#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Munkhtur leads Mongolian charge at Ulaanbaatar Open

Monday, June 2, 2025 - 04:57 By Vinay Siwach

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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

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds: U.S. and Iran tied in Freestyle team race

Monday, October 27, 2025 - 10:11 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 26) -- Like it has been the story at every World Championships this year, Iran and the United States are locked in a tight race for the Freestyle team trophy yet again.

The U.S. and Iran are tied 102 points at the U23 World Championships in Novi Sad with just one more day of competition left. The scores tied after U.S. won two golds on Sunday while Iran managed only one along with one silver. Azerbaijan won the gold at the expense of Iran.

World silver medalist Levi HAINES (USA) became a U23 world champion one month after missing the title at the senior event with yet another dominant win. He faced Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR) in the final and came out on top 11-1.

Yaprak got the first stepout of the bout but it was all Haines from there on. He used a lateral drop to get four points and lead 4-1. The second four-pointer for Haines came when Yaprak tried to throw him using a chestwrap but Haines easily blocked him and landed on top to lead 8-1. A head outside takedown and one stepout was enough for Haines to complete the technical superiority win.

Luke LILLEDAHL (USA)Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) added a U23 world gold to go with his U17 and U20 golds. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 57kg, U17 and U20 world champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) added a U23 world title to his name with a clinical 4-0 victory over Yuta KIKUCHI (JPN) in the final.

Kikuchi was called passive twice in the match and both times Lilledahl got a point. During the second activity period, Lilledahl hit a sweep single and converted it into a takedown to lead 4-0 with a minute remaining in the final. Lilledahl then defended that lead despite Kikuchi's smart movements to earn his third age-group world title.

Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI)Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) celebrates after beating Khetag KARSANOV (AZE) in the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)  

Iran's gold medal came at 125kg as U20 world silver medalist Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) dominated Khetag KARSANOV (AZE), 11-0, in the final. Mohammad Nezhad moved more swiftly than he did in the final at the U20 Worlds.

Karsanov was called passive in the first period and then he gave up a stepout along with fleeing and Mohammad Nezhad was up 3-0. He scored a nice takedown to extend his lead before two go-behinds to be up 9-0.

Karsanov tried hitting a desperate throw only to fall on his own back and give Mohammad Nezhad the winning two points and the gold medal.

Iran could have managed to win a second medal gold of the night but Sina KHALILI (IRI) got clutched by Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) in the 70kg final.

Khalili began on a good note, getting a point for passivity and then a takedown to lead 3-0 at the break. Heybatov managed to find an opening in the second period with a fireman's carry and transitioned the move, lifting Khalili and dropping him on the mat in danger for four points and take a 4-3 lead.

Iran challenged the decision, perhaps asking for two points for Khalili, but lost it. The 5-3 lead for Heybatov left Khalili to score at least three point for victory with two points remaining.

He got one point for Heybatov's fleeing but he still needed two points to overturn the deficit with 27 seconds remaining. Khalili took a fake shot and Heybatov countered with a takedown and turn to make it 9-4 for the win.

A gold for Khalili would have been Iran a lead of five points over the U.S. but now both countries are tied.

On Monday with medal bouts in four weight classes, the U.S. has one in Jaxen FORREST (USA) while Iran has one wrestler in bronze medal bouts and second in repechage. While Iran needs to win all, it has to also have that Forrest loses his final to win the team title.

Incidentally, the U.S. needed to win all its bouts on the final day at the U17 World Championships in Athens and also hope that Iran loses all its bouts. That actually happened.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) df. Yuta KIKUCHI (JPN), 4-0

BRONZE: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) df. Aiandai ONDAR (UWW), 10-1
BRONZE: Nodirbek JUMANAZAROV (UZB) df. Vladyslav ABRAMOV (UKR), 5-0

70kg
GOLD: Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) df. Sina KHALILI (IRI), 9-4

BRONZE: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Maiis ALIYEV (KAZ), 10-3
BRONZE: PJ DUKE (USA) df. Davit MARGARYAN (ARM), via fall (7-2)

79kg
GOLD: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR), 11-1

BRONZE: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Davud DAUDOV (UWW), 13-3
BRONZE: Geannis GARZON (CUB) df. Nikita DMITRIJEVS MAYEUSKI (UWW), 4-0

125kg
GOLD: Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) df. Khetag KARSANOV (AZE), 11-0

BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Daniel HERRERA (USA), 14-3
BRONZE: Khabib DAVUDGADZHIEV (UWW) df. Khachatur KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 9-5

Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) vs. Jaxen FORREST (USA)

SF 1: Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) df. Tolga OZBEK (TUR), 12-1
SF 2: Jaxen FORREST (USA) df. Akito MUKAIDA (JPN), 15-5

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) vs. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

SF 1: SUJEET (IND) df. Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN), 3-2
SF 2: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ), 5-2

86kg
GOLD: Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA) vs. Arsen BALAIAN (UWW)

SF 1: Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA) df. Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI), 2-1
SF 2: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) df. Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO), 10-0

97kg
GOLD: Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) vs. Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)

BRONZE: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), via fall (10-0)
BRONZE: Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) df. Soslan DZHAGAEV (UWW), 16-5