#WrestleYakutsk

Russia Rolls Over Iran, Wins Freestyle World Cup Title

Sunday, March 17, 2019 - 09:46 By Eric Olanowski

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YAKUTSK, Russia (March 17) - Deafening chants of “Russia” echoed throughout Yakutsk’s Triumph Sports Training Center as the Russian Federation claimed their seventh overall Freestyle World Cup title and first gold since their title-winning performance at the 2011 Makhachkala World Cup.  

The goal for the Russian Federation coming into the 2019 Freestyle World Cup was simple and well stated, “Win the Freestyle World Cup on home soil.” 

That’s exactly what Russia did, and they did so in dominant fashion. Russia closed out the weekend with a perfect 4-0 team record while having a combined individual record of 36-4. Even more impressive, the host nation strung together a 25 match win streak that extended through three duals. The streak began at the 65kg match in the Japan dual, went through the 10-0 shutout win over Turkey, and finally ended after the 92kg match in the Iran dual. 

The host nation proved that they were without a doubt the deepest team entered into the tournament, wrapping up the World Cup on Sunday by easily halting Iran from winning their seventh World Cup title in the last eight years.

In the finals, Russia stomped Iran, 9-1, and ended the country's eight-year World Cup title drought.

The Russians cruised, winning the first seven matches and clinched the dual after Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) stuck Mojtaba ASGHARI OSMAVANDANI (IRI) in the 79kg bout. 

Russia’s final win against Iran was their fourth win of the weekend. They went 2-0 on the opening day of competition, tallying wins over Cuba and Japan, then followed that up with a third-round win over Turkey. That Sunday morning win over Turkey locked up the perfect 3-0 record in Group A and handed Russia their spot in the World Cup finals for the first time since 2011. 

This was Russia’s seventh Freestyle World Cup title-winning performance, and sixth on home soil. The last time Russia won a World Cup that wasn’t on home soil came at the 1998 Freestyle World Cup which was held in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.

Meanwhile, in the third-place bout, the defending champion the United States edged Japan, 6-4. 

The pair traded blows and were tied three-all after the first six matches. Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) broke that tie after his 14-3 routing of Samuel Joseph BROOKS (USA), but three consecutive American wins from Hayden ZILLMER, Kyven Ross GADSON, and Anthony NELSON gave the Stars and Stripes the 6-4 advantage, and ultimately the third-place finish. 

Cuba finished fifth place after they defeated Mongolia, 6-4, and Georgia claimed seventh place after beating Turkey, 8-2. 

RESULTS

First-Place Match
Russia df. Iran, 9-1 
57kg - Aryian TIUTRIN (RUS) df. Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI), 11-2 
61kg - Ramazan FERZALIEV (RUS) df. Iman SADEGHIKOUKANDEH (IRI), 8-2 
65kg - Viktor RASSADIN (RUS) df. Morteza Hassanali GHIASI CHEKA (IRI), 10-2 
70kg - David BAEV (RUS) df. Meisam Abolfazl NASIRI (IRI), 6-1
74kg - Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Reza Alireza AFZALIPAEMAMI (IRI), 6-0 
79kg - Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) df. Mojtaba ASGHARI OSMAVANDANI (IRI), via fall 
86kg- Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) df. Mersad MARGHZARI (IRI), 10-0 
92kg - Mohammadjavad EBRAHIMIZIVLAEI (IRI) df. Magomed KURBANOV (RUS), 2-1  
97kg - Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) df. Ali Khalil SHABANIBENGAR (IRI), 2-1 
125kg - Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (RUS) df. Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI), 10-0 

Third-Place Match 
United States df. Japan, 6-4 
57kg - Zachary Luke SANDERS (USA) df. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN), via inj. def. 
61kg - Yudai FUJITA (JPN) df. Nicholas Daniel MEGALUDIS (USA), 4-4
65kg - Zain Allen RETHERFORD (USA) df. Daichi TAKATANI (JPN), 10-0
70kg - Kojiro SHIGA (JPN) df. Jason Lyle CHAMBERLAIN (USA), 5-3
74kg - Isaiah Alexander MARTINEZ (USA) df. Yuto MIWA (JPN), 10-0
79kg - Yuta ABE (JPN) df. Thomas GANTT JR (USA), 3-2
86kg - Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) df. Samuel Joseph BROOKS (USA), 14-3
92kg - Hayden Nicholas ZILLMER (USA) df. Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN), 10-0
97kg - Kyven Ross GADSON (USA) df. Naoya AKAGUMA (JPN), 3-2 
125kg - Anthony Robert NELSON (USA) df. Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA (JPN), 5-3 

Fifth-Place Match
Cuba df. Mongolia, 6-4 
57kg - TUMENBILEG Tuvshintulga (MGL) df. Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB), 2-1
61kg - Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) df. GANSUKH Otgonbaatar (MGL), 3-2
65kg - BATCHULUUN Batmagnai (MGL) df. Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB), via forfeit 
70kg - Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB) df. ENKHBAYAR Byambadorj (MGL), 4-0
74kg - BYAMBASUREN Bat-Erdene (MGL) df. Cristian COLOMBAT RIVERA (CUB), via fall 
79kg - Reinier PEREZ ABREU (CUB) df. BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL)10-0
86kg - ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL) df. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB), 4-4
92kg - Lazaro HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB) df. BAASANTSOGT Ulziisaikhan (MGL), 11-0
97kg - Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) df. ULZIISAIKHAN Batzul (MGL), 2-0
125kg - Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) df. DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL)

Seventh-Place Match 
Georgia df. Turkey, 8-2 
57kg - Ali KARABOGA (TUR) df. Lasha LOMTADZE (GEO), via inj. def. 
65kg - Munir Recep AKTAS (TUR) df. Tornike KATAMADZE (GEO), via inj. def.
70kg - Amiran VAKHTANGASHVILI (GEO) df. Cengizhan ERDOGAN (TUR), via forfeit 
74kg - Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) df. Serhat ARSLAN (TUR), 6-2
70kg - Zurabi ERBOTSONASHVILI (GEO) df. Nazim Selami KARA (TUR), 11-0
74kg - Davit KHUTSISHVILI (GEO) df. Abdulkadir OZMEN (TUR), 7-2
79kg - Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO) df. Fatih ERDIN (TUR), via inj. def. 
86kg - Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) df. Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR), 6-2
97kg - Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO) df. Ali BONCEOGLU (TUR), 9-6
125kg - Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO) df. Abdullah OMAC (TUR), 6-5

#Grappling

Dominant Ukraine sweeps U17 World Grappling Championships

Thursday, November 6, 2025 - 11:27 By Vinay Siwach

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LOUTRAKI, Greece (November 4) -- There was little competition for Ukraine at the age-group Grappling World Championships in Loutraki, Greece as it swept the U17 team titles in Grappling Gi and Grappling No-Gi in both the men's and women's categories.

In men's, Ukraine were way ahead as it finished with 140 points while Kazakhstan was second with 94 points in Grappling Gi. It scored 132 points in Grappling No-Gi while second placed Armenia managed only 78 points to finish at the second position.

In women's, Ukraine edged past Poland with 97 points to 95 points to finish top of the table in Grappling Gi. It was a similar story in Grappling No-Gi as Ukraine finished first with 103 points while Poland was second with 100 points.

Grappling Gi competition saw Roman SHOSTAK (UKR) beat Nursat BAIKASSOV (KAZ), 6-4, in the 50kg final to kick start the gold rush. Soon after, Zakhar DREMLIUHA (UKR) won 8-3 against Jakub BARDEN (POL) in the 54kg final to earn the second gold for Ukraine. At 63kg, Andrii PERZHAN (UKR) blanked Rafik ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 4-0, to win Ukraine's third gold medal.

At 69kg, Artem SHALAEV (UWW) won via submission against Illes VICTOR (HUN) in the final to win the gold medal while Aigun OMAROV (UWW) denied Ukraine a fourth gold when he defeated Artem DOTSIUK (UKR), 8-2, in the 76kg final.

Kazakhstan won a gold medal through Mansur ZHANTEMIROV (KAZ) who hung on for a close 2-2 victory over Izan RODRIGUEZ ROSA (ESP) in the 69kg final.

Ukraine had another silver medalist in Yaroslav FEDYNA (UKR) who was submitted by Mateusz KUCA (POL) in the 85kg final. Hungary won a gold medal at 110kg as Levente SZABO (HUN) won via submission against Gasan KHASAEV (UWW).

In No-Gi competition, Shostak and Dremliuha doubled up as champions, beating Baikassov and Dawid BALTRUKANIS (POL) respectively in the 50kg and 54kg finals. The third gold medal for Ukraine came through a different grappler, Andrii SHTUNDER (UKR), who defeated Aleksei SKOREV (UWW) via submission after a 6-0 lead in the 76kg final.

Kuca also struck double gold after he defeated Hurhen MKRTCHIAN (UKR), 6-4, in a thrilling 85kg final. He remained the only gold medalist for Poland in both competitions.

Szabo failed to win two golds but the 110kg gold still went to Hungary as Balazs KIS (HUN) managed to win all his bouts in the Nelson bracket to claim the top spot in the rankings and the gold medals. Szabo finished with a silver medal.

At 58kg, Kurbanali MAKHMUDOV (UWW) denied Rafik ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 5-3, in the final as the Armenian collected his second silver. Ramil ZHIROV (UWW) managed to submit Leved GRANER (HUN) in the 63kg final to win the gold medal while Gusein KHASAEV (UWW) stepped up to win a gold medal after silver as he defeated Amir KHABICHEV (UWW), 2-2, in the 69kg final.

Aleksandra PETUKHOVA (UWW)Aleksandra PETUKHOVA (UWW) won double golds at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Double champs

In an unprecedented finish in women's competition, all the gold medalists in Grappling Gi also finished as champions in No-Gi. The former had seven weight categories in action while No-Gi had eight.

Ukraine did not win any golds but still managed to emerge as the best team, thanks to two silvers, three bronze and one four place finish.

In Grappling-Gi, Vasilisa SHUTOVA (UWW) defeated Karolina HYRIA (UKR), 10-0, in the 46kg final while Mariia SHMELEVA (UWW) emerged as champion at 49kg after winning all bouts in Nelson bracket.

Shantel AMBRIZ (USA) dominated her way to the 52kg gold medal after winning the Nelson bracket, which occurs when a weight class has three to six participants.

At 56kg, Oliwia GREWLING (POL) submitted Agnes KOSZTA (HUN) with ease to win gold while Aleksandra PETUKHOVA (UWW) submitted Petra SZALAY (HUN) in the 60kg final to win gold.

The gold medal at 65kg went to Anastasiia SHAROVA (UWW) who managed to submit Karolina HRYNIUK (UKR) after building a 6-2 lead. Mercedes GARCIA RODRIGUEZ (ESP) captured the gold medal in the heaviest weight class, 90kg, after winning the Nelson bracket.

In No-Gi, Shutova, Shmeleva, Ambriz, Grewling, Petukhova, Sharova, and Garcia Rodriguez, repeated. Barring these, the 43kg weight class also saw participation and Ailina GALIEVA (UWW) submitted Kateryna SERBOVA (UKR) to win gold.

RESULTS

U17 Men's Grappling Gi

50kg
GOLD: Roman SHOSTAK (UKR) df. Nursat BAIKASSOV (KAZ), 6-4

BRONZE: Ronan PALLARES (FRA) df. Ayoub SI ALI (FRA), 9-3
BRONZE: Rustam KIM (KAZ) df. Georgios TERSENIDIS (GRE), via submission

54kg
GOLD: Zakhar DREMLIUHA (UKR) df. Jakub BARDEN (POL), 8-3

BRONZE: Darrington DE LA CRUZ (ESP) df. Jivan ARAKELYAN (ARM), via submission (15-2)
BRONZE: Julen TRUJILLO HERNANDEZ (ESP) df. Yerkanat NARIMAN (KAZ), via submission (5-6)

58kg
GOLD: Artem SHALAEV (UWW) df. Illes VICTOR (HUN), via submission (6-0)

BRONZE: Vanik SARGSYAN (ARM) df. Artem KULYK (UKR), 9-2
BRONZE: Aleksandr NOVOSELTSEV (UWW) df. Daniel CABRERA PORTELA (ESP), via submission (2-1)

63kg
GOLD: Andrii PERZHAN (UKR) df. Rafik ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 4-0

BRONZE: Leved GRANER (HUN) df. Dimitrios THOMOS (GRE), via submission (1-2)
BRONZE: Danylo TERESHCHENKO (UKR) df. Kalman SAJCZ (HUN), 9-3

69kg
GOLD: Mansur ZHANTEMIROV (KAZ) df. Izan RODRIGUEZ ROSA (ESP), 2-2

BRONZE: Leonard HRUSA (GER) df. Zisis SVANAS (GRE), via submission (6-3)
BRONZE: Gor SAHAKYAN (ARM) df. Baron NELSON (USA), 5-5 (overtime)

76kg
GOLD: Aigun OMAROV (UWW) df. Artem DOTSIUK (UKR), 8-2

BRONZE: Andrii SHTUNDER (UKR) df. Heorhi HLAZKO (UWW), 5-1
BRONZE: Roman NAZAROV (UWW) df. Ivan KUCHYNSKI (UWW), 15-5

85kg
GOLD: Mateusz KUCA (POL) df. Yaroslav FEDYNA (UKR), via submission

BRONZE: Shynggyskhan ABDIROV (KAZ) df. Hurhen MKRTCHIAN (UKR), via disqualification

110kg
GOLD: Levente SZABO (HUN) df. Gasan KHASAEV (UWW), via submission (3-2)

BRONZE: Maksym ILIN (UKR) df. Alexios ALEXOPOULOS (GRE), via submission (3-0)
BRONZE: Artem BIKMURZIN (UWW) df. Amirlan ABAKHANOV (KAZ), 10-2

U17 Women's Grappling Gi

46kg
GOLD: Vasilisa SHUTOVA (UWW) df. Karolina HYRIA (UKR), 10-0

49kg
GOLD: Mariia SHMELEVA (UWW)
SILVER: Sylwia WELC (POL)
BRONZE: Daria HORDIIENKO (UKR)

52kg
GOLD: Shantel AMBRIZ (USA)
SILVER: Daria KHAMETOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Helena ALEKSANDROWICZ (POL)

56kg
GOLD: Oliwia GREWLING (POL) df. Agnes KOSZTA (HUN), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Vladyslava SMILIANSKA (UKR) df. Eirini PAPADOPOULOU (GRE), via submission (13-0)
BRONZE: Sonia RUBIO HERGUIJUELA (ESP) df. Yana PAVLIUK (UKR), (2-2)

60kg
GOLD: Aleksandra PETUKHOVA (UWW) df. Petra SZALAY (HUN), via submission (9-2)

BRONZE: Susana GONZALEZ GONZALEZ (ESP) df. Anastassiya KRASNOLUTSKAYA (KAZ), via submission (7-2)
BRONZE: Mariia SUSKA (UKR) df. Texenery TEJERA GARCIA (ESP), 8-4

65kg
GOLD: Anastasiia SHAROVA (UWW) df. Karolina HRYNIUK (UKR), via submission (6-2)

BRONZE: Anais MORANTA ALBRECH (ESP) df. Zhasmin KAIRAT (KAZ), via submission (6-0)
BRONZE: Malgorzata SALAMON (POL) df. Efthymia PANAGIOTOPOULOU (GRE), 6-3

90kg
GOLD: Mercedes GARCIA RODRIGUEZ (ESP)
SILVER: Karolina KARALUS (POL)
BRONZE: Elena ZAIMIDOU (GRE)

U17 Men's Grappling No-Gi

50kg
GOLD: Roman SHOSTAK (UKR) df. Nursat BAIKASSOV (KAZ), 8-4

BRONZE: Yerkanat NARIMAN (KAZ) df. Ilkin GULIEV (UWW), 7-6
BRONZE: Jivan ARAKELYAN (ARM) df. Oinatz IRUSTA GARCIA (ESP), 8-1

54kg
GOLD: Zakhar DREMLIUHA (UKR) df. Dawid BALTRUKANIS (POL), via submission (14-1)

BRONZE: Jakub BARDEN (POL) df. Julen TRUJILLO HERNANDEZ (ESP), via submission (9-0)
BRONZE: Amir SHURDUMOV (UWW) df. Athanasios TAGKALAKIS TSAKOPOULOS (GRE), 15-0

58kg
GOLD: Kurbanali MAKHMUDOV (UWW) df. Rafik ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 5-3

BRONZE: Lohan DURANDET (FRA) df. Artem KULYK (UKR), via submission (11-0)
BRONZE: Daniel CABRERA PORTELA (ESP) df. Adam KARAMANOLIS (GRE), via submission

63kg
GOLD: Ramil ZHIROV (UWW) df. Leved GRANER (HUN), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Shermat ZHAMALBEK (KAZ) df. Yanis ANGELOSANTO (FRA), 4-4
BRONZE: Danylo TERESHCHENKO (UKR) df. Edgar SIMONYAN (ARM), via submission (3-0)

69kg
GOLD: Gusein KHASAEV (UWW) df. Amir KHABICHEV (UWW), 2-2

BRONZE: Gor SAHAKYAN (ARM) df. Antoni BLACH (POL), 2-1
BRONZE: Mansur ZHANTEMIROV (KAZ) df. Leonard HRUSA (GER), via submission (5-2)

76kg
GOLD: Andrii SHTUNDER (UKR) df. Aleksei SKOREV (UWW), via submission (6-0)

BRONZE: Heorhi HLAZKO (UWW) df. Ivan KUCHYNSKI (UWW), via submission (10-1)
BRONZE: Donat HOLLOSY (HUN) df. Aldiyar KARIMOV (KAZ), via submission (2-1)

85kg
GOLD: Mateusz KUCA (POL) df. Hurhen MKRTCHIAN (UKR), 6-4

BRONZE: Yaroslav FEDYNA (UKR) df. Shynggyskhan ABDIROV (KAZ), 3-2

110kg
GOLD: Balazs KIS (HUN)
SILVER: Levente SZABO (HUN)
BRONZE: Gasan KHASAEV (UWW)

U17 Women's Grappling No-Gi

43kg
GOLD: Ailina GALIEVA (UWW) df. Kateryna SERBOVA (UKR), via submission

46kg
GOLD: Vasilisa SHUTOVA (UWW) df. Karolina HYRIA (UKR), 15-0

49kg
GOLD: Mariia SHMELEVA (UWW)
SILVER: Sylwia WELC (POL)
BRONZE: Tomiris ZAGIDULLINA (KAZ)

52kg
GOLD: Shantel AMBRIZ (USA) df. Daria KHAMETOVA (UWW), 2-1

BRONZE:  Helena ALEKSANDROWICZ (POL) df. Amina ZHEKSHENBEKOVA (KGZ), 9-2

56kg
GOLD: Oliwia GREWLING (POL) df. Vladyslava SMILIANSKA (UKR), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Yana PAVLIUK (UKR) df. Vivien SZABO (HUN), 6-2
BRONZE: Safiya UALIAKHMETOVA (KAZ) df. Eleni TOLIA (GRE), 12-8

60kg
GOLD: Aleksandra PETUKHOVA (UWW) df. Petra SZALAY (HUN), via submission (9-3)

BRONZE: Susana GONZALEZ GONZALEZ (ESP) df. Laila DAVIS (GER), via submission (9-1)
BRONZE: Texenery TEJERA GARCIA (ESP) df. Daria HLADUN (UKR), 5-3

65kg
GOLD: Anastasiia SHAROVA (UWW) df. Malgorzata SALAMON (POL), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Anais MORANTA ALBRECH (ESP) df. Sohane EDDAMI (FRA), via submission (14-0)
BRONZE: Efthymia PANAGIOTOPOULOU (GRE) df. Gulzhaina SULTANOVA (KAZ), via submission (9-0)

90kg
GOLD: Mercedes GARCIA RODRIGUEZ (ESP)
SILVER: Karolina KARALUS (POL)
BRONZE: Tetiana TKACHYK (UKR)