Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! November 26, 2018

Monday, November 26, 2018 - 19:12 By Eric Olanowski

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Looking at this week's American Wrestling League and UWW's Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award nomination. Also reviewing results from the Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov Memorial Cup, B.Turlykhanov Cup, and the Dinmukhamed Kunaev Memorial. 

1. American Wrestling League Begins This Weekend 
Reigning world champions Kyle DAKE (USA) and David TAYLOR (USA) are set to coach their teams at this weekend’s inaugural “American Wrestling League I The Beginning.” The action will be live November 30 on www.trackwrestling.com at U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

The premier bout of the ten match card comes at 65kg where Jordan OLIVER (USA) will meet Zain RETHERFORD (USA). Team Dake’s Oliver is coming back from a year-long suspension, while Team Taylor’s 2017 world team member, Retherford, returns after sitting out the 2018 season. 

This will not be the last time these two meet, as they are expected to both compete for the 2019 world team spot at 65kg. 

Each of the starters from Team Dake and Team Taylor will pick up $2,500 to show, and $5,000 to win. Fans can follow all of the AWL action live on trackwrestling.com on November 30.

AWL I Matchups
Team Dake vs. Team Taylor 
57kg - Frank PERRELLI vs. Nico MEGALUDIS 
61kg - Tony RAMOS vs. Cory CLARK 
65kg - Jordan OLIVER vs. Zain RETHERFORD 
70kg - James GREEN vs. Brandon SORENSEN 
74kg - Richie LEWIS vs. Tommy GANTT 
79kg - Isaiah MARTINEZ vs. Alex DIERINGER 
86kg - Nick HEFLIN vs. Sam BROOKS 
92kg - Deron WINN vs. Mike MACCHIAVELLO 
97kg - Jacob KASPER vs. Kyven GADSON 
125kg - Dom BRADLEY vs. Adam COON


Club Akhmat's team-captain, Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS). (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

2. Club Akhmat wins Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov Memorial Cup
The second annual Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov Memorial Cup was held last weekend in the Chechnya’s capital city, Grozny. Originally, six teams were invited, but due to Uzbekistan pulling out late, only five teams participated, forcing a five-team round robin competition. 

Team Akhmat, led by two-time world bronze medalists (2016 and ’18) Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), went undefeated on their way to their second consecutive team title. They scored a trio of dominating 9-1 victories over Europe, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia. Winning the team title, Team Akhmat grabbed seven individual victories to defeat Azerbaijan, 7-3. For their first place efforts, Team Akhmat claimed a team prize of $75,000 USD.                                                                                                   

Europe, whose team split $45,000 USD for their second-place finish went 3-1 on the day and had a pair of 9-1 wins over Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan. Their third victory came against third-place Azerbaijan (6-4), who claimed a cash prize of $22,000. 

Mongolia won $15,000 for their fourth-place win over Kyrgyzstan, who went home with $7,500.

FINAL RESULTS 
Club Akhmat df. Azerbaijan, 7-3 
57 kg. Muslim SADULAYEV (AKHMAT) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 9-1 
61 kg. Mairbek SAIDOV (AZE) df. Ahmednabi GUARZATILOV (AKHMAT), 8-6
65 kg. Akhmed CHAKAEV (AKHMAT) df. Anvarbek DALGATOV (AZE), 10-0 
70 kg. Razambek ZHAMALOV (AKHMAT) df. Murtuzali MUSLIMOV (AZE), via injury def. 
74 kg. Israil KASUMOV (AKHMAT) - Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), 4-4
79 kg. Husey SUYUNCHEV (AKHMAT) df. brahim YUSUPOV (AZE), 10-0
86 kg. Zelimkhan MINKAILOV (AKHMAT) df. Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE), 4-2 
92 kg. Sharip SHARIPOV (AZE) df. Akhmed BATAYEV (AKHMAT), 3-1 
97 kg. Nurmagomed HAJIYEV (AZE) df. Tamerlan RASUEV (AKHMAT), 4-3
125 kg. Anzor HIZRIEV (AKHMAT) df. Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE), via forfeit 

3. Kazakhstan and Russian Win Four Dinmukhamed Kunaev Memorial Golds 

More than 150 participants competed in the 11th annual Dinmukhamed Kunaev Memorial freestyle tournament in Taraz, Kazakhstan, and four different nations had a wrestler reach the top of the podium. The host nation Kazakhstan, along with Russia won a quartet of gold medals, while Belarus and Mongolia won the remaining two gold medals. The gold medalists of the Dinmukhamed Kunaev Memorial won $4,000 (USD), while the second and third-place finishers won $2,000 (USD) and $500 (USD) respectively. 

RESULTS 
57 kg
GOLD - Zhargal DAMIDINOV (RUS)
SILVER - Dimchik RINCHINOV (BLR) 
BRONZE - Muhammadsidiq JURAEV (UZB) 
BRONZE - Aryaan TYUTRIN (RUS) 
 

61 kg 
GOLD -  Rasul KALIEV (KAZ) 
SILVER - Nyurgun ALEXANDROV (RUS) 
BRONZE - Kairat AMIRTAEV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Semyon VLADIMIROV (RUS) 
 

65 kg 
GOLD - Ilyas ZHUMAI (KAZ) 
SILVER -Meyrzhan ASHIROV (KAZ) 
BRONZE -  Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Njurgun Scriabin (BLR) 
70 kg 
GOLD - Ivan EFREMOV (RUS) 
SILVER - Nurgorzha KAIPANOV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Sultan BEISOV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Ramazan RAMAZANOV (RUS) 

74 kg 
GOLD -Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (RUS) 
SILVER - Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) 
BRONZE - German USTINOV (RUS) 
BRONZE - Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) 
 

79 kg 
GOLD -Tazhidin AKAYEV (RUS) 
SILVER - Galymzhan USERBAYEV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Stanislav KHACHIROV (RUS) 
BRONZE - Aibek NASYROV (KGZ) 
 

86 kg 
GOLD -Uitumen ORGODOL (MGL) 
SILVER - Elkhan ASADOV (KAZ) 
BRONZE -  Said ABBAZOV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)

92 kg 
GOLD - Abdimanap BAYDENJEEV (KAZ) 
SILVER - Nurgali NURGAIPULY (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Adilet DAYLUMBAYEV (KAZ) 

97 kg 
GOLD - Alexander GUSHTYN (BLR) 
SILVER - Mamed IIBRAGIMOV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Omar JURMASH (KAZ) 
 

125 kg 
GOLD - Bakhtiyar ZHANABEK (KAZ) 
SILVER - Yermukhanbet INKAR (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Yusup BATYMURZAYEV (KAZ)


Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR), 77kg B. Turlykhanov Cup champion. (Photo by Sachiko Hotaka) 

4. Olympic Champ Kim Wins B. Turlykhanov Cup 
This weekend, Almaty, Kazakhstan’s Baluan Sholak Palace of Sport hosted the 24th annual Greco-Roman B. Turlykhanov Cup. Of the six Olympic weight category gold medals up for grabs, Russia and Uzbekistan each won a pair of gold medals, while Kazakhstan and Korea won a solo gold medal. 

Of the competitors, the most accomplished wrestler was London Olympic champion and Rio Olympic bronze medalist, KIM Hyeon Woo (KOR). In the 77kg finals, Kim, the 2018 world bronze medalist, defeated Dmitry PETAIKIN (RUS), stopping Russia from winning their third gold medal of the tournament.

Though Kim was the only Olympic champion competing in the B. Turlykhanov Cup, he was not the only Olympic champion in attendance. Other Olympic champions that were present at the Baluan Sholak Palace of Sport were three-time Olympic champion Alexander KARELIN (URS), three-time world and Olympic champion Kamandar MADZHIDOV (BLR), and the two-time world and Olympic champions Zhaksylyk USHEMPIROV (URS) and Levon JULFALAKYAN (URS). 

RESULTS 
60kg 
GOLD -  Firuz TOKTAEV (UZB) 
SILVER -  Leri ABULADZE (GEO) 
BRONZE - Ahmadjon MAKHMUDOV (UZB) 
BRONZE - Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) 
 

67kg 
GOLD - Adilkhan SATAEV (KAZ) 
SILVER -  Zaur KABALOEV (RUS) 
BRONZE - Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Daniyar KALENOV (Kazakhstan) 
 

77kg 
GOLD -  KIM Hyeon Woo (KOR) 
SILVER -  Dmitry PETAIKIN (RUS) 
BRONZE - Zhasulan MARATOV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Irakli KALANDIA (RUS) 
 

87kg 
GOLD - Gamzat YUSUPOV (RUS) 
SILVER - Zurab DATUNASHVILI (GEO) 
BRONZE -  Alan OSTAEV (RUS) 
BRONZE - Nikolay STADUB (BEL) 
 

97kg 
GOLD - Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS) 
SILVER - Danil SOTNIKOV (RUS) 
BRONZE - Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Cantemir MAGOMEDOV (RUS) 

130kg 
GOLD -  Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) 
SILVER - Vitaly SHCHUR (RUS) 
BRONZE -  Levan ARABULI (GEO) 
BRONZE - LEE Seung (KOR)


More than Medals Zagreb (Photo by Theo Lowenstein ) 

5. United World Wrestling Nominated for Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award
United World Wrestling was recently nominated for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award for their More Than Medals camps. More Than Medals is a United World Wrestling initiative to deliver wrestling techniques, life skills and experiences to athletes from developing nations and wrestling programs.

In addition to the technical-tactical training during the MTM camps, other activities that have been carried out to help give participants more knowledge for their sports career and their life in general are:
• Training Planning
• Olympic Values
• Anti-Doping
• ACP (Athletes Career Program)
• Nutrition
• Group Integration Games

WATCH: Lucha in Guatemala! More than Medals Olympic Wrestling Camp. 
READ: Zagreb Hosts More Than Medals Camp Prior to Youth Olympic Games

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1.Big Move Monday!
2. Incredible training session today at @edge_hoboken with @frankchamizo92 and @aaronpicousa ! ? Coming Soon
3. Can you repeat that?? And did you recognize this super person?? Сможете повторить? А супер личность на видео узнали?? #wrestling#cool#awesome#repeat#kids#sport#борьба#дети#борцы
4. A few photos from the 2018 World Championships ?‍♂️ ?‍♀️ .#unitedworldwrestling #uww #wrestling
5. 1 or 2?? 1 или 2?? #wrestling#sport#coolpic#борьба#выбери

#WrestleNoviSad

Farokhi, Hedayati lead Iran's golden charge at U23 Worlds

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 - 15:58 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 21) -- Iran’s Greco-Roman dominance shows no signs of slowing down. After winning team titles at the U17 World Championships in Athens, the U20 Worlds in Samokov, and the senior event in Zagreb, Iran looks poised to complete a clean sweep in Novi Sad as Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) and Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) claimed gold medals at the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2025 on Tuesday.

World champion Farokhi and defending champion Hedayati, who celebrated his birthday as well on Tuesday, won gold medals in dominant fashion at 87kg and 130kg respectively.

"I was able to win two back-to-back tough matches at the World Championships and bring home two gold medals," Farokhi said. "These were high-level competitions."

Farokhi, a gold medalist at 82kg in Zagreb, moved up to 87kg for Novi Sad but had no troubles in switching weights. As he did in Zagreb, Farokhi brought his best game in par terre and rolled to his second gold in one month after a 9-0 victory in the final against Ivan CHMYR (UKR), his fifth technical superiority victory.

After being put on top in par terre, Farokhi launched a trap-arm gut and turned Chmyr four times for the win. Ukraine threw one of those ever increasing challenges for no reason but lost it to add one more point to Farokhi's score.

"When you move up a weight class, the opponents are definitely stronger and tougher," Farokhi said. "It was a good experience, and it gave me a better sense of how I can perform at 87 kg -- an Olympic weight class"

Hedayati, who has not lost an international bout since his 2022 U20 World Championships finals loss, showed why he will dominate the 130kg weight class for years to come.

Up against Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) in the final, Hedayati began with takedown on the edge for two points. Kurdyan was put in par terre and from there Hedayati turned him twice to extend his lead to 7-0. With just 23 seconds left before the break, Hedayati scored a stepout to finish the final 8-0 and claim his second straight U23 world title.

At 63kg, Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) upended returning 63kg U23 world champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 6-3, in the final using a four-point suplex from par terre to score his points.

Eriomenco, who had defeated Babashov in the U23 European finals, looked very dominant in run up to the final while Babashov had some tough bouts on Monday. But the Azerbaijan wrestler began aggressively and managed to earn first par terre advantage.

He performed a suplex for four points to make his lead 5-0 and take huge step towards winning his first ever world title. He further consolidated his position when he defended from par terre in the second period and gave up only stepout to Eriomenco as the score changed to 5-2.

Babashov then countered an attack from the Moldova wrestler and forced him to stepout outside to extend his lead to 6-2. He gave up one more stepout but held on to the 6-3 lead to win the gold medal.

With the win, he now leads the head-to-head against Eriomenco 2-1 as both have traded victories at 2024 U23 European Championships and its 2025 edition with the Moldovan one being the more recent winner.

Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR)Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) holds off Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO) in the 77kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A silver medalist from 2023 at the U23 Worlds, Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) managed to win gold at 77kg as he defeated Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 4-1, in the final.

Orjonikidze was himself to blame for the loss as he committed a defensive leg foul in the first period when Mirzoiev got the par terre position and as he was trying to lift, Orjonikidze blocked him with his leg, giving a 3-0 lead to the Ukrainian.

Georgia challenged the decision but on review, it was confirmed that a leg foul was indeed committed. The lost challenge gave one more point to Mirzoiev.

Orjonikidze got the par terre position in the second period but he failed to score any points and Mirzoiev easily defended his 4-1 lead to eventually claimed the gold medal.

Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR)Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) defeated Richard KARELSON (EST) in the 97kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Yakushenko closer to U23 title

U20 world champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) is a win away from winning his second world tittle three months after he reached the 97kg final at U23 World Championships. He defeated European Championships silver medalist Richard KARELSON (EST) 6-3 in the semifinals.

Karelson tried to make a match of it but Yakushenko scored a four-pointer from par terre to lead 5-0 before Karelson scored a takedown. But Yakushenko got a stepout to lead 6-2. He defended his lead despite Karelson getting par terre in the second period.

He will face Asian U23 champion Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) who rolled to a 9-1 win over Maksim AVERIN (UWW), scoring four turns from par terre in the second period.

At 55kg, U23 European champion Alibek AMIROV (UWW) will face Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) in the final after he defeated Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ) in the semifinal. Amirov was down 2-1 when he got the 

Aliyev hit a beautiful headlock for four against 2024 U17 world champion Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) before securing the fall in the semifinal.

Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) will take on Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY) for the gold medal at 67kg after he defeated Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW), 1-1, having the criteria from the first point score in a 1-1 finish.

Andelrehim led 4-1 when his opponent in the semifinal, Attila JOZSA (HUN), injury default for a leg injury.

Seven years after winning the U17 World Championships gold medal, Abror ATABAEV (UZB) will have a chance to win a second world title after he reached the 72kg final. After getting the first par terre and 1-1 lead against Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ), Atabaev defended his par terre position and kept the 1-1 criteria lead.

Maulitkanov threw everything at Atabaev in the final two minutes but the Uzbekistan defended all the attacks. Atabaev was close to giving up a takedown in the final 15 seconds but he managed to keep himself up and then score a pushout to lead 2-1. Kazakhstan challenged the call but it was a clear stepout and the lost challenge made it 3-1 for Atabaev.

He will face former Asian champion Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) for gold after the Iranian defended his 1-1 criteria lead against Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM). The final will be battle of two Asian champion as Atabaev won that title in 2023.

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 6-3

BRONZE: Dordzhi SHUNGURTSIKOV (UWW) df. Servet ANGI (TUR), 6-1
BRONZE: Adham ELSAYED (EGY) df. Kuttubek ABDURAZAKOV (KGZ), 3-2

77kg
GOLD: Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) df. Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) df. Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 3-3
BRONZE: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN), 4-2

87kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Ivan CHMYR (UKR), 10-0

BRONZE: Payton JACOBSON (USA) df. Lachin VALIYEV (AZE), 5-3
BRONZE: Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Yassine BEN LABED (POL), 5-1

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Razmik KURDYAN (ARM), 8-0

BRONZE: Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) df. Saba CHILASHVILI (GEO), via fall (4-0)
BRONZE: Aleksandr MELEKHOV (UWW) df. Artur SARKISJAN (CZE), 9-1

Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE)  vs. Alibek AMIROV (UWW)

SF 1: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) df. Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI), via fall (5-1)
SF 2: Alibek AMIROV (UWW) df. Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ), via fall (7-2)

67kg
GOLD: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) vs. Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY)

SF 1: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) df. Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW), 1-1
SF 2: Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY) df. Attila JOZSA (HUN), via inj. def. (4-1)

72kg
GOLD: Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Abror ATABAEV (UZB)

SF 1: Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM), 1-1
SF 2: Abror ATABAEV (UZB) df. Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) vs. Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 6-3 
SF 2: Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) df. Maksim AVERIN (UWW), 9-1