Ranking Series

Trio of Reigning World Champs Own Nur-Sultan Top Seed

Thursday, August 22, 2019 - 11:15 By Eric Olanowski

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*These seeds are based off the current unofficial entries United World Wrestling has received as of August 21. These seeds are subject to change.

VEVEY, Switzerland (August 23) --- There are a trio of women's wrestling returning world champions who have cemented their spot as the No. 1 seed at the World Championships (September 14-22). The three top-seed returning world champions looking to win back-to-back world titles are RONG Ningning (CHN), Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) and Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR). 

Here Are the No. 1 Seeds at Each Weight:
50kg - Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
53kg - Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)
55kg - Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) 
57kg - Ningning RONG (CHN)
59kg - Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)
62kg - Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)
65kg - Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)
68kg - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)
72kg - Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL)
76kg - Yasemin ADAR (TUR)

China's RONG Ningning remained the top-ranked wrestler in the world at 57kg all season long. She'll be seeded first at the World Championships. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Rong Remain No. 1 Seed at 57kg 

Expected 57kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Ningning RONG (CHN)
2. Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
3. Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
4. Emese BARKA (HUN)

Perhaps the deepest women's weight class at this year's World Championships will be 57kg. The weight is stuck in a head-to-head battle with 76kg for women's wrestling supremacy. With the Olympic Games under a year away, 57kg has seen wrestlers flock in from several different weight classes.
 
Top-seeded Rong Ningning ascended to the top of the 57kg podium at last year's World Championships, and outside of dropping the U23 world finals, she's maintained her grasp on the weight's No.1 ranking. This season, Rong is undefeated. She's claimed titles at the Asian Championships, Klippan Lady Open and the Dan Kolov. 
 
Grace BULLEN (NOR) finished in fifth place at last year's World Championships. The Norweigan comes into Nur-Sultan as the second seed. She's the only wrestler to defeat top-seeded Rong since the Chinese wrestler won her Budapest world title. Bullen, who lost to Rong in the Budapest world semifinals, 12-2, exacted her revenge on her Chinese rival in the U23 world finals. She scored a late four-point throw in the closing seconds of the finals and reached the top of the world podium for the first time in her career. 
 
Although reigning European champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) is ranked third in the world at 57kg, she's facing health issues and will miss the World Championships. 
 
The absence of Dudova moved Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and Emese BARKA (HUN) into the third and fourth seeds, respectively. 
 
In 2017, Adekuoroye, also known as the "Dancing Queen," joined Marwa AMRI (TUN) as the first women from the continent of Africa to reach a gold-medal bout at the World Championships. She fell in the 2017 world finals and finished in ninth place at the 2018 World Championships. The Nigerian got back to her winning ways since that ninth-place finish last season. This year, Adekuoroye won her fifth African title and a gold medal at the Yasar Dogu. She also capped off the Dan Kolov with a bronze medal -- only dropping her semifinals match to Rong, 6-4.

Hungary's returning world bronze medalist Emese Barka is the fourth-seeded wrestler at 57kg.

Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL) will be looking to win her second consecutive world title. She's the No. 1 seeded wrestler at 62kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Yusein is Your Top Seed at 62kg

Expected 62kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)
2. Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
3. Yukako KAWAI (JPN)
4. Marianna SASTIN (HUN)

Returning world and European champion Taybe Yusein headlines the 62kg seeds. Over the past two seasons, she's been one of the most dominant women in the world. Outside of an uncharacteristic fifth-place finish at the European Games, Yusein was on a stretch where she won a world title, back-to-back European golds, a Yasar Dogu gold medal, and an Ion Corneanu & Ladislau Simon Memorial title.

Brazil’s Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA will be the second seed at 62kg. The Brazilian captured the Pan-American Championships gold medal with a 6-1 victory over last year’s world bronze medalist Mallory VELTE (USA).

The third-seeded wrestler at 62kg is Yukako KAWAI (JPN). Kawai was named United World Wrestling’s U23 women’s wrestler of the year after her runner-up performance at the senior level World Championships and a title-winning performance at the U23 World Championships.

Mallory Velte, last year’s world bronze medalist, fell in the United States’ wrestle-offs to Kayla MIRACLE (USA) and won’t compete in Nur-Sultan at the World Championships.

Marianna SASTIN (HUN), last year’s world fifth-place finisher, will take over the fourth seed. This season, Sastin started on a reasonably slow-note. She failed to medal at the Ivan Yariguin and Klippan Lady Open but rebounded to win a bronze medal at the European Championships and a silver medal at the Grand Prix of Spain.

Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) heads to Nur-Sultan searching for her third world medal. She holds the top seed at 68kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Cherkasova Claims First Seed at 68kg

Expected 68kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)
2. Tamyra MENSAH (USA)
3. Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR)
4. Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL)

Alla Cherkasova enters the World Championships as the top-seeded wrestler at 68kg. The reigning world and European champion has medaled in twelve consecutive tournaments dating back to 2016 and will be making her fifth appearance at the World Championships. She’ll be in search of a third world medal. In addition to her 2018 world gold, she also finished the 2010 World Championships with a bronze medal. 
 
The second-seeded wrestler at 68kg is Tamyra MENSAH (USA). Mensah, last year’s world bronze medalist, boasts an undefeated record this year and has won three Ranking Series titles and a continental gold medal. She sat out of the Yasar Dogu but claimed titles at the Ivan Yariguin, Dan Kolov and the City of Sassari Tournament. 
 
Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR), the Rio Olympic silver medalist, owns the third seed at 68kg. Although Mamashuk has an Olympic medal and five top-ten finishes at the World Championships, she’s yet to reach a world podium.
 
SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) rounds out the top-four seeded wrestlers at 68kg. The Mongolian wrestler already has a pair of world titles to her name and will be looking to reach the top of the world stage for the first time since 2015. She won her first world title in 2010. This season, Soronzonbold competed in three tournaments. She won the Ivan Yariguin, placed fourth at the President Cup of Buryatia Republic and finished in fifth at the Asian Championships. 

Oksana LIVACH (UKR) grabbed the top seed after Yui SUSAKI (JPN) failed to make Japan's world team. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Meanwhile, the remaining seven weight classes had the top seed change hands from the start of the season to now.

Here are the other top-seeded wrestlers heading into the World Championships: 
50kg - Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
53kg - Sarah ann HILDEBRANDT (USA)
55kg - Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) 
59kg - Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)
65kg - Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)
72kg - Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL)
76kg - Yasemin ADAR (TUR)

Livach Lifts Past 50kg Field for Top Seed

Expected 50kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
2. Seema SEEMA (IND)
3. Yanan SUN (CHN)
4.Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR)

Arguably one of the most dominant women’s wrestlers in the world is top-ranked Yui SUSAKI (JPN). But, Susaki won't be at the World Championships. She was dealt a shocking loss when she was upset by Yuki IRIE (JPN) in a play-off for Japan’s 50kg world team spot. Now, the weight will be without it’s reigning two-time world champion.

After the forfeiture of the Japanese superstar’s top seed, Oksana LIVACH (UKR) will be the beneficiary of the No.1 seed in Nur-Sultan. The reigning European champion was last year’s world bronze medalist. 

India’s Seema SEEMA started her season up at 53kg but dropped down to 50kg and made quite the run in the latter part of the season to leap her way up into a top-four seed. The Indian wrestler used gold medal points from the City of Sassari Tournament and the Yasar Dogu to slide into the No. 2 spot. 

SUN Yanan (CHN) and Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) are the third and fourth-ranked wrestlers, respectively. 

Sun, the two-time world and Olympic medalist, will be looking to reach the top of the world podium for the second time in her career and for the first time since 2016. Since that world title, Sun has grabbed bronze medals at the Rio Olympic Games and last year’s World Championships in Budapest.

Fourth-seeded Demirhan doubled up on world medals in 2017 but dropped to a disappointing 21st-place last year in Budapest. In 2017, the Turkish wrestler won gold at the U23 World Championships after she closed out the senior-level World Championships in Paris with a bronze medal. 

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) will be looking to improve on her runner-up finish from a year ago. She's the top seed at 53kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Hildebrandt Headed into Nur-Sultan as Top Seed 

Expected 53kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)
2. Qianyu PANG (CHN) 
3. Diana Mary Helen WEICKER (CAN) 
4. Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU)

The four returning world medalists at 53kg were expected to headline the weight, but returning world champion Haruna OKUNO (JPN) didn't make Japan's team. Okuno lost her starting spot to reigning 55kg world champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN), who dropped to the Olympic weight with hopes of making a run to an Olympic gold medal. 

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), last year’s world runner-up, owns the top-spot at 53kg. The American started the season as the second-ranked wrestler in the world but moved up one spot after gold medal finishes at the Ivan Yariguin and the Pan-American Championships. She also won a bronze medal at the Dan Kolov. 

Without Okuno, who would have been the second seed, PANG Qianyu (CHN) will now occupy the second seed. Pang fell to Okuno in the second round in Budapest but picked up back-to-back wins and captured the bronze medal with a 2-1 win over Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL). 

Diana WEICKER (CAN) will be the third seed at 53kg in Nur-Sultan. Weicker, who was making her second consecutive appearance at the World Championships a season ago, improved on her 12th-place finish from Paris with a bronze medal in Budapest. This season, the Canadian has competed in five tournaments -- reaching the podium in four of them. She won the Geman Grand Prix and closed out the Pan-American Championships, the City of Sassari Tournament and the Klippan Lady Open with bronze medals.

Ecuador’s Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES rounds out the top-four seed at 53kg. After a seventh-place finish at last year’s World Championships, Valverde Melendres took second place at the Pan-American Championships and the City of Sassari Tournament. Her only loss at the Continental Championships came against top-ranked Hildebrandt, and her only loss in Sardinia was to Hyungjoo KIM (KOR). 

Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) will be the top-seeded wrestler at 55kg. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

Sidakova Slides into First Seed at 55kg

Expected 55kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) 
2. Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) 
3. Bediha GUN (TUR)
4. Jacarra Gwenisha WINCHESTER (USA)

Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) made a run to the world finals but fell short in the 55kg gold-medal bout against Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN), 12-2. This year, Sidakova comes into the World Championships as the top seed at 55kg and will be looking to improve on her silver medal finish from last year. 
 
Mukaida is ranked second, but she’s dropped to the Olympic weight of 53kg and will vacate her seed to Kazakhstan’s Marina SEDNEVA. Sedneva was this year’s Asian and Yasar Dogu bronze medalist. 
 
European bronze medalist Bediha GUN (TUR) will be the third-seeded wrestler at 55kg. 
 
From there, things get a little mixed up with so many top-ten wrestlers flocking to the Olympic weights. America's eleventh-ranked Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) will be the fourth-seeded wrestler in Nur-Sultan. Winchester earning the fourth seed comes after the fifth through tenth-ranked wrestlers either failed to make their country's world team or moved to an Olympic weight class. 

Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) comes into Nur-Sultan as the No. 1 seed at 59kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Inagaki Into Top-Spot at 59kg

Expected 59kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)
2. Linda MORAIS (CAN)
3. Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL)
4. Xingru PEI (CHN)
 
Though she's ranked fifth in the world at 59kg, Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) will be the first seed at 59kg at the World Championships. Inagaki moving up four spots comes after the top-four ranked wrestlers didn't make their world team or moved to an Olympic weight class. This year, Inagaki made her continental debut at the senior-level Asian Championships, where she seized the gold medal. She also won gold medals at the prestigious Ivan Yariguin, and most recently, at the Junior World Championships. 

Linda MORAIS (CAN), BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL) and PEI Xingru (CHN) round out the top-four, respectively. 

Forrest MOLINARI (USA) took over the top seed after returning world champion Petra OLLI (FIN) moved to the Olympic weight of 68kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Molinari Moves into First Seed at 65kg

Expected 65kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)
2. Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
3. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
4. Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)

Another weight depleted due to many credentialed wrestlers making Olympic weight changes is 65kg. 

Finlands’ first-ever women’s wrestling world champion Petra OLLI (FIN) will move up to 68kg for the World Championships. Ollie's departure will move Forrest MOLINARI (USA) into the weight's top spot. Molinari, who fell in last year’s world bronze-medal bout, became the first seed at 65kg after winning the Yasar Dogu and finishing in third place at the Dan Kolov. She also collected points from a fifth-place finish at the Ivan Yariguin. 

The next two wrestlers in the rankings, Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) and Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) will also compete outside of 65kg. 

Third-ranked Kuznetsova will wrestle at 62kg and Lappage will wrestle at 68kg. 

Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ) will now be the second-seeded wrestler at 65kg. The Kazakh wrestler has stepped on the mat on four occasions this year and finished on the podium in three of those events. Temirtassova fell in the finals of the City of Sassari Tournament but closed out the Asian Championships and Yasar Dogu with bronze medals. 

Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) and Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) will be seeded third and fourth, respectively, at 65kg. 

Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) will be looking to improve on her second-place finish from last year. She's the top-seeded wrestler at 72kg. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Ochirbat Onto Worlds as No. 1 Seed at 72kg

Expected 72kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL)
2. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
3. Juan WANG (CHN)
4. Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR)

Instead of rolling with Buse TOSUN (TUR), the top-ranked wrestler in the world 72kg, Turkey has inserted Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR) into the World Championships.

Justina Renay DI STASIO (CAN) owns the second seed coming into the World Championships but jumped to the Olympic weight of 76kg with hopes of dethroning Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) in the process of making Canada’s 2020 Olympic squad. 
 
Without Tosun or Di Stasio, returning world silver medalist OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) will be the first-seeded wrestler at 72kg.  
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), Juan WANG (CHN) and Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR) are the remaining top-four seeded wrestlers, respectively at 72kg. 
 
Yasemin ADAR (TUR) gained the top seed at 76kg after a third-place finish at the Yasar Dogu (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Adar Ascends Past Gray for No. 1 Seed

Expected 76kg Top-Four Seeds
1. Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
2. Adeline Maria GRAY (USA)
3. Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
4. Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN) 

Last year, the premier weight of the Budapest World Championships was 76kg. That’s expected to be the case again this year. The top-four seeded wrestlers at 76kg combine for six world and Olympic gold medals. 
 
Returning world silver medalist Yasemin ADAR (TUR) became the top-ranked wrestler in the world at 76kg thanks to her title-winning efforts at the Dan Kolov and European Championships. The 2017 world champ also collected points from a third-place finish at the final Ranking Series event of the year, the Yasar Dogu.
 
Though she’s the reigning world champion, Adeline GRAY (USA) finds herself as the second-seeded wrestler coming into Nur-Sultan. Gray, who sat out of the 2017 world championships, captured her fourth world title last year in Budapest and will be hunting for her fifth career world gold.  
 
Aline Focken (GER) is seeded third at the weight. The 2014 world champion will be searching for her fourth world medal, but first since 2017 when she finished in second place at the Paris World championships. She’ll also be looking to improve on her eighth-place finish from last year in Budapest. 
 
Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) rounds out the top-four at the most in-depth weight classes in the world. Wiebe, the 2018 world bronze medalist, is looking to ride a wave of success that’s seen her pick up wins over a world or Olympic champion in three straight tournaments. Her hot streak started in Sardinia at the City of Sassari Tournament when she stuck fellow Olympic champion Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS). She then defeated reigning world champion Justina DI STASIO (CAN) in the Canada Cup finals. Her third consecutive tournament with a win over a world or Olympic champion came at the Yasar Dogu. Wiebe stopped 2017 world champion Yasemin Adar en route to her second straight Ranking Series gold medal. 

#WrestleZagreb

World Championships 2025: Day 6 GR 55kg, 77kg, 82kg, 130kg Highlights

Thursday, September 18, 2025 - 08:31 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 18) -- Greco-Roman day at the World Championships in Zagreb. Four weight classes -- 55kg, 77kg, 82kg and 130kg -- are in action with Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN) and Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) are expected to meet in 77kg quarterfinals.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 5 RESULTS

77kg semifinals
SF 1: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) vs. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI)
SF 2: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) vs. Robert FRITSCH (HUN)

14:55: In the most anticipated match of the session, Nao KUSAKA (JPN) repeated his victory Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) from the final at the Paris Olympics to advance to the 77kg semifinals as he pursues a first world gold. Kusaka got the first chance at par terre, but it was Zhadrayev who came out with the points. Kusaka went to his usual cross body lock, but Zhadrayev used the momentum and timed it perfectly to launch a throw himself. Although Kusaka got behind for reversal, it left Zhadrayev ahead 2-2 on criteria. In the second period, a quick charge at the whistle sees Kusaka gain a stepout that is awarded on challenge. Kusaka adds another stepout, then fends off the pressure from Zhadrayev while avoiding getting flagged for passivity and advances with a 4-2 victory. Next up for Kusaka will be Robert FRITSCH (HUN), from the country where the Japanese went to train prior to his triumph in Paris.

14:54: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) blocks Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) as the Turkiye tries to turn Amoyan from par tarre to get the two points for danger position. There is no way back for Yilmaz as Amoyan, the Olympic bronze medalist, wins 3-1 to enter the semifinals at 77kg.

14:53: The Iranian win-rush continues as the country puts all four wrestlers in the semifinals with Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) beating Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 3-1, at 77kg. Abdevali turned Suleymanov from par terre to take the lead and the win.

14:50: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) spoils the bid of local hero Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) to make the 77kg semifinals, scoring a stepout in the first period that proves the difference in a 2-1 victory.

55kg semifinals
SF 1: Emin CAKIR (TUR) vs. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)
SF 2: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. Payam AHMADI (IRI)

14:42: European bronze medalist Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) is into the world semifinals with a 3-2 victory over Denis MIHAI (ROU). A stepout from Lolua made the difference as he held criteria at 2-2. A lost challenge from Mihai gives another point to Lolua

14:40: In a battle between a 30-something and a teenager, experience wins out, which is not surprising given it involves four-time 55kg world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE). Azizli scores a takedown and gut wrench in the first period against 18-year-0ld Jayden RANEY (USA), who gets his chance on top in par terre in the second, but cannot budge the Azeri, who wins 5-1 to advance to the semifinals.

14:35: Emin CAKIR (TUR) upsets former world bronze medalist Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) at 55kg, with a 9-0 technical superiority win.

14:31: Payam AHMADI (IRI) quickly joins the Iranian parade into the semifinals, needing just 25 seconds to bull Artiom DELEANU (MDA) down to the mat and execute three quick-fire rolls for an 8-0 victory at 55kg.

82kg semifinals
SF 1: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) vs. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
SF 2: Karlo KODRIC (CRO) vs. Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)

14:28: A match for the ages as Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), a former world U17 champion and recent world U20 bronze medalist, beats European champion Gurban GURBANOV (AZE), who is cautioned out of the match. Gurbanov had a 6-2 lead but Yoshida, a powerhouse, keeps pressuring Gurbanov who is struggling with conditioning. A slew of stepouts and Yoshida makes it 8-6. On the stepout with 16 seconds left, Gurbanov receives his third caution and is disqualified from the match, giving Yoshida the win.

14:22: Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW) thought he had it covered but Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) scores two turns from the third passivity par terre to beat Tiuliubaev 5-4 and enter the semifinals at 82kg.

14:20: Karlo KODRIC (CRO), perhaps charged up by a vocal block of home fans in the stands nearby, steps over for 2 on a gut wrench attempt by Mihail BRADU (MDA), giving him a 4-1 lead midway through the second period of their 82kg quarterfinal. Kodric gives up a late stepout, but walks off a 4-2 winner.

14:15: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) fights off a whizzer by Ramon BETSCHART (SUI) to secure a takedown, then traps an arm and executes four exposures to advance to the 82kg semifinals with an 8-0 victory in 1:05.

130kg semifinals
SF 1: Darius VITEK (HUN) vs Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW)
SF 2: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs Wenhao JIANG (CHN)

14:07: Wenhao JIANG (CHN) with a pair of stepouts and he's into the 130kg quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over Jello KRAHMER (GER).

14:05: Darius VITEK (HUN) is the beneficiary of the new Greco-Roman rule in which the wrestler with first passivity point win. He beats Mykola KUCHMII (UKR), 1-1, at 130kg.

14:03: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) with an over-under throw for four over Hamza BAKIR (TUR) in the 130kg quarterfinals. Bakir tries to come back with a double-arm lock throw but Hlinchuk blocks and secures the fall.

14:01: Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) surprisingly throws world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) for 4 with an arm throw in their 130kg quarterfinal, but any joy is gone in milliseconds as the Iranian rolls through the move and puts Kuosmanen on his back. Mirzazadeh doesn't waste the opportunity and secures the fall in 1:13.

Quarterfinals will begin at the same time

13:47: Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN) books an Olympic final rematch with Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) with a 7-0 victory over Ihor BYCHKOV (UKR) at 77kg. He scored all his points in the first period and somehow there were no points in the second period.

13:43: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) caps a one-sided 10-0 victory over Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) with a 4-point throw in the second period to secure his berth in the 77kg quarterfinals.

13:37: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) used his head, and not in a good way, and it cost him a shot at a gold medal. Gutu was leading FRITSCH (HUN) 2-0 in their 77kg bout when he was hit with a 2-point penalty for a head butt, which also put him behind on criteria. Fritsch then received a passivity point, and he held on for a 3-2 victory. Ironically, Gutu suffered a head cut from his own action and had to have treatment, including a bandage around his head, which he ripped off and tossed in anger after the match.

13:30: Aleksa ILIC (SRB) almost pulls off a huge upset over Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) at 77kg. Ilic led 5-1 at the break but Zhadrayev, who for the par terre, scored a turn to make it 5-4 but a stepout gave a point to Ilic. Zhadrayev hits a big four-pointer against a tired Ilic his place in the quarterfinal with an 8-6 win.

13:21: World bronze medalist Denis MIHAI (ROU) with a takedown and roll, then a 4-point takedown against an overmatched Alexander CUEVAS (SGP) and he's into the 55kg quarterfinals with an 8-0 victory in just over a minute.

13:10: World U20 champion Payam AHMADI (IRI) gets his debut on the senior level off to an impressive start, manhandling Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ) in a 9-0 win to advance to the 55kg quarterfinals.

13:07: Young Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), the 2024 Asian champion, extricates himself from a 4-point hole, scoring five points in the second period to top Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE) 6-5 at 82kg. Yoshida, who gave up a 4-point arm throw in the first period, pressures Johansson down for two takedowns, then gets a stepout with :54 left to take the lead for the first time.

13:05: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE)  gets the first of the two passivity calls, and with no other scoring, that makes him a 1-1 winner over Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) at 82kg.

13:04: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) with powerpacked 8-0 technical superiority win over world silver medalist Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) at 82kg. Szilvassy was never allowed to settle down by Farokhi

13:00: Four-time world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) with a 22-second technical superiority over Anil MOR (IND) at 55kg.

12:58: A stepout with 33 seconds left, Hamza BAKIR (TUR) beats Oscar PINO (CUB) 3-1 at 130kg. Bakir led 1-1 on criteria as he was given the first par terre position. But As Pino tried to score a stepout late in the second period, Bakir turned it around and managed to force Pino to put the hand before Bakir himself did. Cuba challenged the call but lost it.

12:52: With calls of 'Karlo! Karlo!' and the banging of drums reverberating throughout the arena, Karlo KODRIC (CRO) is through to the 82kg quarterfinals with a 5-0 victory over Bekzat ORUNKUL UULU (KGZ).

12:45: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) comes back from 3-1 down to beat Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) 4-3, thanks for a successful challenge from Hlinchuk at the end.

12:42: Defending 130kg champion and Olympic bronze medalist Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)  gets two gut wrenches off par terre for a 5-0 lead over Marko KOSCEVIC (CRO), much to the dismay of the home crowd. In the second period, Mirzazadeh adds a stepout, then scores a takedown for an 8-0 win with just over two minutes left.

12:36: Four-time Asian medalist Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) rns out of a gas about two minutes to soon, giving Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) two easy takedowns in the second period and a 6-4 win at 130kg.

12:35: Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) pulls off the biggest surprise of the session so far, scoring a late takedown to topple Sergei SEMENOV (UWW) 3-3 at 130kg. In the first period, Semenov counters a throw attempt for a 2-point takedown, with an additional point for an unsuccessful challenge, but Kuosmanen strikes back with a stepout to make it 3-1 at the break. In the second period, a mighty shove sends Semenov down to the mat, and Kuosmanen pounces to secure the takedown and the shocking victory.

12:12: Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) gets the first par terre position in the 77kg bout against Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) and he scores from a throw in which the Kazakhstan wrestlers lands outside the zone. Sarkkinen leads 2-0. Just before the break, Zhadrayev gets a stepout to make it 2-1 Zhadrayev got the par terre in the second period to take a 2-2 criteria lead before getting a exposure for two points. Finland challenges the call. The two points are confirmed and Zhadrayev lead grows to 5-2, which remains the winning score.

12:09: Paris Olympic bronze medalist Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM), a former world champion with three world medals, was about to become the beneficiary of the new rule giving the wrestler who scores the first point in a Greco bout that ends 1-1 the victory, but a late challenge over a last-second move instead makes him a 2-1 winner over Kamal BEY (USA).

12:05: Two-time world U23 champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) gets off to an awesome start, throwing Lai Hsing YAO (TPE) twice with spectacular four and five pointers to start his campaign at 77kg with a 12-0 win.

11:57: A welcome win for the home team. Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) rips off four rolls from par terre and he advances with a 9-0 victory over Hyeonjin KANG (KOR) at 77kg.

11:55: Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN) warms up with an 8-0 technical superiority win over AMAN (IND) at 77kg. He is expected to meet Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals if the seeds hold.

11:40: Taiga ONISHI (JPN), whose younger sister Sakura won the women's 59kg gold on Tuesday night, gets a quick takedown, only to have Huoying SHI (CHN) reverse in their opening match at 55kg. Shi goes ahead in the second period with an exposure off an arm throw attempt, then hits a back suplex that is good for another 2. Shi resists a throw attempt and gets another 2, giving him a 7-2 win.

11:19: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI), winner of the Ranking Series event here in Zagreb, has no need to go to par terre. He alternates three takedowns with two stepouts, then gets a point for a denied challenge to defeat Qingzhe LI (CHN) 9-0 in precisely two minutes at 82kg.

11:15: Four-time world medalist Oscar PINO (CUB), his nation's heir apparent at 130kg to legendary five-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), easily executes a gut wrench from par terre, then is a rock when put on the bottom and he's through with a 3-1 victory over Jacob LOGAARD (SWE).

11:05: Pavel HLINCHUK  (UWW), who won 2023 world u23 gold at 97kg, is now at 130kg. He begins his first World Championships at this weight with a 9-0 victory over Sulkhan BUIDZE (GEO).

11:00: Sergei SEMENOV (UWW), a two-time former Olympic bronze medal who has a world gold from 2018, gets a pair of rolls from par terre and, although Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) managed a reversal after the second one, safely posts a 5-2 victory at 130kg to start the Greco action on Mat D.

10:55: Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE) gets a big win for Sweden as he defeats former European champion and young star Alperen BERBER (TUR) 2-1, at 82kg. Berber is coming back after an injury he suffered at the Mongolian Ranking Series.