#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open Day 4: Bisultanov vs Losonczi; U.S. dominates WW

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 8) -- The Zagreb Open 2025 enters day four with Greco-Roman 77kg and 87kg weight classes, perhaps two of most populated weight classes in the world. Women's Wrestling will continue with 57kg, 72kg and 76kg.

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13:35: David LOSONCZI (HUN) and Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) set up their Paris Olympic bronze medal bout rematch for the 87kg final in Zagreb.

Losonczi got going from the whistle against Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) with a turn from par terre and then a stepout to lead 4-0 at the break. A stepout in the second period made it 5-0 and eliminated the chance of passivity against him. He wins 5-0.

Bisultanov survived two par terre positions and defended level to beat Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) 1-1 and enter the final.

13:25: In the two semifinals at 77kg, Sergei STEPANOV (AIN) blows away Sergei KUTUZOV (AIN) while Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) falls to Zoltan LEVAI (HUN). Stepanov got the par terre in the first period and used a reverse lift for five points and a correct throw for two more to win 8-0. In the other semifinal, Levai led 4-0 at the break and added a stepout in the second to win 5-1

13:10: Skylar GROTE (USA) has been in a league of her own today. She puts up another technical superiority win, beating Veronika VILK (CRO) 11-0 at 72kg.

We have moved the Mat B bouts to Mat A for the semifinals

12:45: Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) is into the semifinals at 87kg. He breaks Croatian hearts by beating Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) 5-1 in the quarterfinals. He will take on David LOSONCZI (HUN)

12:42: Former U17 world champion and U20 world silver medalist Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) is into the semifinals at 77kg. He defeats Illia VALEUSKI (AIN) 6-4 and will take on Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)

12:37: David LOSONCZI (HUN) and Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) in a Paris rematch at 87kg. Losonczi is called for a singlet pull but Komarov is called passive first. Losonczi, lead 1-1 on criteria, hits a throw from par terre for four and lead 5-1. Komarov with a go behind takedown to cut the lead to 5-3. But Losonczi with his pace gets a stepout and make it 6-3 at the break. No more action or par terre calls in the second period and Losonczi wins 6-3.

12:25: Sergei KUTUZOV (AIN) blasts two reverse lifts for four points each and wins his quarterfinal against Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) 9-0. Spectacular throws from Kutuzov

12:20: Paris Olympic bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) keeps U20 world champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) in check and goes on to win 3-0. A passivity point in the first period and then a takedown in the second is all he needed

12:10: Anes GANIBOV (AIN) with a hard fought 9-4 win over Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) at 87kg. Sterkenburg struggled with his conditioning in the second period and Ganibov was happy to play it out till the clock expired.

12:05: Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) scores a reversal and a stepout to beat Ihar YARASHEVICH (AIN) 4-2 at 87kg. He is into the quarterfinals and will take on Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) who defeated Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) 8-4.

11:55: Sergei KUTUZOV (AIN) comes out with duck under and scores a takedown with six seconds on the clock to beat Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) 4-3. The local are in shock as Kamenjasevic was about to pull off a big upset

11:50: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) passes another test. Up against Amir ABDI (IRI), Gutu comes out with a stepout and takedown in the second period to claim a 4-3 win over Abdi.

11:47: David LOSONCZI (HUN) keeps it simple against Vjekoslav LUBURIC (CRO) and goes to a 9-0 victory to book his quarterfinal spot at 87kg.

11:35: Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) comes out with a four pointer later in the bout and gets a 7-1 win over Robert FRITSCH (HUN) at 77kg.

11:25: Another pin for U23 world champion Yelena MAKOYED (USA)! Valeriia TRIFONOVA (AIN) got an arm throw for four points to make it 7-4 but Makoyed was unfazed. She got the double arm lock and pinned Trifonova

11:20: U20 world champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) makes a great Ranking Series debut. He beats Tamas LEVAI (HUN) 6-1 at 87kg and will take on Paris Olympic bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) next.

11:13: Exacue MAKUBU (NOR) with a 6-3 win over Mate MANDIC (CRO). He was leading 4-0 but Mandic got the passivity in the second period and turned Makubu, who blocked the second turn to make it 6-3 and held on to that lead.

11:10: Quick work from David LOSONCZI (HUN) who scores a takedown before getting the par terre advantage. He rolls Milos PEROVIC (SRB) and gets the 9-0 win at 87kg.

11:05: Big match at 87kg as Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) takes on Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB). Huseynov defends his par terre position in the first period. As Komarov is called passive in second, Huseynov is about to lift him when Komarov intentionally moves backwards. The referee confirms fleeing and docks Komarov for a point. Serbia challenges the call but the caution is upheld giving Huseynov a 3-1 lead. Komarov scores two stepouts in last 15 seconds and is also called for a fleeing and Komarov wins 4-3. Azerbaijan challenge the fleeing call but fleeing is upheld as Komarov wins 5-3. 

10:50: Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) keeps it simple in his opening bout at 77kg. He wins 1-1 on criteria against Aleksa ILIC (SRB).

10:45: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) taking Amin KAVIYANI (IRI) to the cleaners! In the first bout at 77kg, Gutu got the first period par terre advantage and then reverse lifted Kaviyani for a five-point throw. He added two steps in the second period to win 8-0

10:42: Amir Ali ABDI (IRI) with a classic arm throw to beat Akseli YLI HANNUKSELA (FIN) 10-0 at 77kg. He is bidding to be Iran's representative at Asian Championships.

10:36: Great start for the United States as Yelena MAKOYED (USA) at 76kg and Skylar GROTE (USA) at 72kg both win their bouts with ease. Makoyed pins Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) and Grote gets a 10-0 win over Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN).

10:30: Welcome to day four in Zagreb. Women's Wrestling will have 57kg, 72kg and 76kg wrestlers while Greco-Roman will see wrestlers in 77kg and 87kg. Since there is only Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) and Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) in 57kg, it will be the final to be held in the evening session.

#WrestleAthens

World champions Sanchez, Rashidov set up golden clash at U17 Worlds

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 2) -- It will be world champion clashing with another for the 51kg gold medal on Sunday at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece.

Returning world champion from 45kg Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) and returning 48kg champion Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) both won their semifinals and will have a go at each other on Sunday.

Sanchez took just 44 seconds to see of Danael ABDYKASSYM (KAZ), 10-0, in the semifinals at 51kg. He used his gut-wrench to great effect to win via technical superiority.

Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) had to work harder for his win against Haruku SHIINA (JPN). He set up two takedowns and then scored an exposure by doubl arm-locking Shiina and throwing him on the mat when the Japanese tried to defend using headpinch just before the break. Japan challenged but lost the decision as Rashidov led 7-0 at the break.

He used a takedown and turn to make it 11-0 in three minutes and 57 minutes.

Iran vs U.S. in two finals

Iran and the United States will face off in two finals on Sunday. At 45kg, Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) and Keegan BASSETT (USA) dominated their semifinals to enter the gold-medal bout.

Tahmasbi pinned Mirjalol MUKAMMILOV (UZB) using a cradle and Bassett posted a composed 6-2 win over Ibragim VELIULLOV (UWW), 6-2.

The second Iran-U.S. final will be at 71kg after Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI) and Jayden JAMES (USA) needed comeback wins in their respective semifinals.

Vahabian was trailing 5-3 but scored a takedown to make it 5-5 against Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK), who led on criteria. Bozorzoda added a stepout to take a clear 6-5 lead. However, Vahabian got behind and managed to tilt Bozorzoda more than 90 degrees to score two points in the final five seconds.

Tajikistan challenged the decision but there was no other action as seen in review and the challenge was lost, giving one more point to Vahabian.

In the other semifinal, James was leading 3-3 against Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM) when the Armenian used a front headlock for turn and got two points to lead 5-3. But James quickly blocked Mosesyan and broke his lock and held him on the mat for a fall.

Canada could have had its first finalist of a World Championships in Freestyle since 2018 and first time at U17 Worlds since 1989, but Nathan NASH (CAN) failed to hold on to his 3-3 criteria lead against Rihito HIURA (JPN) in the final 30 seconds and suffered a heartbreaking 5-3 loss at 60kg.

Hiura scored a takedown to take a 5-3 lead and tried a leg-lace as the clock ticked and he managed to keep his score till it expired.

The Japanese will face SITENDER (IND) for the gold medal bout after the Indian defeated Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ), 5-1, in the other semifinal which turned out be a one-big-move match.

Iran had another finalist as Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI) won another one-sided bout. He defeated Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 11-0, in the semifinals. 

David DZEBISOV (UWW) made it to the final from other side after he blanked Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ), 9-0, in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Keegan BASSETT (USA) vs. Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) 

SF 1: Keegan BASSETT (USA) df. Ibragim VELIULLOV (UWW), 6-2
SF 2: Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) df. Mirjalol MUKAMMILOV (UZB), via fall

51kg
GOLD: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) vs. Samuel SANCHEZ (USA)

SF 1: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) df. Haruku SHIINA (JPN), 11-0
Sf 2: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) df. Danael ABDYKASSYM (KAZ), 10-0

60kg
GOLD: SITENDER (IND) vs. Rihito HIURA (JPN)

SF 1: SITENDER (IND) df. Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ), 5-1
SF 2: Rihito HIURA (JPN) df. Nathan NASH (CAN), 5-3

71kg
GOLD: Jayden JAMES (USA) vs. Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI)

SF 1: Jayden JAMES (USA) df. Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM), via fall (5-5)
SF 2: Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI) df. Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK), 8-6

92kg
GOLD: David DZEBISOV (UWW) vs. Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI)

SF 1: David DZEBISOV (UWW) df. Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ), 9-0
SF 2: Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI) df. Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 11-0