#OffTheMat

How is Amir related to Hassan and Reza Yazdani?

By Eric Olanowski

COSIER-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 29) --- The wrestling world fell in love with Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) and his massive smile after his run to the 2021 world finals. He’s a guy who understands the entertainment aspect of the sport. His post-match celebrations command the attention of the entire arena, which has led to the young Iranian becoming one of the most talked-about freestyle wrestlers in the world.

Yazdani showed his appreciation for his worldwide fan base by sitting down with United World Wrestling and answering the questions you asked. He talked about sharing the Yazdani last name with legends Reza and Hassan, what he’s afraid of, his favorite food and much more.

#WrestleZagreb

Olympic champ Jamalov to miss 2025 World Championships

By Eric Olanowski

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (May 14) -- Paris Olympic champion Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) will miss the 2025 World Championships.

Jamalov told United World Wrestling that he will undergo knee surgery on May 19 in Moscow and will be sidelined for the rest of the 2025 season.

This is the second surgery for Jamalov in last eight months, and 10th of his career, as he also had a shoulder surgery shortly after his win in Paris in August 2024.

"This will be my fifth surgery on my knee," Jamalov told UWW. "I've also had three surgeries on both shoulders, one on my neck, and one for tonsils.

"This is very difficult news because I was hoping to be ready for the 2025 World Championships. It's an old injury that I suffered before the Ranking Series tournament in Hungary [last year]. It's a complete tear of the cruciate ligament."

Despite the physical and mental toll of ten surgeries, the 26-year-old is gearing up for the wrestling season in 2026.

"Even after 10 surgeries, I want to keep wrestling," he said. "I'm aiming to be back in action at the beginning of 2026. Without wrestling, life feels boring to me. Of course, there are doubts sometimes, but I try to work hard and keep believing."