Melelashvili takes fifth in Greco-Roman at Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial Ranking Event

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Beka Melelashvili was defeated in the bronze medal round and placed fifth at 82 kg in Greco-Roman on the final day of the Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial Ranking Event on Sunday night. It was the top placement on the U.S. team in a high-quality international field.

Melelashvili was edged in the bronze-medal match by 2024 World silver medalist Eric Szilvassy of Hungary, 2-1. Melelashvili scored first on a passivity against Svilvassy to lead 1-0, but could not turn him in par terre. Szilvassy forced a first-period step out to tie it at 1-1, but Melelashvili held criteria by scoring first. In the second period, a passivity against Melelashvili made it 2-1, and Szilvassy did not score on top. Melelashvili was unable to score in the last half of the match.

Melelashvili opened with a solid 3-1 decision over 2024 Asian U23 silver medalist Almir Tolebayev of Kazakhstan, the was dominant in a 9-0 technical fall over Antal Vamos of Serbia in the first period. In the quarterfinals, Melelashvili turned 2022 World champion and 2017 U23 World champion Burhan Akbudak of Turkey with a gut wrench to take a 3-1 lead, then Akbudak took an injury default at 3:54.

In the semifinals, Melelashvili lost a controversial 3-3 criteria decision to 2022 World silver medalist Zoltan Levai of Hungary. With the score 3-1 for Melalashvili, Levai lifted him and Melalashvili countered for a two-point reversal. A challenge by Hungary was accepted by the jury, hitting Melalashvili with a two-point leg foul, to make the score 3-3. Levai won the match by criteria.

Melelashvili is a member of the 2025 U.S. Senior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. He was the first U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to win a medal at the U23 World Championships with his silver medal in Tirana, Albania in 2024. Melelashvili was also a 2025 Pan American Championships champion.

Six other U.S. athletes who competed on Sunday did not advance to the medal rounds. They were not eligible for repechage, when the opponent who beat them did not reach the finals.

2025 Senior World Team member Alston Nutter opened with a 9-0 technical fall over Yeongwoo Jeong of Korea at 67 kg. In his second bout, he was beaten by Leri Abuladze of Georgia, 8-3. Nutter finished in eighth place in the weight class.

Also at 67 kg, Otto Black had a strong start with an 8-0 technical fall over Damir Ibrashov of Kazakhstan at 67 kg. He was pinned by Din Mukhamed Koshkar of Kazakhstan in the next round. Black finished ninth in the weight class.

Those who were eliminated after dropping their first match were Brady Koontz (55 kg), Dylan Koontz (60 kg), Max Black (60 kg) and Ellis Coleman (63 kg). Coleman placed 10^th in his weight, which scored team points for the United States.

The United States placed eighth in the 25-nation field with 32 points. The top three teams in the Greco-Roman standings were Azerbaijan with 94 points, Kazakhstan with 88 points and Uzbekistan with 87 points.

POLYAK IMRE & VARGA JANOS MEMORIAL RANKING SERIES EVENT

At Budapest, Hungary, July 20

Greco-Roman results

55 kg

Gold - Emin Shefershaev (UWW)

Silver - Marlan Mukashev (Kazakhstan)

Bronze – Anil Mor (India)

Bronze – Denis Mihai (Romania)

5^th - Ikhtiyor Botirov (Uzbekistan)

5^th - Alpamys Dastanbek (Kazakhstan)

7^th - Jasurbek Ortikboev (Uzbekistan)

8^th - Brady Koontz (USA)

9^th - Artium Deleanu (Moldova)

Gold - Emin Shefershaev (UWW) tech fall Marlan Mukashev (Kazakhstan), 9-0, 2:19

Bronze – Anil Mor (India) dec. Ikhtiyor Botirov (Uzbekistan), 7-4

Bronze – Denis Mihai (Romania) dec. Alpamys Dastanbek (Kazakhstan), 1-1

60 kg

Gold - Nihat Mammadli (Azerbaijan)

Silver - Sumit (India)

Bronze - Sadyk Lalaev (UWW)

Bronze - Georgij Tibilov (Serbia)

5^th - Galym Kabdunassarov (Kazakhstan)

5^th - Seunghak Kim (Korea)

7^th - Alisher Ganiev (Uzbekistan)

8^th - Amiran Shavadze (Georgia)

9^th - Dahyun Kim (Korea)

10^th - Mehroj Bakhramov (Uzbekistan)

Gold - Nihat Mammadli (Azerbaijan) dec. Sumit (India), 5-0

Bronze - Sadyk Lalaev (UWW) dec. Galym Kabdunassarov (Kazakhstan), 5-3

Bronze - Georgij Tibilov (Serbia) dec. Seunghak Kim (Korea), 5-2

63 kg

Gold - Sergey Emelin (UWW)

Silver - Vitalie Eriomenco (Moldova)

Bronze - Dinislam Bannatov (UWW)

Bronze – Yerzhet Zharlykassyn (Kazakhstan)

5^th - Karen Aslanyan (Armenia)

5^th - Islomjon Bakhramov (Uzbekistan)

7^th - Aytjan Khalmakhanov (Uzbekistan)

8^th - Ivan Lizatovic (Croatia)

9^th - Ziya Babashov (Azerbaijan)

10^th = Ellis Coleman (USA)

Gold - Sergey Emelin (UWW) dec. Vitalie Eriomenco (Moldova), 5-0

Bronze - Dinislam Bannatov (UWW) tech. fall Karen Aslanyan (Armenia), 10-0, 2:08

Bronze – Yerzhet Zharlykassyn (Kazakhstan) inj. dft. Islomjon Bakhramov (Uzbekistan)

67 kg

Gold - Joni Khetsuriani (Georgia)

Silver - Valentin Petic (Moldova)

Bronze - Haavard Joergensen (Norway)

Bronze - Leri Abuladze (Georgia)

5^th - Daniial Agaev (UWW)

5^th - Mingseong Kwon (Korea)

7^th - Din Mukhamed Koshkar (Kazakhstan)

8^th - Alston Nutter (USA)

9^th - Otto Black (USA)

10^th - Ruslan Bichurin (UWW)

Gold - Joni Khetsuriani (Georgia) dec. Valentin Petic (Moldova), 7-0

Bronze - Haavard Joergensen (Norway) dec. Daniial Agaev (UWW), 1-1

Bronze - Leri Abuladze (Georgia) dec. Mingseong Kwon (Korea), 10-3

77 kg

Gold - Sergei Kutuzov (UWW) dec. Robert Frisch (Hungary), 5-2

Bronze - Sergei Stepanov (UWW) dec. Stoyan Kubatov (Bulgaria), 7-1

Bronze - Levente Levai (Hungary) dec. Sanan Suleymanov (Azerbaijan), 3-2

7^th - Aram Vardanyan (Uzbekistan)

8^th - Ulvu Ganizade (Azerbaijan)

9^th - Alexandru Solovei (Moldova)

10^th - Boseong Kang (Korea)

Gold - Sergei Kutuzov (UWW) dec. Robert Frisch (Hungary), 5-2

Bronze - Sergei Stepanov (UWW) dec. Stoyan Kubatov (Bulgaria), 7-1

Bronze - Levente Levai (Hungary) dec. Sanan Suleymanov (Azerbaijan), 3-2

82 kg

Gold - Adlet Tiuliubaev (UWW)

Silver - Zoltan Levai (Hungary)

Bronze - Eric Szilvassy (Hungary)

Bronze - Jalgasbay Berdimuratov (Uzbekistan)

5^th - dec. Beka Melelashvili (USA)

5^th - Rafael Iunusov (UWW)

7^th - Dias Kalen (Kazakhstan)

8^th - Burhan Akbudak (Turkiye)

9^th - Karlo Kodric (Croatia)

10^th - Mihail Bradu (Moldova)

Gold - Adlet Tiuliubaev (UWW) dec. Zoltan Levai (Hungary), 5-1

Bronze - Eric Szilvassy (Hungary) dec. Beka Melelashvili (USA), 2-1

Bronze - Jalgasbay Berdimuratov (Uzbekistan) dec. Rafael Iunusov (UWW), 2-1

97 kg

Gold - Giorgi Melia (Georgia)

Silver - Hayk Khloyan (Armenia)

Bronze - Markus Ragginger (Austria)

Bronze - Murad Ahmadiyev (Azerbaijan)

5^th - Arvi Savolainen (Finland)

5^th - Ilia Ermolenko (UWW)

7^th - Abdikodir Jalilov (Uzbekistan)

8^th - Arif Niftullayev (Azerbaijan)

9^th - Alex Szoke (Hungary)

10^th - Luka Katic (Serbia)

Gold - Giorgi Melia (Georgia) dec. Hayk Khloyan (Armenia), 3-1

Bronze - Markus Ragginger (Austria) dec. Arvi Savolainen (Finland), 6-3

Bronze - Murad Ahmadiyev (Azerbaijan) dec. Ilia Ermolenko (UWW), 8-4

U.S. Greco-Roman results

55 kg: Brady Koontz (Dubuque, Iowa/Dubuque RTC/TMWC), 8^th place

LOSS Alpamys Dastanbek (Kazakhstan), 1-1

55 Kg: Jayden Raney (Sturgis, Ky./New York AC), dnmw

LOSS Denis Mihai (Romania), forfeit

60 kg: Dylan Koontz (Dubuque, Iowa/Dubuque RTC/TMWC), 14^th place

LOSS Amiran Shavadze (Georgia), tech fall, 8-0, 1:14

60 kg: Max Black (Marquette, Mich./New York Ac/NMU-NTS), 11^th place

LOSS Mehroj Bakhramov (Uzbekistan), 7-1

63 kg: Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), 10^th place

LOSS Karen Aslanyan (Armenia), 8-1

67 kg: Alston Nutter (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), 8^th place

WIN Yeongwoo Jeong (South Korea), tech fall, 9-0, 3:00

LOSS Leri Abuladze (Georgia), 8-3

67 kg: Otto Black (Parker, Colo./New York AC/Colorado Top Team), 9^th place

WIN Damir Ibrashov (Kazakhstan), tech fall, 8-0, 2:40

LOSS Din Mukhamed Koshkar (Kazakhstan), pin 2:10

77 kg: Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), dnmw

LOSS Aram Vardanyan (Uzbekistan), forfeit

82 kg: Beka Melelashvili (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), 5^th place

WIN Almir Tolebayev (Kazakhstan), 3-1

WIN Antal Vamos (Serbia), tech fall, 9-0, 1:25

WIN Burhan Akbudak (Turkey), inj. dft, 3:54

LOSS Zoltan Levai (Hungary), 4-3

LOSS Eric Szilvassy (Hungary), 2-1

Greco-Roman Team Standings

1. Azerbaijan, 94

2. Kazakhstan, 88

3. Uzbekistan, 87

4. Hungary, 84

5. Georgia, 81

6. Moldova, 54

7. India, 35

8. United States, 32

9. Armenia, 30

10. Serbia, 27

(of 25 nations)