The 33-year-old matched the total of triple Olympic champion Aleksandr Karelin, who represented the Soviet Union and Russia, on the continental stage.

Kayaalp, a three-time Olympic medallist himself, won the under-130-kilograms crown in a nail-biting encounter against Sabah Saleh Shariati of Azerbaijan.

The bout finished 2-1 as Kayaalp secured a stepout point and a point for activity.

The pair were joined on the podium by Norway's Oskar Marvik and Iakobi Kajaia of Georgia who took respective victories against Lithuanian Mantas Knystautas and Alin Alexuc Ciurariu of Romania.

Georgian Leri Abuladze defended his title in the under-63kg decider with a convincing 5-1 defeat of Azerbaijan's Taleh Mammadov.

Armenian Hrachya Poghosyan claimed the first bronze by default after Italy's Jacopo Sandron had to forfeit due to injury.

The second bronze was claimed by Bulgarian Abu Amaev following a 6-2 win against Turkey's Mehmet Ceker.

Ceker's compatriot Ali Cengiz also suffered defeat, this time in the under-87kg tournament to Istvan Takacs.

The Hungarian extended his undefeated record in 2023 with a 15th consecutive victory by prevailing 5-2.

Prior to that, Lasha Gobadze of Georgia and Bulgaria's Semen Novikov clinched the bronze medals by defeating Islam Abbasov of Azerbaijan and Switzerland's Damian von Euw.

Armenian Malkhas Amoyan pounced on Viktor Nemes of Serbia with seven seconds left to snatch under-77kg glory while Turkey's Yunus Basar and Zoltan Levai of Hungary were victorious in the bronze medal bouts.

Adem Uzun of Turkey dispatched Azeri Eldaniz Azizli 11-3 in the under-55 division.

Georgia's Nugzari Tsurtumia and Romanian Denis Florin Mihai also eased to the bronze medals against Armenian Rudik Mkrtchyan and Bulgarian Stefan Grigorov.

The Championships are set to conclude tomorrow with the remaining Greco-Roman bouts.