Aiming to roll back the years, Geraei plots fresh start in 77kg
By Amirhadi Arsalanpour
Staff writer
When Mohammadreza Geraei defied all expectations by winning a stunning gold medal on his senior international debut at the Tokyo Olympics five years ago, Iranian wrestling appeared to have found its next Greco-Roman sensation, following in the footsteps of lightweight legend Hamid Sourian.
Nicknamed ‘The Iceman’ by United World Wrestling for his cold-blooded composure when executing his trademark throws and body locks, Geraei swiftly backed up his 67kg Tokyo triumph with another gold at the World Championships in Oslo just two months later.
However, the following three years failed to yield the success his early promise had foretold.
Geraei again made it to the final at the 2022 World Championships, but was undone by home-favorite Serbian Mate Nemeš. The following year, the Iranian recovered from a technical-superiority loss to Azerbaijan’s Hasrat Javarov in the quarterfinals to finish with a consolation bronze at the world showpiece.
His bronze secured Iran a 67kg quota for the 2024 Paris Olympics, but Geraei missed out on a title defense in the French capital after falling short against young prodigy Saeid Esmaeili – who would go on to win gold in Paris – in the Iranian trials.
With Esmaeili emerging as the new dominant force in the 67kg category, Geraei moved up to the 72kg division for the 2024 World Championships – featuring four non-Olympic weight classes – but hit a new low in Tirana, as he suffered a devastating 11-3 loss to American underdog Benji Peak in the first round.
His most recent international outing was equally disappointing: a fifth-place finish at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event in February 2025.
Now, 11 months later, the 30-year-old Geraei is poised for a fresh start. Having moved to the Olympic 77kg class, he has set his sights on glory at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
Geraei did not compete in last month’s National Championships, which served as the opening phase of Iran’s trials for major 2026 tournaments. However, he has earned the trust of national team head coach Hassan Rangraz, who called him up for a recent training camp in Tehran.
While Geraei has already shown glimpses of a renewed version of himself in training, his prospects will be put to the test by Rangraz and his staff at an international tournament in the coming months. A strong performance there is essential if he is to fancy a realistic shot at a second world title in Manama this September.
The race for Iran’s 77kg slot in Bahrain will be fiercely contested, as Geraei will face competition from 2024 world U20 champion Alireza Abdevali, who also impressed at last year’s Senior Worlds; Islamic Solidarity Games silver medalist Amir Abdi; national champion Ali Oskou; reigning world junior silver medalist Ahoura Boveiri; and former world cadet champion Amirmahdi Saeidinava.