Valencia, Snyder, and Parris get gold, Lee secures silver, Richards bags bronze at Budapest Ranking Series event
by Koral Sugiyama
Photo: Mason Parris attacks Daniel Ligeti of Hungary in the 125 kg finals in Budapest. (Kadir Caliskan, United World Wrestling)
BUDAPEST, Hungary – The first set of the men’s freestyle wrestlers secured five medals at the fourth and final UWW Senior Ranking Series event of the season—the Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial—four of whom will represent the U.S. at the Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, this September. Zahid Valencia, Kyle Snyder, and Senior National Team member Mason Parris earned gold, Nick Lee claimed silver, and Zane Richards finished with bronze.
This tournament is the final Senior-level competition athletes can compete in to establish their ranking which will determine final seeding for the World Championships.
2016 Olympic champion and three-time World champion Snyder was prepared for a familiar foe in Magomedkhan Magomedov of Azerbaijan, who is a 2022 World bronze medalist and 2023 European silver medalist, in the 97 kg finals. However, Magomedov withdrew before the match due to injury, leaving Snyder to take home the gold. Snyder defeated Magomedov in last year’s World quarterfinals. Most recently, the duo met earlier this year at the Zagreb Open where Magomedov kept the lead for most of the match until Snyder came back in the last two minutes for the win.
U.S. World Team member Valencia defeated Matthew Finesilver of Israel, a past NCAA qualifier for Duke and Michigan, in the 92 kg finals. Valencia started the match off strong, scoring from two pinch-headlocks countering Finesilver’s shot attempts. He offered two leg attacks of his own, scoring two points for the first and four points for the second which ended the match with a perfect 10-0 score.
U.S. National Team member Parris overcame Hungary’s European bronze medalist Daniel Ligeti in the 125 kg finals match. The Michigan man gave up an inside trip to his back in the first 30 seconds of the match but wound up on top for the one-point reversal. Back on their feet, Parris pressed the action by chasing down a single leg straight into a gut wrench. He kept the pressure on into the second period with another takedown and a step-out point. With Parris having an 8-4 lead, Ligeti called injury time and eventually decided to forfeit the match, giving Parris the gold.
Mongolia’s Tulga Tumur-Ochir, a 2020 Olympian and 2021 World bronze medalist, took advantage of opportune positions in the 65 kg gold medal match against Lee. The U.S. World Team member was taken to his back early in the bout and gave up two gut-wrenches in the subsequent sequence. Adding two more step-outs, Tumur-Ochir took the match, 10-0, giving Lee the silver medal.
Down at 57 kg, U.S. World Team member Richards defeated U23 European champion Niklas Stechele of Germany by a 5-2 decision for the bronze medal. Richards gave up the first point when he was put on the shot clock and unable to score. Within the next minute, the Illinois product blasted off a double before finishing it with a single leg and securing the takedown on the edge. Richards scored another point off a low single when he brought the leg up and walked it to the edge of the mat for a step-out. The trusted low-level attack earned him another takedown to continue leading the match 5-1 with just a minute left. Stechele scored his first offensive point on the edge with a step-out, but it wasn’t enough for the German to come back.
After the first day of action in Budapest, the U.S. leads the men’s freestyle tournament with 120 points. Kazakhstan sits in second place with 70 points followed by Hungary at 64 points. Tied for fourth place are China and Georgia with 55 points each.
Day two continues with the remaining men’s freestyle weights at 10:30 a.m. local time (4:30 a.m. ET). Hitting the mats tomorrow are U.S. World Team members Vito Arujau (61 kg) and Chance Marsteller (79 kg), along with U.S. National Team member Joey McKenna (70 kg). Women’s freestyle will also begin their tournament on Friday morning with five weight classes being contested.
Archived matches and a live stream for the Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial can be found at FloWrestling.com for the U.S. audience. Complete brackets and mat assignments can be found at uww.org.
UWW Senior Ranking Series: Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial
At Budapest, Hungary, July 13, 2023
Men’s freestyle day one results
Team standings
1. United States, 120
2. Kazakhstan, 70
3. Hungary, 64
4. China, Georgia, 55
6. Germany, 48
7. Ukraine, 42
8. Kyrgyzstan, 39
9. Israel, 30
10. Mongolia, San Marino, 25
57 kg
Gold – Wanhao Zou (China)
Silver – Almaz Smanbekov (Kyrgyzstan)
Bronze – Zane Richards (United States)
Bronze – Kamil Kerymov (Ukraine)
5th – Niklas Stechele (Germany)
5th – Ahmad Mohammadnezhadjavan (Iran)
7th – Roberti Dingashvili (Georgia)
8th – Sunggwon Kim (Korea)
9th – Milad Valizadeh (Iran)
10th – Mukhamed Balgabay (Kazakhstan)
Gold – Wanhao Zou (China) dec. Almaz Smanbekov (Kyrgyzstan), 11-3
Bronze – Zane Richards (United States) dec. Niklas Stechele (Germany), 5-2
Bronze – Kamil Kerymov (Ukraine) dec. Ahmad Mohammadnezhadjavan (Iran), 8-4
65 kg
Gold – Tulga Tumur-Ochir (Mongolia)
Silver – Nick Lee (United States)
Bronze – Islam Dudaev (Albania)
Bronze – Ikromzhon Khadzhimurodov (Kyrgyzstan)
5th – Alibek Osmonov (Kyrgyzstan)
5th – Lachlan McNeil (Canada)
7th – Ismail Musukaev (Hungary)
8th – Akbar Kurbanov (Kazakhstan)
9th – Khamzat Arsamerzouev (France)
10th – Adlan Askarov (Kazakhstan)
Gold – Tulga Tumur-Ochir (Mongolia) tech. fall Nick Lee (United States), 10-0
Bronze – Islam Dudaev (Albania) dec. Alibek Osmonov (Kyrgyzstan), 11-5
Bronze – Ikromzhon Khadzhimurodov (Kyrgyzstan) tech. fall Lachlan McNeil (Canada), 10-0
74 kg
Gold – Murad Kuramagomedov (Hungary)
Silver – Nurkozha Kaipanov (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Krisztian Biro (Romania)
Bronze – Feng Lu (China)
5th – Byungmin Gong (Korea)
5th – Mitchell Finesilver (Israel)
7th – Tim Mueller (Germany)
8th – Nurlan Bekzhanov (Kazakhstan)
9th – Otari Bagauri (Georgia)
10th – Julian Ramirez (United States)
Gold – Murad Kuramagomedov (Hungary) dec. Nurkozha Kaipanov (Kazakhstan), 5-2
Bronze – Krisztian Biro (Romania) dec. Byungmin Gong (Korea), 8-7
Bronze – Feng Lu (China) dec. Mitchell Finesilver (Israel), 8-3
86 kg
Gold – Myles Amine (San Marino)
Silver – Dauren Kurugliev (Greece)
Bronze – Rakhim Magamadov (France)
Bronze – Osman Gocen (Turkey)
5th – Tariel Gaphrindashvili (Georgia)
5th – Lars Schaefle (Germany)
7th – Max Hale (United States)
8th – Yeskali Dauletkazy (Kazakhstan)
9th – Vladyslav Prus (Ukraine)
10th – Abubakr Abakarov (Azerbaijan)
Gold – Myles Amine (San Marino) dec. Dauren Kurugliev (Greece), 3-2
Bronze – Rakhim Magamadov (France) dec. Tariel Gaphrindashvili (Georgia), 2-0
Bronze – Osman Gocen (Turkey) dec. Lars Schaefle (Germany), 8-0
92 kg
Gold – Zahid Valencia (United States)
Silver – Matthew Finesilver (Israel)
Bronze – Rizabek Aitmukhan (Kazakhstan)
4th – Amirali Azarpira (Iran)
5th – Miriani Maisuradze (Georgia)
6th – Balasz Juhasz (Hungary)
7th – Denys Sahaliuk (Ukraine)
Gold – Zahid Valencia (United States) tech. fall Matthew Finesilver (Israel), 10-0
Bronze – Rizabek Aitmukhan (Kazakhstan) forfeit Amirali Azarpira (Iran)
97 kg
Gold – Kyle Snyder (United States)
Silver – Magomedkhan Magomedov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Givi Matcharashvili (Georgia)
Bronze – Alisher Yergali (Kazakhstan)
5th – Bekzat Urkimbay (Kazakhstan)
5th – Erik Thiele (Germany)
7th – Benjamin Honis (Italy)
8th – Nursultan Azov (Kazakhstan)
9th – Kanybek Abdulkhairov (Kyrgyzstan)
10th – Vladislav Baitcaev (Hungary)
Gold – Kyle Snyder (United States) forfeit Magomedkhan Magomedov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Givi Matcharashvili (Georgia) dec. Bekzat Urkimbay (Kazakhstan), 9-0
Bronze – Alisher Yergali (Kazakhstan) dec. Erik Thiele (Germany), 3-1
125 kg
Gold – Mason Parris (United States)
Silver – Daniel Ligeti (Hungary)
Bronze – Zhiwei Deng (China)
Bronze – Yurii Idzinskyi (Ukraine)
5th – Abraham Conyedo Ruano (Italy)
5th – Gennadij Cudinovic (Germany)
7th – Solomon Manashvili (Georgia)
8th – Yusup Batirmurzaev (Kazakhstan)
9th – Youssif Hemida (Egypt)
10th – Murazi Mchedlidze (Ukraine)
Gold – Mason Parris (United States) inj. def. Daniel Ligeti (Hungary)
Bronze – Zhiwei Deng (China) dec. Abraham Conyedo Ruano (Italy), 6-1
Bronze – Idzinskyi (Ukraine) dec. Gennadij Cudinovic (Germany), 7-6
U.S. men’s freestyle results
57 kg – Zane Richards (Champaign, Ill./Illinois RTC/Titan Mercury WC), Bronze medal
WIN Beka Bujiashvili (Georgia), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Milad Valizadeh (IRI), tech. fall, 17-6
LOSS Almaz Smanbekov (KGZ), 2-0
WIN Niklas Stechele (GER), 5-2
65 kg – Nick Lee (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC), Silver medal
WIN Joshua Finesilver (Israel), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Alibek Osmonov (KGZ), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Islam Dudaev (Albania), 6-4
LOSS Tulga Tumur-Ochir (MGL), tech. fall, 10-0
74 kg – Julian Ramirez (Ithaca, N.Y./Spartan Combat RTC), 10th
LOSS Byungmin Gong (Korea), 6-6
86 kg – Max Hale (West Chester, Pa./Pennsylvania RTC), 7th
LOSS Dauren Kurguliev (Greece), 6-2
WIN Suhe Gang (CHN), fall, 1:52
LOSS Tariel Gaphrindashv (GEO), 14-10
92 kg – Zahid Valencia (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids WC), Gold medal
LOSS Amarali Hamid Azarpira (Iran), 5-3
WIN Denis Sahaijuk (Ukraine), 8-1
WIN Miriani Maisuradze (Georgia), 5-3
WIN Rizabek Aitmukhan (KAZ), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Matthew Finesilver (ISR), tech. fall, 10-0
97 kg – Kyle Snyder (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC), Gold medal
WIN Givi Matcharashivili (Georgia), 3-2
WIN Kanybek Abdulkhairov (Kyrgyzstan), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Bekzat Urkimbay (Ukraine), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Magomedkhan Magomedov (Azerbaijan), forfeit
125 kg – Mason Parris (Ann Arbor, Mich./Cliff Keen WC/Titan Mercury WC), Gold medal
WIN Abraham Conyedo Ruano (Italy), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Youssif Himida (Egypt), tech. fall, 11-1
WIN Zhiwei Deng (CHN), 5-0
WIN Daniel Ligeti (Hungary), inj. def.