Rivalry

Wrestling Showcases Heavyweight Battle in Short Film, "Rivalry: Taha v. Geno" 

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 15) -- They are the largest men in the sport of wrestling and for the past several years they've been exchanging some of its most epic battles.

With back-and-forth action and incredible stamina leading to nail-biting outcomes, Rio Olympic champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) and three-time world champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) have become appointment viewing for wrestling fans around the world. The duo has competed more than a half dozen times, exchanging wins and losses in what are often high-scoring matches with exertion that often seems in defiance of what is possible.

The documentary highlights the action on the mat, but also the incredible respect and admiration the duo shares for each other. 'I'm extra prepared and motivated each time we wrestle," says Akgul in the film. "He's an incredible sportsman with a strong will," replies Petriashvili.

While the action on the mat can get heated, the duo has showcased the power of respect in a rivalry and that wrestling -- while intense and without forgiveness -- can be a platform for building character.

Fans can watch the documentary for free on YouTube, IGTV, Facebook, and the UWW website.

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024 Olympics Freestyle Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

PARIS (July 11) -- The Olympic Games in Paris will see 97 Freestyle wrestlers competing for six gold medals. None of the Tokyo Olympic champions are entered which guarantees history books will be rewritten in Paris.

But former Olympic champions Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) are looking for their second titles at the Games. The United States and Azerbaijan are the only countries to qualify all six weight classes for Paris 2024. Apart from the regular 96 competitors, Iman MAHDAVI (EOR) will be part of the Olympic Refugee Team at 74kg, making it a 17-man bracket.

Apart from the aforementioned Olympic champions, former Olympic medalists entered include Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), Haji ALIYEV (AZE), Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), Kyle DAKE (USA), Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) are entered.

PARIS 2024 SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024 NEWS | PARIS 2024 WOMEN'S WRESTLING ENTRIES | PARIS 2024 GRECO-ROMAN ENTRIES

57kg
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Wanhao ZOU (CHN)
Gamal MOHAMED (EGY)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
AMAN (IND)
Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)
Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ)
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)
Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Darian CRUZ (PUR)
Stevan MICIC (SRB)
Spencer LEE (USA)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

65kg
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB)
Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Austin GOMEZ (MEX)
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)
Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)
Gaku AKAZAWA (SAM)
Zain RETHERFORD (USA)

74kg
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN)
Chermen VALIEV (ALB)
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Feng LU (CHN)
Geandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB)
Amr HUSSEN (EGY)
Iman MAHDAVI (EOR)
Bacar NDUM (GBS)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Yones EMAMI (IRI)
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)
Daichi TAKATANI (JPN)
Hetik CABALOV (SRB)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Viktor RASSADIN (TJK)
Kyle DAKE (USA)
Razambek JAMALOV (UZB)
Anthony MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS)
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Alexander MOORE (CAN)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)
Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Ethan RAMOS (PUR)
Myles AMINE (SMR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Aaaron BROOKS (USA)
Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB)

97kg
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN)
Awusayiman HABILA (CHN)
Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB)
Luis PEREZ SOSA (DOM)
Mostafa ELDERS (EGY)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Erik THIELE (GER)
Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL)
Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA)
Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)

125kg
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)
Amarveer DHESI (CAN)
Zhiwei DENG (CHN)
Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY)
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ)
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)
Ashton MUTUWA (NGR)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Jonovan SMITH (PUR)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)
Mason PARRIS (USA)

Note:
Shamil MAMEDOV (AIN) was initially entered at 65kg but he subsequently withdrew. He is replaced by Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)

* Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU was entered at 74kg

* Serbia replaced Ali ARSALAN (SRB) with Hetik CABALOV (SRB) at 74kg

* Ukraine replaced Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR) with Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) at 125kg