Arman Avanesyan — 2025 World Games Combat Sambo Champion

Armenian athlete Arman Avanesyan won the gold medal at the 2025 World Games held in Chengzhou, China. He became the best in the under 98 kg weight category in the discipline of combat sambo.

In the decisive bout, Avanesyan defeated Russia’s Magomed Gasanov — the reigning world and European champion. This medal was the only one won by Armenia in sambo at the tournament.

In Chengzhou, Armenia was represented by five sambo athletes, as well as a team competing in the team tournament, where the Armenians took fifth place.

All winners of the Combat Sambo tournament at the 2025 World Games

Men
64 kg — Sheikh-Mansur Khabibulaev (Russia)
71 kg — Andrey Kucherenko (Ukraine)
79 kg — Vladislav Rudniev (Ukraine)
88 kg — Petro Davidenko (Ukraine)
98 kg — Arman Avanesyan (Armenia)

Team

1. Ukraine

2. Kazakhstan

3. Uzbekistan

Women
54 kg — Gulsevar Urakova (Uzbekistan)
59 kg — Shakhzoda Azatova (Uzbekistan)
65 kg — Sofia Istomina (Russia)
72 kg — Shaked Nisimyan (Israel)
80 kg — Ulbossyn Adilova (Kazakhstan)

Team

1. Uzbekistan

2. Kazakhstan

3. Ukraine

The World Games is the largest international event for non-Olympic sports — a counterpart to the Olympic Games for disciplines not included in the Olympic program. The 2025 competition is being held in China from August 7 to 17.