Fujinami preps for Belgrade worlds with 1st Japan collegiate title

Tuesday, August 23, 2022 - 18:14 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (Aug. 22) --- With less than a month to go before she attempts to defend her world 53kg title in Belgrade, Japanese teen star Akari FUJINAMI opted to forego a chance at another world age group title, instead staying home and winning her first national collegiate championship.

In a women's competition that can be regarded as comparable to the World U20 Championships that ran concurrently in Sofia, Bulgaria, the Nippon Sports Science University freshman moved up to 55kg and cruised to the gold medal at the Japan collegiate championships held Aug. 15-18 in Tokyo.

"There were things I found I need to work on, and things that worked well," the 18-year-old Fujinami said. "I want to fix the small things in the leadup to the World Championships."

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Akari FUJINAMI counters a takedown attempt by Umi IMAI in the women's 55kg final.(Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

With three dominant wins without conceding a point, including a fall in the final over fellow Asian champion Umi IMAI, Fujinami will head to Belgrade riding a 103-match winning streak that dates back to 2017 and her junior high school days.

Fujinami, a 2018 world cadet (U17) champion, had qualified for the World U20 by winning the Junior Queens Cup title in April, which she followed up by adding her first senior Asian title later that month then securing her ticket to Belgrade with a victory at the domestic Meiji Cup in June.

But a trip to Sofia was taken off the table after taking into account a number of factors, which also played into her decision to wrestle at 55kg for the first time in her career (although she did win the 54kg title at the Asian U15 in 2018).

"It takes a toll to get down to 53kg many times," Fujinami said. "And thinking of the time needed to go overseas and come back, it's better to keep working hard here with the target of the World Championships. So I chose this [tournament]."

Wrestling at the heavier weight meant a new challenge and opponents with different physiques, but the two-time national senior champion was more than up to the task at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym.

"By entering 55kg, there is more power and I can find things to work on," she said. "At 55kg, I could give myself a test. After trying it, I feel a difference in power with 53kg, although the difference was not really that big."

After chalking up a pair of technical falls by a combined score of 21-0, Fujinami had her hands full with a determined Imai, a 2018 world junior (U20) champion who won her second senior Asian gold in April as a teammate of Fujinami's in Mongolia.

While Fujinami has earned a reputation for her lightning-quick single-leg takedowns, it was Imai who was the aggressor. Fujinami scored no offensive points, instead building up a 6-0 lead by countering three attacks by Imai, including the final time when she caught Imai and put her onto her back, finishing the match with a fall at 4:47.

Even so, Fujinami regarded the performance as a positive. "My counters were decisive," she said. "I didn't create chances to score from my own attacks. But I had foreseen that and thought I will have future matches like this. I went on the attack, but that also gave the opponent a chance to get in on a tackle."

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Akari FUJINAMI works for a fall against Umi IMAI in the women's 55kg final.(Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Fujinami, whose father left his job as the coach of the high school she attended in central Japan to become the coach at NSSU in Tokyo, said she is enjoying her first year of college life. Although she won her world title last year prior to starting at NSSU in April, she feels like she's just one of the crowd at a school that produces top athletes in a variety of sports.

"I'm just a regular college student," said Fujinami, who lives with her father in a nearby apartment, where he does the majority of the cooking and housework. "There are many Olympic athletes all around me. I'm nothing special."

Fujinami has a single-minded goal of winning an Olympic gold medal, so it's no wonder that she can get a bit star-struck by someone who has already reached that lofty perch. She said that she recently got up the courage to ask Uta ABE, the women's 52kg gold medalist in judo at the Tokyo Olympics, to share a meal.

"It made me unbelievably happy," said Fujinami, who is three years Abe's junior. "She was so kind to me. It is really nice to have someone so close by who I respect so much."

While Fujinami would not go into details about what the two talked about, she said Abe is open to someday working out together and sharing techniques from the two sports. "I think it would be good for both of us," she said.

Fujinami never has to go far to be reminded of what hard work can achieve. Every day at practice she gets first-hand advice from, and an occasional thrashing by, NSSU coach Kaori ICHO, the only four-time female Olympic gold medalist in any sport.

"I get the chance to always be close to a great person like Icho," Fujinami said. "She won over 100 straight matches and has even greater records."

MATSUI Ken MATSUI battles with NSSU teammate Kuranosuke OKAWARA in the Greco 60kg final.(Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Matsui, Yoshimoto rebound with titles

In other action, world champions Ken MATSUI and Remina YOSHIMOTO bounced back from losses that prevented them from being able to defend their world titles in Belgrade by winning collegiate crowns, although through very different routes.

NSSU's Matsui, who won the Greco 55kg gold last year in Oslo but lost out to Asian champion Yu SHIOTANI for the ticket to Belgrade, moved up to 60kg and needed come-from-behind victories in the final three of his four matches to snatch the gold.

"In June, I lost at the Meiji Cup and so I lost the chance to go to the World Championships," Matsui said. "Recently, when I'm at 55kg, I can't feel good about my match as I feel pressure to go out and win. By trying 60kg here, I was able to relax, and I thought I could simply enjoy wrestling."

His opponents hardly made it fun for Matsui. Moving up a weight class may have taken much of the pressure off him, it also made him more vulnerable while in the bottom of par terre position.

In the quarterfinals, he fell behind 9-4 against Senshu University's Keijiro SONE when he was tossed not once, but twice for 4 points. Matsui managed to come back and win 11-9, going ahead with :45 left.

In the final, Matsui defeated NSSU teammate Kuranosuke OKAWARA 4-2, scoring all four points by wiggling out from the bottom, getting behind and rolling his opponent out at the edge.

"My opponent in the final is a teammate, he knows my game, so it was tough going against him," Matsui said. "But I thought that definitely a chance would come my way, and I had to make sure not to let it get away. Normally, I can defend on the ground, but this time at 60kg, I could be turned, so I practiced standing up. If I could escape, I would avoid getting in dangerous positions."

Matsui, who also has a 2017 world cadet (U17) gold medal and 2019 world junior (U20) bronze to his credit, said that he was able to clear his head after the disappointment of losing to Shiotani both at the Meiji Cup and the subsequent world team playoff that followed.

"After the Meiji Cup, I went back to my home [in Aichi Prefecture] and did my student teaching for three weeks [in P.E. in high school]," Matsui said. "That allowed me to refresh my mind and get my thoughts in order. I had been down in the dumps and that was a good way to start anew. It was a good experience and a plus for my wrestling."

Will he be watching rival Shiotani at the World Championships?

"I don't want to watch, but if I don't, it won't be to my benefit," he said. "So I'll watch in support of all Japanese wrestlers who are entered."

Remina YOSHIMOTO works for a takedown in the women's 50kg final against Shigakkan teammate Minoriho YONEHARA. Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Yoshimoto, a senior at Shigakkan University, earned her third national collegiate title--the 2020 tournament was canceled, preventing her from becoming a four-time champion--by ripping through the women's 50kg field with four straight technical falls without giving up a point.

Yoshimoto, the gold medalist in Oslo at 50kg, had her national team place usurped by Tokyo Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI, who returned to the mat to handily defeat Yoshimoto both in the Meiji Cup final and world team playoff.

Yoshimoto had to choke back tears when replying to a question about bouncing back from those losses.

"It was really heartbreaking," she said. "It's tough to think that 50kg is Yui's. But I have to accept it. The reality is that I lost, and that I lost completely. I accepted that and went back to practice."

Asked if she will watch the Belgrade worlds, she replied. "I will," but not just scout Susaki. "It's important to have a strategy, but no matter who the opponent is. I just want to pursue my own wrestling."

Yoshimoto's next shot at Susaki will come at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December, which will mark the start of the qualifying process for the 2024 Paris Olympics. It will also be her next competition.

"I have my student teaching coming up, so I can't go overseas," she said. "This will be the last tournament before December, and I will put everything into [the Emperor's Cup]."

Another medalist from the Oslo worlds who won't be going to Belgrade, NSSU's Rin MIYAJI, also came away with a collegiate title, taking the women's 68kg crown.

Miyaji won the silver medal at 68kg in Oslo, but suffered a serious knee injury in the final. She was in less-than-top shape at the Meiji Cup and lost in the semifinals to Ami ISHII, knocking her off the team to Belgrade.

Coming off a third-place finish at the Poland Open in July, she looked like a different person on the mat at Komazawa Gym, winning both of her matches by 10-0 technical falls.

"I got hurt at last year's World Championships, and I entered the Meiji Cup as my comeback tournament," Miyaji said. "At that time, because of the coronavirus, there were many times I couldn't practice. There was also still some fear factor. I couldn't be confident when I took the mat.

"This time, it was good because I was able to take the mat with confidence."

Taka Yudai TAKAHASHI won the freestyle 86kg title with his fifth straight technical fall of the competition. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Belgrade-bound Takahashi triumphs

NSSU's Yudai TAKAHASHI, another wrestler who will be on the plane to Belgrade, moved up to freestyle 86kg and stormed to the gold in his final preparation for his second senior World Championships appearance.

The bullish Takahashi, who will wrestle at 79kg in Belgrade, strung together five technical falls in five matches, while allowing just a single point.

Asked if the move up was to provide a tougher challenge ahead of Belgrade, he replied, "It's also for the World Championships, but my ultimate goal is getting to the Olympics. This time I will be wrestling 79kg at the World Championships, so I want to win there and build momentum for the All-Japan Championships in December."

Takahashi first appeared at the worlds while still a high schooler in 2019, and he is now older, wiser and somewhat more self-assured.

"I went to the Asian Championships in April and I finished third, so it was a tournament where I gained a lot," Takahashi said. "That's no guarantee I can be successful [at the World Championships], but it made me aware of my strengths. But I have to build them up further, and the Asian Championships also brought up other things to work on. I want to overcome those issues."

Two of Takahashi's NSSU teammates pulled off the remarkable feat of completing the freestyle-Greco double. Hibiki ITO won titles in both styles at 97kg, while Tatsuya SHIRAI took the Greco gold at 87kg, then returned to the mat to win at freestyle 92kg.

Ito is one worth keeping an eye on just because he is such an anomoly in Japanese. He not only literally stands out because he stands 1.93 meters--an unheard-of height for a wrestler here--but also from an athleticism derived from his intriguing pedigree.

Ito's father Hiromichi competed at Greco 74kg at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, while his mother Keiko was a member of the Japanese women’s volleyball team that won a bronze medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She stands 1.78 meters.

Ito said wrestling caught his eye as a youth, a decision that met no resistance from his mother. "I didn't think about [playing volleyball]," he said. "From the beginning, I went solely with wrestling under my father's influence. [My mother] said, wrestling's OK, you don't have to play volleyball."

Ito said he prefers freestyle, and will concentrate on that now as he aims for the Emperor's Cup in December, where he will look to avenge a loss in last year's final to 2021 Asian bronze medalist Takashi ISHIGURO.

"I haven't closed the gap yet [on Ishiguro]," he said. "The test will come in December and after that, so I'll do what I can to get closer."

#WrestleAthens

U17 World Wrestling Championships 2025 Preview

Friday, July 25, 2025 - 16:28 By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 23) -- Eight years after it last hosted the World U17 Championships, Greece gears up for another.

The 2025 World U17 Championships will be held in Athens from July 28 to August 3 at the Ano Liosia Olympic Hall, the historic venue where wrestling competition during the 2004 Olympics was held.

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While the wrestlers will be making new memories, one former wrestler will be reliving old memories. Four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) will be revisiting Athens, this time as Japan’s team coach, 21 years after she won her first gold medal at the Games in 2004.

Japan is expected to reclaim the Women's Wrestling team title it lost to India in 2024. The United States, Ukraine and China are also sending strong teams.

In Freestyle, the U.S. will battle it out with Iran, the top two countries last year. Meanwhile, in Greco-Roman, Iran will face challenges from Asian counterparts and Azerbaijan.

The competition will begin with Greco-Roman on July 28 with five weight classes and will follow a two-day format. Women's Wrestling will begin July 30 and Freestyle on August 1. The repechage and medal bouts of each weight category will be held the next day.

The action from the World U17 Championships will be live on UWW+ on uww.org and the UWW App. Follow United World Wrestling on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube.

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) is one of the returning world U17 champions in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Freestyle

The defending team champion the U.S. boasts a quality line-up including world champ Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) and four Pan-Am champions from 2025 -- Ariah MILLS (USA), Alexander TAYLOR (USA), Jayden JAMES (USA) and Arseni KIKINIOU (USA).

Iran, which missed the Asian U17 Championships, has wrestlers who have previous success at Asian level and in ISF Gymnasiade. It won only two gold medals last year, but it hopes Morteza HAJ (IRI), Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI), Arian MEHRALIZADEH (IRI) and Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI) will help it better that number this year.

Said PASHAYEV (AZE) is the European champion at 92kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Six out of the 10 European champions from 2025 are set to be in Athens with Azerbaijan entering three. Ravan HASANZADE (AZE) at 48kg, Ruslan ALIZADA (AZE) at 55kg and Said PASHAYEV (AZE) at 92kg will be the biggest hopes for Azerbaijan to win gold, a medal the country was denied last year.

The other European champs are Zorab ALOIEV (UKR) at 61kg, Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) at 80kg and Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) at 110kg.

Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ) won the 60kg gold at the Asian U17 Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan had a successful Asian U17 Championships in Vietnam after the no-show of Iran and Japan's subdued performance.

Kazakhstan won two gold medals in Vietnam and both wrestlers, Ibrahim YSKAKBEK (KAZ) at 55kg and Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ) at 60kg, will be in Athens and try to win a world gold, a medal the country has not won since 2022.

Kyrgyzstan also had two gold medalists, Arnur NURSAIDOV (KGZ) at 45kg and Dovudbek BAKHADIROV (KGZ) at 48kg, at Asian Championships. The onus will be on these to lead the team as it looks for a second straight top-three finish. Last year, it placed third, the highest for the country at the world level.

Uzbekistan won only one gold in Vietnam but every wrestler competed for a medal, helping it finish third. Japan and India, fourth and fifth in Vietnam, are likely to be the dark horses in Greece.

A few others who can surprise the field including returning silver medalist Frederick BACHMANN (PUR) at 60kg, returning champ Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) at 51kg, Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB) at 55kg, returning silver medalist Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) at 65kg and Hasan HASANOV (AZE) at 60kg.

KAJAL (IND) was one of India's five world U17 champions in 2024. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Women's Wrestling

Japan will undoubtedly be favored to win the team title but in the last few years, Japan's supremacy has been challenged by both the United States and India.

India won the team title last year for the first time with an incredible performance, winning five gold medals while Japan only won one.

Can Japan bounce back? Certainly.

Yu KATAOKA (JPN) at 49kg and Rion OGAWA (JPN) at 53kg have dominated the continental level and have been unbeaten internationally. They will lead a team that also includes An NAKANISHI (JPN), Sayuki HIBARINO (JPN) and Hanano OYA (JPN).

Japan will have to step up when it comes to heavier weight classes if it wants to capture the trophy. The presence of Icho as coach should serve as motivation for the young wrestlers, who take on the world.

India will have six current and former continental champions in Athens. KAJAL (IND), world champ at 69kg, will be at 73kg this year but will still be the favorite to win the gold medal. She was dealt a shock loss at the Asian Championships by Wenjin QIU (CHN) in the final. Qiu will also be in Athens and a potential clash with Kajal is on the cards.

Asian champ RACHANA (IND), who has silver from 2023 Worlds, will be at 43kg hoping to win gold. Kasish GURJAR (IND) was the Asian champion in 2023, MONI (IND) is the Asian champ at 57kg while Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) is a two-time continental champion at 65kg. MANISHA (IND), who won gold in Vietnam, will lead India's charge at 69kg.

Former world u17 champion Morgan TURNER (USA) is one of the favorites to win at 49kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. is bringing a host of Pan-American champions but its biggest star will be 2023 world champ Morgan TURNER (USA), who also won the bronze medal in 2024. She will be at 49kg, a weight class in which she won the Pan-Am gold this year.

At 40kg, Maisie ELLIOTT (USA) is a Pan-Am champion and so is Emma BACON (USA) at 57kg, Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) at 61kg, Violette LASURE (USA) at 65kg, Cassandra GONZALES (USA) at 69kg and Ella Jo POALILLO (USA) at 73kg.

Jaclyn BOUZAKIS (USA), who also won Pan-Am gold at 46kg, is a returning bronze medalist and will be one of the favorites for the gold medal this year.

From Europe, nine 2025 continental champions are entered for Athens. European champion at 40kg Valia HARSAN (ROU) will test herself against Asian champion Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB) along with other big names in the field including European silver medalist Polina TIMSINA (EST), European bronze medalist Finja STRAUCH (GER) and Daria MASLENNIKOVA (UWW), who is three-time European U15 champion.

Raniia RAKHMANOVA (UWW) was the champion at 43kg and will be the favorite for the gold medal as well.

At 46kg, Nazrin AHMADLI (AZE) is a returning bronze medalist from 40kg but will contend with Janka SILLEI (HUN) in the weight class. Sillei is unbeaten internationally and won the European gold in Skopje. Local wrestler and world silver from 43kg Maria GKIKA (GRE) will hope to win a medal for the hosts. Additionally, Gurjar, Hanano OYA (JPN), world silver from 40kg Kamila KUCHMA (UKR), Bouzakis and European silver Irina TSYDEEVA (UWW) will have their eyes on gold.

A battle between Kataoka and Turner is expected at 49kg which also has Asian silver medalist Saniya SOLTANGALI (KAZ) and returning bronze medalist and European champ Polina BOCHKAREVA (UWW).

SAARIKA (IND) won the Asian U20 Championships gold medal after a close win over Mihoko TAKEUCHI (JPN), a Klippan Lady Open champion and 2022 World U17 Championships silver medalist. But for success in Athens, Saarika will have to battle it out with European champion at 53kg Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), Japanese star Ogawa, two-time European silver Fatma YILMAZ (TUR) and Euro U15 champ Yuliia HOLHOVSKA (UKR), who is 15 years old and Elison.

Japan has unheralded Sayuki TANADA (JPN) at 57kg which also has Asian champion MONI (IND), Asian silver Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ), European silver Ivanna LUKIANENKO (UKR) and Bacon. This is the only weight class in which the European champion has not entered.

Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO) is Georgia's first-ever European champion in Women's Wrestling. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 61kg, history-maker for Georgia's Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO) has entered hoping to win a world medal for Georgia in Women's Wrestling. She was the first European champ for Georgia in Women's Wrestling. But she will face resistance from Asian champ Zhaidar MUKAT (KAZ), European silver Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR) and European champ Zalina TOTROVA (UWW).

Germany's Feenja HERMANN (GER) finished seventh at 57kg last year but managed to win the European silver medal at 65kg this year. She will be hoping for a world medal as well. Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) is a two-time Asian champ at this weight class and Japan has Mitsuki OKAWA (JPN). Lasure and European champ Lilia ERMOKHINA (UWW) will also be presenting their challenges.

Another of Germany's big hope is Ayla SAHIN (GER) who won the gold medal at the Europeans at 69kg. She was 10th last year at the Worlds at 65kg. But Asian champ MANISHA (IND), Mao TERAOKA (JPN), Pan-Am silver Linda MARTINEZ (MEX), Pan-Am champ Gonzales and European silver medalist Zukhra KAZULAEVA (UWW) are also in the mix.

Apart from the Kajal-Qiu match-up at 73kg, European silver medalist Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU), European champion Eylem ENGIN (TUR), a returning medalist from 57kg, returning fifth-placer Khrystyna DEMCHUK (UKR) and Pan-Am champ Poalillo will make this category worth a watch.

Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) is one of the three Asian U17 champions for Uzbekistan in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

Last year, Uzbekistan was a standout in Greco-Roman at the U17 level, winning the Asian U17 team title and finishing second at the World Championships. It continued this success at the Asian level this year, with each wrestler winning a medal, including three golds.

Uzbekistan will once again be in the team race and threaten Iran, the defending champions.

All three of its Asian champs -- Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) at 71kg, Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) at 80kg and Fakhrikamol KOMILJONOV (UZB) at 92kg -- will compete in Athens.

Iran will rely heavily on its heavyweights Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) at 92kg and Yazdan Reza DELROUZ (IRI) at 110kg for gold medals.

Last year's 15th-placer Hossein KAZEMI (IRI) at 71kg will be a handful for his opponents and Amirreza TAHMASBPOUR (IRI) will be the favorite at 55kg. Amir HAJIVAND (IRI) at 48kg and Amirmohammad HAJI (IRI) at 51kg will compete in the gold-medal hunt as well.

Azerbaijan is another country that is bringing a strong squad to Athens. It has three European champions and three medalists from Skopje making the trip.

While the lighter and heavier weight classes have seen Asian wrestlers do well, the middle weight classes have been dominated by European wrestlers, especially at 65kg, 71kg and 80kg.

Since the weight classes were shuffled in 2018, only three Asian wrestlers have managed to win gold medals at 65kg, 71kg and 80kg. Reza SAKI (IRI) won at 71kg in 2022 and Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) claimed gold at 80kg in 2023. In 2024, Amir SAEIDI (IRI) broke the jinx at 65kg.

Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) is the European 65kg champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

In Athens, at 65kg, European champ Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) will lead the charge. Other key European wrestlers include silver medalist Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), bronze medalist Kyliane EDDOUH (FRA), home favorite Iason MARGARITIDIS (GRE) and many other strong competitors from the European Championships in Skopje.

Asian champion Dosbol SHAMIL (KAZ), who finished seventh at 60kg at the last World Championships, will look to break European dominance at this weight class. So will Pan Am champ Arseni KIKINIOU (USA), who is competing in Freestyle as well.

At 71kg, it can very well end up being a European champion vs Asian champion match to decide it all. Giorgi GOGELASHVILI (GEO) will look to add a world title to his European one while Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB), the Asian champion, will have a chance to upgrade his bronze medal from last year to gold.

Despite his 14th-place finish this year at the European Championships, Yusif AHMADLI (AZE) is a strong contender for gold. He finished seventh at the World Championships last year and has a silver medal in 2023 at 65kg. European silver medalist Ignat MEICO (MDA) and bronze medalist Matias ONNENLEHTO (FIN) are also entered.

European U17 champion Senik VARDANIAN (UWW) will look to add a world title to his name. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

As many as 12 European wrestlers from Skopje are entered at 80kg for Athens. Senik VARDANIAN (UWW) was the champion and will be the favorite to win gold in Athens. He is joined by silver medalist Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU) and bronze medalists Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) and Ismail BEREKET (TUR).

Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB), the Asian champ, and Pan-Am champion Isai FERNANDEZ (USA) have a big task ahead of them to capture the gold medal.

An interesting entry at 92kg is Said PASHAYEV (AZE), the European Freestyle champ, who will also compete in Greco-Roman. He finished 16th in Skopje. He may not be the favorite but has a chance to trouble the likes of European champion Vadim DRAGUSHAN (UWW) and Asian champion Fakhrikamol KOMILJONOV (UZB), who also is a returning bronze medalist.

Filling the line-up are Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI), Asian silver medalist Adilet TOISHY (KAZ), European silver medalist Tymur LARIN (UKR) and Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW), who will be the dark horse at this weight class. The hosts Greece will bank on European bronze medalist Ioannis MOUTOUSIDIS (GRE) to win a medal at home.

Iran has been denied the 110kg gold since 2019 but it hopes that Yazdan Reza DELROUZ (IRI) will bring it back. Although, it won't be easy. The field includes European champion Rihad IBRAHIMLI (AZE) and silver medalist Denis LAZAROV (BUL). Asian champion HARDEEP (IND) may trouble the Iranian and so can Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR), who finished fifth last year.

European silver medalist Ali NAZAROV (AZE) will be the favorite at 60kg as he dominated the European field barring the final. His biggest challenge can come from Asian champ Damir AKAN (KAZ) in an otherwise weak weight class.

At 45kg, Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE) is the European champ and he has a good chance to win the world title as well. But the lowest weight class always has a surprise in store. Saba ABASHIDZE (GEO) will look to avenge his European final's loss to Huseynli while Ararat AVETISYAN (ARM), European bronze medalist, is also entered. But can Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ), the Asian champion, spoil their party?

Another Asian champion from Kazakhstan, Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ), will be challenging the 48kg field that includes European champion Stanislav IVANOV (BUL), silver medalist Martin MANJIKYAN (ARM), and bronze medalist Gurban MAJNUNOV (AZE).

Marat ATSHEMYAN (ARM), left, and Aslanbek KOSTOEV (UWW) are likely to face each other at 51kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Armenia's gold at the World Championships can come from Marat ATSHEMYAN (ARM), who won the European Championships gold medal at 51kg and a world silver medal at 45kg last year. He will also have a chance to avenge his 2024 Worlds final's loss to Aslanbek KOSTOEV (UWW), who is also entered at 51kg.

The 55kg category is again dominated with European entries including champion Danil LOZHKIN (UWW) and silver medalist Giorgi CHACHUA (GEO). Asian Championships finalists are also entered with champion Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) and silver medalist Sadriddin TULKINBOEV (UZB).

Fujinami preps for Belgrade worlds with 1st Japan collegiate title

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U17 World Wrestling Championships 2025 Preview