World Championships 2026 Day 3: Greco-Roman Highlights

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (October 26) -- The World Championships will see Greco-Roman close out with 63kg, 87kg and 67kg. The 67kg weight class has world champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI), silver medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), 63kg world champion Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) and former Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) and others making it one of the deepest weight classes.

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14:33: In a rematch of his victory at the 2023 worlds as the same stage, Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) comes out on top in a wild 8-5 win over Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) to advance to the 87kg semifinals. The two trade passivity points, which leaves Mohmadi trailing on criteria. Filchakov then breaks the match open with a 4-point throw with 1:10 left — only for Mohmadi to immediately come back with one of his own just seconds later. His rolling 4-point takedown on the edge is confirmed on challenge, and he then shrugs off a pushout attempt for a late takedown to clinch the victory. 

14:32: Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM) opens with a 4-point throw, but Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) doesn't make their 87kg quarterfinal easy as they exchange points. Still, even after Mukubu cuts the lead to 7-4 in the second period, Tadevosyan won't be denied and pulls away for a 10-4 victory. 

14:31: Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) with a 1-1 criteria win over Tamas LEVAI (HUN) in the quarterfinals of 87kg. A hugely unexpected result but Uzbekistan will take it.

14:30: Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) into the semifinals at 87kg after a 3-0 win over Lasha GOBADZE (GEO). He got a stepout and par terre in the first period and one more stepout in the second. Gobadze knew instantly after the second stepout that he won't get par terre position.

14:20: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) beats Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) at his own game, using underhooks to score a pair of 2-point exposures in a seven-point second-period spree that gives him an 8-1 win and a spot in the final four at 63kg. 

14:19: 2024 world champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) defends the par terre positions before scoring stepouts against Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT) to lead 4-1. He then manages a takedown before a review showed a defensive foul against Mohammadi. Mammadli wins 10-1 with another takedown to advance to the 63kg semifinals.

14:13: Veteran Sergey EMELIN (RUS) gives Kaisei TANABE (JPN) a harsh lesson on the reality of Greco on the world level, dominating the young Japanese in a 10-0 whitewash to advance to the 63kg semifinals. Tanabe, who is attempting the Freestyle-Greco double in Astana, failed to score from par terre, and that's when the former world champion Emelin took over. First, a standing pancake for 4 and a gut wrench puts the Russian up 6-1 at the break. In the second period, he stuffs an arm throw attempt for a takedown and finishes the match with a roll at 3:49. 

14:12: Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) is into the semifinals at 63kg with a 9-0 technical superiority over Ozodbek KHALIMBOEV (UZB). He pancakes Khalimboev for four points before lifting and throwing the Uzbekistan wrestler for four more points. Uzbekistan challenges the call but loses the challenge to give one more point to Aslanyan

14:05: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) was awarded the first par terre and he lifted Luis ORTA (CUB) for a massive four-pointer to lead 5-0. Cuba challenged that only to lose it and give one more point to Khalmakhanov who now led 6-0 at the break. Orta gets a stepout and the par terre in the second period to make it 6-2 before another stepout and caution against Khalmakhanov but he manages to hang on for a 6-4 win over the 2020 Olympic champion.

14:04: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) overcomes a tough Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) and cut over his left eye to notch a 3-2 victory and gain a place in the 67kg semifinals. Down 1-0 in the second period, Galstyan scores with a gut wrench from par terre to go up 3-1. He surrenders a stepout, but hangs on for the win.  

14:02: In a battle between silver medalists from a year ago, Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) connects with a 4-point throw from par terre in the first period to advance to the 67kg semifinals with a 6-1 win over Hanjae CHUNG (KOR), who had moved up from 63kg. 

14:00: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) gets the first takedown for two against Bagdat SABAZ (KAZ) before getting the par terre position. Sabaz blocked Esmaeili when the Iranian tried to turn the Kazakhstan wrestler to cut his lead to 3-2. Esmaeili with a massive body lock and a perfect four-point throw to extend his lead to 7-2. No more surprises in the match as Esmaeili moves into the semifinals

13:15: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) and Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) put on the best match of the morning at 63kg. Kamal got the par terre and scored a takedown to lead 3-0 but he gives up exposure at the end to give t wo points to Nazaryan. A stepout for Kamal just before the break makes his lead to 4-2. In the second period, Nazaryan countered a duck under attempt from Kamal for two points before the whistle from the referee. The bout restarted in par terre and Nazaryan cored a turn before a reversal for Kamal. Nazaryan led 6-5 before Kamal got a stepout. Nazaryan held the criteria but took outright lead with a takedown. With less than 30 seconds left, Kamal got a duck under and exposure for two and two points. That was removed after a challenge as he committed a fourl. Nazaryan held his nerves and beat Kamal 10-6

13:02: Paris Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) pulls off an amazing second-period comeback from a 5-0 deficit, scoring a takedown with :10 left for a 6-5 win over Islam ABBASOV (AZE) to stay alive at 87kg. 

13:00: Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) has two 4-point moves reduced to 2 points each on challenge, but never mind, he's into the 87kg quarterfinals with a 5-0 win over Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL). 

12:47: Likui SHI (CHN) may have done the rest of the 87kg weight class a favor by knocking off the defending champion, but two-time Asian 82kg bronze medalist Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) naturally showed little gratitude. Rasulov jumps out to a 7-0 lead in the first period, then finishes a 9-0 victory by fighting off a front headlock attempt by Shi for a match-clinching takedown to gain a spot in the quarterfinals. 

12:45: Luis ORTA (CUB) with a dramatic return to beat Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO). The Georgian got the par terre and then threw Orta for four points to lead 5-0. Orta however answered with a takedown but gave up a reversal to lead 6-2. Chkhikvadze hit a double underhook four-pointer to get the win but Cuba challenged and it was only two points which made the score 8-2 at the break. Orta then pulled off multiple stepouts to win 12-8 against a tiring Chkhikvadze

12:39: Returning bronze medalist Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) storms into the 63kg quarterfinals with a 9-0 thrashing of Tino OJALA (FIN). Put on top in par terre, Keshtkar reels off two rolls before ending the match with a 4-point throw at 2:05. 

12:35: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR), returning silver medalist from 63kg and now at 67kg, takes out returning bronze medalist Daniial AGAEV (RUS), 6-3. Agaev gave a counter takedown before Chung got par terre and a turn to win.

12:35: Olympic bronze medalist and former world champion Sergey EMELIN (RUS) begins his day by scoring a pair of gut wrenches in the first period from par terre, then holding on for a 6-3 victory over Chan KIM (PRK) and a berth in the 63kg quarterfinals.

12:27: Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) opens with a fall over Latana SOPA (ASA). He gets the passivity call but asks for a standing restart. He then scores a takedown and four points before securing the fall and advance at 87kg.

12:25: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) goes on a gut-wrench spree in cruising to a 10-0 victory over Valentin PETIC (MDA) to advance to the 67kg quarterfinals. 

12:22: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) with a takedown to the back and the defending champion is into the 67kg quarterfinals with a fall over Japanese-born Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS) in 1:28. 

12:22: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) remains on track for a gold-medal repeat at 67kg, advancing to the quarterfinals with 11-0 rout of Xinxin JIN (CHN). Esmaeli fights off a whizzer for a takedown, then counters a suplex for 2. He comes out on top and then spells danger for Jin. The Iranian hits a gut wrench, then tosses Jin for 4 to end it at 2:10.  

12:17: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), the 2025 silver medalist and Paris Olympic bronze medalist at 67kg, starts his campaign with a 7-1 victory over Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR). Jafarov, who won his fourth consecutive European title this year, is gunning for his first world gold to go with his two silvers and a bronze. 

11:56: Islam ABBASOV (AZE), coming off winning a fourth European bronze this year, knocks off former world champion Ali CENGIZ (TUR) 6-0 to advance at 82kg. Abassov chalks up all of his points in the first period, when he gets a takedown and a point for an unsuccessful challenge, then hits a gut wrench from par terre. 

11:50: Returning 82kg silver medalist and Olympic silver medalist Alireza MOHMADI (IRI), on a mission to strike elusive gold, hitting a pair of 4-point throws in an 11-0 demolition of Batbayar TSOGTBAATAR (MGL).

11:45: And we have our first major upset of the day! Likui SHI (CHN) rallies in the second period to shock defending 82kg champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) with a nail-biting 6-5 win. In the first period, Komarov gets the roll from par terre, but perhaps in a sign of things to come, Shi reverses to go into the break trailing 3-1. But the Chinese goes ahead 6-3 with 4-point throw from par terre. Komarov gains a stepout with a fleeing point tacked on, but that's as far as his comeback goes as his reign is ended. 

11:39: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL), the 2023 European champion and 2022 world silver medalist, gets a takedown and roll in the first period, then pads his lead a bit in the second for a 7-0 win over SAHIL (IND) at 63kg.

11:36: 2025 European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) clears his first hurdle at 63kg with an 8-0 victory over Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG).

11:30: Veteran Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ), who won the second of his two world medals in 2019 in Astana, jumps out to a 5-1 lead with a 4-point throw in the first period, but Maksym LIU (UKR) goes on an 8-point spree in the second and comes away with a 9-7 win . 

11:25: Kaisei TANABE (JPN), who is doing a Freestyle and Greco-Roman double in Astana, opens his 63kg campaign with an 9-0 win over Mairbek SALIMOV (POL). He led 4-0 when he lifts and slams Salimov for a four points. A lost challenge adds one more point to his score

11:15: Returning bronze medalist Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) gets a pair of gut wrenches from par terre in his opening bout at 67kg against Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA) to take a 5-0 lead into the break. The lanky Galstyan holds out on the bottom of par terre to begin the second period and walks off with a 5-1 win.

11:14: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) takes out Katsuaki ENDO (JPN), 9-0, via technical superiority. Chkhikvadze hits a takedown and then turns Endo to win. Endo challenges the last turn out-of-bounds but the review confirms two points   

11:06: Former Olympic and world champion Luis ORTA (CUB) gets his campaign at 67kg off to a hot start, cruising to a 9-0 victory over Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG). Orta gains a quick takedown and adds two 2-point rolls. A stepout and another takedown ends the match in 2:39. 

10:56: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB), the 2025 world champion at 63kg who has moved up to 67kg and is coming off a victory at the Asian Games, breaks open a close match with 2025 world U23 bronze medalist Otto BLACK (USA), going on a 10-point second-period spree for a 12-1 victory. Leading 2-1 in the final period, Khalmakhanov uses a 2-on-1 to gain a takedown, adds a 2-point throw and 2-point exposure, then caps the proceedings with a 4-point throw.

10:50: Silver medalist from 63kg Hanjae CHUNG (KOR), who has moved up to 67kg, survives a scare in the opening bout against Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND). Chung gave up a counter exposure which gave Sahrawat a 4-3 lead before a lost challenge from Korea made it 5-3. But Chung got one for passivity make it 5-4 before pushing Sahrawat out with 0.1 seconds remaining. It was confirmed on review as well after India challenged and Chung wins 6-5

10:30: The day three of the World Championships with three Greco-Roman weight classes and 67kg being the deepest of them all.