#WrestleBudapest

Must-watch storylines from Budapest Ranking Series

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 4) -- As the Budapest Ranking Series gets underway Thursday in the Hungary capital, a few intriguing storylines will be seen on the mats. Countries will be finalizing their Olympic line-ups, a few star wrestlers are returning to competition while others are competing for the ranking points.

Here are the top storylines that no wrestling fan should miss at the Budapest Ranking Series which will be live on uww.org using UWW+.

Iran's dilemma

A wrestle-off is set to be held by Iran in Budapest to decide on the Paris Olympic team. Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) won the spot by winning bronze at the World Championships. But Saeid ESMAEILI LEIVESI (IRI) won the Asian Championships to lay his claim for the 67kg gold medal.

60kg will also see a wrestle-off as Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) is set to face Amirreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI) to decide who goes to the Paris Games.

Also, Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) is wrestling!

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will wrestle for the first time since winning gold medal at the Asian Games. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Sachiko Hotaka)

Yazdani returns

Undoubtedly Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) returning to competition is the big show in Budapest. Since winning the silver medal at the World Championships in Belgrade, Yazdani has wrestled only once, winning the gold medal at the Asian Games. A shoulder injury kept him out for eight months but Yazdani will be wrestling at 86kg on Thursday.

Before the Ranking Series, there were talks in Iran about a potential clash of Yazdani against 92kg world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) who is looking to make the Paris Olympic team for Iran. But Iran decided to send Yazdani alone and will assess his performance before deciding on a trial between the two.

Ziqi FENG (CHN)Ziqi FENG (CHN) gave a scare to Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in the Asian Championships final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

China's problem of plenty

China rarely sends a portion of its team to the Ranking Series. But it has sent only five wrestlers for Budapest, all in Women's Wrestling. Three wrestlers are entered at 50kg and two at 57kg, expected for a wrestle-off.

Yu ZHANG (CHN), Jiang ZHU (CHN) and Ziqi FENG (CHN) are fighting for the Paris Olympic spot at 50kg. Feng won the quota for China by winning the bronze medal at the World Championships in Belgrade.

Qi ZHANG (CHN) and Kexin HONG (CHN) will wrestle off for the spot at 57kg. Hong won the quota at the Asian Olympic Qualifier in Bishkek. But Zhang, a world champion at 59kg, won the Asian Championships, a run that also had a win over Risako KINJO (JPN) in the first round.

Jamalov's switch

Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) has been waiting for his Uzbekistan debut which will finally happen in Budapest. Jamalov will take the mat at 74kg and can also face Bekzhod ABURKHAMANOV (UZB), meaning that their match can also be a wrestle-off.  Jamalov has not wrestled at an international event since finishing fifth at the 2021 European Championships but has previously shown that he can win against any top wrestler on his day.

#WrestleBudapest, #WrestleParis

Budapest Ranking Series Entry List

By United World Wrestling Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (May 28) — If you wanted to see how some of the Paris Olympians are preparing for the Games, follow the Ranking Series in Budapest. From June 6 to 9, Budapest will see almost 50 percent of the Paris-qualified wrestlers perform in the Ranking Series in their last leg of training. The tournament will also offer ranking points that can change a few seeds for the Games.

World champions, Olympic champions and superstars of wrestling will make up the 313-wrestler-strong field in Budapest with 134 Paris-qualified ones. The tournament will kick off on June 4 with all the action live on UWW+ on uww.org and the UWW App.

Freestyle

57kg
Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
AMAN (IND)
Ali MOMENIJOUJADEH (IRI)
Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)
Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)
Darian CRUZ (PUR)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

61kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Gamal MOHAMED (EGY)
Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO)
Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO)
Shahdad KHOSRAVI MARDAKHEH (IRI)
Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ)
Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
Nils LEUTERT (SUI)
Nahshon GARRETT (USA)

65kg
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Gyoergy SZILAGYI (HUN)
Abbas EBRAHIMZADEHSAVADKOUHI (IRI)
Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)
Austin GOMEZ (MEX)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

70kg
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO)
Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Marcell DELY (HUN)
Mohammadali AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI)
Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ)
Evan HENDERSON (USA)

74kg
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Adam THOMSON (CAN)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Ali Abbas REZAEIAGHOUZGELEH (IRI)
Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)
Nemanja KIMOSKI (SRB)
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)
Razambek JAMALOV (UZB)
Anthony MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)

79kg
Chems FETAIRIA (ALG)
Mihail GEORGIEV (BUL)
Piruzi KVLIVIDZE (GEO)
Otari BAGAURI (GEO)
Adel PANAEIAN (IRI)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS)
Evsem SHVELIDZE (GEO)
Patrik MEZEI (HUN)
Patrik PUESPOEKI (HUN)
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)
Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Ethan RAMOS (PUR)
Myles AMINE (SMR)
Trent HIDLAY (USA)
Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB)

92kg
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Iuza TSERTSVADZE (GEO)
Krisztian ANGYAL (HUN)
Balazs JUHASZ (HUN)
Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI)

97kg 
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN)
Mostafa ELDERS (EGY)
Zaur BERADZE (GEO)
Richard VEGH (HUN)
Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI)
Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR)

125kg 
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN)
Georgi IVANOV (BUL)
Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY)
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Milan KORCSOG (HUN)
Amirreza MASOUMI VALADI (IRI)
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
Jonovan SMITH (PUR)
Mason PARRIS (USA)

Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI)Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) can face each other at 67kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Poya DAD MARZ (IRI)

60kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
Kevin DE ARMAS RODRIGUEZ (CUB)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI)
Amirreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI)
Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)
Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)
Dahyun KIM (KOR)
Dalton ROBERTS (USA)
Jamal VALIZADEH (UWW)

63kg
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Moamen MOHAMED (EGY)
Stefan CLEMENT (FRA)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Levente TOTH (HUN)
Meysam DALKHANI (IRI)
Yeongwoo JEONG (KOR)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Raiber RODRIGUEZ OROZCO (VEN)

67kg
Ishak GHAIOU (ALG)
Nestor ALMANZA TRUYOL (CHI)
Luis ORTA (CUB)
Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
David MANYIK (HUN)
Saeid ESMAEILI LEIVESI (IRI)
Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI)
Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Souleymen NASR (TUN)

72kg
Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)
Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA)
Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)
Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Otar ABULADZE (GEO)
Adam POHILEC (HUN)
Krisztofer KLANYI (HUN)
Krisztian VANCZA (HUN)
Danial SOHRABI (IRI)
Hyeonjin KANG (KOR)
Alejandro SANCHO (USA)

77kg
Abd OUAKALI (ALG)
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Jair CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO)
Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB)
Mahmoud ABDELRAHMAN (EGY)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Levente LEVAI (HUN)
Robert FRITSCH (HUN)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI)
Mohammad MOKHTARI (IRI)
Nao KUSAKA (JPN)
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Jesse PORTER (USA)

82kg
Karlo KODRIC (CRO)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
Peter DOEMOEK (HUN)
Miklos KIRALYHAZI (HUN)
Ashkan SAADATI FARD (IRI)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Alperen BERBER (TUR)
Spencer WOODS (USA)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Semen NOVIKOV (BUL)
Carlos MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL)
Matej MANDIC (CRO)
Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO)
Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO)
Ariel ALFONSO (HON)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Istvan TAKACS (HUN)
Vendel VITAI (HUN)
Mohammadhossein MAHMOODI (IRI)
Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
Shamil L OZHAEV (KAZ)
Seunghwan LEE (KOR)
Norbert SIPKA (SVK)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Payton JACOBSON (USA)

97kg
Fadi ROUABAH (ALG)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Mohamed GABR (EGY)
Giorgi MELIA (GEO)
Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Alex SZOKE (HUN)
Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)
Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI)
Seungjun KIM (KOR)
Josef RAU (USA)

130kg
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)
Heiki NABI (EST)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
Koppany LASZLO (HUN)
Darius VITEK (HUN)
Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Seungchan LEE (KOR)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Adam COON (USA)

Helen MAROULIS (USA)Helen MAROULIS (USA) is entered to compete at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN)
Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)
Madison PARKS (CAN)
Yu ZHANG (CHN)
Jiang ZHU (CHN)
Ziqi FENG (CHN)
Alisson CARDOZO REY (COL)
Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB)
Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA)
VINESH (IND)
Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL)
Agata WALERZAK (POL)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)
Audrey JIMENEZ (USA)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)

53kg
Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB)
Lucia YEPEZ (ECU)
ANTIM (IND)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Milana DADASHEVA (AIN)
Jonna MALMGREN (SWE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR)
Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB)
Betzabeth ARGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN)

55kg
Ekaterina VERBINA (AIN)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN)
Emma TISSINA (KAZ)
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)

57kg
Chaimaa AOUISSI (ALG)
Giullia PENALBER (BRA)
Qi ZHANG (CHN)
Kexin HONG (CHN)
Luisa VALVERDE (ECU)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Tamara DOLLAK (HUN)
ANSHU (IND)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Helen MAROULIS (USA)

59kg
Nikolett SZABO (HUN)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Magdalena GLODEK (POL)
Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR)

62kg
Alina KASABIEVA (AIN)
Aleksandra SKIRENKO (AIN)
Lais NUNES (BRA)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Ana GODINEZ (CAN)
Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)
Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)
Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Natalia KUBATY (POL)
Siwar BOUSETA (TUN)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)
Kayla MIRACLE (USA)

65kg
Dinara KUDAEVA (AIN)
Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN)
Iris THIEBAUX (FRA)
Eniko ELEKES (HUN)
Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

68kg
Kseniia BURAKOVA (AIN)
Koumba LARROQUE (FRA)
NISHA (IND)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Tayla FORD (NZL)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR)
Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB)
Soleymi CARABALLO HERNANDEZ (VEN)

72kg
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Kendra DACHER (FRA)
Viktoria FELHO (HUN)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Fanni NAGY NAD (SRB)
Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR)

76kg
Justina DI STASIO (CAN)
Tatiana RENTERIA (COL)
Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
REETIKA (IND)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)