Rahimi, Lebedev, 57kg, World Championships

UNSTOPPABLE SADULAEV!

Monday, September 8, 2014 - 04:03 By Tim Foley

Russia Wins Two, Yang Bags Bantamweight Crown in World Championship Freestyle

TASHKENT (September 8) – Russia won two gold medals and added a bronze on the first day of men’s freestyle at the World Championship while Turkey carried a complete set of gold, silver and bronze, led by super heavyweight champion Taha AKGUL (TUR).

But, it was bantamweight YANG Kyong-Il who emerged from the battle of former world champions to claim the 57kg crown and claim his second world title after winning the 55kg title in 2009.

Yang triumphed over European champion and top-ranked Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) in the final after overcoming a five-point deficit in the semifinals to defeat defending champ Hassan RAHIMI (IRI). In the quarterfinals, Rahimi pinned 2010 and 2011 world champ Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) in the quarters.

PHOTO ALBUM

Russia’s two winners Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) at 70kg and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) both opened their championship bouts with fireman’s carry throws and wrapped up their first world championship titles in the first period.

Tsabolov dropped Yakup GOR (TUR) off the whistle to begin their bout and rolled up a 10-0 win at 1:45. Sadulaev, meanwhile, scored with a quick carry, then a tilt on his way to a 10-0 triumph at 1:25 over Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB).

Akgul, a bronze medalist last year Budapest, capped the evening with a 4-3 win over Asia champion Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) to become Turkey’s first freestyle world champion since 2007, when Ramazan SHAHIN (TUR) won the 66kg in Baku.

Earlier, Khadshimourad GATSALOV (RUS) came up short in his bid for a seventh world-level title when he ran out of gas in the 125kg semifinals and fell 5-4 to Ghasemi. Gatsalov, however, bounced back in the bronze medal final, pinning Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (UKR) in 45 seconds.

Summary of the medal finals:

57kg – Trailing 2-3 in the second period, Yang rolled Khinchegashvili with a front headlock and turn for a 4-3 lead, but also appeared to be stopped on his back. No challenge came from the Geogian’s corner and the bout ended with a force-out point for Yang.

In the bronze medal finals, deposed champion Rahimi trailed on criteria to 2010 Youth Olympics champion Yuki TAKAHASHi (JPN), but rallied with a low-single and a force-out for a 7-4 win. Vladislav ANDREEV (BLR) scored the final point in a 1-1 bout with ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) for the win.

GOLD: Kyong Il YANG (PRK) df. Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), 5-3
BRONZE: Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR) df. Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL), 1-1
BRONZE: Hassan Sabzali RAHIMI (IRI) df. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN), 7-4

Semifinal: Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) df. Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL), 6-3
Semifinal: Kyong Il YANG (PRK) df. Hassan Sabzali RAHIMI (IRI), 5-5

70kg – Tsabolov scored four points off an arm-and-leg throw for four and cruised to the gold medal with the technical fall over Gor.

Local favorite Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) had fans on the edge of their seats with his counter-style of wrestling and a 7-3 win over Zalimkhan YUSUPOV (TJK). Ali SHABANOV (BLR) won his second world bronze medal with a 13-1 technical fall over Cleopas NCUBE (CAN).

Interview with Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)

GOLD: Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) df. Yakup GOR (TUR) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE: Ali SHABANAU (BLR) df. Cleopas NCUBE (CAN) by TF, 11-1
BRONZE: Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) df. Zalimkhan YUSUPOV (TJK), 7-3

Semifinal: Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) df. Ali SHABANAU (BLR) by TF, 11-0
Semifinal: Yakup GOR (TUR) df. Zalimkhan YUSUPOV (TJK), 7-0

86kg – Sadulaev appeared to stun 2013 world silver medalist Salas Perez with his early throw and never allowed his opponent to recover with tilts and a go-behind to finished the bout.

In the bronze medal bouts, Selim YASAR (TUR) scored with a single-leg early and added a counter takedown in the second for a 5-2 win over Asia silver medalist Azlan KAKHIDZE (KAZ). After a slow start, Mohammad Hossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) pulled away from Gamzat OSMANOV (AZE) for an 11-2 win.

GOLD: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Reineris SALAS (CUB) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE: Mohammadhossein Askari MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) df. Gamzat OSMANOV (AZE) by TF, 11-1
BRONZE: Selim YASAR (TUR) df. Aslan KAKHIDZE (KAZ), 5-2

Semifinal: Reineris SALAS (CUB) df. Gamzat OSMANOV (AZE),1-0
Semifinal: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Aslan KAKHIDZE (KAZ) by TF, 10-0

125kg – Akgul received two penalty points and worked a low-single attack for a 4-0 lead and then held on for a 4-3 win, with Ghasemi on his leg in the closing seconds.

In the bronze medals bouts, Gatsalov used an inside-leg trip to drop Khotsianivski to his back and then press for the fall at 0:45. Tervel DLAGNEV (USA) scored a first period takedown and held off 2011 world champ Aleksey SHEMAROV (BLR) for his first world medal since 2009.

Interview with Tervel DLAGNEV

GOLD: Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Komil GHASEMI (IRI), 4-3
BRONZE: Tervel Ivaylov DLAGNEV (USA) df. Alexei SHEMAROV (BLR), 2-1
BRONZE: Khadzhimurat GATCALOV (RUS) df. Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) by FALL

Semifinal: Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Alexei SHEMAROV (BLR), 8-1.
Semifinal: Komil GHASEMI (IRI) df. Khadzhimurat GATCALOV (RUS), 5-4.

#WrestleBudapest

Mamedov, Aman Dominate to Gold Amid Surprises in Budapest

Wednesday, July 15, 2026 - 19:11 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 15) -- On a day that saw multiple surprises at the Budapest Ranking Series, Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) and AMAN (IND) restored order, winning gold medals at 65kg and 57kg.

The gold medal for Mamedov was significant after his dramatic loss in the 65kg final at the Ulaanbaatar Open to Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI). Though not Amouzad, Mamedov dominated Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) for a 12-0 technical superiority win.

Mamedov led 4-0 at the break and then scored two counter takedown to double the led to 8-0 in the second. A double-leg attack brought Ebrahim straight to his back as Mamedov earned four points for the win. He outscored his opponents 53-1 in bouts, winning the gold medal via five technical superiorities.

"At this tournament I am very satisfied with my wrestling. I gave my best from beginning to the end," Mamedov said. "I learnt a lesson from Ulaanbaatar Open that I should not stop wrestling even if I have a big lead on the scoreboard."

Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) scores a takedown on Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) during the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A month ago at the Ulaanbaatar Open, Mamedov took an 8-0 lead over world champion Amouzad but suffered a stunning collapse, dropping the final 17-10.

"I started very well and I was well prepared," he said. "When I took the lead, I stopped attacking and just defended my lead. There was lot of time left and in the end I got very tired because I had to defend a lot and gave up more points."

One of the major talking points after the loss was Mamedov's conditioning, as he slipped further as Amouzad built the pressure.

"One of the reasons I got so tired against Amouzad because I gave up a lot head control to Amouzad, who kept me in head pinch position," he said. "On the way to the World Championships, we will have three stages of preparations. We will have training camps and start getting ready for the World Championships."

AMAN (IND) tries to complete a takedown against Robert DINGASHVILI (GEO) during the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Olympic bronze medalist Aman, wrestling at 57kg for the first time this year, won the gold medal with similar domination, giving himself a birthday gift as he turns 23 on Thursday.

Up against Robert DINGASHVILI (GEO) in the final, Aman did give up three stepouts but piled up takedowns to complete a 13-3 technical superiority win in the 57kg final. In his four bouts, he outscored his opponents 44-6. In the semifinals, Aman blanked European champion Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 11-0.

"The gold medal has given me confidence before some busy months later in the year," Aman said. "This gold is also special because tomorrow [Thursday] is my birthday."

Feng LU (CHN) scores the match-winning takedown against Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) to win gold at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The surprise of the day came at 74kg as Feng LU (CHN) scored a takedown in the last 15 seconds to complete a 3-3 criteria win over former world champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) in the final. Kaipanov, leading 1-0, scored a takedown right off the whistle after the break to lead 3-1, with the one point for Lu coming from a reversal.

Lu did quick level change, pushing Kaipanov and then bringing him down for two points to take the criteria lead. Lu defended his lead to claim the gold medal.

Pan-American champion Ridge LOVETT (USA) won gold at 70kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Pan-American champion Ridge LOVETT (USA), who pinned U23 world champion Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) in the semifinal at 70kg, finished his day with the gold medal after he secured a controlled 6-0 win over Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) in the final.

The weight class did throw a few surprises as Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) defeated Islam DUDAEV (ALB), 4-4, but then he lost to Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL). The Mongolian looked good to win the gold medal but Kemertelidze stunned him 3-2 in the semifinal.

Silver medalist at the Ulaanbaatar Open in June, Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) upgraded the colour of his medal to gold in Budapest after a 2-2 criteria win over U23 world bronze medalist Tolga OZBEK (TUR) in the 61kg final.

Ozbek led 1-1 on criteria after both wrestlers finished their activity periods. But the Türkiye wrestler took the a 2-1 lead with a minute remaining with a stepout. He tried to defend this lead but Aitakyn managed to push Ozbek's head outside to get a point and take the 2-2 criteria lead with 12 seconds remaining and clinch the gold medal.

At 86kg, Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) won the gold medal after Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) pulled off due to a knee injury he suffered while performing a leg lace in the semifinal that he won.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: AMAN (IND) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 13-3

BRONZE: Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 6-1
BRONZE: Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) df. Timothy LEVINE (CAN), 6-2

61kg
GOLD: Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) df. Tolga OZBEK (TUR), 2-2

BRONZE: Adilet ALMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 6-5
BRONZE: DEEPAK (IND) df. Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE), 9-8

65kg
GOLD: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) df. Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI), 12-2

BRONZE: Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ) df. Mohit KUMAR (IND), 12 -2
BRONZE: Vishal KALIRAMANA (IND) df. Ossimzhan DASTANBEK (KAZ), 8-2

70kg
GOLD: Ridge LOVETT (USA) df. Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), 6-0

BRONZE: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ), 8-2
BRONZE: Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) df. Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE), 6-5

74kg
GOLD: Feng LU (CHN) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 3-3

BRONZE: William LEWAN (USA) df. Muhammed BESIR (TUR), via fall
BRONZE: Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) df. Ibragim VELIEV (BEL), 11-0

86kg
GOLD: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO) df. Abylaikhan UZEMBAYEV (KAZ), 12-2
BRONZE: Alperen ATAR (TUR) df. Nan CAO (CHN), 5-3

UNSTOPPABLE SADULAEV!

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Mamedov, Aman Dominate to Gold Amid Surprises in Budapest