2026 U17 World Championships

U17 World Championships 2026 Day 6 Live Blog Freestyle

By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (August 1) -- The day six of the U17 World Championships will be all Freestyle with action in 45kg, 51kg, 60kg, 81kg and 92kg weight classes. The matches will go on till semifinals before the medal bouts of Friday's weight classes.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 5 RESULTS

15:15: Rylen WAX (USA) takes another step towards winning gold after he beats Aryn ZHANAT (KAZ), 8-6, 45kg. Zhanat hit a four-pointer to lead 5-4 at the start of the second period but Wax with a takedown to make it 6-5. Zhanat threatened to score the match winning takedown but Wax whizzed him for a two before a reversal but was safe to win the bout and reach the semifinal.

15:08: Ibrahim HASANOV (AZE) gets one back for Azerbaijan as he beats GOVIND (IND), 10-3 at 51kg. He scored an early takedown and turned Govind twice to lead 6-1. Govind played catch up for the remaining time as Hasanov would sit after grabbing the leg and defend his lead.

15:05: Mahdi DAMERCHELI (IRI) scored two takedowns to Marko KVASNIUK (UKR) one and wins the battle 5-2 and enters the semifinals at 45kg.

15:00: Marshall EVERETT (GBR) is into the 92kg semifinals after an 11-0 blanking of Amirbek FAZLITDINOV (UZB). Everett with a strong performance and he will now wrestle for a medal for Great Britian

14:55: Salah TSARNI (USA) puts on a masterclass to beat Shu YOSHIDA (JPN) at 92kg. Tsarni scores easy takedowns before hitting a big four-pointer. He then trips Yoshida for another four for a 12-0 win.

14:51: SITENDER (IND) returns to the semifinals at the World Championships after he beats Shai SABAG (ISR) at 60kg. He uses the trap arm gut to finish a 10-0 win.

14:50: Aryn ZHANAT (KAZ) rolls to a 10-0 win over Siarhei LAUZHEL (BLR) in a minute and 15 seconds to enter the quarterfinals at 45kg.

14:40: A challenge saves Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) at 71kg! After leading 5-0, Shamsipour gave up four points in the last 30 seconds and then Adilet RYSBAY (KAZ) scored the match winning points to claim 6-5 victory. But Iran challenges and wins it as Rysbay had committed a foul. An ecstatic Shamsipour could not controlled his happiness

14:20: Bonkers match on Mat A between Davit MDZEVASHVILI (GEO) and Taha GANJEH (IRI). Mdzeashvili took a 6-0 lead which Ganjeh erased and scored 10 points. However Mdzevashvili scored a four-pointer and took a 10-10 criteria lead with 30 seconds left. Ganjeh did not give up and used a lift to get two points and Mdzeashvili scored a reversal. Ganjeh led 12-11 when time expired but Georgia challenged. On review, it was clear that Mdzeashvili got a two-point exposure and not a reversal for one point, making him a 12-12 winner at 60kg

14:03: SITENDER (IND), the defending champion at 60kg, beats Mardan ORYNBASSAR (KAZ), 13-3 and advances to the quarterfinals. Sitender with two four point throws in the match

13:55: Rylen WAX (USA), who won the gold medal at 45kg in Greco-Roman, begins his Freestyle campaign with a 14-3 win over Hanumant JADHAV (USA). Wax with some big throws using the headpinch as Jadhav struggled to even stand his ground

13:50: Mahdi DAMERCHELI (IRI) has no trouble seeing off Aldar BADMAEV (RUS) at 45kg. The U17 Asian champion had Badmaev in all sorts of trouble, majorly circling around and scoring takedowns. A 9-2 win for the Iranian.

13:30: Marshall EVERETT (GBR) with some solid counters against Yasin ERTURK (TUR) as he moves on at 92kg after a 6-2 win

13:20: Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) on a roll here! Typical Iranian wrestling of pressuring his opponent and Camryn HOWARD (USA) has no answers. Shamsipour wins 8-1 and advances at 71kg

12:56: Abdurazak SHABANOV (RUS) stops after his third turn against Anatoli TAMAROVICH (BLR) thinking he has done enough to beat the Belarus wrestler at 92kg. But he was only up 8-0 so he scores one more takedown soon after to complete a 10-0 victory

12:52: U17 European silver medalist Ali DADAEV (FRA) takes his time but beats Johnson TSAKIRAKIS (AUS) at 92kg, 12-2.

12:50: Shota FUJIWARA (JPN) and Joseph BURKE (USA) with some great wrestling at 60kg. Fujiwara was up 3-2 at the break but Burke with a Burroughs-like double-leg attack and turn to lead 6-3. However, Fujiwara counters and lifts Burke and dumps him for four points to lead 7-6. He scores a takedown and a stepout to win the bout 10-6

12:30: SAKSHAM (IND) continues the winning run of India wrestlers over Azerbaijan wrestler as he beats Elgun KARIMLI (AZE) at 92kg, 5-5 on criteria. Karimli led 4-4 on criteria before scoring a stepout in the second period to make it 5-4. Saksham found no way to score but got a stepout with 3 seconds left to win the bout.

12:15: Exceptional wrestling from U17 Asian silver medalist Masamune USHIMADO (JPN) who completes a 10-0 win over Yigit EGEMEN (TUR) at 51kg. A series of sweep singles are unanswered by Egemen and Ushimado manages to complete all five takedowns.

11:55: Said NABIEV (TJK) with a stunning 12-1 win over Evan RESTIVO (USA) at 51kg. Difficult result for the U.S. after none of its wrestlers made the finals on Friday

11:40: Defending champion at 60kg SITENDER (IND) begins with an 11-0 blanking of Sufjan SINANI (MKD). Sitender led 1-0 after Sinani was called passive and then he scored a takedown and four turns in the second period to complete the victory. 

11:25: Tunar GULIYEV (AZE) is not happy after a challenge decision is given against him. The Azerbaijan wrestler led 2-0 against Adilet RYSBAY (KAZ) but the Kazakhstan wrestler scored a takedown to lead 2-2 on criteria. Guliyev challenged asking for two points for himself but on review, there were no points and a cautioned point was docked from Guliyev for biting Rysbay. Dramatic emotions from Guliyev as he is unable to process the result

11:20: Koichiro NAGAI (JPN) with a smile on his face after he scores a late takedown to beat Joab CARRILLO (PUR), 6-4, and win his 71kg bout

11:10: Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) begins with an 8-4 win over Jaloliddin DJALALOV (UZB) in the wide-open 71kg weight class. Down 2-0, Shamsipour switches with a head-outside single and scores a takedown and turn to lead 4-2. He begins the second period with a takedown as well before fumbling one attack and Djalalov makes it count. But Shamsipour, leading 6-4, is happy to defend. He got one more takedown at the end to finish the bout.

11:00: Orel BENOGUEV (ISR) had no business winning the 71kg bout against Mohamed HAFEZ (EGY) who dominant it throughout. But Benoguev used a headlock for throw and then pinned Hafez when trailing 11-5.

10:30: As usual, the repechage rounds will begin the day before moving to the qualification rounds of the five weight classes.

 

2026 U17 World Championships

Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine Lead the Way into U17 World Championships Finals

By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (July 27) -- Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine were the best performing countries on day one of the U17 World Championships that kicked off with Greco-Roman in Baku, Azerbaijan on Monday.

In the five weight classes that were in action on Monday, the three nations put a two finalists each while Hungary, hosts Azerbaijan, Iran, and the United States had one each.

U17 World Championships 2026

Ali ALMAS (KAZ) was the first wrestler to enter the final when he defeated Ararat AVETISYAN (ARM), 4-1, in the 48kg semifinals. Avetisyan, who finished 13th last year, was hoping to enter his first final at the world level but Almas gave no chance to the Armenian and secured the victory by scoring a turn from par terre.

Almas will now face Soltan IUSUPOV (RUS), who ended the hopes of Omar SALMANOV (AZE) of making the final in front of the home crowd with a 3-1 victory in the semifinal. Iusupov managed to lift Salmanov from par terre in the second period and scored a correct throw on the edge to complete the victory.

Diyar AMANALI (KAZ)Diyar AMANALI (KAZ), blue, reached the 55kg final at the U17 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kazakhstan's second finalist came at 55kg after Diyar AMANALI (KAZ) handed Danimir YORDANOV (BUL) a solid 8-1 defeat in the semifinal. Amanali changed the bout in the second period when he scored a takedown and two turns using a trap-arm gut.

Keve KOVACS (HUN) will try to stop Amanali in the final on Tuesday after he defeated Tsimafei SEMIANENKA (BLR), 2-1, in the other 55kg semifinal.

In a one-sided 65kg semifinal, Shamil LABAZANOV (RUS) took only 29 seconds to defeat Vazgen MNATSAKANYAN (ARM), 8-0. He scored a takedown to get the first two points before using the front headlock throw for four points to lead 6-0. He continued the action with another headlock roll and ended the bout with a technical superiority.

Ibrahim NASIBOV (UKR)Ibrahim NASIBOV (UKR), blue, defeated Orkhan HABIBLI (AZE), 4-3, in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Taking on Labazanov for the gold medal at 65kg will be Ibrahim NASIBOV (UKR) who ended the hope of yet another home wrestler, Orkhan HABIBLI (AZE), with a close 4-3 win in the semifinals. Habibli took a 3-1 lead after scoring from par terre but when Nasibov got the position in the second period, he lifted Habibli and transitioned into a gut-wrench to lead 3-3 on last-point criteria. Habibli challenged at the end of the bout but it was lost, adding one more point to Nasibov's score.

 

Iran had a rather humbling first day with just one final. But the one finalist, Alireza REZAEI (IRI), took out the best at 80kg to reach the final. Rezaei denied defending world champion Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) a repeat after a 5-1 victory in the semifinals.

Kholmirzaev got the par terre first but did not score and then gave up a throw when Rezaei got par terre in the second period. Down 3-1, Kholmirzaev tried some desperate attacks and was close to scoring a takedown in the final 20 seconds but Rezaei defended his cartwheeling attempt and scored exposure points late in the match to win.

Rezaei will now face Isfahan HASANOV (AZE), who made sure Azerbaijan had at least one finalist at home on the opening day. Hasanov used a correct throw from par terre to get two points on Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU) and lead 3-0 before the Lithuanian scored a stepout in the same sequence to cut it to 3-1.

Bubelevicius, who got par terre in the second period, could not change the 3-2 score and as the match neared the end, he challenged for finger blocking from Hasanov which was denied, adding one more point to the Azerbaijan wrestler's score.

Bruno PALLONE (USA)Bruno PALLONE (USA) counters Andrej SIMIC (SRB) for four points during the 110kg semifinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A U.S. vs Ukraine final is set at 110kg after two contrasting semifinals. Bruno PALLONE (USA) took on Andrej SIMIC (SRB) in the semifinal and scored a counter four-point throw to lead 6-2. Simic and Pallone went back-and-forth in second period but the latter always had control of the lead. He used a half-nelson to secure the fall while leading 12-5.

Tymofii PRYKHODKO (UKR) denied U17 European champion Fedor SUKHAREV (RUS) a chance to win a world title after winning 1-1 in the other semifinal, thanks to the first-point criteria when the match ends 1-1 and both points are scored for passivity.

Photo

RESULTS

48kg
SF 1: Soltan IUSUPOV (RUS) df. Omar SALMANOV (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: Ali ALMAS (KAZ) df. Ararat AVETISYAN (ARM), 4-1

55kg
SF 1: Diyar AMANALI (KAZ) df. Danimir YORDANOV (BUL), 8-1
SF 2: Keve KOVACS (HUN) df. Tsimafei SEMIANENKA (BLR), 2-1

65kg
SF 1: Shamil LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Vazgen MNATSAKANYAN (ARM), 8-0
SF 2: Ibrahim NASIBOV (UKR) df. Orkhan HABIBLI (AZE), 4-3

80kg
SF 1: Alireza REZAEI (IRI) df. Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB), 5-1
SF 2: Isfahan HASANOV (AZE) df. Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU), 4-2

110kg
SF 1: Bruno PALLONE (USA) df. Andrej SIMIC (SRB), via fall (12-5)
SF 2: Tymofii PRYKHODKO (UKR) df. Fedor SUKHAREV (RUS), 1-1