#WrestleAmman

U17 World Championships 2024 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

AMMAN, Jordan (August 15) -- A week after the 2024 Paris Olympics, the focus shifts to the U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan. The first World Championships of this season will be held from August 19 to 25 in the Jordanian capital.

The competition will see 576 wrestlers compete in 30 weight classes in Freestyle, Women's Wrestling and Greco-Roman. In a two-day format, the tournament will begin with Greco-Roman followed by Women's Wrestling and finish with Freestyle.

All the bouts will be live on uww.org and UWW+ App.

Freestyle

45kg
Kiryl NIKITSIK (AIN)
Dzhamal BAKAEV (AIN)
Mher HAKOBYAN (ARM)
Fagan FATIYEV (AZE)
Levan NOZADZE (GEO)
SHIVAM (IND)
Amirabbas RAMEZANI (IRI)
Omar  MUSLEH (JOR)
Taku SHIBA (JPN)
Bekzat AMANGELDY (KAZ)
Sadyr KAIYPBEKOV (KGZ)
Ochirkhuu BADARCH (MGL)
Leon MANOV (MKD)
Bugra KAVAK (TUR)
Mykhailo DIDOSHAK (UKR)
Samuel SANCHEZ (USA)
Jurabek RAKHMONOV (UZB)

48kg
Tsimur SELACHNIK (AIN)
Chingis SARYGLAR (AIN)
Abderrezak CHENINI (ALG)
Armen PAPIKYAN    (ARM)
Hajihuseyn AHMADZADA (AZE)
Temuri TUTARASHVILI (GEO)
HARSH (IND)
Amirabbas ALIZADEH (IRI)
Yuki MAEDA (JPN)
Damir KALI (KAZ)
Erbol BOLOTOV (KGZ)
Daniel NEGRU (MDA)
Amartuvshin TSETSEGEE (MGL)
Andre HUARCAYA (PER)
Eren YALCIN (TUR)
Vladyslav KAIDAKOV (UKR)
Henry ASLIKYAN (USA)
Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB)

51kg
Uladzislau LISITSA (AIN)
Akhmed ATANGERIEV (AIN)
MOUADH CHIBANI (ALG)
Makaya KATENDI (ANG)
Ashot GYULNAZARYAN (ARM)
Muhammad ISMAYILOV (AZE)
Jianhao LIU (CHN)
Zeyad HASSANEINN (EGY)
Guga MACHARASHVILI (GEO)
KARTIK (IND)
Sam ARSHAD (IRI)
Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN)
Ibrahim YSKAKBEK (KAZ)
Marlen ABDRAIMOV (KGZ)
Anar ODBAYAR (MGL)
Frederick BACHMANN (PUR)
Kevin BIRCHLER (SUI)
Daghan GUVANCHMYRADOV (TKM)
Tugrul DEMIRCI (TUR)
Daniil CHASOVSKYI (UKR)
Domenic MUNARETTO (USA)
Ozodbek ALIJONOV (UZB)

55kg
Artsiom PAULIUCHENKA (AIN)
Tundzhai VERDIEV (AIN)
Abdelghani AID (ALG)
Gagik GHAZARYAN (ARM)
Huseyn HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Shata Er YUSHAN (CHN)
Mate TSINADZE (GEO)
Jaiveer SINGH (IND)
Arian MEHRALIZADEH (IRI)
Mohammad MUSLEH (JOR)
Yukiya KITADE (JPN)
Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ)
Kursantbek ISAKOV (KGZ)
Jon RAMADANI (KOS)
Catalin CURECHERI (MDA)
Ryenchinpeljee BAVUUDORJ (MGL)
Joseph BACHMANN (PUR)
Azatberdi ASHYRGULYYEV (TKM)
Mokbel SAHLI (TUN)
Efe KARATAS (TUR)
Zorab ALOIEV (UKR)
Keanu DILLARD (USA)

60kg
Andrei KUZNIATSOU (AIN)
Adlan SAITIEV (AIN)
Hayk AVANESYAN (ARM)
Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE)
Ryan DAHCHA (CAN)
Jiansheng LU (CHN)
Mohamed AHMED (EGY)
Danoush JOWKAR (GBR)
Akaki MAZMISHVILI (GEO)
Aik KAZARIAN (GRE)
Sitender SITENDER (IND)
Ahora KHATERI (IRI)
Abdelrahman MARAFI (JOR)
Itsuki YONASHIRO (JPN)
Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ)
Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ)
Inseong BAK (KOR)
Purevbaatar BAASANKHUU (MGL)
Jaden PEREZ (PUR)
Gabriel MIHALCEA (ROU)
Stefan GOUWS (RSA)
Bilal INCE (TUR)
Ivan ZALISKO (UKR)
Jordyn RANEY (USA)
Khudoberdi TURGUNOV (UZB)

65kg
Artsiom HOHINASHVILI (AIN)
Ramazan ABDULKADYROV (AIN)
Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM)
Mobin ZAREI (AUS)
Isa YUSIBOV (AZE)
Liam GORTON (CAN)
Keze LI (CHN)
Tristan FORSMAN (CRC)
Rati REVAZASHVILI (GEO)
Ahmad ARSZUNKAEV (HUN)
SAGAR (IND)
Yasin TAYEBI (IRI)
Riccardo BONANNO (ITA)
Kira YOSHIDA (JPN)
Bakdaulet AKIMZHAN (KAZ)
Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ)
Cristi CEBAN (MDA)
Khangaibayar GANBOLD (MGL)
Yandro SOTO RIVERA (PUR)
David BOICEA (ROU)
Markus LE ROUX (RSA)
Umut USLU (TUR)
Roman PRONAK (UKR)
Nathaniel ASKEW (USA)
Doniyor IBRAGIMOV (UZB)

71kg
Artsiom BOLSUN (AIN)
Zavur GADZHIMURADOV (AIN)
Vahe SAGHYAN (ARM)
Gazanfar KAZIMLI (AZE)
Loki BIGRAS (CAN)
Yuchen LIU (CHN)
Yahia ELIWA (EGY)
Luka TATIASHVILI (GEO)
Manuel WAGIN (GER)
Mark LAPOSA (HUN)
Nishant RUHIL (IND)
Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)
Declan BLIGH (IRL)
Huthaifa ABUBAKER (JOR)
Kairi ITO (JPN)
Amir ORAZBAYEV (KAZ)
Nursadyk NURDINOV (KGZ)
Catalin SPINU (MDA)
Byambaragchaa TAMIR (MGL)
Kawayran VAZQUEZ JR (PUR)
Alirizo BAKHROMOV (TJK)
Fatih AYDIN (TUR)
Samir IBISHOV (UKR)
Melvin MILLER (USA)

80kg
Aliaksei KURYLA (AIN)
Aldat KESAEV (AIN)
Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM)
Mahammad ABASZADA (AZE)
Yesikeer NUERHEISHA (CHN)
Ondrej KOCMANEK (CZE)
Nikoloz MAISURADZE (GEO)
Felix SCHMITT (GER)
VEVIK (IND)
Reza AFSHAR (IRI)
Hamza JAFAR (JOR)
Takeharu NISHIHARA (JPN)
Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ)
Samidullo ALIMZHANOV (KGZ)
Ganbat TSERENPUNTSAG (MGL)
Omer MEMEDI (MKD)
Darius SAS (ROU)
Mohamed FERCHICHI (TUN)
Selahattin CAN (TUR)
Artur KOSTIUK (UKR)
Emmitt SHERLOCK (USA)
Bunyod RUFATOV (UZB)

92kg
Aliaksei KHADUNOU (AIN)
Rodion SANAKOEV (AIN)
Kamel HARIZI (ALG)
Hrachik MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Farhad SULEYMANLI (AZE)
Michealjeet GREWAL (CAN)
Zixu YUAN (CHN)
Mahmoud ELSAKKA (EGY)
Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Nikolaos KARAVANOS (GRE)
Youssef SOLIMAN (HUN)
SUNNY (IND)
Amir Reza ALI POUR (IRI)
Noriyuki ASANO (JPN)
Raim MAULETOV (KAZ)
Farukh MOMUNZHANOV (KGZ)
David Adrian METEA (ROU)
Bilal ZORBA (TUR)
Dmytro POSTOVYI (UKR)
Elijah DIAKOMIHALIS (USA)
Asadbek ERKINJONOV (UZB)

110kg
Yaraslau KOKHAN (AIN)
Ali BAIRAMUKOV (AIN)
Andranik JAGHETYAN (ARM)
Mukhamad GANTEMIROV (AZE)
Jagroop Singh DHINSA (CAN)
Rui GAO (CHN)
Gigia LUKUNIDZE (GEO)
Gyoergy JUHASZ (HUN)
Jaspooran SINGH (IND)
Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI)
Kareem SHEIKH YASIN (JOR)
Yuki YAMAMOTO (JPN)
Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ)
Jaehyuk LEE (KOR)
Ugur IRTEGUN (TUR)
Kyrylo TERNOVYI (UKR)
Michael MOCCO (USA)

Piper FOWLER (USA)Defending champion Piper FOWLER (USA), blue, and Lotta ENGLICH (GER), red, are entered at 73kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

40kg
Aleksandra FEDOROVA (AIN)
Nazrin AHMADLI (AZE)
Iraabir SOOCH (CAN)
Polina TIMSINA (EST)
Vivien SZENTPAL (HUN)
Raj BALA (IND)
Monaka UMEKAWA (JPN)
Zhasmina BAKOYEVA (KAZ)
Indra JIMENEZ (MEX)
Liva CELIK (TUR)
Kamila KUCHMA (UKR)
Francesca GUSFA (USA)

43kg
Nurana ASADLI (AIN)
Aleksandra BEREZOVSKAIA (AIN)
Xin HUANG (CHN)
Lara BLAZEKOVIC (CRO)
Mareim ABDELAAL (EGY)
Maria GKIKA (GRE)
Aditi KUMARI (IND)
Kokoha OBARA (JPN)
Anel BURKUTBAYEVA (KAZ)
Gabriela PALACIOS (MEX)
Yagmur KARABACAK (TUR)
Karolina SHPERYK (UKR)
Hailey DELGADO (USA)

46kg
Elvira BAHIRAVA (AIN)
Diana RYBCHENKO (AIN)
Jessica TUOMINEN (FIN)
Halilja AZIMOV (GER)
Shrutika PATIL (IND)
Yuu KATSUME (JPN)
Medina KUANYSHBEK (KAZ)
Akak MAMBETSADYKOVA (KGZ)
Daniella HOSSEIN BEKY (NOR)
Viktoria IGRENYI (SVK)
Fatma YILMAZ (TUR)
Yevheniia DRUZENKO (UKR)
Morgan TURNER (USA)

49kg
Kseniya KOSTSENICH (AIN)
Polina BOCHKAREVA (AIN)
Dounia ZITOUNI (ALG)
Esra MAMMADLI (AZE)
Na HU (CHN)
Fiona GASSER (GER)
Szonja NEMETH (HUN)
Utaha YUI (JPN)
Farida ABDRAKHMANOVA (KAZ)
Feruza AKMATBEKOVA (KGZ)
Lonisa REKA (KOS)
Amar AMGALANTUGS (MGL)
Electra GARAIACU (ROU)
Islem HEMLI (TUN)
Nil AKTAS (TUR)
Olena KOLUBAI (UKR)
Epenesa ELISON (USA)

53kg
Maryia KHRUSHCHOVA (AIN)
Olesia MALAKHOVA (AIN)
Fatima BAYRAMOVA (AZE)
Kaura COLES (CAN)
Jinzi EMU (CHN)
Mia KOVAC (CRO)
Manar ELMASRY (EGY)
Lisette BOETTKER (EST)
Lisa SHAVADZE (GEO)
Josefine WIDMANN (GER)
Anna KOEBLO (HUN)
MUSKAN (IND)
Layal Ayman Rebhi SUKKAR (JOR)
Nana KOZUKA (JPN)
Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ)
Diana AMANTUROVA (KGZ)
Angelica PLASCENCIA ACEVES (MEX)
Myagmarbayar UURTUYA (MGL)
Csilla VAN OS (NED)
Chloe BREWIS (RSA)
Ivana GAJIC (SRB)
Yi Hsuan TSENG (TPE)
Hava KONCA (TUR)
Ivanna LUKIANENKO (UKR)
Isabella GONZALES (USA)

57kg
Palina BRAHINETS (AIN)
Dolzhon TSYNGUEVA (AIN)
Fidan BABAYEVA (AZE)
Meng LIN (CHN)
Ainara PORTILLO GARCIA (ESP)
Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO)
Feenja HERMANN (GER)
Mairi MANI (GRE)
Barbara BAGER (HUN)
NEHA (IND)
Maya QUTASHAT (JOR)
So TSUTSUI (JPN)
Anna STRATAN (KAZ)
Kamila KUMUSHBEKOVA (KGZ)
Arvinbayar GALBADRAKH (MGL)
Kai Yi LI (TPE)
Ozlem GURSOY (TUR)
Anastasiia NYKYFOROVA (UKR)
Everest LEYDECKER (USA)

61kg
Varvara ALISEYENKA (AIN)
Zalina TOTROVA (AIN)
Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE)
Nini TSITSVIDZE (GEO)
Leonie STEIGERT (GER)
Eda BALAZS (HUN)
RAJNITA (IND)
Maya ISHAKAT (JOR)
Sae NOGUCHI (JPN)
Zhaidar MUKAT (KAZ)
Orsolja HABI (SRB)
Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR)
Anhelina BONDARENKO (UKR)
Taina FERNANDEZ (USA)

65kg
Anastasiya KOMANAVA (AIN)
Daria FROLOVA (AIN)
Ling CAI (CHN)
Maram ALY (EGY)
Selma PIHLAJA (FIN)
Ayla SAHIN (GER)
Viktoria PUPP (HUN)
PULKIT (IND)
Juliana CATANZARO (ITA)
Tala ABUKHEIT (JOR)
Ayano KUSUNOKI (JPN)
Uldana TILEUKHAN (KAZ)
Anujin ERKHEMBAATAR (MGL)
Kang Yu CHIANG (TPE)
Isslem NASRI (TUN)
Beyza AKKUS (TUR)
Konstantsiia SARBAIEVA (UKR)
Bella WILLIAMS (USA)

69kg
Ulyana LAPANIK (AIN)
Zukhra KAZULAEVA (AIN)
Joseth MAVUNGU (ANG)
Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE)
Khushleen JHALLI (CAN)
Chenyingzi SUN (CHN)
Rahma BEDIWY (EGY)
Tamara CSEH (HUN)
KAJAL (IND)
Maryam ABUHAMADA (JOR)
Ako UCHIYAMA (JPN)
Kyzzhibek ZHARKYNBAYEVA (KAZ)
Alexandra MOISEI (MDA)
Ana MARIOARA (ROU)
Michaela SEBOEKOVA (SVK)
Asma AMMOURI (TUN)
Ilayda CIN (TUR)
Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR)
Kaili MANUEL (USA)

73kg
Hanna PIRSKAYA (AIN)
Diana TITOVA (AIN)
Melissa BELAID (ALG)
Julia DA SILVA JOAQUIM (BRA)
Saihan AO (CHN)
Lotta ENGLICH (GER)
Mansi LATHER (IND)
Makia KIMURA (JPN)
Akbota KADIR (KAZ)
Aisanat KALMAMATOVA (KGZ)
Viktorija IRKLE (LAT)
Malak SABRY (MAR)
Zeynep SUCU (TUR)
Khrystyna DEMCHUK (UKR)
Piper FOWLER (USA)

Ilia KANDALIN (AIN)Ilia KANDALIN (AIN), champion at 51kg, moving to 55kg which has 2023 champion Jayden RANEY (USA). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Greco-Roman

45kg
Aslanbek KOSTOEV (AIN)
Badr MAHDAOUI (ALG)
Marat ATSHEMYAN (ARM)
Shahid NABIYEV (AZE)
Mohamed ELTAYEB (EGY)
Gigi PAKSADZE (GEO)
Kedar KAMBLE (IND)
Ahmad BADRADDINI (IRI)
Sanad NAGHOUJ (JOR)
Toi NISHIMURA (JPN)
Damir ABILDA (KAZ)
Bekzhan BEISHEMBAEV (KGZ)
Marian FIRANTA (ROU)  
Yusuf KAYA (TUR)
Herman BASARAB (UKR)  
Isaiah WEBBER (USA)
Umidjon KAROMOV (UZB)

48kg
Nikolai KRISTOV (AIN)
Martin MANJIKYAN (ARM)
Amrah AMRAHOV (AZE)
Yuri LANDIM RIBEIRO (BRA)
Kaloyan IVANOV (BUL)
Giorgi CHACHUA (GEO)
Laszlo SZUROMI (HUN)
Bikash KACHHAP (IND)
Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)
Amro ABU RMILAH (JOR)
Kai KOGASAKO (JPN)
Yedige TOLEUTAYEV (KAZ)
Barsbek OZUBEKOV (KGZ)
Patrick MOCAN CROITORU (ROU)
Yavuz AKGUN (TUR)
Bohdan MAKAROVETS (UKR)
Hayden SCHWAB (USA)
Khusniddin ABDUKARIMOV (UZB)

51kg
Zuber ABDOKOV (AIN)
Makaya KATENDI (ANG)
Sargis HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE)
Radovan SNAJDR (CZE)
Iuri CHAPIDZE (GEO)
Sotirios NTONTOS (GRE)
Sainath PARDHI (IND)
Abolfazl KARAMIEGAEI (IRI)
Adam ABU FARE (JOR)
Kiichi OI (JPN)
Yerassyl MUSSAN (KAZ)
Kutman KALBAEV (KGZ)
Luis VLAD (ROU)
Levin MEIER (SUI)
Mehmet SARP (TUR)
Maksut SULTANOV (UKR)
Domenic MUNARETTO (USA)
Khojiakbar KUCHKAROV (UZB)

55kg
Dzmitry DUDUK (AIN)
Ilia KANDALIN (AIN)
Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Ali NAZAROV (AZE)
Alyosha ILIEV (BUL)
Maoxian LIAO (CHN)
Nikolas DOUPOVEC (CZE)
Amr ELSHAER (EGY)
Davit GABEDAVA (GEO)
Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN)
Samarth MHAKAVE (IND)
Amirali HEYDARI (IRI)
Ibraheem NAGOJ (JOR)
Yuki HIROHASHI (JPN)
Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ)
Emir EMILOV (KGZ)
Alexandru LUNGU (ROU)
Abdulsamet UCAR (TUR)
Denys SEREDIN (UKR)
Jayden RANEY (USA)
Sardor KHOLMURZAEV (UZB)

60kg
Mikita TSITOU (AIN)
Marat MARGIEV (AIN)
Aleks MARGARYAN (ARM)
Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE)
Ziming DING (CHN)
Tin TURKOVIC (CRO)
Mohamed MOHAMED (EGY)
Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)
Bende OLASZ (HUN)
GAURAV (IND)
Abolfazl Ali SHIRI (IRI)
Ali ABUNASEER (JOR)
Yuto ITO (JPN)
Dosbol SHAMIL (KAZ)
Nurbek DZHUMABAEV (KGZ)
Maxim DAMASCHIN (MDA)
Ilias LAAOUINA (NED)
Ioan IORDACHITA (ROU)
Enes KAMAL (TUR)
Vadym MATROS (UKR)
Jordyn RANEY (USA)
Farrukh YULDOSHEV (UZB)

65kg
Dzhabrail UMKHADZHIEV (AIN)
Narek GRIGORIAN (ARM)
Emil ABDULLAYEV (AZE)
Zhengye HAN (CHN)
Jure RAJKOVIC (CRO)
Zdenek KUBALA (CZE)
Mohamed IBRAHIM (EGY)
Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO)
Kevin KARL (GER)
Rego TORDA (HUN)
ANUJ (IND)
Amir SAEIDI NAVA (IRI)
Zaid NAGHOUJ (JOR)
Riku TANAKA (JPN)
Daniyar KANAGATBEK (KAZ)
Nursultan ADYLBEKOV (KGZ)
Arsenie CAISIN (MDA)
Borgil TUVSHINBAATAR (MGL)
Balaz UJHELJI (SRB)
Omer SEZER (TUR)
Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR)
Colton WEILER (USA)
Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB)

71kg
Kiryl VALEUSKI (AIN)
Vladislav BYRLIA (AIN)
Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM)
Yusif AHMADLI (AZE)
Sergey STOEV (BUL)
Jinhao WU (CHN)
Bruno HANZEL (CZE)
Giorgi ALADASHVILI (GEO)
Sotirios BOUZAS (GRE)
Imre KOLOMPAR (HUN)
Sachin KUMAR (IND)
Mohammad KAZEMI (IRI)
Ahmad HAMAIDEH (JOR)
Tsubasa EGUCHI (JPN)
Marlan BAKAYEV (KAZ)
Ilgis KANYBEKOV (KGZ)
Isodzhon NURAKHMADOV (TJK)
Kuzey ILDEM (TUR)
Kyrylo UHRIK (UKR)
Joseph JETER (USA)
Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB)

80kg
Uladzislau KURDZIUK (AIN)  
Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN)  
Mohamed ABADI (ALG)  
Arame ARAKELYAN (ARM)  
Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE)  
Guilherme LANDIM SALLES (BRA)  
Dinko NEYKOV (BUL)  
Zheying SONG (CHN)  
Petr ZAK (CZE)
Luka KOCHALIDZE (GEO)  
Daniel JAKAB (HUN)
Nishant PHOGAT (IND)
Emad MOHSENNEJAD (IRI)
Daichi AKIHO (JPN)
Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ)
Zhoomart ASHIMOV (KGZ)
Marius ZAJAUSKAS (LTU)
Nichita APOSTOL (MDA)
Dusan STOKIC (SRB)
Muhammad SULTONZODA (TJK)  
Yigit SARI (TUR)  
Vladyslav SOLODCHUK (UKR)  
Emmitt SHERLOCK (USA)
Shokhjakhon SHOVKATOV (UZB)

92kg
Kanstantsin KASYAN (AIN)
Ramzan SADULAEV (AIN)
Lotfi MECHOUCHE (ALG)  
Lyova SHUKHYAN (ARM)  
Said PASHAYEV (AZE)  
Raphael RODRIGUES (BRA)  
Radostin VASILEV (BUL)  
Mengyang ZHANG (CHN)  
Patrik BUDOR (CRO)  
Zeyad MOHAMED (EGY)  
Vladimer MINADZE (GEO)  
Ole STERNING (GER)  
Nikolaos KARAVANOS (GRE)  
Andras BUDAI (HUN)  
LUCKY (IND)
Danial IZADI (IRI)
Koki MATSUMOTO (JPN)
Adilet TOISHY (KAZ)
Asek ZAIIRBEKOV (KGZ)
Seunguk BAK (KOR)
Julius GIKARAS (LTU)
Daniel HUTANU (ROU)
Migael PIENAAR (RSA)
Serkan BAKIR (TUR)
Tymofii PRYKHODKO (UKR)
Evan MCGUIRE (USA)
Fakhrikamol KOMILJONOV (UZB)

110kg
Daniil MASLAKOU (AIN)
Artur MANVELIAN (AIN)
Aymen AOUIDAT (ALG)
Seyran KIRAKOSYAN (ARM)
Abdullah HASANOV (AZE)
Mihail KRALEV (BUL)
Haorui WANG (CHN)
Dominik KOCMAN (CZE)
Luka SHAVADZE (GEO)
Zoltan CZAKO (HUN)
RONAK (IND)
Aliasghar DADBAKHSH (IRI)
Tenga ABE (JPN)
Ulankandas OTEGENOV (KAZ)
Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR)
Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR)
Trayvn BOGER (USA)
Sayidamir NEMATOV (UZB)

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Freestyle Preview

By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (April 17) -- After six years away from the continental stage, Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) is set to walk back into the European Championships in Tirana, Albania. Barring an upset of the highest order, he’s likely to reclaim the title he won for the fifth time in Rome back in 2020.

Sadulaev’s absence from the continental championships for the better part of a decade wasn’t a typical one – due to injury or lack of form. As a two-time Olympic champion and a six-time world champion, Sadulaev had built up a resume that made European gold almost routine.

WATCH SADULAEV LIVE | Download European Championships 2026 Preview

His was a schedule built on world conquest and he simply didn’t need the European Championships. He skipped the tournament year after year even as he dominated globally.

Sadulaev’s return to the European Championships doesn’t seem to be linked to any sentimentality, legacy or any need to prove himself. In an interview he had given to UWW at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 2026, where he beat Takhir KHANIEV (UWW) to secure his spot for the European Championships, Sadulaev’s explanation was very practical. “For me, this gold means qualifying for the European Championships… It was very important for me to qualify there,” he said.

The 29-year-old hasn’t treated the European Championships as essential for years. At the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, Sadulaev gave further insights into where his focus lies by saying he was already looking ahead to a stacked World Championships field later in the year and mentioned the possibility of multiple Olympic champions in one bracket.

Sadulaev is unlikely to face anything close to that challenge in Tirana. If anyone expected rust -- the 2026 Muhamet Malo Ranking Series was his first international competition since he won gold at the 2024 World Championships at this same venue --  he ended that idea comprehensively. He beat a strong field at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, including Khaniev, who beat Kyle SNYDER (USA) earlier in the competition.

A fully fit and focused Sadulaev should find the field in Tirana -- where, incidentally, he will be competing for the third straight international tournament -- a straightforward one despite the presence of defending champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) and world medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), who is moving up from 92kg to 97kg.

However what Sadulaev does though, his return changes the nature of the tournament. If he wins, it sets him up for a crack at a remarkable seventh world title later this year. If the unthinkable should occur in Tirana though, anyone who does get the better of Sadulaev in Europe will immediately become relevant worldwide.

While Sadulaev headlines the event, two other former European champions will be wrestling in Tirana. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) are also lining up for their fifth European title in Tirana.

Uguev vs Harutyunyan
In contrast to an open 57kg division, the 61kg category has a strong favorite in defending champion Zavur UGUEV (UWW) who is in excellent form having won the Muhamat Malo Ranking series earlier this year. Expect last year’s silver medalist Harutyunyan and bronze medalist Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) to also contend for the podium at this edition.

Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL)Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) will make his European Championships debut in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

New king at 65kg
A new champion will be crowned in the 65kg category, always one of the most competitive weight categories, since last year's victor Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW) isn’t returning.

Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL), who is competing in his first international competition since he won bronze at the 2023 World Championships, has to be the favorite as he dawns into a new era in his career.

Former champions Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) and Islam DUDAEV (ALB) will be key contenders but both haven’t been in the best of form last year. Two-time U23 world champion Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) will likely be another main threat.

Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) is a four-time European champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Salkazanav Eyes Fifth Title
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) saw his bid to win a fifth straight European title end following an early loss to Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) last time around. But with neither Sidakov, who won silver, nor defending European champion Chermen VALIEV (ALB) competing in Tirana, Salkazanov is well placed to return to the top of the podium. 

Also looking to add to his European gold medal tally is Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW). The 33-year-old has been bouncing across weight categories over the past couple of years. He wrestled at 74kg at the Paris Olympics, then won silver at last year's European Championships in the 86kg category but is now cutting down to 79kg, the category in which he won his first continental title back in 2020.

Standing between him and a second European title are Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) who is trying to improve on the silver he won last time and Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) who himself briefly wrestled in the 86kg class without much success at this year's edition of the Muhamet Malo Ranking series.

Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB)Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB), returning silver medalist, will look to change his medal color to gold this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Shootout at 57kg
Unlike the 97kg category, the 57kg weight class is wide open with no Sadulaev-like figure to shut the door on everyone else. Defending champion Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) isn’t returning this year. In his absence, the closest thing to a favorite might be Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB), but, he too, also hasn’t had the best run since taking silver last year, placing 21st at last year's World Championships and failing to medal at the Zagreb Open earlier this year.

Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW), who will be competing in his first continental championships, doesn’t have any real hardware from international competition but is more than capable of being a contender having picked up a win against last year’s European bronze medalist Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) at the 2025 World Championships.

Arsenii DZHOIEV (AZE)Arsenii DZHOIEV (AZE) and Ibragim KADIEV (UWW) are two favorites at 86kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Shake Up at 86kg and 92kg
The 86kg category is also looking at a shake up. Osman GOCEN (TUR) is the only returning medal winner in this year’s bracket. Expected to lead the charge for the podium this time around is Ibragim KADIEV(UWW), who had a strong outing at the Muhamet Malo Ranking series where he won gold beating world champion Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) in the final.

However, Kadiev was pushed hard by world bronze medalist Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) who would be itching to repay the favor once again in Tirana. 

The 92kg division will also see just one medal winner from 2025 -- Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) returning to Tirana. That leaves the field open for 2025 world silver medalist Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW), reigning U23 European champion Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) and Ahmed BATAEV (BUL) for a chance to win their first European title.

Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) is the defending European champion at 125kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Meshvildishvili Firm
Although he hasn’t been in the best of form recently, failing to medal at the Muhamet Malo Ranking series, last year's champion and 2025 worlds silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) is still the man to beat at the 125kg category especially since last year’s runner up Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) has had an up an down season.

While Meshvildishvili is the favorite, former U23 world silver medalists Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) and Shamil MUSAEV (UWW) may yet spring a surprise.

David BAEV (UWW) dropped just one point en route to the European title last year including a 10-0 blowout against former world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), and is the favorite in the 70kg category this year as well.