#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW President Lalovic meets Azerbaijan Economic Minister, federation President Jabbarov

By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (December 12) -- United World Wrestling President Nenad LALOVIC met with Economic Minister of Azerbaijan Mikayil JABBAROV, who is also the President of the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation, in Baku on Wednesday.

They were accompanied by Namik ALIYEV, UWW Bureau Member and Gordon TEMPLEMAN, Director of Commercial Operations & Communications at UWW.

The discussions between the two parties revolved around the growth of wrestling in Azerbaijan, Grappling, Pankration, Amateur MMA, and an inaugural pro league in wrestling by UWW.

"We were pleased to meet with Nenad LALOVIC, President of United World Wrestling," Jabbarov wrote in a social media post. "During our discussion, we highlighted the initiatives undertaken to develop wrestling in Azerbaijan, including efforts to train young talents and enhance cooperation to further elevate the professionalism and international achievements of our athletes.

We were pleased to meet with Nenad Lalović, President of United World Wrestling (@wrestling). During our discussion, we highlighted the initiatives undertaken to develop wrestling in #Azerbaijan, including efforts to train young talents and enhance cooperation to further elevate… pic.twitter.com/qtwcY80JS1

— Mikayil Jabbarov (@MikayilJabbarov) December 11, 2024

"We also emphasized that the inclusion of the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in the leadership of UWW’s newly established Committee for Grappling, Pankration, and Amateur MMA reflects the high level of trust placed in our country’s wrestling community."

Azerbaijan has been a hotspot of wrestling and hosted the European Olympic Games Qualifier for the Paris Games in 2024. It also hosted the U23 European Championships and European Grappling Championships. In 2022, it played host to the Greco-Roman World Cup. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Azerbaijan qualified 12 wrestlers and won three bronze medals.

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Munkhtur leads Mongolian charge at Ulaanbaatar Open

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 1) -- Sunday saw the biggest crowd at the Buyant Ukhaa Sports Complex during the four-day Ulaanbaatar Open 2025.

Backed by vocal fans and some top-tier technical wrestling, the host country won three gold medals on the final day of the tournament.

Apart from two-time world medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL), Asian bronze medalist Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) and veteran Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) won gold medals.

Paris Olympian Munkhtur was the most assured of the lot, winning the 125kg gold medal with rather ease. In a Nelson bracket, Munkhtur was in Group A with Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW) and Narantulga DARMAABAZAR (MGL). He won his first bout against Khramiankou 9-0 before beating Darmaabazar 6-2.

In the semifinals, Munkhtur faced another Mongolian, Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL), and won 5-1 to set up the final against Khramiankou who managed to win his semifinal as well.

But the final was a similar story as the group match as Munkhtur won 5-0, scoring two takedowns in the match and captured the third gold medal of the evening for Mongolia.

Earlier, Asian Championships silver medalist Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) posted a thrilling 6-3 win over Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX), 6-3, escaping a gut-wrench attempt from Bravo Young in last 10 seconds to score two points.

Batkhuyag led 2-0 but Bravo Young scored a takedown and tried to turn the Mongolian, who escaped and got a point to lead 3-2 and then turned the Mexican to make it 5-2. A reversal gave Bravo Young another point but Mexico challenged the scoring.

As the challenge was lost, Batkhuyag won 6-3 and celebrated winning his first Ranking Series gold.

Bravo Young had defeated AMAN (IND) in the semifinals earlier, a thrilling 14-11 win which was ultimately called a pin. Aman led 10-6 when Bravo Young hit a crafty move to score four points and make it 11-10. He scored a takedown via single leg and a turn in the final 10 seconds to win the semifinal. 

Soon after, 32-year-old Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) added another gold by beating Asian Championships silver medalist UDIT (IND), 6-4, in the 61kg final.

Tumenbileg faked a leg attack and scored a takedown before turning Udit twice to lead 6-0. As Udit tried making a comeback for five minutes, he could only manage four points and lost the final.

Iran won two gold medals as well as Fariborz BABAEI (IRI) at 79kg and Ahmad BAZRI (IRI) claimed the gold medal at 97kg. 

Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) also took a big step at 65kg by winning the gold medal after blanking Dzhambulat KIZINOV (UWW), 6-0 in the final.

Konstantin KAPRYNOV (UWW), the silver medalist at Yarygin tournament, followed his win over Zagir SHAKHIEV (UWW) by winning the gold medal at 70kg. He defeated Aliakbar FAZLI (IRI), 6-0, in the gold medal bout.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) df. Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX), 6-3

BRONZE: Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL) df. RAHUL (IND), 9-7
BRONZE: AMAN (IND) df. Bekir KESER (TUR), 12-2

61kg
GOLD: Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) df. UDIT (IND), 6-4

BRONZE: Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ) df. Artem GOBAEV (UWW), via fall
BRONZE: Anzor MAZHIDOV (UWW) Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)

65kg
GOLD: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Dzhambulat KIZINOV (UWW), 6-0

BRONZE: Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ) df. Turbayar DAVAANYAM (MGL), 12-2
BRONZE: Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) df. Junsik YUN (KOR), 10-5

70kg
GOLD: Konstantin KAPRYNOV (UWW) df. Aliakbar FAZLI (IRI), 6-0

BRONZE: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. Mohammadali AMOUZAD (IRI), 7-5
BRONZE: Zagir SHAKHIEV (UWW) df. Usukhbayar BAATARKHUU (MGL), 16-6

79kg
GOLD: Fariborz BABAEI (IRI) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 4-0

BRONZE: AMIT (IND) df. Dalaitseren JAVKHLANKHUU (MGL), via fall (14-14)

97kg
GOLD: Ahmad BAZRI (IRI) df. Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), 8-0

BRONZE: Resul GUNE (TUR) df. Irbeg TAVGAZOV (UWW), 4-2 
BRONZE: VICKY (IND) df. Uladzislau KAZLOU (UWW), 5-0

125kg
GOLD: Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 5-0

BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL), 11-1