Melelashvili to go for Greco-Roman bronze at Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial Ranking Event

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Beka Melelashvili will go for a bronze medal at 82 kg in Greco-Roman on the final day of the Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial Ranking Event on Sunday night.  

Melelashvili will battle Eric Szilvassy of Hungary in a bronze-medal match. Szilvassy, a 2024 World silver medalist and 2017 U23 World champion, emerged from repechage to face Melelashvili.  

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, with the score tied at 1-1, Melelashvili turned 2022 World champion and 2017 U23 World champion Burhan Akbudak of Turkey with a gut wrench to take a 3-1 lead. Akbudak was injured during the turn and could not continue, making it an injury default in 3:54.

In the semifinals, Melelashvili lost a controversial 3-3 criteria decision to 2022 World silver medalist Zoltan Levai of Hungary. Melelashvili had an impressive first period, scoring a counter takedown and getting a point on passivity to lead 3-0 at the break. In the second period, Melelashvili was hit for passivity and put down, still leading 3-1. Levai attempted to lift and throw, but Melelashvili countered and ended up on top with a two-point reversal and a 5-1 lead. Hungary challenged, and the jury ruled that Melelashvili committed a leg foul, changing the score to 3-3 with Levai holding criteria. Melelashivili brought it to Levai in the final minute, almost getting behind, but time ran out before he could score.

Melelashvili will compete for the U.S. in the 2025 Senior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. He made history as the first U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to win a medal at the U23 World Championships with his silver medal in Tirana, Albania last summer. Melelashvili also won a gold medal at the 2025 Pan American Championships.

The six other U.S. athletes who competed on Sunday did not advance to the medal rounds. They were all ineligible for repechage, after the opponent who beat them did not reach the championship finals.

Both U.S. wrestlers at 67 kg won their first match but were then defeated in the second round.

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. Abuladze was defeated in the semifinals, ending Nutter’s day.

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

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).

Two U.S. wrestlers did not compete after failing to make weight, Jayden Raney (55 kg) and Kamal Bey (77 kg).

The finals will be held at 5:00 p.m. local time in Budapest, which is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.

The event will be broadcast live by FloWrestling, with results on UWW Arena.

POLYAK IMRE & VARGA JANOS MEMORIAL RANKING SERIES EVENT

At Budapest, Hungary, July 20

Greco-Roman finals pairings

55 kg - Emin Shefershaev (UWW) vs. Marlan Mukashev (Kazakhstan)

60 kg - Sumit (India) vs. Nihat Mammadli (Azerbaijan)

63 kg - Vitalie Eriomenco (Moldova) vs. Sergey Emelin (UWW)

67 kg - Joni Khetsuriani (Georgia) vs. Valentin Petic (Moldova)

77 kg - Robert Frisch (Hungary) vs. Sergei Kutuzov (UWW)

82 kg - Zoltan Levai (Hungary) vs. Adlet Tiuliubaev (UWW)

97 kg - Hayk Khloyan (Armenia) vs. Giorgi Melia (Georgia)

Greco-Roman semifinal results

55 kg

Emin Shefershaev (UWW) dec. Ikhtiyor Botirov (Uzbekistan), 5-5

Marlan Mukashev (Kazakhstan) tech fall Alpamys Dastanbek (Kazakhstan), 8-0, 1:20

60 kg

Sumit (India) pin Galym Kabdunassarov (Kazakhstan), 3:53

Nihat Mammadli (Azerbaijan) dec. Georgij Tibilov (Serbia), 3-2

63 kg

Vitalie Eriomenco (Moldova) dec. Karen Aslanyan (Armenia), 6-3

Sergey Emelin (UWW) inj. dft. Islomjon Bakhramov (Uzbekistan), 3:10

67 kg

Joni Khetsuriani (Georgia) tech fall Daniial Agaev (UWW), 8-0, 3:14

Valentin Petic (Moldova) dec. Leri Abuladze (Georgia), 5-3

77 kg

Robert Frisch (Hungary) dec. Sergei Stepanov (UWW), 6-3

Sergei Kutuzov (UWW) dec. Sanan Suleymanov (Azerbaijan), 6-1

82 kg

Zoltan Levai (Hungary) dec. Beka Melelashvili (USA), 4-3

Adlet Tiuliubaev (UWW) dec. Rafael Iunusov (UWW), 5-1

97 kg

Hayk Khloyan (Armenia) dec. Arvi Savolainen (Finland), 5-4

Giorgi Melia (Georgia) dec. Murad Ahmadiyev (Azerbaijan), 5-1

U.S. Greco-Roman results

55 kg: Brady Koontz (Dubuque, Iowa/Dubuque RTC/TMWC), eliminated

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), eliminated

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

60 kg: Max Black (Marquette, Mich./New York Ac/NMU-NTS), eliminated

LOSS Mehroj Bakhramov (Uzbekistan), 7-1

63 kg: Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), eliminated

LOSS Karen Aslanyan (Armenia), 8-1

67 kg: Alston Nutter (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), eliminated

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), eliminated

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), going for bronze

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

Bronze medal bout - Eric Szilvassy (Hungary)