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UWW History Makers of 2025: Kougioumtsidis, Reasco, Sultangali

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:29 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- United World Wrestling has announced the History Makers of the Year 2025. The performance of these three wrestlers transcended competition and produced a once-in-a-generation accomplishment.

Freestyle’s History Maker 2025: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

If there’s one nation that’s draped in sports tradition, it’s Greece, but surprisingly enough, the nation had never produced a male wrestling world champion.

Prior to 2025, wrestlers from Greece were 0-3 in gold-medal matches and had not reached a world finals since 1991. Then came 23-year-old Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS who stunned the world by defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final to become his nation’s first-ever world champion.

Up until Kougioumtsidis' victory, Georgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) lost both of his world finals matches and Iraklis DESKOULIDIS (GRE) lost the final in 1991. The lone Greek woman to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold on home soil in 2002.

"I'm very lucky that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country." He continued, saying, “I'm the first male [from Greece] who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

Women’s Wrestling History Maker: Genesis REASCO (ECU)

Reasco made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion, which came two years following Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) silver-medal finish at the 2023 World Championships where she still become the Ecuador's first-ever world medalist.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over two-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), which came one match removed from knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Greco-Roman’s History Maker: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)

Sultangali ended a 26-year Greco-Roman drought, giving Kazakhstan their first Greco world champion since 1999 with a very quick victory over Uzbek youngster Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg finals at the World Championships.

Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals between 2018 and 2022, only needed 1:07 to cap off masterful first-period 9-0 win over Asian runner-up GANIEV (UZB).

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened. Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, "I am happy that my country is happy."

#WrestleTirana

European Championships Day 2 Greco-Roman Results & Highlights

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - 06:37 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 21) -- The European Championships 2026 enters day two with five Greco-Roman weight classes - 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg. All five weight classes have their defending champions in action in Tirana on Tuesday.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | KAYAALP REACHES FINAL

14:27: Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) ends Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) debut at the European Championships with a 7-1 defeat. Hrushyn, a former silver medalist at 63kg, scored two turns from par terre in the second period to lead 5-1. Zakriev tries some desperate throws but ends up giving a takedown.

14:22: In another rematch of the final from last year, Kiril MILOV (BUL) beats Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER), this year 8-1 to enter the semifinal at 97kg. Milov with two turns from par terre before starting the second period with a takedown and lead 7-1. Germany challenges but that's lost which gave one more point to Milov.

14:20: Artur SARGSIAN (UWW) will wrestle for a European medal for the first time. He beats world bronze medalist Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) 4-0 in the 97kg quarterfinals. Given both par terre positions in the match, Sargsian scores step out in first but fails to do much int eh second. He also gets a point for lost challenge from Azerbaijan to win 4-0.

14:11: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), who began this season with two silver medals at the Ranking Series events, is into the semifinals at 67kg after a 6-1 victory over Dominik ETLINGER (CRO).

14:10: In a rematch of last year's final which Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) won, the defending champion once again beats Abu Muslim AMAEV (BUL), this year in the semifinals. Jafarov got two turns from par terre in the first period to lead 5-0. In the second period, he caught Amaev from behind and pinned him to enter the final

14:00: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) defends with all might to beat Mihail BRADU (MDA) 5-4 at 82kg as he moves into the semifinals of his title defense. Leading 3-0, he got par terre and used a front head roll exposure for two points but lost control and gave up two points as well. Gurbanov, leading 5-2, challenged the call but lost it. He was then called passive which gave one more point to Bradu but Gurbanov held on for the win. 

13:40: Defending champion at 60kg, Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) makes no mistake in a 5-0 victory over Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR). He did not let Kuzko take any par terre while being active enough to get it twice in the match.

13:30: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB), returning silver medalist, moves into the semifinals with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Denis MIHAI (ROU) at 60kg. All points scored from par terre

13:20: Returning silver medalist at 97kg Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER) gets a turn from par terre and beats Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA), 3-1, after the Italian wrestler failed to score points.

13:05: Anti-climatic between defending champion Kiril MILOV (BUL) and world bronze medalist Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW) as Milov wins 10-0 at 97kg. He begins with an arm throw for two points before getting the par terre from which he gets Maskevich in danger. When the referee asks them for neutral, Milov leads 7-0. Maskevich tries a big throw using body lock but Milov blocks him for two points. A lost challenges adds one more point to his score.

12:55: Artur SARGSIAN (UWW), world silver medalist but never won a medal at the European Championships, begins with an explosive 9-0 victory over Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU). He lifts the Lithuanian for a body throw for four before turning him twice for two points for each turn.

12:50: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), defending champion at 67kg, scores two two-point takedown against Jan OEHLEN (SWE) to secure a 5-1 victory and moves into the quarterfinals.

12:48: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) gets four turns from par terre to beat Andreas VETSCH (SUI), 9-0 and advance to the quarterfinal at 67kg against Murat FIRAT (TUR).  

12:40: Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) continues his good form and gets a win over world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) at 67kg. Zakriev gets the first par terre but cannot score from there. He gets the par terre in the second period as well, making his lead 2-0, before he hits a throw for four points. Serbia challenge the decision but lose it. A takedown to finish the bout 9-0.

12:20: World bronze medalist Karlo KODRIC (CRO) turns Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR) once from par terre and then holds the Ukrainian off to win 3-1 to advance at 82kg.

11:45: Defending champion at 82kg Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) needed a big front headlock throw for four to break the 3-3 criteria and beat Svetoslav NIKOLOV (BUL) in his opening bout.

11:25: Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW), a U20 world silver medalist, starts his senior European Championships debut with an clinical 8-0 win over Mateusz SZEWCZUK (POL) at 67kg. Two big four-point throws for Zakriev

11:05: Defending champion Kiril MILOV (BUL) kicks off his 97kg gold medal defense with a dominant 9-0 technical superiority win over Gerard KURNICZAK (POL). Next up is the big match against world bronze medalist Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW).

10:50: Returning silver medalist at 67kg Abu Muslim AMAEV (BUL) keeps it simple in his first bout and beats Andrea SETTI (ITA), 4-0, and advances. 

10:30: Welcome to day two of the European Championships! After a dramatic day one to kick off the tournament, five more Greco weight classes in action in Tirana.