#Zagreb2018

Three Countries Land Multiple Finalists in First Day of Greco Action at Cadet World C’Ships

Friday, July 6, 2018 - 16:27 By Taylor Miller

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ZAGREB, Croatia – Iran, Armenia and Georgia each put multiple wrestlers into the first group of Greco-Roman finals, which will be wrestled Saturday night at the Cadet World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.

At 48 kg, 2018 Cadet Asian champion Sajjad ABBASPOURRAGANI (IRI) took out the 2017 Cadet Asian champion Arshad ARSHAD of India to move onto the finals. Tomorrow night, he’ll face 2018 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Abror ATABAEV (UZB).

Iran has back-to-back wrestlers in the finals as 2018 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Amirhossein KHOUNSARI (IRI) advanced at 55 kg. Khounsari edged out Cadet Asian runner-up Amirbek SULTONOV (UZB) in the semis, 6-5.

Tomorrow, he will face Giorgi PERTAIA (GEO), who defeated 2018 Cadet Asian champion Din KOSHKAR (KAZ) with a decisive 10-4 victory.

Tomorrow’s 65 kg matchup will feature a present Cadet Euro champion against a past European champion as 2018 champ Muslim IMADAEV (RUS) and 2016 champ Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) will do battle.

Imadaev trailed late against Khvicha ANANIDZE (GEO) but hit a four-pointer with seconds left to pull out a 7-5 win.

At 80 kg, it was a battle of continental champions in the semfinals as Cadet European champion Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO) downed Asian champion Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI), 7-1, to move on to the gold-medal match.

Tomorrow night, Tsopurasvili will take on Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM), who took fifth at the European Championships earlier this year.

In the heavyweight finals, two-time Cadet European bronze medalist Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) will go head-to-head with this year’s European champion Muhammet BAKIR (TUR).

Mammodaev defeated 2018 European silver medalist Marcel ALBINI (CZE) in the semifinals with a dominant 12-1 tech fall.

The finals will take place Saturday at 12 p.m. ET live on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Finals pairings
48 kg: Sajjad ABBASPOURRAGANI (IRI) vs. Abror ATABAEV (UZB)
55 kg: Amirhossein KHOUNSARI (IRI) vs. Giorgi PERTAIA (GEO)
65 kg: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) vs. Muslim Imadaev (RUS)
80 kg: Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO) vs. Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
110 kg: Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. Muhammet BAKIR (TUR)

#WrestleSamokov

Yakushenko, Zakriev one win away from second U20 World gold

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 16:01 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 22) -- Defending champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) returned to the final at 97kg as he once again managed to beat silver medalist Darius KIEFER (GER).

Unlike finals last year, both met in the semifinals this year but the result was no different as Yakusheno was clearly the better wrestler on Friday. After getting the first par terre position, Yakushenko turned Kiefer for two points and then lifted the German for a correct throw for two points for a 5-1 lead.

Kiefer got par terre in the second period and tried to get the turn but managed only a point for stepout from Yakushenko, making the score 5-2. That was all the action in the match as Yakushenko let out a loud cry after victory and so did Kiefer after his loss.

Yakushenko now leads the head-to-head 3-1 with the one loss coming in the European U20 Championships final this year in Carole, Italy.

He will face a new challenge in Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) in the final after the Iranian managed to over come Ilia KOMAROV (UWW) in the second semifinal, which was also a match decided from par terre.

Seydi Avendi led 5-0 at the break and was put in par terre in the second period and Komarov needed two turns for a 5-5 criteria lead. However, he managed to turn Seydi Avendi only once for two points to cut the lead to 5-3.

Iran had a second finalist in 55kg as 2023 world U17 champion Payam AHMADI (IRI) scored a 3-0 victory over Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) in the semifinals. He will face another 2023 world U17 champion in Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) who defeated Daisuke MORISHITA (JPN), 10-2.

Dashdamirov had a difficult opening bout against Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series gold medalist Anil MOR (IND) but managed to hold on to a 9-9 criteria win.

At 72kg, Asian U20 champion Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) and European U20 silver medalist Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) reached the final after impressive wins.

Kodirov face Oliver PADA (FIN) in the semifinal but managed to hold on to an 11-3 technical superiority win as Pada failed to finish his attempted bodylock throws.

Terteryan faced former world U17 champion at 71kg Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) but shut him down with defense to win 5-1.

Zakriev chases second title

Returning world 63kg champion Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) moved up to 67kg for this year's World U20 Championships but followed a similar path to the finals. Zakriev had a troublesome semifinal last year and there was difference this year as he almost got pinned in the semifinals again.

Facing European U20 bronze medalist Fariam MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), Zakriev tried to do a suplex but landed on his back with Mustafayev on top. The Azerbaijan wrestler was awarded two points and he almost sat on Zakriev for the fall but the time ran out in the first period.

He then managed to return with takedown despite Mustafayev's pressure who scored two stepouts. But as Mustafayev tried a big throw, Zakriev landed on top and got four points and won 14-7.

For his second straight gold medal, Zakriev will face Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ), the Asian U20 champion, who had a controlled 5-1 win over Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB).

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI) vs. Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE)

SF 1: Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI) df. Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ), 3-0
SF 2: Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) df. Daisuke MORISHITA (JPN), 10-2

67kg
GOLD: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) vs. Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW)

SF 1: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) df. Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB), 5-1
SF 2: Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) df. Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), 14-7

72kg
GOLD: Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) vs. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) df. Oliver PADA (FIN), 11-3
SF 2: Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) df. Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE), 5-1

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) vs. Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI)

SF 1: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Darius KIEFER (GER), 5-2
SF 2: Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) df. Ilia KOMAROV (UWW), 5-3