This coming Thursday begins the 2023 Ibrahim Moustafa Memorial in Alexandria, Egypt, an event carrying significance due to being the second United World Wrestling “Ranking Series” tournament of the year.
Like the Grand Prix Zagreb Open held earlier this month in Croatia, the Ibrahim Moustafa is observing a single-day format, meaning weight categories will conclude each round of the event, including finals and bronze-medal matches, on the same day. This is a departure from the recent norm for marquee Senior-level tournaments. Dating back to the ’17-’18 season, the vast majority of top competitions have adopted a two-day protocol with the first day of wrestling ending following the semifinal round. Repechage, finals, and bronze rounds in this format are contested the following day.
The “Ranking Series” for UWW has changed course for this season. All three disciplines are contested in “Ranking Series” events; this year’s version thus far welcomes a slight increase in style overlap (e.g., Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle occurring at the same time), as weight categories are staggered according to style. Previous iterations of the series separated wrestling styles each day in near totality. Another noted change is UWW allowing for a two-kilogram allowance.
2023 Ibrahim Moustafa Greco-Roman
Top Entries
The participation, at press time, for the ’23 Ibrahim Moustafa “Ranking Series” tournament is not quite as high as Zagreb’s was at the beginning of the month, though it is still anticipated to project a healthy allotment of competitors, including seven World/Olympic champs and dozens of recent medalists. Below find preliminary entries for each weight category (World/Olympic Champions noted in bold).
55 kg
Amangali Bekbolatov (KAZ) — ’18 U23 World bronze, ’22 Asian Championships bronze
Nugzari Tsurtsumia (GEO) — ’19 World Champion, ’21 World bronze, ’22 World silver
Sardarbek Konushbaev (KGZ)
60 kg
Pridon Abuladze (GEO) — ’21 U23 World bronze
Kerem Kamal (TUR) — 3X Junior World Champion, ’22 U23 World Champion
Edmond Nazaryan (BUL) — ’22 World silver, ’20 European Championships gold
63 kg
Leri Abuladze (GEO) — 2X World silver, ’21 U23 World Champion
Victor Ciobanu (MDA) — ’21 World Champion, ’18 World silver
Meysam Dalkhani (IRI) — ’21 World Champion, ’19 U23 World Champion
67 kg
Sultan Assetuly (KAZ) — ’22 University World gold, ’21 Asian Championships gold
Husiyuetu Husiyuetu (CHN) — ’23 Grand Prix Zagreb Open gold
Joni Khetsuriani (GEO)
Din Koshkar (KAZ) — ’22 Junior World bronze
Mihai Mihut (ROU) — ’18 U23 World bronze, ’18 European Championships gold
Sailike Walihan (CHN) — ’20 Olympic bronze, ’18 World bronze
72 kg
Mohammadreza Geraei (IRI) — ’20 Olympic Champion, ’21 World Champion
Daniar Kalenov (KAZ)
Ibragim Magomadov (KAZ) — ’22 Asian Championships silver
Valentin Petic (MDA) — ’19 U23 World bronze, ’19 Junior World bronze
Ramaz Zoidze (GEO) — ’21 World bronze,’18 U23 World silver, 2X Junior World Champion
77 kg
Yunus Basar (TUR) — ’22 World bronze, 2X European Championships silver
Shmagi Bolkvadze (GEO) — ’16 Olympic bronze, ’17 U23 World Champion, ’21 European Championships gold
Alexandrin Gutu (MDA) — ’22 U23 World silver, ’22 U20 World bronze
Zoltan Levai (HUN) — ’22 World silver, ’20 European Championships silver, ’16 Junior World bronze
Aik Mnatsakanian (BUL) — 2X World bronze
82 kg
Gela Bolkvadze (GEO) — ’18 U23 World Champion, ’17 U23 World silver, ’22 European Championships silver
Dias Kalan (KAZ) — ’22 Asian Championships silver
87 kg
Zakarias Berg (SWE) — ’18 European Championships bronze
Ali Cengiz (TUR) — ’22 World bronze
Lasha Gobadze (GEO) — ’19 World Champion, ’21 World bronze, ’17 U23 World Champion
Alex Kessidis (SWE) — ’19 World silver, ’20 European Championships bronze
Gurami Khetsuriani (GEO) — ’19 U23 World silver
97 kg
Metehan Basar (TUR) — 2X World Champion, ’17 European Championships silver
Robert Kobliashvili (GEO) — 2X World bronze, ’18 European Championships gold
Georgi Melia (GEO) — ’19 U23 World silver, ’18 U23 World bronze, ’16 Junior World Champion
Mohammadhadi Saravi (IRI) — ’21 World Champion, ’20 Olympic bronze, ’22 World bronze, ’19 U23 World bronze, ’18 Junior World Champion
130 kg
Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu (ROU) — ’22 World bronze, ’20 European Championships gold
Iakobi Kajaia (GEO) — ’20 Olympic silver, 2X World bronze
Riza Kayaalp (TUR) — 5X World Champion, ’16 Olympic silver, 2X Olympic bronze
Zviadi Pataridze (GEO) — 3X Junior World Champion, ’18 U23 World Champion, 2X U23 World silver
FLOWrestling will carry the live broadcast of the Ibrahim Moustafa “Ranking Series” in the United States.
Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series Schedule
All times local (+7 hours ET)
Thursday, February 23 (55, 60, 63, 67, 87, 97, & 130 kg)
10:00am-2:30pm — Qualification rounds through repechage
6:00pm-8:30pm — Finals/bronze-medal matches
Friday, February 24 (72, 77, & 82 kg)
10:00am-2:30pm — Qualification rounds through repechage
6:00pm-8:30pm — Finals/bronze-medal matches
NMU Going to Petrov
Nine athletes from Northern Michigan University’s National Training Site for Greco-Roman will be competing at the 2023 Nikola Petrov Memorial in Sofia, Bulgaria. Unlike the “Ranking Series”, Petrov is sticking to a two-day format, which will spread competition over the course of four days. A more detailed preview will be availed next week.
2023 Nikola Petrov Memorial
March 2-5 — Sofia, BUL
NMU Roster
55 kg: Ryder Smith
63 kg: Aidan Nutter (NYAC/NTS) — ’22 US Open runner-up
67 kg: Charles Welcome
67 kg: David Stepanyan (NYAC/NTS) — ’21 U23 World Team, ’21 World Team Trials runner-up, ’21 US Open runner-up
77 kg: Riley Briggs
77 kg: Mike Higgins
82 kg: DM Hallett
82 kg: Michael Altomer
87 kg: George Sikes (NYAC/NTS) — ’18 U23 World Team
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