#WrestleSofia

U20 World Championships Day 1 semis set

By Vinay Siwach

SOFIA, Bulgaria (August 15) -- The U20 World Championships return to Bulgaria with the Arena Armeec Sports Hall hosting it in Sofia. The tournament begins with freestyle and five weight classes will be in action. Wrestlers from 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg will be on the mat.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

14:00: Here are the semifinals for the evening session

57kg
Heorhii KAZANZHY (UKR) vs. Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)
Jore VOLK (USA) vs. Luka GVINJILIA (GEO)

65kg
Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) vs. SUJEET (IND)
Robert CORNELLA (USA) vs. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

70kg
Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) vs. Mulaym YADAV (IND)
Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM) vs. Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA)

79kg
Mukhammad ABDULLAEV (KGZ) vs. Mushegh MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Otari ADEISHVILI (GEO) vs. Sobhan Hooshang YARI (IRI)

97kg
Rifat GIDAK (TUR) vs. Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)
Luka KHUTCHUA (GEO) vs. Benjamin KUETER (USA) 

13:40:  Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) with another come-from-behind win for the USA. He trailed Hossein AGHAEI (IRI) in the 70kg quarterfinal but completely broke the Iranian and won the bout 9-7. He will now wrestle Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM) in the semifinals as Papikyan beat Harun SOYLER (TUR) 8-2

13:30: Jore VOLK (USA) continues his winning run and has reached the semifinal at 57kg with an 8-2 win over Azizbek NAIMOV (UZB). In the other quarterfinals, U20 Asian champion Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ) scores a late takedown and lace to beat Abhishek DHAKA (IND), 5-1 

13:16: Mohammad Reza SHAKERI (IRI) was leading 5-2 with 15 seconds left when Robert CORNELLA (USA) hits a four-pointer and lead 6-5 and wins the quarterfinal at 65kg. The USA team likes it. Huge win for Cornella who will now face U17 world champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB).

In the other semifinal, U20 Asian champion SUJEET (IND) beats 11-0 Ayub MUSAEV (BEL). He sets up the semifinal against returning silver Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) 

13:10: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) looks strong at 97kg. He wins via technical superiority over Zelimkhan MUSSIKHANOV (KAZ). Benjamin KUETER (USA) beats NIRAJ (IND) 8-1 to enter the semifinals as well

12:57: At 79kg, Sobhan YARI (IRI) controls most of the bout against Braydew THOMPSON (USA) and wins 6-1. He will wrestle Bekir OVEC (TUR) in the quarterfinal as the Turkey wrestler beat Johannes HATTINGH (RSA) 10-0

12:53: We have another quarterfinalist at 57kg as Abhishek DHAKA (IND) beats Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA) 11-3. On Mat A, Tolga OZBEK (TUR) pins Harutyun HOVHANNISYAN (ARM) to move on as well

12:40: Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) and Jore VOLK (USA) wrestling for a spot in the 57kg quarterinal. Volf with exposure and he gets two points. Javan with a reversal and roll to lead 3-2 but Volk also gets a reversal. In the second period, Volk takes the lead 5-3 but Javan scores a takedown with 36 seconds left. He tries to defend the criteria lead but Volk has a sequence where he got Javan's one knee on the mat. He wins 7-7

12:03: Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA) giving France a good start at 57kg. He rolls over Ivaylo TISOV (BUL) 10-0 and into the pre-quarterfinals.

11:45: A top bout at 57kg on Mat C. Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) wrestling U20 European champion Simone PIRODDU (ITA). Piroddu is called passive and Javan scores a takedown in the activity period to lead 3-0 at the break. Another takedown in the second period as Javan wins 5-0 

11:35: Here are the results from the qualification round of 65kg

Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Abderrahmane BENAISSA (ALG), via fall
Robert CORNELLA (USA) df. Olzhas OLZHAKANOV (KAZ), 8-0
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Myrza ZHYRGALBEK UULU (KGZ), 10-2
SUJEET (IND) df. Jonnathan PEREZ (GUA), via fall 

11:14: A solid start for the USA. Benjamin KUETER (USA) with a technical superiority win over Dmitrii DUSCOV (MDA). That bout is followed by U20 Asian champion Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) beating Toyoki HAMADA (JPN) 11-0. He will face NIRAJ (IND) who got past Joobin PARK (KOR) 11-0

11:00: Welcome to the first morning of the U20 World Championships in Sofia. Some young stars in action with Iran, the USA, India, Azerbaijan bringing strong teams to the competition

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 World Championships 2025 Day 7 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 26) -- The U23 World Championships will see only Freestyle action on day seven. Four weight classes till semifinals are -- 61kg, 65kg, 86kg and 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

14:40: A clash between Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) and Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) at 97kg. Babaloo began well but Yoshida with his high-paced wrestling has Babaloo in all sorts of trouble. Yoshida was trying to pin Babaloo but referees called a foul. Iran challenged for a singlet foul but there was none. Yoshida led 5-2 after that review. He then scored two stepouts and three takedowns to win 13-2

14:30: SUJEET (IND) takes out Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) at 65kg. He was put on the clock twice and was down 2-0. But he finally got a point when Magomedov was put on the clock. Sujeet hit a low single to make it 3-2 before he scored a stepout to seal a spot in the semifinal with a 4-2 win.

14:15: Technical superiority 12-0 win for Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) over Andranik AVETISYAN (ARM) as he moves into the 65kg semifinals. Nishiuchi does seem to struggle a little bit with his conditioning. Will be a factor in the semifinals? 

14:05: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) gets the best of Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) in a heated 86kg bout. Balaian scored a takedown and point for activity in the second period to lead 3-1. He then forced Tcokaev a stepout before countering Tcokaev's desperate attack to score two points and win 6-1

13:55: Umidjon JALALOV (UZB), world bronze medalist in Zagreb, crafts three takedowns in his 6-1 victory over Aykhan ABDULLAZADA (AZE) and advance to the semifinals at 65.

13:50: Jaxen FORREST (USA) opens his 61kg campaign with a 13-0 masterful victory over Vasile MARCU (MDA). High-schooler Forrest missed out on a medal in Zagreb, losing a thriller in his bronze-medal bout

13:40: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) downs Rocco WELSH (USA) 7-4 at 86kg. Welsh hit a big four pointer to lead 6-4 but Iran challenged the call. On review, the four points were awarded to Rahmani as he hit countered the double-leg attack. Both exchange stepout but Rahmani wins the bout.

13:05: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) with some crafty wrestling to sail through Yasin REZAEI (IRI) at 65kg. He also got a four-pointer in that 11-0 win. Magomedov is two-time U23 world champion at 61kg.

13:00: A point for activity point and a takedown for Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) for a 3-0 but Mykyta HONCHAROV (UKR) hits a takedown with 26 seconds left to make it 3-2. Jalalov defends that lead to win at 65kg.

12:40: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) needed two dramatic attacks in the final 25 seconds to win against Ahmet YAGAN (TUR) at 86kg. Down 3-1, Rahmani hit a takedown on the edge which was awarded one point for stepout after challenge, but he got an attack with 10 seconds left which was exposure two points and he won 4-3. Turkiye challenged the call but this time lost the challenge.

12:30: SUJEET (IND) with his second technical superiority win at 65kg. He scores five takedowns and one stepout to beat Dominik JAGUSZ (POL), 11-0.

12:25: Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) falls to Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA). Magamodov looked completely off color in his 7-4 loss at 86kg.

12:15: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) and Gabriele NICCOLINI (ITA) had a little heated moment in their 86kg bout. Balaian was clearly the superior wrestler as he wins 10-0 and advance at 86kg. Balaian helps Niccolini off the mat and it's all good

11:45: Defending 97kg champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) takes his own time but starts off with an 11-1 victory over Ibrahim BENEKLI (TUR) at 97kg. The match is followed by world bronze medalist Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) finishing with a 10-0 victory over Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN).

11:25: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) takes out U20 world champion at 61kg Marcus BLAZE (USA) at 65kg. Sharip Uulu scored a takedown to lead 3-1 and Blaze had to score a takedown to win. He managed to only score a stepout. He also challenged for a singlet pull but it was ruled that Sharip Uulu got his fingers stuck in stimulation and did not stop any attack. The lost challenge made it 4-2, the winning score of Sharip Uulu

11:05: SUJEET (IND) gives up the first takedown but then launches a spree of attacks to finish the bout 12-2 against Fiodor CEAVDARI (MDA) and advance at 65kg.

10:50: Two-time U20 world champion Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) begins his U23 career with a 10-0 win over Ryan DAHCHA (CAN) at 65kg. Nishiuchi is the favorite to win the gold medal here

10:40: World U23 champion Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) was challenged by ASHISH (IND) in his first bout at 86kg but he scores two exposures for four points which gives him 6-4 lead which he defends in the second period and win.

10:25: After the early repechage rounds, the qualifications of the four Freestyle weights are underway here. If you are wondering why there is a time change for the start of the competition, the daylight saving have commenced in Europe.