#WrestleTallinn

Russia Puts Four into Saturday Night's Finals

Friday, August 16, 2019 - 17:16 By Eric Olanowski

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TALLINN, Estonia (August 16) --- The Russian Federation won all four of their Greco-Roman semifinals matches on Friday night and inserted a quartet of wrestlers into the Day 6 finals. 

Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) was the first Russian wrestler who locked up his spot in Saturday night's finals. Allakhiarov was down 7-1 to returning cadet world finalist Tigran MINASYAN (ARM) but scored seven unanswered points to make the finals, where he’ll wrestle cadet world finalist Zaur ALIYEV (AZE). The Azeri shutout Ken MATSUI (JPN), who had hopes of wrestling in his first world title bout since winning gold at the 2017 Cadet World Championships in Athens, Greece.

Abu AMAEV (RUS) scored three takedowns and two opening period stepouts against Alston NUTTER (USA) to become Russia’s second Day 6 finalist. Amaev will square off with Georgia’s Leri ABULADZE in the finals at 63kg. The Georgian, who axed Shahin Eidi BADAGHI MOFRAD (IRI) in his semifinal’s bout, will be looking to win his second world title and first since claiming cadet gold in 2016. 

Damir RAKHIMOV (RUS) outscored Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) 4-0 in the second period and moved into the 77kg finals with a 4-3 victory. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Damir RAKHIMOV (RUS) halted Exauce MUKUBU’S quest of becoming Norway’s first junior world finalist since Morten HAGEBOE'S 1980 junior world finals appearance in Colorado Springs, United States. Rakhimov trailed 3-0 with 90 seconds left in the match when he collected an inactivity point and two exposure points from a gut wrench. After the gut wrench, the Norwegian wrestler escaped the grasp of the Russian wrestler and pleaded to his corner to throw the challenge cube. His corner obliged and threw the brick -- asking for grasping the singlet point. The call was reviewed and upheld. Rakhimov was awarded a failed challenge point, and ultimately won the match, 4-3.

Now, he'll wrestle Mohammad Aziz NAGHOUSI (IRI) in the 77kg finals. In his semifinals bout, the Iranian scored a stepout and tacked on a failed challenge point with five seconds left to sneak past Abdurrahman KALKAN (TUR), 4-2. 

The final Russian wrestler that’ll go for gold on Saturday night is Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS). He manhandled Bedirhan TAN (TUR), 9-0 in the first period and will wrestle Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) in tomorrow’s 87kg finals. The Georgian wrestler also picked up a shutout win in the semifinals, but his was a 7-0 win against Ihar YARASHEVICH (BLR). 

The lone weight not featuring a Russian wrestler is 130kg, where Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) will go toe-to-toe with Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI). Schultz, the 130kg cadet world champion from two years ago, made it to the finals with a fall over China’s ZHANG Lu (CHN), while Youtsofiahmadchali pummeled reigning cadet world champion Muhammet BAKIR (TUR), 6-1 to reach the finals. 

The Saturday night finals begin at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 
55kg
GOLD -  Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) vs. Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) df. Ken MATSUI (JPN), 4 - 0
SEMIFINAL - Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) df. Tigran MINASYAN (ARM), 8-7 

63kg
GOLD - Abu AMAEV (RUS) vs. Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Abu AMAEV (RUS) df. Alston Jon NUTTER (USA), 9-0
SEMIFINAL - Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df. Shahin BADAGHI MOFRAD (IRI), 6-3 

77kg
GOLD - Damir RAKHIMOV (RUS) vs. Mohammad Aziz NAGHOUSI (IRI)
SEMIFINAL - Damir RAKHIMOV (RUS) df. Exauce MUKUBU (NOR), 4-3 
SEMIFINAL - Mohammad Aziz NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Abdurrahman KALKAN (TUR),6-3 

87kg
GOLD - Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) vs. Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) df. Ihar YARASHEVICH (BLR), 7-0 
SEMIFINAL - Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) df. Bedirhan TAN (TUR), 9-0

130kg
GOLD - Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA) vs. Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI)
SEMIFINAL - Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA) df. Lu ZHANG (CHN), via fall
SEMIFINAL - Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI) df. Muhammet BAKIR (TUR), 6-1 

#WrestleMonterrey

Freestyle history for Argentina, Mexico at Pan-Ams

Monday, May 12, 2025 - 07:28 By Vinay Siwach

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MONTERREY, Mexico (May 11) -- On a historic day in Monterrey, Argentina won its first-ever Freestyle gold medal at the Pan-American Championships while Mexico ended its drought for gold with two golds on Sunday.

Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG), who was silver medalist last year and has four bronze medals, defeated Joseph MC KENNA (USA) in a thrilling final to create history for Argentina. For Mexico, Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) won the gold medal at 57kg, thus ending a 32-year wait for the top medal at Pan-Ams. A few minutes later, Austin GOMEZ (MEX) also won gold to add his name to history.  

The United States, however, was the best Freestyle team of the tournament as it won the team title after adding four more golds to the three it won on Saturday. It finished at the top with 230 points, way ahead of second-placed Canada which had 144 points. Mexico was third with 139 points.

Destribats came close to the historic gold medal last year but had to pull out injured in the final and won a silver medal. The story was different this year.

After a tough 4-4 win in the semifinal, Destribats was in for a tougher challenge against McKenna in the final. But his defense in the first period saw him escape McKenna's attacks. He scored a stepout and led 1-0 at the break.

Destribats was about to be hit with an inactivity call when he headlocked McKenna and tried to pin. The pin was called but not upheld as it seemed that McKenna may have lost consciousness due to the hold. However, McKenna sprung back on his feet as soon as the whistle was blown and Destribats let go.

The fall was cancelled but Destribats now led 3-0. McKenna got on the scoreboard with a stepout to cut the lead to 3-1. Destribats, who was avoiding engagement, was hit with the passivity call and as he failed to scored McKenna got a point.

McKenna hit a leg attack and put forward pressure even as Destribats tried to avoid exposure using a chestwrap. But two points were awarded to McKenna which gave him a 4-3 lead with 11 seconds left.

Destribats did not give up and used an inside trip to score. While he failed to execute the trip, he managed to take McKenna out of bounds for a point to take a 4-4 criteria lead as the scorer of the latest point. The U.S. challenged the call but lost it, making the score 5-4 for Destribats which he defended for the final five seconds.

Before Destribats, only three other wrestlers from Argentina had made it to the finals at Pan-Ams in Freestyle with Yuri MAIER (ARG) being the last one in 2013.

Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX)Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) battles Lucas RODRIGUEZ (PUR) in the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Mexico rejoiced as Bravo Young won the gold medal at 57kg to start the evening session. He blanked Lucas RODRIGUEZ (PUR), 12-0, for the gold medal which was the first for Mexico in Freestyle since 1993.

Felipe GUZMAN (MEX), the Olympian from 1996, was the last wrestler to win gold for Mexico at the Pan-Ams in Freestyle.

Bravo Young, who moved to Mexico in 2024 before Paris Olympics, used different techniques including sweep single, double-leg attack to score four takedowns and lead 8-0. He finished the match with a fireman's carry for four points.

Austin GOMEZ (MEX)Austin GOMEZ (MEX), red, celebrates after winning the 70kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Soon after, Gomez, who also transferred to Mexico before the Paris Olympics, posted an 11-0 win over Ian PARKER (USA) in the 70kg final to win the gold medal.

Gomez blanked his opponents 33-0 in three bouts that he wrestled for the gold medal. In the final, Gomez tossed Parker with a headlock for four and then turned him twice using the same for an 8-0 lead. The U.S. challenged for two points as Parker held Gomez on the mat for a moment but it was lost on review, making the score 9-0 for Gomez.

A double-leg blast from Gomez was enough for him to finish the final and win 11-0 and the second gold medal for Mexico on Sunday.

U.S. wins four golds

The gold medals for the U.S. on Sunday began when Evan WICK (USA) won all four of his bouts in the round-robin bracket at 79kg. Wick outscored his opponents 40-0 in four bouts to clinch the gold medal, first of Sunday and fourth overall for the U.S.

Trent HIDLAY (USA) added to the count by winning the 92kg gold medal, winning all four of his bouts in the round-robin.

Justin RADEMACHER (USA)Justin RADEMACHER (USA) scores a takedown against Arturo SILOT (CUB) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

At 97kg, Justin RADEMACHER (USA) held on to a 5-4 victory over Arturo SILOT (CUB) in the final to clinch the gold medal, the seventh straight year a U.S. wrestler has won at 97kg.

Rademacher was the first to strike, scoring a takedown on the edge for two points. After a bit of struggle, Silot managed to get on board with a takedown and take a 2-2 criteria lead. Rademacher hit back instantly, scoring with a single-leg attack and reclaiming the lead 4-2.

In the second period, Rademacher was awarded a point as both wrestlers went out after a scramble but it was Silot who put his hand outside the zone first. Silot hit back with a counter takedown to cut the lead to 5-4 with two minutes left on the clock. However, Rademacher defended his lead first with attacks and later by seeing off any attacks that Silot did.

Rademacher survived a flurry in the final 10 seconds, including a challenge for fleeing, to win, as Silot tried making sense of the match as he walked off the mat.

Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) showed little mercy for his 125kg opponents, winning the gold medal via a fall Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN) in the final, which included a slam which left the crowd in awe.

A double-leg attack gave Hendrickson the first four points of the final and he later locked Deschatelets from behind, lifted him well above the mat and slammed him for a five-pointer. He secured the fall in 24 seconds to finish the final.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) df. Lucas RODRIGUEZ (PUR), 12-0

BRONZE: Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA) df. Eduardo PALAS SEQUEIROS (PER), 7-0
BRONZE: Liam CRONIN (USA) df. Pedro MEJIAS (VEN), 5-4

65kg
GOLD: Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) df. Joseph MC KENNA (USA), 5-4

BRONZE: Wilfredo RODRIGUEZ (VEN) df. Matias MUNOZ (CHI), 10-0
BRONZE: Peiman BIABANI (CAN) df. Matheus DA LUZ (BRA), 10-0

70kg
GOLD: Austin GOMEZ (MEX) df. Ian PARKER (USA), 11-0

BRONZE: Sixto AUCCAPINA (PER) df. Jorge GATICA (CHI), 12-2
BRONZE: Jacob ALEXANDER TORRES (CAN) df. Royglen TEMPLE BATISTA (PAN), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Evan WICK (USA)
SILVER: Shane JONES (PUR)
BRONZE: Jasmit PHULKA (CAN)

92kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA)
SILVER: Andrew JOHNSON (CAN)
BRONZE: Edwin MORALES (PUR)

97kg
GOLD: Justin RADEMACHER (USA) df. Arturo SILOT (CUB), 5-4

BRONZE: Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN) df. Ricardo BAEZ (ARG), 11-0

125kg
GOLD: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) df. Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN), via fall (9-0)

BRONZE: Jose DIAZ (VEN) df. Maxwell LACEY (CRC), 3-2
BRONZE: Gino AVILA (HON) df. Rizieri CHAVEZ (MEX), 10-0