#WrestleIstanbul

Seven Statement Wins from #WrestleIstanbul

Thursday, March 3, 2022 - 13:42 By Eric Olanowski

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ISTANBUL, Turkey (March 2) -- The first Ranking Series event of the season just wrapped up in Istanbul and there were loads of unexpected upsets. We laid out seven statement wins from Turkey that wrestling fans have to see.

No. 7: Chance MARSTELLER (USA) df. Hetik CABOLOV (SRB), 10-5

Coming into the Yasar Dogu, Marsteller's only senior-level appearance came at the '19 Alexander Medved, where he finished in ninth place.

In Istanbul, Marsteller showed significant improvement en route to the 79kg finals where he fell to Olympic champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) in the finals. Of the American's four wins, his most significant hand-raising performance came in 1/8 finals when he outclassed Serbia's former world champ Hetik Cabolov, 10-5.

No. 6: Mohammadbagher YAKHKESHI (IRI) over Suleyman ATLI (TUR),7-5

Yakhkeshi sent two-time world medalist Atli packing early after he scored arguably the most memorable last-second win from Istanbul. 

Yakhkeshi trailed 5-1 with under a minute to go but continued to attack as his Turkish opponenet put the match in cruise control. The Iranian picked up a takedown near the 45-second mark and closed cut Atli's lead to 5-3. With less than 10 seconds left, Yakhkeshi jacked up an underhook on the Tokyo Olympian and tossed him to his back for four points with a perfectly timed hip toss, stealing a spot in the 61kg semifinals.

 

No. 5: Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB), 8-4

Abbasov came into Instanbul needing a signature win that would get him back on the winning course. He was coming off abysmal performances at the Olympic Games and World Championships, where he finished in 13th and 25th place, respectively.

Abbasov earned that trajectory-changing win after he defeated defending world champ and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Zatunashvili to win the 87kg Ranking Series title.

No. 4: Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), via fall

It seems that '14 world champion Sukhee has put the disappointment of missing the Tokyo Olympic Games behind her. That was evident in Istanbul, as she reached the top of the podium with a trio of wins over Olympic bronzes medalist Sakshi MALIK (IND), Marwa AMRI (TUN) and Taybe YUSEIN (BUL).

Without a doubt, Sukhee's biggest win came in the 1/8 final when she pinned world champion and Tokyo bronze medalist Yusein. The Mongolian led the match by one point but kept her foot on the gas. She dumped the Bulgarian to her back and scored the fall, punching her ticket to the quarterfinals before ultimately winning her second gold medal of the year (Ivan Yariguin in January).

No. 3: Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) df. Victor CIOBANU (MDA), 8-0

From a team standpoint, Uzbekistan's Greco-Roman squad had one of the hottest showings in Turkey. They were led by newly-retired Olympic bronze medalist Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB), who cornered Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB),  Mahmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB) and Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) to gold-medal victories.

Without a doubt, the most impressive run of the three came at 63kg, where Bakhramov breezed past reigning world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA), 9-0, in the finals.

No. 2:  Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) df. Riza KAYAALP (TUR), via fall

In jaw-dropped fashion, Kandelaki not only picked up one of the biggest upsets of the competition, but his Istanbul win will go down as one of the biggest upsets of the season.

Kandelaki hand fought hard in the first against Turkey's modern-day legend Riza Kayaalp but was placed in the par terre position after being hit with passivity. After surrendering the inactivity point, the Azeri conceded a gut wrench and trailed 3-0, before doing the unthinkable. He halted a second gut-wrench from the four-time world champion and planted the Turkish great on his back for the fall. He ended Kayaalp's hopes of winning an eighth Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Tournament gold medal and reached the finals of an international competition for the first time since 2016.

No. 1: Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) df. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), 8-0

Nunes De Oliveira took her wrestling to another level in the 1/8 finals against two-time world champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ). Whatever her game plan was, it worked to a tee. The Brazilian wrestled a perfect bout against the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, scoring a pair of stepouts and three takedowns, blanking the Kyrgyz star, 8-0.

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships 2025 Day 5 Highlights

Thursday, August 21, 2025 - 06:49 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 20) -- The U20 World Championships will continue with Women's Wrestling in 50kg, 53kg and 72kg. Greco-Roman will begin with 60kg and 82kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

The semifinals will begin at 16:45 hours local time

14:00: SHRUTI (IND) with another tough defense in the final 20 seconds to claim a 4-0 win over Anna YATSKEVYCH (POL) and reach the semifinals at 50kg. She will face Audrey JIMINEZ (USA).

13:50: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) with a reverse throw for four from par terre for a 5-0 lead against Martin SHISHEKOV (BUL) in the 82kg quarterfinal. Yoshida finishes the bout with a 6-0 win.

13:45: Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) with a takedown masterclass as she beats Na HU (CHN) 10-0 to enter the semifinals at 50kg. She will take on Diana RYSOVA (UKR) for a place in the gold-medal bout. 

13:40: European U20 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) gives nothing away and has an easy 8-2 win over Omer ALTAS (TUR) as Javadov enters the 60kg semifinals. He will take on Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO).

13:36: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW), 2024 world U17 champion, with his serious gut-wrench hands Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) an easy defeat and enters the 82kg semifinals.

13:31: 2024 world U17 bronze medalist Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) with two four-pointers in his 11-2 victory over Maksut SULTANOV (UKR) at 60kg. He will face SURAJ (IND) in the semifinals.

13:30: Former world U17 champion and Asian U20 champion SURAJ (IND) with a 3-1 victory over returning bronze medalist Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) at 60kg. Suraj with a correct throw for two points from par terre to win the bout.

13:28: Returning silver medalist at 72kg Yuqi LIU (CHN) gets a 10-0 victory over Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) and reach the semifinals in which she will face Haticenur SARI (TUR)

13:27: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) with a fall over Songul KAVAK (TUR) in 22 seconds to reach the 50kg semifinals. Ogawa is looking to add a U20 world title to her 2023 world U17 gold.

13:24: Asian U20 champion Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) gets the par terre advantage in the first period and turns PRINCE (IND) three times from par terre to win 8-0 and advance to the 82kg semifinals

13:20: Martik PETROSYAN (ARM) gets a huge headlock throw for four points in the second period to beat Seyed AZARSHAB (IRI) 7-3 and enter the semifinal at 82kg. Second loss for Iran in Greco-Roman 

13:13: KAJAL (IND) earns herself a place in the 72kg semifinals against defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) after a 7-0 victory over Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ).

13:05: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) gets a stepout with 30 seconds left on the clock to beat Kubanych ARINOV (KGZ) 4-4 on criteria at 60kg. Lolua was down 4-3 with more than one minute left in the match but managed to score the match-winning stepout.

13:02: 2023 world U17 champion Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) has little trouble in seeing off  Kseniya KOSTSENICH (UWW), the European U20 champion at 50kg. Just a takedown masterclass to win 10-2

12:58: A 16-second 10-0 technical superiority win for Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) over Adriana DANISEVICIUTE (LTU) at 50kg. Jiminez is a multiple time age-group world medalist but is still searching for the gold medal.

12:56: A second fall in three bouts for defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) as she jumps over Veronika VILK (CRO) and keeps her back on the mat to secure the fall and enter the 72kg semifinals.

12:55: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) and Josephine WRENSCH (GER) had to wait three hours since the start of the action today. Ogawa had built a 9-0 lead before securing the fall over Wrensch and win at 50kg

12:50: Rematch of European U20 Championships final at 53kg as gold medalist Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) clashes with Ilona VALCHUK (POL). Valchuk is the first to strike with a takedown on the edge for two points. But Polska scores a takedown and turn for 4-2 lead. Valchuk cautioned and bout restarts in par terre and Polska turns her two more times for a 9-2 lead. Just before the break, a takedown and another turn for 13-2 victory for Polska. 

12:35: Na HU (CHN) with a huge under-over arm throw to plant Sviatlana KATENKA (UWW) and gets the fall to enter 50kg quarterfinal.

12:22: At 60kg, European U20 champion and 2024 U17 world champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Kacper SOBCZYK (POL). He used the gut-wrench to turn him

12:20: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) with an 9-0 technical superiority win over Omer ILDES (TUR) at 82kg. He controls Ildes and plants him on the mat for four outside the zone. He scores a takedown and turn to win 8-0. Turkiye challenge only to lose one more point.

12:17: European U20 champion Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) with a technical superiority win over Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) at 82kg. Shkarin looked in complete control.

12:15: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), a senior European bronze medalist at 55kg, gets three turns from par terre and he downs Danila CHARAPENKA (UWW) 8-0, at 60kg in Samokov.

12:12: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW), a returning bronze medalist at 60kg, hands Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) a 8-5 defeat. Cortez was a silver medalist at 55kg last year but cannot match Dzhavadian in this bout

12:05: Omer ALTAS (TUR) with a takedown in the final minute after being down 2-1 to beat Amin ABDEVALI (IRI) at 60kg. First loss for Iran in Greco-Roman.

11:55: Pedro DE SOUZA (BRA) fails to hold on to his 6-1 lead in the second period against SURAJ (IND) and drops his 60kg Greco-Roman 1/8 bout 8-6. Suraj did not get any par terre but scored a takedown and got four when De Souza tried to throw him.

11:50: At 50kg, European U20 champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) pins Liliana KAPUVARI (HUN) and advances to the quarterfinals in which she will face Ilona VALCHUK (POL)

11:45: SAARIKA (IND), Asian U20 champion, works to an controlled 10-0 win against European U20 bronze medalist Sevval CAYIR (TUR) at 53kg and enter the quarterfinals.

11:40: A 15-4 victory for KAJAL (IND) after she survives a big four-point throw from Emili APOSTOLOVA (BUL) at 72kg. Kajal managed to compose herself and worked for a technical superiority win. Kajal is a former world U17 champion and won silver medal at 73kg at this year's World U17 Championships.

11:35: Veronika VILK (CRO), the country's first-ever world champion in Women's Wrestling at any level, starts with a fall over Meiramgul MAKSOT (KAZ) at 72kg.

11:25: Yuqi LIU (CHN), the returning silver medalist at 72kg, begins her campaign with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE). Leg lace for the win.

11:20: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) with a 34-second fall over Ai SAKAI (JPN) at 72kg as she moves into the quarterfinals. Sakai with a double-leg but Robinson with a lat drop and fall. Robinson is looking even more dominant than last year.

11:00: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) starts his run for a U20 world title with a victory over Szabolcs SZINAY (HUN). Yoshida is a former U17 world champion and senior Asian champion but finished with a bronze at the World U20 Championships last year. Yoshida and Szinay scored stepouts but the Japanese scored a takedown and side suplex for four points. Hungary challenge for a foul but there is non. A stepout in the second period and Yoshida wins 9-1.

10:45: Amin ABDEVALI (IRI) with a takedown and six three turns to win 8-0 against Dragos DRAGA (ROU) at 82kg.

10:35: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) gets both par terre advantages in his opening bout against Takuma NAKASHIMA (JPN) at 60kg and scores from both to win 5-0.

10:30: Returning silver medalist Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) with a big headlock and four against Kristin PETROV (BUL) to secure the fall at 60kg.

10:20: Defending champion at 72kg Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) wastes no time in finishing her opening bout against Elvira ERSSON (SWE) with a lace and a double-leg for four. She is the favorite to win gold again

10:15: In the first bout at Greco-Roman 60kg, Asian U20 champion and former world U17 champion SURAJ (IND) rallies in the second period to score six turns after a takedown to beat Salamat MURATULY (KAZ)