BuchaWrestU23

Reigning U23 World Champion Cengiz and Cataraga Reach Semifinals

By Eric Olanowski

BUCHAREST, Romania (November 12) – The opening day semifinals at the 2018 U23 World Championships are set and four different nations will have a pair of wrestlers competing for a spot in tomorrow night’s finals. The four nations that have two wrestlers taking the mat tonight are Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Turkey. 

Georgia is led by the five-time age level world champion, Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO). Pataridze, who is coming off a thirteenth-place finish at the senior-level world championships is looking to improve on his runner-up finish at last year’s U23 World Championships where he was defeated in the finals by 2018 world champion, Sergey SEMENOV (RUS). 

In the 130kg semifinals, Pataridze will wrestle Finland’s Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN), who is looking to become his nations second U23 world finalist ever. 

Georgia’s second semifinalist is 2018 world bronze medalist, Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO). He'll take on Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) for a spot in the 55kg finals.

Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) celebrates after making the U23 World semifinals (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

Moldova’s pair of finalists are Alexandru BICIU (MDA) and Daniel CATARAGA (MDA). 

In a rematch of the U23 European Championship finals, Biciu will try to avenge that loss to Mihai MIHUT (ROU) with a spot in the 63kg finals on the line, while reigning U23 world champion Daniel Cataraga will see Sajan SAJAN (IND) in the 77kg semifinals.

Russian National champion, Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS), and U23 European bronze medalist, Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), will wrestle in the 55kg and 87kg semifinals respectively. 

At 55kg, Kabaloev will wrestle 2015 junior world bronze medalist Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ), and Khalilov will scrap against Cuba’s 2018 senior-level world team member, Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB), in the semifinals at 87kg. 

Meanwhile, Turkey’s reigning U23 world champion Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) and two-time U23 European finalist Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) will also wrestle for a spot in tomorrow night’s finals. 

In the 87kg semifinals, Cengiz will have to get past Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN), while Yildirim will be pitted against Egypt's Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) in the 130kg semifinals.

The semifinals are set to begin at 18:00 PM local time at Bucharest’s Polyvalent Hall.

Semifinal Match-ups 
55kg
Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) vs. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) 
Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) vs. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)

63kg
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) vs. Meysam Karamali DALKHANI (IRI) 
Alexandru BICIU (MDA) vs. Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU)

77kg
Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) 
Sajan SAJAN (IND) vs. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)

87kg
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) vs. Islam ABBASOV (AZE) 
Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB) vs. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS)

130kg
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) vs. Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) 
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) vs. Abdellatif Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series 2026 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 21) -- United World Wrestling's continental championships are over and the Ranking Series will return for its third stop.

Ulaanbaatar Open, the third Ranking Series of the year, will be held in the Mongolian capital from June 4-7.

Note: The entries are subject to change 72 hours before the draws of respective style. For latest, click here

UWW Plus

Freestyle

57kg
DENGBURILE (CHN)
ANKUSH (IND)
SUMIT (IND)
Abzal OKENOV (KAZ)
Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ)
Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)
Sangboum HAN (KOR)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL)
Jiguur SARANTUYA (MGL)
Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Chong Song HAN (PRK)
Darian Toi CRUZ (PUR)
Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (RUS)
Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK)
Pedro MEJIAS (VEN)

61kg
Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS)
DEEPAK (IND)
Ahora KHATERI (IRI)
Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ)
Kalmukhan TURMAKHANBET (KAZ)
Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ)
Batnasan GANKHULEG (MGL)
Tserendondov DORJPUREV (MGL)
Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Bair BAIANDUEV (RUS)

65kg
Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL)
Mohit KUMAR (IND)
ROHIT (IND)
SUJEET (IND)
Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
Aibek AITBEKOV (KAZ)
Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ)
Ossimzhan DASTANBEK (KAZ)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Gantulga BATBAATAR (MGL)
Turbayar DAVAANYAM (MGL)
Zeneemeder BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Kwang Jin KIM (PRK)
Christopher COMPOSTO (USA)

70kg
ABHIMANYOU (IND)
Rodion ANCHUGIN (KAZ)
Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ)
Yerlan SHAKISHOV (KAZ)
Aden SAKYBAEV (KGZ)
Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ)
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)
Usukhbayar BAATARKHUU (MGL)
Zandanbat BATSAIKHAN (MGL)
Konstantin KAPRYNOV (RUS)
Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS)
Cross WASILEWSKI (USA)

74kg
BATUQINGGELE (CHN)
Erihetu BAYIN (CHN)
JAIDEEP (IND)
Sagar JAGLAN (IND)
Sandeep MANN (IND)
Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ)
Daegil HAN (KOR)
Jin su JEON (KOR)
Sangho HAN (KOR)
Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Tolui MUNKHBAT (MGL)
Tugsjargal ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Tamir ESHINIMAEV (RUS)
Tumen BODIEV (RUS)

79kg
MOHIT (IND)
Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)
Mansur KUANGAN (KAZ)
Shamil OZHAEV (KAZ)
Bekzat RAKHIMOV (KGZ)
Gan Erdene BAATARKHUU (MGL)
Khangaibayar GANBOLD (MGL)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Ismail KHANIEV (RUS)

86kg
Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Suhe GANG (CHN)
ARYAN (IND)
Mukul DAHIYA (IND)
Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ)
Gyeongyeon LEE (KOR)
Taegyu HWANG (KOR)
Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL)
Bilguundalai PUREVDAGVA (MGL)
Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL)
Amanula RASULOV (RUS)
Weng CHOW (SGP)

92kg
Punit KUMAR (IND)
Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI)
Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Sung Yup RYU (KOR)
Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Delgerdalai DEMBEREL (MGL)
Ganbat TSERENPUNTSAG (MGL)
Askhab SAADULAEV (RUS)

97kg
Thomas BARNS (AUS)
Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (BLR)
TUXIGE (CHN)
Deepak CHAHAL (IND)
VICKY (IND)
Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ)
Juhwan SEO (KOR)
Pureun KIM (KOR)
Demchigdorj TUMURBAATAR (MGL)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)
Mukhamed Takhir KHANIEV (RUS)
Cristian SARCO (VEN)

125kg
BUHEEERDUN (CHN)
DINESH (IND)
RONAK (IND)
Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ)
Gwanuk KIM (KOR)
Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL)
Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL)
Narantulga DARMAABAZAR (MGL)
Kamil KOSCIOLEK POL
Robert BARAN POL
Timur KOTAEV (RUS)
Jose DIAZ (VEN)

Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) will mark his return to international competition for the first time since 2024 Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Greco-Roman

55kg
LALIT (IND)
Payam AHMADI (IRI)
Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL)
Sumiyabazar MUNKHZAYA (MGL)
Emin CAKIR (TUR)

60kg
BAOYINJIYA (CHN)
SAHIL (IND)
SUMIT (IND)
Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI)
Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ)
Dahyun KIM (KOR)
Seunghak KIM (KOR)
Yu Chol RO (PRK)

63kg
Sunny KUMAR (IND)
Erfan JARKANI (IRI)
Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI)
Doszhan UTEPKALIYEV (KAZ)
Yerkebulan ARDAKOV (KAZ)
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
Hyunwoong CHOI (KOR)
Ganbayar NAMSRAI (MGL)

67kg
Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS)
Alamusi ALAMUSI (CHN)
Xinxin JIN (CHN)
Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND)
Karajit SINGH (IND)
Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Otgonnasan TSERENPUNTSAG (MGL)
Man Gwang SON (PRK)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)

72kg
ANIL (IND)
Javad REZAEI (IRI)
Danial SOHRABI (IRI)
Amanat SAMAT UULU (KGZ)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ)
Minseong KWON (KOR)
Aldarkhuu YESUNCHUDUR (MGL)
Borgil TUVSHINBAATAR (MGL)

77kg
Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL)
Amuguleng BAI (CHN)
AMAN (IND)
Ankit GULIA (IND)
Bekzat ORUNKUL UULU (KGZ)
Yeonghun NOH (KOR)
Ariyabadraa TUUL (MGL)
Jason BAUCAS (PHI)

82kg
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL)
Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)
Imur TEMIRBEKOV (KGZ)
Lkhagvasuren DASHJAMTS (MGL)
Orgil NYAM ERDENE (MGL)
Turbold ENKHBAYAR (MGL)

87kg
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
PRINCE (IND)
Rohit BURA (IND)
Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ)
Seunghwan LEE (KOR)
Batbayar TSOGTBAATAR (MGL)
Turbold GANBOLD (MGL)
Usukhbayar BAATARKHUU (MGL)
Luis AVENDANO (VEN)

97kg
ADIYA (CHN)
Kevin MEJIA (HON)
NITESH (IND)
Nurassyl AMANALY (KAZ)
Minho LEE (KOR)
Batsuuri PUREVDORJ (MGL)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)
Tuvshinsanaa ERDENEJARGAL (MGL)
Juan DIAZ (VEN)

130kg
Zhiyong DONG (CHN)
Gino AVILA (HON)
Joginder RATHEE (IND)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Minseok KIM (KOR)
Lkhagvajamts MUNKHDORJ (MGL)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Moises PEREZ (VEN)

Kyong Ryong OH (PRK)Kyong Ryong OH (PRK), world champion at 55kg, will be wrestling at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Ziqi FENG (CHN)
NEELAM (IND)
SWEETY (IND)
Miyu NAKAMURA (JPN)
Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL)
Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Suvd Erdene BAYARBAATAR (MGL)
Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR)
Son Hyang KIM (PRK)
Natalia PUDOVA (RUS)
Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)

53kg
NAOGUGAN (CHN)
MEENAKSHI (IND)
MUSKAN (IND)
Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)
Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Seoyoung PARK (KOR)
Chuluun Erdene BATTOGTOKH (MGL)
Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL)
Otgontuya BAYANMUNKH (MGL)
Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR)
Kyong Ryong OH (PRK)
Andreea ANA (ROU)
Beatrice FERENT (ROU)
Natalia MALYSHEVA (RUS)
Alexa ALVAREZ (VEN)

55kg
Hansika LAMBA (IND)
Natsumi MASUDA (JPN)
Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ)
Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL)
Bayarjargal TUMURBAATAR (MGL)
Chimgee BUYANDALAI (MGL)
Hyo Gyong CHOE (PRK)
Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS)
Tuba DEMIR (TUR)

57kg
MANISHA (IND)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ)
Youngjin KWON (KOR)
Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Munkhchimeg URJIN (MGL)
Il Sim SON (PRK)
Danielle LIM (SGP)
Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR)

59kg
NEHA (IND)
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Enkhtuvshin BALJINNYAM (MGL)
Saruul ERDENEBILEG (MGL)
Pyol HONG (PRK)
Bediha GUN (TUR)

62kg
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Huan YANG (CHN)
MANSI (IND)
NITIKA (IND)
Subeen JO (KOR)
Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL)
Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL)
Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Ok Ju KIM (PRK)
Amina CAPEZAN (ROU)
Amina TANDELOVA (RUS)
Astrid MONTERO (VEN)

65kg
Shuai ZHANG (CHN)
PULKIT (IND)
Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL)
Erdenebulgan LKHAGVASUREN (MGL)
Narkhajid NYAMSUREN (MGL)
Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK)
Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS)

68kg
Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Gantsetseg BATSUKH (MGL)
Odzaya ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Sol Gum PAK (PRK)
Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU)
Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Nathaly GRIMAN (VEN)

72kg
HARSHITA (IND)
Batsuren MYAGMARSUREN (MGL)
Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL)
Odgerel ERDENE OCHIR (MGL)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (RUS)

76kg
Saihan AO (CHN)
Wenji LI (CHN)
KAJAL (IND)
PRIYA (IND)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Eunju HWANG (KOR)
Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL)
Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL)
Urtnasan GAN OCHIR (MGL)
Damola OJO (NGR)
Patrycja CUBER (POL)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Valeriia TRIFONOVA (RUS)