#WrestleBudapest

Higuchi, Kiyooka reach finals at Budapest Ranking Series

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- The final Ranking Series before the Olympics kicks off in Budapest. Seven weight classes in Freestyle will be in action with top wrestlers in all the weight categories. The ranking, and ultimately the seeds for the Olympics will be determined after this Ranking Series.

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13:25: Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) blanks Haji ALIYEV (AZE) 6-0 in the 65kg semifinal. Top win for the Iran wrestler who will now wrestle Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) for the gold medal. Kiyooka defended well against a storming Austin GOMEZ (MEX) in the second period to win 12-6.

13:00: AMAN (IND) moves into the final of the 57kg after a 14-4 technical superiority win over Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN). He will wrestle world silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) for the gold medal. Higuchi was in all sorts of trouble in his semifinal against Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) when the Azerbaijan wrestler used a high chest wrap to lead 8-0. But Higuchi managed to defend the last turn. He scores a takedown and uses a gut wrench to finish the bout 18-8 inside the first period.

12:45: An upset from Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) as he pins Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final. Petriashvili looks in some trouble with his elbow and has called for a medical timeout. But the pin takes him out of the final. 

12:40: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) with a stunning late exposure takedown to beat Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) 3-2 and enter the 97kg final. On Mat C, the 92kg world champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) looked like entering the final when he led 5-0 against Magomedkhan MAGOMEDGOV (AZE) but the Azerbaijani world silver medalist came back to beat him 15-7.

12:30: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) with a fall over Nahshon GARRETT (USA) after building a 10-1 lead in the 61kg semifinal. He will wrestle the winner of Shahdad Ali KHOSRAVI (IRI) and Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) for the gold medal.

12:15: That will sting Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) for some time. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) pins Abdullaev in the 57kg quarterfinal and sets up a semifinal against Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) who defeated Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) 11-0 in the quarterfinal.

12:12: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) cannot find a way past Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) at 65kg! After building a 4-1 lead at the break, he hits a huge four-pointer on Aliyev to steer clear and win 9-3.

12:00: Mason PARRIS (USA) was checked by Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) on different occasions but Parris won the 125kg bout 9-2. The Georgian, who qualified for the Paris Olympics at 97kg, is wrestling at 125kg in this Ranking Series.

11:45: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who got a walkover in his first bout, works to a technical superiority win over Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) at 125kg. Moments later, at 57kg, AMAN (IND) rolls to an 11-1 win over Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)

11:35: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) drops his Round 2 bout! Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) scores three technical points to lead 3-0 but Muszukajev's takedown cuts the lead to 3-2 with 30 seconds left on the clock. Kiyooka defends well and hits a counter takedown in the end, adding lace to win 7-2.  

11:27: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) does not show up for his Round 2 bout against Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg. A big result for Aliyev who is now poised to finish at the top of group A.

11:25: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) dominates Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO) at 61kg and wins 18-5 to advance. Harutyunyan will come down to 57kg for the Paris Olympics.

11:20: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), wrestling at 70kg instead of his preferred 65kg, rolls to an 11-0 victory at Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ). The ranking points won at 70kg will not be added to the ranking points of Tevanyan at 65kg.

11:15: Paris-bound wrestler Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) comes back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Ali Hossein MOMENIJOUJADEH (IRI) 6-2 at 57kg. He will wrestle Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) in the quarterfinals.

11:00: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) with a top 9-2 win over Evan HENDERSON (USA) at 70kg. The Armenian controlled the bout throughout for the win. 

10:50: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAKEV (HUN), wrestling for the first time since winning the World Championships, begins with a solid 6-2 win over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). He keeps it under control despite many attacks from Jalolov.

10:45: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) felt like a long bout! Aliyev got a 1-0 lead at the break for Kiyooka's inactivity. Kiyooka got one point in the second period but Aliyev scored a counter just after the clock expired to lead 3-1. A stepout for Kiyooka with 17 seconds left on the clock. He needed a takedown to win and tried for one but Aliyev bodylocked for a takedown to win 5-2.

10:35: Austin GOMEZ (MEX), qualified for the Olympic Games at 65kg, begins with a 10-0 rout of Gyoergy SZILAGYI (HUN). The 65kg wrestlers are drawn in round-robin and will be wrestling again.

10:30: The first bouts in Budapest are crazy. Austin GOMEZ (MEX) is on Mat C but on Mat B, it's world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and on Mat C, it's Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) vs Haji ALIYEV (AZE).

#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.