#WrestleTallinn

Russia Puts Four into Saturday Night's Finals

By Eric Olanowski

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 

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2026 Day 2 Results & Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 5) -- The second day of the Ulaanbaatar Open will feature three Greco-Roman and five Women's Wrestling weight classes. Iran, Bulgaria and India won two Greco-Roman gold medals each on day one of the competition.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

Semifinals with Greco-Roman

12:40: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) stuns Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) in Round 3 at 63kg! Sharshenbekov did not score from par terre in the first period. On the other hand, Keshtkar scored an exposure from par terre to lead 3-1 and Sharshenbekov committed a defensive foul to give two more points to Keshtkar which Iran got only after a challenge. As the bout restarted in par terre, Keshtkar lifted Sharshenbekov and threw him for two points while the Kyrgyzstan wrestler committed a leg foul. Kyrgyzstan challenged for no foul but lost it and Keshtkar got another point, taking his score to 10-1.

12:30: Solid match between European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) and MUSKAN (IND). Ana with a takedown and then two trap arm guts to lead 6-0. Muskan got one back and scored a takedown to make it 6-2. But Ana scored another takedown before the break to lead 8-2. Both kept exchange takedowns in the second period but Ana managed to keep her lead at 10-6 with 1:33 left. She then scored a stepout and three different takedown to complete her victory.

12:15: MEENAKSHI (IND) is no match for world champion Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) who gets a 10-0 victory in just over a minute. She scores a takedown and lace to lead 6-0 before scoring another counter takedown and a roll for four more points.

12:10: World silver medalist Il Sim SON (PRK) begins with a 11-0 victory over Danielle LIM (SGP) at 57kg. She needed only a minute and 36 seconds to roll Lim

11:45: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) secures his places in the semifinals with Round 2 victory over Sunny KUMAR (IND). Sharshenbekov did not score from par terre but managed to bring down Kumar for four points using a body lock. He then defended par terre in the second period to complete the win at 63kg

11:35: All-Iranian bout at 63kg in Round 2 between Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) and Erfan JARKANI (IRI). Keshtkar gets the first par terre and he lifts Jarkani, tosses him for four points. Jarkani cannot do the same when he gets the par terre in the second period. He challenges for something not evident but loses it and Keshtkar leads 6-1. Jarkani gets a point for Keshtkar's foul but the latter wins 6-2. The win also confirms Keshtkar's spot on the Iran team for the 2026 World Championships

11:20: World champion at 55kg, Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) was a little rusty in the first period against Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) at 53kg. She tripped the Mongolian for a four-pointer but also gave up for four on a cutback. However, she switches gears in the second period and rolls to a 14-4 victory.

11:05: European silver medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) with a fall in Round 1 of the Nordic bracket at 72kg against HARSHITA (IND). Choler led 4-0 before countering a deep attack from the Indian and sticking her to the mat for the fall.

10:55: Out comes the lace from Pyol HONG (PRK) against Enkhtuvshin BALJINNYAM (MGL) and she rolls to a 10-0 technical superiority win at 59kg.

10:52: Bediha GUN (TUR) scored the opening takedown in her Round 1 bout against Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) at 59kg. But the Mongolia uses an arm-bar to secure the fall over Gun in the second period.

10:45: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) returns to the mat for close to two years and begins with a win. In his 63kg Round 1 bout, Sharshenbekov was up against Erfan JARKANI (IRI) and holds off the Iranian 1-1 on first-point criteria. Jarkani was given par terre twice in the second period, one with 30 seconds remaining, but Sharshenbekov defended both times. Since it's a Nordic bracket, the two can face each other again in the final.

10:30: Ulaanbaatar Open will enter the second day with five Women's Wresting weight classes and the remaining three Greco-Roman weights. Here are the results from day one of the tournament.