#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships WW 50kg, 57kg, 65kg, 76kg semis set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 19) -- The World Championships will see the first women's wrestling Olympic weight classes in action with 50kg, 57kg and 76kg. A non-Olympic weight is also in action -- 65kg. Yui SUSAKI (JPN), Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), Helen MAROULIS (USA), Adeline GRAY (USA), Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) are some names in action.

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14:54: Literally seconds apart, Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) and Helen MAROULIS (USA) set up a rematch of last year's final at 57kg, this time in the semifinals. Sakurai, aiming for her third straight world title and second in a row at 57kg, disposed of 2022 bronze medalist Anhelina LYSAK (POL), scoring three takedowns in a 7-0 victory. On the adjacent mat, Maroulis had one blip against European silver medalist Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE), getting stuffed on a gut-wrench attempt to give up 2, but otherwise was in control in an 8-3 victory. Sakurai beat Maroulis 3-0 in last year's final.

14:50: A 1-1 criteria victory for Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) over Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) in the 57kg. Kamaloglu held on to her passivity lead if her life depended on it.

14:45: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) gets Odunayo ADEKUROYE (NGR) in an arm trap and turns her until the referee blows the whistle. Nichita, who pinned Adekuroye in the Tokyo Olympics after being 8-0 down, has looked extremely dominant so far.

14:40: Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL), the losing finalist last year to Susaki, manhandles two-time European bronze medalist Kseniya STANKEVICH (AIN) 12-1 to advance to the 50kg semifinals. She will face Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), a wrestler the Mongolian beat in the semis a year ago. The American has since avenged that loss with a technical superiority win in the Budapest Ranking Series.

14:40: Marquee match-up on Mat D. Four-time Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) is wrestling Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA). The two exchange takedowns with Hildebrandt leading 4-3. But Stadnik feels the heat and gives up easy takedowns and Hildebrandt builds a 12-3 lead before a lace to finish 12-3.

14:33: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) a fall over Emilia VUC (ROU) and she moves to the 50kg semifinals. On a different level.

14:30: Another one of the sport's titans has fallen! Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) scores a takedown in each period and never gives six-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) an opening to win 4-1 for the biggest victory of her young career. Gray's lone point comes on the activity clock.

14:27: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) was looking for a fall over Milaimys MARIN (CUB) but the Cuban survives but Alpeyeyeva holds a 2-2 lead. But Marin with a buzzer-beater to win and book a spot in the 76kg semifinal 

14:23: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) with a high lift and feet to back to get the fall over Samar HAMZA (EGY). Egypt challenged the call for a stepout but it was continuous action and Renteria won.

14:14: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), deprived of a chance to defend her 62kg title when she lost out at the Japan trials, moved closer to the consolation prize of a 65kg gold by moving into the semifinals with a one-sided 9-0 victory over Kadriye AKSOY (TUR). Ozaki showed she could handle the extra weight of three powerful takedowns in the first period. She scores a stepout the second, then spends the rest of the period locked up with Aksoy, who gets underhooks and futilely attempts back trips. Ozaki thwarts a desperation lateral drop at the end for her final 2 points.

14:00: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) holds on to a 6-4 lead over SARITA (IND) in the 57kg 1/8 final and moves to the quarterfinals in which she will face Anastasia NICHITA (MDA).

13:34: Helen MAROULIS (USA) remains laser-focused in her mission to regain the 57kg title, making short work of Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP) in a 10-0 victory in 2:13 to advance to the quarterfinals, where European silver medalist Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) awaits.

13:30: NEELAM (UWW) stops Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in the 50kg 1/8 finals with a 4-2 win. She will however have Ziqi FENG (CHN) in the quarterfinal

13:06: A dream match has been set up in the 50kg quarterfinals, where ageless Mariya STADNIK (AZE) and Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) will square off after victories by technical superiority. Stadnik finds various ways to score in beating Polinia LUKINA (AIN) 12-1, and Hildebrandt follows with a takedown-lace lock 10-0 win over Miseon KWON (KOR).

12:57: Returning 76kg bronze medalist Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) scores a takedown while on the activity clock, then adds two more in a 6-0 win over Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN). Her reward? A shot at Adeline GRAY (USA) in the quarterfinals.

12:50: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) gave up a point but then punished Alisson CARDOZO (COL) with a lace and won her first bout at 50kg 12-1.

12:35: Adeline GRAY (USA) with an 11-0 technical superiority over returning bronze medalist Epp MAE (EST). Gray is returning to international competition after two years and looking to become a seven-time world champion which will make her the most successful wrestler from the United States

12:19: Helen MAROULIS (USA) gets her bid for a fourth world title at 57kg off to a rousing start, scoring 4 with nifty fireman's carry against Nes RODRIGUEZ (PUR). She builds up a 10-point lead as she stacks up her opponent and ends the match with a fall.

12:14: Olympic silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) snatches a victory from the jaws of defeat at 57kg in an ill-tempered clash between neutral athletes. She had just given up a takedown to fall behind 4-0 against Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN) when she went to a cradle off a takedown and secured a fall at 4:10.

12:05: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), who became Moldova's first-ever female world champion when she won the 59kg gold last year, got off to a good start at the Olympic weight of 57kg by whipping Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL). Nichita charged to an 8-0 lead, then threw Nikolova to her back for a fall in just over two minutes.

11:52: In a freestyle 97kg repechage match, three-time champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) bounces back from his stunning quarterfinal loss to Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) by defeating Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) 10-6 to advance to the bronze-medal match later today. Snyder gave up a 4-point counter lift, but had a 4-point cradle of his own to put away the two-time Asian champion.

11:34: Anna LUKASIAK (POL), a bronze medalist a year ago at 50kg, gives up a pair of stepouts and that proves the difference in a 2-1 loss to European silver medalist Oksana LIVICH (UKR)

11:25: Returning bronze medalist Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) starts with a pin over Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) at 76kg. She lost to Yasemin ADAR (TUR) last year but Adar is not wrestling this year.

11:07: Two years away from the world stage to get married and have twins, and six-time champion Adeline GRAY (USA) spends just 31 seconds in her opening match at women's 76kg. A takedown to lace lock, four spins and that's it for Jimin BAEK (KOR). The unseeded Gray will next face longtime foe Epp MAE (EST) in a rematch of the 2021 world final.

11:05: A takedown to a lace lock and 2021 world bronze medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) finishes off an 11-0 rout of Catalina AXENTE (ROU) at women's 76kg.

11:00: Macey KILTY (USA) channels the Greco wrestlers when she hits a 4-point back suplex to cap a 10-0 win over Valeriia DONDUPOVA SUVOROVA (AIN) in the qualification round at women's 65kg

10:30: Welcome to day four of the World Championships. A big breaking news to start the day as Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) has forfeited his repechage bout which means that Japan will remain without an Olympic quota here.

#UWWAwards

UWW Most Dominant Wrestlers 2025: Amouzad, Motoki, Esmaeili

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 24) -- There were several dominant performances in 2025 on the wrestling mat. But it was three wrestlers who remained at the top of their weight classes and racked up dominant wins one after another. Two were Olympic champions while one was an Olympic silver medalist. All three became world champions in Zagreb.

Freestyle Most Dominant Wrester: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)

- 14–0
- Rank 1 at 65kg 
- 58,000 RS points 
- Outscored world and Olympic medalists 42–4
- World Championships, Tirana RS and ISG golds

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) was about as perfect as you could be in a season, returning to prominence with title-winning efforts at the World Championships, Islamic Solidarity Games and Muhamet Malo Ranking Series event and finishing the season as the No.1 ranked wrestler in the world at 65kg with 58,000 Ranking Series points.

The Paris silver medalist, collected an unblemished 14-0 record in 2025 -- with five of those wins coming against top-level opponents who have world or Olympic medals on their resumes in Olympic champion Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN), Umidjon JALALOV (UZB), Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) and Real WOODS (USA). The craziest part about those five matches against the world’s best, Amouzad outscored 42-4.

But without a doubt, the highlight of Amouzad’s season came in Zagreb when he finally got his long awaited rematch, beating Kotaro KIYOOKA in a revenge match from the Paris 2024 Olympic finals.

The scariest part about Amouzad’s dominance -- he’s only 23 years old and he’s still getting better.

Women's Wrestling Dominant Wrestler: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)

- 9-0
- Five pins, two technical superiorities
- 45,000 RS points 
- 8/9 bouts finished before regulation
- Completed Golden Grand Slam (U17, U20, U23, Senior World and Olympic gold)

Coming into the 2025 season, Motoki made her goals crystal clear -- become the third wrestler in history of the sport to win wrestling’s Golden Grand Slam -- and for those who don’t know, that is gold medals at the U17, U20, U23, Senior World Championships and the Olympic Games.

The only two missing from the Olympic champ's resume were the U23 and Senior World golds.

At the 2025 U23 and senior World Championships, Motoki showed that she’s in a league of her own, as she went 9-0, with eight  matches finishing before time expired. She scored five falls and two technical superiority wins.

Her win in the final of the World Championships will be one that will be talked about for ages as the most dramatic win of the season. Motoki scored a buzzer-beating takedown against Ok Ju KIM (PRK) with a 10-second flurry that consisted of a head outside single, arm throw, over-under knee pick, before head locking Kim with four tenths of a second left to keep her history making hopes alive.

In the end, Motoki’s heart and courage under fire helped her close out the year as the third wrestler to complete the Golden Grand Slam and she did it with a level of dominance we may not see again for a very long time.

Greco-Roman Dominant Wrestler: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)

- Rank 1 at 67kg 
- 58,000 RS points  
- 11–0 Record
- World Championships, Asian Championships and  ISG golds

In a 2025 campaign that saw him become a world champion, Esmaeili's season was immaculate, as he cemented his place among the sport’s top pound-for-pound wrestler with a season full of titles, stacking gold-medals at the World Championships, Asian Championships and Islamic Solidarity Games, rounding out the season ranked No. 1 in the world at 67kg.

The Paris Olympic champion remained unbeaten in 2025, winning all 11 bouts of his bouts in dominant fashion -- scoring eight shutout wins, with seven technical falls -- including a pair of 9-0 win against world champions Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) and Sebastian NAD (SRB). The reigning Olympic gold medalist also collected two victories over Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), one in the world final and one in the Islamic Game gold-medal match, where he tossed his Azeri opponent for four as time expired to rob his rival of the title.

His opponents should not ease up because at just 22 years old, Esmaeili is still sharpening his tool set and leveling up his skills.