TABRIZ, Iran (February 8) -The finalists of the 38th international Freestyle Takhti Cup were determined in Tabriz, Iran, as the host country sent nine wrestlers to final matches. Turkey has four wrestlers competing for gold medals.
Eight countries have wrestlers in the final matches of Takhti Cup. Below is a look at what transpired on the opening day of the tournament.
57kg final: Nader HAJAGHANIA (IRI) vs. Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Iranian and Mongolian wrestlers stormed to the finals by technical fall wins over their rivals at lightweight.
Two-time world bronze medal winner and Asian champion Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) beat Iranian Hamid KHALILI 12-0. Nader HAJAGHANIA (IRI), who placed third at the 2017 Asian Indoor Games, defeated Dzimchyk RYNCHYNAU (BLR) 13-3.
61kg final: Niurhun SKRABIN (BLR) vs. Mohammad RAMEZANPOUR (IRI)
Belarus wrestler Niurhun SKRABIN downed Sandeep TOMAR (IND)10-1. Tomar was a 2016 Asian champion who moved up to 61kg for the Takhti Cup.
The other semifinal match saw 19 points scored as Iranian Mohammad RAMEZAPOUR earned 10-9 victory against Giorgi REVAZISHVILI (GEO). Ramezanpour also defeated U23 world bronze medalist Suleyman ATLI (TUR) in the quarterfinals.
65kg final: Morteza GHIYASI (IRI) vs. Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL)
Morteza GHIYASI (IRI) defeated Iranian national team member at the Olympics and World Championships Behnam EHSANPOOR 5-3 in an interesting match.
Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL) battled tough rival in the semifinals, beating Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) narrowly 4-4.
70kg final: Giorgi SULAVA (GEO) vs. Enes USLU (TUR)
Former junior world and European champion Enes USLU (TUR) had a brilliant performance at 74kg, downing the host country wrestler Mohammadreza SARGOU (IRI) 10-0. He will meet Giorgi SULAVA (GEO) in the finals.
In the quarterfinals Uslu beat his compatriot Musfata KAYA.
74kg final: Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) vs. Ali-Pasha UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
2016 world silver medal winner Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) achieved a 9-8 victory over Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM) to meet Bulgarian Ali-Pasha UMARPASHAEV in the finals. Umarpashaev is the only Bulgarian wrestler to advance to the finals of the Takhti Cup.
Bekzhanov also beat Iranian wrestlers Hamed RASHIDI (IRI), a 2017 Asian bronze medalist, and Saeid DADASHPOUR, a 2017 Asian Indoor Games bronze medal winner.
79kg final: Mihály NAGY (HUN) vs. Omid HASSANTABAR (IRI)
2016 world university runner up Mihály NAGY (HUN) pinned European silver medalist Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) in the semifinals. Iranian Omid HASSANTABAR (IRI) beat 2017 junior world bronze medal winner Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (IRI).
Three-time world bronze medalist Ali SHABANAU (BLR) defeated to Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) 6-5 in quarter final.
86kg final: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) vs. Ahmet BILICI (TUR)
Iranian youngster Kamran GHASEMPOUR will meet Turkish veteran Ahmet BILICI in the 86kg finals.
Ghasempour (IRI) downed former junior world and European medal winner Osman GOCEN (TUR) 10-4. Bilici (TUR) defeated Bakhodur KODIROV (TJK) 11-0 in the semifinals.
92kg final: Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) vs. Arashk MOHEBI (IRI)
Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) earned two important victories over host country favorite wrestlers to advance to the finals. Bolukbasi beat former junior world champion Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI in the first round and then defeated another junior world champion Hossein SHAHBAZI in the semifinals to meet another Iranian youngster Arashk MOHEBI (IRI) in the finals.
Mohebi earned a technical fall victory over Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL).
97kg final: Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Riza YILDIRIM (TUR)
Iranian world team member Amir MOHAMMADI edged Roman BAKIROV (AZE) 8-8 to meet 2017 European champion Riza YILDIRIM (TUR) in the finals. YILDIRIM defeated his tough rival Asian junior champion Danial SHARIATI (IRI) 4-4 in the semifinals.
125kg final: Jafar SHAMS NATERI (IRI) vs. Parviz HADI (IRI)
Three-time Asian champion Parviz HADI had a great comeback and advanced to the final.
After suffering a defeat to Komeil GHASEMI at Iran's Olympic Team Trials, Hadi was out of the lineup
He downed Ahmad MIRZAPOUR (IRI) 6-1 in the semifinals and competes against Jafar SHAMS NATERI (IRI) in the finals.
Friday program
7:45 a.m: Weigh in (All weight categories)
10 to 13: Repechage
13 to 16: Final matches
First day results of 2018 Freestyle Takhti Cup
57kg final: Nader HAJAGHANIA (IRI) vs. Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Semifinals:
Nader HAJAGHANIA (IRI) TF. Dzimchyk RYNCHYNAU (BLR), 13-3
Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) TF. Hamid KHALILI (IRI), 12-0
61kg final: Niurhun SKRABIN (BLR) vs. Mohammad RAMEZANPOUR (IRI)
Semifinals:
Niurhun SKRABIN (BLR) df. Sandeep TOMAR (IND), 10-1
Mohammad RAMEZANPOUR (IRI) df. Giorgi REVAZISHVILI (GEO), 10-9
65kg final: Morteza GHIYASI (IRI) vs. Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL)
Semifinals:
Morteza GHIYASI (IRI) df. Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI), 5-3
Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL) df. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO), 4-4
70kg final: Giorgi SULAVA (GEO) vs. Enes USLU (TUR)
Semifinals:
Giorgi SULAVA (GEO) df. Joshgun AZIMOV (AZE), 7-2
Enes USLU (TUR) TF. Mohammadreza SSARGOU (IRI), 10-0
74kg final: Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) vs. Ali-Pasha UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
Semifinals:
Ali-Pasha UMARPASHAEV (BUL) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 4-2
Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) df. Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM), 9-8
79kg final: Mihály NAGY (HUN) vs. Omid HASSANTABAR (IRI)
Semifinals:
Mihály NAGY (HUN) pinned Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Omid HASSANTABAR (IRI) df. Mohammad MOTAGHINIA (IRI), 5-1
86kg final: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) vs. Ahmet BILICI (TUR)
Semifinals:
Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Osman GOCEN (TUR), 10-4
Ahmet BILICI (TUR) TF. Bakhodur KODIROV (TJK), 11-0
92kg final: Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) vs. Arashk MOHEBI (IRI)
Semifinals:
Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) df. Hossein SHAHBAZI (IRI), 3-2
Arashk MOHEBI (IRI) TF. Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL), 10-0
97kg final: Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Riza YILDIRIM (TUR)
Semifinals:
Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Roman BAKIROV (AZE), 8-8
Riza YILDIRIM (TUR) df. Danial SHARIATI (IRI), 4-4
125kg final: Jafar SHAMS NATERI (IRI) vs. Parviz HADI (IRI)
Semifinals:
Jafar SHAMS NATERI (IRI) TF. Abdurashid GULYAMOV (TJK), 11-0
Parviz HADI (IRI) df. Ahmad MIRZAPOUR (IRI), 6-1
