Early Preview And Predictions For Iran's 2022 World Team

A breakdown of Iran's 2022 world team selection process and an early preview of their team at the 2022 world championships.

Jun 16, 2022 by Jon Kozak

Early Preview And Predictions For Iran's 2022 World Team

Iran will be Team USA's biggest challenge in men's freestyle at the 2022 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. After the recent completion of the Takhti Cup, they are also closing in on finalizing their world team representative at every weight. Take a look below at the potential representatives for Team Iran and an early preview of their outlook at the 2022 world championships.

57kg - Alireza Sarlak vs Ahmad Javan

At the Takhti Cup, Alireza Sarlak lost to Ahmad Javan in the finals, 3-2. If Sarlak would have won the Takhti Cup, he would have been awarded a spot on the world team. Instead, the Iranian Wrestling Federation has put the following stipulations in place to determine who will go to Serbia:

Both will wrestle at the Ranking Series tournament in Tunisia.
If either wins gold, he will earn the spot on the world team
If Sarlak finishes higher, he will earn the spot
If both take third, there will be a wrestle-off
If neither medal, National Team coaches will either choose a wrestler or there will be a wrestle-off

Sarlak is the more credentialed wrestler of the two and notably made the finals of the 2021 World Championships, falling to Thomas Gilman - 5-3. Along with the world silver medal, Sarlak won a U23 world bronze medal in 2019 and an Asian silver in 2021. Much less credentialed, Javan won silver at the 2021 World Military championships where he lost to Russia’s Azamat Tuskaev in the finals. Both Sarlak and Javan will be threats to medal at the world championships but should be considered underdogs in a head-to-head match-up against Thomas Gilman.

Predicted World Team Member: Alireza Sarlak

Early 2022 Worlds Predictions: DNP

Thomas Gilman's win over Sarlak in the 2021 world finals:

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61kg - Reza Atri vs Dariush Gholizadeh

Iran’s 57kg Olympic rep, Reza Atri was back in action for the first time since the Tokyo Games and came away with gold at the Takhti Cup. Dariush Gholizadeh, who took silver at the Asian Championships, won bronze at the Takhti Cup and will now wrestle Atri for the world team spot.

Here’s the kicker - if Atri wins the first match, he gets the spot. However, if Gholizadeh wins, then the series becomes a best 2 of 3. This example is a perfect illustration of Iran’s process of deciding their team - it’s not straightforward or the same for every weight class. And it’s definitely not democratic.

Reza Atri will likely be the stronger representative for Iran at the world championships. 61kg is wide-open worldwide with both the defending world champion Abasgadzhi Magomedov and runner-up Daton Fix out of the field. Atri is capable of winning a medal and an outside shot at winning a world title.

Predicted World Team Member: Reza Atri

Early 2022 Worlds Predictions: Bronze

65kg - Rahman Amouzad

Sometimes Iran’s process is complicated, sometimes it’s simple. At 65kg, Rahman Amouzad will earn the spot on the world team based on his gold medal performance at the 2022 Asian Championships. Not only did Amouzad win gold, but he also defeated world and Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia in the process. Amouzad is one of Iran’s best young stars and has the potential to defeat anyone in the world at 65kg.

Early 2022 Worlds Predictions: Silver

Amouzad's win over Bajrang in the 2022 Asian Championship Finals:

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70kg - Amir Yazdani

Amir Yazdani is having an incredible 2022 after winning world silver at 65kg in 2021. Yazdani won the Yasar Dogu in February with wins over 2021 world silver medalist Ernazar Akmataliev and two-time world medalist James Green. Then at the Takhti Cup, Yazdani won gold and defeated 2022 European silver medalist Arman Andreasyan in the finals, 3-1.

Yazdani will be a major contender at the 2022 World Championships. He’s already beaten the defending world silver medalist and the returning world champion, Magomedmurad Gadzhiev, hasn’t wrestled since the world championships.

Early 2022 Worlds Predictions: Gold

Amir Yazdani's win over James Green at the 2022 Yasar Dogu:

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74kg - Younes Emami

Emami won the 2022 Asian Championships and will likely be named the world team representative at 74kg. Emami was also the rep at the 2021 world championship and did not place after going 2-1 and losing to Georgia’s Avtandil Kentchadze in the quarterfinals, 10-1. If Iran wants to win a team title over the United States, they will need production from Emami at 74kg. However, Emami has not proven to be a solid medal threat at 74kg and would be a surprise medalist in Serbia.

Early 2022 Worlds Predictions: DNP

79kg - Mohammad Nokhodi vs Ali Savadkoui

Returning world silver medalist Mohammad Nokhodi won the Takhti Cup setting up a showdown with 2022 Asian Champ Ali Savadkoui. Rather than hosting a head-to-head wrestle-off, the federation will first send both athletes to the Ranking Series event in Tunisia on July 14-17. From there, the following criteria will decide the world team member:

If either wins gold, he will earn the spot on the world team
If both are on the same side of the bracket, whoever finishes higher will earn the spot
If both take third, there will be a wrestle-off
If neither medal, National Team coaches will either choose a wrestler or there will be a wrestle-off

Nokhodi or Savadkoui is likely JB's toughest challenge at the world championships. Burroughs beat Nokhodi for gold in Oslo in a controlling 5-1 decision. However, Savadkoui was leading Burroughs on criteria 1-1 until he pulled Burroughs singlet, surrendering a late caution +1. Along with wrestling Burroughs to a close match, Savadkoui won the 2022 Asian Championships and defeated Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov late last year at an Iranian professional league event.

Predicted World Team Member: Ali Savadkoui

Early 2022 Worlds Predictions: Bronze

Burroughs' win over Savadkoui at the 2022 Yasar Dogu:

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86kg - Hassan Yazdani vs Alireza Karimi/Mohsen Mostafavi

Three-time world medalist Alireza Karimi made his return to the mat at the Takhti Cup after an extended layoff and came away with gold. Prior to a head-to-head wrestle-off with world and Olympic champion Hassan Yazdani, Karimi will first have to wrestle Asian bronze medalist Mohsen Mostafavi who did not participate in the Takhti Cup because of an injury. The winner between Karimi and Mostafavi will then face Yazdani for the world team spot. Hassan Yazdani will be a big favorite in the wrestle-off regardless of who he faces. However, it will be interesting to see him against someone as high of a caliber as Karimi.

Looking ahead to Serbia and projecting Yazdani as the representative, a showdown between David Taylor and Hassan Yazdani for gold looks imminent. Every one of their matches has been a battle and will likely be decided by the slimmest of margins. Though Yazdani won their 2021 world finals matchup, Taylor owns the series at 3-1.

Predicted World Team Member: Hassan Yazdani

Early 2022 Worlds Predictions: Silver

Yazdani's win over Taylor in the 2021 World Finals:

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92kg - Kamran Ghasempour vs Amir Firouzpour/Mahdi Hajilouyan

2021 Junior world silver medalist (at 92kg) Mahdi Hajiloyan won the Takhti Cup with a win over #6 Ahmad Bazri in the finals, 6-3. Hajilouyan will now face 2021 Junior world champion (at 86kg) Amir Firouzpour. Along with his junior world gold, Firouzpour also won a U23 world bronze medal in 2021 and most recently a 2022 Asian gold medal.

2021 world champion Kamran Ghasempour will be a big favorite to make the world team regardless of who he faces in the world team wrestle-off. Ghasempour defeated J’den Cox in the semis of the world championships last year and Russia’s Magomed Kurbanov in the finals. Ghasempour will be Cox’s biggest competition in Serbia and should be considered the favorite to win gold at 92kg.

Predicted World Team Member: Kamran Ghasempour

Early 2022 Worlds Predictions: Gold

Ghasempour's win over J'den Cox in the 2021 World Semi-Finals:

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97kg - Mohammad Mohammadian vs Mojtaba Goleij

Iran has a great problem at 97kg in choosing between Mohammad Mohammadian and Mojtaba Goleij. American fans will remember Mohamadian from the 2020 Matteo Pellicone when he teched Bo Nickal and pinned Kyle Snyder to come away with gold. Mohammadian would go on to make the Olympic team for Iran but failed to place in Tokyo after losing to Georgia’s Elizbar Odikadze.

After Tokyo, Mohammadian did not attempt to make the world team and Goleij seized the opportunity. He made the semi-finals at the world championships and was seconds away from defeating Snyder. However, Snyder scored the match-winning takedown with only 5 seconds left to win 3-2. Though he suffered defeat to Snyder, Goleij went on to win a bronze medal in Oslo.

With Russia out of the world championships, Mohammadian or Goleij will be the biggest threat to Snyder’s gold medal hopes. The two Iranians will wrestle in a best of 3 series in the next 4-6 weeks for the 97kg world team spot.

Predicted World Team Member: Mohammad Mohammadian

Early 2022 Worlds Predictions: Bronze

Mohammadian's win over Snyder at the 2020 Matteo Pelicone:

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125kg - Amir Zare vs Amireza Masoumi/Yadollah Mohebbi

Iran’s depth at heavyweight is remarkable. Battling for the world team spot is defending world champion Amir Zare, 3-time Asian Champ Yadollah Mohebbi, and 2021 cadet world champion Amireza Masoumi. First, Mohebbi and Masoumi will face off in a wrestle-off for the right to challenge Zare. Masoumi, only 18 years old, recently won the Takhti Cup and is likely known by American fans for defeating Jim Mullen in the finals of the 2021 cadet world championship. Along with his accomplishments, Masoumi also has an outstanding pedigree as the son of two-time world medalist at heavyweight Fardin Masoumi. The young Masoumi looks to still be maturing and will be challenged by the more experienced and larger Mohebbi. If Masoumi can get by Mohebbi, expect him to challenge defending world champion Zare.

Though Mohebbi and Masoumi present unique challenges, Amir Zare should once again earn the world team spot at 125kg. Zare looked unbeatable last year but "struggled" in Kazakhstan at the most recent Ranking Series event. He won 9-7 over Oleg Boltin and was down 8-0 against Yusup Batirmurzaev (came back to win 21-10). He was reportedly recovering from an injury so might still be “shaking off the rust” but that performance does give me pause in predicting another gold for Zare in 2022.

Predicted World Team Member: Amir Zare

Early 2022 Worlds Predictions: Silver

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

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Iran vs USA At The World Championships

With Russia out of the 2022 World Championships, the team title will come down to USA vs Iran. At this point, it looks to be a dead-heat with both countries sending teams loaded with talent, capable of winning numerous golds in Serbia. In the above prediction, we have Iran coming home with 8 medals from the 2022 World Championships - the same number as we predicted in USA’s early preview for Serbia. Along with that, we have the two countries finishing only 6 points apart in our 2022 World Championship Rankings. Check out how those points are divided across all ten weight classes.