#WrestleBelgrade

#WrestleBelgrade Day Two GR Finals Preview

Sunday, September 11, 2022 - 14:05 By Eric Olanowski

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BELGRADE, Serbia (September 11) --- Sunday night at 18:00 (local time), we’ll hand out 2022 world title belts at 55kg, 72kg, 77kg and 87kg. 

At 55kg, fellow world champions Eldaniz AZIZLI ?? and Nugzari TSURTSUMIA ?? will meet in a rematch from the 2022 European Championships.

At 72kg, Ali ARSALAN ?? will have to get through Ulvi GANIZADE ?? to win gold on home soil and become Serbia’s fourth-ever GR world champion.

In the 77kg finals, Olympic silver medalist Akzhol MAKHMUDOV ?? will wrestle Hungary's rising star Zoltan LEVAI ??.

Defending world champion Zurabi DATUNASHVILI ?? will have his hands full in the 87kg finals as he’ll take on ’22 European Turpal BISULTANOV ??, who is undefeated on the year. He's outscored his opponents 52-1 during his ’22 campaign. 

The Day 2 finals from Belgrade begin at 18:00

Join the conversation on all social channels @UnitedWorldWrestling and use the #WrestleBelgrade. 

Finals matchups:
55kg - Nugzari TSURTSUMIA ?? vs. Eldaniz AZIZLI ?? 
72kg - Ulvi GANIZADE ?? vs. Ali ARSALAN ?? 
77kg - Akzhol MAKHMUDOV ?? vs. Zoltan LEVAI ??
87kg Turpal BISULTANOV ?? vs. Zurabi DATUNASHVILI ??

#BeachWrestling

Sakurai swaps mat for sand, wins Beach Wrestling gold

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 - 09:01 By Vinay Siwach

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TOKYO (May 13) -- Paris Olympic champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) made a return to competition for the first time since August last year. However, it was not on the mat.

Sakurai, who won gold medal at 57kg in Paris, returned to compete in beach wrestling. She wrestled at the Japan Beach Wrestling National Team Qualifying Tournament held in Tachikawa, Tokyo on Sunday and won gold at 60kg

"It may sound strange for me to say it, but I felt that I was suited to it," Sakurai was quoted by Japan Olympic Committee.

Sakurai, who is not entered for the June 19-22 Meiji Cup, Japan's qualifying tournament for the World Championships in September, is now qualified to compete for Japan in Beach Wrestling this year.

"Since I am qualified for the international tournament, I will try to participate," she said. "I want to be number one. I'll practice on the sandy beaches of Kochi [Prefecture]."

The three-time world champion, however, did not rule out the possibility of returning to the mat soon.

"I am still practicing on the mat and when I feel like I am ready, I will be back on the mat," she said.