#WrestleAlmaty

11 Reigning Champs Looking to Reclaim Asian Supremacy

By Eric Olanowski

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (April 12) – Eleven gold medalists from last year’s Asian Championships return to the mat this week in Almaty with hopes of defending their New Delhi continental crowns from a year ago. Greco-Roman welcomes six returning champions, while a trio of women’s wrestlers and a pair of freestyle champs are searching for back-to-back podium-topping finishes.

Iran’s loaded Greco-Roman squad is highlighted by ’20 Asian champions Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI), Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) and Mahdi Asgar EBRAHIMI (IRI). They’ll wrestle at 55kg, 72kg and 82kg, respectively.

The other three returning Greco-Roman champs making the trip to Kazakhstan are Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB), Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ) and Kumar SUNIL (IND). Tasmuradov, a Rio Olympic bronze medalist, is not only looking to defend his '20 title, but he’s looking for a sixth overall Asian gold medal. He’ll wrestle at 63kg. Last year’s 77kg and 130kg champs, respectively, Shadukayev and Sunil, will compete at their title-winning weights from ’20.

Japan’s women’s team claimed five of the ten golds last year, but after contract tracing removed the defending team champions from the competition, women’s wrestling welcomes the trio of reigning champions Pinki PINKI (IND), Sarita SARITA (IND) and Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ).

Pinki is entered at 55kg. Her biggest threat to repeating is her ’20 finals opponent Dulguun MUNKHBOLD BOLORMAA (MGL). Sarita and Bakbergenova are the lone returning medalists at 59kg and 72kg, respectively.

In freestyle, lightweight stars Kumar RAVI (IND) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) are looking to claim a second consecutive continental crown. 

Returning champ Ravi is entered at 57kg – the same weight where he claimed his ’19 world bronze. 

Otoguro will share the 65kg bracket with his ’20 Asian finals opponent Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) and ’19 world silver medalist Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ).

Wrestling begins on Tuesday (April 13-18) at 11:00 (local time) with Greco-Roman action. Women's wrestling takes center stage on Thursday while freestyle action closes out the tournament beginning on Friday.

Returning Champs by Style:
Freestyle
57kg - Kumar RAVI (IND)
65kg - Takuto OTOGURO (JPN)

Greco-Roman
50kg - Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI)
63kg - Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB)
72kg - Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)
77kg - Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
82kg - Mahdi Asgar EBRAHIMI (IRI)
87kg - Kumar SUNIL (IND)

Women’s Wrestling
55kg - Pinki PINKI (IND)
59kg - Sarita SARITA (IND)
72kg - Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)

#WrestleMonterrey

Pan-American Championships 2025 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

MONTERREY, Mexico (April 29) -- The Pan-American Championships will be held from May 8 to 11 in Monterrey, Mexico.

The competition will see 201 wrestlers in 30 weight classes with the United States, Canada and Cuba bringing strong squads.

The Pan-Ams will be live on UWW+ and FloWrestling with live matches and highlights.

Follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.

Note: The entries are preliminary and subject to change. For final entries on the day of the competition, refer to UWW Arena

Greco-Roman

55kg
Isaac MARIN MATA (MEX)
Jayden RANEY (USA)

60kg
Pedro DE SOUZA (BRA)
Patrick RODRIGUEZ QUINTO (ECU)
Diego TERRIQUEZ IBARRA (MEX)
Andres ANDRADE (PAN)
Maxwell BLACK (USA)
Yonaiker MARTINEZ CRAVO (VEN)

63kg
Matias MUNOZ RAMIREZ (CHI)
Jeremy PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA)
Angel SEGURA TELLEZ (MEX)
Lisandro CABRERA ORTIZ (PAR)
Ellis COLEMAN (USA)

67kg
Joao DE JESUS SILVA (BRA)
Nestor ALMANZA TRUYOL (CHI)
Luis ORTA (CUB)
Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Donavan SOLORZANO AMAYA (HON)
Osvaldo YANEZ SILVA (MEX)
Royglen TEMPLE BATISTA (PAN)
Marco FERNANDEZ CUBAS (PER)
Alston NUTTER (USA)
Neiser MARIMON HIDALGO (VEN)

72kg
Luis GUALLPA SUQUILEMA (ECU)
Cristian MEJIA TEPEN (GUA)
Luis BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Marquis LARMOND (JAM)
Jorge GOMEZ GARCIA (MEX)
Wilfrido SAMANIEGO QUIJADA (PAN)
Nilton SOTO GARCIA (PER)
Alejandro SANCHO (USA)

77kg
Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG)
Calebe CORREA FERREIRA (BRA)
Eduardo BERNAL MOLINA (CHI)
Oscar BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Alexis VARGAS RAMIREZ (MEX)
Ryan CUBAS CASTILLO (PER)
Kamal BEY (USA)
Leomar CORDERO DEPOOL (VEN)

82kg
David CHOC HUOC (GUA)
Diego MACIAS TORRES (MEX)
Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)

87kg
Sosruko KODZOKOV (BRA)
Ariel ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Omar MENDOZA DE RAMON (MEX)
Eduardo VEGA GARCIA (PAN)
Carlos ESPINOZA CASTRO (PER)
Payton JACOBSON (USA)
Luis AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN)

97kg
Ricardo GOMEZ (ARG)
Igor ALVES DE QUEIROZ (BRA)
Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB)
Kevin MEJIA (HON)
Dorian TREJO OLGUIN (MEX)
Gabriel LEE SKINNER (PAN)
Michial FOY (USA)
Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN)

130kg
Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA)
Diego ALMENDRAS RODRIGUEZ (CHI)
Oscar PINO (CUB)
Leonidas MANZABA QUINONEZ (ECU)
Gino AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Juan HERRERA (MEX)
Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA)
Moises PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN)

Lucia YEPEZ (ECU)Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) will compete for the first time since winning the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Kamila BARBOSA (BRA)
Madison PARKS (CAN)
Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB)
Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU)
Linda CASTANEDA GAONA (MEX)
Yorlenis MORAN SANCHEZ (PAN)
Antuaneth CASUSOL CASAS (PER)
Audrey JIMENEZ (USA)
Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN)

53kg
Adrianny CASTILLO (ARG)
Sabrina GAMA TAPAJOS (BRA)
Serena DI BENEDETTO (CAN)
Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB)
Lucia YEPEZ (ECU)
Josefina RAMIREZ DUARTE (MEX)
Yusneiry AGRAZAL (PAN)
Nathaly HERRERA HUACRE (PER)
Jaslynn GALLEGOS (USA)
Mariana ROJAS (VEN)

55kg
Geisa RAPHAEL VELOSO (BRA)
Karla GODINEZ (CAN)
Andrea AVELINO BARRIENTOS (MEX)
Louisa SCHWAB (USA)

57kg
Camila AMARILLA (ARG)
Ana PEREIRA FRANCA (BRA)
Mia FRIESEN (CAN)
Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB)
Luisa VALVERDE (ECU)
Bertha ROJAS (MEX)
Martha OLIVARES BENDEZU (PER)
Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)
Mayra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN)

59kg
Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
Karla RAMOS (MEX)
Abigail NETTE (USA)

62kg
Juliana NEPER (BRA)
Ana GODINEZ (CAN)
Leonela GRUEZO ORTIZ (ECU)
Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX)
Savannah COSME (USA)
Astrid MONTERO (VEN)

65kg
Leticia GAION (BRA)
Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN)
Elide CASTANON BUENDIA (MEX)
Macey KILTY (USA)

68kg
Grabriela PEDRO (BRA)
Vanessa KEEFE (CAN)
Virginia JIMENEZ (CHI)
Debanhi TAPIA GARCIA (MEX)
Kennedy BLADES (USA)
Nathaly GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN)

72kg
Nyla BURGESS (CAN)
Michelle OLEA RUIZ (MEX)
Tiffani BAUBLITZ (USA)

76kg
Linda MACHUCA (ARG)
Thamires MARTINS MACHADO (BRA)
Vianne ROULEAU (CAN)
Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis REASCO (ECU)
Edna JIMENEZ (MEX)
Kylie WELKER (USA)
Neirili BANGUERO MARTINEZ (VEN)

Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) is one of the favorites to win gold at 65kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / William Bain)

Freestyle

57kg
Davi SILVA GIOVANNETTI (BRA)
Christopher MERLO (CAN)
Esteban MORALES MAYANCHA (ECU)
Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA)
Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX)
Eduardo PALAS SEQUEIROS (PER)
Lucas RODRIGUEZ (PUR)
Liam CORNIN (USA)
Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

61kg
Garette SAUNDERS (CAN)
Peter HAMMER (CRC)
Joshua KRAMER (ECU)
Esteban PEREZ (GUA)
Enrique OLVERA (MEX)
Andres ANDRADE (PAN)
Diego VILLALBA (PAR)
Joseph SILVA (PUR)
Jaxen FORREST (USA)

65kg
Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)
Matheus DA LUZ (BRA)
Peiman BIABANI (CAN)
Matias MUNOZ (CHI)
Jonnathan PEREZ (GUA)
Jordan MITCHELL (JAM)
Diego PERAZA AGUILAR (MEX)
Joseph MCKENNA (USA)
Wilfredo RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

70kg
Edvanilson CONCEICAO (BRA)
Jacob ALEXANDER TORRES (CAN)
Jorge GATICA (CHI)
Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA)
Donavan SOLORZANO (HON)
Marquis LARMOND (JAM)
Austin GOMEZ (MEX)
Royglen TEMPLE BATISTA (PAN)
Sixto AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER)
Francisco GUZMAN VELAZQUEZ (PUR)
Ian PARKER (USA)

74kg
Paulo GONCALVES DA SILVA (BRA)
Adam THOMSON (CAN)
Geannis GARZON (CUB)
Mauricio SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU)
Luis BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Alonzo SMILEY GARCIA (MEX)
Wilfrido SAMANIEGO QUIJADA (PAN)
Jhon CHUNGA CARRENO (PER)
Ladarion LOCKETT (USA)
Anthony MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)

79kg
Jasmit PHULKA (CAN)
Victor HERNANDEZ LUNA (MEX)
Jose AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER)
Shane JONES (PUR)
Evan WICK (USA)

86kg
Jorge LLANO (ARG)
Giovanni GAION (BRA)
Taran GORING (CAN)
Jorge ANDY TIWI (ECU)
Cesar UBICO ESTRADA (GUA)
Kevin DE LEON TREVINO (MEX)
Jesus LANDA CESPEDES (PER)
Ethan RAMOS (PUR)
Zahid VALENCIA (USA)
Steven RODRIGUEZ TORREYES (VEN)

92kg
Andrew JOHNSON (CAN)
Miguel LAVIELLE RAMIREZ (MEX)
Eduardo VEGA GARCIA (PAN)
Edwin MORALES (PUR)
Trent HIDLAY (USA)

97kg
Ricardo BAEZ (ARG)
Ailton BRITO ROCHA (BRA)
Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN)
Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB)
Juan ITURRIZA RUIZ (MEX)
Justin RADEMACHER (USA)
Cristian SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

125kg
Gabriel DE SOUSA SILVA (BRA)
Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN)
Maxwell LACEY GARITA (CRC)
Gino AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Nicolas SANTACRUZ RABAGO (MEX)
Jonovan SMITH (PUR)
Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA)
Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)