 61kg final.
Tumenbileg faked a leg attack and scored a takedown before turning Udit twice to lead 6-0. As Udit tried making a comeback for five minutes, he could only manage four points and lost the final.
Iran won two gold medals as well as Fariborz BABAEI (IRI) at 79kg and Ahmad BAZRI (IRI) claimed the gold medal at 97kg.
Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) also took a big step at 65kg by winning the gold medal after blanking Dzhambulat KIZINOV (UWW), 6-0 in the final.
Konstantin KAPRYNOV (UWW), the silver medalist at Yarygin tournament, followed his win over Zagir SHAKHIEV (UWW) by winning the gold medal at 70kg. He defeated Aliakbar FAZLI (IRI), 6-0, in the gold medal bout.
RESULTS
57kg
GOLD: Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) df. Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX), 6-3
BRONZE: Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL) df. RAHUL (IND), 9-7
BRONZE: AMAN (IND) df. Bekir KESER (TUR), 12-2
61kg
GOLD: Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) df. UDIT (IND), 6-4
BRONZE: Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ) df. Artem GOBAEV (UWW), via fall
BRONZE: Anzor MAZHIDOV (UWW) Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
65kg
GOLD: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Dzhambulat KIZINOV (UWW), 6-0
BRONZE: Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ) df. Turbayar DAVAANYAM (MGL), 12-2
BRONZE: Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) df. Junsik YUN (KOR), 10-5
70kg
GOLD: Konstantin KAPRYNOV (UWW) df. Aliakbar FAZLI (IRI), 6-0
BRONZE: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. Mohammadali AMOUZAD (IRI), 7-5
BRONZE: Zagir SHAKHIEV (UWW) df. Usukhbayar BAATARKHUU (MGL), 16-6
79kg
GOLD: Fariborz BABAEI (IRI) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 4-0
BRONZE: AMIT (IND) df. Dalaitseren JAVKHLANKHUU (MGL), via fall (14-14)
97kg
GOLD: Ahmad BAZRI (IRI) df. Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), 8-0
BRONZE: Resul GUNE (TUR) df. Irbeg TAVGAZOV (UWW), 4-2
BRONZE: VICKY (IND) df. Uladzislau KAZLOU (UWW), 5-0
125kg
GOLD: Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 5-0
BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL), 11-1
Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) will compete for the first time since winning the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)
Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) is one of the favorites to win gold at 65kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / William Bain)
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