Even though Jordan Burroughs was knocked out in the quarterfinals, the gold medal match in men’s 74kg freestyle wrestling still provided a thrilling duel between Russia’s Aniuar Geduev and Iran’s Hassan Yazdani.
Due to a cut above his eye suffered in a previous bout, Geduev came out with a bandage around his head. The match had to be stopped several times for Geduev to receive treatment when the cut opened up, resulting in the bandage getting progressively larger until it resembled something closer to a helmet and encompassed everything except his face. A frustrated Yazdani could only wait out the delays.
In between the stoppages, Geduev posted three takedowns worth two points apiece in the opening period. Yazdani battled back in the second period to cut the score to 6-4, then got a two-point takedown inside the final five seconds to make it 6-6. By virtue of getting the final score, Yazdani gained the advantage on criteria and scored the comeback win.
74kg quarterfinals
Geduev (RUS) wins 3-2 vs. Burroughs (USA)
Hasanov (AZE) wins by tech fall 11-0 vs. Makarashvili (GEO)
Yazdani (IRI) wins 7-0 vs. Demirtas (TUR)
Usserbayev (KAZ) wins 4-3 vs. Takatani (JPN)
74kg semifinals
Geduev (RUS) wins 5-4 vs. Hasanov (AZE)
Yazdani (IRI) wins by tech fall 10-0 vs. Usserbayev (KAZ)
74kg repechage
Abdurakhmonov (UZB) wins by tech fall 11-1 vs. Burroughs (USA)
Demirtas (TUR) wins by tech fall 12-0 vs. Castelly (HAI)
74kg bronze medal matches
Hasanov (AZE) wins 9-7 vs. Abdurakhmonov (UZB)
Demirtas (TUR) wins 6-0 vs. Usserbayev (KAZ)
74kg gold medal match
Yazdani (IRI) wins on criteria 6-6 vs. Geduev (RUS)