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#WrestleOslo: USA, Japan Put Three in WW Semifinals as Gray Eyes 6th Title

Tuesday, October 5, 2021 - 12:01 By Vinay Siwach

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OSLO, Norway (October 5) -- Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) lived up to the hype. The 17-year-old from Japan outscored her opponents 21-0 in the two bouts and reached the semifinal of the 53kg weight class at the senior World Championships in Oslo, Norway.

The two-time cadet world champion defeated POOJA (IND) 11-0 and then former World Championships medalist Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) 10-0 in the quarterfinals. Her win took her to the semifinal and she will face Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) who defeated junior world champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE) via fall in the quarterfinal.

Fujinami's overall wrestling with defense and offense combined made it almost impossible for her opponents to score on her and ultimately giving up points. She won the All Japan Championships to book her ticket to Oslo. Japan's 53kg Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) decided to sit out of the tournament.

The other final at 53kg will be between Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) and Iulia LEORDA (MDA). Bereza defeated Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) 6-3 while Leorda overcame Samantha STEWART (CAN) 10-4.

Tokyo Olympic silver Adeline GRAY (USA) and fifth-place Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) are on course for a finals meeting after they reached their respective semifinals. Gray was once again in her elements as she won both her bouts on Tuesday via first-period fall. She beat KIRAN (IND) in the quarterfinals.

Medet Kyzy also took no time to move past Marina SUROVTSEVA (RWF) 10-0 and set up a meeting with Tokyo Olympian and European champion Epp MAEE (EST). The Kyrgyzstan wrestler wrestled Gray in the Olympic semifinal and lost 3-2 in a nail-biting finish. 

Samar HAMZA (EGY) beat Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) 4-2 to set up a semifinal against Gray. Hamza was trailing 2-2 on criteria but a pushout in the final three seconds gave her a point. Japan challenged the call but lost, adding one more point to Hamza's score.

Sarah HildebrandtSarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) reached the 50kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) also remained on course for her second Worlds final as she leg-laced her way to the semifinal. Losa ERSEL (GER) tried to put up a challenge but the USA wrestler was too strong for her. She will wrestle Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RWF) in the semifinal after the latter made short work of Hanny KUMARI (IND) in a 10-0 win.

In the other semifinal, two-time world silver medalist Emilia VUC (ROU) will face young star Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) who beat Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) via fall. Vuc was up against Madison PARKS (CAN) and was in a bit of trouble early but then got a takedown and four exposures to win 13-3. A lost challenge from Canada added one more point to her score.

A third wrestler for USA reached the semifinal after Forrest MOLINARI managed to pull off a late takedown for a 3-3 criteria win over Koumba LARROQUE (FRA). The France wrestler led 3-1 going into the final ten seconds but was exposed to her back by the American to give up the lead.

Molinari will face Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) in the semifinal after the Japan wrestler defeated Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ) 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

Junior world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) was also in top form when she beat Malin MATTSSON (SWE) 6-2 and reached the semifinal against Tokyo Olympian Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL). The Bulgarian wrestler struggled a bit but finally overcame Asli DEMIR (TUR) 7-2.

Wrestling 2026 Season Preview: Freestyle, Women's Wrestling, Greco-Roman

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 - 11:11 By Vinay Siwach

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 2) -- The 2025 World Championships in Zagreb marked a turning point in international wrestling as 18 first-time world champions were crowned, signaling the arrival of a new generation well before the qualification cycle for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games begins.

A few scenes in Zagreb showed what the titles meant. A women’s champion hugging anyone she could find, a Freestyle winner delivering revenge, and a Greco-Roman champion lifting a nation’s pride. Now, 2026 will determine whether those champions can turn a breakthrough into sustained dominance, or if the veterans will reclaim control.

For traditional powers like the United States, Iran, and Japan, maintaining dominance will be harder than ever as more countries close the gap.

In Women’s Wrestling, Japan is being challenged by the DPR Korea, while in Freestyle the U.S. and Iran remain the central rivalry. In Greco-Roman, Iran is undoubtedly the best team in the world but Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are closing the gap as another strong season approaches.

As wrestling moves toward LA 2028, 2026 becomes the year where storylines start to stick. The UWW Pro Series is part of that shift, taking its final shape before launch. Wrestlers will be rewarded for their ranks for the year and will stand a chance to win a grand prize.

The fans can follow wrestling with United World Wrestling through UWW+ on uww.org, Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube.

Freestyle

A Sadulaev vs Yazdani final at the World Championships. A match-up like no other can happen in 2026.

The 2026 season begins with a question: when will Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) return? A dream match against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) is now firmly on the cards. Yazdani, the 2016 Olympic champion at 74kg, is now competing at 97kg, ten years later. Sadulaev, who won Olympic gold at 86kg in Rio, moved to 97kg soon after that gold.

The Iranian may compete at the Zagreb Open or at the Tirana Ranking Series. If the return is delayed, world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) will likely carry the weight for Iran early in the season.

At the same time, several major stars are preparing comebacks. Olympic champion Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) is expected to return after recovering from shoulder surgery, while Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) is also set to resume competition, most likely around May.

READ THE FULL FREESTYLE PREVIEW HERE

Women’s Wrestling

Japan captured five of the 10 medals on offer at the World Championships and nothing less is expected from its wrestlers. But out of the first four weight classes, it managed to win only one gold and missed out on medals in two of them.

Missing a medal at 50kg is rare for Japan. It happened in 2009, then in 2019 and in 2025. So what can be expected from the best country in Women's Wrestling or perhaps wrestling?

The DPR Korea, China, India, Ukraine and the United States keep challenging Japan at various competitions but it has managed to hold its own. With the gap closing, 2026 will be a similar story.

Continental Championships will be the first test for countries building towards the year-ending World Championships. But these tournaments can also witness the returns of a few wrestlers. Yui SUSAKI (JPN), Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), Amit ELOR (USA), Maria YEFREMOVA (UKR), and possibly VINESH (IND).

Additionally, several medal contenders are shifting weight classes in 2026, opening their paths to medals at the World Championships and later at the Olympics.

READ THE FULL WOMEN'S WRESTLING PREVIEW HERE

Greco-Roman

Iran ruled Greco-Roman in 2025 with dominant performances at all levels, and it was not even close. Barring that one battle with Uzbekistan at the U17 World Championships, Iran remained untouched. In 2022 and 2023, it showed signs of long-term dominance and in 2024, it won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Then in 2025, it won team titles at all age-group levels.

At the World Championships in Zagreb, it won four gold, two silver and two bronze medals. Out of the 10 wrestlers, eight won medals, missing only at 77kg and 60kg. Will 2026 be Iran's year again?

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) and Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) make the core team. World champion Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) has been the latest sensation, going unbeaten in 2025 and winning the U23 world gold at 87kg. Alireza MOHAMADI (IRI) is also a proven wrestler at 87kg having won an Olympic and world silver.

Iran has a second team which can challenge any established star in the world. U20 and U23 world champion Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) is a wrestler waiting for his turn at 130kg. Hedayati is getting closer to beating Mirzazadeh in selection for the Iran team.

Payam AHMADI (IRI), Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) and Ahmadi VAFA (IRI) are already part of the team while younger stars wait for their turns.

But there has been an influx of talent in Greco-Roman in the new cycle especially with Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Japan, Armenia and UWW wrestlers stepping up.

READ THE FULL GRECO-ROMAN PREVIEW HERE