BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 17) -- The final Ranking Series of the season begins Thursday in Budapest with seven Freestyle weight classes -- 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, 97kg and 125kg.
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Budapest Ranking Series 2025 Day 1 Live Report
97kg: Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), who wrestled for the first time since Paris last week with a gold medal in Grand Prix of Spain, continues his return at the Budapest Ranking Series at 97kg.
In his first bout, Tazhudinov was up against Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) and rolled to a 12-2 technical superiority win, making Viskhanov pay for his half-hearted attacks.
Tazhudinov began slow but hit a double-leg for four points and Viskhanov scored exposure for two points. But Tazhudinov scored a takedown and two turns from par terre to make it 10-2.
The bout went into the second period and Tazhudinov locked a cradle but Viskhanov avoided the fall, but failed to stop a Tazhudinov win.
His next bout was even shorter as he defeated Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (UWW) 10-0, thanks to a series of takedowns, and book a spot in the semifinals.
65kg: Another Paris Olympic medalist, Islam DUDAEV (ALB), suffered an 11-0 loss to Asian U23 champion SUJEET (IND). After a slow start, Sujeet had a scoring spree in the second period and broke Dudaev down to post a win.
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) has no trouble taking out Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), 6-0, in the bout which included a huge suplex from quad-pod.
79kg: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), wrestling for the first time since the Paris Games, opens with a 12-1 win over European silver medalist Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) in a very aggressive match. Kougioumtsidis just too much for an aging Khadjiev.
70kg: Austin GOMEZ (MEX) gets the better of a very sluggish Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) 10-0. Muszukajev has not looked the same ever since the 2024 Olympic Games.
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) hands Sina KHALILI (IRI) a defeated at 70kg. That means that Khalili may be out of the contention for the World Championships now.
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