2026 World Wrestling Championships: the form in which the leaders of the Armenian national team are heading into the year’s main tournament
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
The 2026 World Wrestling Championships will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1. For the Armenian national team, the upcoming tournament will be not only the biggest test of the season but also an important stage in preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The 2026 World Championships will be the last edition before the start of Olympic qualification. The first qualification spots for the 2028 Games will be awarded at the 2027 World Championships in Las Vegas, where medalists in each of the 18 Olympic weight categories will secure Olympic quotas.
Ahead of the competition, Sportaran examines the current form of Armenia's leading wrestlers, identifies those capable of challenging for medals, and considers the issues the national team must address before Olympic qualification begins.
Our analysis focuses exclusively on Olympic weight categories — six in Greco-Roman wrestling and six in freestyle wrestling.
Greco-Roman Wrestling: Amoyan Defends His Title as Aghajanyan Continues to Rise
60 kg — Suren Aghajanyan: One of the Season's Biggest Breakthroughs
Suren Aghajanyan has firmly established himself as Armenia's number one wrestler in the 60 kg weight category. After several years of competing internationally, the Armenian wrestler appears to have finally unlocked his full potential and developed into a serious medal contender at major competitions.
In 2026, Aghajanyan won gold at the U23 European Championships, reached the final of the senior European Championships, and claimed victory at the international Poland Open tournament.
Particularly impressive is the caliber of opponents he has defeated. Among them are Azerbaijani world champion Nihad Mammadli and Russia's Suner Konunov.
These results demonstrate that Aghajanyan is already capable of competing on equal terms with the world's elite wrestlers. However, the World Championships will present a new challenge.
The biggest threat could come from Asian wrestlers, who have traditionally been particularly strong in the lighter weight categories. Matches against representatives of Iran, Japan, and other leading Asian wrestling nations could prove decisive for the Armenian athlete.
Outlook: Aghajanyan enters the World Championships in excellent form and has a realistic chance of challenging for a medal.
67 kg — Slavik Galstyan: Experience, Spectacular Wrestling and Difficult Matchups
Slavik Galstyan has remained Armenia's leading wrestler in the 67 kg category for several years. His aggressive and technically versatile style makes him one of the most entertaining members of the Armenian team.
This season, Galstyan once again reached the podium at the European Championships, winning a bronze medal. He subsequently delivered a strong performance at the ranking tournament in Budapest, where he secured an impressive victory over one of Uzbekistan's most promising wrestlers, Aitzhan Khalmakhanov.
Defeating such a formidable opponent confirmed that Galstyan remains capable of surprising even the world's strongest wrestlers.
However, the Armenian athlete's main problem remains unchanged: facing opponents whose wrestling styles are particularly difficult for him.
Galstyan is capable of executing spectacular attacks and gaining an advantage through his technical skills, but not every opponent allows him to wrestle in his preferred manner.
Outlook: Galstyan's experience and high technical level make him a legitimate medal contender. However, much will depend on the tournament draw and his ability to adapt to different wrestling styles.
77 kg — Malkhas Amoyan: Armenia's Leading Gold Medal Contender
Reigning world champion Malkhas Amoyan enters the tournament in Astana as one of the favorites in his weight category.
The Armenian wrestler continues to dominate on the European stage. In 2026, he once again won the European Championships convincingly, confirming his superiority over most of his main continental rivals.
However, his preparations for the World Championships have not been without setbacks.
At the Poland Open, Amoyan suffered an injury and an unexpected defeat against a Ukrainian wrestler who has not won any major international titles.
The defeat served as a reminder that even the world's leading wrestlers can be vulnerable, particularly when they are not competing at peak physical fitness.
Amoyan has recovered from his injury ahead of the World Championships and is determined to repeat last year's success.
Outlook: Amoyan remains one of the leading candidates for the gold medal. If his injury does not affect his physical condition, he is capable of returning to the top step of the podium.
87 kg — Gevorg Tadevosyan: Can Armenia Overcome Its Problems in This Category?
The 87 kg division has been one of Armenia's most problematic Olympic weight categories in Greco-Roman wrestling for many years.
Gevorg Tadevosyan began 2026 with a less-than-convincing performance at the European Championships but subsequently managed to improve his results significantly.
At the Poland Open, the Armenian wrestler looked like a completely different athlete.
Tadevosyan reached the final after defeating accomplished opponents along the way, including Hungary's Dávid Takács and Georgia's Lasha Melelashvili.
That result demonstrated that Gevorg possesses the potential to compete successfully at a high international level.
The main question is whether he can maintain that form and reproduce his Poland Open success at the World Championships, where the level of competition will be considerably higher.
Outlook: Tadevosyan is capable of causing surprises and challenging for a high finish, but it is still difficult to consider him among the leading favorites in the category.
97 kg — Hayk Khloyan: A Worthy Successor to Artur Aleksanyan?
One of the most interesting situations in Armenian Greco-Roman wrestling remains the competition in the 97 kg weight category.
For many years, Olympic champion Artur Aleksanyan was the undisputed leader of this division. The decorated wrestler has not officially announced his retirement, although his participation in upcoming international competitions remains uncertain.
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Hayk Khloyan is gradually emerging as a leading contender and has already proved that he can compete against the strongest wrestlers in this category.
In 2026, the young Armenian wrestler claimed several high-profile victories. Among the opponents he defeated were Olympic champion Musa Evloev, Paris Olympic bronze medalist Uzur Dzhuzupbekov, and European Championship silver medalist Lukas Lazogianis.
That list speaks for itself: when Khloyan is at his best, he is capable of defeating virtually any opponent.
However, his biggest problem is inconsistency.
After convincing victories over decorated opponents, Hayk sometimes suffers unexpected defeats. This is precisely the issue he needs to resolve to establish himself among the world's elite.
Outlook: Khloyan has the potential to win a World Championship medal, but to succeed, he must maintain the same high level throughout the entire tournament.
130 kg — Razmik Kurdyan: The Battle for Leadership in the Heavyweight Division
In Armenia's heaviest Olympic weight category, the national team has yet to establish a clear leader comparable to those in some of the other divisions.
Razmik Kurdyan, Aramais Harutyunyan, and Albert Vardanyan are competing for the right to represent the national team. All three have different physical attributes and prefer different wrestling styles.
Despite their relatively similar levels of ability, their results against the same opponents can differ significantly. One wrestler may perform well against a particular rival, while another may encounter serious difficulties.
This is why selecting Armenia's representative for major competitions requires particular attention to the styles of potential opponents. Razmik Kurdyan has been entered in the 130 kg category at the 2026 World Championships.
Outlook: The heavyweight division remains one of Armenia's most unpredictable categories. The priority is to establish a consistent leader capable of competing for an Olympic qualification spot during the upcoming qualification cycle.
Freestyle Wrestling: The Experience of Tevanyan and Harutyunyan Meets a New Generation
57 kg — Arsen Harutyunyan and a Change in Armenia's Representative
Arsen Harutyunyan has been one of Armenia's leading lightweight wrestlers for approximately seven years and was the national team's first-choice athlete in the Olympic 57 kg category for a long time.
In 2026, he demonstrated good form at the European Championships.
His main obstacle was once again Olympic champion Zaur Uguev. Despite losing, Harutyunyan put up a competitive fight against the Russian wrestler, confirming his ability to challenge members of the world's elite.
Throughout the season, Arsen also competed actively in RAF tournaments. Whether this competitive experience has helped him prepare for the most important events will become clear from his upcoming performances.
However, at the World Championships in Astana, Armenia will be represented in the Olympic 57 kg category by Manvel Khndzrtsyan, while Harutyunyan has been entered in the non-Olympic 61 kg division.
Khndzrtsyan's performance will therefore provide an important indication of the national team's depth ahead of the Olympic cycle.
Outlook: Harutyunyan's experience remains an important asset for the team, but in Astana, it will be Khndzrtsyan who gets the opportunity to prove himself in the Olympic 57 kg category.
65 kg — Vazgen Tevanyan: One of Armenia's Best Medal Prospects
Vazgen Tevanyan remains firmly established in the Olympic 65 kg weight category.
The Armenian wrestler enjoyed a strong 2026 European Championships, defeating formidable opponents such as Shamil Mamedov and Rashid Babazade.
His only defeat at the tournament came in the semifinals against Russia's Bashir Magomedov. However, the result of the bout raised questions because of a controversial refereeing decision.
Following the European Championships, Tevanyan also competed in the heavier, non-Olympic 70 kg category, where he won a gold medal and a bronze medal across two tournaments.
This experience allowed him to test himself against bigger opponents and gain additional competitive practice. At the World Championships, however, Vazgen will return to his familiar Olympic 65 kg category.
Outlook: Tevanyan is among Armenia's most promising freestyle wrestlers. His results this season suggest that he has a realistic chance of challenging for a World Championship medal.
74 kg — Narek Harutyunyan: A Challenge in One of Wrestling's Most Competitive Divisions
Narek Harutyunyan has emerged as Armenia's new leader in the Olympic 74 kg weight category.
He possesses strong technical skills and considerable room for further development, but this division has traditionally been characterized by exceptionally intense competition.
Numerous high-level wrestlers compete in this category, including athletes trained in the Russian wrestling system who now represent other countries.
As a result, even reaching the quarterfinals or semifinals of major competitions requires victories over world-class opponents.
Important changes are also expected in international regulations.
United World Wrestling (UWW) is tightening restrictions on the participation of athletes who have changed their sporting nationality. In 2027 and 2028, national teams will be allowed to enter no more than two such wrestlers per wrestling style at World and Continental Championships, provided they meet the established requirements concerning the number of other participants. From 2029, that limit will be reduced to one.
In the long term, these changes could affect the balance of power, although the extremely high level of competition in the 74 kg category will remain.
Outlook: The World Championships will be a major test of Narek Harutyunyan's readiness to compete against the best wrestlers on the planet. Even individual victories over accomplished opponents would represent an important step forward.
86 kg — Razmik Yemremyan: Investing in Youth
In the 86 kg category, young Razmik Yemremyan is one of the main candidates to become Armenia's leading wrestler.
He has yet to achieve significant success at the senior international level that would justify confidently placing him among the medal contenders at World Championships.
Nevertheless, generational change is inevitable, and it is the younger wrestlers who will have to form the backbone of Armenia's national team on the road to the 2028 Olympics.
For Yemremyan, the main priorities are gaining international experience, improving his physical development, and achieving greater consistency in his results.
Outlook: It is still too early to expect him to challenge for World Championship medals. The main objective is to make significant progress before Olympic qualification begins.
97 kg — Gurgen Simonyan: Searching for a New Leader
A similar situation exists in the Olympic 97 kg division, where Gurgen Simonyan is one of Armenia's leading young wrestlers.
Like Yemremyan, Simonyan has yet to achieve major results at the senior world level.
However, his continued development is extremely important for the national team, which needs to strengthen its position in the heavier Olympic weight categories.
International competition in this division is particularly intense. To become a serious contender for an Olympic qualification spot, success at the national level is not enough — a wrestler must consistently defeat opponents from the world's leading wrestling nations.
Outlook: The 97 kg category remains an area for development. Simonyan's main task is to raise his level ahead of the 2027–2028 Olympic qualification events.
125 kg — Khachatur Khachatryan: Returning to His Previous Form Is the Priority
Khachatur Khachatryan has attracted attention with successful performances at both the senior and U23 European Championships.
These results demonstrated that the Armenian heavyweight is capable of competing at a high international level.
However, his last two tournaments have been disappointing.
One possible reason for his decline is the injury he sustained at the Stepan Sargsyan Tournament. At the same time, without additional information, it is impossible to state conclusively that the injury was responsible for his results.
For Khachatryan, regaining peak physical condition and confidence in his abilities is particularly important.
Outlook: If Khachatryan returns to his best form, he could become a serious contender for an Olympic qualification spot in the 125 kg category.
Editor's note: This analysis focuses exclusively on Olympic weight categories. The 61, 70, 79, and 92 kg divisions in freestyle wrestling, as well as the 55, 63, 72, and 82 kg divisions in Greco-Roman wrestling, are not examined. Yemremyan, Simonyan, and Khachatryan are mentioned as candidates for the upcoming Olympic cycle. They will not compete at the 2026 World Championships because they participated in the U23 World Championships in Las Vegas.
What Will the World Championships Reveal Ahead of the 2028 Olympics?
The upcoming World Championships will provide an important reference point for the Armenian national team's coaching staffs.
In Greco-Roman wrestling, the situation looks relatively promising. Amoyan is already at the top of the sport, Aghajanyan is enjoying the best period of his career, Galstyan remains competitive, and Khloyan is gradually developing into a worthy contender for leadership in the 97 kg category.
The main concerns remain consistency and strengthening Armenia's position in the 87 kg and 130 kg divisions.
The situation in freestyle wrestling is more complicated. Vazgen Tevanyan possesses the experience required to challenge for high finishes, while in several other Olympic weight categories, Armenia is relying on young athletes who have yet to prove themselves at the senior level.
It is also important to remember that the 2026 World Championships are not an Olympic qualification event. The first stage of Olympic quota allocation will take place at the 2027 World Championships in Las Vegas.
The tournament in Astana will therefore not only help assess the current capabilities of Armenia's wrestlers but also identify the weight categories in which the national team has the strongest prospects ahead of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Armenia's Freestyle Wrestling Squad for the 2026 World Championships
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57 kg — Manvel Khndzrtsyan
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61 kg — Arsen Harutyunyan
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65 kg — Vazgen Tevanyan
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70 kg — Arman Andreasyan
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74 kg — Narek Harutyunyan
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79 kg — Hrayr Alikhanyan
Armenia's Greco-Roman Wrestling Squad for the 2026 World Championships
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55 kg — Norayr Akhoyan
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60 kg — Suren Aghajanyan
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63 kg — Karen Aslanyan
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67 kg — Slavik Galstyan
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72 kg — Ashot Khachatryan
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77 kg — Malkhas Amoyan
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82 kg — Samvel Grigoryan
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87 kg — Gevorg Tadevosyan
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97 kg — Hayk Khloyan
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130 kg — Razmik Kurdyan