#kaspeuro2018

Sadulaev Serves Russia Sixth Gold to Close out #KaspEuro2018 C'Ships

Sunday, May 6, 2018 - 17:31 By Eric Olanowski

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KASPIISK, Russia (May 6) – For the second day in a row, the Russian national anthem played a trio of times in Dagestan, Russia as the host nation closed out the 2018 European Championships with six of a possible ten gold medals.

The chants of “Rashid” poured through the Palace of Sport and Youth as Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) won the colossal match-up between Olympic champions, holding off Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE), 2-1 to win the 92kg European title. 

“My opponent was an Olympic champion. Not just a guy from the street...We train at the same gym, and we know each other’s style of wrestling. That’s why it was such a low scoring match.” 

Sadulaev's, lone takedown in the opening period proved to be the difference as “The Tank” snagged his fourth European championship.

At 61kg, Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS), the Kaspiisk native seized his second European championship by nearly shutting out Beka LOMTADZE (GEO), 4-1. 

“I only live 1km away from The Palace of Sport and Youth, so if I lost, I was heading home on foot.” 

Rashidov, the 2017 world finalist put the first point on the board after Lomtadze, the 2015 European Games runner-up was penalized for not scoring on the activity clock. The Russian followed that up with a takedown to end the opening period, leading 3-0. Rashidov, the two-time continental champion closed the match with step out to in the final period to win the match by three points. 

“I want to dedicate this win to my father. He sold everything he owned so I could wrestle, and he always supports me; whether I win or lose.”

Artur NAIFONOV (RUS), 86kg European champion. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

Artur NAIFONOV (RUS), the 20-year-old Russian defeated Azerbaijani’s 31-year-old Aleksandr GOSTIYEV (AZE), 1-1 on critiera after trading activity clock points in the 86kg finals. 

“Growing up, Gostiyev was a role model for me, as we’re from the same Republic. I'm pleased to match the level of a wrestler who was once an example for me!”

Five-time European champion, Taha AKGUL (TUR). (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

Turkish wrestlers Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) were the other two wrestlers who captured European golds. 

Akgul regained the 125kg top spot after avenging his loss from the 2017 World Championships to Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 2-1. 

The Olympic champion added a fifth European title to his resume with two one-point exchanges to knock off the Georgian. 

Demirtas capped off his quest for back-to-back European gold medals by also using two one-point exchanges to defeated Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), 2-0. 

TEAM SCORES
GOLD - Russia  (204 points)
SILVER - Azerbaijan (160 points)
BRONZE- Turkey (125 points)
Fourth - Georgia (110 points)
Fifth - Belarus (80 points)
Sixth - Poland (59 points)
Seventh - Ukraine (51 points)
Eighth - France (38 points)
Ninth - Germany(36 points)
Tenth - Italy (36 points)

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) df. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO), 4-1
BRONZE - Recep TOPAL (TUR) df. Niurhun SKRABIN (BLR), 6-6 
BRONZE - Ivan GUIDEA (ROU) df. Mirjalal HASAN ZADA (AZE), 3-1

74kg
GOLD -  Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) df. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), 2-0 
BRONZE - Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA) df.  Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK), 10-0
BRONZE - Andrei KARPACH (BLR) df. Zaur EFENDIEV (SRB), 10-0

86kg
GOLD - Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) df. Aleksandr GOSTIYEV (AZE), 1-1 
BRONZE - Shamil KUDIIAMAGOMEDOV (ITA) vs. Fatih ERDIN (TUR), 8-4 
BRONZE - Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO) df. Ahmed Ruslanovic DUDAROV (GER), 4-4 

92kg
GOLD - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE), 2-1 
BRONZE - Kyrylo MIESHKOV (UKR) vs. Irakli MTSITURI (GEO), 6-6 
BRONZE - Serdar BOKE (TUR) vs. Nicolai CEBAN (MDA), 6-4 

125kg
GOLD - Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 2-1 
BRONZE - Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) vs. Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS), 3-0 
BRONZE - Robert BARAN (POL) df. Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT), 6-1 

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026, Day 5 Freestyle Highlights

Friday, April 24, 2026 - 08:35 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 24) -- European Championships 2026 will enter day five with five Freestyle weight classes -- 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg. Friday will also mark the return of Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) to European Championships after six years.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | SADULAEV's RETURN

UWW Plus

13:15: Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB), the returning silver medalist at 57kg, is clueless against Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) who beats the Serbian 5-0. Tuskaev got on a few attacks but could never finish them while Mekhtikhanov used a strong grip to either finish a takedown or a stepout. 

13:00: U20 world champion Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) will face Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) in the semifinals at 70kg after he made it to the last four with a 12-2 win over Patryk OLENCZYN (POL)

12:50:  Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) is not giving any space to anyone on the mat. In his quarterfinals, Sadulaev blanks Radu LEFTER (MDA), 10-0 and is now in the semifinals.

12:45: Iszmail MUSZUKAEV (HUN) with all the moves you can imagine as he wins with a 10-0 technical superiority against Remzi TEMUR (TUR) and advances to the semifinals at 70kg.

12:36: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) takes out Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) in a low scoring bout at 65kg. Both wrestlers exchanged passivity points but Tevanyan got a point for lost challenge to make it 2-1. He was anyway leading 1-1 on criteria. Mamedov is disheartened as Tevanyan helps him to

his feet

12:25: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) puts hosts Albania in the semifinals at 65kg! He beats Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO), 3-1, and will now take on Islam GUSEINOV (UWW) who blanked Gamzatgadzhi KHALIDOV (HUN), 4-0.

12:15: Match of the morning as Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) and Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) leave it all on the mat in their 79kg bout. Kadzimahamedau lead 5-0 when Gaphrindashvili scored a scored a double-leg four pointer to make it 5-4. Kadzimahamedau challenged and was awarded two points to go with a reversal for Gaphrindashvili, making the score 7-5 for Kadzhimahamedau. After a scramble and stepout, the scores read 10-9 for Gaphrindashvili with 11 seconds left. Kadzimahamedau snuck out a takedown with 3 seconds left to win 11-10.

11:50: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) went on a defensive in the second period against Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) in their 97kg bout. After taking a 3-0 lead, Matcharashvili did not try much in the second period. He was put on the activity clock, gave up the point and then cautioned for fleeing for one more point but he held his 3-2 lead for the victory.  

11:40: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) seems fast on the mat! He works to an easy 10-0 victory over Benjamin GREIL (AUT) at 97kg. Sadulaev is hoping to win his sixth European title and first in six years.

11:32: Returning silver medalist Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) needs a takedown in the last 30 seconds to break the 8-8 criteria lead of Okan TAHTACI (TUR) and lead 10-8. He then survives a flurry of attacks from Tahtaci in the final 18 seconds to win at 79kg

11:20: Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) blanks Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM), 5-0, at 79kg as he begins his quest for a European title. Usmanov, who missed out on a world medal in Zagreb, seemed in better control of his bout here.

11:10: Former European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), hoping to navigate through a tough 65kg field in Tirana, starts well beating Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 5-2, in the opening round bout. 

11:00: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), down at 79kg after last year's silver-medal run at 86kg, begins with a 4-1 victory over Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD).

10:50: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) makes his European Championships debut with a win. He scores a takedown Mykyta HONCHAROV (UKR) before falling behind 3-2. But that was all Honcharov was scoring as Mamedov worked on five different takedowns and win 12-3 at 65kg.

10:30: It's not just Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) on the mat on Friday in Tirana, but also Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL), David BAEV (UWW), Akhmed USMANOV (UWW), Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) and Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)