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Breaking down freestyle battles at World Championships for Non-Olympic weights

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 - 09:44 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 15) -- Six months ago, no one had the Sadulaev-Taylor-Ghasempour three-way battle for world title on their bingo card. But it is about to go down in Tirana.

The World Championships in non-Olympic weight classes is returning after eight years. Despite the fact that none of the Paris Olympic participants were allowed in the tournament, it still has a host of stars hoping to become world champions.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN), a two-time Olympic and five-time world champion, did not participate in the Paris Olympics and is going down a weight class to 92kg in a bid to earn his sixth world title. Three-time world champion David TAYLOR (USA) jumped from 86kg to 92kg in a bid to compete at the World Championships. He now gets a shot at Sadulaev. Two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), who has been moving up and down in weight classes, has somehow been made the challenger.

Ghasempour participated in the 97kg weight class in the Zagreb Open but lost to Kyle SNYDER (USA). He was in line for Iran's 86kg spot for Paris but later opted out of a trial against Hassan YAZDANI (IRI).

Sadulaev lost a bout for the second time in his career and first in six years when he lost to Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) at the 2023 World Championships. Taylor lost to Aaron BROOKS (USA) in the U.S. Olympic trials and Ghasempour barely scraped through in the trials for the world team in Iran.

Yet, the three will be the favorite for the gold medal and it will only be a surprise if any of them miss out on the podium in Tirana.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) is eyeing his seventh world title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Six-time world champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) is also chasing history. If he wins, he will win his seventh world title, making him the most successful American wrestler at the World Championships. He missed out on competing at the 2023 World Championships but stormed back in 2024, winning the trial in the United States.

But his path to gold won't be an easy one. Two-time U23 world champion Magomed MAGOMAEV (AIN), former world silver medalist Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), three-time world medalist Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) and Asian champion Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) are also in the fray.

Nokhodi and Burroughs have wrestled in two back-to-back World Championships finals with the latter winning both. But Burroughs suffered his first loss to an Iranian in 2022 when Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) defeated him at the World Cup and Nokhodi will draw confidence from there.

All the big names will be looking to hand Burroughs his first World Championships loss since 2019.

Vitali ARUJAU (USA)Vitali ARUJAU (USA) is the defending world champion at 61kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Another Olympic champion eyeing a world title will be Zavur UGUEV (AIN) as he last won the second of two titles in 2019. Uguev won gold at the Tokyo Olympics at 57kg but finished fifth at the 2023 World Championships. He will be at 61kg in Tirana hoping to deny defending world champion Vitali ARUJAU (USA) a second world title.

Arujau won his first world gold medal in 2023 by beating Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) in a tense final. He won the team trials in the U.S. to confirm his name for the World Championships in Tirana.

An interesting name entered is Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB). The former European champion will turn out for Serbia at 61kg but it is unlikely that he will be challenging for gold.

Masanosuke ONO (JPN), however, can be a big threat for the gold medal given his style and pace of wrestling. He rocked the competition at the U20 World Championships last month and won gold at 61kg. It will be interesting to see how he fares at his first senior World Championships.

Asian Championships silver medalist UDIT (IND) and Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) have some good wins under their belts over the past two years and they would like to make a mark in Tirana.

Inalbek SHERIEV (AIN)Inalbek SHERIEV (AIN) and Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) wrestled in the U23 World Championships final last year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U23 world and European champion Inalbek SHERIEV (AIN) will be making his senior international debut at 70kg in Tirana and will be the favorite to win the gold medal. However, the field has other top contenders like Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI), Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) and James GREEN (USA) among others.

Yazdani lost the final at 70kg last year to Zain RETHERFORD (USA) but will look to make amends this year. He won the Asian Championships over Aoyagi in a high-scoring final. Yazdani's 13-9 win over Aoyagi was not convincing and the Japanese will look to change the result if the two meet in Tirana. Aoyagi was in the final against Sheriev but dropped the final 9-3. He finished eighth at the World Championships in 2023.

Former U20 world champion for Iran, Peiman BIABANI (CAN) will be turning out for Canada. He finished second at the Pan-Am Championships and the World Championships will be a big test for him. 2023 bronze medalist Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) will look to change the color of his medal this year.

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Women's Wrestling Preview

Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 15:12 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 16) -- Six 2025 champions will look to defend their gold medal in Women's Wrestling at the European Championships starting next week. But the tournament will also see a return of a few veteran stars in Tirana.

Among the returning champions will be Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), who ended a 24-year wait for Greece to have European champion in Women's Wrestling, now going for her second title at 53kg.

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Just as is the case globally, there’s no shortage of depth in the 53kg weight class in Europe and a number of wrestlers can upset the Greek wrestler.

Two former champions, Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) and Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (UWW), are returning to the continental championships for the first time since 2024. The two met in the final at the 2024 edition with the latter winning the gold medal.

Tirana will also mark the return of prodigious talent Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR), a former U17 world and U20 European champion. She will be among the many Ukrainians favorites to win gold in their respective categories.

Apart from the four, Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), Gerda TEREK (HUN) and Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) are also in contention to finish on the podium.

Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), right, will look to defend her 76kg title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Strong Ukraine Squad
Ukraine have won the women’s team title in each of the last three editions and are set to defend it, thanks to a strong squad heading to Tirana. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) at 50kg and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) at 76kg will look to repeat as champions while U20 world champion Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) will make her senior debut at 72kg.

Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) at 57kg and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) at 59kg have good chances to finish on the top of the podium as well.

Livach will be the favorite at 50kg despite the likes of returning silver medalist Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR), U23 European champion Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), returning bronze medalist Natallia VARAKINA (UWW) and rising star Svenja JUNGO (SUI).

Alpyeyeva stunned the wrestling world by winning the 76kg gold medal last year by beating Yasemin ADAR (TUR) in the final. While both bronze medalists from 2025, Martina KUENZ (AUT) and Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (UWW) are returning, it’s U23 world silver medalist Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) who likely to be the biggest challenger to Alpyeyeva.

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) is hoping to return to the top of the podium at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Two-time Olympic medalist and former European champion Koliadenko will lead the charge at 65kg. After being denied last year by Irina RINGACI (MDA) in the semifinals, Koliadenko will be looking to bounce back and add to her previous three European gold medals.

While the absence of Ringaci and last year's champion Grace BULLEN (NOR), who has moved to 62kg should make things easier, Koliadenko still has some tricky opponents in Tirana. World silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) should be the biggest challenger for Koliadenko.

Greco-trained Sokolovska, who won the U20 world title at 76kg, will be at 72kg replacing European and world champion Alla BELINSKA (UKR) this year. In a stacked weight class, she will be challenged by Olympic medalist and former European champion Buse TOSUN (TUR), who moved down to 68kg last year and finished with a bronze medal. But she is back to 72kg, switching spots with Nesrin BAS (TUR), 2025 silver at 72kg, who is now at 68kg.

U23 European champion Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) will be another tough competitor for Sokolovska along with world medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL).

Nesrin BAS (TUR)Nesrin BAS (TUR) will present her challenge at 68kg this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Bas' Golden Chance 
Bas at 68kg will be keen on claiming the top position in European after falling short at the continental and world level last year. She lost finals at 72kg at both the competitions in 2025.

Bas, a three-time U23 world champion, will face returning champion Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) who recently won the U23 European gold. Shauchuk has been rising quickly through the ranks and she defeated Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) in the final last year to stun the Bratislava crowd. 

Shauchuk should be ready for a tougher outing as Bas brings more skill set and Zelenykh will be keen on revenge. Former U23 European champion Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) will be the dark horse.

Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) is the defending champion at 55kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Verbina Eyes Second Straight Gold
Defending champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW), also a world silver medalist, could have had a smooth sailing to the gold medal but the entry of former European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) just added to the challenge of defending the title. While these two go in as favorites, keep an eye out for Tuba DEMIR (TUR) who has the potential to go deep into this bracket as well.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) is eyeing her fifth European gold medal in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Bullen Favorite at 62kg
Grace BULLEN (NOR) spent most of 2025, a year after the Olympics, at 65kg in which she also won gold at the European Championships. But the four-time champion is returning to 62kg and will be the favorite at the weight class to win her fifth title to go with her two silver medals.

Bullen defeated Ringaci in a memorable final last year, but she should have less trouble winning gold this year. U23 European champion Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) should be her biggest threat along with former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), and former U23 world and European champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN).

Returning silver medalist Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), who has notched up a series of good results recently, will also be looking to return to the final and challenge Bullen.

With defending champion at 57kg Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) giving the European Championships a miss, returning silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) has the chance to improve the color of her medal. Among other contenders are returning bronze medalists Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Solomiia VYNYYK (UKR). Former U20 European champion and U20 world silver medalist Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR) will also be looking to at least finish on the podium for Norway.

Another returning silver medalist from Turkiye hoping to upgrade her medal is Bediha GUN (TUR), who lost to Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) last year in the final at 59kg.

Sidelnikova’s absence will make things only slightly easier for Gun in Tirana but world silver medalist Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) is expected to pose a serious threat as she chases her first-ever European medal.

Finalists from February’s U23 European Championships, Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Marta HETMANAVA (UWW) are also entered and it won’t be a shock if the two make the final. Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), silver medalist at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in February, will be among the contenders as well.