#WrestleNoviSad

U23 World Championships 2025 Greco-Roman Day 2 Highlights

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 - 08:11 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 21) -- The U23 World Championships continue on second day in Novi Sad, Serbia. Greco-Roman will continue in 55kg, 67kg, 72kg and 97kg.

WATCH CENTER | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

15:10: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) with a reversal when Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) got a turn which gives the Georgian a 5-4 lead and gives him the win and a place in the 67kg semifinals.

15:00: Alibek AMIROV (UWW), U23 European champion, is into the semifinals at 55kg at the U23 Worlds after a 9-0 victory over Vikramjit MORE (IND). Two defensive fouls from More in that match.

14:45: Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) has no mercy on Nurbolot BERDIKULOV (KGZ) as he rolls to a 13-3 technical superiority win at 55kg. Shamsipour, a 2024 U17 world champ, used his incredible gut-wrench to score his points.

14:30: Darius KIEFER (GEO) cannot survive the Maksim AVERIN (UWW) test! Kiefer, who has looked off color today, did well in the first period to be down only 1-0 but gives up two points in the second period to Averin who wins 3-1 to advance to the semifinals at 97kg

14:25: Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) with a 5-3 victory over Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) at 72kg. He scores two front headlock turns from par terre while Nurullayev only scored a turn. 

14:00: Big match on Mat B as U20 world champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) takes on returning silver medalist Abubakr KHASLAKHANAU (UWW). The first points are scored by Khaslakhanau with a go-behind takedown for a 2-0 lead. Just before the break, Yakushenko with a cartwheel takedown to lead 2-2 on criteria. Khaslakhanau takes takes the lead back as Yakushenko called passive in the second period but he fails to score any points from par terre. Yakushenko has two minutes to make a comeback. He complains of a shoulder pain. Yakushenko with a stepout as the bout restarts and he takes a 3-3 criteria lead. He keeps his criteria lead and wins the bout 3-3 on criteria to advance to the semifinals.

13:55: Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) scores a 7-1 victory at 67kg against Azat SARIYAR (TUR). Mohsen Nezhad is a two-time world U20 champion and making his U23 debut.

13:30: Andrea SETTI (ITA) with a four-pointer late in the match against Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) but the Georgian remains unfazed by the move and wins his 67kg bout 6-5.

13:20: World U20 champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) with a dominant win over Luka GABISONIA (GEO) at 97kg. He goes for a big four before getting a stepout to lead 5-0. A stepout and takedown to finish the bout 8-0 in the first period.

13:15: Returning silver medalist at 97kg Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (UWW) with a technical superiority win over world U20 silver medalist Mohammad SEYDI (IRI) as he wins 9-1. Three stepouts in that bout for him. He will face world U20 champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) next.

12:55: Darius KIEFER (GER) with a comeback in his 97kg bout against Tomislav BRKAN (CRO). Kiefier was down 3-2 but gets a par terre and turn to lead 5-3 before beating Brkan 7-4 and advance to the quarterfinals at 97kg.

12:30: Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI), a two-time world U20 champion, gets a good warm-up with an8-0 win over Ardit ZENELI (ALB) in just a minute and 14 seconds at 67kg.

12:05: Mate VEGH (HUN) scored four points on Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) but the Iranian was just too too good for him. Mohammadi with 10 points in the match to beat Vegh 10-4 and advance at 72kg.

11:50: Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW) brings down world bronze medalist Daniial AGAEV (UWW) at 67kg. He gets four points from par terre while giving none as Makaranka wins 5-1 to advance at 67kg.

11:35: Vikramjit MORE (IND) gives India a win at 55kg as he beats Denis MIHAI (ROU). Mihai was up 1-0 but More pressures him towards the zone when Mihai tries a arm-throw but More blocks it for a takedown. He turns him for another two points to lead 4-1. Romania challenge for a slip throw but it is not and the challenge is lost. Mihai gets a point in the second period for par terre but More sails through 5-3.

11:20: Richard KARELSON (EST), senior European silver medalist, has no trouble in beating Javokhir SHODIYAROV (UZB) at 97kg. He scores the takedown 44 seconds in the second period to win 9-0.

11:05: U20 World silver medalist Hadi SEYDI (IRI) off to a good start as he scores a 10-0 win over Dorian TREJO OLGUIN (MEX) at 97kg. His next bout is against returning silver medalist Abubakr KHASLAKHANAU (UWW).

10:55: Darius KIEFER (GER), a U20 world silver and bronze medalist, off to a slow start as he beats Juan DIAZ BLANCO (VEN) 5-3 at 97kg. He scored a counter after Diaz's takedown and led 5-2. However, Kiefer defended his par terre for the win. 

10:30: Former Asian champion Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) opens his U23 Worlds campaign with a 6-0 win over Oleh KHALILOV (UKR) at 72kg.

#WrestleTirana

Bisultanov Throws His Way to Second European Gold

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 - 13:06 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 21) -- In one of the most viral and recognizable videos of the many social media edits of wrestling is the one of Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) performing a huge arm throw. He did it at the 2022 European Championships, which he went on to win.

Four years later, Bisultanov had to rely on the arm throw again to beat an Olympic champion and to win his second European title, making him the first wrestler from Denmark to achieve the feat.

Starting as the underdog against Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) in the 87kg final in Tirana on Tuesday, Bisultanov performed a near-perfect throw, tossing Novikov on the mat for four points. That gave Bisultanov a huge advantage and Novikov played catch up in the six-minute final. He scored two counter exposure in the same sequence but Bisultanov still led 4-4 on criteria.

Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN), red, performs the arm throw to score four points against Semen NOVIKOV (BUL). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The Denmark wrestler scored a stepout and got the passivity point in the second period to extend his lead to 6-4, leaving Novikov needing at least three points for the win. Novikov tried a desperate throw in the final moments but Bisultanov blocked him and secured the fall.

When the final ended, Bisultanov was a two-time European champion. Novikov, who had defeated Bisultanov twice before including at the Paris Olympics, was now the second best in Europe two times in a row. 

"Last time I lost to him, it was the Olympics," Bisultanov said. "Before that, it was the European Championships [2023]. I have not wrestled at the European Championships since that."

Returning the continental tournament after three years, Paris bronze medalist Bisultanov showed early signs of form in Tiran when he won three bouts via technical superiority. He began with an 8-0 win against Matej MANDIC (CRO), then a similar victory over Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM) and a 9-0 shutout in the quarterfinals against Ihar YARASHEVICH (UKR).

In the semifinals, he faced Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) but took just 46 seconds in the second period to pin the Ukrainian, who had beaten Novikov last week.

"I'm speechless," Bisultanov said. "Actually, I told my coaches I would win it by finishing every match before time. And thank God, a few seconds before the time finished in the final, they called the pin. So I completed my promise to my coaches."

WATCH: All Matches of Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) at European Championships

Giving a small insight into the planning he had for Novikov, Bisultanov explained how one training session in Porec, Croatia in February helped them devise a strategy.

"I had only one sparring session with Novikov in that camp," he said. "My coach told me defend the par terre by moving behind. But during that training session, I tried to defend and Novikov rolled me two times."

"So before the final, my coach reminded me how to defend. And I told my coach. that the last time I tried this defense, he rolled me. Then coach said just do what you would like to do. I did the arm throw."

Bisultanov missed out on a medal at the 2025 World Championships, but the 24-year-old reteriated that he is not finished yet.

"I want to achieve even more," he said. "I know I'm not done. My ultimate goal is to be an Olympic champion."

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) is now a five-time European champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Amoyan Claims Fifth Straight Title

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) is quickly becoming a European legend as he claimed his fifth straight gold medal on Tuesday.

In what was a rematch of the 2025 final, Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) was looking to avenge his 3-1 loss against Amoyan. While Zoidze was able to make it a close final this time around, he was not able to stop Amoyan from a 1-1 win.

Both wrestlers exchanged passivity points but it was Amoyan who got the first position which gave the Armenian the criteria for the win.

"Every year the victory becomes more difficult for me," Amoyan said. "I have truly gone through a very difficult journey, and I still have more to achieve in order to accomplish even greater victory."

Amoyan began his European Championships career in 2020 but he finished 16th at 72kg, In 2021, he fell short at the last hurdle and finished with a silver medal at 72kg.

But in 2022, he moved up to 77kg and won his first of the five gold medals. 

"Honestly, I don’t think about whether it will be the 5th, 6th, or 7th title," he said. What matters to me is the victory itself. I go into every tournament aiming only to win the gold medal."

At 55kg, 18-year-old Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) fell short against the experienced Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) who defended his European title with a 2-1 victory.

Lolua had the 1-1 criteria lead after both wrestlers exchanged par terre positions. However, in a flurry of action with just about a minute remaining, Sefershaev managed to push Lolua out of bounds and take a 2-1 lead. He defended the lead to claim the gold medal, his third at the European Championships.

Veteran Sergey EMELIN (UWW) also won his third European title in contrasting manner than Sefershaev. Facing U23 world champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) for the gold medal, Emelin got the par terre and gut-wrenched the Moldova wrestler for a 9-0 win.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) df. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), 2-1

BRONZE: Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Omer RECEP (TUR), 8-0
BRONZE: Stefan GRIGOROV (BUL) df. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 3-1

63kg
GOLD: Sergey EMELIN (UWW) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 9-0

BRONZE: Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Mairbek SALIMOV (POL), 11-0
BRONZE: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Pridon ABULADZE (GEO), 6-2

77kg
GOLD: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), 1-1

BRONZE: Edvin BAFF (SWE) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), 2-1
BRONZE: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) df. Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO), 1-1

87kg
GOLD: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) df. Semen NOVIKOV (BUL), via fall (8-4)

BRONZE: Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) df. Ihar YARASHEVICH (UWW), 1-1
BRONZE: Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Dogan KAYA (TUR), 5-1

130kg
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Darius VITEK (HUN), 7-1

BRONZE: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) df. Marat KAMPAROV (UWW), 10-5
BRONZE: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 3-1