#WrestleBudpest: Bisultanov dominates to 87kg gold; Kayaalp wins 11th title

Saturday, April 2, 2022 - 22:56 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (April 2) -- Denmark has hosted the World Championships only once -- 2009.

As the world descended in Herning that September, wrestling fans thronged the stadium. Among them was Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) and his brother Rajbek. And when the tournament ended, the two brothers went home inspired.

12 years after that World Championships in Herning, Bisultanov is a European champion. The 21-year-old switched from taekwondo to wrestling after the Worlds and has been breaking records for Denmark ever since.

Last year, he won the junior championships for Denmark after 17 years and Saturday, he won the gold for Denmark three years after his brother Rajbek won one in 2019. Rajbek's medal ended his country's 93-year wait for a senior continental gold.

The flamboyant 21-year-old outscored his opponents 35-0 over two days and with his crowd-pleasing style became a fan favorite in Budapest.

"I don't know what happened," Bisultanov said. "It's unbelievable. But I am here but I don't know what to say."

Wrestling Nicu OJOG (ROU) in the 87kg final, Bisultanov took only one minute and 13 seconds to finish the bout 8-0. In his four bouts, he did not wrestle the full six minutes in any, spending just over 13 minutes on the mat.

While he expected to wrestle world champion Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) in the final but Islam ABBASOV (AZE) defeated him before himself getting pinned by Ojog. Bisultanov is now waiting for a bout against the Serbian at the next competition.

"Zurabi is a fine wrestler," he said. "I am trying to learn how to fight him and other good wrestlers. But you can't forget the underdogs because they are also here to win the medal."

But no one could trouble Bisultanov here as his low-stance and high-paced wrestling made him a difficult opponent. Bisultanov explains he idolized Islambek ALBIEV (RWF) and Mark MADSEN (DEN) growing up and learned the style from the two.

Incidentally, both Albiev and Madsen won gold at the Herning World Championships.

But growing up, he did not have the same luxury as the two world champions as he had to attend school and travel to different countries if he wanted good partners.

"I have only one partner in Denmark and it's difficult to train," he said. "I have to attend school as well so I can't have more than three days a week for training. Other countries are training every day."

Most of Bisultanov's training is in Sweden or Norway. The members of the two teams were the first ones to congratulate him after the win.

Among them was Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) who wrestled at 82kg in Budapest but is expected to move to 87kg later this year. The two have been training together since childhood and are most likely to meet in an international competition soon.

"I don't know, may the best man win," he said. "We have fought each other since we were little. We were enemies as kids but now only on the mat."

Bisultanov's win in Budapest eased some of his pain from missing out on the medal in Oslo, where he finished fifth and now hopes to win one in Belgrade, hopefully, gold with a win over Datunashvili.

"I either win or learn," he said. "It was so painful to miss out on medals in Oslo and even at the Euros in Warsaw also. But I dream of winning gold at Olympics and Worlds."

Riza KAYAALP (TUR) now has 11 European titles. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Kayaalp wins 11th gold

Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is on a mission to break Alexander KARELIN (RWF) record of 12 European gold medals. He took another step closer to that by winning his 11th gold in Budapest. The four-time world champion defeated Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA), 4-0 in the 130kg final using a head-pinch exposure when the Italian was trying to push him out.

"This is my 12th final and my 11th win, it's an incredible feeling," Kayaalp said. "It always motivates me to be on top of the podium. I want to finish my career at the top. My goal is to break the records of wrestling legend Karelin."

Kayaalp has gold medals beginning from the 2010 European Championships. He missed out on medals in 2011 [silver] and 2020 [seventh]. In 2015, he won the European Games instead of the championships.

But when asked to compare his first and latest European gold, the 32-year-old said that age is catching up to him.

"It's harder to win the title every time," he said. "I feel a little older. I love wrestling and it is a part of my life and I am very happy and proud that I can do this since I was six years old."

He will now be looking to win the World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia which will be his fifth.

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) celebrates after beating Yunus BASAR (TUR) in the final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Two other world champions won gold in Budapest as Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) won the 77kg title while Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) captured the top medal at 55kg.

Amoyan, who won the gold in Oslo at 72kg, was making his debut at the 77kg and wrestled Yunus BASAR (TUR) in the final. He was called passive and gave up a gut wrench to trail 3-0 at the break. But he got the same action using a chest wrap in the second period to lead 3-3 on criteria.

Turkey challenged the call asking for a leg foul but the judges found no negative wrestling which gave another point to Amoyan, extending his lead 4-3 with two minutes remaining.

The silver medalist from Warsaw European Championships was again called passive but this time Basar could not get any exposure from par terre as Amoyan let out a loud scream to celebrate his maiden gold at the continental championships.

"Last year I got second place and it was my fault," Amoyan said. "But here I was focused only on wrestling for the gold and used the instructions of the coaches correctly."

Since he has moved up to an Olympic weight class, Amoyan thinks that winning gold at 77kg is slightly more significant than his gold in Oslo which came at 72kg.

"At the Worlds, I wrestled at 72kg weight class which is not an Olympic weight," he said. "But this gold in Budapest has its Olympic significance. Well, each of them has a special purpose in my life."

The win was even more special as he had beaten 77kg Oslo silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 6-5, in the semifinals. It was his first win over the Azerbaijan wrestler in three meetings.

After his semifinal and final wins, Amoyan also got a special pat on the back from the Rio Olympic champion and Tokyo silver medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) who was present during the celebrations.

"Artur helped me a lot, he was always close to our team, and his presence inspired our team to become winners," he said.

Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) won his second European title in Budapest. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Azizli wrestled his rival and world champion from 2019 Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO). Prior to this meeting, the two had wrestled each other four times with Azizli enjoying a perfect 4-0 record over Tsurtsumia. He extended that record to 5-0 when he won 8-2 in the 55kg final.

The two greeted each other with a hug before the final but there was no love on the mat as Azizli went on the offensive straight away. He got the point for his opponent's passivity and a roll gave him a 3-1 lead.

Tsurtsumia tried exposing with a head pinch but in turn, ended up giving two points. In the same action, Azizli scored two more and led 7-1 with two minutes remaining before closing out the bout 8-2.

Leri ABULADZE (AZE) gave Georgia the gold at 63kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Georgia did have a gold medalist Saturday as U23 World champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) added a European title to his resume. He wrestled Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) in the 63kg final and controlled it well. His one scoring action in par terre in the second period was enough to give him a 3-1 win over Mammadov, his first in two meetings.

"I was well prepared for this championship," Abuladze said. "I was waiting for this moment for quite a long time. I was ready and everything worked out just as I planned it."

Abuladze has also put behind the defeat in the 63kg final in Oslo to Meysam DALKHANI (IRI).

"The next World Championship is ahead and I don’t want to think of that championship in Oslo," he said. "I am 100 percent ready for the next one. There will be different training camps in Georgia."

The final five gold medals of the European Championships will be handed out Sunday.

GR Medal Bouts

55kg
GOLD: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), 8-2

BRONZE: Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM) df Denis MIHAI (ROU), 9-1
BRONZE: Emre MUTLU (TUR) df Artiom DELEANU (MDA), via fall

63kg
GOLD: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE), 3-1

BRONZE: Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) df Etienne KINSINGER (GER), 5-2
BRONZE: Ahmet UYAR (TUR) df Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM), 6-5

77kg
GOLD: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df Yunus BASAR (TUR), 4-3

BRONZE: Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) df Per OLOFSSON (SWE), 5-0
BRONZE: Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) df Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO), 4-0

87kg
GOLD: Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) df Nicu OJOG (ROU), 8-0

BRONZE: Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df Yoan DIMITROV (BUL), 5-1
BRONZE: Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) df Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA), 3-3

130kg
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA), 4-0

BRONZE: Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) df Franz RICHTER (GER), 1-1
BRONZE: Dariusz VITEK (HUN) df Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 4-1

GR Semifinals

60kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) vs Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL)

SF 1: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), via fall
SF 2: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) df Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM), 10-1

67kg
GOLD: Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) vs Murat FIRAT (TUR)

SF 1: Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) df Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM), 4-2
SF 2: Murat FIRAT (TUR) df Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), 2-0

72kg
GOLD: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) vs Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) df Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO), 1-1
SF 2: Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) df Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE), 4-1

82kg
GOLD: Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df Mihail BRADU (MDA), 3-1
SF 2: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df Pascal EISELE (GER), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Kiril MILOV (BUL) vs Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)

SF 1: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR), 7-1
SF 2: Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) df Daniel GASTL (AUT), 4-2

#WrestleBratislava

Valiev tops Sidakov; Uguev, Ramazanov win European golds

Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - 23:16 By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 9) -- It took Chermen VALIEV (ALB) five bouts, a tense European Championships final, a challenge decision in his favor and a some incredible skill but he finally managed to beat world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW).

Valiev and Sidakov clashed in the final of the European Championships in Bratislava on Wednesday, and the Albanian came out as a 4-2 winner, winning for the first time against Sidakov in five bouts and becoming a European champion at 74kg.

"I've faced Zaurbek before," Valiev said. "Until now, he always came out as the winner. Today, I managed to win, and I'm really happy about that. Zaurbek and I have been good friends since childhood, I have a lot of respect for him. But today, I guess luck was more on my side."

The final sequence between Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) which resulted in a Valiev win. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The two last clashed in the Russian National Championships which Sidakov won 3-2. But Valiev has since moved to Albania, won a bronze medal at 74kg at the Paris Olympics and emerged as one of the biggest names at 74kg.

Sidakov, world champion in 2023 at the weight class, had wrestled at the European Championships once before -- in 2016 at 70kg but did not win a medal.

In the final, Sidakov held the criteria lead 1-1 when Valiev was put on the activity clock again but he managed to drive Sidakov out of bounds during the 30-second period and get a point for a 2-1 lead.

With 50 seconds left on the clock, Sidakov went for a deep ankle pick, but got countered by Valiev for two-point exposure. Both continued the scramble and Sidakov managed to get a reversal for one point. However, it was initially scored two points for Sidakov which made it 3-2 for Sidakov before the referees awarded two for Valiev and a reversal point for Sidakov. That made the score 4-4 with Sidakov leading on criteria with six seconds remaining.

However, Albania challenged the call and on review, the 44-second scramble was awarded as two points for Valiev and a reversal point for Sidakov which gave Valiev a 4-2 lead to defend which he did. Sidakov limped off the mat which was later confirmed as a knee injury.

"The final was really tough for me, very intense match right up until the last second," he said. "Even at the end, it wasn’t clear who would get the score. But the score was given in my favor. I prepared hard and gave it 100 percent, put everything into my training. And today, God rewarded me with a gold medal."

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Valiev, a former world U23 champion, is now focused on winning the senior world title and said that the gold medal in Bratislava will be a motivation to win in the Zagreb event in September.

"I’ll start preparing for the next competition," he said. "The main goal this year is the World Championships, and I hope to get there healthy and ready. I’ll keep that gold medal in my mind and keep pushing forward."

With that loss Sidakov, Tokyo Olympic champion at 74kg, suffered his first since 2018 when he lost Hetik CABALOV (SRB) in the Ivan Yaryguin Ranking Series.

While Sidakov suffered a loss, fellow Tokyo Olympic champion Zavur UGUEV (UWW) pulled off another last-second thrilling win over Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) to win his first-ever European gold medal.

Uguev, who was struggling with form in recent past and finished without a medal at the World Championships last year, rebounded with a 7-5 victory in the 61kg final to win gold.

"I’m truly happy," Uguev said. "I had even forgotten what it feels like to be called up to the top of the podium."

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The final got off to a mesmerizing start with Uguev suplexing Harutyunyan during the Armenian's activity period. He was awarded two points for the move but he challenged for four points but lost, making the score 3-1.

In the second period, Uguev tried to pass behind for a takedown but Harutyunyan got hold of his leg and tripped him for four points to claim a 5-3 lead. Uguev was not giving up though. As Harutyunyan tried pushing him out, Uguev hit a underhook throw for two points to make the score 5-5 but Harutyunyan led on criteria for his bigger technique.

This was settled in the final minute when Uguev got on a single leg attack, elevated and finished with a takedown with 25 seconds left. He defended his 7-5 lead to win the gold medal.

"I had said it was going to be an interesting match and it really was," he said. "I got thrown unexpectedly early on and had to catch up. I was working, pushing forward, but I wasn’t worried — I believed I could close the gap, even though I couldn’t at first."

Uguev had three European medals, a bronze and silver, in the past having lost to Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) in 2017 and 2018. But he came a two-time world and Olympic champion.

"I was lying down and a thought came to me," he said. "I looked back and realized -- I didn’t actually have a European medal yet. And I thought, “Now it’s time. I have to win one.”

Since winning the gold at 57kg at the Tokyo Games, Uguev has two fifth-place finishes at the World Championships internationally. But with the win on Wednesday, Uguev put his hat in the ring for the world title later this year.

Denis TSARGUSH, who was in the corners of both Sidakov and Uguev, said that Sidakov's loss a bit difficult to digest.

"We performed well overall. It’s just that the final match with Zarubek left a bit of a bitter aftertaste," he said. "He could have won but Chermen also wrestled really well."

Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL), Paris 2024 Olympic champion was also in action on Wednesday and he scored a thrilling 9-5 win against Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) in the 86kg final.

Kadzimahamedau was leading in 5-1 after he had scored two takedowns and Ramazanov got going only in the final minute. He scored a takedown with a leg-hold before turning Kadzimahamedau four times to make it 9-5. Ramazanov got Kadzimahamedau.

"All my thoughts were about winning — I really didn’t want to lose," Ramazanov said. "If the match had ended like that, without me giving it my all, it would’ve been incredibly disappointing. That’s why I switched into full gear — I wasn’t thinking about tactics anymore, I was just pushing forward. I would rate my performance around 6 out of 10. There were a lot of strong athletes."

Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) gut wrenches Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) for the win in the 86kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

With the win, Ramazanov won his second European title and he also avenged his 2019 79kg final loss at the European Championships.

"I wanted to avenge for past losses, but it wasn’t about proving anything," he said. "I just always try to choose the toughest opponents — especially the ones I’ve lost to before."

Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) won his fourth European Championships gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 92kg, three-time European champion Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) added a fourth after he sneaked through the final against Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 6-5.

Kurugliev, who also has a European Games gold medal, opened the final with an ankle pick for a takedown in the first thirty second of the bout and maintained till the break. There was no points scored in the bout until the last 25 seconds.

Nurmagomedov asked for a takedown but he lost the challenge which gave Kurugliev another point. He soon scored a stepout to cut the lead to 3-1 and as he tried to score another, Kurugliev circled and scored a go-behind as Nurmagomedov thought he completed the stepout.

A challenge would have helped Nurmagomedov at this point but he had already used it and Kurugliev's lead swelled to 5-1.

Nurmagomedov got a takedown with a ankle pick for two point and he got another point for Kurugliev's fleeing, making the score 5-4. The bout resumed in par terre with four seconds on the clock but Nurmagomedov failed to score a turn and lost the final.

Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) scores the winning throw against Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) during the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

The European Championships had a different winner at 125kg in 13 years as Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) needed a buzzer-beating front body throw for four to defeat Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO), 7-7, in the final.

Meshvildishvili thus became the first wrestler not named Taha AKGUL (TUR) or Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) to win the 125kg gold medal since 2012.

Manashvili was leading 7-3 with seven seconds remaining when Meshvildishvili scored a reverse exposure throw for four, awarded only after the Azerbaijan side challenged.

Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) with Taha AKGUL (TUR) during the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The win also captured the Freestyle team title for Azerbaijan over Georgia. The two countries were tied at 94 points and the winner of 125kg would take his country to the top of the podium.

Meshvildishvili's win gave Azerbaijan 119 points for the top spot while Georgia was second with 114 points. Turkiye finished third with 73 points.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Zavur UGUEV (UWW) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), 7-5

BRONZE: Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) df. Dzmitry SHAMELA (UWW), 3-1
BRONZE: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) df. Leomid COLESNIC (MDA), 11-0

74kg
GOLD: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), 4-2

BRONZE: Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) df. Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL), 6-4
BRONZE: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 3-0

86kg
GOLD: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) df. Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), 9-5

BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL), 4-2
BRONZE: Artur NAIFONOV (UWW) df. Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA), 10-0

92kg
GOLD: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 6-5

BRONZE: Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) df. Yaraslau IADKOUSKI (UWW), 5-0
BRONZE: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df. Ahmed BATAEV (BUL), 8-6

125kg
GOLD: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO), 7-7

BRONZE: Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW) df. Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), 5-2
BRONZE: Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) df. Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE), 8-0

#WrestleBudpest: Bisultanov dominates to 87kg gold; Kayaalp wins 11th title

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Valiev tops Sidakov; Uguev, Ramazanov win European golds