#WrestleSofia: 22 continental champs headed to U20 Worlds

Friday, August 12, 2022 - 23:15 By Eric Olanowski

SOFIA, Bulgaria (August 11) -- Future stars of freestyle wrestling will head to Bulgaria’s capital in troves, as 22 reigning continental champions will be in action next week at the U20 World Championships.

That means there will be at least two continental champions vying for world supremacy in nine of the ten weight classes.

At 57kg, continental gold medalists Simone PIRODDU (ITA) and Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ) are the favorites to reach the finals of the 22-man bracket that features a total of four continental medalists.

Simone PIRODDU (ITA) won the U20 European Championships with a 26-5 scoring run. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Italy’s Piroddu won five matches at the U20 European Championships earlier this year and dominated in all matches but one -- his opening round bout -- where he eked out a 4-4 win over Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA). Outside of that match, the 2018 U17 world bronze medalist outscored his four remaining opponents 26-5 to win his second career age group European title. He also won the 2019 U17 European title.

His biggest test will likely be Kazakhstan’s 19-year-old Bazarbayev.

Bazarbayev has an impressive 6-2 record during his 2022 campaign, highlighted by his U20 Asian gold medal and bronze-medal finished at the senior-level Bolat Turlykhanov Cup Ranking Series event.

Other wrestlers to pay attention to are Harutyun HOVHANNISYAN (ARM) and Luka GVINJILIA (GEO) who won European silver and bronze medals respectively.

Nicholas BOUZAKIS (USA) is the 61kg Pan-Am champion. (Photo: UWW / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Reigning continental champs Daviti ABDALADZE (GEO), Armin HABIBZADEH (IRI) and Nicholas BOUZAKIS (USA) are all looking to navigate the loaded 61kg bracket and win their first world titles.

There will be six U20 continental medalists wrestling on the 21-man 61kg chart.

Georgia’s U20 European gold medalist Abdaladze will be wrestling in his third age-group World Championships. He fell one match short of medaling at the ’18 and ’19 U17 World Championships, finishing in fifth place in both Championships.

Habibzadeh will be competing on the international scene for the second time in his career. The first came in Manama, Bahrain, where he won three matches and claimed the U20 Asian title.

Bouzakis, this year’s U20 Pan-American champion, will be looking to improve his 8th-place finish from last year’s U20 World Championships. But in Ufa, the 19-year-old American competed in Greco-Roman but will switch styles and try his hand at freestyle.

Outside of the trio of champs, other 2022 continental medalists to be on the lookout for are Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), Maiis ALIYEV (KAZ), Mohit KUMAR (IND) and Hayk ABRAHAMYAN (ARM).

Arsamerzouev and Aliyev were continental silver medalists while Abrahamyan was a European bronze medalist.

SUJEET (IND) is unbeaten in three international tournaments. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

At 65kg, Mykyta ZUBAL (UKR) and SUJEET (IND) are the favorites to tussle for gold.

Zubal is one of the most offensive guys entered in the competition. The 19-year-old Ukrainian scored 42 points in his four matches en route to winning the U20 European title earlier this year.

His biggest test will likely be India’s Sujeet who dominated his way to the U20 Asian title last month. He picked up four wins – including three shutout wins totaling 28-0. He also won the senior-level Ranking Series event in Tunis and claimed the gold medal at the U23 Asian Championships.

Other guys looking to disrupt the party will be continental silver medalists Ayub MUSAEV (BEL) and former U17 world champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and bronze medalist Olzhas OLZHAKANOV (KAZ).

Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM) is the 70kg U20 European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Another weight class that’ll house a trio of continental champs will be 70kg. Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM), Hossein MOHAMMAD (IRI) and Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) are champions in Europe, Asia and the Americas respectively. Each guy will be competing on the world stage for the first time in their career.

Other guys who have set the bar high for themselves are Asian silver medalist Mulaym YADAV (IND) and European bronze medalists Muhammad ABDURACHMANOV (BEL) and Pavel ANDRUSCA (MDA).

The most intriguing weight in Sofia will undoubtedly be 74kg as it has three top contenders, with the front runners being returning world champion Erfan ELAHI (IRI), Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) and Alexander FACUNDO (USA).

Depending on how the bracket plays out, there’s the potential to see a rematch from last year’s U20 world finals at 70kg between Elahi and Gadzhiev, where the Iranian snuck out the 6-5 victory over the four-time age-group European champion to win his first world title.

But Facundo will look to stop either guy if they step in his path of winning a third age-group world medal. He won U17 world bronze medals in 2018 and 2019 but has his sights set on reaching the world finals and claiming gold for the first time in his career.

Sagar JAGLAN (IND), the U17 world champion from 2021, will also look to finish among the medalists.

Mushegh MKRTCHYAN (ARM) and Sobhan YARI (IRI), the pair of 2022 continental champs, are the betting favorites to vie for the 79kg gold medal.

Mkrtchyan will be making his first appearance on the world stage, while Yari is undoubtedly heading to Bulgaria with a chip on his shoulder. He lost his only match to Stambul ZHANYBEK UULU (KGZ) and finished in a disappointing 11th place at last year’s U20 World Championships.

Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) is a returning silver medalist. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 86kg, Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) will look to become the second-ever French freestyle wrestler to win a U20 world title. The defending U20 European champion fell one match short at last year’s U20 World Championships after dropping his finals bout to Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI).

His biggest test will be reigning Asian champion Aref RANJBARI (IRI). This will be the Iranian’s first-ever trip to the World Championships.

A few guys who could disrupt the bracket are continental runner-ups Daviti KOGUASHVILI (GEO) and Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL), and continental bronze medalists Nazar DOD (UKR), Jointy KUMAR (IND) and Cesar ESTRADA (GUA).

At 92kg, outside of betting-odds favorite and reigning U23 world champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), there are six guys with continental podium finishes in 2022, with the biggest star being European champion Ion DEMIAN (MDA). There are nine weights with at least a pair of continental winners, with Demian having the luxury of being the lone ranger in the weight.

His biggest competition will likely come from Europe, as the other three guys who shared the U20 European podium -- Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO), Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) and Denys SAHALIUK (UKR) – are all looking to put an end to Demian’s hot-streak.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) is the U20 Asian champion. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

The favorites to clash for world supremacy at 97kg are Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) and Benjamin KUETER (USA).

Azarpira heads into Bulgaria with an unblemished 8-0 international record and is looking to add a second world title to his resume. Last year, he claimed gold in Belgrade at the U23 World Championships.

This will be Pan-American champion Kueter's first showing at the World Championships.

Other hammers with a shot at winning a world medal are continental bronze medalists
Georgian TRIPON (ROU) and Zelimkhan MUSSIKHANOV (KAZ).

Nicholas FELDMAN (USA) is the U20 Pan-Am champions. (Photo: UWW / Osvaldo Aguilar)

In addition to reigning U17 world champion Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI), Lyova GEVORGYAN (ARM) and Nicholas FELDMAN (USA) are the pair of guys with the most significant upside at 125kg.

Gevorgyan, the reigning three-time age-group European champion, is looking for his third world medal. He finished with a bronze and silver, respectively, at the 2019 and 2021 age-group world championships.

This will be Feldman, the reigning Pan-Am heavyweight champion’s first appearance at the World Championships.

Other continental medalists to keep an eye on are: Merab SULEIMANASHVILI (GEO), Adil MISIRCI (TUR), Georgi IVANOV (BUL), Mahendra GAIKWAD (IND), Bekzat TAZHI (KAZ) and Roger LI (CAN).

Freestyle action gets underway in Bulgaria on Monday (August 15). You can watch all the action live on uww.org.

2026 Muhamet Malo

Muhamet Malo 2026 Day 3 Results: Yaneva wins 68kg; Ostaev Best in GR 87kg

Friday, February 27, 2026 - 18:59 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 27) -- World silver medalist Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) opened her 2026 season with a gold medal at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in Tirana. Just two months before the European Championships, Yaneva's gold medal makes her the favorite to win gold.

In a field that had Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), U23 world champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) and European medalist Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), Yaneva displayed tactical wrestling on her way to pick gold, blanking Zhumanazarova in the final.

While the final lacked action, it was full of some top-level defense with Yaneva being quick to throw her legs back whenever she was attack, circling to get in position and even remained active in both periods to be not put on the activity clock.

Zhumanazarova, however, was put on the clock twice and she failed to score both times, giving Yaneva a 2-0 lead, which was also the winning score.

Macey KILTY (USA) defeated Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) in the 62kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At the other Olympic weight class in action on Friday, world bronze medalist Macey KILTY (USA) added a gold medal to her season opening bronze at the Zagreb Open three weeks ago.

Kilty, who has moved down to 62kg from 65kg this season, secured three victory via technical superiorities and one was a 9-0 blanking in the semifinals.

The 24-year-old opened the day with a 10-0 win over Amina CAPEZAN (ROU) and won next bout against Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) with the same score. Facing Zagreb Open silver medalist Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) in the semifinal, Kilty brought her counter-attacking game and won 9-0.

Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) was moving up to 62kg from 59kg and she felt the difference against Kilty in the final as the American was little too strong for Sidelnikova. Despite giving up two points in an exchange, Kilty controlled the final to win 12-2.

Kilty and Sidelnikova had met in the opening round at the Zagreb Open as well and the former had won via fall.

Othelie HOEIE (NOR) scores the match-winning takedown against Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 59kg, Othelie HOEIE (NOR) won her first international medal in over two years by Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), 4-2, in the final.

In 2023, Hoeie had one of her best season, winning bronze at the World and European Championships. But since, she has failed to win a medal at six events over the past two years.

The drought finally ended and that too with a gold as Hoeie won three low scoring but tactical bouts in Tirana. She began with a 4-0 victory over Dilan TAN (TUR) before stopping Abigail NETTE (USA), 2-0, in the semifinals.

In the final against Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), Hoeie was about to be called passive when her forward pressure took Lipatova towards the edge and Hoeie scored a takedown to open the scoring and lead 2-0.

Lipatova took a 2-2 criteria lead early in the second period with a powerful takedown that Hoeie failed to defend. As the clock ticked, Hoeie attempted various attacks but with no success.

But in the final minute, Lipatova defending a takedown by pressuring Hoeie's on the mat but the Norway wrestler managed snuggle out of that and score a clear takedown to lead 4-2.

She defended that lead for the final 44 seconds to win a Ranking Series gold, the first of her career.

Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) battles it out against Kriszta INCZE (ROU) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

World silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) kept it later to beat Kriszta INCZE (ROU). 4-2, for the gold medal.

Kasabieva was put on the activity clock in both periods and she failed to score any points in those, giving Incze a 2-0 lead. But as the second period expired, Kasabieva scored a takedown to make it 2-2 but led on criteria, thanks points via bigger technique.

Incze tried a last-ditch attempt in the final 10 seconds but an alert Kasabieva stepped backwards before scoring the match sealing takedown.

Alan OSTAEV (UWW) prepares to throw Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) during the 87kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Ostaev, Stepanov Win Greco Golds

Former world champion Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) was in unreal form today looked like he is going to run away with the 87kg gold medal. He almost did as well.

In the final against Alan OSTAEV (UWW), Gobadze hit a reverse lift for four points to lead 5-3. But Ostaev managed to score a front headlock roll to cut the lead to 5-3.

It all changed in the second period when Ostaev exposed Gobadze's weak conditioning. He scored points using a gut-wrench from par terre and won the gold medal 12-5.

World champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) was also entered in the weight class but Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW) stunned him 1-1 in the opening bout. Alirzaev lost his second bout to Gobadze, 6-6, before returning to win the bronze medal.

Sergei STEPANOV (UWW) kept it a simpler against Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW), pulling off a 4-0 victory in the 77kg final.

He began with a stepout against Baidusov which was doubled up as Baidusov was penalized for fleeing, giving a 2-0 lead to Stepanov. Then came the point for first par terre position. Though Stepanov failed to score any points, he was up 3-0 at the break.

In a rare occasion, Stepanov was awarded the second par terre position as well in the second. He again failed to score but held a 4-0 lead which he defended until the clock expired.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

59kg
GOLD: Othelie HOEIE (NOR) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), 4-2

BRONZE: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), 4-0
BRONZE: Abigail NETTE (USA) df. Dilan TAN (TUR), 3-1

62kg
GOLD: Macey KILTY (USA) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), 12-2

BRONZE: SAVITA (IND) df. Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA), 7-5
BRONZE: Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) df. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR). 7-4

65kg
GOLD: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) df. Kriszta INCZE (ROU). 4-2

BRONZE: Emma BRUNTIL (USA) df. Aizhan SUIDUOVA (KAZ), 10-0
BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Apeksha PATIL (IND), 4-3

68kg
GOLD: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), 2-0

BRONZE: Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE) df. KIRTI (IND), 8-4
BRONZE: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Solin PIEARCY (USA), 10-0

Greco-Roman

77kg
GOLD: Sergei STEPANOV (UWW) df. Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW), 4-0

BRONZE: Amir ABDI (IRI) df. Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ), 4-3
BRONZE: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) df. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI), 5-3

87kg
GOLD: Alan OSTAEV (UWW) df. Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), 12-5

BRONZE: Istvan TAKACS (HUN) df. Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ), 8-4
BRONZE: Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW) df. Islam ALIEV (UWW), 9-0

Morning Session Highlights

15:35: Greco 87kg semifinals - Two high scoring semifinals as Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) slams Islam ALIEV (UWW) twice using reverse lift to win 9-0 while Alan OSTAEV (UWW) scores takedowns at will against Istvan TAKACS (HUN) to beat him 8-0

15:25: Greco 77kg semifinals - Two Iranians fall in the semifinals at 77kg. Sergei STEPANOV (UWW) beats Amir ABDI (IRI), 3-2, after defending well in the second period. He scored a turn in the first period from par terre to take a 3-0 lead. When asked to go down on par terre in the second period, he gives up only a points to keep the 3-2 lead. He will take on Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW) for the gold medal after the UWW wrestler denied Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI), 6-1.

15:15: 68kg semifinals - In what was the match of the day, Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) held Nesrin BAS (TUR) down with all her might to win the semifinals at 68kg. Zhumanazarova led 3-0 but Bas was given a point for Zhumunazarova's play and then the Kyrgyzstan wrestler was failed to score during the activity clock that made the score 3-2. Bas got on a single leg attack during the last 15 seconds but was unable to expose Zhumanazarova despite constant pressure. A lost challenge from Bas made the score 4-2 for Zhumanazarova.

For the gold medal, Zhumanazarova will face world silver medalist Yuliana YANEVA (BUL). A slow start to the semifinal between Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) and Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE) with the former getting called passive and Sjoeberg leading 1-0 at the break. But Yaneva scores a takedown and a stepout in the second period to lead 3-1. Sjoeberg managed to get on an attack was about to takedown to Yaneva but the Bulgarian disturbed the Sweden wrestler and scored a lift to get two points and gave up one for the reversal to complete a 5-2 win.

15:00: 65kg semifinals - Apeksha PATIL (IND) gave an early scare to Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) but the latter manages to stand firm despite constant attacks from Patil. She counters those attacks and score five takedowns in her 12-2 win. She will face Kriszta INCZE (ROU) for the gold medal after the Romanian blanked Aizhan SUIDUOVA (KAZ), 10-0.

14:50: 62kg semifinals - Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) scores a stepout with four seconds remaining to win the semifinal against Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA). Nwachukwu led 3-2 but pressure from Sidelnikova forces the American out of the zone which gives Sidelnikova a 3-3 criteria lead. The U.S. challenges the call but loses to make it 4-3 with four seconds left. Nwachukwu doesn't give up and gets body lock and throws Sidelnikolva in time but the UWW wrestler does not land in danger, hence no points. Sidelnikova will face Macey KILTY (USA) after she denied Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), 9-0, in the first semifinals. She scored four takedown and a stepout. Lindborg got on her attacks multiple times but failed to finish them.

14:40: 59kg semifinals - Former world bronze medalist Othelie HOEIE (NOR) picks up a 2-0 win over Abigail NETTE (USA). Both points coming from activity clock points. She will face Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW) for the gold medal after Lipatova also managed a 2-0 win against Bediha GUN (TUR), points for a takedown in the first period.

Semifinals will begin at 14:00 hours local time

13:40: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ), world bronze medalist, got the par terre in first period but failed to score any points from there. On the other hand, Alan OSTAEV (UWW) scored two takedowns in his 6-1 victory over Zhanyshov to advance to the semifinals at 87kg.

13:20: Istvan TAKACS (HUN) manages to defend his par terre position against Shamil OZHAEV (KAZ) to defeat the Kazakhstan wrestler 4-1 and advance to the semifinals at 87kg.

13:00: World silver medalist Yulia YANEVA (BUL) with a controlled 5-1 victory over KIRTI (IND) while Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) beats Solin PIEARCY (USA), 10-0, to advance to the semifinals at 68kg

12:50: Not to be for Grace BULLEN (NOR) in an all Nordic battle against Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) at 62kg. Lindborg was controlling Bullen in a pin position but failed to get it. However, her 8-2 lead was enough to get the victory over Bullen

12:45: World bronze medalist Macey KILTY (USA) with a leg lace to build a 9-0 lead over Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) at 62kg. In the second period, Prokopevniuk with an aggressive move which forces the referees to caution her and award a point to Kilty, giving the American a 10-0 victory

12:30: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), world silver medalist at 65kg, with a clean and controlled 6-0 victory over Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) at 65kg. Moments later, Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) beats SAVITA (IND) at 62kg, 11-0.

12:20: Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW) got the par terre position in the second period over Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) with the score reading 6-2 in favor of the latter. But Alirzaev managed one turn to make it 6-4 with over a minute remaining. He needed three points for a victory. He scored a takedown to make it 6-6 but could not find one more point for the win. He drop the bout and with that world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) will not get a repechage and return home without a medal.

12:00: World bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) led 3-2 at the break against Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) and then scored two more points in the second period to complete a 5-2 victory at 87kg.

11:40: Alireza Morad ABDEVALI (IRI) with a stepout in the second period to beat U23 world champion Alexandru GUTU (MDA), 3-2, at 77kg. Gutu scored a takedown in the first period to lead 2-0. But he gave up a stepout before being put in par terre which made the score 2-2. As Abdevali was not able to score, Gutu held the criteria for a bigger move. But Abdevali scored a stepout to break the tie and win.

11:25: A quick win for Olympic Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) over Destiny ADEYELE (USA), finishing her first bout at 68kg, 11-0.

11:15: Grace BULLEN (NOR) was trailing 5-2 against MANSI (IND) with 10 seconds left but manages to bring down the Indian with an outside trip and a fall. While the fall was not confirmed before the clock expired, Bullen wins 6-5. Nothing else expected of Bullen

11:10: SAVITA (IND), a former U20 world champion, SAVITA (IND) with a fall over Lais NUNES (BRA) at 62kg. Savita overpowering Nunes there. But in the next match on Mat B, ANJLI (IND) gives up her lead and Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) beats her 14-7 at 62kg.

10:50: Alirzaev beats Komarov! World champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) is on the mat to face Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW) at 87kg. Alirzaev gets the first par terre advantage but fails to score any points. In the second period, Komarov gets the position but he also fails to score. Alirzaev then defends his 1-1 criteria lead to win.

10:30: The third day of the Ranking Series will see the Greco stars take the mat with 77kg and 87kg while Women's Wrestling continues in 59kg, 62kg, 65kg, and 68kg.

#WrestleSofia: 22 continental champs headed to U20 Worlds

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Muhamet Malo 2026 Day 3 Results: Yaneva wins 68kg; Ostaev Best in GR 87kg