European Championships Greco-Roman preview

Wednesday, April 5, 2023 - 17:48 By Jimmy Pawelski

ZAGREB, Croatia (April 6) — Greco-Roman wrestling has a long-standing history at the European Championships since the tournament’s inception in 1898, being the second-longest running tournament in history, only behind the Olympic Games. That legacy will continue in Zagreb, Croatia, as the 2023 European Championships are scheduled to take place April 17-23.

Greco-Roman wrestlers will close out the tournament on the last three days of competition with the following schedule:

55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg

April 21 - 13:00 local time: Qualification rounds
April 21 - 7:00 local time: Semi-finals
April 22 - 14:30 local time: Repechages
April 22 - 19:30 local time: Finals

60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg

April 22 - 13:00 local time: Qualification rounds
April 22 - 17:00 local time: Semi-finals
April 23 - 15:30 local time: Repechages
April 23 - 17:15 local time: Finals

Even more Greco-Roman history may be made at the 2023 European Wrestling Championships as Riza KAYAALP (TUR) will be attempting to win his 12th European title, which would tie the most-decorated Greco-Roman wrestler of all-time, Aleksandr KARELIN (RUS), for the most European titles.

Statistically, a remarkable 40% of reigning 2022 Greco-Roman world champions and all 10 returning 2022 European champions will seek to defend their titles in this year’s tournament. From a team-race perspective, Azerbaijan will aim to repeat their 2022 European Championships first-place finish after placing second at the 2022 World Championships behind Turkey, who was last year’s European Championships second-place finishing team.

Weight-by-Weight Preview

55kg
The returning gold, silver and bronze medalists of the 2022 European Championships will all be back to compete in this year’s 55kg bracket. The bracket will feature world No. 1 and No. 2, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), who faced off in last year's world and European finals.

Azizli won that match over Tsurtsumia, and all of his 2022 World Championships matches, by way of technical superiority.

Meanwhile, Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM) will seek revenge over Azili after losing to him 7-3 at last year’s European Championships and ultimately placing third.

60kg
The 60kg bracket also features three returning 2022 European Championships medalists, including returning finalists Kerem KAMAL (TUR) and Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL). Despite a 5-0 decision loss to Kamal in the European finals last year, Nazaryen ultimately placed second at the 2022 World Championships, while Kamal failed to reach the podium.

Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM), a 2020 European champion and last year’s bronze medalist, will be wrestling for his third total podium finish.

63kg
In a deep 63kg bracket, No. 1 ranked reigning European champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) leads the way. The Georgian ultimately placed second at the 2022 World Championships behind Sebastian NAD (SRB), who is bumping up to the Olympic weight of 67kg this season.

Abuladze’s key challengers include No. 3 ranked returning world bronze medalist Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) and 2021 world champion at 60kg Victor CIOBANU (MDA).

Both returning European bronze medalists are also registered to compete, Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) and No. 5 ranked Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM), who fell just one match short of placing at last year’s world and European Championships.

67kg
All four 2022 European Championships medalists at 67kg are registered to compete in this year’s tournament: Murat FIRAT (TUR), Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN), Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM), and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), who is the only returning world medalist of the group.

It’s only one of two weight classes that returns all four medalists.

What’s unique about 67kg is that the highest-ranked wrestler currently isn’t included on the list above. Fourth-ranked Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) holds that claim, as he’s coming off a top-5 finish at the 2022 World Championships.

Notably, No. 1 ranked Mate NEMES (SRB), the weight’s reigning world champion from Serbia, will wrestle off the aforementioned Nad before the European Championships for the starting spot at the Olympic weight.

72kg
The 72kg bracket features six total wrestlers ranked in the world's top 10.

Ali ARSALAN (SRB) is the headliner at 72kg. The Iranian transfer is one of the Serbian Fab Four who shocked the wrestling world en route to winning world titles a year ago in Belgrade. He’ll be looking to improve on his bronze-medal finish from last year’s European Championships, where he fell to eventual champion Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN).

Returning world silver and bronze medalists, respectively, No. 3 Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) and No. 2 Selcuk CAN (TUR), will also be in action.

Despite not reaching the podium at the worlds, 2022 European champion and current No. 6, Fritsch, will seek to defend his continental title at this year’s tournament.

Other wrestlers ranked in the top 10 include No.4 Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) and No. 5 Valentin PETIC (MDA).

77kg
The depth of world champion contenders representing Europe is clear at 77kg.

As the only other weight with all four returning 2022 European Championships medalists, the bracket also features No. 1 Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), who didn’t place at last year’s tournament but earned a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships. It's also highlighted by returning 2022 European finalists No. 3 Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) and No. 4 Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR), who each ultimately earned bronze medals at worlds.

Other contenders include Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) and Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), who are each returning European bronze medalists.

82kg
Reigning world champion and No. 1 ranked Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) is the star to watch in the 82kg bracket.

However, his road to win his first European gold will be bumpy as the bracket also contains three additional wrestlers ranked in the top six at 82kg.

Though they each fell one match short of claiming a medal at worlds, world and European champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) and silver-medalist Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) will attempt to repeat as medalists this year.

Meanwhile, Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR), who upended Bolkvadze for world bronze in 2022, will aim for his first podium finish at the European Championships.

87kg
Multiple-time world champion and Tokyo Olympics champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) was set to return to the Continental Championships for the first time in two years, but decided to forfeit his starting spot to Artem MATIASH (UKR) after saying he did not feel ready to compete in Croatia.

Without Beleniuk, the bracket also features three 2022 world medalists and three 2022 European Championships medalists. Top-ranked Turpal Ali BISULTANOV (DEN) is the prevailing European champion and placed second-place finisher at worlds a season behind Serbia’s Zurabi DATUNASHVILI, the two-time world champ, who was a late entry into the field.

Meanwhile, 23-year-old rising star David LOSONCZI (HUN) will make his senior European Championships debut after placing third at senior worlds in 2022.

The other returning world bronze medalist, No. 3 Ali CENGIZ (TUR), will also be competing.

Other notable contenders include returning European Championships medalists Nicu OJOG (ROU) and Islam ABBASOV (AZE), who missed the 2022 World Cup after undergoing shoulder surgery.

97kg
In the bracket with the most registrations (21), the world No. 1 and No. 2 ranked wrestlers at 97kg control the spotlight.

Reigning European champion Kiril Milenov MILOV (BUL) will seek revenge from his World Championships loss against Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM).

Aleksanyan, who didn’t compete in last year’s European Championships, will look to add his sixth European Championships title to his resume in addition to being a four-time world champion, Rio Olympic gold medalist and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist.

Also in contention are 2022 world bronze medalist Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE), returning European bronze medalist Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) and No. 7 Giorgi MELIA (GEO).

130kg
All eyes will be following reigning world champion Riza Kayaalp, as he’ll be competing in Zagreb to win his 12th European title. If he’s able to accomplish such a feat, his title will tie arguably the Greco-Roman G.O.A.T, Aleksandr Karelin, for the most European Championships of all time.

He’ll face stiff competition with both returning world bronze medalists registered to compete, current No. 1 ranked Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) and No. 4 Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU).

Additionally, returning European medalists Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA) and Dariusz Attila VITEK (HUN) will also be taking the mat at heavyweight.

How to Follow Along
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#JapanWrestling

Ozaki denies Onishi in 62kg semis, sets up clash with Motoki

Saturday, December 20, 2025 - 08:01 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 20) -- Nonoka OZAKI gave Sakura ONISHI a less-than-cordial welcome to the women’s 62kg weight class.

Ozaki, a two-time former world champion who has hit a wall of late amid Japan’s incredible depth in women’s wrestling, defeated world 59kg champion Onishi 4-1 in the semifinals at 62kg at the Emperor’s Cup All-Japan Championships on Saturday.

That earned Ozaki yet another shot at reigning world and Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI, who advanced with an 8-2 victory over Yuzuka INAGAKI.

The Olympic weight classes are being contested over two days, and organizers saved a bevy of world and Olympic champions and medalists for the third day of the four-day tournament at Tokyo’s Komazawa Gym.

In other semifinals, a clash of champions from this year’s World Championships in Zagreb was set up at freestyle 74kg, in which reigning champion Kota TAKAHASHI will square off with Yoshinosuke AOYAGI, the victor at 70kg who has moved up to the Olympic division.

Takahashi easily disposed of Toki OGAWA by 11-0 technical fall, while Aoyagi posted a 7-1 victory over Hikaru TAKATA.

Meanwhile, Paris Olympic champions Akari FUJINAMI, Kotaro KIYOOKA and Nao KUSAKA all advanced to their respective finals with varying degrees of ease or difficulty, along with Paris bronze medalist Yui SUSAKI.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) Nonoka OZAKI will wrestle Sakura MOTOKI in the 62kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Ozaki had been forced to watch the World Championships from the sidelines after losing out Motoki at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, which, along with Emperor’s Cup, serves as a domestic qualifier for major international competitions.

The last thing Ozaki needed was another interloper in the weight class, and she determinedly fended off the challenge from the 19-year-old Onishi.

“It was my first time facing her,” Ozaki said. “She’s a young, upcoming wrestler who hasn’t yet experienced the Olympics, just like I had been. But this is not a weight class that can be taken lightly.”

After giving up an activity point, Ozaki scored a late takedown in the first period, then added another in the second to earn a spot in Sunday’s final.

“There are many videos of her out there that I have watched, so I had an image of how she wrestles in mind,” Ozaki said. “I had to think of what form my wrestling should take.”

Asked if she has come up with a strategy to handle Motoki, Ozaki said, “I’ve faced her twice now, and I watched her at the World Championships. There is a ‘Motoki way’ of wrestling, and that’s implanted in my mind.”

Takara SUDA (JPN) Takara SUDA, left, works for a takedown in the first period against Kaisei TANABE during their 65kg semifinal. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Suda spoils Tanabe’s bid for two-style double

The stacked freestyle 65kg division saw the match of the day, in which Takara SUDA spoiled Kaisei TANABE’s bid for a historic Greco-freestyle title double with dramatic last-second takedown in their semifinal.

Suda had taken the lead with a takedown with 1:10 left, only to see Tanabe come back with a takedown of his own with five seconds left. But Suda shot for all he’s
worth and managed to score in time for a 5-4 victory.

“There was still five seconds left and I just kept calm,” Suda said. “I thought if I kept cool, I could score.”

Tanabe had won the Greco 63kg gold on Thursday, and was aiming to become the first to double in two styles at the same tournament since 1973.

“I had lost to him twice before, both by technical fall,” Suda said. “This time I just wanted to avoid losing by technical fall. But those matches were two years ago, and I think I’ve gotten better over these two years.”

Suda’s victory earns him a shot at Paris gold medalist Kiyooka, who managed to hold on for a 3-2 victory over Kaiji OGINO that ended with a wild scramble in
the final 15 seconds.

“He’s an opponent on another level,” Suda said of Kiyooka. “I’ll have to keep moving and give everything I got."

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) Yui SUSAKI throws Mako ONO en route to a technical fall in their 50kg semifinal. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Susaki stormed into the women’s 50kg final with three straight technical falls without surrendering a point, the last one a 10-0 rout of Mako ONO. In the final, she will face world U23 53kg champion Haruna MORIKAWA.

Susaki’s path to a fourth national title and first since 2022 was made slightly easier by the absence of rival Remina YOSHIMOTO and the late withdrawal of
Umi ITO.

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) Akari FUJINAMI, left, squares off with Sara NATAMI in the 57kg semifinals. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Fujinami, the Paris champion at 53kg, continued her transition to 57kg with solid victories, although with all of her points being scored from her feet, save
for an activity point.

In the semifinal, she built up a 7-0 lead over defending champion Sara NATAMI before her opponent twice countered single-leg attempts to score exposures, leaving Fujinami with a 7-4 victory. She will face Himeka TOKUHARA in the final.

Kusaka was clearly the most dominant of the Olympians on the day, winning his two matches by 11-0 scores -- both topped off with 4-point throws. He will face
Isami HORIKITA in the final.

European Championships Greco-Roman preview

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Ozaki denies Onishi in 62kg semis, sets up clash with Motoki