#WrestleBelgrade

Russia Claims 4 More Gold Medals to Cap Dominant GR Performance

By Andrew Hipps

Links:
Day 3 Photos
Day 3 Final Highlights
Interview with Kristian FRIS (SRB)

BELGRADE, Serbia (December 14) -- Russia capped off a dominant Greco-Roman performance at the Individual World Cup Monday night in Belgrade, Serbia, by claiming four more gold medals to finish with seven of the 10 Greco-Roman gold medals.

Zhambolat LOKYAEV (63kg), Milad ALIRZAEV (82kg), Musa EVLOEV (97kg) and Sergey SEMENOV (130kg) won gold medals for Russia on Day 3 of the event. 

Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) won gold at 63kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Lokyaev earned the gold medal at 63kg with a 4-1 victory over world No.5 Erik TORBA (HUN). Torba, a 2020 European bronze medalist, scored first off a step out before Lokyaev scored a point off passivity to take the criteria lead. Lokyaev added another point in the second period off passivity to go up 2-1 before scoring a takedown late in the match off a desperation attempt from Torba.

Alirzaev, a 2019 U23 world champion, was dominant in the 82kg final, winning by technical superiority over Salih AYDIN (TUR). The young Russian star scored first off a passivity and then used two turns to go up 5-0 at the break. Alirzaev extended his lead to 7-0 after Aydin was hit with a caution. Needing just one point to end the match, Alirzaev ended the match in style by executing a four-point throw to win 11-0.

Musa EVLOEV shut out Alex SZOKE (HUN) to win gold at 97kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

The two-time world champion Evloev blanked Alex SZOKE (HUN) 3-0 in the 97kg final. He scored his first point off a passivity and added a takedown in the final period.

Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) scored with a big throw on his way to a victory at 130kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Semenov, a 2018 world champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, topped Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) 7-1 to win the gold at 130kg. The Russian heavyweight used a big throw in the first period to build a 5-0 lead before adding an additional two points late in the match off a caution. 

World silver medalist Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) prevented Russia from sweeping the gold medals on Monday night by coming from behind late to defeat 2018 world champion Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) in the 60kg final. 

Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) celebrates after winning gold at 60kg (Photo: Kadir CALISKAN, UWW)

Maryanyan looked strong early, going up 4-0 at the break. But Sharshenbekov battled back in the second period, scoring first with a step out and then getting a passivity point to make the score 4-2. But it was in the par terre position where Sharshenbekov won the match. After getting the passivity point, Sharshenbekov was able to lock up a gut wrench and turn Maryanyan with a minute and 20 seconds left to take the criteria lead and eventually hold on for the victory.

Host nation Serbia added another bronze medal when Kristian FRIS (SRB) shut out Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN) 2-0 at 60kg. 

Three Belarusians earned bronze medals on Tuesday: Maksim KAZHARSKI (60kg), Soslan DAUROV (63kg) and Radzik KULIYEU (82kg).

Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ) edged Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) 7-6 to pick up a bronze at 63kg. 

Roland SCHWARZ (GER) was impressive in his bronze-medal match at 82kg, earning a 9-1 technical superiority over Oldrich VARGA (CZE).

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) and Artur OMAROV (CZE) won the bronze medals at 97kg.

Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) scored a takedown in the closing moments to edge David OVASAPYAN (ARM) 4-2 to earn a bronze medal at 130kg. The other bronze medal at 130kg went to Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), who won by technical superiority over Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL).

Greco-Roman Medal Match Results

60kg
GOLD: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) df. Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) by VPO1, 4-4
BRONZE: Kristian FRIS (SRB) df. Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN) by VPO, 2-0
BRONZE: Maksim KAZHARSKI (BLR) df. Ahmet UYAR (TUR) by VPO1, 3-3

63kg
GOLD: Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) df. Erik TORBA (HUN) by VPO1, 4-1
BRONZE: Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ) df. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) by VPO1, 7-6
BRONZE: Soslan DAUROV (BLR) df. Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG) by VPO1, 5-1

82kg
GOLD: Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) df. Salih AYDIN (TUR) by VSU, 11-0
BRONZE: Roland SCHWARZ (GER) df. Oldrich VARGA (CZE) by VSU1, 9-1
BRONZE: Radzik KULIYEU (BLR) df. Mihail BRADU (MDA) by VPO1, 5-1

97kg
GOLD: Musa EVLOEV (RUS) df. Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN) by VPO, 3-0
BRONZE: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Kiril MILOV (BUL) by VPO, 3-0
BRONZE: Artur OMAROV (CZE) df. Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) by VPO1, 4-1

130kg
GOLD: Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) df. Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) by VPO1, 7-1
BRONZE: Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) df. Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL) by VSU, 9-0
BRONZE: Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) df. David OVASAPYAN (ARM) by VPO1, 4-2

#WrestleZagreb

World Championships 2025 Fan Guide

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 11) -- The World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia will be held from September 13 to 21 at Arena Zagreb. Here's a fact sheet for the World Championships

World Championships

Dates: September 13 to 21, 2025

Venue: Arena Zagreb

Competition format & schedule

The competition will follow standard UWW format across three styles with qualification rounds, repechage, semifinals and finals across the nine-day competition .

Date Qualification (10:30 hours) Evening Session
September 13, Saturday FS: 61kg, 70kg, 86kg, 125 kg Semifinals (18:00): FS 61kg, 70kg, 86kg, 125kg
September 14,
Sunday
FS: 57kg, 74kg, 79kg, 92kg
Repechage (61kg, 70kg, 86kg, 125kg)
FS Semifinals (16:45): 57kg, 74kg, 79kg, 92kg
FS Medal Bouts (18:00): 61kg, 70kg, 86kg, 125kg
September 15,
Monday
FS: 65kg, 97kg & WW: 55kg, 59kg
Repechage: FS 79kg, 92kg, 57kg, 74kg
Semifinals (16:45): FS: 65kg, 97kg & WW: 55kg, 59kg
Medal Bouts (18:00): FS 57kg, 74kg, 79kg, 92kg
September 16,
Tuesday
WW: 50kg, 57kg, 65kg, 76kg
Repechage: FS: 65kg, 97kg & WW: 55kg, 59kg
Semifinals (16:45): WW: 50kg, 57kg, 65kg, 76kg
Medal Bouts (18:00):  FS: 65kg, 97kg & WW: 55kg, 59kg 
September 17,
Wednesday
WW: 53kg, 62kg, 68kg, 72kg
Repechage: 50kg, 57kg, 65kg, 76kg

Semifinals (16:45): 53kg, 62kg, 68kg, 72kg
Medal Bouts: 50kg, 57kg, 65kg, 76kg

September 18,
Thursday
GR: 55kg, 77kg, 82kg, 130kg
Repechage: WW 53kg, 62kg, 68kg, 72kg
Semifinals (16:45:): 55kg, 77kg, 82kg, 130kg
Medal Bouts (18:00): WW 53kg, 62kg, 68kg, 72kg
September 19,
Friday
GR: 60kg, 72kg, 97kg
Repechage: GR: 55kg, 77kg, 82kg, 130kg
Semifinals (16:45): GR 60kg, 72kg, 97kg
Medal Bouts (18:00): 55kg, 77kg, 82kg, 130kg
September 20,
Saturday
GR: 63kg, 67kg, 87kg
Repechage: GR 60kg, 72kg, 97kg
Semifinals (16:45): GR: 63kg, 67kg, 87kg
Medal Bouts (18:00): GR 60kg, 72kg, 97kg
September 21,
Sunday
Repechage (16:30): GR 63kg, 67kg, 87kg Medal Bouts (18:00): GR 63kg, 67kg, 87kg

Entries and Seeds:

Freestyle Entries and Seeds

Greco-Roman Entries and Seeds

Women's Wrestling Entries and Seeds

Previews:

Freestyle Preview

Women's Wrestling Preview

Greco-Roman Preview

Where to Watch: UWW+ will have all the live coverage and highlights. For the United States, follow FloWrestling

Social Media: Follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube

Tickets: Public tickets are sold via Eventim. Click here to buy tickets.

Fan experience: Hospitality packages and official hospitality providers CoSport and Jet Set packages

Nearest airport: Franjo Tudman Airport Zagreb (ZAG)