#WrestleBelgrade GR Preview: RWF, Iran Bring Strong Teams for U23 Worlds

Friday, October 22, 2021 - 14:38 By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (October 22) -- Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) was preparing for the Senior World Championships last month when he contracted the COVID-19 virus and had to withdraw from Iran's Greco-Roman team.

A month after the senior team won second place in the team title race in Oslo, Iran, led by Tokyo Olympian Mirzazadeh, will look to replicate and even improve that position at the U23 World Championships which begin November 1, 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia.

Mirzazadeh finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics after losing to Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the bronze medal bout. Still, the former senior Asian champion at 130kg would like to win his second world title after winning the junior worlds 2019. In his only outing at the U23 level, he finished fifth at the 2017 World Championships.

However, there is no certainty for Mirzazadeh as the Russian Wrestling Federation is bringing a loaded roster to Belgrade. First, he could face Mikhail LAPTEV (RWF) who won the U23 European title in May. Laptev has been on the heels of Sergei SEMENOV (RWF) in the Greco-Roman team.

Another name that Mirzazadeh has to look out for is David OVASAPYAN (ARM). The Iranian wrestled him for the 2018 junior world gold and won that bout. But the Armenian made it to the final of the U23 Euros earlier this year.

A rematch of that final from May is well on the cards as Ovasapyan wrestled Laptev but lost 5-1. The two revenge matches will headline the weight class which goes into action on the first day of the competition along with 55kg, 63kg, 77kg and 87kg.

Both 77kg and 87kg can also see the repeat of the 2021 U23 European Championships finals at the respective weight classes. The 77kg finals opponents Sergei STEPANOV (RWF) and Per OLOFSSON (SWE) are entered into the Belgrade bracket. Stepanov defeated Olofsson 5-2 in the final. Bronze medalist from the same event Samvel GRIGORYAN (ARM) will also look to avenge his 8-3 semifinal loss to Stepanov.

But Tamas LEVAI (HUN), a certain dark horse of the weight class, will challenge everyone with his spectacular defense, along with junior world bronze medalist and Moldova's hope Alexandrin GUTU (MDA). The Moldovan lost to Olofsson 9-0 at the U23 Euros and did not compete further due to an injury.

Three-time age-group world medalist Sajan BHANWALA (IND), who finished fifth at U23 Worlds in 2019, will also look to find a place on the podium this year. However, former junior world champion Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) will not be a pushover as he won a bronze medal at the 2021 senior Asian Championships in Almaty.

Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) won a silver medal at the Senior World Championships in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

At 87kg, apart from U23 Euro champion and former junior world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (RWF) and silver medalist Temuri TCHKUASELIDZE (GEO), Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) will be the biggest name to have entered the field. In Oslo, Maskevich reached the final but lost to Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) to end up with a silver. He will be looking to win the world title to add to his Individual World Cup gold that he won in Belgrade in December 2020.

Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM) won a bronze at the U23 Euros after suffering a defeat at the hands of Tchkuaselidze and would like to turn around the result if the two meet again in Belgrade. 2020 senior Asian champion Sunil KUMAR (IND) would also like to win his first Worlds medal.

Leri ABULADZE Leri ABULAZDE (GEO) fell short in the final of the 63kg at the Oslo World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

The first day can also see a huge 63kg clash between 2019 World bronze medalist Alireza NEJATI (IRI) at 60kg and 2021 World silver medalist Leri ABULADZE (GEO). Nejati was at the Tokyo Olympics as well but finished 10th out of 16 competitors. Abuladze escaped from difficult positions in Oslo and ended up reaching the final where he lost 4-5 to Meysam DALKHANI (IRI).

The two will also face a challenge from U23 Euro champion Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) who had defeated Abuladze 1-1 in the semifinal of that tournament. He also entered at the senior World Championships but lost to Stig BERGE (NOR) in the opening round.

The 55kg weight class on the first day will feature '21 junior world bronze medalist Akyikat KULZHIGIT UULU (KGZ) and 2017 junior world champion Poya DAD MARZ (IRI). Mavlud RIZMANOV (RWF), the 2021 U23 Euro bronze medalist will also be a wrestler to keep an eye on.

On the second day of action in Belgrade, wrestlers from the 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg weight classes will be on the mat.

Kutuzov Sergei KUTUZOV (RWF) won a silver medal at the World Championships in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

The 72kg weight class promises to be a minefield as senior World silver medalist Sergei KUTUZOV (RWF) has entered along with U23 European champion at 67kg Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) who was also in Oslo. Kutuzov was dominant in his bouts in Oslo and suffered a heartbreaking loss in the final to Malkhos AMOYAN (ARM), the same wrestler who had defeated him in the semifinal of the U23 Europeans in Skopje.

Andrii KULYK (UKR) won a silver medal in Skopje and he will also be in Belgrade, which gives him a chance to his first world title. He defeated Idris IBAEV (GER) in the early rounds. The German also entered Belgrade.

At 60kg, Tokyo Olympian Kerem KAMAL (TUR) will be eyeing his first world title at the U23 level after missing it the last time. The Turkish wrestler, who has won a U23 European Championships, a junior world title and several others, has been off-color recently and this tournament can give him the opportunity to bounce back to top form. He did not compete at the U23 Euros this year, and in his absence, it was Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RWF) who won the title in Skopje. No one was able to score on the young wrestler who has also won the junior world title in 2019. A clash between the exciting Kamal and Allakhiarov will be a treat for the fans at the Belexpocentar.

Kamal's brother Kadir will also be making the trip to Belgrade and he will compete in the 67kg weight class. He lost a close final against Vancza 2-2 in U23 Euros but this could be his chance to win the first gold at a World Championships. Standing in his path are Oleksii MASYK (UKR) who met him in the semifinal of the U23 Euros, a meeting which Kamal won.

Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is a junior world champion for Azerbaijan. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

But a bigger challenge would be to go past junior world champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) and silver medalist Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM). The two will be the biggest threat to the gold. In Ufa finals, Jafarov was dominant and beat Havhannisyan 7-0 to claim the gold.

This year, Jafarov has won a bronze at the U23 Euros, junior European and Worlds titles, and was at the Senior World Championships in Oslo. He went 3-2 and finished fifth after losing to Olympic and World champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and to Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) in the bronze medal bout.

All medalists from the 82kg weight class from U23 Euros minus Tamas LEVAI (HUN) are entered for the U23 Worlds and Shamil OZHAEV (RWF), who won gold in Skopje, will like to add the world title to his continental one. The only point Ozhaev surrendered in that event was a passivity point in the final and no other wrestler was able to score on him. Awaiting a clash with the Russian Wrestling Federation wrestler would be Yauheni YUROU (BLR) as he had lost to him 0-6 in that tournament.

The other bronze medalist Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) is also entered while Iran decided to send Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI), who won a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships in Ufa.

Artur SARGSIAN (RWF) will be looking to win his first world title. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Another big name and the favorite to win the 97kg title Artur SARGSIAN (RWF) will close out the day. He won a bronze medal at his first senior World Championships in Oslo. The big-throwing wrestler won the U23 Euros as well in May and he may face his opponent from that final Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO). Sargsian did not take much time in that match to finish Katsanashvili.

But one wrestler who Sargsian will be eyeing is Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN). The former junior world champion has a win over the RWF wrestler. Back in 2018, Savolainen won the junior gold in Slovakia after beating Sargsian in the pre-quarterfinals 7-0. The two are likely to clash in the 97kg weight class.

The tournament will certainly miss some of the quality Greco-Roman wrestlers from Korea, Japan and China. As travel is still complicated due to the pandemic, the three Asian countries, along with many others around the world, have decided to skip the tour, the final World Championships of 2021.

#wrestlebishkek

Asian Championships: Targeted Tazhudinov gets job done; Iran grabs 3 golds

Thursday, April 11, 2024 - 17:54 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 11) -- Last year, Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) burst into the spotlight by knocking off a couple of Olympic champions en route to a world gold. Now he has to deal with the constant glare of attention and having a target on his back.

Tazhudinov may not have been at his dominant best, but he got the job done in defeating Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) 4-2 in the freestyle 97kg final at the Asian Championships in Bishkek on Thursday to defend his title and continue a streak of tournament triumphs.

"The difference is that back then no one knew who I was," the 21-year-old Tazhudinov said of winning the Asian title in 2023. "Some would not take me seriously, some would think that I am a weak opponent, unlike now, everyone prepares to wrestle me and wants to win. So, now it’s tough."

Iran won three of the five freestyle golds at stake on the opening day at Bishkek Arena, with former world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) completing a three-peat at 65kg, and world medalists Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) and Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) picking up their first Asian titles at 70kg and 79kg, respectively.

The other title went to Kento YUMIYA (JPN), who pulled off a dramatic last-second victory in the 57kg final to win the gold in just his second international tournament on the senior level. It also gave Japan its first title in the lightest weight class since 2017.

Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) defends an attack from Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) during the 97kg final at the Asian Championships final in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Tazhudinov has firmly established himself as a wrestler to watch heading into the Paris Olympics, with his victory Thursday giving him six straight tournament titles dating back to last year's Asian Championships in Astana.

That streak of course includes his gold-medal run at the World Championships in September in Belgrade, where he pulled off shockingly one-sided victories in succession over superstars Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) en route to the gold.

At the same time, Aitmukhan all but went unnoticed as he captured the gold in the non-Olympic weight of 92kg as a teenager. Moving up to 97kg this year, he faced Tazhudinov for the first time last month at the Yasar Dogu tournament in Antalya, Turkey, and while he lost that encounter by fall while trailing 9-3, he gave a better accounting of himself in Bishkek.

In the final, Aitmukhan gave up an activity point but used a nice counter to score a stepout and take a 1-1 lead into the second period. Tazhunidov came back with a takedown and a stepout, although he seemed to reaggravate an elbow injury in the process.

"After Turkey I had my elbow injured," Tazhunidov said. "And till now I haven’t fully recovered. Every time I hit it or touch it, it hurts."

Aitmukhan scored a late stepout, but was unable to get through Tazhunidov's defenses to cut the gap any further.

"I can say that the match was tough," Tazhudinov said. "We know each other’s wrestling style now. No one wanted to take a risk. That’s why it wasn’t such a high-scoring match."

Tazhunidov was last defeated in February 2023 at the Alexandria Ranking Series tournament. After that, he triumphed at the Asian Championships, Bishkek Ranking Series, World Championships and Asian Games in 2023, and at Yasar Dogu this year.

"I am glad that I could make all the people close to me happy, all those who support me all the time," Tazhudinov said.

Looking ahead, he said, "There isn’t any specific plan for the Olympics yet. We are going to sit and talk with the coach, and he will tell us what to do."

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) won his third consecutive Asian Championships gold at 65kg after beating Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) in the final on Thursday. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 65kg, Amouzad repeated his victory from last year's final over Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), while also avenging a loss to the Mongolian for the gold at the Asian Games last October.

Amouzad scored a first-period takedown off an underhook, then gave up an activity point in the second period to account for all of the scoring in a 2-1 victory. The combatants spent the majority of the match locked up in a mutual over-underhook position.

Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) won his first Asian Championships after a thrilling win in the 70kg final against Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Yazdani, a two-time world silver medalist, followed by rallying to a wild 13-9 victory in the 70kg final over world U23 silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), who added the silver to the bronze he won a year ago.

Both wrestlers had 4-point moves in the first period, with Yazdani scoring his late to take a 6-5 lead into the second. Aoyagi went ahead 9-6 with a backdoor takedown and a head-between-the-thighs roll, only to see the Iranian take the lead on criteria with 20 seconds left with a stepout and takedown. Yazdani countered a last-ditch, body lock lift attempt by Aoyagi for a final 4-pointer.

"It was a close match," Yazdani said. "The Japanese wrestler was very good, and I wish him all the best. He was leading 9-7, but I tried to be focused on the match and tried to go for a comeback because I didn’t want to lose."

While Yazdani already has two world silver medals, it marked his first appearance at a senior Asian Championships, which made the victory more special.

"It was my first gold medal, and I am very happy about it," he said. "At the outset, I was behind... and I was thinking that it would be another silver medal for me. But suddenly, everything changed. I said to myself that I should try more."

Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) won the 79kg gold medal after a technical superiority win over Byambadorj ENKHBAYAR (MGL) in the final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In the only match of the medal round that did not go the distance, Nokhodi cruised to a 12-2 technical fall over Byambadorj ENKHBAYAR (MGL) in the 79kg final, giving him a gold to go with a bronze from his only previous appearance in 2019.

Nokhodi, winner of the Zagreb Open in January, chalked up three takedowns in succession, following the third one with a 2-point exposure. But as he went for a gut wrench that would have ended the match, Enkhbayar stopped it to gain two points himself to make it 8-2 and keep his hopes alive.

It all ended 27 seconds into the second period when Nokhodi caught the Mongolian in a cradle for a takedown and exposure.

"It is the first time that I have achieved the gold medal at the senior Asian Championships, but I will try my best to obtain the gold medal in the World Championships this year," said Nokhodi, the world bronze medalist last year after taking silvers in 2021 and 2022.

Nokhodi had to survive a close call in his opening match, when he squandered a five-point lead against Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) before holding on for a 5-4 victory.

"My first match was against a Bahraini wrestler, and I was leading 5-0," Nokhodi recalled. "With just one minute remaining, I suddenly looked at the scoreboard and noticed that the time had been stopped for a while.

"It caused me to lose concentration and give up two points. The match continued, but my attention was again on the scoreboard, so I lost two more points in par terre position but finally won the match 5-4."

Asked why he continues to compete in the non-Olympic weight, Nokhodi replied, "The situation of my body weight caused me not to try my luck for the Olympics this year. Because it was not easy to go back to 74 kilos and my weight was not enough to wrestle at 86 kilos. Therefore, I prefer to stay at 79 kilos this year."

Kento YUMIYA (JPN) celebrates after scoring a stepout to win 5-4 in the 57kg final against UDIT (IND). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 57kg, Yumiya scored a stepout in the final second to defeat UDIT (IND) 5-4 in a clash of young, up-and-coming wrestlers.

"I don't remember the last 10 seconds," Yumiya said with a laugh. "I was too desperate and so excited, I had no choice but to just do it and I gave it everything I had."

Yumiya was trailing 4-4 on criteria with the clock ticking down when he shot in on a single leg, got the leg in the air and bulled his way out of the ring with :01 left to cap an entertaining, non-stop final.

In the first period, Yumiya received an activity point, but Udit scored two with an inner leg counter roll just before the buzzer for a 2-1 lead. Udit added a point with a steoput off a scramble, but Yumiya replied with a 2-point exposure during a spin behind. An unsuccessful challenge to that call put the Japanese up 4-3.

But Udit, who made a habit of coming from behind to win during the day, tied the match to go ahead on criteria with a stepout that Yumiya did a good job of preventing from being a takedown. That set up the last-second heroics by the Japanese.

"It was a very tight match and at the end, it was tough, but the desire to not lose and never give up led to the victory," said Yumiya, who made his international senior debut this year in Antalya, where he placed eighth.

As a member of the powerhouse Nippon Sports Science University team, the 20-year-old Yumiya trains with Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), the 2016 Olympic silver medalist whose silver medal at the World Championships clinched his place at the Paris Olympics. Higuchi, as a NSSU alumnus, practices with the group.

"I train with him regularly and I'm in an environment with a very high level," Yumiya said. "Every day I try to challenge him and I think [gold medal] was the result."

Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) was one of the two Kyrgyzstan wrestler to win bronze medal on the first day of the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Anodnov)

Host country lands 2 bronzes

In bronze-medal matches, Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) and Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ) won the first medals of the tournament for the host country, while Kum Hyok KIM (PRK) gave the DPR Korea its first freestyle medal since 2018 in its return after a five-year absence.

Zholdoshbekov picked up his fifth career Asian medal -- four bronzes and a 2020 gold -- when he scored two takedowns in the final minute to edge Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB) 6-4 at 65kg.

Osmonov, who already has a world bronze from 2021, added a continental one with a 3-3 victory on criteria over Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK) at 70kg. Akhmedov scored a stepout and takedown in the first period, and Osmonov repeated the process in the second, making him the winner on the last-point criteria.

Kim put the DPR Korea onto the medal table by defeating Ebrahim KHARI (IRI) 7-4 at 57kg, which denied Iran a medal in all five weight classes.

Leading 3-2, Kim caught Khari napping on a restart and easily scored a takedown with a quick shot on the whistle. He added an exposure but found himself in some danger when Khari stuffed a roll attempt for two points of his own and a chance for a fall. But Kim quickly scrambled off his back and held on for the win.

Two-time former champion Mohammadhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) added a bronze when he rolled to a 7-0 victory over Hibiki ITO (JPN) at 97kg. Mohammadian scored a 4-point takedown and a stepout in the first period, then added a takedown in the second.

India came away with two bronzes, as VICKY (IND) scored four takedowns in a 10-1 rout of Andrey ARONOV (KGZ) at 97kg to deny Kyrgyzstan a third medal, while ABHIMANYOU (IND) scored all of his points in the second period to pull out a 6-5 victory over Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB) at 70kg.

Masanosuke ONO (JPN) will take home the other bronze at 65kg, after riding the five points he scored in the first minute of his bout with ROHIT (IND) to a 5-3 victory.

Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) captured the other 57kg bronze, scoring three takedowns in a 7-2 win over Weiyu LI (CHN).

At 79kg, Asomiddin KHASANOV (UZB) spotted Azamat OMURZHANOV (KAZ) a six-point lead before storming back for a 9-6 victory, while Saipudinov crushed Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) 10-2.

Day 1 Results

Freestyle

57kg (15 entries)
GOLD: Kento YUMIYA (JPN) df. UDIT (IND), 5-4

BRONZE: Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) df. Weiyu LI (CHN), 7-2
BRONZE: Kum Hyok KIM (PRK) df. Ebrahim KHARI (IRI), 7-4

65kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 2-1

BRONZE: Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) df. Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB), 6-4
BRONZE: Masanosuke ONO (JPN) df. ROHIT (IND), 5-3

70kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), 13-9

BRONZE: Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ) df. Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK), 3-3
BRONZE: ABHIMANYOU (IND) df. Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB), 6-5

79kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) df. Byambadorj ENKHBAYAR (MGL) by TF, 12-2, 3:27

BRONZE: Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 10-2
BRONZE: Asomiddin KHASANOV (UZB) df. Azamat OMURZHANOV (KAZ), 9-6

97kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), 4-2

BRONZE: Mohammadhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) df. Hibiki ITO (JPN), 7-0
BRONZE: VICKY (IND) df. Andrey ARONOV (KGZ), 10-1

#WrestleBelgrade GR Preview: RWF, Iran Bring Strong Teams for U23 Worlds

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Asian Championships: Targeted Tazhudinov gets job done; Iran grabs 3 golds