Hedayati stuns Mirzazadeh as Iran completes Greco-Roman squad for Wrestling Worlds
Fardin Hedayati pulled off a major upset on Tuesday, defeating reigning world super-heavyweight champion Amin Mirzazadeh to secure Iran's Greco-Roman 130kg berth for the Wrestling World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, in October.
Under the national team trials regulations, Mirzazadeh needed just one victory in the best-of-three series against his younger rival to earn a chance to pursue a third world title.
Hedayati, however, had other plans. The 22-year-old, who owns five world gold medals across various age groups, claimed a commanding 5-1 victory in the opening bout before being awarded the second after Mirzazadeh withdrew through injury.
The victory completes Iran's Greco-Roman lineup for the World Championships and marks another statement result for one of the country's most promising heavyweights.
Hedayati enjoyed a glorious 2025 campaign, winning gold at the Asian Championships, the Islamic Solidarity Games and, most notably, the U23 World Championships.
He first announced himself on the senior international stage at the 2024 Ranking Series event in Budapest, where he outmuscled Turkish legend Rıza Kayaalp – winner of 13 world and Olympic medals – in the quarterfinals before defeating Georgian Olympic silver medalist Iakobi Kajaia in the final.
Hedayati will head to Astana full of confidence despite Kayaalp's return to competition following an 18-month doping ban. The Turkish veteran marked his comeback by capturing gold at the European Championships in Tirana last April.
Hedayati will be part of a star-studded Iranian squad led by reigning world and Olympic champions Saeid Esmaeili (67kg) and Mohammad-Hadi Saravi (97kg).
Looking to defend its world team title, head coach Hassan Rangraz's 10-man roster will also include world silver medalist Payam Ahmadi (55kg), Ali Ahmadi-Vafa (60kg), Mohammad-Mahdi Keshtkar (63kg), Danial Sohrabi (72kg), Ali Oskou (77kg), world champion Gholamreza Farrokhi (82kg), and Alireza Mohmadi (87kg), who has claimed back-to-back world silver medals on either side of his Olympic silver at Paris 2024.
Mirzazadeh, meanwhile, is expected to represent Iran at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan in September, where he will bid for a second consecutive gold medal at the continental multi-sport event.