Women's Forum

UWW Hosts Women in Wrestling Forum

By Tim Foley

MEXICO CITY (December 4) – United World Wrestling hosted the Women in Wrestling Global Forum last week at the Mexico Olympic Training Centre in Mexico City. The event was funded by United World Wrestling and Olympic Solidarity, organized by the Mexican Wrestling Federation, and supported by Mexican Olympic Committee.

Aligned with the Olympic Agenda 2020, the forum focused on the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women in the sport of wrestling with 26 female participants from 19 countries attending this event. Among the attendees were 2016 Olympic Champion Helen MAROULIS (USA), Olympian LEE Jiwoo (KOR) and two-time Olympic medallist Jackeline RENTERIA (COL).

The main objectives of this event were to:

  • provide NF women, especially at mid- and senior-level positions, with empowerment, leadership and personal efficiency skills;
  • encourage women to take a more proactive role in the sport of wrestling
  • strengthen the women in our sport network and stimulate implementation of national and regional projects for women in wrestling; and
  • advance wrestling technical knowledge

Participants also joined workshops including wrestling coaching clinics, introduction to refereeing and WADA anti-doping protocols.

“This is my first time participating in such an international wrestling event focusing on women in wrestling,” said 2012 world bronze medallist Yan HONG (CHN). “I enjoyed the refereeing introduction and on-the-mat skills practice; We also received great advice on training and preparation for the Olympic Games.

Natalia YARIGUINA, Vice-President of United World Wrestling and Chair of the Women and Sport commission; Rodica YAKSI, UWW Bureau Member and Francisco LOPEZ, President of the UWW Pan-American Council, along with Mario DE LA TORRE, Secretary General of Mexican Olympic Committee and other guests attended this forum.

"For our country to host an activity like this, it fills us with pride and commits us to continue working on the development of the Women's Wrestling," said Guillermo Diaz Gutierrez, president of the Mexican Wrestling Federation.

“We are grateful that the United World Wrestling chose us for this forum. Hopefully, it is the first of many more since its benefit is, at first sight, giving the women of our sports more tools to work in the gender equality.”

2026 Muhamet Malo

Live Updates: 2026 Muhamet Malo Ranking Series Day 2

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 26) -- The Muhamet Malo Ranking Series event is being held in Tirana, Albania. On day two of the competition, Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) will be in action at 97kg along with world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA). Other weight classes in action are 79kg, 92kg and 125kg. Women's Wrestling will also being with 50kg and 55kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS | SNYDER vs SADULAEV

13:15: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (USA) had worked up an 8-0 lead inside the first minute but Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ) injured his elbow in that exchange with Sadulaev. Initially looked a serious injury but Bekenov manages to stand up, holding his elbow. Sadulaev into the semifinals at 97kg

13:10: Kyle SNYDER (USA) facing Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) in the quarterfinals at 97kg. Khaniev is called passive and he gives up a point but manages to score exposure point in on exchange. Snyder with a stepout but Khaniev holds 2-2 criteria. Snyder open second period with two stepouts to take a 4-2 lead. Khaniev fires a leg-attack and converts it into a takedown to make it 4-4 and lead on criteria. He shoots another similar attack and scores another takedown before countering a fake shot from Snyder to make it 8-4 with less than a minute left. One way traffic as Khaniev manages to hold his ground against Snyder and complete a 10-4 victory to advance to the semifinals.

13:00: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) got thrown for a four by Giorgi MESHDESHVILI (AZE) but he comes back with a takedown and powerful gut wrench to take an 11-4 lead. He then scores another takedown and turn to win 15-4. All in the first period at 125kg

12:50: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) hands Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) a 7-2 loss at 79kg. Nokhodi led 4-0 at the break before working a takedown and another point. Gadzhiev managed to score a takedown at the buzzer but Nokhodi in total control of that match. 

12:30: European champion and world silver medalist Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) keeps Aleksandra SKIRENKO (UWW) at a distance and wins 6-2 at 55kg. Slow start to the match before Verbina manages to open up and score takedowns.

12:22: World champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) returns to the same venue he won his sixth world title. He is facing Jointy KUMAR (IND) in his first bout. Sadulaev with patiently waits and doesn't get involved much. Kumar gets called passive in the first period and gives up a point. Sadulaev is quick and scores a takedown soon after and turns Kumar to lead 5-0. A fireman's takedown from Sadulaev and he secures the fall over Kumar to win his first bout at 97kg.

12:15: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) with a quick victory over VICKY (IND) at 97kg. Four takedowns and two stepouts for a 10-0 blanking of the Indian wrestlers. Aitmukhan will face Benjamin HONIS (ITA) in the quarterfinals

12:10: Kyle SNYDER (USA) lost his balance and Radu LEFTER (MDA) used that moment to trip him for four which made the score line 5-4, though in favor of Snyder, in their 97kg bout. But Snyder worked on two more takedowns to beat Lefter 9-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

11:50: Former U23 European champion Giorgi IVANOV (BUL) dumps Trent HIGLER (USA) for a four-pointer in the first period and then control the bout thoroughly to win 7-2 at 125kg.

11:40: Mason PARRIS (USA) overcomes a 4-2 deficit in a very draining 125kg bout to beat Omar SAREM (ROU) and advances with a 15-5 victory. Parris was made to work hard for that win.

11:35: World silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) uses the gut-wrench and chalks up a 12-2 technical superiority win over Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM) at 125kg

11:25: SWEETY (IND) with a dominant 13-1 victory over Natalia WALCZAK (POL) at 50kg. Sweety in total control of that bout and she moves into the quarterfinals

11:15: Svenja JUNGO (SUI) with a late takedown to get a tough 3-1 victory over Agata GOLUCHOWSKA WALERZAK (POL) at 50kg. The Poland wrestler had a 1-1 criteria lead but Jungo with a match-winning takedown

11:00: At 92kg, Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) starts with a 9-2 win over Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ). Firouzpour hit a four-pointer when Dauletbekov was trying to scamper out of a tie. He then added a stepout to lead 5-0 at the break. No more points in the bout.

10:45: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), a world champion at 92kg in 2023, had built an 8-0 lead against Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) in their 97kg bout but seemed to struggle in the second period. However, he manages to defend that lead and win 8-5

10:40: Kyle SNYDER (USA) was first up on Mat and he warms up with a 3-0 win over Ertugrul AGCA (GER). Takedown in the first period and a stepout in the second as Snyder moves into the second round at 97kg. He can face Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW), only if both make the final

10:35: Richard VEGH (HUN) scored nine stepouts against AKASH (IND) and got one point for caution against the Indian as he wins the opening bout at 97kg 10-0. Victory via stepouts if we may

10:20: Welcome to the second day of the Muhamet Malo in Tirana. The Snyder vs Sadulaev chapter five is expected today. Both wrestlers will face each other only if they reach the final.