#WrestleBelgrade

Sadulaev Helps Russia Go 4-for-4 in FS Semifinals

Thursday, December 17, 2020 - 18:23 By Andrew Hipps

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Semifinal Highlights

BELGRADE, Serbia (December 17) -- Olympic champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) helped Russia go 4-for-4 in Thursday's freestyle semifinal round at the Individual World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia.

Sadualev, a four-time world champion, outscored his three opponents 32-3 on Thursday, finishing his day with a 12-1 semifinal victory over Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR). Sadulaev gave up the first point of the match to go down 1-0, but dominated the rest of the way, getting a takedown off a single leg before locking up a gut wrench and turning Andriitsev five times to earn the technical superiority.

The Russian Tank will face Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) in the 97kg final. The two have met multiple times, including in the 2019 European Championships final. Hushtyn was impressive in his semifinal match, earning a shutout (8-0) over Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE).

Russia's other semifinal winners on Thursday were Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (61kg), Akhmed USMANOV (79kg) and Dauren KURUGLIEV (86kg).

Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) advanced to the finals at 61kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Magomedov blanked Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) 7-0 in his 61kg semifinal match. He led 5-0 at the break and added a takedown in the final period. The other semifinal winner was Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE), who topped Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK), 8-1. Gvarzatilov scored with a four-point move in the opening period, which helped him earn the victory. 

Usmanov rolled to a technical superiority (10-0) over Baliyan GOURAV (IND) to reach the 79kg final. After going up 7-0 in the first period, Usmanov scored with a step out and takedown to close out the match. 

Muhammet KOTANOGLU (TUR) celebrates after reaching the 79kg final (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

The other semifinal match at 79kg was much more competitive, with Muhammet KOTANOGLU (TUR) edging Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) 4-4 on criteria. The Turkish wrestler scored with a four-point move in the opening period and led 4-2 at the break. Mykhailov picked up a takedown with just under 20 seconds remaining, but Kotanoglu held on to win by criteria on the strength of his four-point move in the opening period. 

Kurugliev shut out world No.2 Deepak PUNIA (IND) to advance to the 86kg final. All the scoring came in the first period, with Kurugliev getting a takedown and gut wrench. Winning the other 86kg semifinal was Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), who edged Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP) 3-2. Baranowski scored his first two points off the activity clock and led most of the match. With 35 seconds remaining, Friev Naskidaeva scored with a two-point exposure to take a very brief criteria lead before Baranowski earned the reversal, which turned out to be to be the difference in the match. 

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) edged three-time world champ Haji ALIYEV (AZE) to reach the 65kg final (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

One of the most anticipated semifinal matches took place at 65kg, with world bronze medalist Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) facing three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE). Earlier in the day, Aliyev won by injury default over 2019 world champion Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS). Muszukajev edged Aliyev 7-6, scoring six quick points early in the second period, which included a four-pointer. Aliyev rallied, picking up two takedowns and a late step out but could not complete the comeback. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) earned a 7-2 victory over Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR) in the other 65kg semifinal.

Freestyle Semifinal Results

61kg
Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE) df. Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK) by VPO1, 8-1
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG) by VPO, 7-0

65kg
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR) by VPO1, 7-2
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) df. Haji ALIYEV (AZE) by VPO1, 7-6

79kg
Akhmed USMANOV (RUS) df. Baliyan GOURAV (IND) by VSU, 10-0
Muhammet KOTANOGLU (TUR) df. Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) by VPO1, 4-4

86kg
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) df. Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP) by VPO1, 3-2
Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) df. Deepak PUNIA (IND) by VPO, 4-0

97kg
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR) by VSU1, 12-1
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) df. Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE) by VPO, 8-0
 

#WrestleLA

UWW announces new Olympic qualification process for LA 2028

Monday, February 2, 2026 - 12:14 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 2) -- United World Wrestling has overhauled the qualification process for the Olympic Games.

Beginning with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the 16 wrestlers who qualify per weight class will earn their spots through four routes: the World Championships, Continental Qualifiers, the World Olympic Qualifier, and the UWW Rankings.

The first phase of qualification will be the 2027 World Championships that will award 72 quotas for the Olympics. Each medalist [gold, silver, two bronzes] in the 18 Olympic weight classes will earn LA 2028 spots for their respective National Olympic Committees (NOC).

The second phase will be the UWW Rankings in which the first three wrestlers of the rankings, not qualified in the first phase, will obtain one quota place for their NOC for the LA28 Olympic Games. The UWW Rankings will include the seven main events organized before the LA28 Olympic Games:

- 2027 Senior Continental Championships*
- 2027 Ranking Series (3 events)
- 2027 Senior World Championships
- 2028 Ranking Series (1 event)
- 2028 Senior Continental Championships*

*UWW may include Continental Games for ranking but will only consider best two out of three continental results.

This means that 54 more wrestlers will earn Olympic quotas for their respective NOCs.

Phase three for qualifying will include the Continental Qualifiers -- Europe, Asia, Pan-America, and Africa & Oceania. These tournaments will award two quotas per weight class.

Top two wrestlers, the finalists, in each of the 18 Olympic weights will earn LA 2028 quotas for respective NOCs. A total of 144 wrestlers will be awarded at these continental events.

The fourth and final phase of qualification will be the World Olympic Qualifier which will offer 18 quotas. The gold medal winners in each of the 18 Olympic weight classes will earn the spot for their respective NOCs.

Only the countries that did not obtain a quota place during the previous three phases may participate in the World Olympic Qualifiers. The participating countries may only send two wrestlers across all styles at the World Qualifier.

For the LA 2028 qualifying cycle, UWW will award quotas at the following events:

4 quotas - 2027 World Championships
3 quotas - Ranking Series UWW Rankings
8 quotas - Continental Qualifiers (2 Europe, 2 Asia, 2 Pan-America, 2 Africa & Oceania)
1 quota - World Olympic Qualifier

Furthermore, the 2028 Continental Championships will be held before the Continental Qualifiers, ensuring that the three quotas via ranking are finalized before continental qualification events begin.

Ranking Series Participation Guidelines

Each country may enter a maximum of two wrestlers per weight class and a two-kilogram weight allowance will apply for Ranking Series events, but not for Continental or World Championships where standard weight rules apply.

The point allocation for these Ranking events will also be reviewed.

Seeding Changes

During the Olympic cycle, seeds will be assigned based on the following event tiers:

Four-seed events:
Continental Championships
Continental Qualifiers
World Qualifier

Eight-seed events:
Ranking Series
World Championships
Olympic Games

Seeding for the 2028 Olympic Games will be based on results from:

- Three 2027 Ranking Series events
- 2027 Continental Championships (or Continental Games, if applicable)
- 2027 World Championships
- One 2028 Ranking Series event
- 2028 Continental Championships

These same events will be used to seed wrestlers throughout the 2028 season, including the Ranking Series, Continental Championships and Qualifiers, the World Olympic Qualifier, and the Olympic Games.

For the 2027 Ranking Series events, 2027 Senior Continental Championships and the 2027 Senior World Championships, the results of 2026 Senior World Championships will also be considered to seed the athletes.

As is the rule, the ranking points obtained at the 2026 Senior World Championships will be removed after the 2027 Senior World Championships.

A key change is that at the Olympic Games, the seed belongs to the country, which keeps the seed even if it replaces the athlete who earned it. In all other events, the seed belongs to the wrestler, and a nation loses that seed if a different athlete competes.

For clarification regarding the new Olympic qualification process, all NFs and NOCs can contact sports@uww.org.