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Three-time World Champs Aleksanyan and Staebler Among Wednesday's Euro Finalists

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 - 19:04 By Eric Olanowski

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ROME, Italy (January 11) --- Three-time world champions Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) and Frank STAEBLER (GER) collected semifinal wins and will look to add another European gold to their lengthy resumes.

Aleksanyan picked up three wins on Tuesday and navigated a tough road to the finals. He opened up his day with a 5-1 win over Rio Olympic bronze medalist Cenk ILDEM (TUR). In the quarterfinals, Aleksanyan shutout 2018 world runner-up Kiril MILOV (BUL), 9-0. He followed that match up with an 8-1 semifinal win over Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN) and will wrestle for European gold for the eighth time. He’s 5-2 in European gold-medal matches.

If Aleksanyan, the second-ranked wrestler in the world, wins against tenth-ranked Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) in the finals, he'll tie top-ranked Musa EVLOEV (RUS) for the world's top spot at 97kg.

His Italian finals opponent, Nikoloz Kakhelashvili scored back-to-back 9-0 wins over Anestis ZARIFES (GRE) and Artur OMAROV (CZE), then downed Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS), 3-2, and will wrestle in the European finals for the first time in his career. 

Frank STAEBLER (GER) pumps his fist after cementing his spot in the 72kg European finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Frank Staebler is the second three-time world champion that’ll wrestle in Wednesday night’s finals. He’ll compete against the red-hot Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) for the 72kg title. 

Staebler, who is wrestling up from his world championship weight of 67kg, defeated Adam KURAK (RUS) to reach the finals. He trailed 1-0 after the first period but blew the match open in the second period with 11 straight points and picked up the 11-1 victory.

Despite having three world titles on his resume, Staebler has only won the European Championships once in his career. That win came back in 2012.

His finals opponent, Luri Lomadze continued his hot streak through the semifinals after he kick-started his day with a 6-4 win over Rio Olympic Davor STEFANEK (SRB). He then outscored Yury KANKOU (BLR), Dominik ETLINGER (CRO) and Selcuk CAN (TUR) 27-0 and will compete for European gold for the first time in his career. 

Reigning world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) will wrestle Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) in the 82kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

The Wednesday night finals will also feature reigning world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), who will square off against Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) in the 82kg finals. Huseynov topped Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED), Bogdan KOURINNOI (SWE) and Ciro RUSSO (ITA) on his road to the non-Olympic weight finals.

His gold-medal match opponent, Aleksandrov, a three-time European bronze medalist, won three matches on the day and will wrestle in the European finals for the first time in his career. 

Kerem KAMAL (TUR) improved on his 2018 European bronze-medal finish with a scrappy 9-0 semifinals blanking of Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO). He’ll take on Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) in the finals. Gharibyan also blanked his semifinals opponent en route to the finals. He beat Helary MAEGISALU (EST), 8-0, in less than two minutes.

Morten THORESEN (NOR) will take on Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS) in the 67kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Calisnan)

Morten THORESEN (NOR) and Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS) will wrestle in the fifth and final gold-medal match on Wednesday night. The pair scored one-point semifinal wins to reach the finals. Thorsen locked up his finals spot with a 2-1 win over Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR). Abdullaev earned his gold-medal match berth with a 4-3 victory against Karen ASLANYAN (ARM). 

The Wednesday night finals begin at 18:00 and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 

60kg
GOLD - Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) vs. Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) df. Helary MAEGISALU (EST), 8-0 
SEMIFINAL - Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO), 9-0

67kg 
GOLD - Morten THORESEN (NOR) vs. Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Morten THORESEN (NOR) df. Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR), 2-1 
SEMIFINAL - Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS) df. Karen ASLANYAN (ARM), 

72kg
GOLD - Frank STAEBLER (GER) vs. Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Frank STAEBLER (GER) df. Adam KURAK (RUS) 
SEMIFINAL - Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Selcuk CAN (TUR), 7-0 

82kg
GOLD - Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs. Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL)
SEMIFINAL - Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df. Ciro RUSSO (ITA), 7-1
SEMIFINAL - Daniel Tihomirov ALEKSANDROV (BUL) df. Hannes WAGNER (GER), 7-3

97kg
GOLD - Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
SEMIFINAL - Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) df. Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS), 3-2 
SEMIFINAL - Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN), 8-1

Iran strikes three golds to close ISG 2025

Friday, November 21, 2025 - 17:17 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 21) -- World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) led an inspiring performance from Iran which captured three out of four gold medal on the final day of the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Riyadh on Friday.

Zare, who won gold medal at 125kg in Zagreb in September, dominated his way to the gold in Riyadh outscoring his opponents 28-0 in three bouts.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) scores a takedown on Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) during the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Facing Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) in the final, Zare combined his skills to score stepouts at win and also scored two takedowns to finish the match 10-0, capturing his fourth gold medal of the season.

Sharipov reached the final after securing a shocking win over world silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) 7-6 in the semifinal. Meshvildishvili had to mount a comeback in the second period after he was down 5-1 in the match. He managed to make it 6-6 but trailed on criteria and as he tried to score a stepout in the final 10 seconds, Sharipov managed to remain inside the zone to survive attack.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) tries to control Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) during the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 97kg, a rematch between Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) and world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) was on the cards but Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) denied that as he defeated Tazhudinov 14-3 in the semifinals.

Azarpira and Aitmukhan faced each other in the final but the former was clearly the better wrestler as he blanked Aitmukhan 5-0 to win the gold medal. He scored three stepouts and Aitmukhan was cautioned when aggressively pushed Azarpira. One more stepout was enough for Azarpira to win the gold medal.

Tazhudinov declared himself injured in the bronze medal bout which gave Olympic bronze medalist Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) the medal.

Younes EMAMI (IRI)Younes EMAMI (IRI) reaches for the leg of Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) during the 74kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran's gold rush began when former Asian champion Younes EMAMI (IRI) completed a 5-0 victory over Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) at 74kg. Emami scored a takedown to take a 2-0 lead against Novruzov before pushing the Azerbaijan wrestler out of bounds twice before the break.

With a lead of 4-0, Emami began the second period on the aggressive and Novruzov was called passive. He failed to score in the 30-second period and Emami got another point to lead 5-0 which remained the winning score.

To reach the final, Emami had to go through 2024 world 70kg champion Norkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals. The Iranian defeated the Kazakhstan wrestler 6-5 in a thriller.

With the three golds, Iran finished the tournament with four gold medal while Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan won one each.

Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) celebrates after beating Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) in their opening bout at 86kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Dzhioev's impressive gold

One of Iran's favorite to win gold medal, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), suffered a heartbreaking loss at 86kg to Arsenii DIZHOEV (AZE) who capped off an incredible day with gold after beating Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) 5-1 in the final. 

The win over Ghasempour was quite impressive from Dzhioev. Down 3-0, he scored two takedowns and one point for Ghasempour's passivity to win the bout 5-3.

In the final against Saipudinov, he opened scored a takedown in the opening period after being called passive and giving up a point. He scored two stepouts and one point for passivity in the second period to win the final.

Ghasempour returned to win the bronze medal by beating Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 7-0, in the bronze-medal bout.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Younes EMAMI (IRI) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 5-0

BRONZE: Orozbek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 4-2
BRONZE: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) df. Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR), 4-3

86kg
GOLD: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN), 5-1

BRONZE: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 7-0
BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Bekzat RAKHIMOV (KGZ), 10-2

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), 5-0

BRONZE: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Muhammad GULZAR (PAK) df. Rifat GIDAK (TUR), via fall (4-5)

125kg
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), 10-0

BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ), 14-3
BRONZE: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Abdelrahman SHEYATAN (EGY), 5-0