This weekend in Sofia,  the new stars of wrestling fell as old champions showed they still had what it takes to stand atop the podium.

Bulgaria’s Dan Kolov-Nikita Petrov International Wrestling Tournament welcomed elite wrestlers from every corner of the globe. Athletes from South America, Central America, North America, Europe, Africa and Asia took the mats in the southwestern corner of Europe to fight it out for the tournament’s championship and the signature belt that comes with it.

In men’s freestyle competition there were a smattering of upsets as past world medalists regained their old form and new champions stumbled. At 61 kg, World No. 2 Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) fell to the Haci ALIYEV (AZE) in the semifinals, and reigning World Champion and No.1 ranked wrestler at 65 kg David SAFARYAN (ARM) injury defaulted in the quarterfinals to Borislav NAVOCHKOV (BUL). Franklin GOMEZ (PUR), snake bitten at world-level competition in the last couple years, would beat Navochkov and win this weekend’s championship, recapturing some of the magic from his 2011 World silver medal run.

Another standout absent from last year’s World Championships, Olympic Champion Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) dominated at the new weight  of 97 kg. The 125 kg weight class saw another unexpected resurgence as world No. 2 Alen ZASEEV (UKR) defeated in the finals match by No. 8 and past World medalist Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE).

While the drama of Men’s Freestyle played out, the featured stars of women’s freestyle delighted the crowd.  World No. 20 Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) and world No. 2 Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) performed to expectations, and took first place at 63 kg and 75 kg, respectively.

Last but not least, in Greco-Roman wrestling the Armenians reigned supreme with three golds and a silver. Leading this powerful wrestling nation from the Southern Caucasus with championships were world No. 3 Arsen JULFALAKYAN and world No.2 Artur ALEKSANYAN.

Armenia was not the only country to excel. The host nation finished the tournament with positive results to build on. All told, Bulgaria claimed an impressive 17 medals, three of which were gold.  Leonid BAZAN and Aleksandar KONSTADINOV joined countrywoman YUSEIN atop the medal stand.

Results from medal matches and semifinals during this tournament’s three days appear below.

Men’s Freestyle

57 kg

Gold: Krasimir KRASTANOV (GBR) df. Mikhail IVANOV (RUS) 4-2

Bronze: Ruslan SURKHAYEV (AZE) df. Tatsuya YAMASAKI (JPN) 11-4

Bronze: Andrei DUKOV (ROU) df. Vladislav PETROV (RUS)  3-2

Semifinal: Krasimir KRASTANOV (GBR) df. Ruslan SURKHAYEV (AZE) 12-2

Semifinal: Mikhail IVANOV (RUS) df. Vladislav PETROV (RUS)7-1

61 kg

Gold: Haci ALIYEV (AZE) df. M. Recep AKTAS (TUR) 5-2

Bronze: Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) df. Narek SANOYAN (ARM) 14-3

Bronze: K. BIENKOWSKI (POL) df. Nyurgun SKRYABIN  (RUS) 3-1

Semifinal: Haci ALIYEV (AZE) df. Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) 7-4

Semifinal: M. Recep AKTAS (TUR) df. Nyurgun SKRYABIN (RUS) 8-6

65 kg

Gold: Franklin GOMEZ (PUR) df. Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) 7-2

Bronze: Servet COSKUN (TUR) df. Michel MIHAILOV (BUL)

Bronze: George BUCUR (ROU) df. Yiriken AILIXIATI (CHN)

Semifinal: Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) df. Servet COSKUN (TUR) 8-3

Semifinal: Franklin GOMEZ (PUR) df. Yiriken AILIXIATI (CHN) 12-2

70 kg

Gold: Ruslan DIBIRGAGADJHIYEV (AZE) df. Miroslav KIROV (BUL) 7-2

Bronze: LING Haiwei (CHN) df. Pedro Soto CORDERO (PUR)

Bronze: Yakup GOR (TUR) df. Ionnut MOISE (ROU)

Semifinal: R. DIBIRGAGADJHIYEV (AZE) df. LING Haiwei (CHN) 9-0

Semifinal: Miroslav KIROV (BUL) df. Yakup GOR (TUR) 8-4

74 kg

Gold: Leonid BAZAN (BUL) df. K. BRZOZOWSKI (POL) 1-0

Bronze: Cabrayil HASANOV (AZE) df.  Ivan DELIVERSKI (BUL) 10-0

Bronze: Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) df.  Ioanis TSAROHIDI (GRE) 12-5

Semifinal: Leonid BAZAN (BUL) df. Ivan DELIVERSKI (BUL) 5-0

Semifinal: K. BRZOZOWSKI (POL) df.  Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) 5-5

86 kg

Gold: Gamjat OSMANOV (AZE) df. Firat BINICI (TUR) 6-4

Bronze: R MARCHNKEEWICH (POL) df. S JEZIERZANSKI (POL) 0-0

Bronze: Jaime ESPINAL (PUR) df. Musa MURTAZALIEV (ARM) 8-3

Semifinal: Firat BINICI (TUR) df. Musa MURTAZALIEV (ARM)

Semifinal: Gamjat OSMANOV (AZE) df. R MARCHNKEEWICH (POL)10-0

97 kg

Gold: Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) df. Riza YILDIRIM (TUR) Fall 0:53

Bronze: Lyuben ILIEV (BUL) df. ZHANG Xueyi (CHN)

Bronze: Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) df. Michael MANEA (ROU)

Semifinal: Riza YILDIRIM (TUR) df. ZHANG Xueyi (CHN) 4-0

Semifinal: Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) df. Michael MANEA (ROU)10-0

125 kg

Gold: Jamaladdin MAGAMEDOV (AZE) df.  Alen ZASEEV (UKR) 5-3

Bronze: Boban DANOV (MKD) df. Uvar TIMOFEEV (RUS) 6-0

Bronze: Adrazik GASTYAN (ARM) df. Dragomir STOYCHEV (BUL) 10-0

Semifinal: Alen ZASEEV (UKR) df. Uvar TIMOFEEV (RUS) 5-1

Semifinal: Jamaladdin MAGAMEDOV (AZE) df. Adrazik GASTYAN (ARM)

Women’s Freestyle

48 kg

Gold: Sumeyye SEZER (TUR) df. Elitza YANKOVA (BUL) 6-4

Bronze: Liubov KUZMINA (RUS) df. L. BALUSHKINA (UKR) 6-0

Bronze: Sananne SAVOLA (FIN) df. Emilia BUDIANO (MDA) 0-0

Semifinal: Sumeyye SEZER (TUR) df. Liubov KUZMINA (RUS) 10-9

Semifinal: Elitza YANKOVA (BUL) df. Emilia BUDIANO (MDA) 10-4

53 kg

Gold: Natalia BUDU (MDA) df.  Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)

Bronze: Larysa SKOBLYUK (UKR) df.  Laura MERTENS (GER) 4-0

Bronze: Ekaterina KRASNOVA (RUS) df.  Eileen FRIEDRIH (GER)

Semifinal: Natalia BUDU (MDA) df. Eileen FRIEDRIH (GER) 6-0

Semifinal: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Larysa SKOBLYUK (UKR)8-6

55 kg

Gold: Bedia GUN (TUR)

Silver: Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)

Bronze: Tetiana KIT (UKR)

58 kg

Gold: Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR)

Silver: Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)

Bronze: Joice SILVA (BRA)

60 kg

Gold: Tetiana LAVRENCHUK (UKR) df. Hafize SAHIN (TUR)8-6

Bronze: Georgiana FILIP (ROU) df. Irina BOGDANOVA (RUS) 5-3

Bronze: Natalia FEDOSEEVA (RUS) df. Viktroia BOBEVA (BUL)6-1

Semifinal: Hafize SAHIN (TUR) df. Viktroia BOBEVA (BUL)10-4

Semifinal: Tetiana LAVRENCHUK (UKR) df. Irina BOGDANOVA (RUS) 6-2

63 kg

Gold: Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) df. Dzhanan MANOLOVA (BUL)

Bronze: Svitlana RYZHYKOVA (UKR) df. Sofia GEORGIEVA (BUL)

Bronze: Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Dailane GOMES (BRA)

Semifinal: Dzhanan MANOLOVA (BUL) df. Svitlana RYZHYKOVA (UKR) 6-3

Semifinal: Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) df. Buse TOSUN (TUR)10-0

69 kg

Gold: Aline FOCKEN (GER) df. Oksana VASHCHUK (UKR)7-2

Bronze: Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) df. Gamze DURUKAN (TUR)7-4

Bronze: Adina-Elena POPESCU (ROU) df. Svetlana BABUSHKINA (RUS) 6-1

Semifinal: Aline FOCKEN (GER) df. Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) 8-0

Semifinal: Oksana VASHCHUK (UKR) df. Svetlana BABUSHKINA (RUS) 10-0

75 kg

Gold: Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) df. Nadia AHMED (EGY) 10-4

Bronze: Aline SILVA (BRA) df. Elizabeth RODRIGEZ (PUR) 6-0

Bronze: Maria SELMAIER (GER) df. Denisa MACOVEI (ROU) 14-0

Semifinal: Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) df. Maria SELMAIER (GER) 3-2

Semifinal: Nadia AHMED (EGY) df. Aline SILVA (BRA) 7-0

Greco-Roman

59 kg

Gold: Aleksandar KOSTADINOV (BUL) df. Karen ASLANYAN (ARM)2-0

Bronze: Rahman BILICI (TUR) df. Spenser MANGO (USA)6-4

Bronze: Radoslav VASILEV (BUL) df. Joe BETTERMAN (USA)3-0

Semifinal: Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Mango SPENSER (USA) 12-1

Semifinal: Aleksandar KOSTADINOV (BUL) df. Joe BETTERMAN (USA)3-0

66 kg

Gold: Aram JULFALAKYAN (ARM) df. Asker ORSHOKDUGOV (RUS)

Bronze: Abdul Samet GUNAL (TUR) df. Yassime BENBACEZ (TUN) 5-3

Bronze: Konstantin STAS (BUL) df. Georgian CARPEN (ROU)

Semifinal: Asker ORSHOKDUGOV (RUS) df. Konstantin STAS (BUL)8-1

Semifinal: Aram JULFALAKYAN (ARM) df. Abdul Samet GUNAL (TUR)8-0

71 kg

Gold: Abuyazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) df. Armen VARDANYAN (UKR)

Bronze: Matthias MAASCH (GER) df. Alan DZAKIEV (UKR)5-0

Bronze: Ionel PUSCASU (ROU) df. Yunus OZEL (TUR)3-1

Semifinal: Armen VARDANYAN (UKR) df. Matthias MAASCH (GER) 3-0

Semifinal: Abuyazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) df.  Yunus OZEL (TUR)5-1

75 kg

Gold: Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) df. Iliyan GEORGIEV (BUL) 2-1

Bronze: Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) df. Atanas KOLEV (BUL)6-2

Bronze: Mykola DARAGAN (UKR) df. Zied OKRAM (TUN) 10-7

Semifinal: Iliyan GEORGIEV (BUL) df. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM)5-0

Semifinal: Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) df. Mykola DARAGAN (UKR) 4-0

80 kg

Gold: Emil SHARAFETDINOV (RUS) df. Pascal EISELE (GER) 5-0

Bronze: Oleksandr SHYSHMAN (UKR) df. Jure KUHAR (SLO)8-0

Bronze: Jonass BOSSERT (SUI) df. Oleksiy CHEKALENKO (UKR) 8-6

Semifinal: Pascal EISELE (GER) df. Jure KUHAR (SLO)0-0

Semifinal: Emil SHARAFETDINOV (RUS) df. Oleksiy CHEKALENKO (UKR)9-0

85 kg

Gold: Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) df. Nikolay BAYRIYAKOV (BUL)

Bronze: Ahmet YILDIRIM (TUR) df. Hristo MARINOV (BUL)

Bronze: Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) df. Artur SHANYAN (ARM)

Semifinal: Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) df. Hristo MARINOV (BUL)4-0

Semifinal: Nikolay BAYRIYAKOV (BUL) df. Artur SHANYAN (ARM)4-0

98 kg

Gold: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Volodimir VASILIEV (UKR)8-0

Bronze: Ardo ARUSAAR (EST) df. Ivan IVANOV (BUL) 3-1

Bronze: Alin ALEXUC (ROU) df. Vladislav METODIEV (BUL)5-1

Semifinal: Volodimir VASILIEV (UKR) df. Ardo ARUSAAR (EST) 2-1

Semifinal: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Alin ALEXUC (ROU) 8-0

130 kg

Gold: Atilla GUZEL (TUR) df. Miloslav METODIEV (BUL) 2-0

Bronze: Iosif CHUGASHVILI (BLR) df. Radhouan CHEBBI (TUN) 8-0

Bronze: Lyubomir DIMITROV (BUL) df. Sergey ANDRUSIK (RUS) 2-0

Semifinal: Miloslav METODIEV (BUL) df. Iosif CHUGASHVILI (BLR)2-0

Semifinal: Atilla GUZEL (TUR) df. Lyubomir DIMITROV (BUL) 2-2