Manvel Khndzrtsyan and Arman Andreasyan Kick Off at the 2025 Wrestling World Championships

Today, September 13, the 2025 Freestyle Wrestling World Championships begin in Zagreb. On the opening day, two athletes will represent Armenia: Manvel Khndzrtsyan (61 kg) and Arman Andreasyan (70 kg).

The first day’s program features bouts in four weight categories — 61, 70, 86, and 125 kg. Armenia will compete in only two of them.

24-year-old Manvel Khndzrtsyan will take part in his second senior World Championships, after debuting in 2022, and for the first time will wrestle in the 61 kg weight class. Previously, he competed exclusively at 57 kg, a division now held by Arsen Harutyunyan.

In the round of 1/16 finals, his opponent will be 22-year-old Italian Simone Piroddu, whom Khndzrtsyan convincingly defeated (11:0) at the 2021 U23 European Championships. If successful, Manvel will face the tournament’s main favorite, Olympic champion Zaur Uguev of Russia, in the round of 1/8 finals.

25-year-old Arman Andreasyan (70 kg) will also begin from the 1/16 finals. The 2024 European Champion will be competing at his third senior World Championships. Last year, in non-Olympic weight classes, he reached the quarterfinals, losing to Russia’s Inal Sheriev. In 2023, he claimed a bronze medal, losing only to American Zain Retherford but defeating Japan’s Yashinosuke Aoyagi, whom he could meet again in the semifinals.

Today in Zagreb, Andreasyan’s first opponent will be 31-year-old Viktor Rassadin of Tajikistan, a two-time Asian Championships silver medalist. In the round of 1/8 finals, he will face the winner of Viktor Voinovic (Serbia) vs. Mohammed Karim (Iraq).

A tough challenge may await in the quarterfinals, where he could face 2024 Asian Champion Amir Mohammad Yazdani (Iran) or the latest European bronze medalist Kenan Heybatov (Azerbaijan).

Bouts begin at 10:30 local time (Zagreb).