#WrestleTirana

Tuesday's U23 World Championship semifinals set

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 - 08:34 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

TIRANA, Albania (October 24) --- Welcome back to Tirana for the second day of freestyle action at the 2023 U23 World Championships. Tuesday's qualification-semifinal action will include 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg. 

Stars in Action (Tuesday):
79kg - Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) - '22 U23 world champion, '23 senior world silver
57kg - Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) - '22 U23 world bronze 
92kg - Islam ILYASOV (AZE) - '22 U23 world bronze

Semifinal matches as they come in:
57kg
Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) vs. Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM)
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) vs. Nachyn MONGUSH (AIN)

65kg
Kumar MOHIT (UWW) vs. Ibragim Charaputinovitch IBRAGIMOV (AIN)
Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) vs. Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO)

70kg
Inalbek SHERIEV (AIN) vs. Douglas Weber ZAPF (USA)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) vs. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)

79kg
Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) vs. Shamsat TAIR (KAZ)
Dzmitry DZENISENIA (AIN) vs. Magomed MAGOMAEV (AIN)

97kg
Isaac Whitman TRUMBLE (USA) vs. Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM)
Sahil SAHIL (UWW) vs. Radu LEFTER (MDA)

15:14: Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Brock David HARDY (USA) are in a tight race over on Mat B. Bayramov was up 4-2, shot a head outside single, and exposed Hardy twice, extending his lead to 8-2. The American corner challenged one of the exposures, sending it to referee review. 

After review, the call on the mat was reversed, but it didn't matter. Bayramov went on to score eight additional points in the final minute, grabbing the semifinal berth with a 14-11 win.

14:36: Sorry for the delay as I was working out some technical issues. I'll be posting the semifinals as they come in. 

14:24: This'll be the last 1/8 final match before we roll into the quarterfinals.

14:14: Below, you'll find the 35-point match between Aden SAKYBAEV (KGZ) and Frederik NORTJE (RSA) that I was talking about earlier. Watch and enjoy!

13:56: Nachyn MONGUSH (AIN) continues to roll through the 57kg field, scoring a 7-1 win over Yerassyl MUKHTARULY (KAZ) in the 1/8 finals.

13:41: In the battle of U23 world champs, four takedowns--one in the first and three in the second--propelled Magomaev past Gamkrelidze.

13:14: Defending champion Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) will make his '23 U23 world debut on Mat C next. He'll wrestle '21 U23 world champion Magomed MAGOMAEV (AIN).

13:02: Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (AIN), the ’22 Russian National champion and ’23 Russian National silver medalist, picked up a 10-0 first-round win over Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA). He’ll wrestle Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) in the 65kg 1/8 finals on Mat B in about an hour.

12:26: I've been around the sport for a long time, and I don't think I've ever seen one individual score 24 points in a six-minute bout, but Aden SAKYBAEV (KGZ) just did so against Frederik NORTJE (RSA). The pair combined for 35 points, trading blows back and forth in their qualification-round meeting, but it was Sakybaev who ultimately came out on top, 24-11.

12:03: Although he's not a world medalist just yet, Nachyn MONGUSH (AIN) is a guy we'll be keeping an eye on today. He's a guy who has been working his way into the second tier of 57kg guys on Russia's depth chart. In 2021, he fell to Olympic champion Zaur UGUEV in the Russian National finals, which helped book his ticket to the post-COVID European Championships in Warsaw. In Poland, he reached the gold-medal bout but fell to Turkiye's Suleyman ATLI and settled for silver.

Today, Mongush opened up his day with a 10-0 win against Luka GVINJILIA (GEO).

11:47: That's what wrestling fans pay to see. I'll have the match up shortly, but Sagar JAGLAN (UWW) and Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA) just combined for 28 points, with the United World Wrestling athlete coming out on top, 16-12.

11:19: The biggest star that we'll be watching today is Georgia's budding star Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), who returns to the U23 World Championships looking to defend his title from a year ago.

Since winning that U23 world title, Gamkrelidze has really emerged as one of wrestling's brightest young stars will loads of potential. Fellow Georgian great Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) told me in our hotel lobby at the World Championships, "This guy is going to be great. He's good right now, but ge needs to have confidence in his wrestling--then he will be great."

Here's Gamkrelidze's resume over the last year:
- '23 Zagreb Open Ranking Series bronze 
- '23 Kyrgyz Ranking Series gold 
- '23 Hungarian Ranking Series silver 
- '23 Senior world silver 

11:13: This will be our final repechage bout of the morning, and we'll get back to championships action.

10:30: Good morning again, wrestling fans. We're going to run through some repechage bout before welcoming in today's competitors. It should take another half hour or so.

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series Greco-Roman Highlights

Sunday, July 20, 2025 - 08:52 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 20) -- The Budapest Ranking Series final day will see Greco-Roman action in seven weight classes -- 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 77kg, 82kg, 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

16:30: The end of the semifinals in Budapest. Giorgi MELIA (GEO) makes it to the 97kg final after a 5-1 victory over Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE). He will take on  Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) who sneaks through with a 5-4 win over Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN).

16:12: Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) gets the benefit of Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) defensive fouls and win 4-3 at 82kg semifinals. He will face Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW) for the gold who defeated Rafael IUNUSOV (UWW), 5-1.

16:00: Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN) launches Sergei STEPANOV (UWW) for a huge four-pointer in the last minute and wins the 77kg semifinal 6-3 to set up a final against Sergei KUTUZOV (UWW) after he defeated Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) 8-6. Suleymanov was going well with a 6-0 lead but when Kutuzov got the par terre, he reverse lifted Suleymanov for a four and another for two points to lead 7-6. A lost challenge made it 8-6 for the win.

15:40: European bronze medalist Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) rolls to a 8-0 technical superiority win over Daniial AGAEV (UWW) in the 67kg final. But there will be no all-Georgian final as Leri ABULADZE (GEO) drops his semifinal to Valentic PETIC (MDA) 5-3.

15:25: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) takes out European silver medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) 5-3 to enter the final at 63kg. Surprising win for Eriomenco but he will face Sergey EMELIN (UWW) for the gold medal. Emelin had a injury walkover in the other semifinal.

15:05: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) showing why he is the best in the world at 60kg as he beats Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) in a rematch of the European final. He defends most of Tibilov's attacks to win 3-2. He will face SUMIT (IND) in the 60kg final after the Indian pinned Galym KABDUNASSAROV (KAZ).

14:45: Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) needs all the luck he can as he beats Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), 5-5, on criteria in the 55kg semifinal. He will take on Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ) for the gold medal after he defeated Alpamys DASTANBEK (KAZ), 8-0, in just a minute and 20 seconds.

Semifinals

14:15: Sergei KUTUZOV (UWW) scores turns from par terre and beats Asian champion Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) 9-0 to book a place in the semifinal against Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) at 77kg.

14:00: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) keeps and simple and gets both par terre advantages in the against Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) and beats him 4-0 at 60kg. This avenges his loss to Bakhramov at the Zagreb Open earlier this year.

13:55: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) takes out Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO) 5-5 in the 60kg quarterfinals via criteria. Tibilov will face Mammadli in the semifinal, a rematch of the European final which Mammadli won

13:40: SUMIT (IND) breaks Dahyun KIM (KOR) down with his pace and secures the fall after an early scare in the 60kg bout. He moves into the semifinals of the Ranking Series.

13:35: European champion Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) comes strong in defense, blocking Anil MOR (IND) when the Indian was trying to turn Sefershaev from par terre. He also pushed him out for a point. Sefershaev win 4-1 at 55kg. 

13:25: Alex SZOKE (HUN) sends the local crowd into frenzy after beating Artur SARGASIAN (UWW) 6-6 on criteria at 97kg. Szoke had three two point techniques while Sargasian managed only two and the Hungarian kept the criteria.

13:15: European silver medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) puts another clinical show and beats Ellis COLEMAN (USA) 6-1 at 63kg. He enters the semifinals.

12:45: World and European champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) takes a little injury timeout before par terre but gets to work and finishes the bout against Seunghak KIM (KOR), 9-0, at 60kg.

12:20: Two huge losses as Sadyk LALAEV (UWW) drops his match 9-3 to SUMIT (IND) and on Mat D, Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (UWW) loses 9-0 to Dahyun KIM (KOR) at 60kg. Both were looking to be on the team to Zagreb but what unexpected losses.

12:00: Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) manages to blank Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) in the opening round at 77kg. A takedown to open the scoring for Suleymanov before he scores a turn from par terre. Gutu challenges for the hand-below-waist but it's lost. A takedown in the second period and Suleymanov wins 8-0.

11:50: European champion Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) gives no chance to Artium DELEANU (MDA) and wins an easy 7-1 opening round.

11:45: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) and Dinislam BAMMATOV (UWW) are involved in a battle but it's the Moldovan who comes out on top 5-5 on criteria.

11:35: European silver medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) bosses his opening round bout at 63kg and beats Yerkebulan ARDAKOV (KAZ), 9-0 to advance. In the next match on Mat D, 

11:20: World U23 champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB), one of the most explosive wrestler in the world, wins his first bout at 63kg via disqualification of Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ). Ganiev was already leading 7-0 by then.

11:05: Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) opens with a 10-0 victory over Seungjun KIM (KOR) at 97kg. Savolainen has not enjoyed similar success like he did before the Paris Olympic cycle.  

10:55: Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) needs a challenge to overturn a defeated to victory against Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB). Vardanyan got a exposure at the end but was not scored. However, he won the challenge and Nakibov is devasted.

10:40: Former world champion Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) wins his first bout at 77kg with a 1-1 score against Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) as he was the first to get the par terre points.

10:30: Welcome to the final day of the Budapest Ranking Series. It will be Greco-Roman action the whole day in seven weight classes