Russia advanced to the final match of 2016 Greco-Roman World Cup as Iran and Turkey compete tomorrow morning to determine second finalist. The 2016 Greco-Roman wrestling World Cup hosted in the historic Iranian city of Shiraz has fast become the most attended sporting event ever held in the city.

The ancient city of Persepolis or Takhte Jamshid is located near Shiraz; the capital of the first Persian Empire Achaemenid (550-330 BC) founded by “Syrus the Great” and became the biggest ancient empire in the world which developed to the Europe and Africa continents.

Now the ancient sport of wrestling is held in one of the most historic places in the world where eight top Greco-Roman teams compete for achieving the World Cup title.

[[{"fid":"11452","view_mode":"wysiwyg","type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":800,"width":1200,"class":"media-element file-wysiwyg"}}]]Olympic and world champion Omid NOROOZI is a big name in his hometown of Shiraz and the fans treat him like a hero. Less than two minutes was enough for Noroozi to defeat Azad ALIYEV by tech fall 8-0. Takedown, gut wrench and a back throw by NOROOZI errupted the hall and hundreds of Iranian wrestling fans waved flags, blew horns and sang as Iran would defeat the defending champion Azerbaijan, 8-0 in group B.

“We have had hard trainings for the Olympic Games. I am glad for my performance in front of my hometown fans and I hope it was a worthy response for their support.” said Noroozi. “I look to win my second gold medal at Olympic Games. I know it will be difficult but I do my best.” 

World Cup was an opportunity for some teams to test their wrestlers before the Olympic Games. The host country Olympic champions Ghasem REZAEI and Omid NOROOZI and Kazakhstan's experienced wrestler Nurmakhan TYNALIEV stepped on the mat in Shiraz.

Russia advanced to the final match in group A as they defeated Belarus, Germany and Kazakhstan (all 7-1) in the third match. Russians didn’t send most of their titled wrestlers to the tournament, similar to Azerbaijan team.

In group B, Iran and Turkey are currently undefeated and they compete on Friday morning for reaching the final. Iran will be the heavy favorite to reach final as they have the support of the fans.

Iran beat Ukraine (8-0) and Azerbaijan (7-1) as Turkey won against Azerbaijan (5-3) and Ukraine(6-2).

First day results of 2016 Greco-Roman wrestling World Cup

Group A

Round 1

Russia df.  Belarus, 7-1

59kg- Sergei EMELIN (RUS) TF. Elbek TAZHYIEU (BLR), 8-0
66kg- Zaur KABALOEV (RUS) TF. Mikita ZINEVICH (BLR), 8-0
71kg- Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) df. Pavel LIAKH(BLR), 7-3
75kg- Irakliy KALANDIYA (RUS) df. Tsimur BERDYIEU (BLR), 7-4
80kg-Alan Igorevitch KHUGAEV (RUS) TF. Pavel PAMINCHUK (BLR), 16-8
85kg- Sosruko KODZOKOV (RUS) df. Hoha HAHNIDZE (BLR), 7-0
98kg- Siarhei STARADUB (BLR) df. Kantemir MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 6-2
130kg- Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) df. Heorhi CHUHASHVIL (BLR), 4-2

Kazakhstan df. Germany 5-3

59kg-Dustin SCHERF (GER) df. Ruslan ITEMGENOV (KAZ), 5-0
66kg-Askhat ZHANBIROV(KAZ) TF. Muhammet Yasin YETER (GER), 9-0
71kg-Darkhan BAYAKHMETOV (KAZ) df. Maximilian SCHWABE (GER), 2-1
75kg- Miras BARSHYLKOV (KAZ) TF. Jan ROTTER (GER), 11-2
80kg- Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) df. Hannes WAGNER (GER), 2-0
85kg- Florian NNEUMAIER (GER) df. Khussein MUTSOLOGOV (KAZ), 3-1
98kg-Muhammed Etka SEVER (GER) TF. Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ), 11-2
130kg- Nurmakhan TINALIYEV (KAZ) pinned Christian JOHN (GER).

Round 2

Russia df. Germany 7-1

59kg- Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) df. Dustin SCHERF (GER), 5-0
66kg- Azamat AKHMEDOV (RUS) df. Muhammet Yasin YETER (GER), 7-4
71kg- Denis MURTAZIN  (RUS) df. Maximilian Andreas SCHWABE (GER), 2-0
75kg- Irakliy KALANDIYA (RUS) df. Jan ROTTER (GER), 9-3
80kg- Ramazan ABACHARAEV (RUS) TF. Hannes WAGNER (GER), 8-0
85kg- Imil SHARAFETDINOV (RUS) df. Florian NEUMAIER (GER), 3-0
98kg- Muhammed Etka SEVER (GER) df. Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS), 3-2
130kg- Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RUS) df. Christian JOHN (GER), 4-3

Kazakhstan df. Belarus, 5-3

59kg-Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ) TF. Elbek TAZHYIEU (BLR), 9-0
66kg- Askhat ZHANBIROV (KAZ) TF. Mikita ZINEVICH (BLR), 10-2
71kg- Pavel LIAKH (BLR) df. Aibek YENSEKHANOV (KAZ), 4-1
75kg-Doszhan KARTIKOV (KAZ) TF. Tsimur BERDYIEU (BLR), 8-0
80kg- Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) df. Pavel PAMINCHUK (BLR), 4-1
85kg- Hoha HAHNIDZE (BLR) TF. Khussein MUTSOLGOV (KAZ), 13-4
98kg-Siarhei STARADUB (BLR) df. Zhanarbek KABDOLOV (KAZ), 9-4
130kg- Damir KUZEMBAYEV (KAZ) df. Heorhi CHUHASHVILI (BLR), 3-0

Round 3

Russia df. Kazakhstan, 7-1

59kg- Sergey EMELIN (RUS) TF. Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ), 9-0
66kg- Zaur KABALOEV (RUS) TF. Askhat ZHANBIROV (KAZ), 9-0
71kg- Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) df. Darkhan BAYAKHMETOV (KAZ), 5-2
75kg- Doszhan KARTIKOV (KAZ) df. Irakliy KALANDIYA (RUS), 4-0
80kg- Alan Igorevitch KHUGAEV (RUS) pinned Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ)
85kg- Sosruko KODZOKOV (RUS) df. Khussein MUTSOLGOV (KAZ), 5-0
98kg- Kantemir MAGOMEDOV (RUS) TF. Zhanarbek KABDOLOV (KAZ), 10-0
130kg- Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) df. Nurmakhan TINALIYEV (KAZ), 3-2

Group B

Round 1

Turkey  df. Azerbaijan, 5-3

59kg- Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Fatih UNCU (TUR), 2-1
66kg- Abdulsamet GUNAL (TUR) df. Elman MUKHTAROV (AZE), 5-3
71kg- Rustam ALIYEV (AZE) TF. Selcuk Gursel CAN (TUR), 9-0
75kg-Furkan BAYRAK (TUR) TF. Shamistan GULUZADE (AZE), 9-0
80kg-Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Emin AHMADOV (AZE), 9-7
85kg-Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Kansu ILDEM (TUR), 5-0
98kg- Fatih Cemal BASKOY (TUR) df. Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE), 2-0
130kg- Atilla Serafettin GUZEL (TUR) df. Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE), 2-0

Iran df. Ukraine 8-0

59kg- Mehrdad MARDANI (IRI) df. Ievgen MIAGKYI (UKR), 7-3
66kg-Mehdi Chooli ZEIDVAND (IRI) TF. Artur POLITAIEV (UKR), 8-0
71kg- Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) TF. Olexander LYTVYNOV (UKR), 8-0
75kg- Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) TF. Ievgen PYSHKOV (UKR), 9-0
80kg- Ramin TAHERI (IRI) df. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR), 1-1
85kg- Habibollah AKHLAGHI (IRI) df. Oleksandr SHYSHMAN (UKR), 6-0
98kg- Ghasem REZAEI (IRI) TF. Zielimkhan DZHIHASOV (UKR), 9-1
130kg- Bashir BABAJANZADEH (IRI) df. Ihor DIDYK (UKR), 4-0

Round 2

Iran 7 – Azerbaijan 1

59kg- Saman ABDVALI (IRI) df. Sakit GULIYEV (AZE), 3-1
66kg- Omid NOROOZI (IRI) TF. Azad ALIYEV (AZE), 8-0
71kg- Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) df. Ruhin MIKAYILOV (AZE), 4-0
75kg- Payam BOVEYRI (IRI) TF. Shamistan GULUZADE (AZE), 8-0
80kg- Yousef GHADERYAN (IRI) df. Emin AHMADOV (AZE), 5-0
85kg- Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Hossein NOURI(IRI), 6-4
98kg- Mahdi ALIYARI (IRI) TF. Turman EYUBOV (AZE), 8-0
130kg- Behnam MEHDIZADEH (IRI) df. Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE), 3-2

Turkey df. Ukraine 6-2

59kg- Serif Yakup KILIC (TUR) TF. Ievgen MIAGKYI (UKR), 9-0
66kg- Enes Nogman BASAR (TUR) pinned Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)
71kg- Murat Huseyin DAG  (TUR) df. Olexandr LYTVYNOV (UKR), 6-2
75kg- Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR) df. Ievgen PYSHKOV(UKR), 7-4
80kg- Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) df. Dogan GOKTAS (TUR), 4-2
85kg-Andrii GLADKYKH (UKR) df. Kansu ILDEM (TUR), 2-1
98kg- Dogan YILMAZ (TUR) df. Zielimkhan DZIHASOV (UKR), 3-0
130kg- Atilla Serafettin GUZEL (TUR) TF. Vladyslav VORONYI (UKR), 8-0

Round 3

Azerbaijan df. Ukraine 5-3

59kg- Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Ievgen MIAGKYI(UKR), 4-2
66kg- Azad ALIYEV (AZE) df. Artur POLITAIEV (UKR), 8-6
71kg- Ruhin MIKAYILOV (AZE) df. Olexandr LYTVYNOV (UKR), 2-0
75kg-Rustam ALIYEV (AZE) df. Ievgen PYSHKOV (UKR), 3-0
80kg- Yaroslav FILCHAKOV(UKR) df. Emin AHMADOV (AZE), 5-2
85kg- Oleksandr SHYSHMAN (UKR) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 3-1
98kg-Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE) df. Zielimkhan DZIHASOV (UKR), 2-0
130kg- Ihor DIDYK (UKR) df. Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE), 4-2

خاک، بارانداز و یک سالتو از امید نوروزی سالن را منفجر کرد و صدها طرفدار ایرانی کشتی با به ضدا درآوردن بوقهای خود و فریاد کشیدن، به تشویق او مشغول شدند تا ایران مقابل آذربایجان مدافع عنوان قهرمانی به پیروزی 8 بر صفر برسد.

امید نوروزی در مورد عملکردش در این مسابقات گفت: "من از عملکرد مقابل چشمان همشهریانم خوشحالم. من در پی رسیدن به دومین طلای المپیک هستم. می دانم کار سختی دارم اما تمام تلاشم را می کنم."

اما جام جهانی فرصتی برای برخی تیمها بود که کشتی گیران خود را قبل از المپیک آزمایش کنند. دو قهرمان المپیک یعنی قاسم رضایی و امید نوروزی به همراه نورماخان تینالیف کشتی گیر با تجربه قزاقستان از جمله نفراتی بودند که در شیراز به میدان رفتند.

 در گروه اول مسابقات، روسیه با سه پیروزی 7 بر یک مقابل بلارس، آلمان و قزاقستان به فینال رسید. روسیه همانند آذربایجان کشتی گیران عنوان دار خود را به این رقابتها نفرستاده است.

در گروه دوم هم ایران و ترکیه با دو برد بدون شکست باقی ماندند و صبح جمعه به مصاف هم می روند تا تکلیف دیگر فینالیست این وزن مشخص شود.

ایران مقابل اوکراین (8-0) و آذربایجان (7-1) به پیروزی رسید و ترکیه نیز آذربایجان را 5-3 و اوکراین را 6-2 مغلوب کرد.

Groupe B

Round 1

Turquie  df. Azerbaïdjan, 5-3

59kg- Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Fatih UNCU (TUR), 2-1
66kg- Abdulsamet GUNAL (TUR) df. Elman MUKHTAROV (AZE), 5-3
71kg- Rustam ALIYEV (AZE) TF. Selcuk Gursel CAN (TUR), 9-0
75kg-Furkan BAYRAK (TUR) TF. Shamistan GULUZADE (AZE), 9-0
80kg-Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Emin AHMADOV (AZE), 9-7
85kg-Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Kansu ILDEM (TUR), 5-0
98kg- Fatih Cemal BASKOY (TUR) df. Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE), 2-0
130kg- Atilla Serafettin GUZEL (TUR) df. Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE), 2-0

Iran df. Ukraine 8-0

59kg- Mehrdad MARDANI (IRI) df. Ievgen MIAGKYI (UKR), 7-3
66kg-Mehdi Chooli ZEIDVAND (IRI) TF. Artur POLITAIEV (UKR), 8-0
71kg- Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) TF. Olexander LYTVYNOV (UKR), 8-0
75kg- Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) TF. Ievgen PYSHKOV (UKR), 9-0
80kg- Ramin TAHERI (IRI) df. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR), 1-1
85kg- Habibollah AKHLAGHI (IRI) df. Oleksandr SHYSHMAN (UKR), 6-0
98kg- Ghasem REZAEI (IRI) TF. Zielimkhan DZHIHASOV (UKR), 9-1
130kg- Bashir BABAJANZADEH (IRI) df. Ihor DIDYK (UKR), 4-0

Round 2

Iran 7 – Azerbaïdjan 1

59kg- Saman ABDVALI (IRI) df. Sakit GULIYEV (AZE), 3-1
66kg- Omid NOROOZI (IRI) TF. Azad ALIYEV (AZE), 8-0
71kg- Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) df. Ruhin MIKAYILOV (AZE), 4-0
75kg- Payam BOVEYRI (IRI) TF. Shamistan GULUZADE (AZE), 8-0
80kg- Yousef GHADERYAN (IRI) df. Emin AHMADOV (AZE), 5-0
85kg- Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Hossein NOURI(IRI), 6-4
98kg- Mahdi ALIYARI (IRI) TF. Turman EYUBOV (AZE), 8-0
130kg- Behnam MEHDIZADEH (IRI) df. Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE), 3-2

Turquie df. Ukraine 6-2

59kg- Serif Yakup KILIC (TUR) TF. Ievgen MIAGKYI (UKR), 9-0
66kg- Enes Nogman BASAR (TUR) pinned Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)
71kg- Murat Huseyin DAG  (TUR) df. Olexandr LYTVYNOV (UKR), 6-2
75kg- Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR) df. Ievgen PYSHKOV(UKR), 7-4
80kg- Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) df. Dogan GOKTAS (TUR), 4-2
85kg-Andrii GLADKYKH (UKR) df. Kansu ILDEM (TUR), 2-1
98kg- Dogan YILMAZ (TUR) df. Zielimkhan DZIHASOV (UKR), 3-0
130kg- Atilla Serafettin GUZEL (TUR) TF. Vladyslav VORONYI (UKR), 8-0

Round 3

Azerbaïdjan df. Ukraine 5-3

59kg- Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Ievgen MIAGKYI(UKR), 4-2
66kg- Azad ALIYEV (AZE) df. Artur POLITAIEV (UKR), 8-6
71kg- Ruhin MIKAYILOV (AZE) df. Olexandr LYTVYNOV (UKR), 2-0
75kg-Rustam ALIYEV (AZE) df. Ievgen PYSHKOV (UKR), 3-0
80kg- Yaroslav FILCHAKOV(UKR) df. Emin AHMADOV (AZE), 5-2
85kg- Oleksandr SHYSHMAN (UKR) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 3-1
98kg-Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE) df. Zielimkhan DZIHASOV (UKR), 2-0
130kg- Ihor DIDYK (UKR) df. Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE), 4-2