Wrestling scores big at World C'ships with 706 percent jump in engagements

Tuesday, October 4, 2022 - 20:21 By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (October 4) -- Wrestling scored big both on and off the mat during this year’s UWW World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, recording a staggering growth in viewership and engagement numbers digitally. Fans watched twenty-seven million minutes, close to 10 million page views on the mobile app, and a massive 706 percent jump in social media engagements in the last year.

The 2022 edition of the UWW’s flagship event, held September 10-18 was the first digitally-focussed World Championships. Special emphasis was laid on providing a high-quality fan experience that was easy to navigate and, at the same time, engaging to follow on the website, app, and various social media platforms. And the athleticism of the wrestlers drove the digital consumption, with wrestling recording impressive numbers across all platforms.

"The latest numbers from the World Championships show the importance of digitalization and with the current times, UWW is moving into the digital era," Nenad LALOVIC, UWW President, said. "The growth is reflected by the increased engagement across UWW’s new digital platforms and social media channels. This year's World Championships and the millions of fans who watched, interacted, or helped us grow, have laid the foundation for expanding the federation's digital potential."

Be it the UWW website, mobile app, the new streaming hub, or social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, wrestling showed impressive year-on-year growth compared to last year’s World Championship on different metrics, such as social media growth, total views, total minutes and time spent on the web.

“We made the digital jump during these World Championships and the results validated our initial projections that now was the time more than ever to invest into a more robust digital experience across UWW platforms,” Gordon Templeman, UWW Commercial and Communications Director said. “There was tremendous benefit from a consolidation of tools that are more interconnected than ever before. We made an initial push in a short period of time and are optimistic for continued growth.”

Key highlights from the data analysis are:

* 27 million minutes were watched during the World Championship on the new video streaming hub, which gave the fans control of the viewing experience due to its multi-view option;

* The new UWW mobile app received 9.77 million page views and an average of 13 minutes and 46 seconds per session were spent, which is roughly equivalent to one bout. The high numbers meant the app topped the sports categories in app stores in key UWW markets;

* The total social media engagements surpassed 6.2 million in September, up by 706 percent since the 2021 World Championships.

Apart from these, the average time spent on the website grew by 41 percent to seven minutes, and the total page views across the website and mobile app were recorded at close to 19 million.

"Data is key to delivering digital experiences that fans want," Hisham Shehabi, COO, N3XT Sports, said. "Therefore, a diverse digital ecosystem helps augment fan intelligence capability. With 500 social media posts, millions in streaming viewership, and increased overall engagement, UWW's ability to customize the user experience has grown."

The massive growth is a direct consequence of the path-breaking steps taken by the UWW in the last few years under the leadership of President Lalovic. The UWW has identified and prioritized digital transformation as one of the five pillars for its 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, which was presented and approved at the 2021 UWW Congress.

UWW has taken several steps aimed at improving the fan experience and increasing the value to its partners to become future-proof and modernize further. A new mobile app was launched along with a video hub, which offered features like the multi-functionality view during the live streaming. This is one of the best examples of fan-led design and development as this was in direct response to the fans’ behavior while streaming.

“We focused our efforts on digital tools that would improve the competition for our fans and those at the competition. Launching an App, developing a video hub and putting in motion an audience database was a challenge, but the World Championships were too big of an opportunity not to start in this new digital direction,” said Sebastien Guenat, UWW Director of IT.

The 2022 World Championships also helped the UWW to establish itself as a true media and entertainment content house, creating more than 500 posts during the World Championships for use across its channels.

All these initiatives have helped the UWW establish a direct relationship with the fans and expand the digital footprint, as evident from the latest figures.

#wrestlebishkek

Asian Championships: Iran Puts Four into Greco-Roman Finals

Monday, April 6, 2026 - 16:52 By Ken Marantz

Erfan JARKANI (IRI) celebrates after reaching the 63kg final at the Asian Championships in Bishkek. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 6) – On an opening day bereft of big surprises, the Iranians were their usual dominant selves, while local hero Azkhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) sent the partisan crowd into a frenzy by doing what he does best.

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) and fellow reigning world champion Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) were among four Iranians who qualified for the finals in the five Greco-Roman weight classes in action on the first day of the Asian Championships on Monday in Bishkek.

For the first time, the two-day format for all weight classes is being used at the Asian Championships, so that the five divisions on the first day were competed only through the semifinals.

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) turns Minseok KIM (KOR) during the 130kg semifinal at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Mirzazadeh’s march toward a fourth Asian gold at 130kg over a seven-year span could not be regarded as unscathed – he was on the receiving end of a painful head butt in his 8-0 semifinal victory over Minseok KIM (KOR).

Other than that, it was smooth sailing as the Paris Olympic bronze medalist and two-time world champion advanced with a pair of wins by technical superiority.

Mirzazadeh and Farokhi were joined in the finals by Erfan JARKANI (IRI) and Ali OSKOU (IRI) as Iran looks on track to surpass its 2025 gold medal tally of five in Amman, Jordan.

“We were expecting Farokhi and Mirzazadeh to reach the final, but over the last two years, both Jarkani and Oksou have improved a lot and good results were expected from them and they showed that,” Iran head coach Hassan RANGRAZ said. “Hopefully, tomorrow also our wrestlers will achieve good results.”

Against Kim, Mirzazadeh jumped out to a 5-0 lead with a pair of gut wrenches in par terre. In the second period, Kim rose his head as Mirzazadeh approached, causing a collision that left both rubbing their wounds.

Kim was assessed a 2-point penalty, and when a Korean challenge of the call was denied, that gave the Iranian his eighth and decisive point.

In the final, Mirzazadeh will face a newcomer to the Asian scene, former Russian national champion Rafael TSITSUASHVILI (UZB), who advanced with a 7-2 victory over two-time bronze medalist Yuta NARA (JPN).

Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI), the world champion at 82kg, defeated Sunil KUMAR (IND) in 87kg semifinals at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In one of those blink-and-you-missed-it dominant victories, Farokhi swiftly powered to an 8-0 victory over three-time Asian medalist Sunil KUMAR (IND) to advance to the 87kg final.

Farokhi, last year’s world champion at 82kg who has not lost an international match since 2022, shrugged Kumar by to get behind, then used an arm lock for four quicksilver back-and-forth exposures to end the match in 37 seconds.

In the final, Farokhi will take on world bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ), who put together a slightly less dominant 8-0 victory over Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) to become one of three wrestlers from the host country to make the finals.

Zhanyshov, a two-time Asian U23 champion, finished up the win with a go-behind takedown to top Tursynov, who has three Asian medals over a 10-year span – from a gold in 2014 to silvers in 2015 and 2023.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) launches Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) for four points during the 77kg semifinals in Bishkek. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The biggest cheers of the night at the new Zhastyk Arena came in response to the exploits at 77kg of Makhmudov, who first stole the spotlight when he won the first of his three Asian golds in 2018 across the street at the Soviet-era Kojomkul Sports Palace.

Facing 2024 Asian bronze medalist Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), Makhmudov got the first shot at par terre and took full advantage, thrilling the crowd with not one but two powerful reverse body lifts in which he flipped his opponent over like a pancake on the griddle.

Makhmudov, a two-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist, began the year on a sluggish note, falling in the 82kg quarterfinals of the Tirana Ranking Series tournament in February to Tunjay VAZIRZADE (AZE).

But back at his usual weight, Makhmudov is looking more like his old self – and he’ll need to be in that form in a challenging final against Iran’s Oskou, this year’s Zagreb Ranking Series champion and a 2024 world U23 bronze medalist.

Oskou had a pair of four-point throws and, while having to fight off his back when one roll attempt was stopped, still managed to forge a solid 13-3 victory over AMAN (IND) in the other semifinal.

Erfan JARKANI (IRI) battles it out with Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) in the 63kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 63kg, Zagreb Open champion and 2024 world U23 and U20 bronze medalist Jarkani held off former Asian champion Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) in a 5-3 win to advance to the final in his senior Asian debut.

Jarkani opened with a takedown, then quickly went up 5-0 when he received single points for passivity, fleeing and an unsuccessful challenge.

In the second period, Bakhramov showed the fight that led him to the 60kg gold in 2019, but could only manage a single gut wrench from par terre to fall short of victory.

Bakhramov, a world bronze medalist in 2023, still has a chance for his fourth career Asian medal and third bronze.

Jarkani will battle for the gold against Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ), who become the first wrestler from the home team to make the finals when he bulldozed his way to a 10-0 victory over Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM) in the other semifinal.

Taalaibek Uulu started the rout with a four-point arm throw onto which a challenge point was added. A passivity call put Taalaibek Uulu on top in par terre, and he hit his second four-pointer of the match to end it at 2:05.

Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) raises the hand of Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ) after beating the home wrestler in the 55kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 55kg, two-time bronze medalist Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) shrugged off the vocal partisan crowd and a potentially costly penalty against 2024 bronze medalist Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ), riding a five-point first period to a 5-3 victory and a place in tomorrow’s final.

Botirov, the silver medalist in Zagreb, reeled off a pair of gut wrenches from par terre for a 5-0 lead. In the second period, Muratbek Uulu was put on top and before the action even started, Botirov was assessed a two-point penalty for moving too soon.

Despite the crowd’s efforts to spur their wrestler on, Botirov withstood Muratbek Uulu’s late attacks and assured he will improve on the bronze medals he won last year and in 2023 by making the final, where he will face LALIT (IND).

Botirov earlier defeated the only Iranian to not make the final on the day, Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI), in the quarterfinals.

“Hosseinvand, too, should have been in the final given his recent performances, but it was unfortunate that he lost 8-0 [officially 10-0] against the Uzbekistan wrestler,” Rangraz added. “He beat him in February and he deserved to reach the final.”

LALIT (IND) reached the 55kg final after beating Houying SHI (CHN), 11-3. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Lalit put himself in position to become just the fourth Asian champion from India in Greco and first since 2020 when he battled back after losing the lead to defeat world bronze medalist Huoying SHI (CHN) 11-3.

Lalit, who likes to use a standing roll through from par terre, hit the move to take a 3-1 lead in the second period, but got stuck when he tried it again and Shi got around front, clamped on a front headlock and bulled Lalit over to go ahead 3-3 on criteria.

But Lalit struck back right away with a slick duck under for a takedown, then went to the roll through for two more, with an unsuccessful challenge point tacked on. A stepout and a defensive takedown gave Lalit the win by technical superiority as time ran out.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: LALIT (IND) vs. Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB)

SF 1: Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) df. Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ), 5-3
SF 2: LALIT (IND) df. Huoying SHI (CHN), 11-3

63kg
GOLD: Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) vs. Erfan Behnam JARKANI (IRI)

SF 1: Erfan JARKANI (IRI) df. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 5-3
SF 2: Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM), 10-0

77kg
GOLD: Ali OSKOU (IRI) vs. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)

SF 1: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 9-0
SF 2: Ali OSKOU (IRI) df. AMAN (IND), 13-3

87kg
GOLD: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) vs. Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)

SF 1: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Suni KUMAR (IND), 8-0
SF 2: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs. Rafael TSITSUASHVILI (UZB)

SF 1: Rafael TSITSUASHVILI (UZB) df. Yuta NARA (JPN), 7-2
SF 2: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Minseok KIM (KOR), 8-0

Wrestling scores big at World C'ships with 706 percent jump in engagements

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Asian Championships: Iran Puts Four into Greco-Roman Finals