Artur Aleksanyan to Miss 2025 Wrestling World Championships: A Worthy Replacement Steps In

Armenian Greco-Roman wrestling legend Artur Aleksanyan will not compete at the 2025 World Wrestling Championships, set to take place in Croatia from September 13 to 21. The Olympic champion, four-time world champion and seven-time European champion is missing from the participants’ list published by the United World Wrestling (UWW).

Why Artur Aleksanyan Won’t Compete in 2025

This news came as a surprise to Armenian fans. Aleksanyan, 33, last wrestled at the 2025 European Championships in April, where he lost in the semifinal to Bulgarian Kiril Milov and withdrew from the bronze medal match due to injury. Since then, the “White Bear” has not returned to competition, and his absence from the World Championships is linked to poor physical condition.

Hayk Khloyan to Replace Aleksanyan
In the 97 kg weight class, 24-year-old Hayk Khloyan will represent Armenia. This will be his senior World Championships debut.

Khloyan has already proven himself as one of Armenia’s brightest prospects:

• 2024 U23 World Champion,
• Winner of the 2025 tournament in Estonia,
• Gold medalist at the Benur Pashayan Memorial in Yerevan,
• Silver medalist at the Ranking Series in Budapest.

Step by step, Khloyan is confirming his readiness to compete at the highest level, though replacing the legendary Aleksanyan will be no easy task.

Armenia’s Greco-Roman Wrestling Team for the 2025 World Championships

The Armenian squad will travel to Croatia with the following lineup:

• 55 kg – Manvel Khachatryan

• 60 kg – Hrachya Poghosyan

• 63 kg – Karen Aslanyan

• 67 kg – Slavik Galstyan

• 72 kg – Gor Khachatryan

• 77 kg – Malkhas Amoyan

• 82 kg – Samvel Grigoryan

• 87 kg – Vigen Nazaryan

• 97 kg – Hayk Khloyan

• 130 kg – Razmik Kurdyan

Note: The squad may change 3 days before the start of the tournament

UPDADE: Artur Aleksanyan will compete at the 2025 World Wrestling Championships

Armenia’s Prospects
Even without Aleksanyan, Armenia remains one of the strongest teams at the World Championships. Main hopes are pinned on Malkhas Amoyan, Slavik Galstyan, Karen Aslanyan, and the younger wrestlers eager to make their mark on the global stage.

The absence of the leader may become a chance for the new generation to shine and prove that the future of Greco-Roman wrestling in Armenia is secure.