#WrestleOslo Day Two Preview: Freestyle 57kg, 65kg, 79kg and 92kg

Sunday, September 19, 2021 - 19:25 By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 17) -- The last time a senior World Championships took place, Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and J'den COX (USA) were primed to be at the Tokyo Olympics and even win their second medal at the big event. The former is a London Olympic champion while Cox won a bronze at the Rio Games. But both saw their dreams shattered in April earlier this year after losing at the USA Olympic Team Trials.

Six months later, both Burroughs and Cox have shifted their focus to winning the world titles. They'll take the mat on the second day of the senior World Championships in Oslo, Norway, as four more freestyle weight classes will be in action on October 3.

Burroughs, who has been a permanent fixture at 74kg for close to a decade now, will be wrestling at 79kg for the first time in his career after he won the World Team Trials in the best-of-three series against Alex DIERINGER (USA) last month. Kyle DAKE (USA) has confirmed that he will be wrestling at 74kg in Oslo after he won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in August.

But at 79kg, Burroughs will face new challenges.

Most of the seasoned campaigners have decided to skip the Oslo event. The USA wrestler will have to deal with former U23 world champion Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO), U23 world runner-up Mohammad NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) and winner of Russian Wrestling Federation trials Radik VALIEV (RWF), who is a two-time U23 European champion.

Burroughs, 33 and with his fourth child on the way, has won four golds and three bronzes at the World Championships apart from winning the 2012 Olympic title all at 74kg. His two bronze medals at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships, followed by missing the Olympics, had raised doubts that the USA wrestler was in the twilight of his illustrious career. But Burroughs said that was not the case.

"I feel confident in my ability no matter what," Burroughs told the media after winning the trials. "What I was able to do this weekend was really not a surprise to me or anyone who watches me train. [It was] a solid performance. I know I was supposed to win and I feel good at this weight class as I am at a natural weight and not cut, wrestling is much more fun."

Some of the moves were vintage Burroughs as he blasted doubles at will throughout the two-day tournament, which was also a warning to his opponents that he is still a formidable opponent.

"The double has always been there. It's just harder to recreate when down a weight," he said. "I am a phenomenal wrestler, I am a great athlete. At this point, it's kind of a reassurance not only to me but to the world that I am still here, I am still a formidable opponent for anyone in the world."

But will the U23 stars will be a threat to Burroughs winning a fifth world title? It looks unlikely that anyone would be able to stop the USA wrestler from creating history.

J'den COX (USA) will be eyeing his third world title at 92kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In another non-Olympic weight class, Cox will try to defend his world title at 92kg. He had decided to move up to the 97kg category for the Tokyo Olympics but failed to participate in the trials after missing the weigh-in deadline. Kyle SNYDER (USA) won a silver medal in Tokyo and locked up the 97kg category. Cox will now be challenged in Oslo.

The 26-year-old Cox has never failed to medal at the World or Olympics he has entered and he will be eyeing a hat-trick of gold medals at 92kg. But two-time U23 world and senior Asian champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) and Magomed KURBANOV (RWF) are likely to be the biggest threat to his quest.

Since missing the Olympics trials in April, Cox has participated in the Poland Open Ranking Series, where he suffered a surprise loss to Illia ARCHAIA (UKR) 2-1 in the semifinals. He did not wrestle the bronze medal owing to the injury.

But last month it seemed the old Cox was back as he handled Kollin MOORE (USA) in the best of three finals.

It will be interesting to see how the experienced wrestler moves against the senior Russian Wrestling Federation Nationals and European champion at 92kg Kurbanov. While he doesn't have the experience of wins of Cox's level, Kurbanov can be a threat as he has been in some form since the beginning of this year.

Add to that, Ghasempour, who is yet to lose internationally since his loss at the 2013 Cadet World Championships final. He has since won the U23 Worlds twice at 86kg along with the Asian title at the same weight. Earlier this year in Almaty, he made his debut at 92kg, capturing the gold medal at the Asian Championships.

A number of wrestlers with success at age-group level are also entered for the Worlds but no one can claim to have the pedigree like Cox.

Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) is a former junior world champion while Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) has a senior world medal but has not continued his success recently. Pruthviraj PATIL (IND) won a bronze medal at the recently concluded Junior World Championships in Ufa, Russia.

Suleyman Atli Thomas Gilman Suleyman ATLI (TUR) has a win over Thomas GILMAN (USA) at the World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Max Rose-Fyne)

Two Olympic weight classes will also be in action on Sunday as 57kg and 65kg wrestlers will be on the mats. But only one Tokyo Olympic medalist from the eight is wrestling in Oslo. Thomas GILMAN (USA) will look to win his first world title, two months after winning the bronze at 57kg in Tokyo.

Gilman, who won a silver medal at the 2017 Worlds, reminded wrestling fans of his abilities with a strong performance in Tokyo. In the first bout, he faced world champion Zaur UGUEV (RWF) and almost snatched a win but the Uguev, who became the champion in Tokyo, scored a takedown in the final 12 seconds to win. Gilman came back to win the bronze medal.

Fellow Olympian and world silver medalist Suleyman ATLI (TUR) will also be eyeing his first world title. Atli suffered a surprising loss to Reza ATRI (IRI) in the opening round in Tokyo. Atli was one of the favorites to reach the final at the Games. But now Gilman and Atli are likely to be the top contenders for gold in Oslo.

Another Tokyo Olympian and former world medalist, Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL), is also entered and will try to spoil the party. Oslo could well be the place where the Mongolian finally enters his first-ever World Championships final.

Former junior world champion Toshiya ABE (JPN) and Russian Wrestling Federation Nationals bronze medalist Abubakr MUTALIEV (RWF) are two others to keep an eye on. Both will be wrestling at their first senior World Championships and the Japanese will like to continue his country's good result at the lowest weight class while Mutaliev will be under pressure to keep the title in Russia as Uguev has done since 2018.

Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) will be one of the favorites to win the 65kg title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 65kg, a host of young stars will be wrestling to be world champion and the category may see a surprise winner. Leading the pack is 2020 Individual World Cup winner Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) and senior European champion Zagir SHAKIEV (RWF). The former was at the Tokyo Olympics but failed to win a medal.

His hot run at the World Cup made the world take notice and he will be eyeing his first World Championships title in Oslo. But Shakiev will be the top contender as well. After running 2019 world champion Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RWF) close in the Russian Nationals, Shakiev won the Euros and has finally got a chance to come out of Rashidov's shadow.

At the trials on Tuesday, Shakiev gave no chance to former world bronze medalist Akhmed CHAKAEV (RWF) in the final bout. He won 10-3 after developing a lead early in the bout and Chakaev could only play catch up after that.

While he may be making his senior World Championships debut, Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) will be another exciting prospect to watch out for. Many have been waiting eagerly for the senior world debut of the two-time cadet world champion, which will finally happen in Oslo.

At the WTT, Diakomihalis defeated Joseph McKENNA (USA) 2-1 in the best-of-three finals to book the spot for Oslo. He will now be looking to make the category his own for the next three years.

USA failed to qualify any wrestler at 65kg, extending their struggles at this weight class. But with the emergence of Diakomihalis, a change of fortunes is expected by the USA wrestling fans. His quirky style and continuous wrestling makes him a threat for his opponents and the Cornell University student knows that.

"I had decided before that I had blown it a lot, and if I didn't mess it up all those times, I wouldn't be as good as I am now. It's about time I got it right," Diakomihalis said after winning the WTT.

Tokyo Olympian Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) will also be in fray to upset a few and win his first-ever World Championships medal.

Another junior world champion from Japan Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN) is entered at 65kg. He won the world title at 61kg in 2019 with Abe. Now the pair will look to return with medals from Oslo as well.

Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) will be Iran's big hope to return with a medal from Oslo as they struggle to find a successful wrestler at this weight. Yazdani, however, will look to change that.

#WrestleZagreb

Kougioumtsidis gives Greece historic world gold as 1st male champion

Monday, September 15, 2025 - 20:27 By Ken Marantz

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 15) -- For all of Greece's history in the sport of wrestling-- one of the current styles even bears the country's name -- it had never produced a male world champion.

Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) rectified that situation with a determined performance, defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final on Monday night, the third day of the World Championships in Zagreb when four freestyle golds were up for grabs.

"I'm very proud," Kougioumtsidis said. "I'm the first one who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I failed at the Olympics last year. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

In other finals, Chongsong HAN (PRK) gave his country its first world gold since 2019 with a come-from-behind victory at 57kg, while Japan and the United States each picked up their second golds of the competition, with Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) winning at 74kg under sad circumstances and Trent HIDLAY (USA) putting on a comeback for the ages to triumph at 92kg.

Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) scores a stepout against Levi HAINES (USA) in the 79kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The 23-year-old Kougioumtsidis came to Zagreb flying under the radar for title favorites. He was a two-time European U23 champion, and won the senior gold in 2022, but had lost in the first round at 74kg at the Paris Olympics and was third at this year's Budapest Ranking Series.

But he steadily battled his way through the rounds to advance to final, where he wrestled a solid and sensible match that took advantage of opportunities while keeping his American foe at bay.

After receiving an activity point, Kougioumtsidis got in on a single that led to a stepout and a 2-0 lead at the break. He repeated the move again in the second period and, although he surrendered a takedown with :02 left, it wasn't enough to deter him from his appointment with destiny.

"He's a very offensive wrestler, I know that," Kougioumtsidis said. "He has very good conditioning. My condition is also good. I was a bit tired from yesterday because of four matches. But I won, that's what matters most."

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Kougioumtsidis said that after his disappointment in Paris, he took some time off, then spent time training in Georgia.

"After the Olympics I had maybe five months off because I wasn't feeling very good," he said. "I had very good training. This year, I mostly was in Georgia for camp and thanks to my sparring partners from Georgia that helped me. I achieved the biggest goal here."

Until Kougioumtsidis' victory, the lone Greek to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold in 2002 on home soil in Chalkida, Greece.

Only three times has a Greek man ever even advanced to a world final (Giorgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) did in twice), all in freestyle, but never did they come away with a gold. The last time was in 1991.

"I'm very lucky also that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country."

Chongsong HAN (PRK) works on a gut-wrench against Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) during the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 57kg, things could hardly have gone worse for Han in his gold-medal match with Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ), which was a rematch of their semifinal clash at the 2023 Asian Games, which Han won 4-2.

Ahead 1-0 in the second period, Almaz Uulu stopped an arm throw attempt -- which, if challenged, could possibly have been overturned as a slip -- then added two 2-point exposures to go up 7-0.

Han determinedly fought on, and a scramble that he initiated with a front headlock roll gave him six points to cut the lead to 9-6. He then scored a takedown and added two gut wrenches to notch a 12-9 victory.

Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Chermen VALIEV (ALB) wrestle in the 74kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 74kg, Takahashi won by injury default after his opponent in the final, Olympic bronze medalist Chermen VALIEV (ALB), suffered a serious knee injury and, after trying to soldier on for a short time, was forced to give up the fight.

"It leaves a bit of a bad aftertaste, but I feel like I won the world title with the tackle that works best for me, so I'm happy," Takahashi said.

Takahashi, the 2024 world U23 champion, had a 3-2 lead when Valiev tried to counter a single-leg attempt 35 seconds into the second period by going over the top.

Takahashi had Valiev's left leg at an acute angle and his own action caused the knee to pop, after which he immediately sank to the mat in pain.

"When I got in on the single, I tried to get my head out and finish it off as I always do," said Takahashi, who scored off an identical move in the first period. "It was all but done, I thought. But the opponent was entangled deeper than I thought, and I heard a snap."

Valiev's leg was taped and he limped into the circle, but it was obvious it would be almost an impossible task to continue, much less win. Takahashi scored a stepout, then got a takedown that Valiev initially countered -- much to everyone's surprise -- but could not continue the move. Another takedown finally proved to Valiev that it was futile to go on and the match was ended at 4:07.

While Takahashi did not deliberately target the injured leg, nor did he let up on Valiev, which he said would have been disrespectful to such a high-level competitor. He also recalls not being given any special treatment when he suffered a similar injury himself while winning last year's U23 title.

"He's a strong competitor, and once you take the mat, you can't let your guard down," Takahashi said. "I thought to just give everything I had. When I had my injury a year ago, the opponent came right at me without thinking about it. Conversely, it would be rude to have eased up."

Takahashi's victory comes at what is increasingly looking like a golden era for Japan in freestyle. Following up on the two golds and a silver at the Paris Olympics, Japan got one of the first golds in Zagreb when Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) won the 70kg title on Sunday. And earlier Monday, Olympic champion Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) advanced to the 65kg final.

"At the Olympics, Japan really did amazingly well, so there were high expectations for this [competition]," Takahashi said. "Instead of feeling pressure or nerves, we want to show 'Japan is strong' and that actually gives us more confidence."

Looking ahead, which could include a direct clash with Paris silver medalist Daichi TAKATANI (JPN), Takahashi has his eyes firmly set on 2028.

"I'm really happy to be the world champion, but what I am aiming for is the Los Angeles Olympics," he said. "The Olympics is a stage where you can be a champion just once every four years. I will work on sharpening my tackles."

In the last bout of the evening, Hidlay was being tossed around like a rag doll by Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW), only to rally from an eight-point deficit through sheer persistence and determination. When the dust cleared, Hidlay had himself a 13-10 win and a gold medal in his senior world debut.

"It wasn't my best wrestling match as I wrestle a lot better and cleaner than that," the 26-year-old Hidlay said. "But I would say nothing probably describes my wrestling style and career better than being down by eight points and figuring out a way to win within a short time."

Gadzhimagomedov, a relative unknown on the scene, relied almost solely on a counter lift and throw that he used to great effect early on, scoring a pair of 4-pointers to take a 10-2 lead. When he tried a third one that could have ended the match, Hidlay managed to hold his position enough to get an exposure, which, with an unsuccessful challenge, cut the gap to 10-5 at the break.

In the second period, Gadzhimagomedov didn't seem to have the energy to get the necessary height to complete the move, and Hidlay finished off a pair of double-leg takedowns to pull within one with a minute to go. Then he hit the coup de grace, a 4-point takedown with :15 left to complete the miracle.

"I think the work I put in in the first period, I wasn't scoring, but it was taking it out of him a little bit," Hidlay said. "It was just a matter of time before I was able to get to my scores."

Hidlay, the 2022 world U20 silver medalist at 86kg, called being a senior world champion "surreal" and said that it hadn't fully sunken in yet.

"I just had so many emotions kind of flood over you in that moment and you kind of just go blind to the world," he said. "Just for a couple of seconds, you just feel like you're floating.

"It's just something I've worked for my entire life, my entire career. To have it all come together in that fashion is just pretty incredible."

Harutyunyan denies Mexico first-ever world medal

Earlier, Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) came an agonizing few centimeters from giving Mexico its first-ever world medalist.

That was the distance Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) kept his knee off the mat, preventing what would have been a last-second winning takedown in their 57kg bronze-medal match.

With a denied challenge giving him a final point, four-time European champion Harutyunyan secured a 7-4 win and a fourth world medal in five years.

Harutyunyan looked to be cruising to victory when he added a takedown and exposure to an activity point for a 5-0 lead going into the second period. But Bravo Young, a collegiate star in the United States, launched a comeback, sandwiching two takedowns around a Harutyunyan stepout to cut the gap to 6-4.

With the clock ticking down, Bravo Young deftly deked his way behind Harutyunyan, but the Armenian resisted as the Mexican did all he could to get his opponent's knee to hit the mat.

The other 57kg bronze went to Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), who was on the activity clock when he scored a second-period takedown to give him a 3-1 victory over Vladimir EGOROV (MKD). With the victory, Abdullaev adds the world bronze to his Olympic bronze from last year in Paris.

Former Olympic and three-time world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) assured he wouldn't leave Zagreb empty-handed, and he did it with a dramatic last-second victory over David CARR (USA) at 74kg.

Sidakov received an activity point in the first period, but he was on the clock in the second when Carr scored a stepout. Seconds later, the activity point was added to Carr's tally to put him ahead 2-1.

It looked like that was how it was going to end, but the cagey Sidakov managed to slip behind and force Carr over the edge for a stepout with :05 left to secure a 2-2 win on criteria.

Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) earned the other 74kg bronze with a 3-1 victory over Yones EMAMI (IRI), securing the decisive points with a second-period takedown for his fourth career world medal.

Iran picked up two bronze medals, with 2024 Asian champion Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) taking home one at 79kg and reigning Asian champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) winning the other at 92kg.

Nokhodi, the 2024 Asian champion, took home his fifth world medal -- alas, still no gold -- when he scored a takedown and stepout in the first period and held on for a 4-2 victory over Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) at 79kg.

Firouzpour quickly finished off Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ), latching onto a cradle as he defended against a takedown attempt, then rocking backward to put the Kazakh onto his back and secure a fall in 1:49 for his first senior world medal.

The other 79kg bronze was claimed by Asian silver medalist Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN), who was trailing Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) until the last minute when he went on a point-scoring spree, including a 4-point pancake, for a 9-2 victory.

European silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) broke open a close match in the second period to beat Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) 5-1 for the other 92kg bronze, upping his tally of world medals to four.

Day 3 Results

Freestyle

57kg (31 entries)
GOLD: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ), 12-9

BRONZE: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX), 7-4
BRONZE: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Vladimir EGOROV (MKD), 3-1

65kg (34 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Peiman BIABANI (CAN), 5-0
SEMIFINAL: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB), 5-0

74kg (35 entries)
GOLD: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Chermen VALIEV (ALB) by Inj. Def., 4:07 (8-2)

BRONZE: Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) df. David CARR (USA), 2-2
BRONZE: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Yones EMAMI (IRI), 3-1

79kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Levi HAINES (USA), 3-2

BRONZE: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) df. Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 4-2
BRONZE: Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) df. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), 9-2

92kg (26 entries)
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW), 13-10

BRONZE: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 5-1
BRONZE: Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) df. Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) by Fall, 1:49 (4-0)

97kg (29 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), 5-2
SEMIFINAL: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-1

Women's Wrestling

55kg (18 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) by Fall, 1:06 (4-0)
SEMIFINAL: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Andreea ANA (ROU), 5-3

59kg (22 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL), by Fall, 1:22 (6-0)
SEMIFINAL: Maria VYNNYK (URK) df. Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN), 10-5

#WrestleOslo Day Two Preview: Freestyle 57kg, 65kg, 79kg and 92kg

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Kougioumtsidis gives Greece historic world gold as 1st male champion