#WrestleOslo: Taylor, Yazdani set up gold-medal showdown; USA puts 3 in finals

Saturday, October 2, 2021 - 18:47 By Ken Marantz

OSLO (October 3) -- Just two months after a victory that gave him an Olympic gold medal, David TAYLOR (USA) will meet nemesis Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) again, this time with the world championship on the line in the latest edition of one of wrestling's biggest rivalries.

Taylor was one of three Americans to advance to the finals in the four freestyle weight classes in action on the opening day Saturday of the World Championships in Oslo, storming into the 86kg gold-medal match with a victory by fall over Abubakr ABARAKOV (AZE) in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Kyle DAKE (USA) will get a chance to add the world 74kg title to the two he owns at 79kg, while Daton FIX (USA) rampaged through the rounds to make the final at 61kg at the Jordal Amfi arena.

At 125kg, rising star Amir ZARE (IRI) outlasted two-time former world champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) in a clash of Olympic bronze medalists to set up a gold-medal showdown with three-time defending champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO).

Yazdani, aiming for his third career world title, advanced into Sunday night's 86kg final by defeating Artur NAIFONOV (RWF) 8-2 -- a virtual repeat of their semifinal clash at the Tokyo Olympics in August which Yazdani won 7-1.

David TAYLOR USA David TAYLOR (USA) advanced to the 86kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Taylor's victory in the Tokyo final over Yazdani was the third in three career meetings between the two, but he knows not to underestimate such a dangerous foe, given that he needed a late takedown to forge out a 4-3 win.

"You can't take this one for granted," Taylor said. "It was a very close match at the Olympics. So we'll see which guy prevails in this match. Either way, it's going to be very tough. I'm ready, I'm looking forward to it."

Yazdani, the 2016 Rio Olympic champion at 74kg, has similar sentiments, but thinks he is ready to turn the tide.

"It will be a beautiful wrestling bout," Yazdani said. "Based on my three times wrestling with him, I know him, I am getting better and I can do a good job so that I can avenge my Tokyo loss."

Taylor, who started the day with a technical fall and a fall, had a rare lapse in his semifinal against 2019 world U23 silver medalist Abarakov, who scored an early takedown with a shrug and go-behind.

But Taylor came back with a vengence, scoring a quick takedown and gut wrench. Then, harkening back to his American folkstyle roots, he used a chicken wing and arm bar to turn Abarakov over and secure the fall at 2:34.

"My background is folkstyle wrestling, I'm a dangerous freestyle wrestler, and I can score from so many positions." Taylor said, "It's about adapting, finding ways to make that stuff work...You get to the World Championships, where people really want to win and want to scramble a little longer, that kind of stuff opens up for me."

Taylor's high-pace attack has always been his strongpoint, helping him win his first and only world title in 2018. He is certainly showing none of the effects of the knee injury that kept him out of the 2019 worlds.

"People have been trying to slow me down since I was 10," Taylor said. "It hasn't changed, it's just a different level. They're not going to wrestle my pace, we know that.

"It's about making adjustments, getting a good game plan ready to go. He gets the first takedown, but now what, there's five minutes? Know that I'm coming for five. He was good, he was prepared. He's a good skilled guy."

Asked about the strong opening-day showing by the US, which includes all but one of its Olympic medalists, Taylor said he didn't really understand why some countries would opt to skip the tournament or send lower-level teams.

"We have a great team," he said. "A lot of countries chose to take this one off, but I think it's a big mistake. You only get so many healthy world championship opportunities, you got to show up. We showed up, we performed really well today, we got to keep it rolling. I hope we set the tone for the next couple of days."

Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) will wrestle Kyle DAKE (USA) in the 74kg final. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Also getting the ball rolling was Dake, who rolled to a 9-1 victory over Azamat NURYKAU (BLR), which got a little testy at times, to advance to the 74kg final, where he will face Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK).

"I am excited to be back and to compete at a high level, whoever I face," Dake said.

Dake scored a single-leg takedown that he followed with a gut wrench and two tilts for a quick 8-0 lead. All that Nurykau could manage was a stepout in the second period, while a penalty point capped Dake's scoring.

Nurykau, who is competing in his seventh World Championships, will get yet another chance for a medal -- he wrestled for a bronze three times, in 2014, 2015 and 2017, and lost each time.

The Russian-born Salkazanov assured his adopted country of a fourth world medal in its history, and will look to become its first-ever gold medalist, after defeating 2018 world silver medalist Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) 5-0.

"It would be a great honor for me to bring the gold medal of the World Championships for my country Slovakia, I would be unbelievably proud of it," Salkazanov said. "I will be happy if I can make it."

Salkazanov, this year's European champion and a 2019 world bronze medalist at 79kg, barely made it out of the quarterfinals, scoring a last-second stepout to stun Timur BIZHOEV (RWF) 2-2.

Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) will wrestle Daton FIX (USA) in the 61kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 61kg, the final was set up between Fix and European champion Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF), as the two were equally dominant in opposite brackets.

Fix, a 2017 world junior champion, needed just 34 seconds to overwhelm two-time world junior bronze medalist Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) by 10-0 technical fall, giving him a shot at a gold medal in his second career World Championships.

"I wanna be a world champion," Fix said. "I am here, you know, the time is now. I am not gonna let another opportunity slip away from me....I feel good, I am wrestling well, and I am just gonna keep it rolling into the finals."

Magomedov, the 2018 world junior champion, had little trouble in also advancing with a 10-0 technical fall, ending his clash at 3:41 with 2018 world U23 champion Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN), who couldn't pull off another comeback after rallying in all three of his previous wins.

As the lone Russian Wrestling Federation wrestler in the first group of finals, Magomedov is also thinking of the importance of a victory in terms of the team race.

"I will be the first one to wrestle [in Sunday’s finals] and I’ll try to give it all I can with God's will to help my team get the team title," Magomedov said.

Fix chalked up three technical falls without giving up a point leading up to the semifinals, while Magomedov had a pair of first-period falls.

"It’s not my special tactic to pin the opponents," Magomedov said. "I see how it goes during the match. It’s better to pin the opponent and rest rather than wrestle for six minutes. If I feel it’s gonna work, I’ll pin. But it’s not something I’ve learned on purpose."

Fix recalled that he and Magomedov met once before, in the 54kg quarterfinals at the 2015 world cadets in Sarajevo. Magomedov won that encounter 3-2 (he went on to the final, but lost to Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), the Tokyo 2021 65kg champion).

"I’ll let him have that one, and I’ll get one here," Fix said.

The 125kg field is missing Olympic champion Gable STEVESON (USA), but the three other medalists are all here, and Akgul ended up being the odd-man out of the final.

Amir ZARE (IRI) defeated Taha AKGUL (TUR) in the semifinal and will wrestle Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Zare, the 2019 world U23 gold medalist, gained an activity point in each period, then scored a takedown countering a late attack by Akgul for a 4-0 victory and a chance to avenge a semifinal loss to Petriashvili from the Tokyo Olympics.

"After the Olympics and a short break, I joined the training camp," Zare said. "The coaches analyzed carefully and I am really ready for the [final] and I am eager for it. In the final, I will not repeat my mistakes as I did in Tokyo and I can win gold medal."

Petrashvili, who lost a 10-8 thriller to Steveson in the Olympic final, had little trouble scoring a 10-0 technical fall over Asian champion Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ). The Georgian scored three takedowns, adding a gut wrench after two of them to win in 4:50.

Boltin will get a chance for take home a bronze in likely his final competition. The 28-year-old, who won four Japan national collegiate titles at Yamanashi Gakuin University, will reportedly start a career with the New Japan Pro-Wrestling organization following the tournament.

Day 1 Results

61kg
Semifinal - Daton FIX (USA) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) by TF, 10-0, :34
Semifinal - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) df. Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN) by TF, 10-0, 3:41

74kg
Semifinal - Kyle DAKE (USA) df. Azamat NURYKAU (BLR), 9-1
Semifinal - Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 5-0

86kg
Semifinal - David TAYLOR (USA) df. Abubakr ABARAKOV (AZE) by Fall, 2:34 (6-2)
Semifinal - Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. Artur NAIFONOV (RWF), 8-2

125kg
Semifinal Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 4:50
Semifinal - Amir ZARE (IRI) df. Taha AKGUL (TUR), 4-0

#wrestlebishkek

Hong Ends Bronze Age, Helps China Usher in Possible Golden Era

Friday, April 10, 2026 - 18:28 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 10) -- By ending her own personal Bronze Age, Kexin HONG (CHN) helped China possibly usher in the beginning of a new Golden Era.

Hong was one of four Chinese to strike gold on the final day of the women’s competition at the Asian Championships, winning the 57kg title on Friday to end a rash of recent third-place finishes.

“Each bronze medal made me a little bit stronger by the competition,” Hong said. “So this time, I feel really happy, especially when yesterday I finished the semifinal and made it to the final. Finally, a final.”

The other Chinese who made the top of the podium in Bishkek’s Zhastkyk Arena were Jin ZHANG (CHN) at 53kg, LILI (CHN) at 65kg and Jia LONG (CHN) at 72kg, capping a performance in which all 10 of the country’s wrestlers took home medals.

The lone other medal at stake on Friday went to two-time former world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), who had ousted a Chinese opponent in the quarterfinals the previous day before snatching the 62kg gold by avenging one of her few international losses -- which led to a nice surprise for her on the medal podium.

China pipped rival Japan for the team title when Lili and Long defeated Japanese opponents in their gold-medal matches. China, with five golds overall, finished on top with 205 points, followed by Japan with 191 and Mongolia in third with 126.

“It shows that every single member of our team has been working hard behind the scenes,” Long said. “And because we have a good coach who draws up excellent plans for us, we execute them with dedication, all for the sake of our shared dream.”

Kexin HONG (CHN) celebrates after winning the gold medal at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Hong completed a spotless run to the gold with a victory by fall over former world silver medalist Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) in the 57kg final.

Hong is no stranger to ending tournaments with victories, and her resume includes medals from every major global event. Unfortunately, none of those wins had come in finals over the past three years.

According to a Chinese team official, her teammates tease Hong about having an affinity for bronze, nicknaming her "Tong Pai Da Man Guan," which loosely translates to "Bronze Medalist Grand Slam." It’s not hard to see why. In the past three years, she has taken home medals of that color at four major competitions -- the 2023 Asian Games, the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 2025 Asian Championships and the 2025 World Championships.

The closest she came to breaking the hex came in Paris, where she was leading 7-0 in her semifinal against Anastacia NICHITA (MDA) when disaster struck and she got caught and pinned.

“Nobody wants to lose, but that's part of competition,” Hong said. “I really felt sad for that moment, but it also meant there was some weakness in my wrestling.

“So, I accepted and recovered, and told myself that I can become better and better. Now I’m happy to see myself improve.”

There were no slipups in her demolition of Batkhuyag in Friday’s final. Hong opened with a takedown and lace lock for a quick 4-0 lead. After a second takedown and exposure, she got her arm between Batkhuyag’s knees, lifted up and planted the Mongolian on her back, securing the fall in 1:31.

“Before, I never thought about that I can finish so fast,” said Hong, who won all three of her matches by technical superiority or fall, without conceding a point.

“Just before the competition, I just thought to be ready for the six minutes, ready to fight to the last second and just try my best to show all my advantages.”

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) defeated Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) to win her third Asian gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 62kg, Japan’s Ozaki completed an equally flawless run to her third Asian gold and fifth medal overall by scoring two 4-point takedowns in a 10-0 victory over Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK).

“I was able to win by technical superiority, but before the match, I never thought I could have such a large gap in points like this, so I'm really happy,” said Ozaki, a Paris Olympic bronze medalist at 68kg.

The victory in 2:15 avenged a particularly frustrating loss to Mun in the final of the 2023 Asian Games. Ozaki had been leading when Mun used an arm throw to toss her onto her back, then held her in the near fall position for the final minute to win 6-6 on criteria.

“One of my main objectives coming here was to beat that DPR Korean wrestler,” Ozaki said. “There were also big hurdles to get over. As such, I want to view this result in a positive light and regard it as doing a good job.”

Ozaki’s reward for a job well done came on the medal podium, where she was surprised to see that the presenter was none other than longtime rival and local superstar Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), the three-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist who is currently on a hiatus.

They shared a hug after the medal was placed around a beaming Ozaki’s neck.

“Aisuluu-san is a hero,” Ozaki said. “I have so much respect for her. Of course, I respected her while she was competing. She's really a special person. To be at a competition and receive the medal this way is really an honor and I am proud of it.”

To get to Bishkek, Ozaki had to defeat reigning world and Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) at the All-Japan Championships in December. Now, to achieve her goal of getting to this year’s World Championships and Asian Games, she will have to beat Motoki again, either at next month’s Meiji Cup or a subsequent playoff.

Jin ZHANG (CHN) works on a takedown against MEENAKSHI (IND) during the 53kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 53kg, Zhang picked up her first gold in her second trip to the Asian Championships with a lightning-quick 10-0 victory over MEENAKSHI (IND). A single-leg takedown, a lace lock and four quick spins gave Zhang the victory in 53 seconds.

Zhang, the 2024 world silver medalist at 55kg, got over her biggest hurdle in the semifinals, when she pancaked former world champion Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) for a stunning victory by fall.

“I never think about when what kind of action I can win from,” Zhang said. “I just follow the coach’s instructions, to be tough and do your attack.”

Zhang said she will not succumb to the pressure that comes with being a newly crowned Asian champion.

“After I stepped off this podium, everything will go to zero and it's a new start,” she said. “I will never think about I'm Asian champion now. I will surely fight for the higher step of the podium.”

Going into the last two finals, Japan could have won the team title with victories in both. Instead, the Chinese swept the two, with one match coming down to a challenge decision and the other a more forthright victory.

LILI (CHN) tries to score a takedown against Nana IKEHATA (JPN) during the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 65kg, China’s Lili had the winning takedown confirmed by challenge for a 3-2 victory after it appeared that Nana IKEHATA (JPN) had held on for the title.

Ikehata, the winner at the Zagreb Ranking Series this year and the 2024 world U20 champion, was leading 2-1 with all of the points coming on the activity clock when Lili made a low lunge for Ikehata’s leg with :30 to go.

Lili caught Ikehata’s heel and the Japanese tumbled onto her backside, but immediately got up and fought desperately to keep Lili from completing the takedown as time ran out.

But on challenge, it was decided that Ikehata’s initial drop to the mat constituted a takedown for Lili, who was awarded the 2 and the victory, giving her an Asian gold to go with her 2023 world bronze, and leaving Ikehata stunned.

Jia LONG (CHN) turns Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) using a high gut wrench. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the final bout of the night, Long completed the Chinese gold rush with a 10-2 victory in the 72kg final over Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) -- a repeat of the 65kg final in 2023.

After a stepout and activity clock gave Long a 2-0 lead at the break, she finally got Yoshitake to the mat with a single-leg takedown. From there she used her deadly high gut wrench for three consecutive rolls.

That should have ended the proceedings right there, but on the final one, Yoshitake managed to fluidly step over for a 2-point exposure that kept the action going with 1:20 left. But Yoshitake never threatened and Long came away with her second Asian gold.

Long has been gradually moving up in weight, having won the 2022 world silver and 2024 world gold at 65kg and a bronze at last year’s World Championships at 68kg.

“Perhaps there were some challenges with strength,” Long said of competing at 72kg. “But in terms of speed, it might have been a bit better than at 68kg.”

Sara NATAMI (JPN) defeated MANISHA (IND) to win the 57kg bronze medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kiyooka, Natami bounce back

Kiyooka and Sara NATAMI (JPN), who were both handed stunning losses by fall in the semifinals, bounced back to take home bronze medals with one-sided victories.

Kiyooka, the silver medalist a year ago, completed the collection of Asian medals with a 10-0 rout of Aziza KELDIBEKOVA (KGZ) in 1:24 at 53kg. Kiyooka also has 55kg gold from 2024, the year she also won a world title at that weight.

Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB) took home the other bronze at 53kg, using a fireman’s carry to take Seoyoung PARK (KOR) directly to her back and secure a fall in 2:00.

Natami, whose defense of the 57kg title was ended in the semifinals by Batkhuyag, needed slightly more time than Kiyooka to finish up her 10-0 win over MANISHA (IND). The winning points were decided on a Japanese challenge when the referee undercounted the number of spins Natami accomplished with her lace lock.

Natami, who came to Bishkek as a substitute for injured Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), now also has the full collection of Asian medals. In addition to last year’s gold, she won a silver in 2018 and another gold in 2022.

In the other match at 57kg, Youngjin KWON (KOR) gave Korea its lone medal in Women’s Wrestling by scoring three 2-point exposures off a takedown counter in the second period to top Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE) 7-2.

Qi ZHANG (CHN), the lone Chinese not wrestling in a final on the night, assured she would not leave Bishkek empty-handed when she converted her second takedown of Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) into a fall in 1:31 at 62kg.

The victory gave Zhang a second straight bronze and fourth of her career in a fourth different weight class. She also has a gold at 59kg from 2024, as well as the 2023 world gold at that weight.

A first-period fall also decided the other 62kg bronze, with Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) building up a 7-0 lead over Tynys DUBEK (KAZ) before using an arm bar to end the match at 1:48.

Both the home team and India bagged bronzes in the two heavier weights.

At 65kg, Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) gave up an early takedown to Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB), but came back with a 4-point takedown to the back that she topped off with a fall in 2:02 to add to the Asian bronze she won at 68kg in 2024.

Two-time world U23 bronze medalist MONIKA (IND) also had a 4-point takedown in a 9-0 victory over Hanbit LEE (KOR) for the other 65kg bronze.

Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ), a world bronze medalist at 72kg, scored a first-period takedown while on the activity clock and that was enough to edge Odgerel ERDENE OCHIR (MGL) 2-0 for her first Asian bronze.

In the other 72kg bout, HARSHITA (IND) added to her 2024 silver medal with a victory by fall over Sevinchoy POLVONOVA (UZB) in 3:25 after building up a 5-0 lead.

Day 5 Results

Women’s Wrestling

53kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Jin ZHANG (CHN) df. MEENAKSHI (IND) by TS, 10-0, :53

BRONZE: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Aziza KELDIBEKOVA (KGZ) by TS, 11-0, 1:24
BRONZE: Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB) df. Seoyoung PARK (KOR) by Fall, 2:00 (2-0)

57kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) by Fall, 1:31 (10-0)

BRONZE: Youngjin KWON (KOR) df. Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE), 7-2
BRONZE: Sara NATAMI (JPN) df. MANISHA (IND) by TS, 10-0, 1:50

62kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) by TS, 10-0, 2:15

BRONZE: Qi ZHANG (CHN) df. Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) by Fall, 1:31 (4-0)
BRONZE: Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Tynys DUBEK (KAZ) by Fall, 1:48 (7-0)

65kg (9 entries)
GOLD: LILI (CHN) df. Nana IKEHATA (JPN), 3-2

BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB) by Fall, 2:02 (4-2)
BRONZE: MONIKA (IND) df. Hanbit LEE (KOR), 9-0

72kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Jia LONG (CHN) df. Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN), 10-2

BRONZE: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) df. Odgerel ERDENE OCHIR (MGL), 2-0
BRONZE: HARSHITA (IND) df. Sevinchoy POLVONOVA (UZB) by Fall, 3:25 (5-0)

Freestyle

57kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) df. Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ), 4-1
SF 2: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) df. Fuga SASAKI (JPN) by TS, 11-0, 3:23

65kg (12 entries)
SF 1: SUJEET (IND) df. Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), 7-2
SF 2: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), 5-3

70kg (10 entries)
SF 1: ABHIMANYOU (IND) df. Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), 6-3
SF 2: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. Sina KHALILI (IRI), 5-1

79kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) df. Razambek JAMALOV (UZB), 4-3
SF 2: Sandeep Singh MANN (IND) df. Somonjon IKROMOV (TJK) by TS, 10-0, 3:13

97kg (13 entries)
SF 1: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. VICKY (IND), 2-0
SF 2: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), 15-6

#WrestleOslo: Taylor, Yazdani set up gold-medal showdown; USA puts 3 in finals

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Hong Ends Bronze Age, Helps China Usher in Possible Golden Era