Top Stories of the Decade

Wrestling Introduces New Weight Categories, Gender Equity, and Ranking Series

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR -VEVEY, Switzerland (December 29) -- The growth of international wrestling since 2010 has required a number of changes, but few have seemed to impact as many wrestlers and fans as the addition of weight categories, expansion of women's opportunities, and the introduction of a yearlong competition calendar, knowns as the Ranking Series.

 Heading into the 2017 World Championships in Paris, Wrestling enjoyed eight weight categories in each style, with six aimed at Olympic participation. During a bureau meeting at the event, it was decided to increase that total allotment to 10 weight categories and slightly shift a number of weight categories across the styles to better match anticipated participation. The additional weights also prompted a two-day format with same-day weigh-ins.

"These improvements made are incredible for the sport of wrestling," UWW President Nenad Lalović said at the time. "Our sport has never been stronger, and I believe that with the new categories and the improved competition format we will see continued growth in participation, support and viewership. I also believe these new rules will also encourage healthier wrestlers."

Another significant shift in the sport came with the launch of the Ranking Series in 2018, which uses four previously independent events, plus the world and continental championships to determine a points champion for the season. The rankings also determine the top seeds at the world championships and Olympic Games. 

“The Ranking Series makes it easier for fans, athletes, and coaches to understand the impact of each tournament and match," said Lalovic.

The Ranking Series was tweaked heading into the 2019 season with more weight placed on the number of participants to help determine the ultimate allocation of points per event. The shift proved prescient as participation in the events more than doubled in 2019.

As of 2019, the points earned from the World Championships, Continental Championships and Ranking Series events are as follows:

Wrestling’s growth hasn’t been contained to competition formats. In an effort to ensure better governance and compliance with IOC norms, wrestling has reached out to female leaders around the world to ensure their participation in the sport’s growth. Wrestling has utilized national federations, IOC-backed initiatives, and created an annual Women in Wrestling Global Forum to ensure increased outreach and education of women in the wrestling community.

“The past few years has seen wrestling provide more opportunities to female leaders and competitors than ever before,” said UWW Development Director Deqa Niamkey. “I’m pleased with our growth and looking forward to the next ten years!”

In addition to professional opportunities for women in wrestling, there has also been a much-increased focus on their mat achievements. From photos to stories to documentaries the women of wrestling are covered equally to men and have enjoyed several breakout moments, including many listed in the Top Ten Stories of the Decade.

#WrestleCaorle

European U20 Championships 2025 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

CAORLE, Italy (June 27) -- The European U20 Championships will begin in Caorle, Italy from June 30 to July 6.

The seven-day competition will see more than 500 wrestlers in Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling.

Greco-Roman will kick off proceedings on June 30 followed by Women's Wrestling and Freestyle will be held in the end.

For full schedule of European U20 Championships, please click here.

Freestyle

57kg
Sasha PETROSYAN (ARM)
Kristian CIKEL (AUT)
Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE)
Esad BOZALI (BUL)
Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO)
Nico ALTMEYER (GER)
Karoly BARATH (HUN)
Riccardo BONANNO (ITA)
Ion BULGARU (MDA)
Mehmet USINOV (MKD)
Antoni GREGORCZYK (POL)
Nurettin KAPAL (TUR)
Orest PETRANIUK (UKR)
Matsvei SYTSEVICH (UWW)
Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW)

61kg
Ersjan KASHIKU (ALB)
Sargis BEGOYAN (ARM)
Bashir VERDIYEV (AZE)
Murad ILYAZ (BUL)
Rene TALTS (EST)
Danoush JOWKAR (GBR)
Saba GAMBASHIDZE (GEO)
Eliah LUCYGA (GER)
Marcell TOVOELGYI (HUN)
Pasquale LIUZZI (ITA)
Vasili LAZAREV (MDA)
Ivan OKSIUK (POL)
Sandro HUNGERBUEHLER (SUI)
Robert MESZAROS (SVK)
Yusuf KULALI (TUR)
Andrii SHOKALIUK (UKR)
Herbert AKAPIAN (UWW)
Adlan SAITIEV (UWW)

65kg
Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM)
Haji KARIMOV (AZE)
Erdal GALIP (BUL)
Lukas BRANDL (CZE)
Jorge RODRIGUEZ (ESP)
Janar LIPS (EST)
Lazare GUJARAIDZE (GEO)
Jannis REBHOLZ (GER)
Mozes LASZLO (HUN)
Alessandro NINI (ITA)
Maxim DIMOV (MDA)
Jakub KESY (POL)
Benjamin BOEJTHE (ROU)
Samilj DADAJEV (SRB)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Viktor BOROHAN (UKR)
Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (UWW)
Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW)

70kg
Vladimir AZARYAN (ARM)
Ismayil RAHIMLI (AZE)
Kaloyan ATANASOV (BUL)
Denis GIL (ESP)
Rasmus JOGI (EST)
Abdoullah NAKAEV (FRA)
Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO)
Justin FEDERER (GER)
Jozsef TOTH (HUN)
Tomas GORMLEY (IRL)
Daniele GUBBIOTTI (ITA)
Oleg KNISEVSKIJ (LTU)
Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA)
Trim ISMAILI (MKD)
Dominik JAGUSZ (POL)
Eduard LENARD (ROU)
Samuel SEDLAK (SVK)
Remzi TEMUR (TUR)
Mykyta SARIIEV (UKR)
Aliaksandr KAMBAYEU (UWW)
Islam KAZHAROV (UWW)

74kg
Arayik AYVAZYAN (ARM)
Omar GULMAMMADOV (AZE)
Stiliyan DZHOROV (BUL)
Nikolai TARASSOV (EST)
Abdoul NAKAEV (FRA)
Saba KOBAKHIDZE (GEO)
Manuel WAGIN (GER)
Theocharis KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Adam GAZDAG (HUN)
Declan BLIGH (IRL)
Raul CASO (ITA)
Titas PIJORAITIS (LTU)
Gabriel OJOG (MDA)
Mars DOMAJEV (NOR)
Antoni MAJCHRZAK (POL)
Alain HELLER (SUI)
Aslan OZTURK (TUR)
Bohdan OLIINYK (UKR)
Muslim MAKHMUDAU (UWW)
Ismail KHANIEV (UWW)

79kg
Narek NIKOGHOSYAN (ARM)
Mukhammad INSHAPIEV (AUT)
Muradkhan OMAROV (AZE)
Bozhidar DOBREV (BUL)
David KODAKOV GIL (ESP)
Tristan ALEKSANDROV (EST)
Davit TCHETCHELASHVILI (GEO)
Marat KARDANOV (GER)
Avraam MOUSTOPOULOS (GRE)
Mark LAPOSA (HUN)
Daniel SIMONIAN (ISR)
Riccardo DELLE CAVE (ITA)
Vlad STRATAN (MDA)
Filip KLATECKI (POL)
David SOARE (ROU)
Huseyin KABAKTAS (TUR)
Bohdan OLEKSIIENKO (UKR)
Aliaksandr VIARBITSKI (UWW)
Said SAIDULOV (UWW)

86kg
Razmik YEPREMYAN (ARM)
Mahammad ABASZADA (AZE)
Grigor CHERNAKOV (BUL)
Ondrej KOCMANEK (CZE)
Vladislav RJABTSEV (EST)
Mohammad UMKHADJIEV (FRA)
Dachi PAPINASHVILI (GEO)
Adam LEIFRIDT (GER)
Panagiotis POLYCHRONIDIS (GRE)
Zeteny GANGL (HUN)
Tomer DROZHNIAK (ISR)
Lorenzo MARCHESINI (ITA)
Alexandru BORS (MDA)
Bartlomiej NOWAKOWSKI (POL)
Darius SAS (ROU)
Nick SCHERRER (SUI)
Anton VYHIVSKYI (SVK)
Ahmet YAGAN (TUR)
Pavlo VASKOVSKYI (UKR)
Aliaksei KULAKOU (UWW)
Ali SHAMIROV (UWW)

92kg
Albin PEPOSHI (ALB)
Narek IKILIKYAN (ARM)
Anar JAFARLI (AZE)
Nikola PETROV (BUL)
Rakhman KHOUNKAEV (FRA)
Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO)
Grigorios SARIDIS (GRE)
Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN)
Brando MAGNANI (ITA)
Gheorghe MUTU (MDA)
Omer MEMEDI (MKD)
Alexandru OLTEAN (ROU)
Fabio GIANNETTO (SVK)
Eyup ONEN (TUR)
Yehor HOROKH (UKR)
Aliaksei ZHORAU (UWW)
Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW)

97kg
Hrachik MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Ravan MUSAYEV (AZE)
Andriyan VALKANOV (BUL)
Ashab DADAEV (FRA)
Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Nikolaos KARAVANOS (GRE)
Peter ZSIVNOVSZKI (HUN)
Giuliano SPACCAVENTO (ITA)
Armanis BARSAMYAN (LTU)
David ERHAN (MDA)
Ilija ATANASOV (MKD)
Mateusz PUDLOWSKI (POL)
David METEA (ROU)
Samuel BECK (SVK)
Ibrahim BENEKLI (TUR)
Kostiantyn ZADOIANCHUK (UKR)
Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW)

125kg
Henrik HAYKYAN (ARM)
Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE)
Dian MANEV (BUL)
Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA)
Aleksandre ABRAMISHVILI (GEO)
Ahmet SEKMEN (GER)
Daniel SZILAGYI (HUN)
Martino PILIERO (ITA)
Vladimir ANGHEL (MDA)
Michal DUBOWSKI (POL)
Sertac AKSOY (TUR)
Ivan MYROSHNYCHENKO (UKR)
Yaraslau KOKHAN (UWW)
Inal GAGLOEV (UWW)

Adam SILVERIN (SWE)Adam SILVERIN (SWE) will look to defend his title in Greco-Roman 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Levon GHAZARYAN (ARM)
Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE)
Kaloyan IVANOV (BUL)
Jakub SEDLAK (CZE)
Nolan PISSOCHER (FRA)
Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO)
Peter TOTOK (HUN)
Lorenzo ARBORE (ITA)
Maxim SARMANOV (MDA)
Gracjan JEDUT (POL)
Dragos DRAGA (ROU)
Denizhan OGUN (TUR)
Nazarii BABINSKYI (UKR)
Rasim IBRAHIMAU (UWW)
Ivan SOLOMIN (UWW)

60kg
Mikel TROPLINI (ALB)
Yuri KARAPETYAN (ARM)
Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE)
Galin FURNADZHIEV (BUL)
Noa LJUBIC (CRO)
Artturi REINIO (EST)
Lucas LO GRASSO (FRA)
Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)
Levente FIGE (HUN)
Gabriele PUCHER (ITA)
Maxim CARAUS (MDA)
Martin AAK (NOR)
Kacper SOBCZYK (POL)
Ionut MEREUTA (ROU)
Levin MEIER (SUI)
Adam SILVERIN (SWE)
Omer ALTAS (TUR)
Maksut SULTANOV (UKR)
Uladzimir KASTARONAK (UWW)
Murat KHATIT (UWW)

63kg
Aleks MARGARYAN (ARM)
Daniel STRUZINJSKI (AUT)
Tural AHMADOV (AZE)
Kristiyan MILENKOV (BUL)
Tin TURKOVIC (CRO)
Al Bara CHOPALAEV (EST)
Lauri PERKKA (FIN)
Saba SURMANIDZE (GEO)
Lukas BENZING (GER)
Marios KAPANTAIS (GRE)
Bende OLASZ (HUN)
Emanuele POLLINO (ITA)
Dumitru RAPESCO (MDA)
Ilias LAAOUINA (NED)
Mateusz ALOT (POL)
Iosif ZLOTAR (ROU)
Andrej VELISAVLJEV (SRB)
William EKEROT (SWE)
Haci ALTAN (TUR)
Maksym CHUHUIEV (UKR)
Yauheni SHVED (UWW)
Igor PUNCHENKO (UWW)

67kg
Hayk KALAJYAN (ARM)
Isa BEKTEMIROV (AUT)
Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE)
Dimitar GEORGIEV (BUL)
Marko KLARIC (CRO)
Zdenek KUBALA (CZE)
Magnus RASMUSSEN (DEN)
Ilian DOUBACH (FRA)
Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO)
Kevin KARL (GER)
Stavros NTOUNIAS (GRE)
Attila JOZSA (HUN)
Alessio ARANCIO (ITA)
Eimantas ANDRIUSKA (LTU)
Octavian CERNETCHI (MDA)
Bers TIMIRBIEV (NOR)
Jakub SUCHECKI (POL)
Pavel ALEXE (ROU)
Dejan BERKEC (SRB)
Saya BRUNNER (SUI)
Carl SANDIN (SWE)
Abdullah KESKIN (TUR)
Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR)
Mikhail MARKOUSKI (UWW)
Mingiian GORIAEV (UWW)

72kg
Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM)
Seymur GASIMOV (AZE)
Sergey STOEV (BUL)
Jure RAJKOVIC (CRO)
Gonzalo CAPARROS (ESP)
Andreas VAELJA (EST)
Oliver PADA (FIN)
Aleksandre RUSITASHVILI (GEO)
Maik GREIF (GER)
Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE)
Bendeguz FELKAI (HUN)
Federico CANIGLIA (ITA)
Aleksandrs TUMAREVICS (LAT)
Kipras PUIKIS (LTU)
Vladimir PASCARI (MDA)
Lars LETVIK (NOR)
Hubert SIDORUK (POL)
Mitja CENER (SLO)
Jovan MIOLSKI (SRB)
Axel BAFF (SWE)
Ibrahim OZDEMIR (TUR)
Anatolii PASNAK (UKR)
Yan ZIANKO (UWW)
TAMERLAN TARANUKHA (UWW)

77kg
Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM)
Lars MATT (AUT)
Davud MAMMADOV (AZE)
Hristo VALENTINOV (BUL)
Janno ILJAS (EST)
Vikke TARKKIO (FIN)
Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO)
Matti STOLT (GER)
Dimitrios ROMANIDIS (GRE)
Dominik BOTOS (HUN)
Nilo VIRGILII (ITA)
Constantin TASCA (MDA)
Igor DABROWSKI (POL)
Mihajlo ALEMPIJEVIC (SRB)
Yusuf TOSUN (TUR)
Petro SHAFRANSKYI (UKR)
Kiryl VALEUSKI (UWW)
Gamzat GADZHIEV (UWW)

82kg
Martik PETROSYAN (ARM)
Noah WALDER (AUT)
Elmin ALIYEV (AZE)
Martin SHISHEKOV (BUL)
Mihael LUKAC (CRO)
Petr ZAK (CZE)
Uku ESKEL (EST)
Severi MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Haik SARGSYAN (FRA)
Tornike CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
Dominic ARNOLD (GER)
Emmanouil NIKOLAIDIS (GRE)
Szabolcs SZINAY (HUN)
Luigi COMINI (ITA)
Marius STIHARU (MDA)
Alexander AEMAES (NOR)
Oskar LUBERA (POL)
Ognjen JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB)
Bunyamin OZCAN (TUR)
Kyrylo SHNYROV (UKR)
Abdulmasih ABDULMASIH (UWW)
Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW)

87kg
Abraham MURADYAN (ARM)
Paul MAIER (AUT)
Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE)
Petyo ANGELOV (BUL)
Antonio LUKAC (CRO)
Josef CERNY (CZE)
Marcus UHTJAERV (EST)
Elias LYYSKI (FIN)
Luka KOCHALIDZE (GEO)
Eleftherios PAPPAS (GRE)
Vilmos SCHEURING (HUN)
Elia CAIANIELLO (ITA)
Toms IRKLIS (LAT)
Cristian RUSU (MDA)
Martin LJOSAAK (NOR)
Wojciech IWANOWSKI (POL)
Gabriel STAN (ROU)
Branko DUKIC (SRB)
Yasin CAKIR (TUR)
Pavlo TORIANYK (UKR)
Ivan BIALIAYEU (UWW)
Abdurakhman ABDULKADYROV (UWW)

97kg
Lyova SHUKHYAN (ARM)
Ismayil RZAYEV (AZE)
Affan SMAJIC (BIH)
Jachym ZAJACIK (CZE)
Villas CHRISTENSEN (DEN)
Gor AYVAZYAN (GEO)
Darius KIEFER (GER)
Dimitrios PAPPAS (GRE)
Vendel VITAI (HUN)
Riccardo BUFIS (ITA)
Sebastian WARCHOL (POL)
Ozkan METE (TUR)
Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR)
Pavel SAVITSKI (UWW)
Saipula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW)

130kg
Seyran KIRAKOSYAN (ARM)
Leonhard JUNGER (AUT)
Mazaim MARDANOV (AZE)
Tomas RUSI (FIN)
Saba PURTSELADZE (GEO)
Ole STERNING (GER)
Dionysios ZOUGRIS (GRE)
Laszlo DARABOS (HUN)
Loris TUCCI (ITA)
Mateusz BIENCZAK (POL)
Marko SUPIC (SRB)
Yusuf BAKIR (TUR)
Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR)
Viachaslau FEDARYNA (UWW)
Ali ILIASOV (UWW)

Tuba DEMIR (TUR)Tuba DEMIR (TUR) will look to defend her 55kg gold medal at the European U20 Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Elvina KARIMZADA (AZE)
Juliette LESCURE (FRA)
Josephine WRENSCH (GER)
Laura FATH (HUN)
Alice FACCIO (ITA)
Lonisa REKA (KOS)
Adriana DANISEVICIUTE (LTU)
Eliza GONTA (MDA)
Olivia VAN KLEUNEN (NED)
Karolina ZIEN (POL)
Reka HEGEDUS (SVK)
Viktoria JOHANSSON (SWE)
Nil AKTAS (TUR)
Mariia NEMISH (UKR)
Kseniya KOSTSENICH (UWW)
Violetta BIRIUKOVA (UWW)

53kg
Nikol ALEKSANDROVA (BUL)
Lisette BOETTKER (EST)
Maelyss ROUSSELET (FRA)
Sofia MICHAILIDOU (GRE)
Liliana KAPUVARI (HUN)
Angela CRAPIO CASAROLA (ITA)
Dorentina NEZAJ (KOS)
Corina BOSTAN (MDA)
Ilona VALCHUK (POL)
Ana ROTARU (ROU)
Jinhwi OLSSON (SWE)
Sevval CAYIR (TUR)
Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)
Valeryia TSITOVA (UWW)
Ekaterina CHIKANOVA (UWW)

55kg
Nesrin SYULEYMANOVA (BUL)
Pau GIMENO FRANCO (ESP)
Sara RANTONEN (FIN)
Lilya COHEN (FRA)
Katharina KRUPNA (GER)
Gerda TEREK (HUN)
Fabiana RINELLA (ITA)
Amelia TOMALA (POL)
Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU)
Ivana GAJIC (SRB)
Anja EPP (SUI)
Tuba DEMIR (TUR)
Diana KOTVYTSKA (UKR)
Valeryia MIKITSICH (UWW)
Natalia GORLOVA (UWW)

57kg
Gular HABIBOVA (AZE)
Filis KYAMIL (BUL)
Anna KOEBLO (HUN)
Maria PIRA (ITA)
Inna ALIMOVA (LTU)
Ecaterina LAPINA (MDA)
Csilla VAN OS (NED)
Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR)
Nicola WASILEWSKA (POL)
Jana PETROVIC (SRB)
Tindra DALMYR (SWE)
Ozlem GURSOY (TUR)
Albina KLIEFAS (UKR)
Darya ILYASEVICH (UWW)
Dolzhon TSYNGUEVA (UWW)

59kg
Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE)
Desislava IVANOVA (BUL)
Petra MRACKOVA (CZE)
Frida CHRISTIANSEN (DEN)
Rosa MOLINA (ESP)
Franziska BLAUMEISER (GER)
Eda BALAZS (HUN)
Denise PIRODDU (ITA)
Anna TIELIEGINA (LTU)
Madalina PRISACARI (MDA)
Nikola PIECHOCKA (POL)
Amelia SAMUELSSON (SWE)
Sevim AKBAS (TUR)
Mariia MIZIURKO (UKR)
Marta HETMANAVA (UWW)
Elena KUROVA (UWW)

62kg
Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Ivena BLIZNAKOVA (BUL)
Marijana SUMSKI (CRO)
Tereza MRACKOVA (CZE)
Nella HONKANIEMI (FIN)
Leonie STEIGERT (GER)
Foteini NALMPANTI (GRE)
Sophie RITTER (ITA)
Gabriela RUDOI (MDA)
Marija CVETANOVA (MKD)
Maja NOWAKOWSKA (POL)
Masa PEROVIC (SRB)
Anna NORD (SWE)
Dilan TAN (TUR)
Anna KARBOVSKA (UKR)
Karyna FISHCHUK (UWW)
Ekaterina RADYSHEVA (UWW)

65kg
Sara AHMEDOVA (BUL)
Jolana RATAJOVA (CZE)
Annalena POHL (GER)
Viktoria PUPP (HUN)
Manuela CERVONI (ITA)
Melani MITEVSKA (MKD)
Mirijam HANSEN (NOR)
Natalia ZAREBA (POL)
Sabina PETRACHE (ROU)
Emilija JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB)
Viktoria FOELDESIOVA (SVK)
Linnea SVENSSON (SWE)
Beyza AKKUS (TUR)
Iryna BORYSIUK (UKR)
Karalina PAPOVA (UWW)
Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW)

68kg
Ilinka STEFANOVA (BUL)
Laura KOEHLER (GER)
Nikoleta BARMPA (GRE)
Maja MUNK (HUN)
Juliana CATANZARO (ITA)
Lorena DURAJ (KOS)
Alexandra MOISEI (MDA)
Stefani NIKOLOVA (MKD)
Leah SAMSONSEN (NOR)
Dominika POCHOWSKA (POL)
Maria PANTIRU (ROU)
Michaela SEBOEKOVA (SVK)
Wilma HOFFMAN (SWE)
Ayse ERKAN (TUR)
Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR)
Krystsina KURKINA (UWW)
Evangeliia BEREZHNOVA (UWW)

72kg
Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE)
Emili APOSTOLOVA (BUL)
Veronika VILK (CRO)
Petra MUELLER (HUN)
Anna IODICE (ITA)
Karolina JAWORSKA (POL)
Ana MARIOARA (ROU)
Elvira ERSSON (SWE)
Eylem ENGIN (TUR)
Daria KONSTANTYNOVA (UKR)
Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW)
Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW)

76kg
Veronika NYIKOS (HUN)
Auguste GENDVILAITE (LTU)
Evelin UJHELJI (SRB)
Elmira YASIN (TUR)
Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR)
Hanna PIRSKAYA (UWW)
Diana TITOVA (UWW)