#WrestleSofia

World Olympic Games Qualifier Entries

Wednesday, April 28, 2021 - 16:03 By Eric Olanowski

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SOFIA, Bulgaria (April 28) -- The final qualification event for the Tokyo Olympic Games, the World Olympic Games Qualifier, kicks off next Thursday (May 6-9) in Sofia, Bulgaria, and is set to welcome 474 athletes from 84 different nations. 

Coming into Sofia, 14/16 Olympic licenses have been claimed. Wrestlers who reach the finals in their respective weight classes punch their nations tickets to August's Tokyo Olympic Games.

Tokyo Olympic Qualification Events:
- '19 World Championships (six)
- '20 Pan-American Olympic Qualifier (two)
- '21 European Olympic Qualifier (two)
- ‘21 African & Oceania Olympic Qualifier (two)
- ‘21 Asian Olympic Qualifier (two)
- '21 World Olympic Games Qualifier (two)

Freestyle

57kg
Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE)
Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR)
Aso PALANI (CAN)
Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB)
Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM)
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Mohamed Ismaele CAMARA (GUI)
Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA)
Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Simon Kamau WAINAINA (KEN)
Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Chakir ANSARI (MAR)
Anatolii BURUIAN (MDA)
Roberto ALEJANDRO BLANCO (MEX)
Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Muhammad BILAL (PAK)
Richard Antonio GARCIA ANDRADE (PAN)
Razvan Marian KOVACS (ROU)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Rozgeldi SEYIDOV (TKM)
Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR)
Pedro Jesus MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

65kg
Vilson NDREGJONI (ALB)
Gabriel JANATSCH (AUT)
Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR)
Marcos Wesley DE BRITO SIQUEIRA (BRA)
Ruhan Hyusnyu RASIM (BUL)
Dillon Emmanuel WILLIAMS (CAN)
Wber Euclides CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Albaro RUDECINDO CAMACHO (DOM)
Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY)
Juan Pablo GONZALEZ CRESPO (ESP)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
TBD - (GEO)
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Abdellatif MANSOUR (ITA) 
Gilbert Mbevoni KABOCHE (KEN)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Mohammed J M Th A ABDULKAREEM (KUW)
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Sixto Miguel AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER)
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
Sebastian C RIVERA (PUR)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
David HABAT (SLO)
Chamara Milinda Perera WEERASINGHEGE (SRI)
Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK)
Perman HOMMADOV (TKM)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR)
Jordan Michael OLIVER (USA)
Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB)
Hussein Abdullah Hussein Abdullah AL AZZANI (YEM)

74kg
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG)
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Elias Lauofo VAOIFI (ASA)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR)
Ali Pasha Ruslanovich UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
Jasmit Singh PHULKA (CAN)
Leon Juan Carlos PERALTA LANAS (CHI)
Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL)
Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM)
Jonatan ALVAREZ DIAZ (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Amit Kumar DHANKHAR (IND)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Mathayo Matonya MAHABILA (KEN)
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ)
Byungmin GONG (KOR)
Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA)
Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL)
Ogbonna Emmanuel JOHN (NGR)
Abdullrahman Ibrahim A IBRAHIM (QAT)
Zurab KAPRAEV (ROU)
Mohamed SESAY (SLE)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Tajmuraz Mairbekovic SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Alymuhammet OVEZMYRADOV (TKM)
Ayoub BARRAJ (TUN)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

86kg
Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Akhmed Adamovich MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Alexander Robert MOORE (CAN)
Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Ville Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Bedopassa Buassat DJONDE (GBS)
Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO)
Ahmed Ruslanovic DUDAROV (GER)
Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE)
Istvan VEREB (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Daichi TAKATANI (JPN)
Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
John Odhiambo OMONDI (KEN)
Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ)
Abdullah F A SALEEM (KUW)
Domenic Michael ABOU NADER (LBN)
Piotr IANULOV (MDA)
Noel Alfonso TORRES CHACON (MEX)
Unurbat PUREVJAV (MGL)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)
Ethan Adrian RAMOS (PUR)
Mihai Nicolae PALAGHIA (ROU)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Bakhodur KODIROV (TJK)
Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM)
Maher GHANMI (TUN)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR)
Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN)

97kg
Nathaniel Tuifao TUAMOHELOA (ASA)
Ahmed Sultanovich BATAEV (BUL)
Ulrich Elyse MANOUAN (CIV)
Luis Miguel PEREZ SOSA (DOM)
Alejandro CANADA PANCORBO (ESP)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER)
Timofei XENIDIS (GRE)
Gino Tanislado AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Satywart KADIAN (IND)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Taira SONODA (JPN)
Naoya AKAGUMA (JPN)
Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ)
Minwon SEO (KOR)
Nicolai CEBAN (MDA)
Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL)
Haroon ABID (PAK)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Evan Amadour RAMOS (PUR)
Albert SARITOV (ROU)
Amadu O KAMARA (SLE)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR)
Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Param Pal SINGH (AUS)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE)
Georgi Lyubomirov IVANOV (BUL)
Jose CUBA VAZQUEZ (ESP)
Jere Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Sumit SUMIT (IND)
Tetsuya TANAKA (JPN)
Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ)
Donghwan KIM (KOR)
Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR)
Rares Daniel CHINTOAN (ROU)
Sergei KOZYREV (RUS)
Rustam ISKANDARI (TJK)
Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM)
Dilmukhammed NURMUKHAMEDOV (UZB)

Greco-Roman

60kg 
Armen MELIKYAN (ARM)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Maksim KAZHARSKI (BLR)
Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)
Adam Takahashi MACFADYEN (CAN)
Dicther Hans TORO CASTANEDA (COL)
Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Sachin RANA (IND)
Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Mohammad F Kh M J ALAJMI (KUW)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Fouad FAJARI (MAR)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX)
Stig Andre BERGE (NOR)
Michal Jacek TRACZ (POL)
Joshua Xavier MEDINA (PUR)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Ardit FAZLJIJA (SWE)
Firuz MIRZORAJABOV (TJK)
Merdan ALLAYAROV (TKM)
Jui Chi HUANG (TPE)

67kg 
Karen ASLANYAN (ARM)
Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE)
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Deyvid Tihomirov DIMITROV (BUL)
Daniel Troy COLES (CAN)
Cristobal Alonso TORRES NUNEZ (CHI)
Danijel JANECIC (CRO)
Enyer Manuel FELICIANO (DOM)
Marcos SANCHEZ SILVA MEJIAS (ESP)
Elmer Joakim MATTILA (FIN)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN)
Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Diego Alberto MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Nilton Gonzalo Marcos SOTO GARCIA (PER)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Leos DRMOLA (SVK)
Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)
Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)
Anthony Javier PALENCIA PUENTES (VEN)

77kg
Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (ALG)
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Jair Alexis CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Yuisralembert CARRION PEREZ (ESP)
Matias Olavi Iisakki LIPASTI (FIN)
Evrik NIKOGHOSYAN (FRA)
Bakuri GOGOLI (GEO)
Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Roland SCHWARZ (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Singh GURPREET (IND)
Riccardo Vito ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Edgar BABAYAN (POL)
Marciano George ALI (PUR)
Bakhit Sharif K BADR (QAT)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Nicolas Peter CHRISTEN (SUI)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Daler REZA ZADE (TJK)
Muhammetberdi MAMEDOV (TKM)
Fatih CENGIZ (TUR)
Dmytro VASETSKYI (UKR)
Jesse Alexander PORTER (USA)
Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN)

87kg 
Artur SHAHINYAN (ARM)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Tarek Mohamed ABDELSLAM SHEBLE MOHAMED (BUL)
Ioannis NARLIDIS (CAN)
Carlos Andres MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Pedro Jacinto GARCIA PEREZ (ESP)
Vili Tapio ROPPONEN (FIN)
Dimitrios PAPADOPOULOS (GRE)
Ariel Andres ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Kumar SUNIL (IND)
Naser Ghasem ALIZADEH (IRI)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Lesyan Osvaldo COUSIN OTOMURO (JAM)
Yoji KAWAMURA (JPN)
Masato SUMI (JPN)
Mark Omumasaba INGUYESI (KEN)
Jinhyeok KIM (KOR)
Julius MATUZEVICIUS (LTU)
Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA)
Alvis Albino ALMENDRA JIMENEZ (PAN)
Arkadiusz Marcin KULYNYCZ (POL)
Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS)
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)
Kristoffer Zakarias BERG (SWE)
Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK)
Shageldi ANNAYEV (TKM)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Luis Eduardo AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN)

97kg
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE)
Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR)
Thomas Rahontsiiosta BARREIRO (CAN)
Phillip Raweriio BARREIRO (CAN)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Amir ALAWAD (EGY)
Jesus GASCA FRESNEDA (ESP)
Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA)
Peter OEHLER (GER)
Laokratis KESIDIS (GRE)
Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Deepanshu DEEPANSHU (IND)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Kaito MIYAMOTO (JPN)
Yuta NARA (JPN)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Seungjun KIM (KOR)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Pontus Johan LUND (SWE)
Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR)
Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Georgi CHUGOSHVILI (BLR)
Radoslav Plamenov GEORGIEV (BUL)
Marko KOSCEVIC (CRO)
Stepan DAVID (CZE)
Leo Dalis SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM)
Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Alexandros PAPADATOS (GRE)
Adam VARGA (HUN)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Luca GODINO (ITA)
Arata SONODA (JPN)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Murat RAMONOV (KGZ)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Mykola KUCHMII (UKR)
Adam Jacob COON (USA)
Moises Salvador PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN)

Women's Wrestling

50kg 
Patricia Alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG)
Anastasiya YANOTAVA (BLR)
Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA)
Jessica Anne Marie MACDONALD (CAN)
Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)
Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla MOHAMED (EGY)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Debora Valeria TURE (GBS)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Mia Lahnee Ramos AQUINO (GUM)
Seema SEEMA (IND)
YeoJin KIM (KOR)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Thalia Jihann MALLQUI PECHE (PER)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)
Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE)
Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB)


53kg 
Turkan NASIROVA (AZE)
Sezen Behchetova BELBEROVA (BUL)
Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN)
Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Hilary Ysaline HONORINE (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Emma Nekesa WANGILA (KEN)
Hyunyoung OH (KOR)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Laura Gabriela PEREDO TORRES (MEX)
Jessica Cornelia Francisca BLASZKA (NED)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Yung Hsun LIN (TPE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Iryna KHARIV CHYKHRADZE (UKR)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)
Betzabeth Angelica ARGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN)

57kg 
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Giullia RODRIGUES PENALBER DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Linda MORAIS (CAN)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)
Laura MERTENS (GER)
Emese BARKA (HUN)
Francesca INDELICATO (ITA)
Altynay SATYLGAN (KAZ)
Nuraida ANARKULOVA (KGZ)
Shinhye LEE (KOR)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Sevara ESHMURATOVA (UZB)
Betzabeth Rebeca SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

62kg
Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE)
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR)
Jessica Lise BROUILLETTE (CAN)
Berthe Emilienne ETANE NGOLLE (CMR)
Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL)
Iva GERIC (CRO)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
Winrose ALIVISA (KEN)
Youngjin KWON (KOR)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Alejandra ROMERO BONILLA (MEX)
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Ashley Chantelle ZARATE CAMPBELL (PAN)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Hsin Ping PAI (TPE)
Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR)
Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB)
Nathaly Josefina GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN)

68kg 
Luz Clara VAZQUEZ (ARG)
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Yessica Coraima OVIEDO PEREZ (DOM)
Agoro PAPAVASILEIOU (GRE)
Nisha NISHA (IND)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Eun Sun JEONG (KOR)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Ambar Michell GARNICA FLORES (MEX)
Yanet Ursula SOVERO NINO (PER)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL)
Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB)
Soleymi Antonieta CARABALLO HERNANDEZ (VEN)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Gozal ZUTOVA (AZE)
Mariya Gerginova ORYASHKOVA (BUL)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL)
Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Georgina Olwen NELTHORPE (GBR)
Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE)
Zsanett NEMETH (HUN)
Pooja POOJA (IND)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Sujin PARK (KOR)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
Shakhribonu ELLIEVA (UZB)
Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN)

#WrestleBudapest

Ranking Series: Tazhudinov leads star-studded Freestyle field

Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - 10:54 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 15) -- Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) marked his return after the Paris Olympic Games with gold at the Grand Prix of Spain. If his opponents thought their will be any rust after the long break, they were mistaken. Tazhudinov won four bouts, all via technical superiority, without giving up a point.

And if you missed watching the Grand Prix, Tazhudinov continues his return in Budapest at the Ranking Series, the last before the World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.

Women's Wrestling Preview | Greco-Roman Preview

Tazhudinov has been on an eight-tournament gold-medal winning streak dating back to 2023 Asian Championships. The only international loss he suffered was in 2023 at the Ibrahim Mustafa Ranking Series. But Tazhudinov now is perhaps the best wrestler walking on the planet right now.

The 97kg weight class in Budapest will see Tazhudinov take on the likes of Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), Jay AIELLO (USA), Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (UWW) among others.

But no name on that list seems a threat to Tazhudinov, who is likely to put on another masterclass.

Tazhudinov is not the only start landing in Budapest. Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), Islam DUDAEV (ALB), Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) and Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) to name a few others.

European silver medalist Kadzimahamedau will be at 86kg, his weight class since the start of this season as he tries to be at his third Olympics in 2028. But the bracket in Budapest will be a testing one as Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE), Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI), Boris MAKOEV (SVK) and Osman GOCEN (TUR) are some of the big names.

Savadkouhi is leading a small Iran team that made it to Budapest. While he will be at 86kg, Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) and Sina KHALILI (IRI) are entered at 70kg. Fariborz BABAEI (IRI) will be at 79kg for Iran.

Khalili and Ebrahimzadeh are potentially trying to be on the Iran team for Zagreb. A win in Budapest will at least guarantee the winner a domestic playoff of chance if Iran decides that way.

But a gold medal won't be easy. European medalist Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE), world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) and world silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) are all going for gold.

Aoyagi, who will be Japan's representative in Zagreb as well, will be the favorite given his crafty style and technique. Muszukajev has not looked the same as he did while winning the 2023 world gold in Belgrade.

For Babaei at 79kg, the challenge will come from Asian medalist Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN), European silver medalist Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), world silver medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), European Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), former world U20 silver Ryunosuke KAMIYA (JPN).

Kougiomtsidis is competing for the first time since the Paris Games in which he lost in first round. But at 79kg, Kougiomtsidis can be a real threat for his opponent.

Gamkrelidze, a force at 79kg, is dropping from 86kg after an unsuccessful attempt to qualify for Paris and even at April's European Championships. Kamiya won the Meiji Cup recently and will be Japan's representative at 79kg in Zagreb.

In one of the highly contested weight classes, 74kg can see a few surprises. Azerbaijan is sending Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Magomed KHANIEV (AZE), undoubtedly its best talents at this weight class.

Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN), the world U23 champion, and returning after injury will be keen on proving himself at the senior level. Asian silver medalist Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), European bronze Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and United States' star David CARR (USA) are also in the field.

Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO), Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) and JAIDEEP (IND) will hope to finish on the podium at 74kg.

At 92kg also, Azerbaijan has Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) and Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), perhaps in a bid to finalize their selection for Zagreb. 

But it will be European champion Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) who will be the favorite to win the gold medal in Budapest. World silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) needs to find his confidence back before World Championships, and medal in Budapest will do exactly that.

The 57kg weight class has world U20 champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) who will be at his first Ranking Series and it will be big test for him. He has the likes of Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), Luka GVINJILIA (GEO), Aryan TSIUTRYN (UWW), RAHUL (IND) and Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) who have senior level experience.

A gold medal in Budapest can give a big boost to Lilledahl as he tries to make the senior team in the U.S. in the coming years. He lost to Spencer LEE (USA) in the domestic playoffs for World Championships.

Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN), who won in Tirana, will be at 61kg and so will be his opponent UDIT (IND), who lost to Suda in the final in Amman.

Add to the mix Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) and Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR), who recently won the Yasar Dogu. Incidentally, he also beat Udit in the final in Turkiye. Former world silver medalist Seth GROSS (USA) has also entered at 61kg. 

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) missed the European Championships due to an injury but he is returning to international competition. He may face stiff challenge from Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), SUJEET (IND) and Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK).

European champion at 125kg Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) has a chance to earn more ranking points before the World Championships with a gold medal in Budapest. 

While he starts as the favorite, he is likely to face Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) who lost to him in the final seconds of the European final to finish with silver. The Georgian will be keen to avenge that loss. Matcharashvili, European champion at 97kg, will also be at 125kg perhaps to not reduce weight before the World Championships.

European U23 champions Georgi IVANOV (BUL) and Alen KHUBULOV (BUL, , Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN) and Robert BARAN (POL) are also contenders to finish on the podium.