Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 2026 Entries

Thursday, February 12, 2026 - 10:44 By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (February 12) -- The second Ranking Series of the year -- Muhamet Malo -- will see around 500 wrestlers. The tournament will take place in Tirana from February 25 to March 1.

All the action from Muhamet Malo Ranking Series event will be live on UWW+ on uww.org and the UWW App.

Here's the full schedule of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series.

Follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, X, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.

Note: Entries are subject to change. For latest entries, click here

Freestyle Entries

57kg
Ajndi KRYEZIU (ALB)
Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)
Ivaylo TISOV (BUL)
Guesseppe REA VILLARROEL (ECU)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Akshay DHERE (IND)
SUMIT (IND)
Atish TODKAR (IND)
Abzal OKENOV (KAZ)
Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ)
Darian CRUZ (PUR)
Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)
Yusuf DEMIR (TUR)
Liam CRONIN (USA)
Spencer LEE (USA)
Ramiz GAMZATOV (UWW)

61kg
Endrio AVDYLI (ALB)
Ersjan KASHIKU (ALB)
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS)
Erdal GALIP (BUL)
Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO)
Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO)
RAHUL (IND)
Simone PIRODDU (ITA)
Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ)
Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)
Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)
Caleb SMITH (PUR)
Azatberdi ASHYRGULYYEV (TKM)
Michael MCGEE (USA)
Nathan TOMASELLO (USA)
Chermen TAVITOV (UWW)
Zavur UGUEV (UWW)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

65kg
Gjete PRENGA (ALB)
Rashid BABAZADE (AZE)
Shannon HANNA (BAH)
Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN)
Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
Joshua KRAMER (ECU)
Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO)
Mikheili BERDZNISHVILI (GEO)
Nico MEGERLE (GER)
Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)
SUJEET (IND)
Mohit KUMAR (IND)
Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ)
Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ)
Oskonbai ABDISAMATOV (KGZ)
Pavel GRAUR (MDA)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Stefan COMAN (ROU)
Ahmet DUMAN (TUR)
Joseph MCKENNA (USA)
Real WOODS (USA)
Vitali ARUJAU (USA)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

70kg
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Kaloyan ATANASOV (BUL)
Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO)
SIDDHARTH (IND)
Maiis ALIYEV (KAZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ)
Zalkarbek TABALDIEV (KGZ)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Austin GOMEZ (MEX)
Alec PANTALEO (USA)
Ridge LOVETT (USA)
Tyler KASAK (USA)
Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW)

74kg
Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE)
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN)
Petar PETROV (BUL)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
PARVINDER (IND)
Yones EMAMI (IRI)
Yegor ANCHUGIN (KAZ)
Yernur NURGAZY (KAZ)
Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ)
Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Vatan ANNAORAZOV (TKM)
Omer CAYIR (TUR)
Quincy MONDAY (USA)
William LEWAN (USA)
Yahya THOMAS (USA)
Inalbek SHERIEV (UWW)
Farhad NOURI (UWW)
Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB)

79kg
Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE)
Aykan SEID (BUL)
Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO)
Luka CHKHITUNIDZE (GEO)
Sagar JAGLAN (IND)
Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)
Adilet MARATBAEV (KGZ)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Cameron AMINE (USA)
Dean HAMITI (USA)
Akhmed USMANOV (UWW)

86kg
Ibrahim SULA (ALB)
Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)
Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN)
Christopher FOCA MEJIA (DOM)
Dachi PAPINASHVILI (GEO)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Joshua MORODION (GER)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
ARYAN (IND)
Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA)
Cezary SADOWSKI (POL)
Shane JONES (PUR)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Kyle DAKE (USA)
Ibragim KADIEV (UWW)

92kg
Albin PEPOSHI (ALB)
Mate KOLA (ALB)
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Zaur BERADZE (GEO)
Punit KUMAR (IND)
Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ)
Iakov CHAPLIN (KGZ)
Filip ROGUT (POL)
Dovletgeldi MYRADOV (TKM)
Jacob CARDENAS (USA)
Dustin PLOTT (USA)

97kg
Thomas BARNS (AUS)
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO)
Erik THIELE (GER)
Ertugrul AGCA (GER)
Nikolaos KARAVANOS (GRE)
Richard VEGH (HUN)
AKASH (IND)
Jointy KUMAR (IND)
VICKY (IND)
Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ)
Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM)
Emirhan KILIC (TUR)
Rifat GIDAK (TUR)
Hayden ZILLMER (USA)
Jonathan AIELLO (USA)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW)
Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW)

125kg
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)
Georgi IVANOV (BUL)
Mohsen SIYAR (GER)
RONAK (IND)
Rajat RUHAL (IND)
Nursultan AZOV (KAZ)
Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Omar Ihab SAREM (ROU)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR)
Mason PARRIS (USA)
Trent HILLGER (USA)
Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA)
Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)
Abdulla KURBANOV (UWW)

World champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) will return to action at 87kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman Entries

55kg
Andi MUCA (ALB)
Elmir ALIYEV (AZE)
Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE)
LALIT (IND)
Vishvajit MORE (IND)
Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ)
Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ)
Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ)
Rasul JORAYEV (TKM)
William SULLIVAN (USA)
Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW)

60kg
Bajram SINA (ALB)
Nihad GULUZADE (AZE)
Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)
Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
Dimitri KHACHIDZE (GEO)
Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)
Udit PATEL (IND)
SURAJ (IND)
Akzhol TUYAKOV (KAZ)
Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ)
Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ)
Kurmanbek ZHAPAROV (KGZ)
Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM)
Dalton ROBERTS (USA)
Maxwell BLACK (USA)
Sadyk LALAEV (UWW)
Suner KONUNOV (UWW)

63kg
Ergi UKU (ALB)
Mikel TROPLINI (ALB)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Sakit GULIYEV (AZE)
Ziya BABASHOV (AZE)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
CHETAN (IND)
SAURABH (IND)
Ali HAJIVAND (IRI)
Bakytzhan KABDYL (KAZ)
Yerkebulan ARDAKOV (KAZ)
Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ)
Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT)
Ildar HAFIZOV (USA)
Sergey EMELIN (UWW)

67kg
Gjete PRENGA (ALB)
Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS)
Mahammad SHUKURZADE (AZE)
Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER)
ANKIT (IND)
Karanjit SINGH (IND)
Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)
Yerzhet ZHARLYKASSYN (KAZ)
Baiaman KARIMOV (KGZ)
Sebastian NAD (SRB)
Jan OEHLEN (SWE)
Kakabay KAKABAYEV (TKM)
Alston NUTTER (USA)
Otto BLACK (USA)
Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW)
Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW)

72kg
Xhord GJONI (ALB)
Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Krisztian VANCZA (HUN)
Sourav MALIK (IND)
Hojat REZAEI (IRI)
Mohammad REZAEI (IRI)
Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ)
Daniyar KALENOV (KAZ)
Nikolay KHAPKO (KAZ)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ)
Kamil CZARNECKI (POL)
Didar ORAZBERDIYEV (TKM)
Benjamin PEAK (USA)
Kamil AKHMETVALEEV (UWW)
Magomed BARAKHOEV (UWW)

77kg
Kevin KUPI (ALB)
Klodjan SHEHU (ALB)
Davud MAMMADOV (AZE)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER)
Levente LEVAI (HUN)
Robert FRITSCH (HUN)
AMAN (IND)
Nishant PHOGAT (IND)
Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI)
Amir ABDI (IRI)
Mohammad NAGHOUSI (UWW)
Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ)
Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ)
Ilgis KANYBEKOV (KGZ)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Konrad KOZLOWSKI (POL)
Aleksa ILIC (SRB)
Britton HOLMES (USA)
Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW)
Imran ALIEV (UWW)
Sergei STEPANOV (UWW)
Shuai MAMEDAU (UWW)

82kg
Marjan KOLA (ALB)
Tunjay VAZIRZADE (AZE)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
PRINCE (IND)
Mohammadamin HOSSEINI (IRI)
Almir TOLEBAYEV (KAZ)
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ)
Dias KALEN (KAZ)
Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ)
Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Kamal BEY (USA)
George SIKES (USA)
Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW)
Dmitrii DZHIOEV (UWW)
Iraklii KALANDIIA (UWW)

87kg
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Lachin VALIYEV (AZE)
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)
Istvan TAKACS (HUN)
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
Jamal ESMAEILI (IRI)
Baurzhan MUSSIN (KAZ)
Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ)
Shamil OZHAEV (KAZ)
Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ)
Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ)
Adam GARDZIOLA (POL)
Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)
Payton JACOBSON (USA)
Spencer WOODS (USA)
Ihar YARASHEVICH (UWW)
Alan OSTAEV (UWW)
Islam ALIEV (UWW)
Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW)

97kg
Mahammad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Mathias BAK (DEN)
Giorgi MELIA (GEO)
Darius KIEFER (GER)
Alex SZOKE (HUN)
Vikrant BHORIYA (IND)
Amirreza MORADIYAN (IRI)
Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ)
Nurassyl AMANALY (KAZ)
Raiymbek TURSYN (KAZ)
Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ)
Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ)
Gerard KURNICZAK (POL)
Uros KRSTIN (SRB)
Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM)
Keith MILEY (USA)
Michial FOY (USA)
Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW)
Adlan AMRIEV (UWW)
Artur SARGSIAN (UWW)

130kg
Griseldi KODRA (ALB)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE)
Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Sulkhan BUIDZE (GEO)
Jello KRAHMER (GER)
Darius VITEK (HUN)
HARDEEP (IND)
Uttam RANA (IND)
Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Jokhar UZAROV (KAZ)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Aden ATTAO (USA)
Dzmitry ZARUBSKI (UWW)
Marat KAMPAROV (UWW)
Ali ILIASOV (UWW)

World champion Genesis REASCO (ECU) will be the favorite at 76kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Women's Wrestling Entries

50kg
Kamila BARBOSA (BRA)
Thalia OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU)
MUSKAN (IND)
Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND)
SWEETY (IND)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Miyu NAKAMURA (JPN)
Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ)
Agata GOLUCHOWSKA (POL)
Natalia WALCZAK (POL)
Svenja JUNGO (SUI)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
Erin GOLSTON (USA)
Kendra RYAN (USA)
Valeriia TIUKPIEKOVA CHEPSARAKOVA (UWW)

53kg
MEENAKSHI (IND)
Ayazhan MARKASHEVA (KAZ)
Roksana ZASINA (POL)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW)

55kg
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
PUSHPA (IND)
Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ)
Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ)
Beatrice FERENT (ROU)
Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)
Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)
Aleksandra SKIRENKO (UWW)
Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)

57kg
Samantha STEWART (CAN)
Luisa VALVERDE (ECU)
Jenna HEMIAE (FIN)
Tamara DOLLAK (HUN)
Neha SHARMA (IND)
NEHA (IND)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ)
Zeltzin HERNANDEZ (MEX)
Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)
Kristina MIKHNEVA (UWW)

59kg
Elena BRUGGER (GER)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Othelie HOEIE (NOR)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Dilan TAN (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)
Abigail NETTE (USA)
Michaela BECK (USA)
Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW)

62kg
Lais NUNES (BRA)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
ANJLI (IND)
MANSI (IND)
SAVITA (IND)
Tynys DUBEK (KAZ)
Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Amina CAPEZAN (ROU)
Sara LINDBORG (SWE)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA)
Macey KILTY (USA)
Amina TANDELOVA (UWW)
Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW)
Valeriia DONDUPOVA (UWW)

65kg
Apeksha PATIL (IND)
Aizhan SUIDUOVA (KAZ)
Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
Emma BRUNTIL (USA)
Jennifer PAGE ROGERS (USA)
Nina KEMU MAKEM (USA)
Alina KASABIEVA (UWW)

68kg
Albina DRAZHI (ALB)
Yuliana YANEVA (BUL)
Aleah NICKEL (CAN)
Laura KOEHLER (GER)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
KIRTI (IND)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU)
Tindra SJOEBER (SWE)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Destiny ADEYELE LYNG (USA)
Solin PIEARCY (USA)

72kg
Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL)
Diksha MALIK (IND)
Reshma MANE (IND)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Skylar GROTE (USA)

76kg
Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Genesis REASCO (ECU)
Jennifer ROESLER (GER)
KAJAL (IND)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR)
Elmira YASIN (TUR)
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)
Dymond GUILFORD (USA)

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Freestyle Preview

Friday, April 17, 2026 - 11:36 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 fourth 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 | European Championships 2026 Greco Preview | European Championships 2026 Women's Wrestling 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.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Olympic Wrestling (@unitedworldwrestling)

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 four-time 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) 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) 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), 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) 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) 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.

Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 2026 Entries

Comments

European Championships 2026 Freestyle Preview