#Yariguin2019

Ivan Yariguin Rosters Released

Monday, January 21, 2019 - 17:46 By Eric Olanowski

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KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 22) - The 30th Annual Ivan Yariguin, United World Wrestlings first freestyle and women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the year begins on January 24 in Siberia's central city, Krasnoyarsk, Russia. The Yariguin is often referred to as the "Toughest Tournament in the World" because wrestlers from all over the globe make the trek to Siberia to compete with the best wrestlers Russia has to offer.

For the second year in a row in freestyle and for the first time in women's wrestling, United World Wrestling has given wrestlers more of an incentive to compete at this prestigious event, naming the Ivan Yariguin a Ranking Series tournament. 

The winner of each Ranking Series event will be awarded eight (8) points, with second, third and fifth place grabbing six (6), four (4), and two (2) points respectively. In addition to the placement points, wrestlers will receive points based on the number of participants in their bracket. For weight categories with 10 or fewer entries, an additional six (6) points will be added. For categories with 11-20 wrestlers entered an additional eight (8) points will be added. Ten (10) points will be added to any weight category with more than 20 entries.

The points wrestlers gain this weekend are used as a part of the seeding process for the 2019 Astana World Championships. The number of points competitors accumulate from last year's World Championships, along with the 2019 Continental Championships and the Ranking Series events, will be combined and the wrestlers with the four highest cumulative points will be award the top four seeds. 

The three remaining freestyle and women's wrestling Rankings Series events are the Dan Kolov (February 28), the Sassari (May 24), and the Yasar Dogu (July 12). 

Freestyle

57kg 
ZOU Wanhao (CHN)
Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO)
Abzal OKENOV(KAZ)
ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL)
TUMENBILEG Tuvshintulga (MGL)
NARMANDAKH Nasanbuyan (MGL)
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV  (RUS)
Khuresh-ool Donduk-ool (RUS)
Amiran GUVAZHOKOV  (RUS)
Aryaan TYUTRIN  (RUS)
Muslim SADULAYEV (RUS)
Myrat HOJANEPESOV(TKM)
Ahmet PEKER  (TUR)
Zane RICHARDS (USA)
Thomas GILMAN (USA)

61kg 
LIU Minghu (CHN)
Lasha LOMTADZE (GEO)
GANSUKH Otgonbaatar (MGL)
TSERMAA Chinzorig (MGL)
ALTANSUVD Munkh Erdene (MGL)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
Ramazan FERZALIEV (RUS) 
Magomedrasul IDIRSOV (RUS)
Maidir DONGAK (RUS)
Eduard GRIGORIEV (RUS) 
Semyon VLADIMIROV (RUS) 
Mekan ORAZOV (TKM)
Cory CLARK (USA)
Joseph COLON(USA)

Russia's two-time world runner-up Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV will move up to 65kg from his normal weight of 61kg. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

65kg
TIAN Zhenguang (CHN)
YUAN Shaohua (CHN)
Tornike KATAMADZE (GEO)
Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Amiran VAKHTANGASHVILI (GEO)
TUMUR OCHIR Tulga (MGL)
BATCHULUUN Batmagnai (MGL)
NARMANDAKH Lkhangarmaa (MGL)
Ivan GUIDEA (ROU)
Ahmed CHAKAEV (RUS)
Muslim SAIDULAYEV (RUS)
Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)
Nachyn KUULAR (RUS)
Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS)
Perman HOMMADOV (TKM)
Cengizhan ERDOGAN (TUR)
Zain Allen RETHERFORD (USA)

70kg 
YEERLANBIEKE Katai  (CHN)
Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Askhat SLYAMKHANOV (KAZ)
GANZORIGMandakhnaran  (MGL)
ENKHTUYA Temuulen (MGL)
ENKHBAYAR Byambadorj (MGL)
Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
David BAYEV (RUS)
Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS)
Anzor ZAKUEV (RUS)
Chermen VALIEV (RUS)
Batyr BORJAKOV (TKM)
Jason Lyle CHAMBERLAIN (USA)
James Malcolm GREEN (USA)

Reigning world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) will try to improve on his second-place finish from a season ago. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

74kg
FENG Chunfu (CHN)
Giorgi SULAVA (GEO)
Goga MAMIAURI  (GEO)
TISAKOVJOR Erzo Shamil (MGL) 
Ken HOSAKA   (JPN)
BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL)
BYAMBASUREN Bat-Erdene  (MGL)
GANTULGA Shijir (MGL)
Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS)
Timur BIZHOEV (RUS)
Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS)
Nikita SUCHKOV (RUS)
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (RUS)
Yakup GOR (TUR)
Isaiah MARTINEZ  (USA)

79kg
Zeping LIN (CHN)
DENZENSHARAV Tugs Erdene (MGL)
PUREVJAV Unurbat   (MGL)
Ahmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Haji NABIYEV (RUS)
Alan ZASEEV (RUS)
Khalil AMINOV (RUS)
Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS)
Alexander David DIERINGER  (USA)

86kg
Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL)
LIN Zushen (CHN)
Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO)
Ahmed DUDAROV (GER)
Shota SHIRAI  (JPN)
ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL)
GANBAATAR Gankhuyag (MGL)
ENKHTUVSHIN Batmagnai (MGL)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS)
Vladislav VALIEV (RUS)
Soslan KTSOEV (RUS)
Omar ZIYAUTDINOV (RUS)
Magomedsharif BIYAKAEV (RUS)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Samuel BROOKS (USA)

92kg
Danan XU (CHN)
BAASANTSOGT Ulziisaikhan  (MGL)
CHINBAT Altangerel (lMGL)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (RUS) 
Anzor URISHEV (RUS)
Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS)
Magomed KURBANOV (RUS)
Azamat ZAKUEV (RUS)

America's two-time world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) will try to become the first American to ever win three Yariguin titles in a row. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

97kg
Haobin GAO (CHN)
ULZIISAIKHAN Batzul (MGL)
BAYASGALAN Bat Erdene (MGL)
BATDORJ Namkhai (MGL)
Shamil MUSAEV (RUS)
Igor OVSYANNIKOV (RUS)
Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Tamerlan RASUEV (RUS)
Eric DZHIOEV (RUS)
Baki SAHIN (TUR)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)

125kg
DENG Zhiwei (CHN)
DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL)
Anzor HIZRIEV (RUS)
Said HAMIDOV (RUS)
Zelimkhan HIZRIEV (RUS)
Pavel KRIVTSOV (RUS)
Ostap PASENOK (RUS)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)


Norway's reigning U23 world champion Grace BULLEN will make her Yariguin debut this week. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Kika KAGATA (JPN)
NANDINTSETSEG Anudari (MGL)
BUYANDALAI Chimgee (MGL)
TSOGT OCHIR Namuuntsetseg (MGL)
Angelika VETOSHKINA (RUS)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS)
Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS)
Maria TYUMEREKOVA (RUS)
Valeria CHEPSARKOVA (RUS)
Victoria ANTHONY (USA)
Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB)

53kg
Madina NADIROVA (KGZ)
ERDENECHIMEG Sumiya (MGL)
BATBAATAR Enkhtsetseg (MGL)
Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS)
Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS)
Alena KUULAR (RUS)
Leila KARYMOVA (RUS)
Nadezhda TRETYAKOVA (RUS)
Haley Ruth AUGELLO (USA)
Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)


Russia's 2018 European champion Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) will try to improve on her runner-up finish from a year ago. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

55kg
Nao TANIYAMA (JPN)
BAYARAA Khaliunaa (MGL)
BAT OCHIR Bolortuya  (MGL)
BAT ORSHIKH Bolor Erdene (MGL)
Victoria VAULINA (RUS)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
Marina SIMONYAN (RUS)
Nina MENKENOVA (RUS)
Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS)
Becka Anne LEATHERS (USA)

57kg
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL)
BALJINNYAM Enkhtuvshin (MGL)
BOLDSAIKHAN Khongorzul (MGL)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Khadizhat MURTUZALIEVA (RUS)
Alexandra NITSENKO (RUS)
Natalya VOLZHANINA (RUS)
Sevara ESHMURATOVA (UZB)

59kg
Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)
ALTANTSETSEG Battsetseg (MGL)
ULZIISAIKHAN Purevsuren (MGL)
Svetlana LIPTOVA (RUS)
Anastasia YAKOVLEVA (RUS)
Alena SANGADIEVA (RUS)
Zelfira SADRADDINOVA (RUS)
Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA)
Nigora BAKIROVA (UZB)

62kg
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL)
Angela FOMENKO (RUS)
Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS)
Elizaveta SOROKINA (RUS)
Daria BOBRULKO (RUS)
Anna SHCHERBAKOVA (RUS)

65kg
Misuzu ENOMOTO (JPN)
ZORIGT Bolortungalag (MGL)
BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL)
Maria KUZNETSOVA (RUS)
Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS)
Natalia FEDOSEEVA (RUS)
Dinara SALIKHOVA (RUS)
Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)
Sakhipjamal ALEUATDINOVA (UZB)


Mongolia's 2015 world champion SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg will try to reach the top of the Yariguin podium for the first time since 2015. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

68kg
Rio WATARI (JPN)
SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL)
ENKHSAIKHAN Delgermaa (MGL)
ENKH AMAR Davaanasan (MGL)
Khanum VELIYEVA (RUS)
Christina EREMINA (RUS)
Julia MAXIMOVA (RUS)
Khalbazar NARBAEVA (UZB)

72kg
Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL)
Tatyana KOLESNIKOVA (RUS)
Evgenia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)
Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS)
Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA)

76kg
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL)
Naranchimeg GELEGJAMTS (MGL)
Zagardulam NAIGALSUREN (MGL)
Ksenia BURAKOVA (RUS)
Alena PEREPELKINA (RUS)
Kristina SHUMOVA (RUS)
Elmira KHALAEVA (RUS)
Shakhribonu ELLIEVA (UZB)

*PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE NOT OFFICAL ENTRIES AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. 

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Greco-Roman Preview

Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 09:14 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 15) -- When Aleksandr KARELIN won his 12th European gold in 2000, it seemed like one of the most impregnable records in wrestling. In 2023, Riza KAYAALP (TUR) equaled that accomplishment but his hopes of going past Karelin came to naught after he was pinned in the final at Bucharest in 2024. [Kayaalp’s 12 golds include the 2025 European Games gold medal since no European Championships was held in that year].

Two years later, Kayaalp will take another shot at history when he steps onto the mat in Tirana next week for the European Championships in the 130kg weight class.

DOWNLOAD FULL PREVIEW HERE | European Championships 2026 Schedule | European Championships 2026 Freestyle Preview | European Championships 2026 Women's Wrestling Preview

Kayaalp began this season with a gold medal at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series to set the stage for an epic European comeback. Apart from breaking the record, a win in Tirana will give Kayaalp much-needed confidence as the 36-year-old continues his comeback after missing two years of action.

The field in Tirana includes Muhamet Malo Ranking Series winner and perhaps Kayaalp's biggest threat Marat KAMPAROV (UWW). 2025 European bronze medalists Jello KRAHMER (GER) and Darius VITEK (HUN) are returning with an aim to change the color of their medals.

Among other contenders are former U23 world champion Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), former U20 world champion Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) and Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) who once pinned Kayaalp in Istanbul.

Turkiye will be hoping to win more golds than just Kayaalp's.

Defending champion at 63kg Kerem KAMAL (TUR) will look to find the same form he did in the first half of 2025, winning three gold medals in a span of four months.
 
Trying to stop Kamal from winning a second straight gold medal will be returning silver medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) who fell short in a one-sided final last year. Also in the mix are U23 world champion Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) and world bronze medalist Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA). Babashov defeated Eriomenco in the final of the U23 World Championships but both can make a run for gold in Tirana.

Veteran Sergey EMELIN (UWW) enters with hopes of winning his third European gold and first since in 2021.

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) is a four-time European champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Amoyan's World
There is no Greco-Roman wrestler who can be considered as dominant as Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) among current wrestlers. The defending champion will land in Tirana in a bid to win his fifth straight European title. He last lost at the European Championships in 2021, dropping his 72kg final.

But since then, Amoyan has been untouched at the continental level. He never looked in trouble during his golden run in 2025 and is unlikely to suffer any upsets this year as well.

Lining up to challenge him are returning silver medalist Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) and former champion Robert FRITSCH (HUN). Joining them will be U23 world champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), Sergei STEPANOV (UWW) and world bronze medalist Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR).

Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is one of the three defending Greco-Roman champions for Azerbaijan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Azerbaijan's Defending Champs
Azerbaijan is bringing all three of its 2025 champions as it looks to defend the team title. Olympic bronze medalist and world silver Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) leads the charge at 67kg and is the favorite to win gold.

A possible rematch of last year's final is on the cards as Abu AMAEV (BUL) returns to maintain his 100 percent record of winning a medal at the European Championships. Amaev has two bronze and a silver at the tournament.

Two young stars who can pose a threat are U23 world silver medalist Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) and former U20 world champion Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW). Chkhikvadze began this year with two silver medals at the Zagreb Open and Muhamet Malo Ranking Series events.

Zakriev made his senior debut at the Muhamet Malo in Tirana and finished with a bronze medal.

Returning at 60kg is Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) who began this season with a gold medal at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. He would like to forget the medalless campaigns at World Championships and Islamic Solidarity Games and regain the form he was at last year's Europeans, winning three out of four bouts via technical superiority.

The only wrestler who troubled Mammadli was Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) who will be returning with the hope of changing his silver to gold this year. Tibilov's defense can be hard to penetrate but he has not been able to stop Mammadli's par terre offense, from where he lost the final last year.

Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) is the third returning champion for Azerbaijan as he looks to defend his 82kg gold medal. Apart from the two technical points he gave up, Gurbanov was unscored upon as he won four bouts to win the gold medal.

He blanked Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 4-0, in the semifinals but the Georgian will be keen on avenging that loss. The world silver medalist was not awarded the par terre position in the semifinals last year which could have changed the result of the bout.

Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), silver medalist at 77kg at Zagreb Open, is moving up to 82kg and will be among the medal contenders in Tirana along with Muhamet Malo Ranking Series silver medalist Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW).

Return of Novikov, Milov
After missing the entire 2025 season after the European Championships, Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) and European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL) will be back in action in Tirana with an aim to win gold medals at 87kg and 97kg respectively.

Novikov was stunned in the 87kg final last year by David LOSONCZI (HUN) but he will like to make amends and win his second European gold. At the recent Dan Kolov tournament in Bulgaria, Novikov suffered a 7-3 in the semifinal against Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) who had troubled Novikov at the European Championships last year as well.

Filchakov will be in Tirana to challenge Novikov again along with several other stars including world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) who picked up a bronze medal last year. Paris bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN), who skipped the tournament last year, will also be returning to action for the first time this year.

Returning bronze medalist Islam ABBASOV (AZE), former world champion Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), former European champion Istvan TAKACS (HUN) and Alan OSTAEV (UWW) are also in the hunt for medals at this weight class.

Kiril MILOV (BUL)Kiril MILOV (BUL) defeated Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) for the first time in his career and went on to win the 97kg gold. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

For Milov, the path to gold should be much simpler than Novikov. Milov stunned Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) last year, handing the Armenian legend his first European loss since 2017, before winning his second European gold medal. In Tirana, he will be joined by the three other medalists from the 2025 edition -- silver medalist Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER), and bronze medalists Alex SZOKE (HUN) and Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW).

But Milov's biggest threat will be world silver medalist Artur SARGSIAN (UWW) who suffered a shocking loss to Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED). Sargsian has an explosive offense from par terre and can defend as well as he did during the World Championships, winning four bouts by the score of 1-1 before losing the final.

At 55kg, it can well be the passing of the baton as world champion and returning bronze medalist Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) takes on defending champion Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW). These are the only two returning medalists but Lolua is primed to upset Sefershaev.

At 72kg, world silver medalist Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), who had to share the gold medal with Levente LEVAI (HUN), will be the sole favorite this year. He has one of the most effective defenses in the world.

Among the few challengers will be Krisztian VANCZA (HUN), U20 world champion Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) and former U23 European champion Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE).