Hassan Yazdani Wins Iran Team Trials, Abdevali Disqualified

Olympic and world champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) earned a spot on Iran's Freestyle wrestling national team while Alireza KARIMI (IRI) moved up to 92kg. In Greco-Roman, Saeid ABDEVALI (IRI) was disqualified out of the tournament. 

The Iranian Freestyle and Greco-Roman team trials were held in Shohadaye Haftome Tir hall in Tehran to determine the squads for 2018 Asian Games and World Championships.

Not in his best form, but it was enough for Hassan Yazdani to win the Iranian team trials at 86kg. Yazdani, the Olympic champion defeated junior world bronze medalist Ahmad BAZRI (IRI), 8-0 in the first round.

Photo of Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) by Alirez Akbari.

Yazdani met the talented Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) in the finals and beat him in best of three finals.

Yazdani was surprised in the first final bout as 2018 Takhti Cup champion Ghasempour got the first point just 10 seconds after the start of the match. But, Yazdani didn’t let his rival control the bout and scored six points, winning the first final 8-2. 

Ghasempour, 2018 Ukrainian tournament champion tried to use his last chance in the second final bout, but Yazdani didn’t let him score and earned 5-0 victory to continue undefeated streak inside Iran for the fourth year in a row.

“86kg is a tough weight in Iran and I have strong rivals.” Hassan Yazdani said.

“Ghasempour is a young and talented wrestler. We are both from Joybar town and we train in the same club. We are opponents on the mat, but friend outside the wrestling” the 2017 world champion added.

Photo of Alireza KARIMI (IRI) by Alirez Akbari.

In other weights, 2015 world bronze medal winner at 86kg, Alireza KARIMI (IRI) moved up to 92kg and achieved three victories to be the favorite wrestler at his new weight. 2018 Asian champion Mohammad EBRAHIMI (IRI) and Karimi will compete in a tournament to determine Iran's team member for the Asian Games and the world championships.

In Freestyle, some big names such as Reza YAZDANI (IRI), Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) and Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) missed the team trials due to injury.  

In Greco-Roman, Olympic and world bronze medalist Saeid Abdevali (IRI) moved up to 87kg but was disqualified from the tournament as he had a confrontation with one of his rivals. The federation will decide later if this indecent was suspendable behavior. 

Photo of Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) by Alirez Akbari

2017 world bronze medal winner at 72kg, Mohammad Ali GERAEI (IRI) moved to 77kg but was downed in the finals by Pejman PASHTAM(IRI) while his younger brother Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) placed first at 67kg.

The final results of Iran Freestyle and Greco-Roman team trials:
Freestyle
57kg- Reza ATRI
Bout One - Reza ATRI (Mazandaran) df. Mehran REZAZADEH (Mazandaran), 5-4 
Bout Two - Reza ATRI (Mazandaran) df. Mehran REZAZADEH (Mazandaran), 4-1

61kg- Bagher YAKHKESHI
Bout One – Bagher YAKHKESHI (Mazandaran) df. Mohammad RAMEZANPOUR (Mazandaran), 13-8
Bout Two- Bagher YAKHKESHI (Mazandaran) df. Mohammad RAMEZANPOUR (Mazandaran) by TF, 13-2

65kg- Hassan MORADGHOLI
Bout One – Hassan MORADGHOLI (Tehran) df. Mehran NASIRI (Mazandaran), 2-0
Bout Two – Hassan MORADGHOLI (Tehran) df. Mehran NASIRI (Mazandaran), 4-3

70kg- Meysam NASIRI and Nima ESHGHAGHI will compete in a tournament
Nima ESHGHAGHI df. Hossein MOSTAFAVI, 7-3
Nima ESHGHAGHI df. Mohammadreza SARGOU, 7-1

74kg- Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI
Bout One - Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (Tehran) df. Saeid DADASHPOUR (Tehran), 4-0
Bout Two- Saeid DADASHPOUR (Tehran) df. Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (Tehran), 2-2 
Bout Three - Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (Tehran) df. Saeid DADASHPOUR (Tehran), 7-2

79kg- Omid HASSANTABAR
Bout One- Omid HASSANTABAR (Mazandaran) df. Alireza GHASEMI (Tehran), 2-0
Bout Two- Omid HASSANTABAR (Mazandaran) df. Alireza GHASEMI (Tehran), 4-2

86kg- Hassan YAZDANI
Bout One- Hassan YAZDANI (Mazandaran) df. Kamran GHASEMPOUR (Mazandaran), 8-2
Bout Two - Hassan YAZDANI (Mazandaran) df. Kamran GHASEMPOUR (Mazandaran), 5-0

92kg- Alireza KARIMI
(In this weight all wrestlers competed in a group and best of three matches was not held)
Alireza KARIMI (Alborz) df. Reza BAYAT (Tehran), 3-0
Alireza KARIMI df. Arashk MOHEBI (Kermanshah), 4-1

97kg- Alireza GOUDARZI
Bout One- Alireza GOUDARZI (Tehran) df. Mojtaba GOLEIJ (Mazandaran), 4-2 
Bout Two- Alireza GOUDARZI (Tehran) df. Mojtaba GOLEIJ (Mazandaran), 6-2

125kg- Parviz HADI
Bout One- Parviz HADI (Azarbaijan Sharghi) df. Yadollah MOHEBI (Kermanshah), 3-2 
Bout Two- Parviz HADI (Azarbaijan Sharghi) df. Yadollah MOHEBI (Kermanshah), 3-1

Greco-Roman
55kg- Reza KHEDRI and Moslem NADERI KHADEM will compete in a tournament
Reza KHEDRI (Alborz) df.Ramin BASTAN (Tehran)by TF, 9-0

60kg- Mehrdad MARDANI
Bout One – Mehrdad MARDANI (Khuzestan) df. Mohammad FAGHIRI (Tehran), 4-0
Bout Two – Mehrdad MARDANI (Khuzestan) df. Mohammad FAGHIRI (Tehran), 7-2

63kg- Mohsen HAJIPOUR
Bout One- Mohammad NOURBAKHSH (Tehran) df. Mohsen HAJIPOUR (Mazandaran) , 7-5
Bout Two- Mohsen HAJIPOUR (Mazandaran) df. Mohammad NOURBAKHSH (Tehran), 5-0
Bout Three- Mohsen HAJIPOUR (Mazandaran) df. Mohammad NOURBAKHSH (Tehran), 6-2

67kg- Mohammadreza GERAEI
Bout One – Mohammadreza GERAEI (Fars) Hamed TAB (Khuzestan), 6-3
Bout Two – Mohammadreza GERAEI (Fars)df. Hamed TAB (Khuzestan) by TF, 9-1

72kg- Ali ARSALAN
Bout One- Ali ARSALAN (Mazandaran) df. Farshad BELFEKEH (KHUZESTAN), 6-4
Bout Two- Ali ARSALAN (Mazandaran) df. Farshad BELFEKEH (KHUZESTAN),7-3

77kg- Pejman PASHTAM
Bout One – Pejman PASHTAM (Tehran) df. Mohammad Ali GERAEI (Fars), 9-2
Bout Two – Pejman PASHTAM (Tehran) df. Mohammad Ali GERAEI (Fars), 5-2

82kg- Yousef GHADERIAN
Bout One- Yousef GHADERIAN (Tehran) df. Keyvan REZAEI (Khuzestan), 2-1
Bout Two- Yousef GHADERIAN (Tehran) df. Keyvan REZAEI (Khuzestan), 3-2

87kg- Hossein NOURI
Bout One- Mehdi FALLAH (Tehran) df. Hossein NOURI (Alborz), 4-3
Bout Two- Hossein NOURI (Alborz) df. Mehdi FALLAH (Tehran), 4-2
Bout Three- Hossein NOURI (Alborz) df. Mehdi FALLAH (Tehran), 2-1

97kg- Ali Akbar HEYDARI
Bout One- Ali Akbar HEYDARI (Qom) df. Amir Hossein HOSSEINI (Mazandaran), 6-0
Bout Two- Ali Akbar HEYDARI (Qom)df. Amir Hossein HOSSEINI (Mazandaran) by forfeit

130kg – Mehdi NOURI
Bout One –Mehdi NOURI (Ardebil) pinned. Shahb GHOUREH JILI (Tehran)
Bout Two - Shahb GHOUREH JILI (Tehran) df. Mehdi NOURI (Ardebil), 2-1
Bout Three- Mehdi NOURI (Ardebil) df. Shahb GHOUREH JILI (Tehran), 5-1