This coming weekend’s 2022 World Championships will mark the end of the season for Senior international competition, though there are future implications on the line. For starters, United World Wrestling’s “Ranking Series” points system will see a reset based on results from the tournament. Secondly, there is also the pseudo-annual World Cup, an event of significance to be sure — but one that has not been held in its traditional format in three years.
The top-eight nations, according to the team standings at the conclusion of the World Championships, will comprise the World Cup. Important to note: the ’22 edition of the Cup is scheduled for November 5-6 in Baku, Azerbaijan. That sliver of information should produce nostalgia for hardcores, given that both the timing and location harken back to the Golden Grand Prix, once the sport’s second-best big-time event. Azerbaijan has not run the Golden Grand Prix since ’16 due to a litany of reasons, which has created a hole in the international calendar that has yet to be adequately filled.
Perhaps this year’s World Cup might go a long way in that regard.
And despite Russia’s loss of eligibility in ’22, the World Championships (and by extension, the World Cup), still promises to bring to bear an outstanding level of competition. A well-balanced field of participants are preparing to compete this weekend in Belgrade. Aside from the dozens and dozens of recent World/Olympic champs and medalists, the entry list offers an even mix of hardened, established Seniors whose names most everyone knows, along with younger athletes who have already shown themselves worthy challengers on the circuit’s top level.
Iran is poised to leave Serbia as the #1 team, a distinction to which they are accustomed. Not only does IRI boast more than a handful of potential medal contenders, they also have a complete ten-man roster (as of press time). Georgia, Hungary, Japan, Turkey, and Kazakhstan, do, too; Armenia and Azerbaijan do not, but they should perform just fine even with gaps in their respective lineups.
Below are the projected eight nations (according to this platform) who will vie for the 2022 World Cup in alphabetical order with the exception of favorites Iran, who are listed first. Uzbekistan and Ukraine could be in the mix, as well. Host country Serbia is included for two key reasons: though limited to only six athletes, their roster is dense; and outcomes tend to favor the home team, in virtually every sport.
2022 Projected Greco-Roman World Cup Teams
Iran (IRI)
55 kg: Poya Dad Marz — ’17 Junior World gold, ’21 U23 World silver
60 kg: Mehdi Mohsen Nejad
63 kg: Ali Reza Nejati — 2X World bronze
67 kg: Mohammadreza Geraei — ’20 Olympic Champion, ’21 World Champion
72 kg: Mohammad Reza Mokhtari — ’22 Asian Championships gold
77 kg: Mohammadali Geraei — 3X World bronze
82 kg: Pejman Poshtam — ’21 World bronze
87 kg: Naser Alizadeh — ’21 U23 World bronze, ’22 Asian Championships gold
97 kg: Mohammadhadi Saravi — ’21 World Champion, ’20 Olympic bronze, ’18 Junior World Champion
130 kg: Amin Mirzazadeh — ’21 U23 World bronze, ’18 Junior World Champion
Armenia (ARM)
55 kg: Rudik Mkrtchyan — ’22 European Championships bronze
60 kg: Gevorg Gharibyan — ’22 European Championships bronze
63 kg: Hrachya Poghosyan — ’21 U23 World bronze
67 kg: Slavik Galstyan — ’19 World bronze, 2X European Championships bronze
77 kg: Malkhas Amoyan — ’21 World Champion, ’22 European Championships gold, ’18 Junior World Champion
82 kg: Karapet Chalyan — 2X European Championships bronze
97 kg: Artur Aleksanyan — ’16 Olympic Champion, 3X World Champion, ’20 Olympic silver, 2X World silver, ’12 Olympic bronze
130 kg: David Ovasapyan — ’21 U23 World silver, ’19 U23 World bronze
Azerbaijan (AZE)
55 kg: Eldaniz Azizli — ’18 World Champion, 2X World bronze
60 kg: Murad Mammadov — ’21 World bronze, ’18 U23 World silver
63 kg: Taleh Mammadov — 3X European Championships medalist
67 kg: Hasrat Jafarov — ’21 U23 World Champion, ’21 Junior World Champion, ’22 European Championships bronze
72 kg: Ulvi Ganizade — ’21 U23 World bronze, ’19 Junior World silver, ’22 European Championships bronze
77 kg: Sanan Suleymanov — ’21 World silver, ’19 U23 World silver
82 kg: Rafiq Huseynov — ’21 World Champion, ’20 Olympic bronze, ’19 World silver, 2X European Championships gold
97 kg: Arif Niftullaev
130 kg: Sabah Shariati — ’16 Olympic bronze
Hungary (HUN)
60 kg: Kritsztian Kecskemeti
63 kg: Erik Torba — ’20 European Championships bronze
67 kg: Kriztian Vancza — ’22 European Championships silver
72 kg: Robert Fritsch — ’22 European Championships gold
77 kg: Zoltan Levai — ’20 European Championships silver, 3X Junior World bronze
82 kg: Tamas Levai — ’21 U23 World Champion, ’19 Junior World Champion, ’22 European Championships bronze
87 kg: David Losonczi — ’21 U23 World silver
97 kg: Alex Szoeke — ’21 World silver, ’17 Junior World bronze
130 kg: Darius Vitek — ’21 U23 World bronze, ’19 Junior World bronze
Georgia (GEO)
55 kg: Nugzari Tsurtsumia — ’19 World Champion, ’21 World bronze, ’18 U23 World Champion
60 kg: Pridon Abuladze — ’21 U23 World bronze
63 kg: Leri Abuladze — ’21 World silver, ’21 U23 World Champion
67 kg: Joni Khetsuriani — ’14 Cadet World Champion, ’15 Cadet World silver
72 kg: Shmagi Bolkvadze — ’16 Olympic bronze, ’21 European Championships gold, 2X European Championships silver
77 kg: Iuri Lomadze — ’20 European Championships silver
82 kg: Gela Bolkvadze — ’18 U23 World Champion, ’17 U23 World silver, ’15 Junior World Champion
87 kg: Robert Kobliashvili — 2X World bronze, ’18 European Championships gold, ’16 European Championships silver
97 kg: Giorgi Melia — ’19 U23 World silver, ’16 Junior World Champion, ’18 U23 World bronze
130 kg: Iakobi Kajaia — ’20 Olympic silver, 2X World bronze, 2X European Championships medalist
Japan (JPN)
55 kg: Yu Shiotani — 2X Asian Championships gold
60 kg: Kenichiro Fumita — 2X World Champion, ’20 Olympic silver, ’18 U23 World Champion
63 kg: Ryuto Ikeda
67 kg: Katsuaki Endo — ’18 U23 World Champion
72 kg: Taishi Horie
77 kg: Shohei Yabiuku — ’20 Olympic bronze
82 kg: Yuya Okajima
87 kg: Masato Sumi — ’18 Asian Championships silver
97 kg: Takahiro Tsuruda
130 kg: Arata Sonoda
Kazakhstan (KAZ)
55 kg: Amangali Bekbolatov — ’18 U23 World bronze, ’22 Asian Championships silver
60 lg: Aidos Sultangali — ’18 World bronze, ’17 U23 World bronze
63 kg: Galym Kabdunassarov
67 kg: Din Koshkar — ’22 Junior World bronze
72 kg: Ibragim Magomadov
77 kg: Tamerlan Shadukaev — ’19 U23 World bronze
82 kg: Dias Kalen
87 kg: Nursultan Tursynov
97 kg: Islam Umaev
130 kg: Alimkhan Syzdykov — ’22 Asian Championships gold
Kyrgyzstan (KGZ)
60 kg: Zholaman Sharshenbekov — 2X World silver, ’17 Junior World silver
63 kg: Tynar Sharshenbekov — ’22 Asian Championships gold
67 kg: Amantur Ismailov — ’21 Asian Championships bronze
77 kg: Akzhol Makhmudov — ’20 Olympic silver, ’17 Junior World silver, ’18 Junior World bronze, ’22 Asian Championships gold
87 kg: Atabek Azisbekov — 2X Asian Championships medalist
97 kg: Beksultan Makhmudov — ’21 Asian Championships bronze
Serbia (SRB)
63 kg: Sebastian Nad
67 kg: Mate Nemes — ’19 World bronze, ’21 European Championships gold
72 kg: Ali Arsalan — ’22 European Championships bronze, , ’15 Junior World bronze
77 kg: Viktor Nemes — ’17 World Champion, ’18 World bronze
87 kg: Zurabi Datunashvili — ’21 World Champion, ’20 Olympic bronze
97 kg: Mikheil Kajaia — 2X World bronze
Turkey (TUR)
55 kg: Ekrem Ozturk — ’18 World bronze, ’19 U23 World bronze, ’18 University World Champion
60 kg: Kerem Kamal — 3X Junior World Champion, ’21 U23 World bronze, ’22 European Championships gold
63 kg: Ahmet Uyar — ’21 U23 World silver
67 kg: Murat Firat — ’22 European Championships gold
72 kg: Selcuk Can — ’20 European Championships bronze
77 kg: Yunus Basar — ’21 Europan Championships silver
82 kg: Burhan Akbudak — ’21 World silver, ’17 U23 World Champion
87 kg: Ali Cengiz
97 kg: Metehan Basar — 2X World Champion
130 kg: Riza Kayaalp — 5X World Champion, ’16 Olympic silver, 2X Olympic bronze
2022 Greco-Roman World Championships
Saturday morning begins the 2022 Greco-Roman World Wrestling Championships live from the Stark Arena in Belgrade, Serbia. FLOWrestling will carry the broadcast for the United States audience (subscription required).
Team USA will go to battle with seven athletes who have viable World-level experience, as well as three first-time Senior World competitors who have already established themselves domestically (one of who earned a U20 World bronze just last year). The American roster as presently constituted can be found below along with the tournament’s full schedule.
2022 USA World Team
55 kg: Max Nowry (Army/WCAP)
60 kg: Ildar Hafizov (Army/WCAP)
63 kg: Sammy Jones (NYAC)
67 kg: Alex Sancho (Army/WCAP)
72 kg: Benji Peak (Sunkist/NTS)
77 kg: Kamal Bey (Army/WCAP)
82 kg: Spencer Woods (Army/WCAP)
97 kg: Braxton Amos (Sunkist/Wisconsin RTC)
130 kg: Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist)
FULL SCHEDULE
All times +6 hours ET.
DAY 1 – Saturday, September 10
Weight categories: 55, 72, 77, & 87 kg (Nowry, Peak, Bey, & Vera)
10:30am-2:30pm — Qualification rounds through quarterfinals
6:00pm-7:30pm — Semifinals
DAY 2 – Sunday, September 11
Weight categories: 63, 67, 82, & 97 kg (Jones, Sancho, Woods, & Amos)
10:30am-2:30pm — Qualification rounds through quarterfinals
10:30am-2:30pm — Repechage (DAY 1 weight categories)
4:45pm-5:45pm — Semifinals
6:00pm-9:00pm — Finals/bronze-medal matches (DAY 1 weight categories)
DAY 3 – Monday, September 12
Weight categories: 60 & 130 kg (Hafizov & Schultz)
10:30am-2:30pm — Qualification rounds through quarterfinals
10:30am-2:30pm — Repechage (DAY 2 weight categories)
4:45pm-5:45pm — Semifinals
6:00pm-9:00pm — Finals/bronze-medal matches (DAY 2 weight categories)
DAY 4 – Tuesday, September 13
10:30am-2:30pm — Repechage (DAY 3 weight categories)
6:00pm-9:00pm — Finals/bronze-medal matches (DAY 3 weight categories)
Listen to “5PM52: Two-Time Olympian Jim Gruenwald” on Spreaker.
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