Soryan, Greco-Roman, World Championships, Gaber

Soryan Eyes Sixth Title, Gaber Readies Run to Rio (Live Updates)

Sunday, September 14, 2014 - 04:39 By William May

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TASHKENT (September 14) – London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist Hamid SORYAN (IRI) seeks his sixth world title and Athens 2004 champion Karam GABER (EGY) prepares a run for Rio 2016 on Sunday, the final day of the wrestling world championships in Tashkent.

Soryan, however, could be looking at a challenge from Asia champion and local favorite Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) in the semifinals at the Gymnastics Palace, and then, in the 59kg final, from 2013 world champion Ivo ANGELOV (BUL).

For his part, even before reaching the semifinals, Angelov will likely have to get by the winner of the match-up between Olympic bronze medalists Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) or Roman AMOYAN (ARM).

The 35-year-old Gaber, meanwhile, wrestling in his first competition since winning a silver medal in London, will be tested early and, if he navigates the bracket successfully, then face world silver medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) in the 98kg championship final.

Aleksanyan, who narrowly missed the title last year in Budapest, is on a mission to win it all this year and follow Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) to the top of the medals podium in Tashkent. Julfalakyan won the world title at 75kg on Friday.

Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), runner-up to Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) at the European championships and Golden Grand Prix Final, will try to capitalize on the Hungarian’s move to 66kg and close out the year with the world title at 71kg.

MAT A: http://new.livestream.com/unitedworldwrestling/events/3369840

MAT B: http://new.livestream.com/unitedworldwrestling/events/3369848

MAT C: http://new.livestream.com/unitedworldwrestling/events/3369851

Greco-Roman

59kg (36 entries)

Soryan begins his quest for a sixth world title near the bottom of the 36-wrestler bracket. A bump in the road might be European runner-up Victor CIOBANU (MDA), his likely opponent in the quarterfinals.

Asia champion Tasmuradov will have the backing of a boisterous crowd as he opens against Edward BARSEGIAN (POL) and Kristijan FRIS (SEB) on his way to a semifinal berth opposite Soryan.

Angelov starts at the bottom of the upper half of the bracket and in the quarterfinals could meet the winner of the Amoyan-Semenov match-up in the first round.

Peter MODOS (HUN), a 2013 bronze medalist in Budapest, has had a quiet year recuperating from a knee injury suffered in March, but could still navigate to the fourth semifinal berth.

71kg (30 entries)

Chunayev would seem to be the class of this non-Olympic weight category, but will be tested early at the bottom of the bracket by Justin LESTER (USA) in the round of 16 and European bronze medalist Yunus OZEL (TUR) in the quarterfinals.

Varsham BORANYAN (ARM), winner at the German Grand Prix in June, could emerge a challenger to Chunayev from the quarter above.

At the top of the bracket, Poddubny tournament winner Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) and and Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) could duel for the uppermost semifinal berth, while Aleksandar DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) and Pytlasinski tourney runner-up Mathia MAASCH (GER) battle for the berth opposite.

98kg (30 entries)

European champion Aleksanyan begins the upper half of the bracket and is looking at a potential meeting in the quarterfinals with Aleksander HRABOVIK (BLR), a bronze medalist at the German Grand Prix.

London 2012 gold medalist Ghasem REZAIE (IRI), 2013 junior world champion Musa EVLOEV (RUS) and European bronze medalist Marthin NIELSEN (NOR) make for a crowded top quarter of the bracket in a battle to face Aleksanyan in the semifinals.

At the very bottom of the bracket, Gaber appears ready to make a run for Rio, but first will to battle through a swarm of tough competitors, including European runner-up Cenk ILDEM (TUR).

The final semifinal berth may well go to the Pytlasinski bronze medal winner Miloslav METODIEV (BUL) or Alin ALEX-CIURARIU (ROU), a bronze medalist at the world student championships in July

59kg

GOLD: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) v. Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS)
BRONZE: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) v. Ismael BORRERO (CUB)
BRONZE: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) v. Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR)

Semifinal: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB), 2-1  
Semifinal: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) by TF, 9-1 

Repechage: Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) df. Jung-Baik LEE (KOR), 1-0  
Repechage: Ismael BORRERO (CUB) df. Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY), 13-9  
Repechage: Jung-Baik LEE (KOR) df. Roman AMOYAN (ARM), 4-2  
Repechage: Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY) df. Alex Iordache ANECHITEI (ROU) by TF, 9-0

Quarterfinal: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE), 3-0  
Quarterfinal: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Lumin WANG (CHN) by TF, 9-0  
Quarterfinal: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR), 5-0  
Quarterfinal: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) df. Kazuma KURAMOTO (JPN) by TF, 10-0

1/8: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Ismael BORRERO (CUB), 5-0  
1/8: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Tonimir SOKOL (CRO) by TF, 9-0  
1/8: Kazuma KURAMOTO (JPN) df. Andres MONTANO (ECU), 2-2  
1/8: Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Deniz MENEKSE (GER), 6-3  
1/8: Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) df. Ivo Serafimov ANGELOV (BUL), 1-1  
1/8: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) df. Peter MODOS (HUN), 4-0  
1/8: Lumin WANG (CHN) df. Arsen ERALIEV (KGZ) by TF, 12-3  
1/8: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Jung-Baik LEE (KOR) by FALL, 6-0  

1/16: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY), 2-1  
1/16: Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Yasin OZAY (FRA), 3-2  
1/16: Tonimir SOKOL (CRO) df. Kristian FRIS (SRB), 4-4  
1/16: Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) df. Manuel A. LOPEZ (MEX), 5-0  
1/16: Kazuma KURAMOTO (JPN) df. Ravinder SINGH (IND), 4-1  
1/16: Peter MODOS (HUN) df. Tobias Fonnesbek (DEN), 3-1  
1/16: Ismael BORRERO (CUB) df. Goderdzi DAVITADZE (GEO), 7-1  
1/16: Arsen ERALIEV (KGZ) df. Ievgen MIAGKYI (UKR), 2-1  
1/16: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Edward BERSEGIAN (POL) by TF, 8-0  
1/16: Jung-Baik LEE (KOR) df. Jussi-Pekka NIEMISTOE (FIN) by TF, 13-3  
1/16: Andres MONTANO (ECU) df. Andrey TSARYUK (ISR) by TF, 8-0  
1/16: Deniz MENEKSE (GER) df. Victor CIOBANU (MDA) by FALL, 6-2  
1/16: Lumin WANG (CHN) df. Maksim KAZHARSKI (BLR), 6-2  
1/16: Ivo Serafimov ANGELOV (BUL) df. Albert BAGHUMYAN (ESP) by TF, 9-0  
1/16: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Roman AMOYAN (ARM), 3-0  
1/16: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) df. Fatih UCUNCU (TUR), 2-2  

Qualification: Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY) df. Suparmanto SUPARMANTO (INA) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Goderdzi DAVITADZE (GEO) df. Fouad FAJARI (MAR), 5-0  
Qualification: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Alex Iordache ANECHITEI (ROU) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Ismael BORRERO (CUB) df. Yerbol KONYRATOV (KAZ), 5-0  

71 kg

GOLD: Yunus OZEL (TUR) v. Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS)
BRONZE: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) v. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE)
BRONZE: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) v. Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI)

Semifinal: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) by forfeit, 5-0  
Semifinal: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) by TF, 8-0  

Repechage: Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI) df. Balint KORPASI (HUN), 4-3  
Repechage: Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Ionel PUSCASU (ROU) by TF, 9-1  
Repechage: Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Aleksandar MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 7-2  
Repechage: Ionel PUSCASU (ROU) df. Fernando Vicente GOMEZ (MEX) by TF, 8-0

Quarterfinal: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), 4-1  
Quarterfinal: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) df. Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 2-1  
Quarterfinal: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) df. Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) by FALL, 4-6  
Quarterfinal: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI), 4-0

1/8: Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Justin Dashaun LESTER (USA), 9-7  
1/8: Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) df. Knut Zakarias TALLROTH (SWE) by FALL, 7-3  
1/8: Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI) df. Young-Ha KIM (KOR), 2-0  
1/8: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) df. K.K. YADAV (IND) by TF, 8-0  
1/8: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) df. Kairat TUGOLBAEY (KGZ), 10-2  
1/8: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Ionel PUSCASU (ROU), 3-1  
1/8: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) df. Dilshodjon TURDIEV (UZB) by TF, 10-2  
1/8: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Balint KORPASI (HUN), 2-1  

Qualification: Justin Dashaun LESTER (USA) df. Mindia TZULUKIDZE (GEO), 5-0  
Qualification: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) df. Ridong ZHANG (CHN) by TF, 9-0  
Qualification: Knut Zakarias TALLROTH (SWE) df. Matthias MAASCH (GER), 2-2  
Qualification: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) df. Tomas SOBECKY (CZE) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Fernando Vicente GOMEZ (MEX) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Noritomo ETO (JPN) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Dilshodjon TURDIEV (UZB) df. Kristaps KALNAKARKLIS (LAT) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) df. Franson Rsei GIBBONS (PLW) by FALL, 4-0  
Qualification: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Aleksandar MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 5-2  
Qualification: Ionel PUSCASU (ROU) df. Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE), 7-0  
Qualification: K.K. YADAV (IND) df. Vojtech JAKUS (SVK) by FALL, 5-3  
Qualification: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) df. Riccardo Vito ABBRESCIA (ITA) by TF, 9-0  
Qualification: Kairat TUGOLBAEY (KGZ) df. Joseph Dominic LOPEZ (GUM) by TF, 9-0  
Qualification: Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Armen VARDANYAN (UKR), 2-0  

98kg

GOLD: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) v. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
BRONZE: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) v. Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU)
BRONZE: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) v. Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR)

Semifinal: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Cenk ILDEM (TUR), 5-0  
Semifinal: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI), 3-1  

Repechage: Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Adam VARGA (HUN), 6-0  
Repechage: Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU) df. Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) by Injury Default, 0-0  
Repechage: Adam VARGA (HUN) df. Arslan SAPARMAMMEDOV (TKM), 5-0  
Repechage: Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU) df. Radoslaw Pawel GRZYBICKI (POL), 3-0

Quarterfinal: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Ardo ARUSAAR (EST), 1-0  
Quarterfinal: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) by Injury Default, 7-2  
Quarterfinal: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR), 1-0  
Quarterfinal: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) df. Marthin Hamlet NIELSEN (NOR), 2-0

1/8: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU), 3-0  
1/8: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Adam VARGA (HUN), 2-0  
1/8: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Timo Antero KALLIO (FIN), 3-1  
1/8: Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) df. Erwin Jose CARABALLO (VEN) by DQ, 4-0  
1/8: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) df. Musa EVLOEV (RUS), 2-1  
1/8: Ardo ARUSAAR (EST) df. Hardeep SINGH (IND), 4-1  
1/8: Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Zhanarbek KABDOLOV (KAZ), 4-2  
1/8: Marthin Hamlet NIELSEN (NOR) df. Caylor Ryan WILLIAMS (USA), 3-0  

Qualification: Timo Antero KALLIO (FIN) df. Karam Mohamed GABER (EGY) by FALL, 2-0  
Qualification: Ardo ARUSAAR (EST) df. Abudurexiti ALIMUJIANG (CHN) by TF, 10-1  
Qualification: Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) df. Dimitriy TIMCHENKO (UKR), 3-2  
Qualification: Zhanarbek KABDOLOV (KAZ) df. Vasil IMERLISHVILI (GEO), 1-0  
Qualification: Musa EVLOEV (RUS) df. Evgeniy ACHKASOV (UZB), 6-0  
Qualification: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Shalva GADABADZE (AZE), 2-0  
Qualification: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Radoslaw Pawel GRZYBICKI (POL), 2-1  
Qualification: Erwin Jose CARABALLO (VEN) df. Spyridon KOUNTOURATZIS (GRE), 3-0  
Qualification: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Arslan SAPARMAMMEDOV (TKM) by TF, 10-1  
Qualification: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) df. Carl Fredrik Stefan SCHON (SWE), 3-1  
Qualification: Hardeep SINGH (IND) df. Akira OSAKA (JPN), 4-1  
Qualification: Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU) df. Daniel GASTL (AUT), 2-0  
Qualification: Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) by TF, 11-0  
Qualification: Adam VARGA (HUN) df. Robert AVANISYAN (ISR), 3-0  

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open: Six Paris medalists in action; Blades drops to 68kg

Saturday, February 1, 2025 - 17:26 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 1) -- With a couple of factors determining her decision, Kennedy BLADES (USA) will be moving down to 68kg, six months after winning the Olympic silver medal at 76kg in Paris.

Blades will make her 68kg debut at next week's Zagreb Open which coincides with her college wrestling season in which she wrestles at 160 pounds (around 72kg).

"Since I am in the middle of the college wrestling season and I am close to the weight (160lbs), I wanted to see how I felt," Blades told UWW.

Zagreb Open has a two-kilogram weight allowance and Blades revealed that she weighs around 72kg-73kg which makes it ideal for her to wrestle at 68kg in Zagreb. Even in Paris, Blades was wrestling under 76kg.

"I was naturally 2-4 kilograms under 76kg," she said. "So I wanted to see how I feel at my natural weight. Depending on how I feel, I'll determine if I want  to stay at 68kg or go back to 76kg."

Over her international career, Blades has never wrestled below 69kg, winning gold at the U17 Pan-Am Championships in 2018. She moved to 73kg for the U17 World Championships a year later and 72kg for the U20 World Championships in 2021. For her senior debut, Blades moved up to 76kg for the Henri Deglane in 2023 and competed at all tournaments for two years at that weight.

At 68kg in Zagreb, Blades will have to face a few long-timers.

World silver medalist from 2023 Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) and world bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) will be her biggest challenge. Former Asian silver medalist RADHIKA (IND) is also in the mix.

The United States will bring a solid team in Women's Wrestling with Blades, former world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Michaela BECK (USA), Sofia MACALUSO (USA), Skylar GROTE (USA) and Yelena MAKOYED (USA).

PRIYA (IND)PRIYA (IND) is a U20 world champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

India has a full squad going to Zagreb with a few young stars. Former U17 and U20 world champion PRIYA (IND) will be at 76kg, along with Asian medalist MANISHA (IND).

Azerbaijan will be pinning hopes on its first-ever U23 world champion in Women's Wrestling Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) to shine in the 57kg which also has Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN), Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) and TAPSYA (IND). It also has Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) wrestling in Zagreb.

Paris Olympian Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) will be at 62kg a week after winning the Dan Kolov tournament in Varna. She will face challenges from Ameline DOUARRE (FRA), Nikolett SZABO (HUN), Bhagyashree FAND (IND) and Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA).

Freestyle

A battle of two Olympic medalists at 57kg is on the cards as Spencer LEE (USA) and AMAN (IND) are registered for the tournament. Lee won a silver medal at the Paris Games while Aman came home with a bronze medal.

While these two are the biggest achievers in the field, former European champion Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) will pose a significant challenge as he continues to find his space since he changed his nationality to Serbia. Paris Olympian Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) is also in the fray, giving a mouth-watering clash for the U.S. fans between him and Lee.

Iran is debuting Ahora KHATERI (IRI) at the senior level. He won the 2023 U17 World Championships at 45kg but moved to 60kg in one year and finished eighth at the U17 World Championships in 2024.

Iran's struggle at the lower weights has continued over a decade now and Khateri is touted as the most promising of the new lot. It is also trying its new batch at 61kg, sending Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), Ebrahim KHARI (IRI) and Reza Hossein MOMENI (IRI) to Zagreb.

But the star of the Iran line-up will be Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) who won the U20 and U23 World Championships gold medals at 125kg. He is likely to go unchallenged in Zagreb but the field includes Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO), Hayden ZILLMER (USA) and Mason PARRIS (USA) to name a few.

More closely contested battles will be on display at 92kg as Aaron BROOKS (USA) moves up from 86kg, a weight class he won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. He will have his hands full with Asian champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) and former U20 world champion Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI).

World silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) will be among the favorites for the gold along with former world silver medalist and Paris Olympian Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) who is returning to 92kg and will be joined by compatriot Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE). Boris MAKOEV (SVK) is also listed at 92kg for the competition.

Former Olympic and world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) will kick off his season in Zagreb and hope to reclaim the gold he lost in 2024 to Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI). The field at 97kg is a little thin but still has Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), Radu LEFTER (MDA) and Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) among others.

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is entered at 70kg for the Zagreb Open. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

2023 world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is entered at 70kg. He finished fifth at the same tournament in 2023 but will be the most experienced wrestler in the field this year. He will have a few known rivals in the field including James GREEN (USA), Alec PANTALEO (USA) and Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE).

Iran has gone with 2022 U17 world champion Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) and Sina KHALILI (IRI), a 2023 U17 world champion who finished seventh at the World Championships in Tirana last year.

Greco-Roman

Azerbaijan is all out with their Greco-Roman team in the first Ranking Series of the year. Three recent world champions, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) and Uvli GANIZADE (AZE) are part of a 22-member strong squad that also has Paris Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), Tokyo bronze medalist Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) among other younger stars.

Jafarov will be back in action at 67kg and hopes to start his season on a high. The wrestlers trying to stop him include teenager Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI) and U20 world champion Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI). The field also has former world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Morten THORESEN (NOR).

At 60kg, defending champion Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) leads the field, followed by Mammadli, the newly crowned world champion at 63kg. However, as Azerbaijan's first choice at the Olympic weight class, he is moving down to 60 kg. Paris Olympian Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) is also entered, along with U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB), who is known for his big moves.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) will face a tough challenge from the Iranian duo of Danial SOHRABI (IRI) and Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI). World champion Ganizade is the defending champion at 72kg but Geraei will be keen on getting on top of the podium at an international event, a feat he hasn't achieved since winning gold at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in June 2022. Sohrabi too has blown hot and cold since winning gold at the U23 World Championships in 2022.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Zagreb Open will be a big test for Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) at 77kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The two of the highly competitive weight classes in Greco-Roman are 77kg and 87kg and the Zagreb Open will be no different.

At 77kg, Sergei KUTUZOV (AIN) will be back in action, facing a few of the mainstays of this weight class. Suleymanov will be looking to shake off his disappointment of missing a medal in Paris with a better showing in Zagreb.

But there are a few challenges. Paris Olympians Amin KAVIYANI (IRI) and Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) are competing in Zagreb and so is Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) who continues to build his profile. Gutu narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Paris Olympics but is one of the most dynamic wrestlers in the weight class. Surprisingly, former U17 world champion and Gutu's teammate Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) is also at 77kg.

Hungary has also sent Robert FRITSCH (HUN) and Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) at 77kg while Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) is a dark horse.

Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) is likely to have his Olympic bronze-medal bout rematch against David LOSONCZI (HUN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The 87kg weight class will see Paris bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) and a few other Paris Olympians as well. Bisultanov may have a rematch of his bronze-medal bout against David LOSONCZI (HUN) who is one of three Hungarian wrestlers entered. Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Istvan TAKACS (HUN) will also try to claim their stake for the spot on the Hungarian national team in this weight class.

Aues GONIBOV (AIN) and Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) are the two neutral athletes with decorated resumes. Former world champion Huseynov is also entered along with Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), Naser ALIZADEH (IRI), Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), Marcel STERKENBURG (NED), Exauce MUKUBU (NOR), Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) and Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB).