Granma y Cerro Pelado

United States, Cuba Trade Blows In Freestyle At Granma y Cerro Pelado

By

HAVANA, Cuba – Pan American rivals Cuba and the United States traded punches throughout the opening day of freestyle wrestling at the Granma y Cerro Pelado.

The two nations combined to have 13 wrestlers qualify for the finals, the United States with 7 and Cuba with 6. Four of tomorrow’s gold-medal matches will pit individuals from the United States and Cuba opposite one another.

Two-time bronze medalist at the World Championships Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) dazzled with a barrage of high-amplitude moves on his way to the 61 KG finals.

He opened with impressive wins over American foes Anthony RAMOS (USA) and Darius LITTLE (USA) before silencing last year’s Pan American champion Dabian Quintana (CUB), 7-4. Bonne Rodriguez will meet 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International bronze medalist Cody BREWER (USA) for the title.

Alejandro VALDEZ TOBIER (CUB), bronze medal winner from last year’s World Championships in Paris, won both of his bouts by 10-0 scores to qualify for the 65 KG finals. Standing opposite the experience Cuban is international newcomer Robbie MATHERS (USA), who himself looked sharp with two technical superiority wins.

A pair of past Pan American champions will face off in the 70 KG gold-medal match. 2015 Pan American champion Jason CHAMBERLAIN (USA) and two-time Pan American champion Franklin MAREN (CUB) are the last two standing at this weight class.

The remaining United States versus Cuba final comes at 57 KG with 2014 Pan American champion Zach SANDERS (USA) taking on returning Cerro Pelado bronze medalist Alexei ALVARES (CUB).

Rio Olympics champion and two-time world champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) posted decisive shutout victories over Sean MOLLE (CAN) and Ceron FRANCISCO (USA) to sail to the 125 KG finals. Ben DURBIN (USA) earned the right to face Akgul tomorrow after upending returning Cerro Pelado champion Yudenny ALPAJON (CUB) in the semifinals, 4-2.

At 74 KG, London Olympic bronze medalist Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) looks to defend his Cerro Pelado title against 2017 Grand Prix of Paris bronze medalist Kubilay CAKICI (GER). Lopez Azcuy, who is a three-time medalist at the World Championships, won both of his bouts today by technical superiority.

The final Cuban in the gold-medal mix is two-time Pan American champion Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) at 86 KG. Torreblanca escaped an 8-0 deficit in his opening contest by pinning Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN). 2012 junior world champion Achmed DUDAROV (GER) is the final hurdle for Torreblanca.

U23 world bronze medalist Ty WALZ (USA) rode the momentum of a 12-2 victory over three-time world medalist Reineris SALAS (CUB) to the 97 KG finals. He will face fellow American Hayden ZILLMER (USA) in the finals. Zillmer won four international medals in 2017, but they all came in the Greco-Roman style.  

2017 Ion Corneau champion Gabriel STARK (GER) will battle Husseyin GUNDUZ (TUR) in the final round of the 92 KG round-robin bracket with the winner earning gold.

The Granma y Cerro Pelado tournament will conclude tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. local time with the freestyle wrestling finals. Complete results and a live stream of the event can be found at unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS: http://uww.io/4gTea

MEDAL MATCHES

57 KG

Gold: Zach SANDERS (USA) vs. Alexei ALVARES (CUB)

Bronze: Aso PALANI (CAN) vs. Eddie KLIMARA (USA)

Bronze: Pedro MEJIAS (VEN) vs. Joey DANCE (USA)

61 KG

Gold: Cody BREWER (USA) vs. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB)

Bronze: Anthony RAMOS (USA) vs. Dabian QUINTANA (CUB)

Bronze: Johnni DIJULIUS (USA) vs. Shelton MACK (USA)

65 KG

Gold: Alejandro VALDEZ TOBIER (CUB) vs. Robbie MATHERS (USA)

Bronze: Brandon DIAZ (MEX) vs. Lazaro CARBONEL (CUB)

Bronze: Dillon WILLIAMS (CAN) vs. Anthony ABIDIN (USA)

70 KG

Gold: Jason CHAMBERLAIN (USA) vs. Franklin MAREN (USA)

Bronze: Mario MASON (USA) vs. Hunter STIEBER (USA)

Bronze: Kevin HENKEL (GER) vs. Luis ROCHEZ (HON)

74 KG

Gold: Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) vs. Kubilay CAKICI (GER)

Bronze: Jean PERALTA (CHI) vs. Yoan SULEUETA (CUB)

Bronze: Nestor TAFUR (COL) vs. Jevon BALFOUR (CAN)

86 KG

Gold: Achmed DUDAROV (GER) vs. Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB)

Bronze: Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) vs. Martin OBST (GER)

92 KG

Gold: Gabriel STARK (GER) vs. Husseyin GUNDUZ (TUR)

97 KG

Gold: Hayden ZILLMER (USA) vs. Ty WALZ (USA)

Bronze: Erik THIELE (GER) vs. Nathan BURAK (USA)

125 KG

Gold: Taha AKGUL (TUR) vs. Ben DURBIN (USA)

Bronze: Luis VIVEWEZ (VEN) vs. Yudenny ALPAJON (CUB)

Bronze: Sean MOLLE (CAN) vs. Ceron FRANCISCO (USA)

2026 U23 European Championships

U23 European Championships 2026 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

ZRENJANIN, Serbia (February 24) -- The 2026 U23 European Championships will be held in Zrenjanin, Serbia from March 9 to 15. Freestyle will kick off on Monday, followed by Women's Wrestling and Greco-Roman to finish the tournament.

More than 400 wrestlers are registered to compete at the continental event. Click here for the full schedule of 2026 U23 European Championships.

Greco-Roman

55kg
Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Farid SADIKHLI (AZE)
Alyosha ILIEV (BUL)
Filip BARTOSIK (CZE)
Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO)
Edmond DOMOKOS (HUN)
Maxim SARMANOV (MDA)
Denis MIHAI (ROU)
Alibek AMIROV (RUS)
Sercan KESGIN (TUR)
Ivan STEFANSKYI (UKR)

60kg
Andi MUCA (ALB)
Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM)
Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE)
Borislav KIRILOV (BUL)
Brian SANTIAGO (DEN)
Ilian AINAOUI (FRA)
Giorgi KOCHALIDZE (GEO)
Georgios PAPAGEORGIOU (GRE)
Levente FIGE (HUN)
Olivier SKRZYPCZAK (POL)
Murat KHATIT (RUS)
Ahmet TASKINOGLU (TUR)
Yevhen POKOVBA (UKR)

63kg
Mikel TROPLINI (ALB)
Armen SUKIASYAN (ARM)
Ilkin GURBANOV (AZE)
Hristiyan IVANOV (BUL)
Al Bara CHOPALAEV (EST)
Lucas LO GRASSO (FRA)
Rati KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO)
Marios KAPANTAIS (GRE)
Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA)
Miguel LOUREIRO (POR)
Dordzhi SHUNGURTSIKOV (RUS)
Andrej VELISAVLJEV (SRB)
Algot GAMELIUS (SWE)
Enes ULKU (TUR)
Maksut SULTANOV (UKR)

67kg
Yurik HOVEYAN (ARM)
Farid KHALILOV (AZE)
Ihar YERMACHENKAU (BLR)
Kristiyan MILENKOV (BUL)
Matous JANKOVIC (CZE)
William REENBERG (DEN)
Nestori MANNILA (FIN)
Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO)
Janis HEINZELBECKER (GER)
David MANYIK (HUN)
Kipras PUIKIS (LTU)
Pavel DENISENCO (MDA)
Bers TIMIRBIEV (NOR)
Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL)
Pavel ALEXE (ROU)
Daniial AGAEV (RUS)
Dejan BERKEC (SRB)
Saya BRUNNER (SUI)
Magnus EKEROT (SWE)
Azat SARIYAR (TUR)
Imed KHUDZHADZE (UKR)

72kg
Ashot KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE)
Zakhar YANEVICH (BLR)
Dimitar GEORGIEV (BUL)
Gonzalo CAPARROS DIEGUEZ (ESP)
Artur JEREMEJEV (EST)
Oliver PADA (FIN)
Nika BROLADZE (GEO)
Magomed KARTOJEV (GER)
Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE)
Steve MOMILIA (ITA)
Vasile ZABICA (MDA)
Hubert SIDORUK (POL)
Joao DUARTE SIMOES (POR)
Leonard IURASCU (ROU)
Rabil ASKEROV (RUS)
Djordje HIRCL (SRB)
Mathias MARTINETTI (SUI)
Ali GOCMEN (TUR)
Dmytro VASYLIEV (UKR)

77kg
Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM)
Ravan NURIYEV (AZE)
Kiryl VALEUSKI (BLR)
Albert DOEV (BUL)
Luka IVANCIC (CRO)
Dalgat MAGOMEDOV (CZE)
Miro LEINONEN (FIN)
Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO)
Louis LAY (GER)
Dominik BOTOS (HUN)
Rokas CEPAUSKAS (LTU)
Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA)
Igor BOTEZ (ROU)
Danil GRIGOREV (RUS)
Zalan PEK (SRB)
Fritz REBER (SUI)
Adam STRANDNER (SWE)
Cengizhan DAG (TUR)
Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR)

82kg
Martik PETROSYAN (ARM)
Elmin ALIYEV (AZE)
Ibrahim TABAEV (BEL)
Illia VALEUSKI (BLR)
Martin SHISHEKOV (BUL)
Michal ZELENKA (CZE)
Jose TESO SOBA (ESP)
Ekke LEITHAM (EST)
Vikke TARKKIO (FIN)
Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO)
Andreas VASILAKOPOULOS (GRE)
Szabolcs SZINAY (HUN)
Matija RADOJEVIC (MNE)
Alexander AEMAES (NOR)
Oskar LUBERA (POL)
Gamzat GADZHIEV (RUS)
Antal VAMOS (SRB)
Ognjen JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB)
Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE)
Yusuf GOLBASI (TUR)
Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR)

87kg
Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM)
Said AKHUNDZADA (AZE)
Andrey ATANASOV (BUL)
Antonio LUKAC (CRO)
Frederik MATHIESEN (DEN)
Elias LYYSKI (FIN)
Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA)
Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Nikolaos IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Leon RIVALTA (ITA)
Martin LJOSAAK (NOR)
Yassine BEN LABED (POL)
Patrik GORDAN (ROU)
Imam ALIEV (RUS)
Andrija MIHAJLOVIC (SRB)
Alperen BERBER (TUR)
Vladyslav SOLODCHUK (UKR)

97kg
Ruben GEVORGYAN (ARM)
Ali GULIYEV (AZE)
Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (BLR)
Kaloyan IVANOV (BUL)
Tomislav BRKAN (CRO)
Robin USPENSKI (EST)
Luka GABISONIA (GEO)
Darius KIEFER (GER)
Christos CHATSATOUROV (GRE)
Vendel VITAI (HUN)
Ilia CERNOVOL (MDA)
Wojciech IWANOWSKI (POL)
Saipula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Uros KRSTIN (SRB)
Muhittin HELVACI (TUR)
Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR)

130kg
Aramayis HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Leonhard JUNGER (AUT)
Aykhan MARDANOV (AZE)
Viachaslau FEDARYNA (BLR)
Alan DZABIEV (BUL)
Marko MILANOVIC (CRO)
Artur SARKISJAN (CZE)
Eerik PANK (EST)
Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO)
Achilleas CHRYSIDIS (GRE)
Laszlo DARABOS (HUN)
Sebastian WARCHOL (POL)
Aleksandr MELEKHOV (RUS)
David MOLNAR (SRB)
Huseyin CIL (TUR)
Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR)

Manuel WAGIN (GER)Manuel WAGIN (GER) will compete at 74kg in Zrenjanin, Serbia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Freestyle

57kg
Arman HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE)
Artsiom PAULIUCHENKA (BLR)
Nik DOYCHINOV (BUL)
Rassoul GALBOURAEV (FRA)
Danoush JOWKAR (GBR)
Nikoloz BOTCHORISHVILI (GEO)
Karamjeet HOLSTEIN (GER)
Nektarios KOUZOUPIS (GRE)
Balazs RACZ (HUN)
Ion BULGARU (MDA)
Aiandai ONDAR (RUS)
Baris UNSAL (TUR)
Mykola BRATOV (UKR)

61kg
Ajndi KRYEZIU (ALB)
Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM)
Jeyhun ALLAHVERDIYEV (AZE)
Herbert AKAPIAN (BLR)
Erdal GALIP (BUL)
Rezo MARSAGISHVILI (GEO)
Vasile MARCU (MDA)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Rafal SZEWC (POL)
Anzor MAZHIDOV (RUS)
Robert MESZAROS (SVK)
Tolga OZBEK (TUR)
Andrii SHOKALIUK (UKR)

65kg
Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM)
Luca HARTMANN (AUT)
Musa AGHAYEV (AZE)
Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR)
Saba GAMBASHIDZE (GEO)
Magomed KARTOJEV (GER)
Zoltan MIZSEI (HUN)
Mattia BIENTINESI (ITA)
Fiodor CEAVDARI (MDA)
Daniel SANDU (ROU)
Dzhambulat KIZINOV (RUS)
Sandro HUNGERBUEHLER (SUI)
Yusuf TUMER (TUR)
Viktor BOROHAN (UKR)

70kg
Davit MARGARYAN (ARM)
Alexander SEIWALD (AUT)
Ramik HEYBATOV (AZE)
Mikita DZEMCHANKA (BLR)
Kaloyan ATANASOV (BUL)
Denis KODAKOV GIL (ESP)
Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO)
Marcel WAGIN (GER)
Tomas GORMLEY (IRL)
Daniele GUBBIOTTI (ITA)
Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA)
Daniel KULCZYNSKI (POL)
Benjamin BOEJTHE (ROU)
Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS)
Umut ERDOGAN (TUR)
Mykyta SARIIEV (UKR)

74kg
Grigor CHOLAKYAN (ARM)
Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE)
Aliaksandr HULNIK (BLR)
Petar PETKOV (BUL)
Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA)
Saba KOBAKHIDZE (GEO)
Manuel WAGIN (GER)
Raul CASO (ITA)
Ion MARCU (MDA)
Fabian NIEDZWIEDZKI (POL)
Gigi SUBTIRICA (ROU)
Magomed BAITUKAEV (RUS)
Florian BISSIG (SUI)
Halit OZMUS (TUR)
Mykyta MORHUN (UKR)

79kg
Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM)
Muhamed BEKTEMIROV (AUT)
Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE)
Aliaksandr VIARBITSKI (BLR)
Aykan SEID (BUL)
Tristan ALEKSANDROV (EST)
Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO)
Marat KARDANOV (GER)
Vlad STRATAN (MDA)
Dario DIMITROV (MKD)
Mateusz PEDZICKI (POL)
Ismail KHANIEV (RUS)
Andrija IVANOVIC (SRB)
Kimi KAEPPELI (SUI)
Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR)
Bohdan OLEKSIIENKO (UKR)

86kg
Razmik YEPREMYAN (ARM)
Vasif KHUDIYEV (AZE)
Artsiom BELAVUSAU (BLR)
Radomir STOYANOV (BUL)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO)
Vladimir PLIEV (ISR)
Gabriele NICCOLINI (ITA)
Marius RETCO (MDA)
Bartlomiej NOWAKOWSKI (POL)
Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (RUS)
Anton VYHIVSKYI (SVK)
Ahmet YAGAN (TUR)
Artur KOSTIUK (UKR)

92kg
Knyaz IBOYAN (ARM)
Ali TCOKAEV (AZE)
Artsiom ALIAKEVICH (BLR)
Sali SALIEV (BUL)
Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO)
Daniel FISCHER (GER)
Grigorios SARIDIS (GRE)
Krisztian ANGYAL (HUN)
Alexandru BORS (MDA)
Igor SZUCKI (POL)
Mustafagadzhi MALACHDIBIROV (RUS)
David JAKSIK (SVK)
Fatih ALTUNBAS (TUR)
Yehor HOROKH (UKR)

97kg
Gurgen SIMONYAN (ARM)
Zafar ALIYEV (AZE)
Uladzislau KAZLOU (BLR)
Andriyan VALKANOV (BUL)
Aimar ALZON EGUINOA (ESP)
Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Nikolaos KARAVANOS (GRE)
Nikita GOUBARETS (ISR)
Davide COSSU (ITA)
Filip SZUCKI (POL)
Mukhamed KHANIEV (RUS)
Adam JAKSIK (SVK)
Emirhan KILIC (TUR)
Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR)

125kg
Khachatur KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE)
Stsiapan MANDRYK (BLR)
Dian MANEV (BUL)
Aleksandre ABRAMISHVILI (GEO)
Emil THIELE (GER)
Milan GELLEN (HUN)
Dmitrii DUSCOV (MDA)
Michal DUBOWSKI (POL)
Brian TECHEREAN (ROU)
Khabib DAVUDGADZHIEV (RUS)
Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR)
Ivan MYROSHNYCHENKO (UKR)

Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR)Senior European champion Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR) will be at 68kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Asmar JANKURTARAN (AZE)
Sviatlana KATENKA (BLR)
Mariam GRIGALASHVILI (GEO)
Laura FATH (HUN)
Marija SPIRKOVSKA (MKD)
Ana ROTARU (ROU)
Aleksandra KOPYLOVA (RUS)
Andela VASILJEVIC (SRB)
Svenja JUNGO (SUI)
Zerda DEMIR (TUR)
Aida KERYMOVA (UKR)

53kg
Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE)
Kseniya KOSTSENICH (BLR)
Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP)
Vestina DANISEVICIUTE (LTU)
Patrycja STRZELCZYK (POL)
Nicoleta BAJAN (ROU)
Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (RUS)
Reka HEGEDUS (SVK)
Sevval CAYIR (TUR)
Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

55kg
Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE)
Aliaksandra BULAVA (BLR)
Nesrin SYULEYMANOVA (BUL)
Maria CAZALLA TORRES (ESP)
Gerda TEREK (HUN)
Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA)
Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU)
Kira SOLOBCHUK (RUS)
Tuba DEMIR (TUR)
Albina RILLIA (UKR)

57kg
Aryna DZEMCHANKA (BLR)
Olga POPOVA (BUL)
Romaissa EL KHARROUBI (FRA)
Amory ANDRICH (GER)
Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN)
Csilla VAN OS (NED)
Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR)
Julia NOWICKA (POL)
Georgiana LIRCA (ROU)
Elena KUROVA (RUS)
Jana PETROVIC (SRB)
Tindra DALMYR (SWE)
Emine CAKMAK (TUR)
Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR)

59kg
Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE)
Marta HETMANAVA (BLR)
Viktoria BOYNOVA (BUL)
Madalina PRISACARI (MDA)
Olha PADOSHYK (POL)
Ana PUIU (ROU)
Ekaterina RADYSHEVA (RUS)
Jovana RADIVOJEVIC (SRB)
Karin SAMUELSSON (SWE)
Sevim AKBAS (TUR)
Yuliia PAKHNIUK (UKR)

62kg
Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Uladzislava KUDZIN (BLR)
Desislava IVANOVA (BUL)
Lana NOGIC (CRO)
Iris THIEBAUX (FRA)
Naemi LEISTNER (GER)
Gabriela RUDOI (MDA)
Alicja WOJEWODZKA NOWOSAD (POL)
Viorica ADAM (ROU)
Amina TANDELOVA (RUS)
Viktoria FOELDESIOVA (SVK)
Gulsum BINGOL (TUR)
Albina KLIEFAS (UKR)

65kg
Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR)
Leonie STEIGERT (GER)
Nikoleta BARMPA (GRE)
Bianca CONTRAFATTO (ITA)
Alexandra MOISEI (MDA)
Maria PANTIRU (ROU)
Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS)
Emilija JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB)
Linnea SVENSSON (SWE)
Beyza AKKUS (TUR)
Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR)

68kg
Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR)
Gerda BARTH (GER)
Karolina POK (HUN)
Laura GODINO (ITA)
Luciana BEDA (MDA)
Karolina DOMASZUK (POL)
Alina SHEVCHENKO (RUS)
Ayse ERKAN (TUR)
Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR)

72kg
Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE)
Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR)
Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL)
Veronika VILK (CRO)
Laura KOEHLER (GER)
Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU)
Emilia CRECIUN (MDA)
Karolina JAWORSKA (POL)
Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (RUS)
Masa PEROVIC (SRB)
Haticenur SARI (TUR)
Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR)

76kg
Aliaksandra SIAMIONAVA (BLR)
Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Patrycja CUBER (POL)
Mariia SILINA (RUS)
Bukrenaz SERT (TUR)
Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR)