The 2025 Senior World Championships will take place in Zagreb, Croatia, from September 13-21 and will feature the world's best wrestlers. The Men's Freestyle division will kick things off in Croatia with the 10 weight classes competing from September 13-16. Check out the article below to see a full preview with predictions for each men's freestyle weight class! 

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57 kg World Championship Rankings

The above rankings are based on results from head-to-head matchups. United World Wrestling seeds off of Rankings Points accumulated over the past year at the Olympics, Continental Championships, and Ranking Series Tournaments. Check out the full 2025 World Championship Rankings Here.

Projected 57 kg Seeds At The 2025 World Championships:

1. Spencer Lee, USA
2. Gulomjon Abdullaev, UZB
3. Aman Sehrawat, IND
4. Roman Bravo-Young, MEX
5. Darian Cruz, PUR
6. Bekzat Almaz Uulu, KGZ
7. Islam Bazarganov, AZE
8. Almaz Smanbekov, KGZ

The Favorite

• Spencer Lee, USA

Spencer Lee will enter the 2025 World Championships as the clear favorite to win gold. Lee is coming off a silver medal performance at the 2024 Olympics, where he defeated Gulomjon Abdullaev, Bekzat Almaz Uulu, and Wanhao Zou. Lee lost a close match to Japan’s Rei Higuchi in the Olympic finals, but Higuchi will not be in the field this year. That leaves Lee as the man to beat for gold in Croatia.

Beyond Lee being the top returning medal winner, his skills on the mat present an incredible challenge for every wrestler in the 57 kg bracket. His power is unmatched at the weight, and he is also highly efficient at finishing his leg attacks to both sides of the body. What sets Spencer Lee apart from almost any wrestler in the world is his ability to turn from top with both a gut wrench and leg lace. Though Spencer has only been active on the senior level for less than two years, he’s already recorded notable wins over medal contenders Roman Bravo-Young, Islam Bazarganov, Gulomjon Abdullaev, and Rakhat Kalzhan. 

Spencer Lee's win over Roman Bravo-Young:

The Contenders

• Aman Sehrawat, IND
• Gulomjon Abdullaev, UZB
• Musa Mekhtikhanov, RUS
• Chongsong Han, PRK
• Roman Bravo-Young, MEX

The above six wrestlers enter the World Championships as the most likely competitors to challenge Spencer Lee for gold. India’s Aman Sehrawat won a bronze medal at the Olympics last year and boasts wins over world champion Zelimkhan Abakarov, Darian Cruz, Aryan Tsiutrin, Andrey Yatsenko, and several other world-class wrestlers at 57kg. Aman will be one of the tallest wrestlers in the bracket and uses his length to his advantage exceptionally well. Along with his length, Aman wrestles a relentless style with outstanding conditioning that few can withstand. As the #3 seed, he’ll be opposite Lee and RBY in the bracket and has a great chance of reaching the finals out of the bottom side of the bracket. 

Aman's win over Zane Richards:

Uzbekistan’s Gulomjon Abdullaev also won bronze at the 2024 Olympics, where he lost only to Spencer Lee (14-4) but defeated Arsen Harutyunyan (12-5), Aliabbas Rzazade (11-4), and Bekzat Almaz Uulu (5-1). Beyond his performance at the Olympics, Abdullaev has recent wins over Aman Sehrawat, Chongsong Han, Ali Momeni, and Aryan Tiutrin. Abdullaev is one of the most experienced wrestlers in the field and is projected to be the #2 seed in this bracket. With his past win over Aman, Abdullaev might be the most likely wrestler to make the finals opposite Spencer Lee.

Mekhtikhanov's win over Luke Lilledahl:

North Korea’s Chongsong Han has inserted himself as a contender at 57 kg after his gold medal performance at the Asian Championships with victories over Milad Valizadeh (IRI), Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (MGL), and Rin Sakamoto (JPN). Han has significant power at 57 kg, and if he gets on top, he has a gut wrench that can turn anyone at the weight. He has lost to Aman and Abdullaev in the last year, but with the right draw, no one should be surprised if Han reaches the podium.

Roman Bravo-Young is the final wrestler who should be considered a threat to Spencer Lee at the World Championships. Bravo-Young and Lee already wrestled this year at the Zagreb Open in February, where Lee came out on top in a 6-3 decision. In that match, RBY showed he’s not too far behind Lee, and since then, RBY has made significant progress in his freestyle game. He has fantastic counter-offense and an outstanding scoring ability from neutral. RBY had one of the best matches of the year at the Mongolian Open in May, where he defeated Olympic bronze medalist Aman Sehrawat. RBY will likely be the #4 seed at Worlds, which will likely set up one of the most anticipated matchups of the tournament in the semifinals against Spencer Lee. 

RBY's win over Aman:

Who Else Can Medal At 57kg?

• Ali Momeni, IRI
• Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag, MGL
• Rakhat Kalzhan, KAZ
• Islam Bazarganov, AZE
• Azamat Tuskaev, SRB
• Aryan Tiutrin, BLR
• Rin Sakamoto, JPN

The above list of SEVEN wrestlers shows the parity in the 57 kg bracket. All of the above wrestlers have achieved notable accomplishments and victories over the past year, demonstrating that they could be a factor in this weight class. Because of their lack of consistency, I’d be surprised if any reach the finals. However, I won’t be shocked if any find their way to the podium or wrestle for a medal in Croatia. Check out the accomplishments, wins, and losses of the wrestlers in this group that show their potential. 

Ali Momeni, IRI

• 2024 U23 World Bronze. 
• Notable victories over Milad Valizadeh (IRI), Abdymalik Karachov (KGZ), Almaz Smanbekov, Manvel Khndzrtsyan (ARM), Max Gallagher (USA). 
• Recent losses to Akhmed Idrisov (RUS) and Abdymalik Karachov (KGZ).

Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag, MGL

• 2025 Asian Bronze, 2023 U23 World Bronze
• Notable victories over Roman Bravo-Young (MEX), Rahul (IND), Rin Sakamoto (JPN). 
• Recent losses to Chongsong Han (PRK), Lev Pavlov (RUS), and Bekzat Almaz Uulu (KGZ)

Rakhat Kalzhan, KAZ 

• 2025 Asian Bronze
• Notable victories  - Alireza Sarlak (IRI), Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (MGL), and Gulomjon Abdullaev (UZB). 
• Recent losses - Bekzat Almaz Uulu, Wanhao Zou (CHN), Spencer Lee (USA), and Milad Valizadeh (IRI).

Azamat Tuskaev, SRB 

• 2014 Jr World Champ, 2025 Euro Silver
• Notable victories  - Aryan Tiutrin (BLR), Musa Mekhtikhanov (RUS), Akhmed Idrisov (RUS), Suleyman Atli (TUR), Abubakr Mutaliev (RUS), Ramiz Gamzatov (RUS). 
• Recent losses - Islam Bazarganov (AZE), Nachyn Mongush (RUS), Vito Arujau (USA), Hayko Gasparyan (ARM), and Almaz Smanbekov (KGZ).

Islam Bazarganov, AZE

• Notable victories - Aryan Tiutrin (BLR), Azamat Tuskaev (SRB), Muhammet Karavus (TRU), Khabib Mekhtikhanov (RUS), Horst Lehr (GER), and Kamil Kerymov (UKR). 
• Recent losses - Arsen Harutyunyan (ARM), Nachyn Mongush (RUS), Abubakar Mutaliev (RUS), Spencer Lee (USA), and Luke Lilledahl (USA).

Aryan Tiutrin, BLR

• 2021 World Bronze
• Notable victories - Kamil Kerymov (UKR), Darian Cruz (PUR), Horst Lehr (GER), and Georgi Vangelov (BUL).
• Recent losses - Islam Bazarganov (AZE), Aman Sehrawat (IND), and Azamat Tuskaev (SRB).  

Rin Sakamoto, JPN

• 2025 Asian 5th Place, 2024 Emperor’s Cup Gold, 2025 Meiji Cup Gold
• Notable victories - Aiaal Belolyubskii (TJK), Kento Yumiya (JPN), and Kodai Nakaishi (JPN).
• Recent losses to Chongsong Han (PRK) and Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (MGL).

57 kg World Championships Predictions

Spencer Lee is the best wrestler in this bracket, and he’s my pick to win gold at Worlds this year. Wrestlers like Roman Bravo-Young and Aman Sehrawat might be able to push Spencer, but in the end, Lee’s neutral offense, combined with his turning ability, will be the difference in Croatia. If Spencer Lee is wrestling at his best, there’s a chance he could put together a dominant performance in Zagreb, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he techs his way to his first senior world gold medal. 

Full 57 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold - Spencer Lee, USA

Silver - Aman Sehrawat, IND

Bronze - Roman Bravo-Young, MEX

Bronze - Arsen Harutyunyan, ARM

61 kg World Championship Rankings

The above rankings are based on results from head-to-head matchups. United World Wrestling seeds off of Rankings Points accumulated over the past year at the Olympics, Continental Championships, and Ranking Series Tournaments. Check out the full 2025 World Championship Rankings Here.

61 kg World Championship Seeds

1. Zavur Uguev, RUS
2. Giorgi Goniashvili, GEO
3. Takara Suda, JPN
4. Udit Udit, IND
5. Leomid Colesnic, MDA
6. Dmitry Shamela, BLR
7. Nils Leutert, SUI
8. Joshua Kramer, ECU

The Favorite

• Zavur Uguev, RUS

Three-time world and Olympic champion Zavur Uguev is currently ranked #1 in the world at 61 kg and will be the favorite to bring home gold. Uguev failed to medal at last year’s World Championships after losing to Masanosuke Ono and Vito Arujau. However, Uguev looks better adapted to the 61 kg weight class this year, and his been on an impressive run since last October. Since Worlds, Uguev has won the Yarygin, the European Championships, and Russian Nationals while recording victories over Arsen Harutyunyan, Gulomjon Abdullaev, Muslim Mekhtikhanov, and several other top wrestlers in the world at 61 kg. Uguev is by far the most experienced wrestler in the bracket and will look to use that experience to win his first world title at 61 kg. 

Uguev's win over Harutyunyan in the 2025 Euro Finals:

Gold Contenders

• Zelimkhan Abakarov, ALB
• Takara Suda, JPN

The above two wrestlers enter the World Championships with the best chance of winning gold after Uguev. Of any wrestler in the field, Zelimkhan Abakarov is the only wrestler who currently holds a win over Uguev. That victory came back at the 2023 World Championships when Abakarov defeated Uguev in the 57 kg bronze medal match, 4-4. Outside of that victory, Abakarov won a 57 kg World title in 2022, where he defeated Thomas Gilman in the finals. Abakarov also boasts a win over Vito Arujau from the Budapest Ranking Series tournament in July of 2023. Though Abakarov failed to medal at the Olympics last year, he’s consistently been one of the best wrestlers in the world at 57 kg and 61 kg over the past few years, and if he’s wrestling his best this year, no one should be surprised if he brings home another world title.

With 2024 World Champion Masanosuke Ono taking the year off, Takara Suda will represent Japan this year at 61 kg. While he’s not Ono, Suda has quickly established himself as one of the best wrestlers in the world after winning the 2025 Asian Championships and the Ranking Series tournament in Albania and Hungary. In those competitions, Suda recorded victories over Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (5-3), Assylzhan Yessengeldi (4-3), Udit (6-4), Ahmad Javan (2-2), Nachyn Mongush (8-8), and Artem Gobaev (9-2). Though some of those matches were close, Suda has proven he can win at the highest level. He’s also a very complete wrestler, possessing lightning-quick leg attacks to both sides of the body along with world-class par terre offense. Suda has the skills to defeat anyone in this bracket and will look to extend Japan’s lightweight dominance in Zagreb.

Medal Contenders

• Jax Forrest, USA
• Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu, KGZ
• Assylzhan Yessengeldi, KAZ
• Ahmad Javan, IRI
• Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg, MGL

The above four wrestlers all fall in the group of competitors that I expect to challenge for a medal, but would be surprised to see them come away with gold. Jax Forrest leads this group after defeating world champion Vito Arujau to make Team USA. Beyond that victory, Forrest also recorded impressive tech fall wins over Seth Gross, who placed 5th at Worlds in 2022, and Nahshon Garrett. At only 18 years old, Forrest has made remarkable improvements over the past year in every area of his wrestling. In the past, Forrest was largely dependent on his slide-by and dump to score from neutral. However, he has now developed a variety of leg attacks that were on full display at the US Open and in his two wins against Arujau. Combine that with his world-class scrambling ability, and Forrest has the point-scoring potential to defeat anyone in the world at 61 kg. While I believe this about Forrest, I still question whether or not he’ll be able to run the gauntlet against everyone in this bracket.

Forrest's wins over Vito Arujau:

Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu is one of the more dynamic wrestlers in this bracket and is dangerous from unconventional positions. He has potent upper-body attacks that allow him to end any match with a pin. Zhumashbek Uulu won a world bronze medal in 2023 and boasts wins over Nahshon Garrett, Ahmet Duman, Udit, Emra Ormanoglu, Bekzat Almaz Uulu, and several other top 20-ranked wrestlers in the world. While Zhumashbek Uulu is dangerous, he sometimes struggles to generate offense against defensively sound wrestlers. Because of that, I’d be surprised if he reaches the finals in Zagreb. 

Assylzhan Yessengeldi won a U23 world silver medal in 2023 and has inserted himself as a contender this year after placing 5th at the Yasar Dogu and winning bronze at the Budapest Ranking Series Tournament. In those competitions, Yessengeldi defeated Seth Gross (10-0), Dylan Shawver (4-3), Giorgi Goniashvili (10-0), and Bayram Ilhan. However, he also suffered defeats against Udit (13-6), Sardor Ruzimov (4-2), and Takara Suda (4-3). Yessengeldi has a potent single leg to leg lace that can be a match-changer against any wrestler in the bracket. Yessengeldi will be an underdog against the top 4 in this weight, but with the right draw, he can make a run to a medal match.

Ahmad Javan is another wrestler in the field who should be considered a medal threat. Javan lost a close, and somewhat controversial, match at the Asian Championships (2-2). Javan went on to win a bronze medal at the Asian Championships and also won the Zagreb Open in February. Along with those finishes, Javan boasts wins this year over Ebrahim Khari, Nahshon Garrett, Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg, and Giorgi Goniashvili. Javan is solid in all positions and wrestles a hard pace from start to finish. Similar to the other wrestlers in this field, I don’t think he has what it takes to win gold, but he’s a solid medal threat. 

Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg is the final wrestler in this category who has proven enough to be considered a medal threat. Tumenbileg won a bronze medal at the 2018 World Championships and has been in and out of the top 20 in the world since then. Tumenbileg didn’t place at the Asian Championships this year, but he went on to win the Mongolia Open in May in a deep field while recording wins over Udit, Zanabazar Zandanbud, and Anzor Mazhidov. Tumenbileg is an experienced wrestler with a host of significant wins under his belt. He might be slightly past his prime, but he’s still a dangerous wrestler in this field.

Sleepers & Landmines

• Kamil Kerymov, UKR
• Emrah Ormanoglu, TUR
• Udit, IND

The above group of wrestlers all fall in the category of competitors that I’d be surprised to see in a medal match, but have shown the potential of upsetting one of the contenders. Ukraine’s Kamil Kerymov is fresh off a gold medal performance at the Ziolkowski in Poland, where he defeated Vito Arujau in the finals. Beyond that win Kerymov won a bronze medal at the U23 World Championships in 2022. Prior to the win over Arujau, Kerymov was wrestling predominantly at 57 kg and didn’t have the results to suggest he’d be a factor at Worlds. However, the recent win over Arujau shows just how dangerous Kerymov can be when he’s wrestling his best. 

Türkiye’s Emrah Ormanoglu won a bronze medal at U23 Worlds in 2022 and has been on the cusp of breaking into the top 10 on the senior level. Ormanoglu has wrestled Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu three times over the past 2 years and has lost by scores of 5-5, 2-1, and 4-2. Beyond those close losses, Ormanoglu won the Yasar Dogu in June, where he defeated Udit and Recep Topal. Ormanoglu is still looking for his breakthrough performance, and it looks like he’s trending in the right direction. Ormanoglu has an opportunity to make the World Championships his coming-out party.

India’s Udit is still only 20 years old but is already showing incredible potential on the senior level. Udit was a U17 world bronze medalist in 2019 and competed in his first senior world championships last October. Though he failed to place last year, Udit has since won silver medals at both the Asian Championships and the Mongolia Open. In those competitions, Udit defeated Wanhao Zou (2-0), Bekbolat Myrzanazar Uulu (9-6 and 11-0), and Artem Gobaev. He also only lost to Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg (6-4) and Takara Suda (6-4). Similar to the other wrestlers in this tier, Udit has wrestled competitively with some of the best wrestlers in the world at 61 kg and will be right in the mix with anyone in this bracket at Worlds.

61 kg World Championships Predictions

61 kg is a challenging weight class to predict with a mix of established veterans like Uguev, Abakarov, and Harutyunyan, combined with newcomers like Takara Suda and Jax Forrest. Beyond that, several of the top contenders won’t be seeded in this bracket but will be randomly drawn in. Jax Forrest will be one of those wrestlers who will be drawn into this bracket, and while I think he’s capable of bringing home gold, his lack of experience on the senior level makes me hesitate to pick him. With that in mind, Japan’s Takara Suda is my pick for gold. He’s an incredible athlete and has consistently proven this year that he knows how to win on the biggest stages. Regardless of who comes out on top, this will be one of the most exciting weights to watch unfold at the world championships this year!

Full 61 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold - Takara Suda, JPN

Silver - Zavur Uguev, RUS

Bronze - Jax Forrest, USA

Bronze - Zelimkhan Abakarov, ALB

65 kg 2025 World Championship Rankings

The above rankings are based on results from head-to-head matchups. United World Wrestling seeds off of Rankings Points accumulated over the past year at the Olympics, Continental Championships, and Ranking Series Tournaments. Check out the full 2025 World Championship Rankings Here.

65 kg World Championship Seeds

1. Rahman Amouzad, IRI
2. Kotaro Kiyooka, JPN
3. Vazgen Tevanyan, ARM
4. Ali Rahimzade, AZE
5. Khamzat Arsamerzouev, FRA
6. Sebastian Rivera, PUR
7. Ibragim Ibragimov, RUS
8. Sujeet Kalkal, IND

The Favorites

• Kotaro Kiyooka, JPN - 2024 Olympic Gold
• Rahman Amouzad, IRI - 2024 Olympic Silver, 2022 World Gold

After the Olympics last year, Kiyooka and Amouzad enter the World Championships as the favorites to win gold at 65 kg this year. Kiyooka’s gold medal performance last year in Paris, along with his dominant win in the finals over Amouzad, makes him THE favorite to win gold in Croatia. Kiyooka is an incredible athlete with lightning-quick leg attacks and a lethal leg lace. He’s already recorded victories over many of the top competitors in the field, defeating Sebastian Rivera, Ismail Musukaev, Abdulmazhid Kudiev, Takoto Otoguro, and several other top wrestlers in the world at 65 kg and 70 kg. 

Despite Kiyooka’s accolades and victories, history shows us it’s incredibly difficult to stay on top for any significant period of time at 65 kg. In fact, no wrestler has ever won gold in consecutive years at 65 kg. You’d have to go back 66 kg with Ramazan Sahin in 2007 and 2008 to find a wrestler who won gold in consecutive years at worlds or Olympics. Simply put, 65 kg is consistently one of the deepest weights in the world and this year is no different. Prior to the Olympics last year, Kiyooka suffered a loss to Haji Aliyev, and then after the Olympics, Kiyooka lost to Nachyn Kuular (up at 71 kg). All of this to make the point that Kiyooka isn’t a lock to win again this year and will have to run through a gauntlet of wrestlers to repeat for gold.

Kiyooka’s win over Ismail Musukaev:

Rahman Amouzad will look to get back on top of the podium after finishing with a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics. Amouzad won Worlds in 2022 but failed to reach the podium at the 2023 World Championships with a 5th place finish. Amouzad might be the biggest wrestler in the bracket and absolutely has the best underhook. He uses his underhook to set up most of his offense and wrestles at a pace few can withstand. Amouzad is capable of dominating anyone in the bracket, but his performance in last year’s Olympic final against Kiyooka makes me hesitate to pick him to win gold this year.

Amouzad’s win over Real Woods:

The Contenders

• Sebastian Rivera, PUR - 2024 Olympic Bronze, 2023 World Silver
• Islam Dudaev, ALB - 2024 Olympic Bronze, 2017 & 2018 U23 World Bronze
• Vazgen Tevanyan, ARM - 2023 World Bronze, 2022 U23 World Gold, 2021 U23 World Silver (at 70 kg)
• Abdulmazhid Kudiev, TJK - 2024 World Bronze (at 70 kg)
• Ibragim Ibragimov, RUS - 2025 Euro Gold, 2023 & 2024 U23 World Gold
• Sujeet Kalkal, IND - 2024 U23 World Bronze, 2022 U20 World Bronze
• Bilol Sharip Uulu, KGZ - 2024 U23 World Bronze, 2022 U17 World Silver

The above SEVEN wrestlers show the true depth of this weight. Four of this group have medaled on the senior level and worlds/Olympics, and the other 3 wrestlers have age-level world medals to their name. As an Olympic and world medalist, Sebastian Rivera is the most credentialed wrestler of this group. Rivera, a 4-time All-American for Northwestern and Rutgers, has been a force on the senior level with victories over Tulga Tumur-Ochir, Vazgen Tevanyan, Sujeet Kalkal, and several other top wrestlers in the world. Rivera has outstanding leg attacks and also great par terre offense with both a leg lace and a gut wrench. Rivera is also never out of a match and has recorded some amazing come-from-behind victories over Tevanyan and Sujeet. 

Islam Dudaev, a Russian who represents Albania, was a surprise medalist at the Olympics last year, winning the other bronze medal alongside Rivera. Dudaev has had up-and-down results over the past few years, but when he’s wrestling his best, he’s capable of defeating anyone in the bracket based on his victories over Gadzhimurad Rashidov and Ismail Musukaev. However, because of his past inconsistencies, I have a hard time seeing Dudaev winning gold or even making a run to the finals.

Armenia’s Vazgen Tevanyan is another dangerous wrestler in this field who has reached the podium at Worlds in the past. Tevanyan has outstanding defense and is a solid turner if he gets on top. Tevanyan’s hit list includes wins over Ismail Musukaev, Haji Aliyev, Vladimir Khinchegashvili, Abdulmazhid Kudiev, Yianni Diakomihalis, Sebastian Rivera, and Joey McKenna. At just 25 years old, Tevanyan is likely just reaching his prime, and that could mean we could see the best performance of his career this year in Croatia. 

Abdulmazhid Kudiev is the final wrestler in this group who has won a senior world medal. Kudiev, another former Russian who now represents Tajikistan, brought home a bronze medal from Worlds last year at 70 kg after failing to qualify for the Olympics at 65 kg. Kudiev is also only 25 years old and has at least 3 past victories over 2023 world bronze medalist Shamil Mamedov. I expect Kudiev to be competitive with everyone in this field and, depending on his draw, I wouldn’t be surprised if he made a run to the finals. 

Ibragim Ibragimov will be Russia’s representative this year at Worlds and will be competing in his first senior-level World Championships. Still, Ibragimov will bring with him incredible experience and has won gold at 2024 U23 Worlds, the 2025 Yarygin, the 2025 European Championships, and 2025 Russian Nationals all in the past 10 months. Though he did suffer a surprising defeat to Bilol Sharip Uulu at the Albania Ranking Series Tournament, Ibragimov has all the skills to win gold in Croatia.

Ibragimov's win in the 2025 Russian National Finals over Abasgadzhi Magomedov:

India’s Sujeet Kalkal will also be making his debut at Senior Worlds and will be riding some momentum after his performance in July at the Budapest Ranking Series Tournament. There, Sujeet won gold by defeating Ali Rahimzade, Vazgen Tevanyan, Khamzat Arsamerzouev, and Islam Dudaev. Beyond that performance, Sujeet has past victories over Yianni Diakomihalis and Lachlan McNeil. Sujeet wrestles a style similar to Amouzad centered around his relentless style. He’s not the most defensive wrestler, but Sujeet is solid in all positions, and at 22 years old, there’s a strong chance we haven’t seen him hit his peak.

Kyrgyzstan’s Bilol Sharip Uulu is the final wrestler that I consider a contender in this bracket. Sharip Uulu has several high-level leg attacks and has fantastic par terre offense. At the Ranking Series Tournament in Albania this year, Sharip Uulu used a trap-arm gut wrench to defeat Ibragimov by tech, 14-4. Beyond that win, Sharip Uulu also notably won a bronze medal at U23 Worlds last year and is still only 19 years old. 

Sleepers & Landmines

• Real Woods, USA
• Nachyn Kuular, KAZ

Real Woods is a first-time senior world team member for Team USA and has remarkably only been active on the senior level for about 6 months. Despite the inexperience, Woods has proven to be a dangerous wrestler at 65 kg with a highly effective head pinch and gut wrench. He’s currently 14-3 on the year with his only losses coming against Rahman Amouzad (11-2) and Aden Valencia (5-3 and 5-4). Woods avenged the Valencia loss and was leading Amouzad at the break before giving up 9 unanswered points. Woods has the athleticism to match anyone in the bracket, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him wrestling in a medal match at Worlds. 

Nachyn Kuular is the other wrestler in this field that should be considered a sleeper/landmine. Kuular was one of Russia’s top 65 kg wrestlers for years before transferring to Kazakhstan this year. Kuular won a U23 world title in 2017 and has placed at the Yarygin 4 times and Russian Nationals 3 times. Kuular also defeated Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka in October of last year in a German wrestling league match. It’s worth noting that match did take place up at 71 kg, but it still shows how dangerous Kuular can be if he’s wrestling his best.

Kuular's win over Kiyooka:

65 kg World Championship Prediction

The level of talent at 65 kg makes this bracket incredibly challenging to predict. If any of the top wrestlers aren’t at peak form, they’re vulnerable to getting upset by any of the contenders. When predicting gold, I lean toward choosing the wrestlers who have consistently proven they can get the job done at the highest level. So, wrestlers like Kiyooka, Amouzad, and Rivera are the safest bets for gold this year. However, I think Ibragim Ibragimov might be the most complete wrestler in the field, and his gold medal performance at 4 big-time tournaments over the past year shows he knows how to navigate deep brackets. Because of that, Ibragimov is my pick for gold this year at 65 kg. 

Full 65 kg Medal Predictions

Gold - Ibragim Ibgragimov, RUS

Silver - Kotaro Kiyooka, JPN

Bronze - Rahman Amouzad, IRI

Bronze - Sebastian Rivera, PUR

70 kg 2025 World Championship Rankings

The above rankings are based on results from head-to-head matchups. United World Wrestling seeds off of Rankings Points accumulated over the past year at the Olympics, Continental Championships, and Ranking Series Tournaments. Check out the full 2025 World Championship Rankings Here.

70 kg Seeds At The 2025 World Championships

1. Yoshinosuke Aoyagi, JPN
2. Akaki Kemertelidze, GEO
3. Nurkozha Kaipanov, KAZ
4. Kanan Heybatov, AZE
5. Arman Andreasyan, ARM
6. Austin Gomez, MEX
7. Vasile Diacon, MDA
8. Ismail Musukaev, HUN

The Favorite

• Nurkozha Kaipanov, KAZ - 2024 World Gold, 2019 World Silver

Kaipanov will return to worlds this year at 70 kg to defend his world title after spending the beginning of the year at 74 kg. Kaipanov has an incredibly exciting style and is proficient at both generating his own offense and scoring off counters. At last year’s Worlds, Kaipanov dominated his way to the finals by defeating Abdulmazhid Kudiev (13-2), Akaki Kemertelidze (12-2), Nicolai Grahmez (14-2), and Mitch Finesilver (9-0). Then, in the finals, Kaipanov won a close, 5-3 decision over Japan’s Yoshinosuke Aoyagi.

While Kaipanov’s run to gold was impressive last year, it was also somewhat surprising considering his results over the past 5 years. Kaipanov had failed to medal at worlds since he won silver in 2019 and spent the majority of his time up at 74 kg. This year will tell us if Kaipanov’s performance last year was just a flash in the pan or if Kaipanov will be a contender for years to come at 70 kg.

Kaipanov's win over Yoshinosuke Aoyagi in the 2024 World Finals:

The Gold Contenders

• Yoshinosuke Aoyagi, JPN - 2024 World Silver, 2024 U23 World Bronze, 2023 U23 World Silver, 2022 U20 World Bronze, 2019 U17 World Bronze
• Amir Yazdani, IRI - 2021 & 2023 World Silver, 2022 U23 World Silver, 2015 U17 World Silver
• Ernazar Akmataliev, KGZ - 2022 World Bronze, 2021 World Silver, 2021 U23 World Gold 
• Saiyn Kazyryk, RUS - 2018 U20 World Gold
• Viktor Rassadin, TJK - 2024 & 2025 Asian Silver

The above five wrestlers all have the skills and past accomplishments that prove they are the most likely wrestlers in the field to challenge Kaipanov for gold. Still at only 23 years old, Yoshinosuke Aoyagi will be back at worlds this year and looking for redemption after falling just short with silver last year. Aoyagi has an outstanding hit list with notable victories over James Green, Will Lewan, Inalbek Sheriev, Vazgen Tevanyan, Akaki Kemertelidze, Arman Andreasyan, and several other top wrestlers at the weight. Aoyagi is solid in all positions and has won world medals at every single age level, proving that he’s capable of performing his best on the biggest stage. 

Amir Yazdani will be returning to 70 kg after coming up just short in his attempt to make Iran’s world team at 74 kg. Yazdani had two wins over the past year over world medalist Younes Emami at 74 kg, but will strengthen Iran’s lineup at the lower weight. Yazdani has very few holes in his game and will be right in the mix to win a gold medal in Croatia. He’s a fantastic hand-fighter, and his right side single is as good as they come.  Yazdani also has great shot defense and reattacks. With two world silvers already, this could finally be the year Yazdani reaches the top of the podium.

Kyrgyzstan’s Ernazar Akmataliev is one of the most exciting wrestlers in the world, regardless of weight class. He has fantastic upper-body attacks and is capable of putting up big points against anyone in the world. He also has an impressive hit list of victories with wins over Viktor Rassadin, Yoshinosuke Aoyagi, Nachyn Kuular, Tulga Tumur-Ochir, Nurkozha Kaipanov, and a host of other accomplished wrestlers. However, Akmataliev is also known for being a bit inconsistent and will drop matches to wrestlers far less accomplished. Because of that inconsistency, I’d be surprised to see Akmataliev come away with gold, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him beat anyone in this bracket.

Saiyn Kazyryk was the biggest surprise of Russian nationals. He came into the tournament unranked but ran through a deep field to earn his world team spot for Russia. Kazyryk is a rare blend of a wrestler who has outstanding fundamentals but also big point-scoring potential. He doesn’t have the international experience of many of the other wrestlers in this bracket, but he was a U20 world champion back in 2018 and even boasts a win over Zain Retherford from 2019. 

Medal Contenders

• Ismail Musukaev, HUN - 2023 World Gold (at 65 kg), 2019 & 2022 World Bronze (at 65 kg)
• Arman Andreasyan, ARM - 2023 World Bronze 
• Tulga Tumur-Ochir, MGL - 2021 World Bronze (at 65 kg), 2024 Olympic 5th (at 65 kg)
• Akaki Kemertelidze, GEO - 2024 World 5th, 2025 Euro Bronze, 2024 Euro Silver
• Kanan Heybatov, AZE - 2022 U20 World Gold, 2022 & 2023 U23 World Bronze
• Austin Gomez, MEX - 2025 Pan-Am Gold

The above group of SIX wrestlers really shows off the depth of talent at 70 kg. Wrestlers like Musukaev, Tumur-Ochir, and Andreasyan have already reached the podium at Worlds. Kemertelidze, Heybatov, and Gomez all have recent results that prove they’re knocking on the door. Because this group is so large, we won’t break down every single wrestler, but it’s worth taking a look at this group’s wins and losses over the past year.

Musukaev

• Wins - Haji Aliyev, Ernazar Akmataliev, Patryk Olenczyn
• Losses - Islam Dudaev, Rahman Amouzad, Jarrett Jacques, Kanan Heybatov, David Baev, Austin Gomez

Andreasyan

• Wins - Austin Gomez, Sina Khalili, Yegor Anchugin, Akaki Kemertelidze, Oleksii Boruta
• Losses - Yoshinosuke Aoyagi, David Baev, Inalbek Sheriev

Tumur-Ochir

• Wins - Zain Retherford, Sujeet, Abdulmazhi Kudiev, Vazgen Tevanyan, Alejandro Valdes, Mohammadali Amouzad
• Losses - Kotaro Kiyooka, Sebastian Rivera, Sina Khalili, Viktor Rassadin, Aliakbar Fazli

Kemertelidze

• Wins - Abbas Ebrahimzadeh, Haydar Yavuz, Brandon Cannon, Oleksii Boruta, Yahya Thomas, James Green, Mitch Finesilver
• Losses - Yoshinosuke Aoyagi, Arman Andreasyan, Vasile Diacon, Vazgen Tevanyan, Nurkozha Kaipanov, Abdulmazhid Kudiev

Heybatov

• Wins - Ismail Musukaev, Mihail Georgiev, Sina Khalili, Ebrahim Elahi, Austin Gomez, Patryk Olenczyn
• Losses - Abbas Ebrahimzadeh, David Baev, Magomed Eltemirov, Inalbek Sheriev

Gomez

• Wins - Ebrahim Elahi, Ian Parker, Ismail Musukaev, Meirzhan Ashirov
• Losses - Haji Aliyev, Kanan Heybatov, Arman Andreasyan

Sleepers & Landmines

• PJ Duke, USA - 2025 U20 World Gold, 2024 U20 World Bronze
• Haydar Yavuz, TUR - 2020 Euro Bronze, 2025 Yasar Dogu Gold

It’s challenging to emphasize just how deep the field is this year at 70 kg - I’ve already listed 12 wrestlers who are medal contenders! Seven of those wrestlers are past world medalists. Because of that depth, the number of wrestlers in the “Sleeper & Landmine” tier is slightly smaller. Team USA’s PJ Duke is fresh off a gold medal performance at the U20 World Championships, and though he’s only 18, he’s already made a significant impact on the senior level. Duke’s hitlist over the past year is incredibly impressive, highlighted by victories over Yianni Diakomihalis, Bryce Andonian, Ridge Lovett, Antrell Taylor, and Will Lewan. Duke will be an underdog against many of the more experienced wrestlers in the bracket, but he’s more than capable of making a run in this bracket and wrestling for a medal.

PJ Duke's win in the 2025 U20 World Finals:

Türkiye’s Haydar Yavuz is another wrestler who could surprise some people at worlds. Five years ago, Yavuz looked primed to challenge for a world medal but struggled with injuries that kept him off the mat. Prior to his injuries, Yavuz had notable victories over James Green and Israil Kasumov and also won a silver medal at the 2020 Individual World Cup. Still, Yavuz has struggled against some of the top contenders in this weight, but if he gets back to peak form, he could surprise some people at worlds.

70 kg World Championship Predictions

This weight class might be the toughest of any to predict at this year’s world championships. With so many legitimate contenders, I could see several of these wrestlers coming out on top in Croatia. With that in mind, I’m hesitantly picking Amir Yazdani to win gold. Yazdani has been so close over the past few years, and he’s an incredibly well-rounded wrestler who can win matches in a lot of different ways. Regardless of who wins, this weight should be amazing to watch play out in Zagreb!

Full 70 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold - Amir Yazdani, IRI

Silver - Ernazar Akmataliev, KGZ

Bronze - Saiyn Kazyryk, RUS

Bronze - Nurkozha Kaipanov, KAZ

74 kg 2025 World Championship Rankings

The above rankings are based on results from head-to-head matchups. United World Wrestling seeds off of Rankings Points accumulated over the past year at the Olympics, Continental Championships, and Ranking Series Tournaments. Check out the full 2025 World Championship Rankings Here.

74 kg 2025 World Championship Seeds

1. Chermen Valiev, ALB
2. Tajmuraz Salkazanov, SVK
3. Younes Emami, IRI
4. Orozobek Toktomambetov, KGZ
5. Murad Kuramagomedov, HUN
6. Giorgi Elbakidze, GEO
7. Magomedrasul Asluev, BRN
8. Feng Lu, CHN

The Favorites

• Chermen Valiev, ALB - 2024 Olympic Bronze, 2021 U23 World Gold, 2019 U23 World Silver
• Zaurbek Sidakov, RUS - 2020 Olympic Gold, 2018, 2019, and 2023 World Gold

With 2024 Olympic champion Razambek Zhamalov out with an injury, 74 kg has a clear top 2 in Chermen Valiev and Zaurbek Sidakov. The two are currently ranked #1 and #2 in the world, respectively, and it’d be a big surprise to see anyone other than Sidakov or Valiev atop the podium in Croatia. Valiev earned his #1 ranking after winning a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics, where he lost only to Zhamalov but defeated Turan Bayramov, Viktor Rassadin, and Feng Lu. He then followed up that performance with a gold medal at the 2025 European Championships, where he defeated Zaurbek Sidakov in the finals. Valiev has some of the best defense in the world and has amazing leg attacks to both sides of the body. Valiev is more than capable of defeating Sidakov again and winning gold in Zagreb.

Valiev's win over Sidakov in the 2025 Euro Finals:

Despite the loss to Valiev, Sidakov will still be considered the favorite by many. Sidakov has never lost at a World Championships or the Olympics and has an amazing 20-0 record in those events. Sidakov did suffer a knee injury in his loss to Valiev, but he looked back to peak form in his world team wrestle off against Imam Ganishov. Sidakov might be slightly past his prime, but he’s still the ultimate competitor and will be the man to beat in this bracket. 

Sidakov's win over Kyle Dake in the 2023 World Finals:

Gold Contenders

• Kota Takahashi, JPN - 2024 U23 World Gold, 2022 U23 World Bronze, 2024 World 5th
• David Carr, USA - 2019 U20 World Gold
• Tajmuraz Salkazanov, SVK - 2021 & 2022 World Silver, 2019 World Bronze, 2018 U23 World Gold

Japan’s Kota Takahashi has emerged as a serious contender at 74 kg over the past year. Takahashi won a U23 world title last year at 74 kg and then placed 5th at senior worlds at 79 kg just a few days later. Takahashi has lightning-quick leg attacks and is also extremely powerful at 74kg. At U23 Worlds, he defeated Mitchell Mesenbrink in a high-scoring, 11-8 match. He also defeated David Carr in July at the Budapest Ranking Series tournament, 9-7. Beyond those wins over Americans, Takahashi also has notable victories over Magomed Khaniev, Murad Kuramagomedov, Tajmuraz Salkazanov, Daulet Yergesh, Ali Abbas Rezaei, Orozobek Toktomambetov, Viktor Rassadin, and Hossein Abouzari. Simply put, Takahashi has been tested by several of the world’s top wrestlers, and he continues to win. He’s ready to win a medal at senior worlds this year, and no one should be surprised if he reaches the finals.

David Carr will be wrestling in his first senior world championships in Zagreb, but he isn’t completely inexperienced on the international stage. Carr won a U20 world title back in 2019 and also wrestled at the U23 World Championships in 2022. Beyond that, Carr won a silver medal at the Zagreb Open in February and earned Bronze at the Budapest Ranking Series Tournament in July. Carr’s performances at those two tournaments showed he’s a serious contender at 74 kg this year, and that he’s making significant progress in his freestyle game. In February, Carr lost to three-time world medalist Tajmuraz Salkazanov (4-0) but then avenged that loss in Budapest by defeating Salkazanov (4-4). Carr might be an underdog against Sidakov and Valiev, but with the right draw, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Carr in the finals. 

David Carr's win over Tajmuraz Salkazanov:

Tajmuraz Salkazanov is the final wrestler who should be considered a gold threat in Croatia. He’s a three-time world medalist with an incredible hitlist that includes wins over Razambek Zhamalov, Frank Chamizo, David Baev, Younes Emami, David Carr, and a host of other wrestlers. Salkazanov has outstanding defense that can frustrate any wrestler in this field. Salkazanov is set to be the #2 seed in this bracket and has a great chance to reach the finals if Sidakov is drawn in on the top side

Medal Contenders

• Younes Emami, IRI - 2019 & 2022 World Bronze, 2017 U23 World Bronze, 2017 U20 World Bronze
• Magomed Khaniev, AZE - 2024 U23 World Gold
• Ramazan Ramazanov, BUL - 2023 World Bronze (70 kg)
• Orozobek Toktomambetov, KGZ - 2024 U23 World Silver
• Murad Kuramagomedov, HUN - 2019 U23 World 5th, 2025 & 2024 Euro 5th

The above group of FIVE wrestlers really shows off the depth of talent at 74 kg. Wrestlers like Emami and Ramazanov have already reached the podium at Worlds. Khaniev, Toktomambetov, and Kuramagomedov all have recent results that prove they’re knocking on the door. Because this group is so large, we won’t break down every single wrestler, but it’s worth taking a look at this group’s wins and losses over the past year.

Younes Emami

• Wins - Amir Yazdani, Jaideep, Tugsjargal Erdenebat, Otari Bagaur, Orozobek Toktomambetov, Frank Chamizo, Nurkozha Kaipanov
• Losses - Amir Yazdani, Chermen Valiev, Kyle Dake, Zaurbek Sidakov

Magomed Khaniev

• Wins - Magomedrasul Asluev, Sujeet, Magomed Emi Eltemirov, 
• Losses - Kota Takahashi

Ramazan Ramazanov

• Wins - Mevlut Ozdemir, Jafar Chuliboyev, Vivek
• Losses - Chermen Valiev, Aghanazar Novruzov, Murad Kuramagomedov, Tajmuraz Salkazanov, Orozobek Toktomambetov, Nurkozha Kaipanov, Quincy Monday

Orozobek Toktomambetov

• Wins - Quincy Monday, Szymon Wojtkowski, Fazliddin Nasritdinov, Narek Harutyunyan, Ismail Khaniev, Dzhabrail Gadzhiev
• Losses - Younes Emami, Chermen Valiev, Nurkozha Kaipanov, David Carr, Amir Yazdani, Kota Takahashi

Murad Kuramagomedov, HUN - 2019 U23 World 5th, 2025 & 2024 Euro 5th

• Wins - Kamil Rybick, Ali Abbas Rezaei, Magoma Dibirgadzhiev, Giorgi Elbakidze, Ramazan Ramazanov, Fazli Eryilmaz, Narek Harutyunyan, 
• Losses - Mohammad Nokhodi, David Carr, Tajmuraz Salkazanov, Zaurbek Sidakov, Kota Takahashi

Sleepers & Landmines

• Mohammad Mottaghinia, ESP - 2017 U20 World Bronze
• Fazli Eryilmaz, TUR - 2021 World Bronze
• Feng Lu, CHN - 2024 U23 World Silver

The above 3 wrestlers will enter the world championships off of most “casual” fans' radar, but are legitimate threats to take out some of the contenders in the field. Spain’s Mottaghinia is a transfer from Iran, has wrestled several competitive matches against some of the top wrestlers in the world. Mottaghinia lost a close 4-1 match to world medalist Vladimeri Gamkrelidze and, coincidentally, also lost 4-1 against Salkazanov. With the ability to keep any match close, Mottaghinia could surprise some people in Croatia. 

Türkiye’s Fazli Eryilmaz is a past world medalist but hasn’t had the results recently to make him a legitimate contender. However, Eryilmaz does hold past wins over Younes Emami, Georgios Kougioumtsidis, and Azamat Nurikau. If he’s wrestling his best, Eryilmaz is absolutely a medal threat.

China’s Feng Lu is the final “sleeper” to watch out for in this bracket. He won a silver medal at U23 Worlds last year at 79 kg and recently teched Ladarion Lockett in an exhibition match in Dallas. After those results, Lu has wrestled competitively in losses against Frank Chamizo (10-8) and Bekzod Abdurakhmanov. Lu is still only 21 years old but has already had the experience of competing at the 2023 World Championships and 2024 Olympics. He’ll look to use that experience to make some noise at Worlds this year. 

74 kg 2025 World Championship Predictions

As mentioned above, it will be a huge shock if anyone other than Zaurbek Sidakov or Chermen Valiev wins gold at 74 kg. David Carr has incredible potential, but I still think he needs to improve before he takes out wrestlers like Valiev or Sidakov. With that in mind, I’m picking Zaurbek Sidakov to get back on top of the podium this year. Despite his loss to Valiev at Euros, I still believe Sidakov is the best wrestler in the world at 74 kg, and I think he’ll prove it in Croatia.

Full 74 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold - Zaurbek Sidakov, RUS

Silver - Chermen Valiev, ALB

Bronze - David Carr, USA

Bronze - Kota Takahashi, JPN

79 kg World Championship Rankings

The above rankings are based on results from head-to-head matchups. United World Wrestling seeds off of Rankings Points accumulated over the past year at the Olympics, Continental Championships, and Ranking Series Tournaments. Check out the full 2025 World Championship Rankings Here.

79 kg 2025 World Championship Seeds

1. Akhsarbek Gulaev, SVK
2. Suldkhuu Olonbayar, MGL
3. Vladimeri Gamkrelidze, GEO
4. Magomet Evloev, TJK
5. Mohammad Nokhodi, IRI
6. Daulet Yergesh, KAZ
7. Khidir Saipudinov, BRN
8. Zelimkhan Khadjiev, FRA

The Favorite

• Akhmed Usmanov, RUS - 2023 World Gold, 2016 U20 World Silver

Usmanov won the 79 kg World title in 2023 and is the favorite to come away with gold again this year. During his 2023 title run, Usmanov outscored his opponents by a combined 26-5 while defeating Mohammad Nokhodi, Vladimeri Gamkrelidze, Orkhan Abasov, Mor Sachin, and Ahmad Magomedov. Usmanov missed the World Championships last year while attempting to make the Olympic team for Russia at 86 kg. However, since then, Usmanov has looked back to world title form by winning the 2025 Yarygin, European Championships, and Russian Nationals. Usmanov is an incredibly powerful wrestler with outstanding defense, which he uses to stifle even the most offensive wrestlers. Usmanov’s biggest weakness is that he sometimes relies too heavily on his defense and allows his opponent to stay in the match when he could put them away. Still, if any wrestler in the 79 kg bracket hopes to win gold, they’ll likely have to go through Usmanov.

Usmanov's win over Nokhodi at the 2023 World Championships:

The Contenders

• Mohammad Nokhodi, IRI - 2021 & 2022 World Silver, 2023 & 2024 World Bronze, 2019 U23 World Silver
• Vladimeri Gamkrelidze, GEO - 2023 World Silver, 2023 U23 World Bronze, 2022 U23 World Gold, 
• Vasyl Mykhailov, UKR - 2022 & 2023 World Bronze, 2017 U23 World Bronze
• Magomet Evloev, TJK - 2025 Asian Bronze
• Georgios Kougioumtsidis, GRE - 2023 World 5th, 2022 Euro Gold, 2018 U17 World Silver, 
• Levi Haines, USA

The above list of wrestlers represents the next tier at 79 kg. This group is led by Iran’s Mohammad Nokhodi, who is already a four-time world medalist (2 silvers and 2 bronze) at just 24 years old. Nokhodi notably defeated Jordan Burroughs at last year’s world championships before losing to eventual champion Avtandil Kentchadze. Outside of that loss, Nokhodi has essentially only lost to Jordan Burroughs and Akhmed Usmanov internationally. Nokhodi is in a tier of his own; however, he suffered an injury at Worlds last year and hasn’t competed since. Because of that lack of competition, there are still questions surrounding whether or not he’ll be at peak form in Zagreb.

Nokhodi's win over Jordan Burroughs at the 2024 World Championships:

Vladimeri Gamkrelidze is also only 24 years old and won a silver medal at the 2023 Senior World Championships. Beyond that, Gamkrelidze has lost close matches to both Usmanov and Nokhodi over the past two years and has recorded wins over almost every other contender in the field. Gamkrelidze’s hitlist includes victories over Vasyl Mykhailov, Magomet Evloev, Bolat Sakayev, Khidir Saipudinov, and Akhsarbek Gulaev. Gamkrelidze has an outstanding slide-by that he can hit with a high level of efficiency against even the best wrestlers in the world, and he is solid in all positions. After Nokhodi, Gamkrelidze should be considered the most likely to reach the finals if he’s opposite Usmanov in the bracket.

Ukraine’s Vasyl Mykhailov is the only other wrestler in this bracket who has already reached the podium at a Senior World Championships. Mykhailov won world bronze in both 2022 and 2023 and even qualified for the Olympics last year at 86 kg. Mykhailov has notable wins over Zahid Valencia, Boris Makoev, Georgios Kougioumtsidis, Bekzod Abdurakhmanov, Vladimeri Gamkrelidze, and DJ Hamiti. Despite those wins, Mykhailov’s recent losses to Simon Ruiz, Gamkrelidze, and Usmanov show that Mykhailov isn’t likely to challenge for gold in Croatia. 

Magomet Evloev is a Russian now wrestling for Tajikistan, who is a dangerous wrestler in this field. Evloev isn’t likely to challenge for gold, but he wrestles a unique style and ends a high percentage of his matches by pin. Because of that, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Evloev wrestle in a medal match in Zagreb.

Georgios Kougioumtsidis is another dangerous wrestler in the field who is capable of reaching the podium this year. Kougioumtsidis placed 5th at the 2023 World Championships in a deep 74 kg field where he defeated Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov and Tajmuraz Salkazanov. Kougioumtsidis wrestles a bit of an unorthodox style and is outstanding in scrambles. He recently took out Levi Haines in the Budapest Ranking Series Tournament and also gave Kyle Dake all he could handle in a 4-1 loss at 2023 Worlds. World-class wrestlers don’t usually come out of Greece, but Kougioumtsidis is the exception, and no one should be surprised if he brings home a medal this year.

Levi Haines will wrestle at his first senior world championships in what will only be his fourth ever international tournament. Haines made a U17 World team back in 2021 and then didn’t wrestle on the international stage again until this year. At the Pan-Am championships in April, Haines blitzed his way to gold with 2 pins and a tech fall. However, Haines ran into much stiffer competition at the Budapest Ranking Series tournament in July. There, Haines failed to place after going 1-1 with a 10-5 win over Khidir Saipudinov but a 7-3 loss to Georgious Kougioumtsidis. Even with that result, I believe we’ll see an improved version of Haines at the World Championships, and with the right draw, I think he could be right in the mix to win a medal.

Levi Haines' win over Khidir Saipudinov:

Sleepers & Landmines

• Mikey Labriola, PUR
• Daulet Yergesh, KAZ - 2022 U23 World Silver

There are certainly other wrestlers in the 79 kg field that could contend for a medal and show the depth of the bracket. Khidir Saipudinov (BRN), Zelimkhan Khadjiev (FRA), Akhsarbek Gulaev (SVK), and Iakub Shikhdzhamalov (ROU) are all competitors to watch out for in this bracket. However, I don’t think they fully fit the “sleepers & landmines” category like Labriola and Yergesh. Labriola, a four-time All-American for Nebraska, is now representing Puerto Rico and is mostly unknown internationally. Labriola’s style should translate over to freestyle perfectly, and he might be able to surprise some of the veterans in this field. 

Daulet Yergesh is much more well-known on the international stage and won a silver medal at the 2022 U23 World Championships, where he defeated Carter Starocci. However, Yergesh hasn’t fully realized the potential he showed in 2022. He’s failed to medal at two Ranking Series tournaments and the Asian Championships this year. Still, Yergesh is incredibly skilled, and if he wrestles his best, he can take out one of the contenders.

79 kg 2025 World Championship Predictions

I said it at the top of this preview - Akhmed Usmanov is the clear favorite to win worlds this year at 79 kg. Usmanov is the man to beat in this field, and because Nokhodi is coming back from injury after a long layoff, I don’t think he’ll be able to take out Usmanov.

My prediction for Levi Haines is entirely dependent on his draw. If he gets drawn on the same side as Usmanov and Nokhodi, I don’t think he wins a medal. However, if he’s opposite one or both, then his chances go way up, and I think he has the skills to beat anyone in the bracket. Because he’s so draw-dependent, I can’t predict Haines to win a medal before I see his path to the podium.

Full 79 kg Medal Predictions

Gold - Akhmed Usmanov, RUS

Silver - Mohammad Nokhodi, IRI

Bronze - Vladimeri Gamkrelidze, GEO

Bronze - Magomet Evloev, TJK

86 kg World Championship Rankings

The above rankings are based on results from head-to-head matchups. United World Wrestling seeds off of Rankings Points accumulated over the past year at the Olympics, Continental Championships, and Ranking Series Tournaments. Check out the full 2025 World Championship Rankings Here.

86 kg Seeds At The 2025 World Championships

1. Osman Gocen, TUR
2. Arsenii Dzhioev, AZE
3. Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov, BLR
4. Zahid Valencia, USA
5. Rakhim Magamadov, FRA
6. Hayato Ishiguro, JPN
7. Batbilguun Naadambat, MGL
8. Gyeongyeon Lee, KOR

The Favorite

• Kamran Ghasempour, IRI - 2021 & 2022 World Gold, 2018 & 2019 U23 World Gold

Two-time world champion Kamran Ghasempour will make his Senior Worlds debut at 86 kg after spending the past 5 years at 92 kg. World and Olympic champion Hassan Yazdani is currently recovering from injury and plans on moving up to 92 kg or 97 kg, which leaves Ghasempour to carry the torch at 86 kg for Iran for the foreseeable future. 

Remarkably, every 86 kg wrestler who medaled at 86 kg at the 2024 Olympics won’t be competing in this bracket due to either being hurt, retired, or up at 92 kg. That leaves Ghasempour as the man to beat in Zagreb. Along with his two world titles at 92 kg, where he defeated J’den Cox, Ghasempour has notable wins over Ibragim Kadiev, Osman Gocen, Magomed Kurbanov, Feyzulla Aktur, Arturn Naifonov, Ali Savadkouhi, and a host of other world-class wrestlers. Beyond the wins, Ghasempour’s only senior-level losses are to Hassan Yazdani, Abdulrashid Sadulaev, Kyle Snyder, David Taylor, and Mohammad Javad Ebrahimi. Ghasempour was already a powerful wrestler at 92 kg, and you have to imagine he’ll be able to use his strength to even more of an advantage down at 86 kg. 

Ghasempour’s win over Kadiev at PWL 7 in November 2024:

The Contenders

• Ibragim Kadiev, RUS - 2023 & 2024 U20 World Gold
• Hayato Ishiguro, JPN - 2019 U23 World Bronze, 2018 U20 World Gold
• Zahid Valencia, USA - 2023 World Bronze (at 92 kg), 2017 U20 World Silver
• Azamat Dauletbekov, KAZ - 2022 & 2023 World Bronze
• Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov, BLR - 2020 Olympic Silver (at 74 kg)

The above list of wrestlers really displays the outstanding depth at 86 kg this year. These wrestlers represent a unique mix of experienced wrestlers with incredible achievements and younger wrestlers looking to take over. Russia’s Ibragim Kadiev is one of the most promising up-and-comers in wrestling right now and is a threat to win gold this year. Kadiev, a two-time U20 world champion, took out world and Olympic bronze medalist Artur Naifonov to win Russian Nationals and make the world team. Kadiev has outstanding leg defense and has some of the most creative scoring ability in the world. Kadiev might only be 21, but he has all the skills to win a world title this year. 

Hayato Ishiguro might be unknown to casual American wrestling fans, but he has past wins over Aaron Brooks, Max Dean, Myles Amine, and Zahid Valencia. Despite those notable victories, Ishiguro has never been able to get it done on the biggest stages and has failed to reach the podium at the World Championships in 2021 and 2023. More recently, Ishiguro failed to place at the Olympics after losing to Aaron Brooks in the quarterfinals (11-1). Even with that result, if Ishiguro is wrestling his best, he’s a dangerous landmine for anyone in this field.

Zahid Valencia looks as good as ever and will look to upgrade his bronze medal from 2023 Worlds to gold in Zagreb. Valencia has some of the best offense in the world, regardless of weight, and has recently added some potent turns to his game. Valencia’s run to make the world team for Team USA may have been the most impressive performance of his career, with three straight wins over Kyle Dake and a 4-2 victory over Chance Marsteller. Since moving to Stillwater, Valencia is 19-0 with 12 techs and has outscored his opponents by a combined score of 175-21. Valencia has all of the skills to win a world title this year, and his potential matches against Kamran Ghasempour and Ibragim Kadiev will be some of the most anticipated bouts of the entire tournament.

Valencia's win over Kyle Dake at Final X:

Kazakhstan’s Azamat Dauletbekov is another serious contender in this field and is already a two-time world bronze medalist. At the 2024 Olympics, Dauletbekov failed to place after losing a close, 4-3 match to Aaron Brooks. However, Dauletbekov has an impressive hit list that includes wins over Myles Amine, Javrail Shapiev, Deepak Punia, Arslan Bagaev, Magomed Sharipov, Alireza Karimi, and Yurieski Torreblanca. 

Dauletbekov's win over Myles Amine at the 2022 World Championships:

Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov is the final wrestler who should be considered a gold medal threat at 86 kg. Kadimagomedov is coming up from 74 kg where the highlight of his wrestling there was his performance at the Tokyo Olympics, winning a silver medal and teching Kyle Dake. Kadimagomedov looks as good at 86 kg as he did at 74 kg and won a silver medal at the 2024 European Championships. There, Kadimagomedov won a silver medal while defeating Russia’s Artur Naifonov, but ultimately lost in the finals to Olympic gold medalist Magomed Ramazanov. Kadimagomedov was impressive even in the loss and held a 5-1 lead over Ramazanov before losing late. Kadimagomedov is an amazing athlete, and his scoring ability is on par with anyone in the world. He might be slightly undersized, but he’s a good enough wrestler to come away with gold from Croatia. 

Kadimagomedov's win over Artur Naifonov at the 2025 European Championships:

Watch Out For These Guys

• Arsenii Dzhioev, AZE - 2024 U23 World Silver
• Rakhim Magamadov, FRA - 2022 & 2023 U20 World Gold, 2021 U20 World Silver
• Osman Gocen, TUR - 2019 U23 World Bronze, 2016 U20 World Silver
• Boris Makoev, SVK - 2017 World Silver, 2022 World Bronze

In every other weight that I’ve done a preview for so far, this category would be the “Sleepers & Landmines” category. However, that’s usually designated for wrestlers who haven’t accomplished much yet but could be just on the verge with the potential to “blow up” a bracket. 86 kg is a unique weight that doesn’t possess a group of wrestlers that fit that category. So instead, I want to highlight these wrestlers who have the potential to reach the podium and/or take out one of the contenders. 

First up is Azerbaijan’s Arsenii Dzhioev, who is still a relatively young wrestler (only 23) and has some excellent recent results. Dzhioev won a silver medal at the Zagreb Open in February this year, where he defeated Trent Hidlay (5-0) but lost to Zahid Valencia (8-0). Beyond that tournament, Dzhioev won gold at the Budapest Ranking Series Tournament while defeating Osman Gocen (10-0) and Boris Makoev (3-0). Dzhioev also has close losses to accomplished wrestlers Dauren Kurugliev (2-1) and Artur Naifonov (2-1). Dzhioev might be slightly behind wrestlers in the “Contenders” category, but if he wrestles his best, he’s capable of reaching a medal match.

Rakhim Magamadov is another young wrestler to watch out for in this weight. He’s only 21 years old and a two-time U20 World Champion. Magamadov has had up-and-down results on the senior level, but his win this year over Russia’s Arslan Bagaev shows that he’s trending in the right direction. Magamadov also had a great run at the 2023 Senior World Championships, making a run to the quarterfinals before falling short against Azamat Dauletbekov. With the right draw, Magamadov could make another deep run in Croatia.

Osman Gocen is one of the more experienced wrestlers in this bracket, but he’s never been able to put together his best performance at a world championship. He qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and won a bronze at the European Championships three different times. He also has notable victories over Magomed Ramazanov, Vasyl Mykhailov, Boris Makoev, Fatih Erdin, and Abubakr Abakarov. Gocen can clearly wrestle with the best in the world at 86 kg, and if he improves his consistency, he could finally reach the podium at senior worlds this year.

Boris Makoev is 32 years old and one of the most experienced wrestlers in the bracket. He might be a little past his prime, but he’s still crafty and shouldn’t be underestimated by anyone. Makoev is probably best known by American fans for his performance at the 2017 World Championships, where he defeated J’den Cox in the semifinals. I’m certainly not picking Makoev to make the finals (or even medal), but don’t be surprised if Makoev finds some of his old “magic” in Croatia to knock out one of the contenders.

86 kg 2025 World Championship Predictions

I’ve gone back and forth on who I think is going to come away with gold this year at 86 kg. I think there are only three guys who are good enough to navigate the depth of this bracket and win the whole tournament - Kamran Ghasempour, Ibragim Kadiev, and Zahid Valencia. When it comes down to it, I’m picking Zahid Valencia. He’s been wrestling better than ever, and I think we’re going to see the best performance of his career in Croatia.

Full 86 kg Medal Predictions

Gold - Zahid Valencia, USA

Silver - Kamran Ghasempour, IRI

Bronze - Ibragim Kadiev, RUS

Bronze - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov, BLR

92 kg World Championship Rankings

The above rankings are based on results from head-to-head matchups. United World Wrestling seeds off of Rankings Points accumulated over the past year at the Olympics, Continental Championships, and Ranking Series Tournaments. Check out the full 2025 World Championship Rankings Here.

92 kg 2025 World Championship Seeds

1. Miriani Maisuradze, GEO
2. Benjamin Honis, ITA
3. Batyrbek Tsakulov, SVK
4. Osman Nurmagomedov, AZE
5. Dauren, Kurugliev, GRE
6. Amirhossein Firouzpour, IRI 
7. Lars Schaefle, GER
8. Trent Hidlay, USA

The Favorites

• Dauren Kurugliev, GRE - 2024 Olympic Bronze (86kg)
• Amir Firouzpour, IRI - 2021, 2022, & 2023 U23 World Gold, 2021 & 2022 U20 World Gold
• Trent Hidlay, USA - 2022 U23 World Silver, 2019 U20 World Bronze

Dauren Kurugliev, Amir Firouzpour, and Trent Hidlay will enter Worlds as the gold medal favorites based on their past accomplishments and recent results. Kurugliev, a Russian now representing Greece, is coming off a bronze medal performance at the 2024 Olympic Games. There, he lost to Hassan Yazdani (9-4) but defeated Myles Amine for bronze (5-4). Kurugliev is an incredible athlete with exceptional low-level attacks, complemented by some of the best leg defense in the world, regardless of weight class. Kurugliev just transitioned up to 92 kg this year after spending his entire career at 86 kg. He already has two victories over world silver medalist Osman Nurmagomedov and another victory over world bronze medalist Feyzullah Akturk. 

It’s worth noting that Trent Hidlay defeated Kurugliev in the semifinals of the Budapest Ranking Series Tournament by injury default. In that match, Hidlay secured a takedown in just under 45 seconds. During that takedown, it appeared that Kurugliev tweaked his knee and then immediately defaulted out of the match. While we didn’t learn much from that bout, it shows Hidlay is at least capable of taking down Kurugliev, and their potential semifinal match at Worlds will be one of the most highly anticipated bouts of the bracket.

Kurugliev's win over Osman Nurmagomedov in the 2025 Euro Finals:

Amir Firouzpour will be on the opposite side of the bracket from Hidlay and Kurugliev, and Firouzpour is the clear favorite to reach the gold medal match. Firouzpour has been stuck behind two-time world champion Kamran Ghasempour, but has won the U23 World Championships three times and U20s twice. Firouzpour loves to work from an underhook and often overwhelms his opponents with his pressure. Firouzpour also has outstanding leg defense and scores often from go-behinds off of his opponents’ shots. It’s worth noting that Firouzpour lost to both Nate Jackson and Osman Nurmagomedov at the 2022 World Cup but has since been nearly flawless at 92 kg.

Trent Hidlay has ascended into title contention over the past six months after moving up from 86 kg in February. Since then, Hidlay has gone 14-0 with significant victories over Aeoden Sinclari, Eric Schultz, Josh Barr, Abubakr Abakarov, and Miriani Maisuradze. Also during that time frame, Hidlay has outscored his opponents by a combined score of 103-13 with 6 techs and 2 injury defaults. Hidlay is wrestling as good as ever and will be right in the mix to win gold with Kurugliev and Firouzpour. 

Hidlay's win over Josh Barr to make the 2025 World Team:

The Contenders

• Osman Nurmagomedov, AZE - 2023 World Silver, 2021 & 2022 World Bronze, 2021 U23 World Gold
• Feyzullah Akturk, TUR - 2023 World Bronze, 2022 U23 World Bronze, 2017 & 2019 U20 World Bronze
• Miriani Maisuradze, GEO - 2022 & 2024 World Bronze, 2022 U23 World Bronze

The above three competitors have already medaled at Senior Worlds and should present the greatest challenges to the big three at this weight. Azerbaijan’s Osman Nurmagomedov leads this group and boasts a hitlist that includes victories over Zahid Valencia, Magomed Ramazanov (2024 Olympic champion), Amir Firouzpour, Arash Yoshida, Miriani Maisuradze, and several other accomplished wrestlers. Even with those wins, Nurmagomedov hasn’t been the most consistent wrestler, and his recent losses to Kurugliev, Firouzpor, Myles Amine, and Chance Marsteller prove that he might not have what it takes to make a run for gold. 

Feyzullah Akturk won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships and has essentially only lost to the best in the world over the past two years. In that time frame, Akturk has notable victories over Osman Nurmagomedov, Miriani Maisuradze, Boris Makoev, and Ahmed Bataev, while only losing to Dauren Kurugliev, Kamran Ghasempour, Rizabek Aitmukhan. Akturk is one of the more powerful wrestlers in this bracket and has fantastic reattacks that he uses to generate most of his neutral offense. Akturk will not be seeded and could create some chaos early in this bracket.

Georgia’s Miriani Maisuradze will be the top seed in this bracket after winning a silver medal at Worlds last. On top of that performance, Maisuradze also won bronze at the European Championships this year and silver at the Budapest Rankings Series Tournament. In the past year, Maisuradze has only lost to Osman Nurmagomedov, Trent Hidlay, Kamran Ghasempour, and Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Maisuradze will have a tough path to the finals with a potential match with Hidlay in the quarters, but Maisuradze should not be underestimated. 

Sleepers & Landmines

• Ben Honis, ITA - 2024 World 5th
• Magomed Sharipov, BRN - 2023 Worlds 5th
• Amanula Gadzhimageomedov, RUS

Past world medalists like Deepak Punia (IND) and Batyrbak Tsakulov (SVK) will be in the 92 kg bracket and are obviously wrestlers to watch out for. However, because of their accomplishments and recent performances, Punia and Tsakulov don’t fit the “Sleepers & Landmines” category quite like Honis, Sharipov, and Gadzhimagoedov. Honis and Sharipov have both made medal matches at past World Championships. If they’re wrestling their best, they’re capable of finding their way to another medal match.

Amanula Gadzhimagomedov is a true landmine. He won Russian Nationals with a dramatic last-second victory in the finals to make the world team. Beyond that, Gadzhimagomedov has very limited results internationally, with his best win coming over World and Olympic bronze medalist Artur Naifonov at 2023 Russian Nationals. Gadzhimagomedov recently lost to Mike Macchiavello at PWL 9 in Budapest in a match in which Gadzhimagomedov got visibly exhausted. I expect him to be in much better shape at Worlds, and he’s good enough to challenge the best in the world in Zagreb.

92 kg World Championship Predictions

I’d be shocked if anyone but Dauren Kurugliev, Amir Firouzpour, or Trent Hidlay wins the 92 kg bracket at Worlds. These three are the clear class of the weight and have separated themselves from the rest of the field. Maybe I'm just getting caught up in the hype, but Trent Hidlay is wrestling better than ever, and he's my pick to reach the top of the podium and win gold. Hidlay's path certainly won't be the easiest, but I think he has the style and skills to beat both Kurugliev and Firouzpour.

Full 92 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold - Trent Hidlay, USA

Silver - Amir Firouzpour, IRI

Bronze - Dauren Kurugliev, GRE

Bronze - Feyzullah Akturk, TUR

97 kg 2025 World Championship Rankings

The above rankings are based on results from head-to-head matchups. United World Wrestling seeds off of Rankings Points accumulated over the past year at the Olympics, Continental Championships, and Ranking Series Tournaments. Check out the full 2025 World Championship Rankings Here.

97 kg 2025 World Championship Seeds

1. Akhmed Tazhudinov, BRN 
2. Givi Matcharashvili, GEO
3. Kyle Snyder, USA
4. Magomedkhan Magomedov, AZE 
5. Amirali Azarpira, IRI 
6. Zbigniew Baranowski, POL 
7. Arash Yoshida, JPN 
8. Richard Vegh, HUN

The Favorites

• Akhmed Tazhudinov, BRN - 2024 Olympic Gold, 2023 World Gold
• Abdulrashid Sadulaev, RUS - 2016 & 2020 Olympic Gold, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, & 2024 World Gold, 2017 World Silver

The potential matchup between Akhmed Tazhudinov and Abdulrashid Sadulaev is undoubtedly the most anticipated of the World Championships. Unfortunately, there are questions surrounding whether or not Sadulaev will be allowed into Zagreb because of visa issues (at the writing of this article, Sadulaev has not been granted a visa to enter Croatia). Without going into too much detail, Sadulaev attempted to wrestle at the 2024 European Championships in Romania by obtaining a travel visa to a nearby country. Because he failed to follow the proper requirements for entering Romania, he was given an almost 5-year ban from the Schengen Zone (which Croatia is part of). For a full summary of Sadulaev’s visa issue, CLICK HERE. A final decision hasn’t been made on Sadulaev’s visa issues, but we’ll update this article as more information becomes available.

Whether or not Sadulaev is in the field, Akhmed Tazhudinov is the man to beat at 97 kg. In just two years, Tazhudinov has firmly established himself as the pound-for-pound best wrestler in the world. Tazhudinov burst onto the scene at the 2023 World Championships when he teched Kyle Snyder and was leading 9-2 over Sadulaev before he injury defaulted out of the tournament. Tazhudinov proved that performance wasn’t a fluke by winning the Olympics last year with consecutive victories over Amirali Azarpia (4-3), Alisher Yergali (14-2), Kyle Snyder (6-4), and Givi Matcharashvili (by pin). Tazhudinov is still only 22 years old and presumably only getting better. Another gold medal this year, with another win over Sadulaev, and Tazhudinov could quickly become one of the all-time greats at 97 kg.

Tazhudinov's wins over Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev at 2023 Worlds:

If Sadulaev is allowed into Worlds, he’s absolutely a threat to win gold. Sadulaev wrestled as good as he has in years at last year’s World Championships, where he defeated David Taylor and Kamran Ghasempour to win gold. At 2024 Worlds, Sadulaev looked in much better shape and markedly improved from his performance at 2023 Worlds, when he lost to Tazhudinov. Sadulaev is already a once-in-a-generation wrestler and can establish his legacy even further if he can win another world title in Croatia. He just has to get there first. 

Sadulaev's win over David Taylor at the 2024 World Championships:

The Contenders

• Kyle Snyder, USA - 2016 Olympic Gold, 2020 Olympic Silver, 2015, 2017, & 2022 World Gold, 2017 & 2021 World Silver, 2019 & 2023 World Bronze
• Amirali Azarpira, IRI - 2024 Olympic Bronze
• Arash Yoshida, JPN - 2023 World 5th
• Givi Matcharashvili, GEO - 2024 Olympic Silver, 2022 World Bronze
• Magomedkhan Magomedov, AZE - 2024 Olympic Bronze, 2023 World Silver, 2022 World Bronze
• Rizabek Aitmukhan, KAZ - 2023 World Gold (at 92kg), 2024 U23 World Gold, 2024 U20 World Gold

Kyle Snyder leads this deep list of contenders and is obviously the most credentialed wrestler in this tier. Unfortunately for Snyder, he’s also suffered losses in the past year to Akhmed Tazhudinov, Amirali Azarpira, and Arash Yoshida. Even with those results, Snyder has a great draw as the #3 seed opposite both Azarpira and Tazhudinov. Snyder is also 4-0 in his career against #2 seed Givi Matcharashvili and was leading most of the match against #7 seed Arash Yoshida before giving up 4 points with only 45 seconds left. As long as Sadulaev isn’t drawn into the bottom side, Snyder should be considered the favorite to reach the finals. 

Snyder's win over Sadulaev at the 2017 World Championships:

Iran’s Amirali Azarpira is only 23 years old and might have the best chance of knocking off Tazhudinov after Sadulaev. Azarpira is one of the few wrestlers who can match the size and length of Tazhudinov, and the two wrestled a close, 4-3 match at the Olympics last year. Azarpira also boasts a 2-1 record over Kyle Snyder (winning the last two matches) and a 9-1 win over Arash Yoshida from April of 2024. Azarpira has all of the skills to win this bracket, and though he’s not the favorite, he’s definitely a wrestler to watch out for in Croatia and capable of shocking the world against Tazhudinov. 

Azarpira's win over Kyle Snyder at the 2024 Zagreb Open:

Japan’s Arash Yoshida is riding incredible momentum heading into the World Championships this year. At only 21 years old, Yoshida started 2025 by winning the Zagreb Open with victories over Kyle Snyder (5-5) and Iran’s Erfan Alizadeh (3-2). A month later, Yoshida won gold at the Asian Championships, capped off by a win over world champion Rizabek Aitmukhan in the finals (7-1). Even with these results, Yoshida has only wrestled at Senior Worlds one other time - in 2023, where he placed 5th with tech fall losses to Osman Nurmagomedov and Zahid Valencia. Though he has impressive victories, Yoshida is one of the most inexperienced wrestlers in the field, and now that he has notable victories under his belt, he won’t take anyone by surprise in Zagreb.

Yoshida's win over Kyle Snyder at the 2025 Zagreb Open:

Givi Matcharashvili, Magomedkhan Magomedov, and Rizabek Aitmukhan are all extremely credentialed wrestlers in this field and add amazing depth to the 97 kg bracket. However, I view all of these wrestlers as more of “gatekeepers” to the medal stand rather than true gold medal threats. Every wrestler in this group has reached the podium at worlds, but none have defeated Tazhudinov, Sadulaev, Snyder, Yoshida, or Azarpira. It wouldn’t be surprising to see any of these three wrestlers win a medal at Worlds, but it’d be absolutely shocking to see them win gold. 

Sleepers & Landmines

• Magomedgadhzi Nurov, MKD - 2019 World Bronze
• Aliaksandr Hushtyn BLR - 2021 World 5th

Because of the amazing depth at 97 kg, there aren’t many true “Sleepers & Landmines” in the bracket. I chose Nurov and Hushtyn because they’re two experienced wrestlers who have competed several times on the biggest stages. At 32 years old, Nurov won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships and could use his experience to surprise and upset some of the younger, more inexperienced wrestlers in the bracket. Hushtyn, who is also 32, hasn’t ever reached the medal stand at Worlds or Olympics, but he won a silver medal at the European Championships 3 times and was also the runner-up at the 2019 Yarygin. Hushtyn is a crafty veteran, and this could be the year he finally punches through for a medal.

97 kg World Championship Prediction

Akhmed Tazhudinov has been on an incredible run over the past two years, and I don’t see that ending this year in Zagreb. He’s likely still getting better, and his unique combination of size and skill for the weight makes him a nightmare matchup for every wrestler in the field. If Sadulaev gets his visa and can compete at Worlds, things will certainly get tougher for Tazhudinov. Even still, I believe Tazhudinov is the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the world and will prove that in Croatia.

Full 97 kg Medal Predictions

Gold - Akhmed Tazhudinov, BRN

Silver - Kyle Snyder, USA

Bronze - Amirali Azarpira, IRI

Bronze - Arash Yoshida, JPN

*If Sadulaev does get his visa, I think he’ll win silver or bronze, depending on where he’s drawn into the bracket. 

125 kg 2025 World Championship Rankings

The above rankings are based on results from head-to-head matchups. United World Wrestling seeds off of Rankings Points accumulated over the past year at the Olympics, Continental Championships, and Ranking Series Tournaments. Check out the full 2025 World Championship Rankings Here.

125 kg 2025 World Championship Seeds

1. Giorgi Meshvildishvili, AZE
2. Amir Zare, IRI 
3. Dzianis Khramiankou, BLR 
4. Robert Baran, POL 
5. Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur, MGL
6. Shamil Sharipov, BRN
7. Solomon Manashvili, GEO
8. Jonovan Smith, PUR 

The Favorite

• Amir Zare, IRI - 2021 & 2023 World Gold, 2024 Olympic Silver, 2020 Olympic Bronze, 2022 World Bronze

Heavyweight will look a little different this year at Worlds without Taha Akgul and Geno Petriashvili. Akgul has officially retired from competition, and Petriashvili is taking a year off. This clears the way significantly for Zare, considering Petriashvili and Akgul are the only two wrestlers Zare has lost to in the past 4 years. 

Zare has been one of the best heavyweights in the world for the past 5 years, and he’s still just 24-years old. He wrestles a classic Iranian style, relying on his underhooks and pressure to overwhelm his opponents. Zare has defeated essentially every wrestler in this bracket, with notable victories over Shamil Sharipov, Dzianis Khramiankou, and Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur. Zare is as dominant as they come, and he might be the biggest gold medal favorite of any wrestler at Worlds.

Zare's win in the 2021 World Finals over Geno Petriashvili:

The Contenders

• Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur, MGL - 2022 World Silver, 2019 & 2021 World Bronze
• Giorgi Meshvildishvili, AZE - 2024 Olympic Bronze
• Wyatt Hendrickson, USA - 2023 U23 World Gold

This group of contenders is strong, but as mentioned above, none have defeated Amir Zare. Mongolia’s Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur leads the way as the most accomplished wrestler of this group, and he also has the most notable wins. Munkhtur’s hitlist includes victories over Geno Petriashvili, Mason Parris, Amirreza Masoumi, Greg Kerkvliet, and several other past world/Olympic medalists. Munkhtur is deceivingly athletic and has fantastic defense that he uses to punish opponents who take errant shots. Munkhtur’s path to victory against Zare is narrow, but no one should be surprised if he reaches the finals out of the #5 seed. 

Munkhtur's win over Geno Petriashvili in the 2022 World Semifinals:

While Munkhtur might be the most accomplished wrestler outside of Munkhtur, Giorgi Meshvildishvili is the #1 seed and should be considered the favorite to reach the finals opposite Amir Zare. Meshvildishvili won a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics while recording victories over Munkhtur and Robert Baran. Meshvildishvili proved his performance in Paris wasn’t a fluke by winning gold at the European Championships this year with notable victories over Solomon Manashvili and Dzianis Khramiankou. Originally from Georgia, Meshvildishvili is 33 years old and an athletic heavyweight with solid leg attacks. Outside of Zare, Meshvildishvili has the skills to defeat anyone in the 125 kg bracket. 

Meshvildishvili's win over Dzianis Khramiankou in the 2025 Euro Semifinals:

Wyatt Hendrickson is the biggest wildcard in this bracket, and many believe he is the man to defeat Amir Zare. Hendrickson is riding incredible momentum into Worlds after an undefeated NCAA season, highlighted by a victory over 2020 Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson in the NCAA finals, which catapulted him to winning the Hodge Trophy. Hendrickson’s athleticism and offensive potential are simply unmatched at heavyweight. On top of his neutral offense, Hendrickson also has an outstanding gut wrench that he hits with high frequency on almost every opponent. Can Hendrickson’s offense work on Zare, and can Hendrickson handle Zare’s underhook and pressure in the hand fight? We’ll find out the answer to those questions in Zagreb!

Wyatt Hendrickson's dominant win in the finals of the 2025 Pan-Am Championships:

Watch Out For This Group

• Dzianis Khramiankou, BLR - 2017 U23 World Silver, 2019 U23 World Bronze, 2015 U20 World Silver, 2016 U20 World Bronze
• Abdulla Kurbanov, RUS - 2024 U23 World Bronze, 2023 Senior World 5th
• Alen Khubulov, BUL - 2024 U23 World Silver
• Azamat Khosonov, GRE - 2021 U23 World Silver, 2023 U23 World Bronze
• Murazi Mchedlidze, UKR - 2017 U23 World Bronze
• Khasanboy Rakhimov, UZB - 2018 U20 World Bronze
• Alisher Yergali, KAZ - 2022 U23 World Bronze, 2018 U20 World Silver
• Solomon Manashvili, GEO - 2022 U23 World Silver
• Hakan Buyukcingil, TUR - 2023 & 2024 U20 World Bronze

While none of the above NINE wrestlers have medaled on the senior level, all have age-level world medals. In order to keep things brief, we're not going to give a detailed breakdown of each wrestler in this group, but this tier of wrestlers shows how deep the 125 kg bracket is at Worlds this year. These wrestlers are all skilled, and if one of the top four wrestlers is upset in Zagreb, it will likely come from a wrestler in this group.

Sleepers & Landmines

• Shamil Sharipov, BRN - 2024 & 2025 Asian Bronze
• Mohsen Siyar, GER - 2025 Yasar Dogu Gold

Sharipov and Siyar are two wrestlers to watch out for who could make some noise at Worlds. Sharipov is a Russian transfer, while Siyar is a rare Iranian transfer. Sharipov almost cemented himself as Russia’s #1 heavyweight five years ago when he won the Individual World Cup with victories over Robert Baran, Dzianis Khramiankou, and Oleksandr Khotsianivskyi. Unfortunately, Sharipov failed to qualify for the Olympics and felt the need to transfer to Bahrain. Since the transfer, Sharipov has struggled to find the same level of success he had in 2020, but things have been looking up for him this year. Sharipov won bronze at the Asian Championships in March and then followed that up with a gold medal performance at the Budapest Ranking Series Tournament in July. In Budapest, Sharipov recorded victories over Dzianis Khramiankou, Alen Khubulov, and Vladislav Baitsaev. Sharipov is still only 28 and might just be entering his prime.

Mohsen Siyar was basically unheard of before this year, but is definitely a competitor to watch out for in Zagreb. Siyar failed to medal at Euros after losing to Russia’s Zelimkhan Khizriev on criteria (8-8). However, Siyar responded to that performance by winning Gold at the Yasar Dogu and bronze at the Ziolkowski. In those two competitions, Siyar notched victories over Robert Baran, Murazi Mchedlidze, Alisher Yergali, and Hakan Buyukcingil, while only losing a close 5-2 match to Giorgi Meshvildishvili. Because of his success this year, Siyar shouldn’t take any wrestler in the bracket by surprise, but the casual wrestling fan might learn just how good Siyar is this year. 

125 kg World Championship Predictions

Every ounce of my American blood wants to pick Wyatt Hendrickson to win gold at Worlds this year, but I just don’t think he’s ready for the unique challenge Amir Zare presents. Everyone knows Zare is going to underhook you and try to push you out of bounds, but stopping it is an entirely different task. Hendrickson is a special talent, and he might be able to adjust to Zare’s pressure, but unfortunately for American fans, I think Zare will be too much to handle this year. 

Full 125 kg Medal Predictions

Gold - Amir Zare, IRI

Silver - Wyatt Hendrickson, USA

Bronze - Giorgi Meshvildishvili, AZE

Bronze - Shamil Sharipov, BRN