Asian Championships 2025 Preview

Thursday, March 20, 2025 - 15:58 By United World Wrestling Press

AMMAN, Jordan (March 20) -- The 2025 Asian Championships will be held in Amman, Jordan from March 25 to 30. More than 370 wrestlers from across the continent will compete in Amman, a city which is hosting the Asian Championships for the first time in its history.

The Asian Championships will be live on uww.org and UWW+. Follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook and TikTok.

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While Iran has dominated the Asian scene for a long time in wrestling, Japan has emerged as the new challenger to its dominance. The Asian Championships in Amman will provide more insight into Japan's ever-improving wrestling program which helped it win eight gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Undoubtedly, Japan is the supreme power in Women's Wrestling. But for the 2025 Asian Championships, it is bringing strong teams in Freestyle and Greco-Roman as well. Iran, on the other hand, is banking on young stars in Freestyle and mixing youth and experience in Greco-Roman.

Another big talking point of the tournament is the return of Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) after his shoulder surgery. He has won the Asian, World and Asian Games and Olympic gold medals over the last two years.

Olympic champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) is is the defending 67kg champion at Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

With two Olympic champions and several age-group and senior world champs, Iran's juggernaut in Greco-Roman is set to continue at the Asian Championships. Led by Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) and Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) at 67kg and 97kg respectively, Iran will be hoping to win at least five gold medals.

Add to the list the phenom Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) at 130kg, who is quickly rising to be the best Greco-Roman in the super heavyweight class.

Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) at 55kg, Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) at 60kg, Danial SOHRABI (IRI) at 72kg, Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) at 77kg, Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) at 82kg and Yasin YAZDI (IRI) at 87kg complete the line-up expected to dominate at the Asian Championships.

Kaito INABA (JPN) is the returning 60kg silver medalist. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The big question is -- can Japan, or any other country, challenge Iran?

Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) at 67kg, Kaito INABA (JPN) at 60kg, and Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) at 82kg are among the favorites to win the gold medals. Yoshida is the returning champion at 82kg and one of the biggest prospects of the Nippon Sports Science University (NSSU) that produced five out of eight Japanese gold medalists in Paris. Endo and Inaba, both from NSSU, have past experience and can go all the way on their day.

In total, six of the 10 Japanese Greco-Roman wrestlers train at NSSU. [High-school student Yoshida will formally join NSSU on April 1].

A few other challengers to these two countries include returning champion Yu Chol RO (PRK) and bronze medalist Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ) at 55kg, Paris bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK), and U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) will be the key names at 60kg.

Kyrgyzstan is without its three Paris medalists Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Uzur DZHUZUPBEOKV (KGZ) but the likes of Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ), Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ), Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ), Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) will be hoping to climb the podium as a few of them did at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 2025.

Kazakhstan is clearly trying to rebuild its team as it has Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ) and Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) and also veterans Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) and Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) among others.

Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) is looking for his first Asian Championships gold medal at 125kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Freestyle

Another style which Iran dominates at the Asian level. While it is not bringing its first team to Amman, Iran still has its young stars in Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI), Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), Sina KHALILI (IRI) and a few others.

Masoumi at 125kg is looking to win his first Asian medal that he missed in 2023, losing to world silver medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) and later to BUHEEERDUN (CHN). For Firouzpour, the road to gold should not have many hurdles.

Iran's bench strength will be tested in the other weight classes as it hopes to win medals with Khalili at 70kg, Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) at 61kg, Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) at 65kg, Mohammad Reza SHAKERI (IRI) at 74kg, Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) at 79kg, Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) at 86kh and Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI) at 97kg.

Despite a relatively depleted squad, Japan still boasts of Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN) at 57kg, 2025 Muhamet Malo Ranking Series winner Takara SUDA (JPN) at 61kg, returning silver medalist at 70kg Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), former world U20 silver Ryunosuke KAMIYA (JPN) at 79kg, former world U23 champion at 86kg Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN), Paris Olympian Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) at 92kg and former champion Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), who recently defeated Kyle SNYDER (USA) in Tirana, at 97kg.

Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) will look to upgrade his silver medal at 97kg this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kazakhstan's two world champs in Freestyle -- Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) and Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) -- will be in action. Aitmukhan, an Asian silver medalist, will once again challenge Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) who he lost to.

Kaipnov will be challenging the 74kg field, a category one weight up. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) will be moving to 92kg for the Asian Championships.

World U23 champion CHIRAG (IND) will lead India's challenge at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

India has won the 57kg gold medal four times out of the last five but the weight class is stacked for this year. Paris bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) entered will be the favorite to win the gold medal. He will be challenged by Milad VALIZADEH (IRI), Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN), Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ), Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ), Chong Song HAN (PRK) and Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK) among others.

While India's Paris medalist AMAN (IND) has skipped the tournament, world U23 champion CHIRAG (IND) will be leading the charge at 57kg. 2024 57kg silver medalist UDIT (IND) will be at 61kg while world U20 medalist SUJEET (IND) at 65kg. At 92kg, Deepak PUNIA (IND) is returning to action after missing the Paris berth.

Other than aforementioned stars, other big names include Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) and Kum Chol RI (PRK) at 61kg, Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) and Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) at 65kg, and Feng LU (CHN) and Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) at 79kg.

Battle at 70kg

While defending champion Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) is not entered at 70kg, returning silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) will have his hands full.

Former world U23 champion Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ) will hope to put aside a forgetful Muhamet Malo Ranking Series and start afresh in Amman. Another world medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) is long due for a rocking performance and Asian Championships offers the perfect platform to announce his return to the podium.

Add to the mix Asian Games champion and Asian silver medalist Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) who is not reducing his weight to fit into 65kg this edition. Then there is returning 74kg silver medalist Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) who is at 70kg as well, making this weight class the deepest in Freestyle.

Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) is the 2022 and 2023 Asian champion at 50kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

As the Women's Wrestling powerhouse, Japan has entered seven world champions in 10 weight classes. In the remaining weight categories, it has two age-group world champs.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) at 62kg, the lone Paris medalist from Japan entered, will lead the charge along with 2024 world champs Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) at 55kg and Ami ISHII (JPN) at 68kg. Former world champion at 50kg Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) at 55kg, world U23 champion Sara NATAMI (JPN) at 57kg, world U20 champion at 59kg Sakura ONISHI (JPN), former world champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) at 65kg, former world champion Masako FURUICHI (JPN) at 72kg, and Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) at 76kg complete the line-up.

The possibility of all 10 returning with a medal is extremely high. China is likely to offer some resistance to this line-up and DPR Korea may surprise in some weight classes like it did at the 2022 Asian Games.

China is banking on world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN) who is now at 65kg, Paris bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN) at 57kg, world silver medalist Jin ZHANG (CHN) and U20 world champ Yu ZHANG (CHN). Former Asian champion Mengyu XIE (CHN) is wrestling at 59kg.

DPR Korea will spice up Asian Championships in Women's Wrestling as it is likely to cause some disruptions. Its first medalist in Olympics, Hyo Gyong CHOE (PRK) is making her Asian Championships debut and will lead a team that consists of Myong Gyong WON (PRK) at 50kg, returning silver medalist at 55kg Kyong Ryong OH (PRK), World Military Championships gold medalist Il Sim SON (PRK) and Paris 5th placer Sol Gum PAK (PRK) among others.

World bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) is wrestling for the first time after a disappointing Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

India, however, will have a young line-up to challenge Japan and China led by Paris Olympian world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND). Former world U23 champion REETIKA (IND) will be at 76kg and world U17 champion Mansi LATHER (IND) made it to her first senior team at 68kg.

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), Elmira SYDYZKOVA (KAZ), Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB), Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) and Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) are a few other stars entered for the women's competition.

#WrestleZagreb

Azarpira ends Tazhudinov's two-year dream run in Zagreb

Monday, September 15, 2025 - 16:07 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 15) -- Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) burst on to the wrestling scene with stunning victory over Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) and eventually becoming world champion in 2023.

He followed that up with gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Unbeaten since 2023, it seemed Tazhudinov will dominate the weight classes for the coming years.

Enter Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI).

The Paris Olympic bronze medalist ended Tazhudinov's two-year dream run with victory in the semifinal of the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb on Monday.

During this two-year reign, Azarpira was the only wrestler who came close to beating Tazhudinov. The two faced each other in the Paris Olympics and the Iranian had a 3-0 lead before giving up four points in the second period to lose 4-3.

There were no such comeback in the second period on Monday. Azarpira took a 2-0 lead with two stepouts but Tazhudinov took criteria lead with a takedown. But Azarpira kept his calm and scored a stepout to make it 3-2.

Tazhudinov tried reaching for Azarpira's legs with his long reach but the Iranian seemed in no trouble at all defending his lead. After one of Tazhudinov's attack, he scored a go-behind and won the bout 5-2.

It is after 12 year that an Iran wrestler has reached the final of the 96/97kg weight class. Reza YAZDANI (IRI) won gold at 96kg at the 2013 World Championships in Budapest.

Azarpira will try to match with Yazdani when he takes on Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the final on Tuesday after the United States wrestler defeated upcoming star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) in the other semifinal.

Snyder, who had lost to Yoshida at the Tirana Ranking Series, dominated the semifinal, winning 9-1. He scored four different takedowns and looked liked the Snyder of old. Since 2015, Snyder has won a medal at all World Championships including gold in 2015, 2017 and 2022.

Azarpira has two wins over Snyder in the past, the first coming in Zagreb in 2023 at the Ranking Series. The second win came at the Paris Olympics in the bronze-medal bout.

In the other Freestyle weight class -- 65kg -- on Monday, the Olympic final will be replayed after champion Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) and silver medalist Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) made it to the final at the World Championships.

Amouzad saw off Paiman BIABANI (CAN), 5-0, scoring three stepouts and a takedown while Kiyooka managed to score two takedowns in his 5-0 win over Umidjon JALALOV (UZB).

Onishi on track for first gold

A month after winning gold at the U20 World Championships, Sakura ONISHI (JPN) is on the verge of winning her first senior world title after she made it to the final at 59kg.

Like the age-group World Championships, Onishi has not given up a point so far in three bouts in Zagreb. In the semifinals, she wasted no time to secure a fall over Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL).

"While keeping in mind what the opponent would do, I made it clear what I wanted to do," Onishi said. "I was able to execute and that [pin] was the result. I think it creates good momentum going into tomorrow [for final]."

In the final, Onishi will face European U23 silver Maria VYNNYK (UKR) who used a big four-pointer in her 9-5 victory over Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN).

"From the warmup before the first match, I felt like my legs were moving well," she said. "The way I dictated the flow of the matches also was pretty good, so I think I can do it my own way. I feel peace of mind to make it to the final. I came here to become the senior world champion and tomorrow, I want to win and set off on a winning run (around the mat)."

At 55kg, Asian 53kg champion Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) reached the final after pinning Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), who was making her senior debut. Oh scored a huge under-over and kept Uchida on the mat until the fall was called.

The DPR Korea is returning to the World Championships after six years; last appearance coming in 2019. The nation had one champion in women's wrestling in Astana.

For a gold medal on Tuesday, Oh will face European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) who survived a late attack from Andreea ANA (ROU) to beat the Romanian 5-3.

RESULTS

Freestyle

65kg
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) vs. Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)

SF 1: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Peiman BIABANI (CAN), 5-0
SF 2: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Umidjon JALALOV (UZB), 5-0

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) vs. Kyle SNYDER (USA)

SF 1: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), 5-2
SF 2: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-1

Women's Wrestling

55kg
GOLD: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) vs. Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)

SF 1: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), via fall
SF 2: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Andreea ANA (ROU), 5-3

59kg
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) vs. Maria VYNNYK (URK)

SF 1: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL), via fall
SF 2: Maria VYNNYK (URK) df. Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN), 10-5

Asian Championships 2025 Preview

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Azarpira ends Tazhudinov's two-year dream run in Zagreb