Military C'Ships

Ramonov Wins Gold, Russia Takes Seven Titles at Military C’ships

By Ali Feizasa

Olympic and world champion Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) captured 70kg title at 2018 Freestyle World Military championships as Russia team earned seven gold medals to win team title. While, two gold medals went to Iran and Mongolia took one.

The host team Russia failed to earn gold in light weights as Mehran REZAZADEH (IRI) took 57k gold medal and KHASHERDENE (MGL) succeed to beat Dmitrii AKSENOV (RUS) in the final match to win 61kg top spot.

But Russian started to sweep gold medals from 65kg. Nachyn KUULAR (RUS) defeated Hyeon Sik SONG (KOR) by FALL in 65kg finale and RAMONOV grabbed 70kg title.

RAMONOV (RUS) downed Alexander SEMISOROW (GER), 12-5 in the final match to repeat his last year’s title in World Military Championships.

Zaurbek SIDAKOV gave the host team third gold medal, defeating Iranian Hamed RASHIDI, 11-3 in 74kg final bout.

In 79kg, 2015 world champion Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) beat Bahman TEIMOURI (IRI) by Technical Fall, 12-2 to compensate recent deficit in European championships. TSABOLOV scored 10 points against two points of Iranian rival in first period and added two more points in second period to earn Technical Fall victory.

86kg gold medal went to Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) which downed Kanan ALIYEV (AZE), 6-4.

Iurii BELONOVSKII (RUS) bagged sixth gold for Russian, winning Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ), 8-3 to earn 92kg top spot.

Just a few days after achieving European gold medal, Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) doubled in a month defeating Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI), in 97kg final match.

BAITCAEV scored six points in first period and added two point more in second period to take gold by 8-2 victory against Iranian team member in Paris World Championships.

Yadollah MOHEBI, a 2017 Asian champion, stopped consecutive victories of Russian in the finals and took gold medal in heavy weight by defeating Nurzhan OMIRBEKOV (KAZ). MOHEBI who placed second in Iran team trials just a week ago, downed OMIRBEKOV by technical fall 10-0 victory.

MOHEBI was second gold medal winner of Iran in Freestyle Military World Championships

2018 FR World Military World Championships team standings:

1- Russia 225 pts (7 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze)
2- Iran 163 pts (2 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze)
3- Kazakhstan 117 pts (2 silver, 5 bronze)
4- Azerbaijan 109 pts (1 silver, 3 bronze)
5- Mongolia (1 gold, 1 bronze)

Results:

57kg

GOLD- Mehran REZAZADEH (IRI) df. Un Gwang PAK (PRK), 4-3
BRONZE- Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) df. Afqan KHASHALOV (AZE), 2-1
BRONZE- Sung Gwon KIM (KOR) df. Horst LEHR (GER), 5-0

61kg

GOLD- B. KHASHERDENE (MGL) df. Dmitrii AKSENOV (RUS), 9-4
BRONZE- Mohammad NAMJOOMOTLAGH (IRI) df. Adrian VOCK (SUI), 11-2
BRONZE- Yeldos ABIKENOV (KAZ) df. Zhenguang TIAN (CHN), by FALL

65kg

GOLD- Nachyn KUULAR (RUS) df. Hyeon Sik SONG (KOR), by FALL
BRONZE- Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA) df. MUHAMMAD (PAK) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) df. Peiman BIABANI (IRI), by FALL

70kg

GOLD- Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) df. Alexander SEMISOROW (GER), 12-5
BRONZE- B. BVAMBADORJ (MGL) df. Mazen KADMANI (SYR) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Azamat SHGAPULY (KAZ) df. Yazdan SANAEI (IRI), 7-5

74kg

GOLD- Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Hamed RASHIDI (IRI), 11-3
BRONZE-Baibolsyn KURMANBEKOV (KAZ) df. Johann STEINFORTH (GER) by TF, 12-1
BRONZE- Joshqun AZIMOV (AZE) df. Botond LUKACS (HUN) by TF, 10-0

79kg

GOLD- Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) df. Bahman TEIMOURI (IRI) by TF, 12-2
BRONZE- Galymzhan USERBAYEV (KAZ) df. Orkhan ABASOV (AZE), 5-3
BRONZE- Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) df. Mohamad FEPACASTA (SYR) by TF, 11-0

86kg

GOLD- Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) df. Kanan ALIYEV (AZE), 6-4
BRONZE- Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI) df. Adil IRSHAD (PAK) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Nurdaulet KOKTEUBAEV (KAZ) df. CH. USUKHBAYAR (MGL), 7-3

92kg

GOLD- Iurii BELONOVSKII (RUS) df. Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ), 8-3
BRONZE- Gabor HATOS (HUN) df. Askhab HAMZATOV (AZE), 2-1
BRONZE- Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) df. Arashk MOHEBI (IRI), 9-2

97kg

GOLD- Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) df. Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI), 8-2
BRONZE-Dzianis KHRAMTANKOU (BLR) df. Mohammed FARDJ (AKG) by TF, 12-2
BRONZE- Roman BAKIROV (AZE) df. Saasaa VICTOR JULIAN (COL) by TF, 10-0

125kg

GOLD- Yaduollah MOHEBI (IRI) df. Nurzhan OMIRBEKOV (KAZ) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Raja ALKARAD (SYR) df. Hamza HALOVI (ALG) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Alan KHUGAEV (RUS) df. Zhiwei DENG (CHN), 2-1

#WrestleBudapest

Big-throwing Machado claims debut Ranking Series gold

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 20) -- Thamires MACHADO (BRA) made brief headlines at the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifiers in Mexico. She threw Amit ELOR (USA) for a lateral drop for four points. Machado had Elor in trouble which could have seen Elor, the champion in Paris Games, lose early. However, Machado fizzled out and lost her bout 6-4.

A year later on Saturday, the Brazilian won her first major gold medal at the Budapest Ranking Series after a stunning show of strength and big throws at the Ranking Series over the weekend.

"In every practice back home, I try to do the four-point moves. I want to throw," Machado said after receiving the gold medal.

In other weight classes, Grace BULLEN (NOR) had another epic match with Irina RINGACI (MDA) and won gold at 65kg and Kennedy BLADES (USA) won another Ranking Series gold to remain undefeated at 68kg going into the World Championships.

European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) and Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) won at 55kg and 62kg respectively.

Machado, competing in her first-ever Ranking Series event, won the 76kg gold medal with wins over Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and world U20 champion PRIYA (IND) in semifinal and final, respectively.

In the gold-medal bout, Machadofaced former world U17 and U20 champion Priya and used a similar lateral drop like she did against Elor to score a four-pointer over Priya in the first minute.

Priya was pushing for a stepout and Machado used that momentum to drop her for four-points. It was catch-up from there on for Priya who failed to score any points in the first period. She got a stepout in the second get on board. Struggling to get to Machado's legs, Priya forced another stepout to make it 4-2.

Machado was put on the activity clock in the last minute but she was happy to conceded that point than to go for all-out attack during those 30 seconds. Priya also waited for the activity clock to expire before pushing for a point, perhaps a mistake to take her foot of the pedal in the final minute.

During that time, Machado managed to catch her breath and defended all attacks, including one in the last five seconds to win 4-3 and the gold medal.

"I am happy to win this gold medal in Ranking Series," she said. "This is so special for me"

In the semifinals, Machado got the better of Medet Kyzy, who opened the scoring with a double-leg takedown for two points. She led 3-0 at the break as Machado failed to score after being put on the 30-second activity clock.

Machado got her first points when she defended a leg attack from Medet Kyzy and scored a go-behind takedown. She then launched a powerful gut-wrench and turned her three times to lead 8-3. Two stepouts in quick succession for Medet Kyzy cut Machado's lead to 8-5 but the Kyrgyzstan wrestler had only a minute left to score more points and secure the win.

As they scrambled for the final minute, Machado and Medet Kyzy locked each other at the edge but it was the latter who fell outside of the zone first which gave another point to Machado with 33 seconds left. Machado held her positions better than Medet Kyzy and managed to score another stepout to lead 10-5 and win the bout.

Born in one of the favellas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Machado was part of one of the social project by the local council which taught wrestling to young kids. She joined the program and managed to learn wrestling.

In 2019, she won gold medal at the Pan-Am U20 Championships, her second ever competition. For five years, she was away from wrestling, but in 2024, she returned and won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix and was second at the 2025 Pan-Am Championships.

Bullen survives Ringaci

If both remain at the same weight class in the future, the Bullen-Ringaci rivalry can be the most fearsome in Women's Wrestling. The latest example was their 65kg final in Budapest where Bullen, down 16-8, pinned Ringaci was claim her second win over the former world champion in four months.

Ringaci, who needed one more turn from par terre or just survive the pin from Bullen, was frustrated with yet another loss and pushed aside Bullen after the bout.

The match began with a wonderful counter from Ringaci, who hit a cut-back after a Bullen snap to pass-by and got four points. Watch above. While Bullen survived the fall attempt, she fell behind 6-0.

A little later, it was Ringaci's chance survive a pin attempt from Bullen who lifted Ringaci well over her waist-level and slammed her for four. The first period ended with Bullen leading 6-6 on criteria.

Bullen tried the exact move of snap to pass-by in the second period and this time she succeeded, scoring two points and taking a clear 8-6 lead. Ringaci scored a takedown 30 seconds into the second period and scored six more points using three gut-wrenches. As she was going for the final turn to win the bout, Bullen blocked and got the headlock to pin Ringaci.

An aghast Ringaci was left in tears as Bullen herself was shocked to have won the bout, having snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

At 68kg, Kennedy BLADES (USA) had a fine tournament, winning her second Ranking Series event and third tournament of 2025. In the final, she defeated Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 13-2, a wrestler she had defeated 10-0 at the Zagreb Open in February.

The only bout she was not able to win via technical superiority was her semifinal against Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) as the Bulgarian was able to stop Blades to a 6-2 win. Blades had little injury scare in the final few seconds of the match but managed to continue.

Verbina captured the 55kg gold medal after a controlled 6-1 win over Karla GODINEZ (CAN) in the final while Tandelova blanked Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) 3-0 in the 62kg final.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Karla GODINEZ (CAN), 6-1

BRONZE: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), 10-0

62kg
GOLD: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 3-0

BRONZE: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. Nikolett SZABO (HUN), 10-0
BRONZE: MANISHA (IND) df. Krystsina SAZYKINA (UWW), via fall (9-0)

65kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), via fall (10-16)

BRONZE: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) df. Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Macey KILTY (USA) df. Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR), 10-4

68kg
GOLD: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 13-2

BRONZE: Brooklyn HAYS (USA) df. Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), 5-4
BRONZE: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 11-1

76kg
GOLD: Thamires MACHADO (BRA) df. PRIYA (IND), 4-3

BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW), 11-0
BRONZE: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Seoyeon JEONG (KOR), 12-1