#WrestleNoviSad

Russia Closes out U23 European C'ships with Freestyle Team Title

By Eric Olanowski

NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 10) – The Russian Federation won four gold medals on the final day of wrestling at the U23 European Championships and brought their freestyle championship total to six. Russia closed out the competition in Novi Sad, Serbia, 77 points ahead of second place Turkey. 

Overall, Russia reached the finals in eight of ten freestyle weight classes and reached the top of the team podium thanks to their four Day 7 gold medal performances by Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV, Nikita SUCHKOV, Arsen-Ali MUSALALIEV, and Batyrbek TCAKULOV. 

At 61kg, reigning junior world champion Abasgadzhi Magomedov scored a takedown in each period to defeat Greece’s two-time cadet European champion and 2018 U23 European bronze medalist Georgios PILIDIS, 4-0. 

 

Nikita Suchkov claimed Russia’s second gold medal of the day with a win in the 74kg finals over Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK).

Suchkov improved on his 2017 U23 European Championship finish of 17th place, cruising past Gulaev, 7-2. Sunday's loss made it the second year in a row that Gulaev lost to a Russian opponent in the U23 European finals. Last season, he fell short against eventual senior level world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV in the U23 continental finals.  

Arsen-Ali Musalaliev, the reigning U23 European champion, won Russia’s third consecutive gold medal of the day with a 6-1 victory over Turkey’s Arif OZEN (TUR) in the 86kg finals. Musalaliev successfully defended his U23 European title by scoring a pair of takedowns and a gut wrench, closing out the European Championships by outscoring his four continental opponents 32-3. 

In the 92kg finals, last year’s U23 European bronze medalist Batyrbek Tcakulov collected four points from a takedown and a gut wrench and scored the 4-0 shutout win over Ukraine’s Vasyl SOVA, giving Russia their fourth and final gold medal of the day. 

The tournament’s remaining freestyle gold medal went to Belarus' 2017 U23 European finalist Vitali PIASNIAK. The Belarusian edged last year’s European junior runner-up Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR), 2-2 to in the 125kg gold-medal match. 

RESULTS 

TEAM SCORES
GOLD - Russia  (209 points)
SILVER - Turkey (132 points)
BRONZE - Ukraine (110 points)

Fourth - Georgia (109 points) 
Fifth - Belarus (82 points)

61kg 
GOLD - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Georgios PILIDIS (GRE), 4-0 
BRONZE - Selehattin SERT (TUR) df. Valentyn BLIASETSKYI (UKR), 8-5

BRONZE - Asgar MAMMADALIYEV (AZE) df. Uladzislau KOIKA (BLR), 7-1 

74kg 
GOLD - Nikita SUCHKOV (RUS) df. Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK), 7-2 

BRONZE - Giorgi SULAVA (GEO) df. Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR), via fall 
BRONZE - Khachatur PAPIKYAN (ARM) df. Eduard TATARINOV (GER), 10-3 

86kg 
GOLD - Arsen-Ali MUSALALIEV (RUS) df. Arif OZEN (TUR), 6-1 

BRONZE - Zaur BERADZE (GEO) df. Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR), 4-2 
BRONZE - Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE) df. Johannes Martin DEML (GER), 8-4

92kg 
GOLD -. Batyrbek TCAKULOV (RUS) df. Vasyl SOVA (UKR), 4-0 
BRONZE - Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE) df. Aliaksei RUDZIANOK (BLR), 12-0

BRONZE - Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) df. Bendeguz TOTH (HUN), 6-6 

125kg
GOLD - Vitali PIASNIAK (BLR) vs. Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR), 2-2 
BRONZE - Kamil Tomasz KOSCIOLEK (POL) df. Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA), 3-0 

BRONZE - Vitalii GOLOEV (RUS) df. Georgii NOGAEV (SVK), 2-1 

UWW Opens Dedicated Office for Grappling, MMA, Pankration in Lausanne

By United World Wrestling Press

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (July 6) -- United World Wrestling marked a significant milestone for Grappling, MMA and Pankration on Monday with the official opening of its dedicated office for the three associated styles at the Maison du Sport International in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The new office will serve as the operational hub for the continued development and governance of Grappling, MMA and Pankration within the UWW family.

The official opening was attended by UWW President Nenad LALOVIC, President of the UWW Committee of Associated Styles and UWW Vice President Rodica YAKSI, UWW Committee for Grappling, MMA and Pankration Vice President Adrian BAKOS, and UWW Committee for Grappling, MMA and Pankration Member Gaji GAJIYEV.

Michal BUCHEL has been appointed Head of the office and Tolegen KUMAROV, who was appointed Head of Grappling at United World Wrestling on February 21 in Baku, will also be part of the new office. He will be responsible, within the framework of the UWW Committee for Grappling, MMA and Pankration, for the strategic development of grappling worldwide.

Lausanne

In the coming days, a working group will be formed and will begin implementing key projects aimed at developing these disciplines.

The main objectives set by UWW for the committee will be the systematic development of Grappling, MMA and Pankration, the unification and strengthening of international cooperation, the support of national federations, as well as the creation of new opportunities for athletes around the world.

The office for the three styles is open to constructive cooperation with all organisations that are sincerely interested in the development of these disciplines, the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, and the education of the younger generation.

I is important for all international, continental and national organisations developing Grappling, MMA and Pankration to build relationships based on mutual respect, open dialogue and partnership. Sport has always been a universal language that brings people together regardless of nationality, culture or political views. 

By bringing together the experience, knowledge and collective efforts of the global sports community, it’s possible to ensure the sustainable development of Grappling, MMA and Pankration, strengthen their international standing, and open a new chapter in the history of combat sports.