Social Media

Wrestling Ranks Fourth on Social Media Among All International Federations

Monday, April 16, 2018 - 12:52 By Tim Foley

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 16) – United World Wrestling ranked fourth on social media among 35 international federations, according to an analysis performed and released by RedTorch, a social media tracking platform.

The analysis reviewed all recognized IFs rated their performance on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube based on a variety of factors.

Wrestling placed fourth overall, jumping seven places from the 2016 analysis. The federation, which only launched many of its accounts in 2013, also boasted the second-ranked Instagram account and the third-ranked Facebook page.

Growth rates among wrestling’s social media platforms was also notable  in 2017 with the sport’s Twitter audience increasing 46-percent and its YouTube viewership increasing 92-percent. Both increases were ranked third among all IFs.

YouTube growth was attributed to the popularity of the 2017 Wrestling World Championships in Paris, while Facebook increases were pegged to specialty documentary coverage like “Sacrifice,” a short film providing fans as inside look at the training conditions and personal lives of wrestlers in Cuba.

Wrestling’s media department was also honored last week with the “New Media Specialists of the Year Award” as presented by the National Wrestling Media Association (NWMA). In giving the award, the NWMA cited United World Wrestling’s short documentary features, match coverage and highlight clips from competitions around the world.

You can follow United World Wrestling online at the following accounts:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/unitedworldwrestling
Twitter: www.twitter.com/wrestling
Instagram: www.instagram.com/unitedworldwrestling
YouTube: www.youtube.com/unitedworldwrestling

#AmateurMMA

U20 Amateur MMA: New Zealand, Tajikistan crown world champs

Thursday, November 13, 2025 - 06:09 By Vinay Siwach

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LOUTRAKI, Greece (November 11) -- Gold medals for Tajikistan and New Zealand highlighted the first U20 World Amateur MMA Championships in Loutraki, Greece.

Tajikistan won two golds medals, both in men's division, while New Zealand won a gold medal through Lily HOUBEN (NZL) in women's division in the five-day event.

Houben, who is quickly making a name for herself in the New Zealand combat sports circles, used a classic armbar to submit Dinara TIUTIUNOVA (UWW) in the only bout, which was the final, at 90kg.

Apart from 90kg, three more weight classes were in action in women's -- 50kg, 61kg and 65kg. Alina NAIDINA (UWW) defeated Kseniia SHIPILKINA (UWW) to win the gold medal at 50kg.

Ukraine won golds at 61kg and 66kg through Yana MELNYCHUK (UKR) and Yuliia MELNYCHUK (UKR), the sisters helping it win the time title as well with 50 points. New Zealand finished second with 25 points.

Muhammadkabir NAZARZODA (TJK)Muhammadkabir NAZARZODA (TJK) won gold medal in the 62kg weight category. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

In men's, nine weight classes were in action with champions from Tajikistan, Moldova, France, Ukraine and UWW fighters.

Ukraine, once again the best team, won two gold medals, both at the expense of Kazakhstan. The first came at 77kg when Kyryl KYSELOV (UKR) defeated Kydyrali KAIRGALI (KAZ) in the final and the second came at 100kg as Yevhenii MURADOV (UKR) beat Radomir MOROZOV (KAZ) in the final.

Muhammadkabir NAZARZODA (TJK) gave Tajikistan its first gold medal when he defeated Maksim BUSYGIN (UWW) in the 62kg final. Soon after, : Mukhammadamin SHAMOLOV (TJK) added a second gold medal for the country when he beat Nikita LIKHTIN (UWW) in the 66kg final.

For Moldova, Ion SILI (MDA) showed his dominance in the 93kg final as he defeated Alikhan EVLOEV (UWW) to win the gold medal.

At 130kg, former U17 world silver medalist in Freestyle 125kg and U20 European bronze Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA) used his wrestling skills to win both bouts in the Nelson bracket to win the gold medal. Lagvilava recently finish fifth at the U20 World Championships.

Alibeg ALIBEKOV (UWW) won gold medal at 57kg, Ian GURBANOV (UWW) at 71kg, and Viktor SHEENKO (UWW) at 84kg.

RESULTS

U20 Men's Amateur MMA

57kg
GOLD: Alibeg ALIBEKOV (UWW)
SILVER: Bohdan CHORNEI (UKR)
BRONZE: Arturo COLMENAREJO GARCIA (ESP)
BRONZE: Kyllian DURANDET (FRA)

62kg
GOLD: Muhammadkabir NAZARZODA (TJK)
SILVER: Maksim BUSYGIN (UWW)
BRONZE: Amir ALKANOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Mikhail KLIMENKO (UWW)

66kg
GOLD: Mukhammadamin SHAMOLOV (TJK)
SILVER: Nikita LIKHTIN (UWW)
BRONZE: Mansur ABDRAKHMAN (KAZ)
BRONZE: Oleh CHERNIK (UKR)

71kg
GOLD: Ian GURBANOV (UWW)
SILVER: Bilel BOULAMA (FRA)
BRONZE: Bohdan BECHKO (UKR)
BRONZE: Isa KHARSIEV (UWW)

77kg
GOLD: Kyryl KYSELOV (UKR)
SILVER: Kydyrali KAIRGALI (KAZ)
BRONZE: Ali SHARIFOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Aliskhan DUDURGOV (UWW)

84kg
GOLD: Viktor SHEENKO (UWW)
SILVER: Andrii BOIAR (UKR)
BRONZE: Vadym ZHUKOV (UKR)
BRONZE: Athanasios MADEMLIS (GRE)

93kg
GOLD: Ion SILI (MDA)
SILVER: Alikhan EVLOEV (UWW)
BRONZE: Yehor RAILIANU (UKR)
BRONZE: Yerkebulan ASSANOV (KAZ)

100kg
GOLD: Yevhenii MURADOV (UKR)
SILVER: Radomir MOROZOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Anton MAZAEV (UWW)
BRONZE: Cinar PAMUK (TUR)

130kg
GOLD: Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA)
SILVER: Mateusz ZIENKIEWICZ (POL)
BRONZE: Yerassyl SARTBAY (KAZ)

U20 Women's Amateur MMA

50kg
GOLD: Alina NAIDINA (UWW)
SILVER: Kseniia SHIPILKINA (UWW)

61kg
GOLD: Yana MELNYCHUK (UKR)
SILVER: Diana PARFENOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Alessia AMENDOLA (ITA)
BRONZE: Tetiana LAPTIEVA (UKR)

65kg
GOLD: Yuliia MELNYCHUK (UKR)
SILVER: Renata AZNABAEVA (UWW)

90kg
GOLD: Lily HOUBEN (NZL)
SILVER: Dinara TIUTIUNOVA (UWW)