Asian Championships Greco-Roman Preview

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 - 12:34 By Jimmy Pawelski

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (March 29) -- The 2023 Asian Championships kick off April 9 in Astana, Kazakhstan, with Greco-Roman wrestlers being the first to take the mat following the opening whistle. On Sunday, April 9, 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg participants will compete, while 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg participants compete on Monday, April 10.

The competition schedule for both days is as follows:
11:30 local time: Qualification rounds
13:30 local time: Semifinals
14:15 local time: Repechage
18:00 local time: Finals

This year’s Greco-Roman entries are highlighted by five reigning Asian Championship gold medalists and 17 total returning medalists from 2022. Last year’s world champions Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) will look to defend their Asian first-place finishes at 60kg and 77kg, respectively.

World silver medalist at 130kg, Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) will be competing in the tournament for the first time since his first-place finish in 2020.

Tournament-host Kazakhstan will attempt to earn back-to-back first-place team finishes with four returning 2022 Asian Championships medalists.

Meanwhile, 2022 third-place team finisher Kyrgyzstan has the most returning medalists registered to compete with five and 2022 second-place team finisher Iran returns four medalists. Despite not having any 2022 Asian Championships medalists registered this year, Japan is sending a talented young team and was the sixth highest-placing Asian country at the 2022 World Championships. Just ahead of them was China, who did not compete in last year’s Asian Championships but will be this year, and Uzbekistan, who were late entries into Astana.

Poya DAD MARZ (IRI), red, will be the favorite to win the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Weight-by-Weight Preview

55kg
Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) is the only wrestler registered at the non-Olympic weight class of 55kg who is a returning 2022 Asian medalist. Bekbolatov is riding an undefeated 2023 streak, winning the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series in February.

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist at 60kg, Sailike WALIHAN (CHN), will drop to 55kg in hopes of his first Asian Championships podium finish.

Meanwhile, Poya DAD MARZ (IRI), a 2022 U23 world champ and No. 7 in the world at 55kg, will try to win his first Asian Championships gold medal after finishing third in his only appearance in 2021. He began the year with a gold medal finish at the Zagreb Open.

60kg
Reigning world champion and No. 1 ranked Sharshenbekov is a three-time Asian Championships finalist and will look to repeat as champion this year. Two additional returning 2022 Asian medalists are also registered to compete at the lightest Olympic weight, Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) and Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ), who earned silver and bronze medals, respectively, in 2022.

Fourth-ranked Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) is not registered to compete for Japan. Instead, Maito KAWANA (JPN), who is coming off a third-place finish at the 2023 Zagreb Open Ranking Series event, will be representing the country.

63kg
Though the weight class has just nine wrestlers competing, two returning medalists are returning -- Iran’s Iman Hossein MOHAMMADI and NEERAJ (IND) -- both bronze medalists from 2022. The next highest ranked participant is representing tournament host country Kazakhstan No. 21 Mukhamedali MAMURBEK (KAZ).

Mohammadi won the U20 world and Asian titles after the bronze at Asians before ending the year with a U23 World Championships gold. He began this year with a bronze medal finish at the Zagreb Open.

Neeraj, the U23 Asian champion, returns to competition since the World Championships and after recovering from a shoulder injury.

Chiezo MARUYAMA (JPN), a 2022 U20 bronze medalist, will look to make waves on the senior level as another young and rising star for Japan’s Greco-Roman team.

U23 Asian champion at 63kg Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB) will wrestle at 63kg, a weight class he finished fifth in Zagreb.

67kg
Hometown hero Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ), a 2018 Asian gold medal winner and three senior world medals [2015, 2019, 2021], is the star to watch in this year’s 67kg bracket.

He will be challenged by 2022 Asian silver medalist Hansu RYU (KOR), the sole returning Asian Championships medalist set to compete at 67kg. Also, watch for Reza ABBASI (IRI), who will replace No. 2 Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) in Iran’s lineup at 67kg.

Another wrestler to keep an eye on is HUSIYUETU (CHN) who defeated Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) in Zagreb, where he won gold. He added a bronze in Alexandria and is ranked number three in the world. In Asia, he will be the top seed for the competition.

Abror ATABAEV (UZB) will have fond memories of Kazakhstan as he defeated world champion Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup last year. But he is yet to replicate that success further. The Asian Championships could well be that platform.

72kg
Though not highly ranked globally, Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ) is the lone returning 2022 Asian medalist registered for this year’s tournament. His competition will be fierce as the bracket also features Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), who’s coming off a fifth-place finish at the 2022 World Championships.

Magomadov, a 2020 Asian finalist, is the highest-ranked wrestler at this weight, coming in at No. 7. He’s followed by No. 11 Jian TAN (CHN) and No. 13 Sajjad IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI).

77kg
In the weight class with the most registrations, Greco superstar, Tokyo Olympic finalist and reigning world champion Makhmudov will attempt to make it two straight Asian championship victories after winning the tournament a season ago.

Meanwhile, Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR) will seek to avenge two previous 4-1 losses to Makhmudov in tournaments where he fell just one match short of the podium, the 2022 Asian Championships and 2022 World Championships.

Since Makhmudov will be seeded first and Kim will be fourth, the two are most likely to meet in the semifinal.

Also in the mix at 77kg will be fifth-ranked Rui LIU (CHN) and former 72kg Asian champion Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI), trying to make space on the national team at 77kg. World number 20 SAJAN (IND) is also registered along with returning bronze medalist Kodai SAKURABA (JPN).

82kg
In the heaviest non-Olympic weight class of 82kg, Dias KALEN (KAZ) will look to update his 2022 Asian Championships second-place finish in this year’s tournament.

As the only top-10 ranked Greco-Roman wrestler registered for the 2023 Asian Championships at 82kg, Kalen will be up against two top-20 ranked wrestlers in No. 13 rank Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) and No. 17 Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ).

87kg
A whopping one-third of registrants at 87kg are returning Asian Championships medalists despite being only one of two weight classes with less than 10 registrants.

Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) will try to repeat his 2022 Asian gold-medal finish, carrying some extra motivation after being just a win short of a podium finish at the 2022 World Championships.

But second to him last year, Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) will be returning seeking his second Asian title. Berdimuratov was second at the World Championships at 82kg but has jumped a weight class in pursuit of Olympic dreams.

Both returning bronze medalists Sunil KUMAR (IND) and Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) will attempt to repeat as 2023 podium finishers.

97kg
Returning Asian gold medalist Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) went undefeated at the Greco-Roman World Cup in November 2022 and would be keen to take that form into the Asian Championships.

One of those World Cup victories, a 3-3 criteria win, was over Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ). The two are familiar foes having faced off in last year’s Asian Championships semifinal match at 97kg, where Balihamzehdeh etched out a 4-1 victory.

Dzhuzubekov will look to earn his fifth Asian Championships podium finish. He’s already earned gold in 2019 and bronze medals in ‘16, ‘18 and '22.

130kg
In a stacked 130kg bracket, Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is returning to the Asian Championships for the first time since winning the tournament in 2020. Since then, he’s amassed a fifth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, a U23 World Championships gold (‘21) and a senior World Championships silver (‘22).

Other Greco-Roman superstars to watch at heavyweight will be Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ), Minseok KIM (KOR), and Roman KIM (KGZ), who are the returning 2022 Asian Championships top three finishers.

How to Follow Along
Fans can track the action on United World Wrestling's mobile app or uww.org. Download #TheHomeOfWrestling, United World Wrestling's mobile app today to access real-time match center data, get regular updates on tournaments and receive all the latest wrestling news in a flash.

#WrestleZagreb

World Championships 2025: Day 6 GR 55kg, 77kg, 82kg, 130kg Highlights

Thursday, September 18, 2025 - 08:31 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 18) -- Greco-Roman day at the World Championships in Zagreb. Four weight classes -- 55kg, 77kg, 82kg and 130kg -- are in action with Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN) and Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) are expected to meet in 77kg quarterfinals.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 5 RESULTS

77kg semifinals
SF 1: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) vs. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI)
SF 2: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) vs. Robert FRITSCH (HUN)

14:55: In the most anticipated match of the session, Nao KUSAKA (JPN) repeated his victory Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) from the final at the Paris Olympics to advance to the 77kg semifinals as he pursues a first world gold. Kusaka got the first chance at par terre, but it was Zhadrayev who came out with the points. Kusaka went to his usual cross body lock, but Zhadrayev used the momentum and timed it perfectly to launch a throw himself. Although Kusaka got behind for reversal, it left Zhadrayev ahead 2-2 on criteria. In the second period, a quick charge at the whistle sees Kusaka gain a stepout that is awarded on challenge. Kusaka adds another stepout, then fends off the pressure from Zhadrayev while avoiding getting flagged for passivity and advances with a 4-2 victory. Next up for Kusaka will be Robert FRITSCH (HUN), from the country where the Japanese went to train prior to his triumph in Paris.

14:54: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) blocks Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) as the Turkiye tries to turn Amoyan from par tarre to get the two points for danger position. There is no way back for Yilmaz as Amoyan, the Olympic bronze medalist, wins 3-1 to enter the semifinals at 77kg.

14:53: The Iranian win-rush continues as the country puts all four wrestlers in the semifinals with Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) beating Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 3-1, at 77kg. Abdevali turned Suleymanov from par terre to take the lead and the win.

14:50: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) spoils the bid of local hero Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) to make the 77kg semifinals, scoring a stepout in the first period that proves the difference in a 2-1 victory.

55kg semifinals
SF 1: Emin CAKIR (TUR) vs. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)
SF 2: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. Payam AHMADI (IRI)

14:42: European bronze medalist Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) is into the world semifinals with a 3-2 victory over Denis MIHAI (ROU). A stepout from Lolua made the difference as he held criteria at 2-2. A lost challenge from Mihai gives another point to Lolua

14:40: In a battle between a 30-something and a teenager, experience wins out, which is not surprising given it involves four-time 55kg world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE). Azizli scores a takedown and gut wrench in the first period against 18-year-0ld Jayden RANEY (USA), who gets his chance on top in par terre in the second, but cannot budge the Azeri, who wins 5-1 to advance to the semifinals.

14:35: Emin CAKIR (TUR) upsets former world bronze medalist Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) at 55kg, with a 9-0 technical superiority win.

14:31: Payam AHMADI (IRI) quickly joins the Iranian parade into the semifinals, needing just 25 seconds to bull Artiom DELEANU (MDA) down to the mat and execute three quick-fire rolls for an 8-0 victory at 55kg.

82kg semifinals
SF 1: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) vs. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
SF 2: Karlo KODRIC (CRO) vs. Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)

14:28: A match for the ages as Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), a former world U17 champion and recent world U20 bronze medalist, beats European champion Gurban GURBANOV (AZE), who is cautioned out of the match. Gurbanov had a 6-2 lead but Yoshida, a powerhouse, keeps pressuring Gurbanov who is struggling with conditioning. A slew of stepouts and Yoshida makes it 8-6. On the stepout with 16 seconds left, Gurbanov receives his third caution and is disqualified from the match, giving Yoshida the win.

14:22: Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW) thought he had it covered but Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) scores two turns from the third passivity par terre to beat Tiuliubaev 5-4 and enter the semifinals at 82kg.

14:20: Karlo KODRIC (CRO), perhaps charged up by a vocal block of home fans in the stands nearby, steps over for 2 on a gut wrench attempt by Mihail BRADU (MDA), giving him a 4-1 lead midway through the second period of their 82kg quarterfinal. Kodric gives up a late stepout, but walks off a 4-2 winner.

14:15: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) fights off a whizzer by Ramon BETSCHART (SUI) to secure a takedown, then traps an arm and executes four exposures to advance to the 82kg semifinals with an 8-0 victory in 1:05.

130kg semifinals
SF 1: Darius VITEK (HUN) vs Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW)
SF 2: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs Wenhao JIANG (CHN)

14:07: Wenhao JIANG (CHN) with a pair of stepouts and he's into the 130kg quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over Jello KRAHMER (GER).

14:05: Darius VITEK (HUN) is the beneficiary of the new Greco-Roman rule in which the wrestler with first passivity point win. He beats Mykola KUCHMII (UKR), 1-1, at 130kg.

14:03: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) with an over-under throw for four over Hamza BAKIR (TUR) in the 130kg quarterfinals. Bakir tries to come back with a double-arm lock throw but Hlinchuk blocks and secures the fall.

14:01: Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) surprisingly throws world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) for 4 with an arm throw in their 130kg quarterfinal, but any joy is gone in milliseconds as the Iranian rolls through the move and puts Kuosmanen on his back. Mirzazadeh doesn't waste the opportunity and secures the fall in 1:13.

Quarterfinals will begin at the same time

13:47: Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN) books an Olympic final rematch with Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) with a 7-0 victory over Ihor BYCHKOV (UKR) at 77kg. He scored all his points in the first period and somehow there were no points in the second period.

13:43: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) caps a one-sided 10-0 victory over Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) with a 4-point throw in the second period to secure his berth in the 77kg quarterfinals.

13:37: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) used his head, and not in a good way, and it cost him a shot at a gold medal. Gutu was leading FRITSCH (HUN) 2-0 in their 77kg bout when he was hit with a 2-point penalty for a head butt, which also put him behind on criteria. Fritsch then received a passivity point, and he held on for a 3-2 victory. Ironically, Gutu suffered a head cut from his own action and had to have treatment, including a bandage around his head, which he ripped off and tossed in anger after the match.

13:30: Aleksa ILIC (SRB) almost pulls off a huge upset over Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) at 77kg. Ilic led 5-1 at the break but Zhadrayev, who for the par terre, scored a turn to make it 5-4 but a stepout gave a point to Ilic. Zhadrayev hits a big four-pointer against a tired Ilic his place in the quarterfinal with an 8-6 win.

13:21: World bronze medalist Denis MIHAI (ROU) with a takedown and roll, then a 4-point takedown against an overmatched Alexander CUEVAS (SGP) and he's into the 55kg quarterfinals with an 8-0 victory in just over a minute.

13:10: World U20 champion Payam AHMADI (IRI) gets his debut on the senior level off to an impressive start, manhandling Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ) in a 9-0 win to advance to the 55kg quarterfinals.

13:07: Young Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), the 2024 Asian champion, extricates himself from a 4-point hole, scoring five points in the second period to top Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE) 6-5 at 82kg. Yoshida, who gave up a 4-point arm throw in the first period, pressures Johansson down for two takedowns, then gets a stepout with :54 left to take the lead for the first time.

13:05: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) gets the first of the two passivity calls, and with no other scoring, that makes him a 1-1 winner over Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) at 82kg.

13:04: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) with powerpacked 8-0 technical superiority win over world silver medalist Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) at 82kg. Szilvassy was never allowed to settle down by Farokhi

13:00: Four-time world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) with a 22-second technical superiority over Anil MOR (IND) at 55kg.

12:58: A stepout with 33 seconds left, Hamza BAKIR (TUR) beats Oscar PINO (CUB) 3-1 at 130kg. Bakir led 1-1 on criteria as he was given the first par terre position. But As Pino tried to score a stepout late in the second period, Bakir turned it around and managed to force Pino to put the hand before Bakir himself did. Cuba challenged the call but lost it.

12:52: With calls of 'Karlo! Karlo!' and the banging of drums reverberating throughout the arena, Karlo KODRIC (CRO) is through to the 82kg quarterfinals with a 5-0 victory over Bekzat ORUNKUL UULU (KGZ).

12:45: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) comes back from 3-1 down to beat Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) 4-3, thanks for a successful challenge from Hlinchuk at the end.

12:42: Defending 130kg champion and Olympic bronze medalist Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) gets two gut wrenches off par terre for a 5-0 lead over Marko KOSCEVIC (CRO), much to the dismay of the home crowd. In the second period, Mirzazadeh adds a stepout, then scores a takedown for an 8-0 win with just over two minutes left.

12:36: Four-time Asian medalist Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) rns out of a gas about two minutes to soon, giving Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) two easy takedowns in the second period and a 6-4 win at 130kg.

12:35: Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) pulls off the biggest surprise of the session so far, scoring a late takedown to topple Sergei SEMENOV (UWW) 3-3 at 130kg. In the first period, Semenov counters a throw attempt for a 2-point takedown, with an additional point for an unsuccessful challenge, but Kuosmanen strikes back with a stepout to make it 3-1 at the break. In the second period, a mighty shove sends Semenov down to the mat, and Kuosmanen pounces to secure the takedown and the shocking victory.

12:12: Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) gets the first par terre position in the 77kg bout against Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) and he scores from a throw in which the Kazakhstan wrestlers lands outside the zone. Sarkkinen leads 2-0. Just before the break, Zhadrayev gets a stepout to make it 2-1 Zhadrayev got the par terre in the second period to take a 2-2 criteria lead before getting a exposure for two points. Finland challenges the call. The two points are confirmed and Zhadrayev lead grows to 5-2, which remains the winning score.

12:09: Paris Olympic bronze medalist Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM), a former world champion with three world medals, was about to become the beneficiary of the new rule giving the wrestler who scores the first point in a Greco bout that ends 1-1 the victory, but a late challenge over a last-second move instead makes him a 2-1 winner over Kamal BEY (USA).

12:05: Two-time world U23 champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) gets off to an awesome start, throwing Lai Hsing YAO (TPE) twice with spectacular four and five pointers to start his campaign at 77kg with a 12-0 win.

11:57: A welcome win for the home team. Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) rips off four rolls from par terre and he advances with a 9-0 victory over Hyeonjin KANG (KOR) at 77kg.

11:55: Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN) warms up with an 8-0 technical superiority win over AMAN (IND) at 77kg. He is expected to meet Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals if the seeds hold.

11:40: Taiga ONISHI (JPN), whose younger sister Sakura won the women's 59kg gold on Tuesday night, gets a quick takedown, only to have Huoying SHI (CHN) reverse in their opening match at 55kg. Shi goes ahead in the second period with an exposure off an arm throw attempt, then hits a back suplex that is good for another 2. Shi resists a throw attempt and gets another 2, giving him a 7-2 win.

11:19: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI), winner of the Ranking Series event here in Zagreb, has no need to go to par terre. He alternates three takedowns with two stepouts, then gets a point for a denied challenge to defeat Qingzhe LI (CHN) 9-0 in precisely two minutes at 82kg.

11:15: Four-time world medalist Oscar PINO (CUB), his nation's heir apparent at 130kg to legendary five-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), easily executes a gut wrench from par terre, then is a rock when put on the bottom and he's through with a 3-1 victory over Jacob LOGAARD (SWE).

11:05: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), who won 2023 world u23 gold at 97kg, is now at 130kg. He begins his first World Championships at this weight with a 9-0 victory over Sulkhan BUIDZE (GEO).

11:00: Sergei SEMENOV (UWW), a two-time former Olympic bronze medal who has a world gold from 2018, gets a pair of rolls from par terre and, although Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) managed a reversal after the second one, safely posts a 5-2 victory at 130kg to start the Greco action on Mat D.

10:55: Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE) gets a big win for Sweden as he defeats former European champion and young star Alperen BERBER (TUR) 2-1, at 82kg. Berber is coming back after an injury he suffered at the Mongolian Ranking Series.

Asian Championships Greco-Roman Preview

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World Championships 2025: Day 6 GR 55kg, 77kg, 82kg, 130kg Highlights