#WrestleSkopje

Valiev Leads Russian Trio Into Finals; Arushanian, Gadzhiev Crowned Euro Champs

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 20:47 By Vinay Siwach

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SKOPJE, North Macedonia (May 18) --- Chermen VALIEV (RUS) was the highlight of another successful day for Russia as three wrestlers made it to the finals on day two of the U23 European Championships in Skopje, North Macedonia.

Amanula RASULOV (RUS) and Atsamaz TEBLOEV (RUS) were the two other Russian wrestlers to reach the final at 86kg and 125kg respectively. Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia also advanced two wrestlers each to the finals while Georgia managed to enter one wrestler as well.

Russia had entered four wrestlers in the final on day one of the competition at the Jane Sandanski Arena and with three more on Tuesday, their tally reached seven.

Valiev's day began with the qualification round as he faced Lucas KAHNT (GER). But Valiev did not take much time for his 11-1 win. In the 1/8 finals, Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) did pose some trouble but Valiev came out on top 9-2. Krisztian BIRO (ROU) was the next to suffer as Valiev won the quarterfinal 10-0.

In the semifinal, Valiev had a slow start and led 2-0 at the break against Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO). He began the second period with a push out when he was put on the activity clock. Gamkrelidze later had Valiev in the danger zone but the Russian managed to switch position and instead score a four-point throw via a double leg attack. He won 7-1.

Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM) will try and stop Valiev from winning the gold on Wednesday as he made the final from the other side.

His three wins to reach the final were either technical superiority or via fall. Simon MARCHL (AUT) was the first to witness Alikhanyan's exploits as the Armenian won 10-0. In the quarterfinal, he pinned Isa DEMIR (TUR) before Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) suffered the same fate in the semifinal.

Rasulov will be looking for his first U23 Euro title as well as he reached the 86kg final. After wins over Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN) and Emre CIFTCI (TUR) with an identical scoreline of 8-2, Rasulov secured a victory by fall in the semifinal against Andrian GROSUL (MDA) in just one minute and 40 seconds.

But it won't be a cakewalk to the gold medal as he faces multiple time junior World Championships medalist Orkhan ABASOV (AZE) in the final.

Abasov came up with a big five-point throw in the semifinal against Lars SCHAEFLE (GER) to lead 7-0. But his worsening gas tank in the second period saw him give up points for step outs and a takedown. Fortunately for him, his big lead helped him win 8-7 in the end.

Osman NURMAGOMEDOV U23 European Championships

At 92kg, senior European Championships bronze medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) reached the final after overcoming Azamat ZAKUEV (RUS) 5-4 in a closely contested quarterfinal.

Then in the semifinal against Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR), he scored four points in the first period and defended that lead until the clock expired to win 4-0. He will face Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) in the final.

Yaylaci showed so signs of mercy for his opponents as he won by technical superiority in the qualification round and via fall in the quarterfinals. Up against former cadet and junior world champion Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) in the semifinal, he went into a tactical mode and etched out a 6-2 win.

Anil KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) was the second Turkish wrestler to reach the final on Tuesday as he pulled off a close 4-3 win against Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE) in the 125kg semifinal.

He will try his fate against Atsamaz TEBLOEV (RUS), who completely dominanted the day, in the final on Wednesday. Tebloev cleared the qualification round with a 10-0 win over Uvejs FEJZULAHU (MKD) before humbling junior and U23 World silver medalist Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR) with a similar scoreline.

In the semifinal, Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (BLR) had no answers to Tebloev's attacks and suffered a victory by fall after the Russian had built a 14-2 lead.

At 61kg, Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO) managed to reach his first U23 Euro final in four attempts and finishing with bronze medal three years ago. He will take on Razmik PAPIKYAN (ARM) in the final.

Arushanian, Gadzhiev Euro champs

In a bout that has the potential to become the bout of the year, junior world champion at 70kg Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) captured his first U23 European title as he defeated Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (RUS) 13-10 in the 65kg final.

Kudiev had Arushanian to his back early in the bout but could not control him there for long. That scramble gave both the wrestler two points each and a 3-2 lead to the Ukrainian.

Two takedowns later, he led 7-2 with Kudiev struggling to break into his defence. He did give up a takedown but scored a four-point throw from a head lock to lead 11-4.

Kudiev then reciprocated with a front head lock four points as well to make it 11-8. But a double leg takedown for Arushanian all but sealed the gold medal.

Dzhabrail GADZHIEV U23 European Championships

Another former age-group world champion Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) held on to a nervous 5-5 win over Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) to clinch the 70kg gold medal.

With just over over a minute remaining in the bout, Gadzhiev stepped with a two exposure to level it 4-4 and lead on criteria as Grahmez had scored two points via pushouts. Gadzhiev and Grahmez exchanged a stepout each in the last few seconds but that still gave the win to the Azerbaijan wrestler.

Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) began the medal round with a gold medal winning performance for Russia as he defeated Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) 6-0 at 57kg.

In his typical calm manner of wrestling, Idrisov managed to evade everything Rzazade threw at him and scored three takedowns in the final.

The second Russian to win the gold was Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) who defeated Radu LEFTER (MDA) 10-0 via technical superiority.

Ramazan SARI (TUR) denied Russia their third gold medal of the night he scored a 14-4 win over Khalid IAKHIEV (RUS). Sari, a bronze medalist at U23 World Championships, took advantage of Iakhiev continuous attacks and scored three four-point throws in the final.

Ramazan Ishak SARI U23 European Championships

Women's wrestling will begin in five weight classes -- 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg -- on Wednesday in Skopje.

Results:

Freestyle Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Razmik PAPIKYAN (ARM) vs Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO)

SF 1: Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO) df Nico MEGERLE (GER), 4-0
SF 2: Razmik PAPIKYAN (ARM) df Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR), 3-2

74kg
GOLD: Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM) vs Chermen VALIEV (RUS)

SF 1: Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM) df Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), 12-2
SF 2: Chermen VALIEV (RUS) df Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 7-1

86kg
GOLD: Amanula RASULOV (RUS) vs Orkhan ABASOV (AZE)

SF 1: Amanula RASULOV (RUS) df Andrian GROSUL (MDA), via fall
SF 2: Orkhan ABASOV (AZE) df Lars SCHAEFLE (GER), 8-7

92kg
GOLD: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) vs Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)

SF 1: Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) df Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 6-2
SF 2: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR), 4-0

125kg
GOLD: Atsamaz TEBLOEV (RUS) vs Anil KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)

SF 1: Anil KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) df Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE), 4-3
SF 2: Atsamaz TEBLOEV (RUS) df Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (BLR), via fall (14-2)

FS Medal Bouts

57kg
GOLD: Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) df Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), 6-0

BRONZE: Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO) df Kamil KERYMOV (UKR), 5-3
BRONZE: Simone PIRODDU (ITA) df Hafiz HASDEMIR (TUR), 4-1

65kg
GOLD: Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) df Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (RUS), 13-10

BRONZE: Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) df Uladzislau KOIKA (BLR), 10-0
BRONZE: Cavit ACAR (TUR) df Marwane Ahmed YEZZA (FRA), inj def

70kg
GOLD: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) df Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA), 5-5

BRONZE: Inalbek SHERIEV (RUS) df Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO), 8-2
BRONZE: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df Denys BOROHAN (UKR), 3-2

79kg
GOLD: Ramazan Ishak SARI (TUR) df Khalid IAKHIEV (RUS), 14-4

BRONZE: Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) df Goga MAMIAURI (GEO), 7-4
BRONZE: Valentyn BABII (UKR) df Salvatore DIANA (ITA), 11-1

97kg
GOLD: Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) df Radu LEFTER (MDA), 10-0

BRONZE: Aliaksei PARKHOMENKA (BLR) df Tsvetan EVTIMOV (BUL), 11-3
BRONZE: Islam ILYASOV (AZE) df Luka KHUTCHUA (GEO), 11-0

#WrestleTirana

Sadulaev shuts down Taylor in World Championships showdown

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - 11:59 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 30) -- Two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) would have expected his return to the World Championships to make all the noise in Tirana. After all, it had been two years since he last competed at the World Championships.

Enter Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) and David TAYLOR (USA). The former, who last won the world title in 2021, was not able to compete at the Paris Olympics and was injured during the semifinal of the 2023 World Championships.

Taylor, world champion in 2023, missed the Paris Olympics after losing the trials in the United States, announced his retirement and took a coaching job. He came out of retirement and decided to compete at the World Championships and retire.

Both are not 92kg wrestlers. Sadulaev has been a true 97kg for eight years now. Taylor is competing at this weight for the first time after dominating 86kg for years. But the two were pitted against each other in the opening round of the World Championships in Tirana at 92kg.

The small Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana did not have space to sit. So where one could, they stood to watch the two wrestle. Saudulaev in a singlet not meant for his 92kg body. Taylor, in his customary elbow on the thigh and waiting for his opponent.

No one knew what was going to happen. Sadulaev was reducing weight, and Taylor was gaining. How would the two match up? It was this lack that prompted the fans to cheer for both. But after the first period, the picture became much clearer. Sadulaev shut down Taylor's offense and came out of the pressure bout 7-0.

After the initial collar ties, Taylor went for the offense. He got on Sadulaev's leg and tried the lift but Sadulaev was swift to get out of the hold. Taylor continued his attack. That's the only way he knows wrestling. Taylor took another offensive shot and Sadulaev, with lessons from the previous attack, pressured forward to neutralize the attack and scored a go-behind for two. Sadulaev resorted to heavy snapdowns and Taylor wasn't able to defend the second one. Within two minutes, Sadulaev was up 4-0.

The speed and power was Sadulaev was impressively superior to that of Taylor who decided to change a little in the second period. He went for the far leg of Sadulaev. But Sadulaev was quick and spun behind Taylor and scored a takedown with less than two minutes left.

By this time, Ghasempour had finished his bout on the other mat. He defeated Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 6-0 in a rather slow bout.

Sadulaev now had to defend his 5-0 lead. Taylor continued his aggressive approach and got on Sadulaev's right leg. What he did not expect was the quick counter from Sadulaev who pushed Taylor and scored an exposure for two. It was evident that Taylor could not match Sadulaev.

David TAYLOR (USA)David TAYLOR (USA) in the warm-up hall after his bout against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) at 92kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I did not score on the two times I shot and he did," Taylor said after the bout. "That was the difference. I needed to score on those two occasions."

Taylor and Sadulaev went to the warm-up hall but the former sat for more than 45 minutes in silence. He finally broke his silence and talked to the United States coaches after his leg attacks. After spending 30 more minutes gathering his thoughts, Taylor packed his bags and left.

On the training mats, Ghasempour and Sadulaev jogged before cooling down after their bouts. If both continue to win, they are expected to meet in the semifinals.

The match will be rather important for Taylor as well. He will hope for a Sadulaev win which will give him the chance to wrestle for the bronze medal.

"I expect him to make the finals and come back tomorrow," Taylor said. "I need to wrestle better that is my focus for now."

If he does wrestle Thursday, fans will only be treated to another blockbuster. A Ghasemoour-Taylor bout. The only downside will be that one will go home empty-handed.