#WrestleBucharest

Two-Time Olympic Champ Vlasov Leads Three Russians Into Day Six Finals

Friday, April 12, 2019 - 19:45 By Eric Olanowski

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BUCHAREST, Romania (April 11) – The Russian Federation’s Greco-Roman train is on track to defend their European team title from last year after opening up the Greco-Roman share of the competition by inserting three wrestlers into the Day 6 finals. 

The loaded five-man day-five squad featured reigning world champions Stepan MARYANYAN and Sergey SEMENOV, two-Olympic champions Davit CHAKVETADZE and Roman VLASOV, and U23 world runner-up Vitalii KABALOEV. 

Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) will wrestle for his first European title since 2015. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Both reigning world champions Maryanyan and Semenov were undefeated on the day heading into the semifinals, but only Maryanyan came out on top of his semifinals match and will wrestle for gold on Saturday night.

Maryanyan, the reigning world champion at 67kg, picked up shutout wins over Michal Jacek TRACZ (POL) and Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU), then scored an 11-3 win over last year’s European eighth-place finisher, Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO) to lock up his spot in tomorrow’s finals. 

Maryanyan, who will be looking for his first continental top finishes since 2015, will wrestle Rio Olympic bronze medalist Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) in the 67kg finals match. 

Berge grabbed a 5-2 win in the semifinals over Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) and will wrestle in his second consecutive European title match. He fell short in last year’s finals to Mihai MIHUT (ROU). 

Russia’s second reigning world champion who was looking to make the finals was Sergey Semenov. Semenov fell to Georgia’s Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO), 3-2, in the semifinals, ending his run to a continental title. 

The Georgian big man will see eight-time European champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the finals. In Kayaalp’s semifinals match, he avenged his opening round world championship loss to Heiki NABI (EST), 4-0. If the Turkish superstar is able to win tomorrow night, he’ll surpass Kamza YERLIKAYA (TUR) Turkish record of eight European titles. 

Meanwhile, the story was the same for the Russian Olympic champions as one came out on top and one fell short of his goal of winning a European title. 

London and Rio Olympic gold-medal winner Roman Vlasov scored four wins on Friday and made it to the 77kg finals. But, Rio Olympic champion Davit Chakvetadze wasn’t so lucky and dropped a one-point match to Azerbaijan’s Islam ABBASOV in the quarterfinals. Abbasov ended up making it to the finals where he’ll square off against Ukraine’s Rio runner-up Zhan BELENIUK. 

Vlasov, the defending 77kg European champion, completed his run to the finals with wins over tenth-ranked Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO), Ukraine’s Mykola DARAGAN, 2017 world champion Viktor NEMES (SRB), and U23 world bronze medalist Fatih CENGIZ (TUR). 

Vlasov will wrestle Germany’s Roland SCHWARZ in tomorrow night’s gold-medal match. Schwarz barreled past Bulgaria’s Daniel ALEKSANDROV, 10-2, to make the finals. 

Vitalii KABALOEV was one of three Russian's who made the Day 6 finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

The final Russian who was in action on Day 5 was Vitalii Kabaloev. In his European debut, the U23 world runner-up scored perhaps one of the most shocking upsets of the tournament, knocking off defending world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 7-5. 

Kabaloev will go toe-to-toe with Romania’s Florin TITA (ROU), who used the home crowd to help push him to the 5-4 victory over Anders ROENNINGEN (NOR). 

The Day 6 finals behind at 18:00 local time, and can be followed on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 
55kg
GOLD - Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) vs. Florin TITA (ROU)
SEMIFINAL - Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 7-5 
SEMIFINAL - Florin TITA (ROU) df. Anders ROENNINGEN (NOR), 5-4 

63kg
GOLD - Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) vs. Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR)
SEMIFINAL - Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) df. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE), 4-2 
SEMIFINAL - Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) df. Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO), 11-3 

77kg
GOLD - Roman VLASOV (RUS) vs Roland SCHWARZ (GER) 
SEMIFINAL - Roland SCHWARZ (GER) df. Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL), 10-2 
SEMIFINAL - Roman VLASOV (RUS) df. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 3-1 

87kg
GOLD - Islam ABBASOV (AZE) vs. Zhan BELENIUK (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Mikalai STADUB (BLR), 4-0 
SEMIFINAL - Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) df. Eividas STANKEVICIUS (LTU), 5-1 

130kg 
GOLD - Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Heiki NABI (EST), 4-0 
SEMIFINAL - Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) 3-2

#Grappling

Grappling: Romanov returns to win 130kg gold; Prendes repeats

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 - 22:41 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 14) -- When the last time Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA) participated in the World Grappling Championships, he was close to completing a double gold in Gi and No-Gi. While he managed to win gold in Gi, Romanov fell short in No-Gi competition and won a bronze medal.

Three years later, the Moldovan has taken the first step towards achieving his dream. On Tuesday, Romanov had a comeback in the World Grappling Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia and won gold in the No-Gi competition at 130kg.

Romanov was in top form winning two bouts via submission and two, including the final, via decision but dominated his opponents to win gold medal.

Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA)Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA), red, defeated Aleksander KOLDOVSKI (UKR) in the 130kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Up against Aleksander KOLDOVSKI (UKR), Romanov stuck to his plan and started off slow. But as Koldovski slowed down after two minutes during the five-minute bout, Romanov hit a footsweep to score two points and controlled his opponent for three more points. Another control gave him two more points as he defeated Koldovski a 7-1 victory.

"I knew the Ukrainian as he is a freestyle wrestler," Romanov said. "I waited for the second half of the bout as they tend to slow down and I hit my favorite move to win."

In other finals, UWW grapplers dominated the finals, winning four golds while Farhad BAGIROV (AZE) defended his 58kg gold medal. In women's competition, Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) also defended his 53kg gold medal while Alycia QUENEE (FRA) won at 71kg. Alena VLASOVA (UWW) won her two bouts to claim the 90kg gold as the weight class had only three participants.

Bagirov maintained his control in the final by using a rear chokehold on Zedginidze who tried escaping a couple of time. But at the two-minute mark of the final, Zedginidze tapped out to give Bagirov his second successive gold medal at 58kg.

Kurban KADIEV (UWW)Kurban KADIEV (UWW) won the 71kg gold medal in Novi Sad. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 71kg, Kurban KADIEV (UWW) and Nurbek TALBUDIN (KAZ) failed to score any points in the regular five minutes and the final continued in overtime. Due to no technical points scored, a toss was needed to decide who will get the advantageous position. Talbudin won the toss to be on top and needed to score minimum one point in the designated one minute to win the match. However, Kadiev managed to defend his position for one minute to be declared winner.

In contrast, the 77kg final between Gazimagomed GAZIEV (UWW) and Illia SUKHODIEIEV (UKR) ended in just 36 seconds as the former caught Sukhodieiev in a triangle choke to win the final.

Murad ABDULATIPOV (UWW), who was moving up from 84kg to 92kg for this year, did not feel as weight of the jumping up a weight class and defeated Islam TAPPASKHANOV (UWW), 2-0, in the 92kg final to win his second straight gold medal.

Both the points for Abdulatipov were awarded when Tappaskhanov was called passive in the five-minute bout and he failed to score during the 15-second activity clock.

At 100kg, Mukhamed URUSOV (UWW) blanked Aleksandre TEVZADZE (GEO), 4-0, to win his first world title. He earned his first two points after a back-mount position after a scramble and later scored another similar takedown for two more points.

Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP)Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) grapples in the 53kg final that she won. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Prendes Larios repeats

Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) won two of three bouts, including the final, via submission to capture her second straight world title at 53kg. She began by controlling Viktoriia ISAIEVA (UKR) right off the whistle for two points before scrambling herself in a triangle choke position which gave her two more points.

Isaieva tried defended different position but after a couple of failed attempts to get out of the triangle choke, she tapped with Prendes Larios winning the bout in one minute and 56 seconds.

In a thrilling 71kg final, Alycia QUENEE (FRA) managed to capture her first world title after beating Anna REMNEVA (UWW), 3-1. Quenee finished with a silver medal in 2022 and bronze last year.

But there was no one stopping Quenee this year. She began the final with a stepout and took a 1-0 lead. Remneva tried to control her with a triangle hold but Quenee never came in a position to gave up points.

The French grappler kept her position and controlled Remneva on the mat for two points, extending her lead to 3-0. During the same position, Quenee was called passive and she gave a point but that did not stop her from winning 3-1.

At 90kg, Alena VLASOVA (UWW) upgraded her bronze from last year to gold after winning both her bouts via submission. She defeated Tatiana KABANOVA (UWW) in the first bout and then submitted Justyna SITKO (POL).

RESULTS

Men's Grappling

58kg
GOLD: Farhad BAGIROV (AZE) df. Daviti ZEDGINIDZE (GEO), via submission (6-0)

BRONZE: Bohdan CHORNEI (UKR) df. Jaden SOSA (USA), via submission (0-2)
BRONZE: Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ) df. Razmik MISAKYAN (ARM), 8-2

71kg
GOLD: Kurban KADIEV (UWW) df. Nurbek TALBUDIN (KAZ), overtime (0-0)

BRONZE: Apandi AMAGAEV (UWW) df. Zhassulan ZHETPISBAY (KAZ), via submission
BRONZE: Dzhimsher RAZMADZE (GEO) df. Nico PULVERMUELLER (GER), 2-0

77kg
GOLD: Gazimagomed GAZIEV (UWW) df. Illia SUKHODIEIEV (UKR), via submission

BRONZE: Sam SCHWARTZAPFEL (USA) df. Angelos NIKOLOPOULOS (GRE), 10-2
BRONZE: Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UWW) df. Dumitru CEBAN (MDA), 2-1

92kg
GOLD: Murad ABDULATIPOV (UWW) df. Islam TAPPASKHANOV (UWW), 2-0

BRONZE: Anthony ROBINSON (USA) df. Reda MEBTOUCHE (FRA), via submission (1-2)
BRONZE: Mateusz MAZUR (POL) df. Antonio SALTUPS CARETTO (ITA), 4-2

100kg
GOLD: Mukhamed URUSOV (UWW) df. Aleksandre TEVZADZE (GEO), 4-0

BRONZE: Saba DJAVAKHICHVILI (FRA) df. Khasan ZAPIROV (UWW), 1-0
BRONZE: Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA) df. Herve REDON (FRA), via submission (0-2)

130kg
GOLD: Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA) df. Aleksander KOLDOVSKI (UKR), 7-1

BRONZE: Umar GAISUMOV (UWW) df. Abraham COBY MARTINEZ (ESP), via submission (2-0)
BRONZE: Nikita LOBOIKO (UWW) df. Nizami GAFAROV (AZE), 5-1

Women's Grappling

53kg
GOLD:  Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) df. Viktoriia ISAIEVA (UKR), via submission (4-0)

BRONZE: Evelina FLORIAK (UKR) df. Giulia ANGIOLINI (ITA), via submission (0-3)
BRONZE: Anorbi GRISHINA (UWW) df. Valeriia SHUVALOVA (UWW), 2-2

71kg
GOLD: Alycia QUENEE (FRA) df. Anna REMNEVA (UWW), 3-1

BRONZE:  Maja SALAMON (POL) df. Daniella SANTANA FABELO (ESP), 13-4
BRONZE: Valentina PAVLOVA (UWW) df. Anna KOTIUK (UKR), 4-1

90kg
GOLD: Alena VLASOVA (UWW)
SILVER: Tatiana KABANOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Justyna SITKO (POL)