World Cup, United States, Cuba, Russia, Mongolia, Los Angeles

Susceptible Russian Side Leaves Door Open for USA, Cuba and Mongolia

Wednesday, April 8, 2015 - 18:43 By Tim Foley

Men’s Freestyle World Cup: Group A Preview

LOS ANGELES (April 8) – Without a single World or Olympic medalist on the roster for the 2015 United World Wrestling World Cup team, fans looking to see the dominance of the Russian Federation at this weekend’s World Cup at the Forum in Los Angeles, California, might have to wait.

The 2014 Word Cup finalists won’t be the heavy favorites many wrestling fans may have expected after the country’s dominant performance at last year’s United World Wrestling Championships.

One of the most successful wrestling nation in Olympic history, the Russian Federation won five of the eight gold medals in Tashkent, Uzbekistan at September’s World Championships and placed first as a team in freestyle. With none of those champions traveling to Los Angeles, Group A squads Mongolia, Cuba and the United States have the opportunity to upend the Russians and move into Sunday’s gold medal finals.

Maybe the biggest threat to Russian dominance are the host Americans, who have two Olympic gold medalists from London in their lineup, Jake VARNER (97kg) and Jordan BURROUGHS (74kg). Burroughs has won three world titles and won a bronze in Tashkent, while Varner failed to place.

Also looking to help the U.S. in its quest for a 14th team title will be Olympic bronze medalist Coleman SCOTT (65kg) along with world No. 8 Brent METCALF (65kg) who earned a runner-up finish earlier this year at the Yarygin Grand Prix in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Clayton FOSTER (86kg), who ranks No. 10 in the world, will likely split mat time with Ed RUTH (86kg), a member of the 2014 U.S. world team.

While the Americans are hoping for expected outcomes from seasoned veterans, the Russians are hoping for exceptional output from young performers.

Israel KASUMOV (70kg) has seen plenty of success on the mats, winning the 2014 Yarygin Grand Prix and earning a bronze medal in the 2015 edition. A former world No. 1, Kasumov is currently ranked No. 8 at 70kg.

Akhmed CHAKLAEV (65kg), ranked 16th in the world, was second in the 2009 Yarygin Grand Prix and won bronze in the 2014 Ivan Yarygin. He was the 2011 and 2013 Ramzan Kadyrov Cup champion in Russia and the 2013 International Ukrainian Tournament champion.

Russian upper weight and 2010 World University champion Yuri BELONOVSKI (97 kg) comes to Los Angeles ranked No .13 in the world.

The Cubans, who’ve won two World Cup titles in freestyle, bring a loaded squad of world and continental medalists to the Forum. Highlighting the island nation’s pool of medalists is 74kg star Livan LÒPEZ, who earned bronze at the 2012 Olympics, a silver medal in Tashkent, and bronze medals at the 2011 and 2014 World Championships

Three-time World medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ (86 kg) and 2014 bronze medalists Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (61kg) and Javier CORTINA LACERRA (97kg) are also expected to take the mats.

Mongolia will be led by 2014 World bronze medalist ENKHSIAKN Nyam-Ochir (61kg) ranked No. 5 in the world, and 2014 world bronze medalist GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (65kg) who comes in ranked sixth.

Talented youngster and 2013 Junior world silver medalist BATBOLD Nomin is expected to compete at 57kg and is ranked 13th in the world.

Competition Schedule
Saturday, April 11 (All Times Listed are Pacific Standard Time)
Session I
3:00 p.m. – Mat A: USA vs. Cuba; Mat B: Iran vs. Belarus
4:30 p.m. – Mat A: Russia vs. Mongolia; Mat B: Azerbaijan vs. Turkey

Session II
6:15 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
6:30 p.m. – Mat A: USA vs. Russia; Mat B: Iran vs. Turkey
8:00 p.m. – Mat A: Mongolia vs. Cuba; Mat B: Belarus vs. Azerbaijan

Sunday, April 12
Session III
11:00 a.m. – Mat A: USA vs. Mongolia; Mat B: Turkey vs. Belarus
12:30 p.m. – Mat A: Azerbaijan vs. Iran; Mat B: Cuba vs. Russia
2:00 p.m. – Mat A: Fifth Place Dual; Mat B: Seventh Place Dual

Session IV
4:15 p.m. – Mat A: Third Place Dual
5:45 p.m. – Mat A: Championship Dual

#WrestleTirana

Eltemirov, Pavlov win U23 European golds

Sunday, March 9, 2025 - 23:52 By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (March 9) -- Five months ago, Magomed ELTEMIROV (UWW) left Tirana with a medal around his neck, but the one that left a bitter aftertaste: A silver at the U23 World Championship.

That evening, he was defeated in a tense final by Magomed KHANIYEV (AZE). On Sunday, he made amends and although it wasn’t by defeating Khaniyev, Eltemirov walloped another Azerbaijani wrestler, Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE), to win his maiden U23 European Championship gold medal.

Eltemirov looked charged up even before his name was announced. He sprinted to the center and got down to business without wasting a second. After going up by a point following Heybatov’s failed challenge asking for a stepout, Eltemirov built a comfortable three-point cushion going into the break with a razor-sharp leg attack.

He never took his foot off the pedal as within 30 seconds of restart, Eltemirov threw Khaniyev on the mat using an underhook for two more points and seconds later, summoned all his upper-body strength to execute an over-under throw for four after his attempted ankle pick failed.

Heybatov attempted a desperate single-leg attack which Eltemirov blocked and when Heybatov tried a counter lift, Eltermirov scored exposure to finish the match 11-0 with 1:25 remaining on the clock.

Lev PAVLOV (UWW) hits a match-winning cradle on Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO) in the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The 21-year-old led a procession of wrestlers representing the UWW to the top of the podium and most dominated. Another wrestler to win his first U23 European title was Lev PAVLOV (UWW), a multiple time age-group world medalist.

For close to five minutes and 30 seconds, not much happened in the 57kg freestyle final between Pavlov and Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO). Then, in a frenzied end, everything happened all at once: two stunning takedowns, dogged defending and a desperate bid to snatch a win from the jaws of defeat.

Ultimately, Pavlov won 6-1 to take home the first gold medal of the U23 European Championships in Tirana. The scoreline, however, barely suggests how close the bout was.

Both wrestlers traded passivity points — Zangaladze was penalised first before Pavlov was docked a point in the second period. It stayed 1-1 until the last 30 seconds when the match exploded.

With his super-quick reflexes, Pavlov scored a duck-under to cradle for a takedown and transitioned into arm-trap roll for two more points. That swung the momentum in his favor and then defended strongly to emerge victorious.

Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) survived a last-minute attack from Farid JABBAROV (AZE) to secure the 79kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The evening’s fourth final, between Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) and Farid JABBAROV (AZE) at 79kg followed a similar pattern, wherein both wrestlers were cautioned — and penalized a point each — for passivity.

Balaian, who had two bronze medals in the U23 category last year in Europe and Worlds, began the second round a point down. However, he overturned the scoreline and made it 2-1 by winning two passivity points of his own. With only 41 seconds remaining in the match when he went into the lead, Balaian could have opted for a strong defence.

He tried that and was nearly caught out when Jabbarov got hold of his left leg with only 10 seconds left to play. But a steely Balaian refused to give up and instead turned around the position, gained control and exposed Jabbarov to go 4-1 up. Jabbarev challenged the final move but it was ruled against him, handing Balaian the title after two near-misses.

Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) secured the 65kg gold over Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 65kg, Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) had to fight back with all his might to secure the title. At the midway point of the gold medal bout, it looked like Dzhandubaev will comfortably win as he had a 5-0 lead but Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) used a seatbelt throw for four to make score 5-4.

But Dzhandubaev did not falter even after the throw and kept his attacks, scored a stepout to make it 6-4. Defending that lead for final seconds, Dzhandubaev secured the gold, four years after he was crowned the U17 European champion.

At 97kg, Uladzislau KAZLOU (UWW) edging past Bady SAMDAN (UWW) 2-1 to reign supreme in the 97 kg category. Samdan had a 1-0 lead but Kazlou scored a stepout to lead 1-1 on criteria at the break. In the second period, Samdan was put on the 30-second activity clock in which he failed to score, handing Kazlou the win.

Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) celebrates after beating Arslan BAGAEV (UWW) in the semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Magamadov eyes gold

After two failures to get past him in 2024, Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) managed to beat Arslan BAGAEV (UWW) in the 86kg semifinals on Sunday. He shut Bagaev down for a 6-0 lead. Magamadov had lost to Bagaev in the U23 Euro final and the World Military Championships final in 2024.

He will face U23 world silver medalist Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) for the gold medal. The Azerbaijan wrestler had lost to Bagaev in the final of the U23 Worlds last year.

Volodymyr KOCHANOV (UKR) will be hoping to win Ukraine’s first gold medal of the U23 European Championship when he takes on Georgi IVANOV (BUL) in the 125kg final.

Kochanov has two U23 medals but on both occasions — he won European U23 silver in 2023 and U23 Worlds bronze last year — fell short of a top-of-the-podium finish. The final against Ivanov offers him that chance and to avenge his 2023 U23 Euro final loss to the Bulgarian.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Lev PAVLOV (UWW) df. Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO), 6-1

BRONZE: Bekir KESER (TUR) df. Ion BULGARU (MDA), 18-14
BRONZE: Rahman IMANOV (AZE) df. Vladyslav ABRAMOV (UKR), 8-6

65kg
GOLD: Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) df. Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR), 6-4

BRONZE: Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) df. Hayk ABRAHAMYAN (ARM), 3-2
BRONZE: Murad HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) df. Fiodor CEAVDARI (MDA), 9-6

70kg
GOLD: Magomed ELTEMIROV (UWW) df. Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE), 11-0

BRONZE: Umut ERDOGAN (TUR) df. Pavel GRAUR (MDA), 5-1
BRONZE: Narek POHOSIAN (UKR) df. Muhammad ABDURACHMANOV (BEL), 2-0

79kg
GOLD: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) df. Farid JABBAROV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR) df. Aykan SEID (BUL), 11-0
BRONZE: Umar MAVLAEV (SUI) df. Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO), 8-7

97kg
GOLD: Uladzislau KAZLOU (UWW) df. Bady SAMDAN (UWW), 2-1

BRONZE: Resul GUNE (TUR) df. Adam JAKSIK (SVK), via fall
BRONZE: David MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) df. Nikolaos KARAVANOS (GRE), 6-1

Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Jeyhun ALLAHVERDIYEV (AZE) vs. Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Jeyhun ALLAHVERDIYEV (AZE) df. Besir ALILI (MKD), 5-4
SF 2: Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM) df. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR), 11-1

74kg
GOLD: Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) vs. Ismail KHANIEV (UWW)

SF 1: Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) df. Manuel WAGIN (GER), 4-2
SF 2: Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) df. Bohdan OLIINYK (UKR), 10-0

86kg
GOLD: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) vs. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)

SF 1: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Radomir STOYANOV (BUL), via fall
SF 2: Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) df. Arslan BAGAEV (UWW), 6-0

92kg
GOLD: Knyaz IBOYAN (ARM) vs. Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW)

SF 1: Knyaz IBOYAN (ARM) df. Denys SAHALIUK (UKR), 10-0
SF 2: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) df. Sadig MUSTAFAZADE (AZE), 12-1

125kg
GOLD: Volodymyr KOCHANOV (UKR) vs. Georgi IVANOV (BUL)

SF 1: Volodymyr KOCHANOV (UKR) df. Khachatur KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 10-0
SF 2: Georgi IVANOV (BUL) df. Efe AL (TUR), via fall (12-1)

Susceptible Russian Side Leaves Door Open for USA, Cuba and Mongolia

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Eltemirov, Pavlov win U23 European golds