Zaur Uguev Wins Ninth Russian Title, Arsen Balayan Claims Bronze

The 2026 Russian Freestyle Wrestling Championships have concluded at LIVE Arena in the Moscow Region. The main highlight of the tournament was another victory for Olympic champion Zaur Uguev, who captured the national title for the ninth time in his career.

The competition took place from July 30 to August 1 in the Moscow Region. The tournament was considered an important qualifying event for the 2026 World Championships, which will be held in Astana.

Uguev confirmed his status as the leading wrestler in the 61 kg weight category. The Dagestan representative finished first, while Ramiz Gamzatov of the Stavropol Territory won the silver medal. Bronze medals went to Kezhik Mongush of the Irkutsk Region and Chermen Tavitov of Moscow.

Arsen Balayan, representing the Kaliningrad Region, earned a bronze medal in the 86 kg category. The Armenian wrestler shared third place with Ruslan Chertkoev of North Ossetia. Ibragim Kadiev of Dagestan became the Russian champion in this division, while Artur Naifonov of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug finished second.

Wrestlers representing Dagestan won the majority of the gold medals at the championships. Athletes from the region claimed victories in several weight categories, once again confirming Dagestan’s leading position in Russian freestyle wrestling.

Results of the 2026 Russian Freestyle Wrestling Championships

57 kg

1. Abubakar Mutaliev — Dagestan
2. Musa Mekhtikhanov — Dagestan
3. Tuncay Verdiev — Orenburg Region; Amir Chamzyn — Tuva

61 kg

1. Zaur Uguev — Dagestan
2. Ramiz Gamzatov — Stavropol Territory
3. Kezhik Mongush — Irkutsk Region; Chermen Tavitov — Moscow

65 kg

1. Abasgadzhi Magomedov — Dagestan
2. Eldar Akhmadudinov — Dagestan
3. Bashir Magomedov — Dagestan; Alik Khadartsev — Moscow Region

70 kg

1. Ibragim Ibragimov — Dagestan
2. Aznaur Tavaev — Dagestan
3. Konstantin Kaprynov — Yakutia; Magomed-Emi Eltemirov — Chechen Republic

74 kg

1. Inalbek Sheriev — Moscow Region
2. Zaurbek Sidakov — Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug
3. Imam Ganishov — Dagestan; Umar Umarov — Dagestan

79 kg

1. Ismail Khaniev — Dagestan
2. Akhmed Usmanov — Dagestan
3. Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev — Bryansk Region; Said Saidulov — Dagestan

86 kg

1. Ibragim Kadiev — Dagestan
2. Artur Naifonov — Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug
3. Arsen Balayan — Kaliningrad Region; Ruslan Chertkoev — North Ossetia

92 kg

1. Amanula Gadzhimagomedov — Dagestan
2. Azamat Khadzaragov — Zaporizhzhia Region
3. Vladislav Valiev — North Ossetia; Amir Bulatov — Chechen Republic

97 kg

1. Magomed Kurbanov — Dagestan
2. Mukhamed-Takhir Khaniev — Dagestan
3. Magomedgadzhi Magomedov — Dagestan; Alikhan Zhabrailov — Dagestan

125 kg

1. Abdulla Kurbanov — Dagestan
2. Alan Khugaev — North Ossetia
3. Pavel Krivtsov — Kemerovo Region; Georgy Byazrov — North Ossetia

The Russian Championships served as an important stage in the selection of the national team. The country’s leading wrestlers will now continue their preparations for the main international event of the year — the 2026 World Championships in Astana.