UWW 25-Under-25: No. 11-No. 15

Wednesday, February 16, 2022 - 12:44 By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 9) -- The mental and physical strain wrestling puts on the body once led Olympic champion Dan GABLE (USA) to say: “Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy.”

Over the last few months, some of the biggest fixtures in wrestling from the last decade – Aline FOCKEN (GER), Tamas LORINCZ (HUN), Cenk ILDEM (TUR) and Frank STAEBLER (GER), among many others – hung up their shoes and decided to head into that “easy” phase of life.

As we continue to pay homage to those trailblazers heading into their post-wrestling chapters of life, it’s time to whisk in the next generation of talent that’ll shoulder the weight of the sport into the Paris Olympic Games and beyond.

With three short years left until the Paris Games, we’re redirecting our attention to the sport's brightest young stars who are entering the prime of their careers. United World Wrestling looked at 25 wrestlers who will undoubtedly keep wrestling fans at the edge of their seats throughout '22 and beyond.

The question you asked and we answered: “Who are the Top 25 Under 25?”

UWW 25-Under-25: No. 21-No. 25
No. 25 - Alina AKOBIYA (UKR), 23-years-old
No. 24 - Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 24-years-old
No. 23 - Artur SARGSYAN (RWF), 24-years-old
No. 22 - TUMUR OCHIR Tulga (MGL), 24-year-old
No. 21 - Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), 22-years-old

UWW 25-Under-25: No. 20-No. 16
No. 20 - Anshu MALIK (IND), 20-years-old
No. 19 - Irinia RINGACI (MDA), 21-years-old
No. 18 - Zagir SHAKHIEV (RUS), 23-years-old
No. 17 - Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), 23-years-old
No. 16 - Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 23-years-old

Here's UWW's third segment -- No. 11 through No. 15 -- of the Top 25 Under 25 to keep an eye on.

No. 15 - Ernazar AKMATLIEV (KGZ), 23-years-old, (July 2, 1998)

Instagram - akmataliev_ernazar

No freestyle wrestler has made a more rapid rise in the ranks than Ernazar AKMATLIEV (KGZ). The 24-year-old shocked the world when he pinned Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB) at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers to book his ticket to Tokyo at 65kg. He later defeated eventual world runner-up Amirmohammed YAZADANI (IRI) in an action-packed final.

While he could not win a medal at the Tokyo Games, Akmatliev made a name for himself. He followed that performance with a silver-medal winning run at the Oslo World Championships at 70kg. In the process, he registered wins over junior world champion Erfan ELAHI (IRI) and Evgenii ZHERBAEV (RWF). A month later, he became the U23 world champion by beating Individual World Cup winner Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in a one-sided final in Belgrade, Serbia.

Akmatliev's counterattacks have become a problem for his opponents as he continues to accumulate points despite being in danger positions. He uses the underhook to a great effect to not allow others to hold their preferred positions as well.

As he continues his journey towards Paris Games 2024, Akmatliev has a big year in front of him with Asian Championships, World Championships and the Asian Games scheduled this year.

No. 14 - Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI), 24-years-old (January 8, 1998)

Instagram - amin_mirzazadeh_

The super heavyweight category in Greco-Roman has been dominated by two legends -- Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) and Riza KAYAALP (TUR). But as a young generation tries to uproot them, Amin Mirzazadeh is the strongest of them.

The Iran wrestler was at the Tokyo Olympics and won the U23 Worlds last year. Mirzazadeh suffered the burnt of a tough draw as he faced Lopez in the semifinal and later Kayaalp in the bronze medal and finished fifth. But he returned to win the gold in Belgrade. He missed the Oslo World Championships after contracting COVID.

In his five-year career, Mirzazadeh has won the junior and U23 worlds, junior and senior Asian Championships and is yet to make his senior World debut. Incidentally, he was selected on Iran's Tokyo Olympics team after he defeated Aliakbar YOUSOFIA (IRI) in the Poland Open Ranking Series event. Yousofia went on to win the Oslo Worlds in Mirzazadeh's absence.

Like Lopez and Kiyaalp, Mirzazadeh boasts of a strong groud-defense along with some of the best cardio in the weight class. While he still has to gain the power to finish bouts early, Mirzazadeh can be the biggest breakout of the year.

No. 13 - Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), 18-years-old (November 11, 2003)

Instagram - 11.akrstagram.11

Japan's stronghold in women's wrestling might have found a new leader. The Kawai sisters, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and now Akari Fujiname. Still in high school, Fujinami has been the latest phenom from the Land of Rising Sun, winning the Senior World Championships in Oslo without surrendering a point in four bouts.

Fujinami, who has participated in four international competitions in her three-year career, is yet to lose a bout. Even in Japan, she is unbeaten at the two senior-level competitions she participated in, with wins over Nanami IRIE (JPN) and Haruna OKUNO (JPN).

Domestically, she will have to get past Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) to make the senior team in the near future but if her performance in Oslo was any indication, Fujinami looks set to pull off an upset.

A mix of quick attacks and agile defense, the former cadet world champion's wrestling style was a treat to watch in Oslo. Japan Wrestling experts had long waited for her senior debut and she did not disappoint on her first outing.

The Paris Olympic cycle will be a big test for Fujinami as tries to make 53kg her own, both domestically and internationally.

No. 12 - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF), 23-years-old (March 15, 1998)

Instagram - abas_60._

Who can challenge Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV at 61kg? As the wrestling season for 2022 begins, Magomedov is still waiting for an opponent who can defeat him at the weight class which he has dominated since 2019. The world champion has won the European Championships in 2021 and will be looking to defend the title in Budapest, Hungary next month.

Once he won the Individual World Cup in 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia, the fans asked if Magomedov would jump to 65kg for the Tokyo Olympics. But he remained at 61kg to win the Russian, European and World Championships. The former junior world champion looked unfazed in Oslo as he defeated Daton FIX (USA) in the final and also overcame U23 world champion Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN) in the semifinal via fall.

Hailing from the mountains of Dagestan, the Russian Wrestling Federation star was UWW's top-ranked wrestler of the year in 2021. A big decision is awaited if he will decide to move to the Olympic weight class of 65kg to challenge the strong field at Paris Olympics.

No. 11 - Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), 23-years-old (August 22, 1998)

Instagram - koumba_larroque

Back in 2015, Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) won the cadet world title. The following year, she won gold at Junior World Championships. The trend continued in 2017 when she was crowned U23 world champion and senior-level world bronze medalist at the age of 19 years. In 2018, she almost continued the streak by reaching the senior World Championships final in Budapest but an injury on the mat in the final stopped her.

Four years since that horrific knee injury, Larroque is back as one of the top wrestlers at 68kg. The Paris native qualified for the Tokyo Olympics by winning the European Qualifiers but she suffered a shock fall in the early rounds. But still on the road to recovery from that injury, Larroque is looking forward to Paris.

A two-time world medalist, in 2017 and 2018, France's big hope for a wrestling medal at home Olympics in Paris, Larroque won the U23 Worlds in Belgrade in 2021 to further confirm her return to the top level. She began her year with the Olympic qualification and followed that with the European Championships gold.

The new year will present Larroque with an opportunity to establish herself as the top wrestler at 68kg as Paris fast approaches.

#JapanWrestling

Olympic champ Fumita joins Ono as late withdrawal from Emperor's Cup

Wednesday, December 17, 2025 - 07:42 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 17) -- Five days after former world champion Masanosuke ONO made the stunning announcement that he was pulling out of the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships, another high-profile star aborted a long-awaited return to action by joining him on the sidelines.

Olympic champion Kenichiro FUMITA announced Wednesday on the eve of the tournament that he was withdrawing due to an injury, keeping him out of what would have been his first tournament since his triumph at the Paris Olympics.

Fumita, who won the Paris gold at Greco 60kg but was entered at 63kg, made the announcement on his X account. Without disclosing the injury, he said it "was not a major injury that will have an effect on my wrestling career, but I feel it is not worth the risk at this time so I decided to withdraw."

The Emperor's Cup is also serving as the domestic qualifier for the 2026 Asian Championships, and as the first of two national domestic qualifiers for this year's World Championships and Asian Games. The latter holds particular significance in that Japan will be hosting the event.

Fumita, the silver medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and a two-time former world champion, had only competed at 63kg once in his career, at the 2023 German Grand Prix, where he placed second as a warmup for the World Championships, where he took home the silver.

The 30-year-old was due to take the mat on Thursday, the first day of the four-day tournament at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym.

"I deeply apologize to everyone who was looking forward [to seeing me] and to all those involved [with the tournament]," Fumita said. "I will make the utmost effort to be in top condition and be able to perform at the next competition."

Last Friday, Ono announced that he had withdrawn for health reasons, a move that indefinitely delays his return to the mats of his native country.

Ono revealed on social media that he had been diagnosed with a kidney problem, possibly linked to cutting weight to get down to 57kg, according to a report by Japan's top wrestling website Wrestling Spirits.

Ono has been competing at either 61kg or 65kg in recent years, and the stress of getting down to 57kg might have taken too big a toll. Ono said that he had gotten near 57kg the previous week when he experienced thickening of the urine, which can be regarded as a sign of dehydration.

Upon consultation with a doctor, it was decided "I will play it safe this time," Ono said.

The 22-year-old Ono has become a worldwide sensation, first by winning the senior world title at freestyle 61kg in 2024 with one-sided victories that included beating a past Olympic gold medalist and the reigning world champion, then for leaving the comfort of Yamanashi Gakuin University for the challenge of competing in American folkstyle at powerhouse Penn State University.

The Emperor's Cup would have provided a rare chance for Ono to compete in a freestyle tournament again, the first step on the path to getting back to the World Championships.

Ono said he will now return to Penn State, where he will resume his introduction into folkstyle. While he is redshirting this year -- the system that allows him to train with the team but not enter official competitions to preserve a year of eligibility -- he plans to enter an open tournament in January.

As pointed out by Wrestling Spirits, the big issue facing Ono now is whether or not he will be afforded a spot in the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in May next year, which will be the second domestic qualifier for the worlds and Asian Games.

As the name implies, the field is limited to invitees, using criteria set by the Japan Wrestling Federation based on results from major competitions over the past year. There are exceptions made for a wrestler who has been out of action for an extended time but has achieved "particularly outstanding results."

In the past, this has been interpreted to mean medaling at an Olympics, as the majority of wrestlers take time off following Olympic success. The question the federation will have to answer is, will a world title in 2024 earn Ono an invitation?

Asked directly by Wrestling Spirits, Kenji INOUE, the federation's chairman of the technical enhancement committee, replied, "At this stage, nothing has been decided."

There is one incentive for the publicity-starved JWF to include Ono in the Meiji Cup field -- it could set up a classic match-up between him and Paris Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI.

Higuchi has not competed since winning the Paris gold, but has already stated he plans to return at the Meiji Cup with eyes on a first Asian Games appearance.

Ono has not competed in Japan since June 2024, when he participated in the East Japan Collegiate League, a team competition in which he helped Yamanashi Gakuin win the Division I title.

After winning the gold at the Non-Olympic Weight Class World Championships in Tirana in October 2024, he revealed he had been dealing with a broken ankle.

That kept him out of competition for awhile, then early in 2025, he headed across the Pacific to begin training with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. In March, he made the blockbuster announcement that he would enroll at Penn State.

Ono had been entered at 57kg at the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational in New York in November, but was a late withdrawal for undisclosed reasons.

At the Emperor's Cup, Olympic weight classes will be contested over two days in the same format at the World Championships, while non-Olympic weights will be finished in a single day.

Although Fumita will no longer be competing, fellow Paris gold medalist Yuka KAGAMI will be making her return to the mat for the first time since her Olympic triumph at women's 76kg, which gets started on Thursday.

UWW 25-Under-25: No. 11-No. 15

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Olympic champ Fumita joins Ono as late withdrawal from Emperor's Cup