RIYADH – On the opening day of Greco-Roman wrestling at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025, held in Riyadh, four weight categories proved that even the early rounds are anything but routine. The 60kg, 67kg, 77kg and 87kg brackets served up a mix of dominance, comeback and strategic mastery.
60kg show-stops
In the 60 kg class, Alisher Ganiev of Azerbaijan made a statement — his semifinal saw him trounce Iran’s Ali Ahmadi Vafa by 8-0, including a big four-pointer. Ganiev will meet Turkey’s Ekrem Ozturk in the final.
67kg: the Olympian’s showcase
The 67 kg category belonged to Olympic champion Saeid Esmaeili (Iran). He disposed of Uzbekistan’s Aytjan Khalmakhanov 9-0 in the semi-final, a match laden with a suplex worth four points and total dominance. His final opponent will be Azerbaijan’s Hasrat Jafarov, who defeated Egypt’s Hassan Abdelrehim in his semi-final.
77kg: quick and clinical
In the 77 kg bracket, Kyrgyzstan’s Akzhol Makhmudov made a winning return to the international arena with a 9-0 technical superiority triumph over Tunisia’s Sami Slama. Meanwhile in the earlier round, Iran’s Amir Abdi produced a lightning-fast 9-0 win as well, needing only 1 minute 35 seconds.
87kg: down to the wire
Perhaps the most dramatic moment arrived in the 87 kg semi-final, where Iran’s Gholamreza Farokhi trailed Kyrgyzstan’s Asan Zhanyshov 6-5 at break, yet found a clutch takedown with 30 seconds remaining to claim victory 7-6. Also advancing was Makhmudov? (Note: there appears to be a segment for 87kg mentioning Makhmudov vs Shahin Badaghimofrad of Qatar with a 5-3 win) — in any case, the 87kg class is now set for an intense finale.
With four marquee weight-classes kicking off on day one, the tone has been set: even with the razor-thin margins (especially at 87 kg), the big names delivered. Esmaeili’s clean 9-0 win reinforces his status; Farokhi’s comeback shows that nothing is settled until the final whistle. And Ganiev’s 8-0 march into the final underscores that in certain categories, dominance is the statement.
The finals for each category will decide the gold-medal holders. Wrestling fans should keep a close eye on:
The 60kg clash between Ganiev and Ozturk
The 67kg showdown between the Olympic champ Esmaeili and Jafarov
The 77kg final after Makhmudov’s return
The 87kg decider which promises high drama after today’s semi shock
In short: Day one delivered. The mat may have cooled for now, but the fire it ignited is ready to blaze even stronger.
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