Nine European Wrestlers Garner Greco-Roman Top Seed Heading into Nur-Sultan

Friday, August 23, 2019 - 14:44 By Eric Olanowski

*These seeds are based off the current unofficial entries United World Wrestling has received as of August 21. These seeds are subject to change.

VEVEY, Switzerland (August 23) --- Nine European wrestlers and Asia's KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) own a Greco-Roman top seed heading into the 2019 World Championships (September 14-22) in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

Here Are the No. 1 Seeds at Each Weight:
55kg - Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
60kg - Sergey EMELIN (RUS)
63kg - Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS)
67kg - Artem SURKOV (RUS)
72kg - Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
77kg - Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
82kg - Emrah KUS (TUR)
87kg - Zhan BELENIUK (UKR)
97kg - Musa EVLOEV (RUS)
130kg - Sergey SEMENOV (RUS)

Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) will look to defend his 55kg world title in Nur-Sultan. He's the No. 1 seed at 55kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Azizli Atop 55kg Seeds

Expected 55kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
2. Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB)
3. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
4. Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)

Returning world champ Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) sits atop the seeds at 55kg at the World Championships. Nur-Sultan will be Azizli’s second competition of the year at the weight where he claimed his first career world title. His first competition at 55kg this season was in Bucharest, Romania, at the European Championships. The reigning world champion fell short of reaching the top of the podium but fought his way back to a bronze-medal finish.

Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) is the second-seeded wrestler at 55kg. The 2019 Asian champion will make his second appearance at a senior-level World Championship. He'll try to improve on his ninth-place finish from last year's World Championships.

Returning world medalists Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), who are ranked third and fourth, respectively, won’t make the trip to Nur-Sultan. They'll vacate their seed to Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO).

The reigning U23 world and European champion will be making his first showing at the World Championships as the third-seeded wrestler. This season, Tsurtsumia finished in eighth place at the European Championships but won gold at the Wladyslaw Pytlasinski Cup – which was the last time he's competed this season.

Algeria’s African champion Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) closes out the top-four seeded wrestlers at 55kg.

Sergey EMELIN (RUS) enters the World Championships as the No. 1 seed at 60kg. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Emelin Enters Worlds As Top Seed at 60kg

Expected 60kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Sergey EMELIN (RUS)
2. Seunghak KIM (KOR)
3. Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
4. Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)

Sergey EMELIN (RUS) started the season as the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the world at 60kg – and that’s exactly how he heads into Nur-Sultan. The Russian is the top-seeded guy at 60kg after winning a world title last season and finishing this year’s European Championships in second place. He also finished in first place at this season’s Dan Kolov.

Arguably the most surprising run to a top-four seed came from Korea’s KIM Seunghak. He’ll be seeded second at 60kg. After a disappointing 28th-place finish in Budapest, Kim not only competed but earned points at every Ranking Series event this season. The Korean fell in the bronze-medal bout of the Grand Prix of Zagreb but tallied a trio of gold medals at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the City of Sassari Tournament and the Oleg Karavaev.

Returning world runner-up Victor CIOBANU (MDA) is seeded third at 60kg. The Moldovan fell to Emelin in the world finals last year, but exacted revenge and became his nations first-ever European champion with a win over the Russian in Bucharest earlier this year.

Croatia’s two-time Ranking Series bronze medalist Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) rounds out the top-four seeds at 60kg.

Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) is undefeated on the season and moves into the World Championships as the top seed at 63kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Maryanyan Moves into Worlds as 63kg No. 1 Seed

Expected 63kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS)
2. Erbatu TUO (CHN)
3. Shinobu OTA (JPN)
4. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)

The first seeded wrestler at 63kg is Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS). The Russian has been one of the most dominant wrestlers in the world over the past year. Since winning his world title, top-seeded Maryanyan has won the European Championships, European Games and the Dan Kolov.

China’s returning world bronze medalist TUO Erbatu (CHN) is seeded second at 63kg. This season, Tuo has competed in five events and medaled at four of them. The Chinese wrestler won the Asian Championships and Wladyslaw Pytlasinski Cup, finished in second place at the Hungarian Grand Prix, and finished in third place at the Dan Kolov. The lone competition he didn’t medal at was the final Ranking Series event of the year, the Oleg Karavaev.

Rio Olympic silver medalist Shinobu OTA (JPN) owns the third seed at the World Championships. Ota has won a pair of gold medals this season and has only lost one match. His pair of golds came at the Grand Prix of Hungary and Oleg Karavaev. He also finished in second place at the Dan Kolov, where he dropped his finals bout to top-seeded Maryanyan.

The fourth-seeded wrestler at 63kg will be Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM). The Armenian wrestler placed fifth at the European Championships this season. That was his lone appearance in 2019.

Artem SURKOV (RUS) sails into Nur-Sultan atop the 67kg top-four seeds. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Surkov Sails into Worlds as Top Seed at 67kg

Expected 67kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Artem SURKOV (RUS)
2. Hansu RYU (KOR)
3. Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
4. Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)

Reigning world champion Artem SURKOV (RUS) is the first seeded wrestlers at 67kg. Since winning his world title, he’s finished top-three at a trio of events but failed to reach the top of the podium. This season, Surkov was a runner-up at the Dan Kolov and Grand Prix of Germany, and a bronze medalist at the European Championships.

Korea’s two-time world champion RYU Hansu (KOR) begins his quest to reach the top of the world podium for a third time as the second seed at 67kg. This season, Ryu started his season winning the Hungarian Grand Prix, and Asian Championships. Then, Ryu won back-to-back Ranking Series medals at the City of Sassari Tournament and Oleg Karavaev.

Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) and Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) are the third and fourth-seeded wrestlers, respectively.

Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) moved into the No. 1 seed after reinging world champion Frank STAEBLER (GER) moved down to the Olympic weight of 67kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Mnatsakanian Motors His Way to No. 1 Seed at 72kg

Expected 72kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
2. Balint KORPASI (HUN)
3. Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS)
4. Hujun ZHANG (CHN)

Germany’s three-time world champion Frank STAEBLER (GER) moved down to the Olympic weight of 67kg and will surrender his top seed to Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL). After finishing last year’s World Championships with a bronze medal, Mnatsakanian has made it to the podium at four straight senior-level events. The Bulgarian won the Ion Corneanu & Ladislau Simon Memorial, finished in second at the Dan Kolov, and closed out the European Championships and the Grand Prix of Zagreb with bronze medals.

The second-seeded wrestler at 72kg is returning world runner-up Balint KORPASI (HUN). In his two appearances this season, Korpasi reached the finals. He won the German Grand Prix but fell in the finals of the City of Sassari Tournament.

This year’s 72kg European champion Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) will be the third-seeded wrestler in Nur-Sultan, while ZHANG Hujun (CHN) rounds out the top four seeds at 72kg.

KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) is the lone non-European No. 1 seed. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Kim Keeps Top Seed at 77kg

Expected 77kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
2. Viktor NEMES (SRB)
3. Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
4. Pavel LIAKH (BLR)

Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) is the lone non-European wrestler who owns a top seed at the World Championships. This year’s Asian champion competed in three of four Ranking Series events and medaled in each of his appearances. He won the City of Sassari Tournament and took home bronze at the Grand Prix of Zagreb and Hungarian Grand Prix.

Serbia’s 2017 world champion Viktor NEMES is the second-seeded wrestler at 77kg. Last year’s world bronze medalist won titles this season at the Hungarian Grand Prix and G. Kartozia & V. Balavadze Price. He also closed out the European Championships in third place.

Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) and Pavel LIAKH (BLR) will be seeded third and fourth respectively at 77kg.

Emrah KUS (TUR) will be looking to improve his second-place finish from last year's World Championships. He comes into Nur-Sultan as the top seed at 82kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Kus Knots Top Seed at 82kg

Expected 82kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Emrah KUS (TUR)
2. Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR)
3. Saeid Morad ABDVALI (IRI)
4. Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN)

Turkey’s 2018 Budapest world runner-up Emrah KUS comes into Nur-Sultan as the top-seeded wrestler at 82kg.

Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) owns the second seed at 82kg. Though he finished in seventh place at the European Championships, he won 2019 titles at the Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Tournament and the Oleg Karavaev Memorial.

The final two seeded wrestlers at 82kg will be continental champs Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) and Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN). Third-seeded Abdvali is the reigning Asian champion, while fourth-seeded Bisultanov is the reigning European champion.

Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) is looking to win his first world title since 2015. He'll be the top seed at 87kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Beleniuk Bullies Way to Top Seed at 87kg

Expected 87kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Zhan BELENIUK (UKR)
2. Metehan BASAR (TUR)
3. Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
4. Islam ABBASOV (AZE)

Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) and Metehan BASAR (TUR) have been battling for 87kg supremacy for the last twelve months. But, it’s the Ukrainian wrestler who owns the top seed in Nur-Sultan.

Since dropping last year’s world finals to Basar, Beleniuk has won the European Championships and the European Games, while the Turkish wrestler has failed to medal in his four showings this season.

Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) comes into the World Championships as the third seed. Since his 14th-place finish in Budapest last year, Lorincz has been one of the most consistent wrestlers in the world. He’s won the Grand Prix Zagreb, Hungarian Grand Prix and the City of Sassari Tournament. He also finished in third place at the European Games.

European Games and championship runner-up Islam ABBASOV (AZE) rounds out the top-four seeded wrestlers at 87kg.

Musa EVLOEV (RUS) comes to Kazakhstan as the No. 1 seed at 97kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Evloev Enters World Championships as Top Seed at 97kg

Expected 97kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Musa EVLOEV (RUS)
2. Kiril MILOV (BUL)
3. Tracy HANCOCK (USA)
4. Mihail KAJALA (SRB)

Musa EVLOEV (RUS) hasn’t budged since winning his world title last year. He’ll be the top-seeded wrestler at 97kg – and deservedly so. This season, Evloev has won the Dan Kolov, European Championships and the Grand Prix of Germany.

Reigning world and European runner-up Kiril MILOV (BUL) will be seeded second at 97kg.

Tracy HANCOCK (USA) will be seeded third at 97kg. Hancock has competed seven times during this season and finished with at least a bronze medal at every tournament. The American won the Hungarian Grand Prix and Dave Schultz Memorial and finished in second place at three competitions -- including the Pan-American Championships and Pan-American Games. He also closed out the Grand Prix of Zagreb and Thor Masters with bronze medals.

The fourth-seeded wrestler at 97kg is returning world bronze medalist Mihail KAJALA (SRB).

Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) soared to the top seed at 130kg after winning a world title and continental bronze medal. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Semenov Soars to Top Seed at 130kg

Expected 130kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Sergey SEMENOV (RUS)
2. Adam COON (USA)
3. Minseok KIM (KOR)
4. Heiki NABI (EST)

Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) is the fifth Russian wrestler who owns a top seed at the World Championships. Since winning his first world title at last year’s World Championships, Semenov has competed twice and finished with bronze medals at both competitions. Those pair of bronze medals came at the European Championships and European Games.

Returning world silver medalist Adam COON (USA) is the second seed at 130kg. Though he won the Pan-American Championships, Coon finished in a disappointing eighth place at the Pan-American Games last month.

KIM Minseok (KOR) and Heiki NABI (EST) will be seeded third and fourth, respectively, at 130kg.

#WrestleTirana

U23 Euros: Dzhioev stops Magamadov, Khaniev wins 74kg gold

Monday, March 10, 2025 - 20:19 By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (March 10) -- The match wasn’t even over when Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) broke into a jig.

A couple of feet away, Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) sunk to his knees and Dzhioev thumped his chest, kneeled on the mat and said a silent prayer.

Before he stepped on the mat on Monday, Dzhioev had seen four of his compatriots falling short at the final hurdle over the first two medal days of the U23 European Championships. Had he lost, Azerbaijan would have returned without a gold despite a solid overall show.

But Dzhioev, the U23 worlds silver medalist, ensured that did not happen. In a stunning performance, the 23-year-old defeated Magamadov -- the silver medalist from the 2024 U23 European Championships -- 9-2 to rule the 86kg weight class.

Dzhioev needed a little more than a minute to open his account with a push-out, followed by a passivity penalty on Magamadov. He doubled his lead with two more push-outs, but his French opponent halved the lead with a reversal just before the break. However, that was the only time Magamadov challenged his rival.

When they returned after the break, Dzhioev – with his trunk-like thighs – used all the force he could summon to overpower Magamadov, who kept going out of bounds. He thus kept conceding points and two fleeing cautions and Dzhioev wrapped up the match with a fine two-pointer to capture his first U23 title – and his nation’s first of the tournament.

Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) held on to a 5-4 win against Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Minutes earlier, in an epic 74 kg title bout, Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) defeated Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) 5-4 but not before surviving a massive scare.

It was a match of two halves. In the first, Khaniev, 18, constantly hassled and harried his opponent with wily leg attacks and faster reactions. A minute into the bout, Khaniev and Novruzov were locked arm-in-arm in the center of the mat. With his lightning quick hand speed, Khaniev hit a single-leg attack and earned a brilliant takedown for two points.

With the clock ticking down -- and Novruzov on activity clock -- Khaniev initiated another similar attack. This time, the Azerbaijani wrestler seemed prepared for it and tried to counter-attack. Novruzov tried a counter-lift but Khaniev controlled his legs and scored two points for exposure. Earning one more point from activity clock, Khaniev had a comfortable 5-0 cushion at the break.

After the 30-second interval, Novruzov did most of the attacking against a tired-looking Khaniev. He reduced the deficit by two points with 37 seconds left on the clock after a single-leg takedown. Khaniev tried to take evasive action in the closing moments but right at the final whistle, Novruzov earned another two-point takedown.

His valiant attempt, however, counted for nothing as a breathless Khaniev won the bout 5-4.

Georgi IVANOV (BUL) is now a two-time U23 European champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Georgi IVANOV (BUL) regained the 125 kg title he won in 2023 by making a short work of Volodymyr KOCHANOV (UKR). The 23-year-old, who spent most of 2024 playing on the senior circuit, didn’t give Kochanov the slightest of chances as he needed only five seconds to launch his first attack, an arm throw, for a two-point takedown.

He made it 4-0 with another arm-throw to go-behind before Kochanov was put on the activity clock. A point for the clock and a stepout for Ivanov made it 6-0 and a takedown and stepout later, he led 9-0 at the break. He blocked a trip attempt from Kochanov to win 11-0 and claim the U23 European crown for the second time.

Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM) celebrates after winning the 61kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Mikayelyan wins first-ever gold

Twice before in his nascent career, Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM) came agonizingly close to winning a gold medal. The first time was at the U20 European Championships four years ago, and then again in 2023 at the U20 continental competition. Both times, he settled for a silver.

On Monday, the 22-year-old won his first-ever title in a defensive final where all points were won via activity clock warnings. Mikayelyan defeat Jeyhun ALLAHVERDIYEV (AZE) 2-1 to clinch the gold medal in the 61kg category.

Allahverdiyev led 1-1 on criteria when the match entered its final minute, having got the latest point from activity time. But he was put on activity time in the final minute and he failed to score, giving Mikayelyan a 2-1 advantage with only 30 seconds remaining in the bout.

Allahverdiyev threw the kitchen sink at his rival in the final few seconds but Mikayelyan defended like his life depended on it to take home the gold medal.

Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) scored a 12-1 technical superiority over Knyaz IBOYAN (ARM) in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the 92kg category, Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) took a while to get going but when he did -- with 2:45 left on the clock and him leading 1-1 on criteria -- he didn’t give Knyaz IBOYAN (ARM) a chance to come back.

Khaniev launched a venomous leg-attack after a snapdown. He rolled him over in one swift move to go 5-1 up. He scored a counter throw-by, a stepout before a go-behind and gut wrench to win the gold medal via 12-1 technical superiority against Iboyan.

Nesrin BAS (TUR) secured a fall in the semifinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Bas leads three into WW finals

Paris Olympian and senior European champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) led from the front as three Turkish wrestlers entered the Women's Wrestling finals.

Bas, a U23 world and European champion, scored a fall in the semifinal over Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) and will face returning silver medalst Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), also three-time U20 European champion, in the final.

After winning the U17 and U20 European Championships last year, Tuba DEMIR (TUR) will hope to win the U23 gold on Tuesday to complete her full set of age-group medals. Demir, who beat Amory Olivia ANDRICH (GER) 11-6, will face multiple-time age-group world and European medalist Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) in the 55kg gold medal bout.

U20 European champion Elmira YASIN (TUR) also made it to the final after beating Veronika NYIKOS (HUN), 6-1, and set up the 76kg gold medal bout against former U17 world champion Olga KOZYREVA (UWW), the returning bronze medalist.

Former U20 world champion and Paris Olympian Aurora RUSSO (ITA) set up a mouth-watering 59kg final against 17-year-old Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) who recently won the Zagreb Open in February.

RESULTS

Freestyle

61kg
GOLD: Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM) df. Jeyhun ALLAHVERDIYEV (AZE), 2-1

BRONZE: Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR) df. Simone PIRODDU (ITA), 10-0
BRONZE: Tolga OZBEK (TUR) df. Besir ALILI (MKD), via fall (10-0)

74kg
GOLD: Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 5-4

BRONZE: Luka CHKHITUNIDZE (GEO) df. Bohdan OLIINYK (UKR), 2-1
BRONZE: Ion MARCU (MDA) df. Manuel WAGIN (GER), 11-4

86kg
GOLD: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 9-2

BRONZE: Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA) df. Radomir STOYANOV (BUL), 7-2
BRONZE: Arslan BAGAEV (UWW) df. Alperen ATAR (TUR), 7-4

92kg
GOLD: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) df. Knyaz IBOYAN (ARM), 12-1

BRONZE: Sadig MUSTAFAZADE (AZE) df. Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO), 5-3
BRONZE: Denys SAHALIUK (UKR) df. Artsiom IHNATSIUK (UWW), 10-0

125kg
GOLD: Georgi IVANOV (BUL) df. Volodymyr KOCHANOV (UKR), 11-0

BRONZE: Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE) df. Efe Anil AL (TUR), 10-3 (via fall)
BRONZE: Khachatur KHACHATRYAN (ARM) df. Michal DUBOWSKI (POL), 10-0

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) vs. Anastasiya YANOTAVA (UWW)

SF 1: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) df. Natalia WALCZAK (POL), 11-0
SF 2: Anastasiya YANOTAVA (UWW) df. Asmar JANKURTARAN (AZE), via fall

55kg
GOLD: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) vs. Tuba DEMIR (TUR)

SF 1: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df. Anastasiia IANDUSHKINA (UWW), via fall (10-4)
SF 2: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), 11-6

59kg
GOLD: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) vs. Aurora RUSSO (ITA)

SF 1: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. Yuliia PAKHNIUK (UKR), 11-1
SF 2: Aurora RUSSO (ITA) df. Evgeniia OGORODNIKOVA (UWW), via fall

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR)

SF 1: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW), via fall
SF 2: Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) df. Maria PANTIRU (ROU), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Olga KOZYREVA (UWW) vs. Elmira YASIN (TUR)

SF 1: Olga KOZYREVA (UWW) df. Laura KUEHN (GER), via fall (7-5)
SF 2: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Veronika NYIKOS (HUN), 6-1

Nine European Wrestlers Garner Greco-Roman Top Seed Heading into Nur-Sultan

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U23 Euros: Dzhioev stops Magamadov, Khaniev wins 74kg gold