Russia Wins Three Golds on Saturday Night, Leads Iran By Seven Points

Saturday, August 17, 2019 - 19:22 By Eric Olanowski

TALLINN, Estonia (August 17) – The Russian Federation (97 points) won a trio of Day 6 junior world titles and have a seven-point lead over second-place Iran (90 points), who had two wrestlers reach the top of the podium on Saturday.

Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) ascended to the top of the podium with a fall over Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) after erasing a 4-0 deficit in the 55kg finals. “I feel very good. Everything came out perfect and that’s what I wanted to do,” said Allakhiarov after winning his first world title.

In the opening period, Allakhiarov gave up a four-point throw, but scored a reversal -- cutting the Azeri’s lead to three points with a quick reversal. A pair of back-to-back gut wrenches flipped the match in favor of Allakhiarov, as he took the 5-4 lead into the break.

In the second period, the Russian back-peddled as the Aliyev heavily pressed the pace. While toeing the out of bounds line, Allakhiarov circled to his left and tried to get back to the center of the mat to avoid giving up the step-out point. His Azeri opponent also started to circle back towards the center of the mat, but while doing so, relaxed for one second. Allakhairov capitalized on that one-second opening and threw a massive headlock and planted Aliyev flat on his back for the fall to claim his first world title.

“I feel very happy to be the first Russian in Greco-Roman to win the world title” Allakhairov said. He added, “We put a lot of work into the preparation process so we’re very happy with everyone in the finals.”

Abu AMAEV (RUS) defeated Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 5-3 in the 63kg finals -- handing Russia their second gold medal of the night. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Russia’s second champion came at 63kg where Abu AMAEV (RUS) scored the tactical 5-3 win over Leri ABULADZE (GEO) in the gold-medal match. “The hardest part of the competition was the finals. The opponent I wrestled in the finals was second in Europe, so I’m very happy to be the world champion.”

After the match, Amaev took a deep breath and let out a noticeable psy of relief. When asked why he let out such a deep breath, Amaev said, “I felt the happiest when my hand was raised, and I knew I was world champion.”

The newly minted world champion, who said he has hopes of making an Olympic team one day, will head back to Chechnya, Russia, and take a week off before getting back to training. “I don’t know what’s next. I think I will take a week off…I’m going to train and see what the future brings.”

Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) was the third Russian to win a gold medal on Day 6. He snuck past Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO), 2-0 in the 87kg finals (Photo: Gabor Martin)

A bloody and battered Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) scored a point in each period against Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) in the 87kg finals and became the third Russian wrestler to circle the mat with his nation’s flag over his head. “All of my matches were very hard, but the hardest one was definitely the finals,” said Ermolenko after winning his gold medal. He continued, saying, “I’m very happy to be a world champion. I’ve worked very hard to get to this point and I would like to thank everyone who has supported me.”

Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI took down 2018 cadet world champion Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA), 2-1 in the 130kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Meanwhile, Iran’s Mohammad NAGHOUSI and Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI snuck past their gold-medal final opponents, 2-1, and helped their country head into the final day of wrestling at the 2019 Junior World Championships only trailing Russia by seven points.

In the 77kg finals, Mohammad Naghousi nabbed the one-point win over Damir RAKHIMOV (RUS), while Aliakbar Yousofiahmadchali stole the 130kg gold medal from 2017 cadet world champion Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA).

The final day of wrestling begins tomorrow at 16:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS

Team Scores (After Day 6)
GOLD - Russia (97 points)
SILVER - Iran (90 points)
BRONZE - Georgia (56 points)
Fourth - Turkey (42 points)
Fifth - United States (41 points)

55kg
GOLD - Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) df. Zaur ALIYEV (AZE), 9-4
BRONZE - Ken MATSUI (JPN) df. Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ), 13-12
BRONZE - Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI) df. Tigran MINASYAN (ARM), 2-0

63kg
GOLD - Abu AMAEV (RUS) df. Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 5-3
BRONZE - Shahin Eidi BADAGHI MOFRAD (IRI) df. Nikalas Petrov SULEV (BUL), 3-2
BRONZE - Alston Jon NUTTER (USA) df. Kamil CZARNECKI (POL), via fall

77kg
GOLD - Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Damir RAKHIMOV (RUS), 2-1
BRONZE - Dmytro VASETSKYI (UKR) df. Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) , 3-2
BRONZE - Sajan SAJAN (IND) df. Abdurrahman KALKAN (TUR), 11-1

87kg
GOLD - Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) df. Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO), 2-0
BRONZE - Bedirhan TAN (TUR) df. Jacob Edward LOGAARD (SWE), 3-0
BRONZE - Ihar YARASHEVICH (BLR) df. Hasan FOROUZANDEH GHOJEHBEIGLOU (IRI), 4-4

130kg
GOLD - Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI) df. Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA), 2-1
BRONZE - Dariusz VITEK (HUN) df. Lu ZHANG (CHN), 3-2
BRONZE - Muhammet Hamza BAKIR (TUR) df. Robinzon ESADZE (GEO), 5-1

#WrestleZagreb

Buchanan spoils Yazdani’s return at Zagreb Open

Friday, February 6, 2026 - 00:58 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 5) -- For the modestly attended Zagreb Open 2026, Thursday brought a noticeable lift in attendance as Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) returned to competition.

Yazdani, who injured his shoulder in the Paris Olympics final, was returning 18 months and another surgery later. The Olympic champion at 74kg in 2016 and silver medalist at 86kg in 2020 and 2024, is now up at 97kg.

Over the past decade, Yazdani has enjoyed stardom with fans not just in Iran but across the globe.

So when a bulkier Yazdani walked out to the mat in Zagreb, his silhouette under the spotlights looked different. The 13 kilogram jump was clearly visible. There was no traditional jump from him before coming to the center of the mat.

Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) launches Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) for a four-point throw. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Yazdani’s decision to switch Olympic weight classes was a move born out of necessity, especially after two shoulder surgeries.

In the early rounds of the Zagreb Open, the experiment seemed to be working. The signature underhooks were there, the gas tank seemed fine and his movement, despite the bulk, did not seem unnatural.

Before reaching the final, Yazdani had seen off his opponents with rather ease. He scored points via stepouts, takedowns and go-behind in typical Yazdani fashion. He gave up only four points in his three bouts and reached the final without much trouble.

But then he hit a wall.

In the second period of the final, Yazdani's underhooks stopped working and his gas tank showed a leak. His movement became slower although his mind wanted him to be quick against Stephen BUCHANAN (USA).

Buchanan matched Yazdani for position and let Yazdani take only a 2-1 lead at the break. But he caught Yazdani in the second period and launched the Iranian for a suplex for four. It's rare for Yazdani to be thrown around like that.

And with him falling behind 5-2, Yazdani tried to attack more and that's when opportunities for Buchanan opened up as he scored three takedowns and two steps, beating Yazdani 13-3 and capturing the gold medal in Zagreb.

This was Yazdani's only tenth loss at the senior level and first to a U.S. wrestler other than David TAYLOR (USA). It was also the first a wrestler defeated Yazdani via technical superiority.

With Buchanan's gold, the United States finished the tournament with five gold medals in Freestyle.

Trent HIDLAY (USA) scores a takedown against Mobin AZIMI (IRI). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

World champion at 92kg Trent HIDLAY (USA) forfeited his final against Mobin AZIMI (IRI). But Hidlay had defeated the Iranian 5-5 in their round robin bout.

Hidlay, known for his insane comeback in bouts, was down 5-0 against Azimi when he mounted a comeback. He scored a takedown and then a point to make it 5-3. He then scored a step out on Azimi which cut the lead to 5-4. Iran challenged the stepout call but lost it to tie the score 5-5 with Hidlay holding criteria. Hidlay then defended his criteria for the rest of the bout.

In another bout against an Iranian, Hidlay came back from 8-0 down to beat Abofazl RAHAMANI (IRI) 11-9 as he took the top spot in his group.

Rahamani and Azimi clashed as well in the round robin and it was Azimi who scored a takedown in the final seconds to beat his compatriot 4-3 and finish second in the group.

Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) pins Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) in the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 125kg, Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) is quickly emerging as the biggest challenger to world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) at the weight class.

Sharipov captured the gold medal at 125kg with a incredible cradle and turk position against Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA). Shapirov locked Hendrickson in a leg-turn and then turned him on his back, keeping him down and securing the fall.

With a dominant performance in Zagreb, the Bahrain wrestler has put his name as a serious medal threat at the 2026 World Championships that will be held in Bahrain in October.

European silver medalist Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) defended his gold medal from 2025, winning a close 4-4 final against Dean HAMITI (USA) at 79kg.

Khadjiev was leading 4-1 when he was put on the activity clock. As the clock expired and he failed to score, Khadjiev also gave up a takedown which tied the score 4-4. But the French wrestler get the criteria due to his two two-point scoring moves.

RESULTS

Freestyle

79kg
GOLD: Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) df. Dean HAMITI (USA), 4-4

BRONZE: Evan WICK (USA) df. Daniel BRAUNAGEL (USA), 8-6
BRONZE: Adel PANAEIAN (IRI) df. Otari ADEISHVILI (GEO), via fall

92kg
GOLD: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Trent HIDLAY (USA), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Dustin PLOTT (USA) df. Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA), 6-1

97kg
GOLD: Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) df. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), 13-3

BRONZE: Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) df. Richard VEGH (HUN), 12-2
BRONZE: VICKY (IND) df. Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA), 8-2

125kg
GOLD: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA), via fall

BRONZE: Mortaza JANMOHAMMADZADEH (IRI) df. Robert BARAN (POL), 8-4
BRONZE: DINESH (IND) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), via fall

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) df. NEELAM (IND), 5-2

BRONZE: MUSKAN (IND) df. Agata GOLUCHOWSKA (POL), 11-0
BRONZE: Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) df. Natalia WALCZAK (POL), 9-6

55kg
GOLD: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Karla GODINEZ (CAN), 6-0

BRONZE: Nagisa HARADA (JPN) df. Beatrice FERENT (ROU), 2-1
BRONZE: Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA) df. Amani JONES (USA), 4-0

Russia Wins Three Golds on Saturday Night, Leads Iran By Seven Points

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Buchanan spoils Yazdani’s return at Zagreb Open