PARIS (August 21) – Returning 66kg champion Frank STAEBLER (GER) will try for a second world title and Rio 2016 bronze medal Denis KUDLA (GER) is aiming for his first as Germany sends two wrestlers to the gold medal finals of the World Wrestling Championships for the first time in 23 years.

Staebler and Kudla will be the first German duo together in the championship finals since 1994 as medals will be handed out in four categories – Greco-Roman 71, 75, 85 and 98kg – to conclude Monday, the first day of championship action at AccorHotels Arena in Paris.

In the 71kg final, Staebler will square off with Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), who defeated 2014 European champion Adam KURAK (RUS) and defending champion Balint KORPASI (HUN) in the semifinals, 1-1 on criteria, to reach the gold medal final.

At 85kg, Kudla takes on European championships silver medalist Metehan BASAR (TUR), who arched over Rio 2016 Olympic Games champion David CHAKVETADZE (RUS) with a front headlock in their semifinal and held on for a 4-2 victory.

In 1994, Alfred TER-MKRTCHYAN (52kg) and Thomas ZANDER (82kg) both won titles for Germany at the world championships in Tampere, Finland.

Meanwhile, Russia also advanced a pair to the finals in 2014 European champion Aleksander CHEKHIRKIN (75kg) and Musa EVLOEV (98kg), who will be seeking his first world title since bagging the 2013 junior world crown in Sofia.

Chekhirkin trapped Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) on his back in the semifinals as the former European champion stumbled as he tried to circle away, and was pressed for the fall at 4:39.  The Pytlasinski Cup titlist will face 2016 European runner-up Viktor NEMES (SRB) in the final.

At 98kg, Evloev will take on world and Rio 2016 champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), who seems determined to make up for a bronze-medal showing at the European Championships in May with a pair of technical falls in the morning session. 

Earlier, Musa stopped European bronze medalist Balasz KISS (HUN), 3-1, in the round of 32, and then edged past local favorite and 2014 world champion Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA), 2-1, in the quarterfiunals.

Also in the earlier bouts, Staebler edged 2015 world champ at 71kg Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), 2-1. And, Felix BALDAUF appeared to fall on his head with an attempted arm throw at 98kg in the round of 16 and former world silver medalist Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) spun behind for the takedown and added a reverse waistlock and turn to complete a technical fall, 10-0, at 1:12.

Semifinal Results & Medal Final Pairings

Greco-Roman

71kg (38 entries)
Gold – Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) v Frank STAEBLER (GER)
Bronze – Adam KURAK (RUS) v Balint KORPASI (HUN)
Bronze – Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) v Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)

Semifinal – Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) df. Balint KORPASI (HUN), 1-1 
Semifinal – Frank STAEBLER (GER) df. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA), 4-2

75kg (34 entries)
Gold – Aleksander CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) v Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Bronze – Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) v Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Bronze – Saeid Mourad ABDVALI (IRI) v Kazbek KILOV (BLR)

Semifinal – Aleksander CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) df. Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) by Fall, 4:39 (3-2) 
Semifinal – Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Kazbek KILOV (BLR), 7-0

85kg (35 entries)
Gold – Denis KUDLA (GER) v Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Bronze – Islam ABBASOV (AZE) v Hossein NOURI (IRI)
Bronze – Robert KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) v Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS)
 
Semifinal – Denis KUDLA (GER) df. Hossein NOURI (IRI), 4-1 
Semifinal – Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS), 4-2

98kg (34 entries)
Gold – Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) v Musa EVLOEV (RUS)
Bronze – Revazi NADAREISHVILI (GEO) v Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB)
Bronze – Balasz KISS (HUN) v Dimitry TIMCHENKO (UKR)

Semifinal – Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) by TF, 8-0, 0:58
Semifinal – Musa EVLOEV (RUS) df. Dimitry TIMCHENKO (UKR), 8-1