#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
 

#WrestleBudapest

Ranking Series: Double delight for Japan, Sujeet gives India gold

Thursday, July 17, 2025 - 22:39 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 17) -- Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN) and world silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) showed on Thursday why they will be prime contenders for gold medal at the World Championships in Zagreb in September.

Suda and Aoyagi earned two gold medals at 61kg and 70kg respectively, and reminded the world about Freestyle powerhouse Yamanashi Gakuin University in Japan.

Suda, who has not lost a match this year, won his second Ranking Series gold medal in 2025, adding to his gold from Tirana. But he needed a big comeback in the 61kg final against Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the dying seconds, winning 5-3.

Zhumashbek Uulu led 3-1 with 13 seconds remaining in the match when Suda used a snap to off balance Zhumashbek Uulu and go behind. He tried a takedown but then switches the direction and brings Zhumashbek Uulu to the mat, back first.

Zhumashbek Uulu tried to defend it with a whizzer but failed and Suda turned on his head without any danger to get the two points and win 3-3 on criteria. Kyrgyzstan challenged the call but on review, Suda was awarded four points and the scored changed to a 5-3 win for the Japanese.

In February, Suda won the gold medal in Tirana after an 8-8 victory over Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) and then won the Asian Championships gold medal over UDIT (IND) 6-4 in March.

Zhumashbek Uulu, who won Mongolian Open in June at 65kg, returned to 61kg after an year of competing at 65kg. He defeated Udit earlier in the day and reached the final but failed to cross the final hurdle.

With the win, Suda has clearly shown signs that he will be a gold-medal threat in Zagreb at 61kg, a weight class won by his high school and university teammate Masanosuke ONO (JPN) in 2024.

Aoyagi, who had also won gold medal in Tirana, was more dominant in his gold medal run. In Tirana, European silver medalist Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) had pulled out injured in the final.

Incidentally, he made the final against Aoyagi in Budapest on Thursday and this time he decided to wrestler. However, the winner was the same.

Aoyagi used a head-in-the-hole move to score four points in his 8-0 victory in the final of the 70kg weight class. Andreasyan had no answer to Aoyagi's attack despite being in advantageous positions during the final.

The Armenian was put on the activity clock during which he failed to score and gave up four points. Aoyagi, leading 5-0, won a challenge when Andreasyan was awarded two points for a takedown but on review, it was clear that Andreasyan had both his feet outside before completing a takedown.

With a 6-0 lead, Aoyagi scored a beautiful duck-under for two points and lead 8-0, the final score for the winner.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND) celebrates after beating Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Sujeet ends Indian drought

India failed to win any gold medals at the senior level in 2025 as it drew blank at the Asian Championships in March and Mongolian Open in June. However, Asian U23 champion SUJEET (IND) ended that curse for India by winning the 65kg gold medal in Budapest.

While he has age-group world and continental medals, Sujeet's run in Budapest and gold medal can be considered his biggest medal yet as he defeated Paris bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) in the first bout, European U23 silver medalist Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) in the quarterfinal and world medalist Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the semifinal.

Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) was up in the final and Sujeet, who showed glimpses of Tokyo bronze medalist Bajrang PUNIA (IND), made sure he doesn't let his guard down in the last match.

Sujeet conceded an activity point in the first period and was down 1-0 at the break against Rahimzade. But as soon as the second period began, Sujeet put pressure on Rahimzade, who kept dropping on his knees in the zone to avoid the pushout.

But Sujeet did not back down and scored a takedown when Rahimzade was on the activity clock. Leading 3-1, Sujeet added another takedown and completed a 5-1 victory over Rahimzade and captured the gold medal, his first of Ranking Series events.

At 57kg, world U20 champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) needed three straight comebacks to win the gold medal. He defeated Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) 3-1 in the final to capture his first gold at the senior level.

Lilledahl scored a takedown using a reattack with 20 seconds remaining in the match against Bazarganov to clinch a 3-1 win. His semifinal victory over RAHUL (IND) was even more dramatic as he managed to come back from 6-2.

Rahul used a leg-turk to score six point and lead 6-2 but Lilledahl scored a stepout and then blocked an attempted duck-under and put Rahul's back on the mat for two points. In the final 20 seconds, he threw off Rahul when the Indian was trying to hit a double-leg attack and won 7-6. In his first bout of the day, he scored a pushout with just 0.01 seconds left on the clock and dashed the dreams of Niklas STECHELE (GER).

World silver medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) returned to 79kg from 86kg and instantly showed results, winning the gold medal in Budapest. He blanked Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 5-0, in the final

At 125kg, Bahrain won its second gold of the tournament as Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) defeated Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 5-3.

Photo

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 3-1

BRONZE: RAHUL (IND) df. Niklas STECHELE (GER), 4-0
BRONZE: Aryan TSIUTRYN (UWW) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

61kg
GOLD: Takara SUDA (JPN) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 5-3

BRONZE: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR), 4-3
BRONZE: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) df. Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), 7-7
BRONZE: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 9-0

70kg
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 8-0

BRONZE: Sina KHALILI (IRI) df. Austin GOMEZ (MEX), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) df. Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI), 11-4

79kg
GOLD: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 5-0

BRONZE: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Lucas KAHNT (GER), 10-0
BRONZE: Fariborz BABAEI (IRI) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 2-0

97kg
GOLD: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) df. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), 11-0

BRONZE: Jonathan AIELLO (USA) df. Juhwan SEO (KOR), 10-0
BRONZE: Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) df. Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 9-4

125kg
GOLD: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 5-3

BRONZE: Robert BARAN (POL) df. Demetrius THOMAS (USA), 6-0
BRONZE: Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) df. Vladislav BAJCAJEV (HUN), 3-0