Superheavyweight prodigy Amirreza Ma’soumi will headline the Iranian 16-man squad in the World Ranking Series season opener.
The 20-year-old Iranian – the reigning world junior and under-23 champion – is the clear favorite in the 125kg weight class, though he could still face competition from Georgian Solomon Manashvili, and American duo Hayden Zillmer and Mason Parris for the ultimate prize.
Ahoura Khateri will be looking to build on his world under-17 title in 2023 when making his senior debut in the 57kg contests, where all eyes will be on American Spencer Lee and India’s Aman Sehrawat – Olympic silver and bronze medalists in Paris last August.
Former world junior bronze winner Ahmad Mohammadnejad-Javan will be joined by fellow-Iranians Ebrahim Khari – world U23 bronze medalist last year – and Reza Mo’meni in the 61kg event, with world U20 champion Ali Korramdel, Abbas Ebrahimzadeh – also a bronze medalist in last year’s U23 Worlds – and Yasin Rezei vying for success in the 65kg class.
Former world and Asian under-17 champion Sina Khalili will be the Iranian prodigy to watch in the 70kg event.
The 18-year-old wrestler stole the headlines in December’s Iranian Premier League final by outclassing two-time world silver winner Amir-Mohammad Yazdani 14-5, and will be eager to continue his impressive form of late in Zagreb, where he will be joined by compatriot Ebrahim Elahi – also an ex-gold winner in the U17 Worlds – in the weight class.
Ali Rezaei (74kg) and Mahdi Yousefi (79kg) won the world U20 and U23 titles respectively last year and will be looking to keep up the momentum at their senior level, while world U20 bronze medalist Abolfazl Rahmani will compete in the 86kg competitions.
High-profile wrestlers will be lined up for the 92kg glory in Zagreb, including American Aaron Brooks – an 86kg bronze winner at the Paris Olympics – and Georgian world silver medalist Miriani Maisuradze, with Iranian duo Amirhossein Firouzpour – gold medalist in the 2024 Asian Championships – and former world U20 champion Mohammad-Mobin Azimi also in the fray.
Asian under-20 champion Abolfazl Babalou will represent the country in the 97kg event, which will also see American great Kyle Snyder return to Zagreb after being stunned by Iranian Amir-Ali Azarpira in last year’s final.
Geraei with a point to prove
The freestyle event will be followed by the women’s contests, before the Greco-Roman competitions get underway on Friday.
Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza Geraei will be desperate to make up for his first-round setback in last year’s World Championships, when taking part in the 72kg contests alongside domestic rivals Danial Sohrabi and Iman Mohammadi.
Mahdi Ahadi (55kg), Pouya Nasserpour (60kg), Mohammad Keshtkar and world under-23 bronze medalist Erfan Jarkani (63kg), Mohammadreza Gholami and world U20 champion Ahmadreza Mohsennejad (67kg), Amin Kavianinejad, Amir Abdi, and Ali Oskou (77kg), Gholamreza Farrokhi (82kg), four-time Asian gold medalist Nasser Alizadeh (87kg), Hamidreza Badkan and Shayan Habibzare’ (97kg), as well as former world champion Ali-Akbar Yousefi (130kg) complete the Iranian GR squad in Zagreb.