#WrestleBelgrade Saturday Session II Blog: Arujau, Retherford, Taylor reach finals

Team USA puts three into the finals - Vito Arujau (61 kg), Zain Retherford (70 kg) and David Taylor (86 kg). Taylor qualifies the USA for the Paris Olympics at 86 kg, and will battle archrival Hassan Yazdani of Iran in the finals. Mason Parris lost a tough one in the semifinals and will go for the bronze medal. A wrap up story will follow.

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Finals pairings

125 kg - Amir Zare (Iran) vs. Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)

Semifinals results

125 kg

Amir Zare (Iran) dec. Taha Akgul (Turkey), 4-0

Geno Petriashvili (Georgia) dec. Mason Parris (United States), 8-6

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125 kg MFS semifinal - Mason Parris (USA) v Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)

Petriashvili earns the first point on a step out, 1-0. Parris takes a double leg shot and scores the takedown and a 2-1 lead. We go to the break with Parris winning 2-1. Parris kicks out of a high single, and Petriashvili steps out, 3-1. Georgia challenges. The challenge is lost, so Mason gets another point to lead 4-1 with 2:30 left. Petriashvili gets his first takedown to close the lead to 4-3. Parris makes a two-point counter turn to lead 6-3, but Petriashvili quickly reverses to make it 6-4 for Parris. Petriashvili gets a takedown with 45 seconds left to tie it at 6-6, and get criteria. A counter takedown for Petriashvili earns him an 8-6 victory. Petriashvili goes to the finals, and Mason Parris will be in a bronze-medal bout.

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The first finalist is set at 125 kg, as Amir Zare (IRI) beats Taha Akgul (TUR) in the semifinals, 4-0. Zare also qualifies Iran for the Olympics at this weight.

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Finals pairings

86 kg - Hassan Yazdanicharati (Iran) vs. David Taylor (United States)

Semifinals results

86 kg

Hassan Yazdanicharati (Iran) tech. fall Javrail Shapiev (Uzbekistan), 10-0

David Taylor (United States) pin Azamat Dauletbekov (Kazakhstan), 3:38

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86 kg MFS semifinal - David Taylor v Azamat Dauletbekov (Kazakhstan)

Dauletbekov put on the shot clock and can not score, giving Taylor a 1-0 lead. The period ends, and it's Taylor up 1-0 at the break. Taylor shoots on the leg, finishes and gets a takedown to lead 3-0 with 2 minutes left in bout. Another Taylor shot is a takedown and a 5-0 lead. He runs a bar and half and gets tjhe fall with 1:23 left. David Taylor is on to the finals, will wrestle Yazdani again, and has qualified the United States for the Olympic Games at 86 kg.

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The first finalist at 86 kg is set, as Olympic and World champion Hassan Yazdani (IRI) beat Javrail Shapiev (Uzbekistan), 10-0. Yazdani also qualifies Iran for the Paris Olympic Games at 86 kg

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Finals pairings

70 kg - Amirmohammad Yazdanicherati (Iran) vs. Zain Retherford (USA)

Semifinals results

70 kg

Amirmohammad Yazdanicherati (Iran) tech fall Ramazan Ramazanov (Bulgaria), 13-2

Zain Retherford (USA) dec. Arman Andreasyan (Armenia), 7-0

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70 kg MFS semifinal - Zain Retherford (USA) v Arman Andreasyan (Armenia)

Retherford takes his shot and gets the first takedown, 2-0. Retherford sinks in a leg, grabs an arm bar and they go up the feet, and Zain takes it out of bounds for four points and a 6-0 lead. Armenia challenges. The challenge is lost, so Zain gets another point and a 7-0 lead midway in the first period. We go to the break, 7-0 for Zain. The second period has a lot of hand fighting. Zain controls the finish and wins 7-0. Zain moves on to the finals once again!!!!

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The first finalist at 70 kg will be Amirmohammad Yazdanicherati (Iran), who beat Ramazan Ramazanov (Bulgaria), 13-2 by tech fall.

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Vito will wrestle Abasgadzhi Magomedov (Individual Neutral Athlete) in the finals, after Magomedov dismantled Shota Phartenadze (Georgia), 10-0

Semifinals results

61 kg

Vitali Arujau (USA) tech fall Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan), 12-2

Abasgadzhi Magomedov (Individual Neutral Athlete) dec. Shota Phartenadze (Georgia), 10-0

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MFS 61 kg semifinal - Vitali Arujau (USA) tech. fall Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan), 12-2

Vito gets the takedown and then a four-point throw, and Zhumashbek gets a reversal. The exchange ends with a 6-1 lead for Arujau. Zhamashbek challenges the call. Uzbekistan wins the challenge. Vito gets a takedown and two-point turn. Zhumashbek gets reversal with exposure for two. The score is 4-2 for Vito. Vito gets a takedown and goes on the ankle lace for a 12-2 technical fall for Vito Arujau

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Tonight's bout order for Team USA on Mat B

Bout 1 61 kg – Vitali Arujau v Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)

Bout 4 70 kg – Zain Retherford v Arman Andreasyan (Armenia)

Bout 6 86 kg – David Taylor v Azamat Dauletbekov (Kazakhstan)

Bout 8 125 kg – Mason Parris v Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)

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Here is the bout order for tonight's semifinals, in which all four USA wrestlers in Group A are going for a spot in the finals. A win tonight at 86 kg and 125 kg clinches the USA a berth in the Paris Olympics. The USA was unbeaten in the morning session.