#WrestleSofia

#WrestleSofia: 22 continental champs headed to U20 Worlds

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)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)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)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)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)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)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)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.

#WrestleZagreb

World Championships 2025: Day 4 WW 50kg, 57kg, 65kg, 76kg Highlights

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- The fourth day of the Women's Wrestling will see all Women's Wrestling action. Weight classes on the mat are 50kg, 57kg, 65kg and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

The 2026 World Championships will be held in Bahrain from September 5 to 13.

13:44: Welker got to Medet Kyzy's legs and then converts it to a takedown. Welker scores a stepout to start the second period and extender her lead to 3-0. Medet Kyzy gets the takedown to make it 3-2 with a minute remaining. The Asian champion tries to find a way to get the one point and tries a pushout. Welker blocks it but Medet Kyzy slips her arm out and scores a takedown. She continues the action with a turn and leads 6-3 with 10 seconds remaining. An easy go-behind and she wins 8-3 to enter the semifinals.

13:41: Genesis REASCO (ECU) goes right to the lace lock in a first-period attack and before Enrica RINALDI (ITA) knows what hit her, she's behind 6-0. Reasco then gets behind and levers her over for an exposure to make it 10-0. A bit of a delay for a challenge, but nothing changes and officially Reasco wins 11-0 to advance to the 76kg semifinals.

13:37: European champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) uses the leg lace to great effect and wins her 76kg semifinal against Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL), 10-0.

13:36: Milaimy MARIN (CUB) bulls her way into the 76kg semifinals with a one-sided 10-0 win over Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN). Marin gets behind for the takedown, then reels off four gut wrenches to end the match in 57 seconds.

50kg semifinals
SF 1: Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) vs. Myonggyong WON (PRK)
SF 2: Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) vs. Yu ZHANG (CHN)

13:32: Yu ZHANG (CHN) scores a takedown in the first period, then adds two more and a thigh-lock roll to secure a semifinal spot at 50kg with an 8-0 win over Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA).

13:31: Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) gets a stepout while on the activity clock in the second period to put her up 2-0, then makes that score hold up to defeat Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN) and advance at 50kg.

13:28: Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) gets a takedown and lace turn on Oksana LIVACH (UKR) to open the scoring in their 50kg quarterfinal. After the 4-0 lead, she adds two different takedowns to lead 8-0 at the break. Livach with a big throw out of nowhere but Yoshimoto survives the attempted pin and scores a reversal. An exposure to make it 11-4 which was the winning score for her.

13:25: Asian bronze medalist Myonggyong WON (PRK) catches Madison PARKS (CAN) in a lace and finishes her quarterfinal 12-0. Parks just could not stop Won's powerful turns.

57kg semifinals
SF 1: Helen MAROULIS (USA) vs. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW)
SF 2: Il Sim SON (PRK) vs. Kexin HONG (CHN)

13:19: Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) found a way to takedown Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) in the final 20 seconds of their 57kg semifinal. Down 6-1, she scored two points from that takedown and then turned Khoroshavtseva for two more points to make it 6-5. She needed one more turn for a win but the 10 seconds ran off and Khoroshavtseva booked her spot in the semifinal with a 6-5 win.

13:15: Il Sim SON (PRK) is looking sharp at 57kg, as she finishes off a 12-0 victory over Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) with a 4-point fireman's carry throw in the second period to book her place in the semifinals later today.

13:13: Kexin HONG (CHN) learns her lesson after giving up a counter-lift 2-pointer to Evelina HULTHEN (SWE) in their 57kg quarterfinal. Hong is more deliberate as she drives to three takedowns, going into the lace lock after the final one and reeling off three rolls to win 13:2 in 2:49.

13:12: Helen MAROULIS (USA) pins Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) in the 57kg quarterfinals! She trips Tokuhara and holds her for a fall and enter the semifinals at 57kg.

65kg semifinals
SF 1: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) vs Irina RINGACI (MDA)
SF 2: 
Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) vs. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW)

13:05: Irina RINGACI (MDA) with a suplex for four against Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR) in the 65kg quarterfinals. She then adds a two-pointer to make it 6-0. Aksoy seems to have hurt herself during that throw. A stepout for Ringaci but it is challenged by Turkiye and it is awarded four points to Aksoy to cut it to 6-4. A takedown and turn for Ringaci in the second period as she extends to 10-4. Aksoy tries to comeback but Ringaci with a lace and she wins 16-6.

13:01: Grace BULLEN (NOR) sees her bid for an elusive first world title when she falls behind 8-3 in the second period off a scramble with Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), then in a desperation attack, gets slammed to her back for a fall with :08 left in their 65kg quarterfinal.

13:00: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) gets a stepout to get on board after Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) scored the opening takedown in their 65kg quarterfinal. In the second period, Morikawa with a leg attack and comes out on top with a takedown and leads 3-2. She manages to turn Koliadenko to make it 5-2 with 50 seconds left. She scores a stepout and hangs on to her 6-2 lead to win and enter the semifinals.

12:59: After the two trade two points in a first-period scramble, Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) catches Vaishnavi PATIL (IND) with a counter directly to her back and secures a fall to advance to the 65kg semfinals.

Quarterfinals

12:48: Asian bronze medalist Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN), holding the fort at 76kg for Japan as Olympic champion Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) remains on hiatus, survives a dangerous situation to edge QIANDEGENCHAGAN (CHN) 6-5. With the Chinese leading 1-0 but on the activity clock in the second period, Yamamoto drives forward for a 4-point takedown that is upheld on challenge. The activity point gives her a 6-1 lead. But Qiandegenchagan catches her in a headlock and Yamamoto spends some anxious time fighting off her back. Qiandegenchagan then gains a stepout and a late takedown, but can't turn the Japanese in the final seconds.

12:35: Genesis REASCO (ECU) scores two takedowns in the first period to lead 4-0 at the break against PRIYA (IND) at 76kg. Priya gets on back in the second period but that is all in the bout and Reasco wins 4-2 and advance to the 76kg quarterfinals.

12:28: Former world U20 champion Yu ZHANG (CHN) worked on two takedowns and a roll before launching a big attack on Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) at 50kg. She gives up two exposure points but manages six points from the exchange to win 12-2 and reach the 50kg quarterfinals.

12:18: Asian bronze medalist Myonggyong WON (PRK) storms into the 50kg quarterfinals with a 10-0 victory over Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ). After a stepout, Won gains a takedown with Ankicheva on the clock and whips off two lace-lock rolls. Another takedown and that's all she wrote.

12:10: Paris Olympic bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) makes short work of Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (UWW), getting a takedown and gut wrench, then coming back and doing it again, with an added roll to finish off a 10-0 victory in their 76kg match in just over a minute.

12:07: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) shrugs off giving up an early takedown by coming back to take Ozoda ZARIPBOEVA (UZB) down directly to her back and securing a fall at 76kg.

12:04: World U20 silver medalist Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) finds the going tough in her senior world debut at 50kg, as Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA) grabs a stepout for the lone point of the first period. But Jimenez gets in gear and opens the second period with a takedown, only to get flagged for fleeing, giving Liuzzi a point and the top position of par terre -- from which she hits a gut wrench. In the final seconds, Liuzzi scores a 2-point counter exposure as Jimenez gets behind, but time runs out, giving the Italian a 6-3 win.

11:55: She had a slow start in the first bout but Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) wins via technical superiority against Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) at 57kg. Tokuhara with a big four-pointer in that bout.

11:50: A wild one on Mat C as European bronze medalist Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) and Paris Olympic bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN) trade 4-point moves in a non-stop thriller at 57kg that sees Hong go from a 4-0 deficit to a 7-6 lead at the break. Hong gets two more takedowns off a single in which she fights off Vynnyk's counter attempts, and adds an exposure after the second one to go up 13-7. Another takedown and an exposure gives her a 17-6 with 18 seconds to spare.

11:45: Paris Olympic bronze medalist and two-time reigning European champion Grace BULLEN (NOR) absolutely devastates 2023 world 59kg champion  Qi ZHANG (CHN) in their opener at 65kg, scoring two takedowns in the first period, then starting the second with a 4-point throw. A double-leg takedown gives her an 11-0 victory.

11:40: Helen MAROULIS (USA) with her trademark arm-bar to get the fall against Emine CAKMAK (TUR) at 57kg. Maroulis is looking to add to her world medal collections.

11:35: Olympic silver medalist at 62kg Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) has no trouble in seeing off Alexis GOMEZ (MEX), 10-0, in 46 seconds at 65kg.

11:31: 2024 world U23 silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) scores 4 with a reverse throw against two-time world medalist Macey KILTY (USA) at 65kg. The two then trade takedowns to put Kasabieva up 6-2 at the break. But Kilty goes on the attack and scores two takedowns, but Kasabieva has the big-point criteria, and she holds on for a 6-6 win.

11:21: A historic moment for wrestling, as Aylah MAYALI (PLE) becomes the first Palestinian woman to take the mat at a World Championships. Unfortunately, the (un)luck of the draw at 65kg put her against three-time world medalist Irina RINGACI (MDA), who is looking to regain the world title she won in 2021. Ringaci proved too much for the Canadian-born Mayali, using a back-trip twice and a throw to score three 4-point moves and win 12-0 in 1:03. Mayali, who won a silver medal at the 2021 Pan Am Championships, first appeared for Palestine at this year's Asian Championships, where she placed eighth.

11:20: World champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) just started off with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN) at 65kg. She is looking for her second world title. Morikawa finished with a bronze medal last year at 65kg

11:12: Tokyo Olympic silver medalist and four-time world medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) breaks open a close match with a takedown and gut wrench in the second period, then goes on to post a 10-2 victory over Magdalena GLODEK (POL) at 57kg.

11:05: Myonggyong WON (PRK) built an 8-2 lead and tried defending it against Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) at 50kg. But Smirnova kept coming back against Won. However, it was Won who managed to score another takedown and win 10-8. 

10:55: Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN), a former world U23 champion, handles her match against Samantha STEWART (CAN) with great strategy. She works slowly before getting two takedowns in the second period to win 5-0 at 57kg.

10:30: Welcome to day four of the World Championships with all women's wrestling action. The weight classes in action are 50kg, 57kg, 65kg and 76kg.