Vazgen Tevanyan Reaches 2026 World Wrestling Championships Final, Set to Face American Bo Bassett for Gold

On October 29, Armenian wrestler Vazgen Tevanyan advanced to the final of the 2026 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. In the men's 65 kg semifinal, the Armenian secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Bulgaria's Shamil Mamedov.

For the 27-year-old Tevanyan, this marks his first appearance in a senior World Championships final. The Armenian previously won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships and has now guaranteed himself at least a silver medal.

The semifinal against Mamedov was a closely contested battle, ending in a narrow 2-1 victory for the Armenian wrestler. According to media reports, Tevanyan injured the little finger on his right hand during the bout but managed to hold on for the win.

In the final on October 30, Vazgen Tevanyan will face American wrestler Bo Bassett. The US representative dominated his semifinal against Tajikistan's Abdulmajid Kudiev, winning 12-2.

Vazgen Tevanyan's Road to the 2026 World Championships Final

The Armenian wrestler has recorded four consecutive victories, with his last three bouts decided by just one point.

• Round of 32: Zeneemeder Byambasuren (Mongolia) — 9-3.

• Round of 16: Ossimzhan Dastanbek (Kazakhstan) — 2-1.

• Quarterfinal: Rahman Amouzad Khalili (Iran) — 3-2.

• Semifinal: Shamil Mamedov (Bulgaria) — 2-1.

The quarterfinal against reigning two-time world champion and 2024 Olympic silver medalist Rahman Amouzad Khalili was particularly dramatic.

With just four seconds remaining, Tevanyan was trailing 1-2. However, he managed to turn the bout around and secure a 3-2 victory after the Iranian wrestler received a penalty.

The 2023 European champion is now just one victory away from claiming the first senior World Championships gold medal of his career.

2026 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships: Semifinal Results

Men's 65 kg:

• Vazgen Tevanyan (Armenia) def. Shamil Mamedov (Bulgaria) — 2-1.

• Bo Bassett (USA) def. Abdulmajid Kudiev (Tajikistan) — 12-2.

Final: Vazgen Tevanyan (Armenia) vs. Bo Bassett (USA).

Men's 97 kg:

• Kyle Snyder (USA) def. Zbigniew Baranowski (Poland) — 5-0.

• Arash Yoshida (Japan) def. Akhmed Tazhudinov (Bahrain) — victory by fall while trailing 3-6.

Final: Kyle Snyder (USA) vs. Arash Yoshida (Japan).

Both finals will take place on October 30 in Astana. On the same day, two more Armenian wrestlers will begin their campaigns at the World Championships: Arsen Harutyunyan (61 kg) and Arman Andreasyan (70 kg).