Rahimi, Lebedev, 57kg, World Championships

UNSTOPPABLE SADULAEV!

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

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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.  

 

#WrestleNoviSad

Farokhi, Hedayati lead Iran's golden charge at U23 Worlds

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 - 15:58 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 21) -- Iran’s Greco-Roman dominance shows no signs of slowing down. After winning team titles at the U17 World Championships in Athens, the U20 Worlds in Samokov, and the senior event in Zagreb, Iran looks poised to complete a clean sweep in Novi Sad as Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) and Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) claimed gold medals at the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2025 on Tuesday.

World champion Farokhi and defending champion Hedayati, who celebrated his birthday as well on Tuesday, won gold medals in dominant fashion at 87kg and 130kg respectively.

"I was able to win two back-to-back tough matches at the World Championships and bring home two gold medals," Farokhi said. "These were high-level competitions."

Farokhi, a gold medalist at 82kg in Zagreb, moved up to 87kg for Novi Sad but had no troubles in switching weights. As he did in Zagreb, Farokhi brought his best game in par terre and rolled to his second gold in one month after a 9-0 victory in the final against Ivan CHMYR (UKR), his fifth technical superiority victory.

After being put on top in par terre, Farokhi launched a trap-arm gut and turned Chmyr four times for the win. Ukraine threw one of those ever increasing challenges for no reason but lost it to add one more point to Farokhi's score.

"When you move up a weight class, the opponents are definitely stronger and tougher," Farokhi said. "It was a good experience, and it gave me a better sense of how I can perform at 87 kg -- an Olympic weight class"

Hedayati, who has not lost an international bout since his 2022 U20 World Championships finals loss, showed why he will dominate the 130kg weight class for years to come.

Up against Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) in the final, Hedayati began with takedown on the edge for two points. Kurdyan was put in par terre and from there Hedayati turned him twice to extend his lead to 7-0. With just 23 seconds left before the break, Hedayati scored a stepout to finish the final 8-0 and claim his second straight U23 world title.

At 63kg, Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) upended returning 63kg U23 world champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 6-3, in the final using a four-point suplex from par terre to score his points.

Eriomenco, who had defeated Babashov in the U23 European finals, looked very dominant in run up to the final while Babashov had some tough bouts on Monday. But the Azerbaijan wrestler began aggressively and managed to earn first par terre advantage.

He performed a suplex for four points to make his lead 5-0 and take huge step towards winning his first ever world title. He further consolidated his position when he defended from par terre in the second period and gave up only stepout to Eriomenco as the score changed to 5-2.

Babashov then countered an attack from the Moldova wrestler and forced him to stepout outside to extend his lead to 6-2. He gave up one more stepout but held on to the 6-3 lead to win the gold medal.

With the win, he now leads the head-to-head against Eriomenco 2-1 as both have traded victories at 2024 U23 European Championships and its 2025 edition with the Moldovan one being the more recent winner.

Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR)Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) holds off Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO) in the 77kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A silver medalist from 2023 at the U23 Worlds, Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) managed to win gold at 77kg as he defeated Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 4-1, in the final.

Orjonikidze was himself to blame for the loss as he committed a defensive leg foul in the first period when Mirzoiev got the par terre position and as he was trying to lift, Orjonikidze blocked him with his leg, giving a 3-0 lead to the Ukrainian.

Georgia challenged the decision but on review, it was confirmed that a leg foul was indeed committed. The lost challenge gave one more point to Mirzoiev.

Orjonikidze got the par terre position in the second period but he failed to score any points and Mirzoiev easily defended his 4-1 lead to eventually claimed the gold medal.

Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR)Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) defeated Richard KARELSON (EST) in the 97kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Yakushenko closer to U23 title

U20 world champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) is a win away from winning his second world tittle three months after he reached the 97kg final at U23 World Championships. He defeated European Championships silver medalist Richard KARELSON (EST) 6-3 in the semifinals.

Karelson tried to make a match of it but Yakushenko scored a four-pointer from par terre to lead 5-0 before Karelson scored a takedown. But Yakushenko got a stepout to lead 6-2. He defended his lead despite Karelson getting par terre in the second period.

He will face Asian U23 champion Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) who rolled to a 9-1 win over Maksim AVERIN (UWW), scoring four turns from par terre in the second period.

At 55kg, U23 European champion Alibek AMIROV (UWW) will face Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) in the final after he defeated Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ) in the semifinal. Amirov was down 2-1 when he got the 

Aliyev hit a beautiful headlock for four against 2024 U17 world champion Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) before securing the fall in the semifinal.

Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) will take on Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY) for the gold medal at 67kg after he defeated Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW), 1-1, having the criteria from the first point score in a 1-1 finish.

Andelrehim led 4-1 when his opponent in the semifinal, Attila JOZSA (HUN), injury default for a leg injury.

Seven years after winning the U17 World Championships gold medal, Abror ATABAEV (UZB) will have a chance to win a second world title after he reached the 72kg final. After getting the first par terre and 1-1 lead against Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ), Atabaev defended his par terre position and kept the 1-1 criteria lead.

Maulitkanov threw everything at Atabaev in the final two minutes but the Uzbekistan defended all the attacks. Atabaev was close to giving up a takedown in the final 15 seconds but he managed to keep himself up and then score a pushout to lead 2-1. Kazakhstan challenged the call but it was a clear stepout and the lost challenge made it 3-1 for Atabaev.

He will face former Asian champion Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) for gold after the Iranian defended his 1-1 criteria lead against Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM). The final will be battle of two Asian champion as Atabaev won that title in 2023.

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 6-3

BRONZE: Dordzhi SHUNGURTSIKOV (UWW) df. Servet ANGI (TUR), 6-1
BRONZE: Adham ELSAYED (EGY) df. Kuttubek ABDURAZAKOV (KGZ), 3-2

77kg
GOLD: Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) df. Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) df. Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 3-3
BRONZE: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN), 4-2

87kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Ivan CHMYR (UKR), 10-0

BRONZE: Payton JACOBSON (USA) df. Lachin VALIYEV (AZE), 5-3
BRONZE: Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Yassine BEN LABED (POL), 5-1

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Razmik KURDYAN (ARM), 8-0

BRONZE: Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) df. Saba CHILASHVILI (GEO), via fall (4-0)
BRONZE: Aleksandr MELEKHOV (UWW) df. Artur SARKISJAN (CZE), 9-1

Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE)  vs. Alibek AMIROV (UWW)

SF 1: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) df. Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI), via fall (5-1)
SF 2: Alibek AMIROV (UWW) df. Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ), via fall (7-2)

67kg
GOLD: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) vs. Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY)

SF 1: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) df. Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW), 1-1
SF 2: Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY) df. Attila JOZSA (HUN), via inj. def. (4-1)

72kg
GOLD: Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Abror ATABAEV (UZB)

SF 1: Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM), 1-1
SF 2: Abror ATABAEV (UZB) df. Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) vs. Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 6-3 
SF 2: Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) df. Maksim AVERIN (UWW), 9-1