2025 Greco-Roman Wrestling World Championships: Results of the First Day

On September 18, in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, the 2025 Greco-Roman Wrestling World Championships began. On the first day, the finalists were determined in the 55, 77, 82, and 130 kg weight categories.

Team Armenia was represented by four wrestlers: Manvel Khachatryan (55 kg), Malkhas Amoyan (77 kg), Samvel Grigoryan (82 kg), and Razmik Kurdyan (130 kg). As a result, only Malkhas Amoyan reached the final, where he will face Olympic champion Nao Kusaka of Japan for the gold medal.

Interestingly, Amoyan was the only wrestler of the day to defeat an Iranian opponent. In the other three weight categories, Iranian athletes advanced to the final.

The 77 kg competition turned out to be particularly exciting. Although the main favorites, Kusaka and Amoyan, reached the final, many other top contenders were eliminated early. Asian champion Aram Vardanyan (Uzbekistan) lost his opening match to Robert Fritsch (Hungary), who later also defeated Alexandrin Gutu (Moldova). Azerbaijani Sanan Suleymanov was beaten by 21-year-old Iranian Alireza Abdevali, who was then overcome by Amoyan.

By the end of the day, three wrestlers each from Georgia and Iran, as well as one from Japan and one from Armenia, had advanced to the finals.

First Day Results

55 kg
Eldaniz Azizli (Azerbaijan) — Payam Bolootaki (Iran) 1:3
Muhammet Cakir (Turkey) — Vakhtang Lolua (Georgia) 2:2 -/+
Final: Payam Bolootaki (Iran) — Vakhtang Lolua (Georgia)

77 kg
Robert Fritsch (Hungary) — Nao Kusaka (Japan) 1:3
Malkhas Amoyan (Armenia) — Alireza Abdevali (Iran) 5:1
Final: Nao Kusaka (Japan) — Malkhas Amoyan (Armenia)

82 kg
Gholamreza Farrokheseijani (Iran) — Karlo Kodric (Croatia) 7:1
Taizo Yoshida (Japan) — Gela Bolkvadze (Georgia) 5:8
Final: Gholamreza Farrokheseijani (Iran) — Gela Bolkvadze (Georgia)

130 kg
Amin Mirzazadeh (Iran) — Wenhao Jiang (China) 3:1
Darius Vitek (Hungary) — Pavel Glintzuk (Belarus) 1:1 +/-
Final: Amin Mirzazadeh (Iran) — Darius Vitek (Hungary)

The finals will take place on September 19 at 18:00 in Zagreb.

Tomorrow, September 19, athletes in the 60, 72, and 97 kg weight categories will begin their matches. Representing Armenia will be Hrachya Poghosyan, Gor Khachatryan, and Artur Aleksanyan.