Russia, Iran Locked in Close Team Title Race at U23 World Championships

LAS VEGAS, United States (October 17) -- Iran and Russia are locked in a tight Freestyle team race at the U23 World Championships after the two countries two golds each on Saturday in Las Vegas.

For Russia, returning champion Arsen BALAIAN (RUS) defended his title at 86kg while Magomed BAITUKAEV (RUS) captured the 74kg for his second age-group world title.

Iran won two golds through returning champion Abofazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) at 130kg who defending his title while Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI), finally, captured a world title at 92kg. 

Balaian was up against Ahmet YAGAN (TUR) in the final and controlled the final throughout the six minutes, winning the gold medal with a 3-0 score. Yagan did not get a single attack going in the gold-medal bout.

Baitukaev, a former U17 world champion, added the U23 world title with a 5-3 win over U20 world silver medalist Jayden JAMES (USA) in a very close final. James got the first point on board when Baitukaev was put on the activity clock but he failed to score any points. James extended his lead to 3-0 with a takedown before the break.

The second period belonged with Baitukaev as he first got a takedown with two-on-one technique before a pushout gave him another point and 3-3 criteria lead. James still kept it close, trying to score to regain the lead but Baitukaev's defense kept him under check.

Baitukaev got on James legs as the match entered the final 10 seconds and won the gold medal with a 5-3 score.

At 125kg, Mohammad Nezhad continued his dominating run at the age-group World Championships, winning the gold medal in Las Vegas with a 10-0 Aleksandre ABRAMISHVILI (GEO). He used a mix of stepouts and takedowns to complete the victory and win his third world title.

Mohammad Nezhad, 19, has been unbeaten since the loss in the U20 World Championships final against Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) last year.

Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI), who suffered a heartbreaking final-second loss in the U20 World Championships final in August, managed to win his first age-group title on the seventh attempt. He defeated Arslan BAGAEV (RUS), 5-2, in the 92kg final.

Rahmani led 1-0 at the break as Bagaev was put on the activity clock in which he failed to score any points. Bagaev took a 1-1 criteria lead when Rahmani also failed to score a point from the activity clock in the second period. The Russian was again put on the activity clock and that's when tried a duck under and Rahmani countered with a leg-attack, dropping Bagaev outside for two points.

A stepout and an activity clock point extended Rahmani's lead to 5-1 with 35 seconds remaining. Rahmani gave up a stepout at the end of the match but held on for a 5-2 win.

The fifth gold medal of the day went to the United States as Benjamin DAVINO (USA) as he won the 61kg gold medal in a close final against Iukhan DOKTURBEK UULU (KGZ), via fall.

The match was closer than the fall indicated in the results as Davino and Dokturbek Uulu matched each other attack to attack. The Kyrgyzstan wrestler was put on the activity clock twice while Davino only once which gave the U.S. wrestler a 2-1 lead. Dokturbek Uulu tried a takedown but Davino blocked him and secured the final.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Benjamin DAVINO (USA) df. Iukhan DOKTURBEK UULU (KGZ), via fall (4-1)

BRONZE: Sargis BEGOYAN (ARM) df. Behruzbey TURANMURATOV (UZB), 14-9
BRONZE: Ebrahim KHARI (IRI) df. Gabriel WHISENHUNT (ROU), 12-0

74kg
GOLD: Magomed BAITUKAEV (RUS) df. Jayden JAMES (USA), 5-3

BRONZE: Ali KARAMPOUR (IRI) df. Ion MARCU (MDA), 
BRONZE: Toki OGAWA (JPN) vs. Raul CASO (ITA)

86kg
GOLD: Arsen BALAIAN (RUS) df. Ahmet YAGAN (TUR), 3-0

BRONZE: Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL) df. Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE), 3-0
BRONZE: Reza AFSHAR (IRI) df. Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA), 6-0

92kg
GOLD: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) df. Arslan BAGAEV (RUS), 5-2

BRONZE: Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO) df. Fatih ALTUNBAS (TUR), 6-4
BRONZE: Anar JAFARLI (AZE) df. Gabriele NICCOLINI (ITA), 10-0

125kg
GOLD: Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) df. Aleksandre ABRAMISHVILI (GEO), 10-0

BRONZE: Coby MERRILL (USA) df. Milan GELLEN (HUN), 10-0
BRONZE: Khetag KARSANOV (AZE) df. Andrei BESTAEV (RUS), 8-1

Semifinals

57kg
SF 1: Bekir KESER (TUR) df.  Arman HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), 10-0
SF 2: Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ) df. Daito KATSUME (JPN), 7-0

65kg
SF 1: Kaiji OGINO (JPN) df. Jaskaran SINGH (IND), 10-0
SF 2: Ahora KHATERI (IRI) df. Eldar AKHMADUDINOV (RUS), 9-8

70kg
SF 1: Magomed Emi ELTEMIROV (RUS) df. Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA), 5-1
SF 2: Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) df. Taiga OGINO (JPN),

79kg
SF 1: Said SAIDULOV (RUS) df. Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 8-3
SF 2: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. CHANDERMOHAN (IND), 4-3

97kg
SF 1: Justin RADEMACHER (USA) df. Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 5-1
SF 2: Takhir KHANIEV (RUS) df. Mobin AZIMI (IRI), 14-9