#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open: Ciobanu beats Nazaryan, Hedayati top Pino

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (January 14) -- The final day of the Zagreb Open will see six Greco-Roman weight classes with a top match at 60kg between Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) expected.

Catch all the action from the Zagreb Open free on UWW+. Use the promo code ZAGREB100

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

The finals for the evening session

55kg: Maksim STUPAKEVICH (AIN) vs. Adem UZUN (TUR)
60kg: Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) vs. Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
72kg: Levente LEVAI (HUN) vs. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE)
82kg: Alperen BERBER (TUR) vs Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
97kg: Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) vs. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)
130kg: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) vs. Lingzhe MENG (CHN)

14:50: Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) with a 6-0 shutout over Alex SZOKE (HUN) in the 97kg semifinal. Savolainen showing up in the Olympic year. He will face U20 world champion and world fifth placer Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) in the final. Khaslakhanau defeated Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) 4-1 in a very heated match.

14:40: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) in the 60kg semifinal. Ciobani gets the par terre advantage and despite a few jumps, he doesn't score. Nazaryan gets the par terre in the second period but also fails to score. He got a bodylock and almost got the suplex but Ciobanu put his hands on the mat and then brought Nazaryan down. It was scored two for Nazaryan but a challenge from Moldova. No points to either wrestler as neither was in control. Nazaryan with a 1-1 criteria lead. Ciobanu pushes Nazaryan towards the zone to score but Nazaryan gets out of the hold and brings Ciobanu in exposure. However, the scramble continues and Ciobanu gets two as well. It was initially scored only two Ciobanu but Bulgaria challenged the call. It's two for Nazaryan and two for Ciobanu with the Moldovan getting the criteria 3-3. Nazaryan can't break the criteria and will win 3-3.

14:20: Alperen BERBER (TUR) and Deni NAKAEV (GER) in the 82kg semifinal. Berber gets the first advantage and he comes up with a body throw for four to lead 5-0 at the break. Nakaev gets the chance from par terre in the second period. No score and Berber will walk into the final with a 5-1 win.

14:10: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) continues his dominant run and is into the 97kg semifinal with an 8-0 win over Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE). Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) is finding it difficult on Mat A as Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) scores a takedown to lead 3-0 and then two stepouts as Hlinchuk struggles to match the pace. Savolainen gets two points and Hlinchuk receives caution. Savolainen moves into the semifinals with a 7-0 win.

14:00: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) sets up a semifinal against Victor CIOBANU (MDA) at 60kg after a 9-0 win over Pridon ABULADZE (GEO). Nazaryan with a takedown and a suplex for four. A takedown to finish the bout.

13:40: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) with a statement win over Oscar PINO (CUB) at 130kg. Pino went in with a tapped thump and was in discomfort when he tried to turn Hedayati from par terre. Hedayati scored a stepout and a takedown just before the break to lead 3-2. He got the par terre advantage in the second period and Pino was cautioned for blocking, making it 6-2 for Hedayati. Cuba challenged the decision but lost which gave another point to Hedayati. Pino got a final chance when Hedayati was called passive. Pino gave it all to turn Hedayati but failed to finish it. A reversal made it 8-2 for Hedayati, the final score.

13:20: U20 world champion Alperen BERBER (TUR) cuts Mahmoud SEBIE's (USA) run with a 4-2 win at 82kg. Berber into the semifinals and he will face Deni NAKAEV (GER) who defeated Vasile COJOC (ROU) 10-5

13:15: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) books his spot in the 60kg semifinal with a 9-1 win over Ildar HAFIZOV (USA). He will get the winner of Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) and Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)

13:05: Two Individual Neutral Athletes on course to face each other. U23 world champion Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) gets two par terre advantages in the bout and wins 2-0 against Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR). On Mat B, Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) toys with Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) from par terre and wins 8-1.

12:50: Returning champion at 130kg Oscar PINO (CUB) with an 11-2 Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR) and he moves into the quarterfinals where he will face Fardin HEDAYITI (IRI)

12:30: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) rolls into the 60kg quarterfinals with an 8-0 win over SCARPELLO (GER). He will face Pridon ABULADZE (GEO) after the Georgian defeated world bronze medalist Liguo CAO (CHN) 4-2 

12:10: In the match of the day so far, U23 world champion Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) beats Tamas LEVAI (HUN) 11-5 at 97kg. Levai got a 3-0 lead but Hlinchuk hit two four-pointers in the bout to rule out a Levai win.

11:40: Alex SZOKE (HUN) with a 3-1 victory over Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE) at 97kg. Szoke is trying to win a spot on the Hungarian national team for the European Championships and Olympic Qualifiers

11:20: Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) begins with an 8-0 superiority win over Iulian LUNGU (ROU) at 72kg. That match is followed by U20 world champion Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) taking on Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) at 97kg. Khaslakhanau fell behind 5-2 but turned it around in the second period with three correct throws and exposure to win 13-5

10:50: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) with a technical superiority win over Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) at 130kg. Hedayati has multiple age-group world titles but it is yet to be seen if he can challenge world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI).

10:40: That should settle for Azerbaijan's 130kg representative for European Olympic Qualifiers as Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) beats Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) 1-1 in the opening bout. Kandelaki got the passivity advantage in the second period to hold the criteria.

10:30: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) move to 60kg from 55kg ends in a 12-3 loss against Denis MIHAI (ROU) who looked bigger and better than Tsurtsumia.

10:20: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) uses his big throws to win his opening round bout against Hassan ALHARTHI (KSA) 8-4. Ciobanu was stunned by that big move from Alharthi.

10:15: Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) has got a wake-up call early in the competition. He wrestled Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) in the opening match and barely managed to eke out a 7-5 win at 60kg.

10:00: Greco-Roman weight classes on the final day of the tournament. Five will be in action in the morning as 55kg has only two wrestlers entered.

#WrestleZagreb

Valiev outsmarts Sidakov again to reach Worlds final

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 14) -- For five minutes and 50 seconds in both the 74kg semifinals, there was little indication that the results will change. But 10 seconds were enough for Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) to change the outcome.

Valiev was down 4-2 against Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) but managed to elevate the latter's leg from an attack before tripping him on the edge for a two-point takedown, taking a 4-4 criteria lead with three seconds remaining.

Sidakov tried a desperate attack but gave up another takedown even in that short time as Valiev reached his first-ever World Championships final on debut in Zagreb, Croatia.

Takahashi was down 4-1 against Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) but the Japanese scored a takedown and turned Salkazanov through a gut-wrench to lead 5-4. He still had 6 seconds to defend and he managed to do it with ease. Slovakia challenged for fleeing from Takahashi but that was lost which added an additional point to make it 6-4.

Valiev and Takahashi, both with clutch wins, will now clash in the 74kg final for the world title on Monday.

Three other weight classes were also in action on Sunday and the United States was the only country to put two wrestlers in the finals -- Levi HAINES (USA) at 79kg and Trent HIDLAY (USA) at 92kg.

Haines, who stunned world champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) in the quarterfinals, scored a controlled 4-1 victory over Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) in the semifinals. Olonbayar got the first point via passivity of Haines but the U.S. wrestler scored a counter exposure for two points and take a 2-1 lead.

He scored a ankle pick for another two-point takedown and defended his 4-1 lead for the win and reach the final, a surprise in a tough 79kg bracket.

On Monday, he will try to stop Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) from becoming Greece's first-ever wrestling world champion in history. The European champion from Greece showed some of the most high-paced wrestling in the semifinal against world silver medalist Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) to win 8-3.

Nokhodi, was often stood squared-up, had no answered to Kougioumtsidis' constant attacks as the Greece wrestlers led 6-3 at the break. He scored a single-leg takedown in the second period and won 8-3.

Hidlay, who has switched levels in his career this year, reached the final at 92kg after destroying world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 15-4, in the semifinals.

Nurmagomedov was in the match when the score was 5-4 with 2:23 left but Hidlay switch gears since, scoring a go-behind, a feet-to-back four-pointer and a takedown to finish with a technical superiority win.

He will face Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) for the gold medal after Gadzhimagomedov managed to hold off Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) for an 11-6. Firouzpour, who had multiple age-group world titles, kept shooting for Gadzhimagomedov's legs but the UWW wrestler kept countering those attack with lift exposures.

Gadzhimagomedov then sealed the win with stepout, handing him a 9-6 lead and a takedown finishing the match 11-6.

Harutyunyan pinned after Lee heroics

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) undoubtedly had the most impressive win of the morning session when he defeated Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) 14-3 in the quarterfinals.

The win put Harutyunyan as the favorite to advance to the final at 57kg. However, Asian champion Chongsong HAN (PRK) had different ideas. He hit a lateral drop on Harutyunyan in the semifinals and secured a fall to enter the final. Han is the first Freestyle wrestler from the DPR Korea to enter the final in 11 years.

Han will now try to become a world champion when he takes on Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) in the 57kg final after the Kyrgyz wrestler took it to Paris Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), winning 8-0.

Abdullaev seemed to have burnt out from the earlier matches and had little fight left in him as Almaz Uulu scored points at his will in the semifinals including four stepouts.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Chongsong HAN (PRK) vs. Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)

SF 1: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), via fall
SF 2: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 8-0

74kg
GOLD: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) vs. Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN)

SF 1: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), 6-4
SF 2: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 6-4

79kg
GOLD: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) vs. Levi HAINES (USA)

SF 1: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), 8-3
SF 2: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), 4-1

92kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA) vs. Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW)

SF 1: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 15-4
SF 2:  Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 9-6