Olympic Champion Ramazanov Makes Strong Return in Ulaanbaatar Despite Missing Final
Olympic champion Magomed Ramazanov proved that class is permanent as the Bulgarian wrestling star made an impressive return to international competition at the Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series in Mongolia.
Competing for the first time in more than a year after undergoing surgery, Ramazanov showed little sign of ring rust. The Paris 2024 Olympic gold medallist powered his way to the 86kg freestyle final with a series of dominant victories before withdrawing from the title bout against Iran’s Mohammad Nokhodi and settling for silver.
Ramazanov Dominates on Comeback
The 32-year-old Bulgarian looked sharp throughout the tournament, controlling his opponents with his trademark upper-body attacks and powerful throws.
His route to the final included:
Defeated Bolat Sakayev (Kazakhstan) 8-2 in the opening round
Beat Abdulmuslim Abulmuslimov (Russia) 5-0 in the quarter-finals
Overwhelmed Batbilguun Naadambat (Mongolia) 10-0 in the semi-finals
Although he did not contest the gold-medal match, Ramazanov’s performance sent a strong message ahead of the 2026 World Championships later this year.
Nokhodi Claims Gold at New Weight
Iran’s Mohammad Nokhodi, a former world silver medallist who recently moved up from 79kg to 86kg, was equally impressive throughout the event. He recorded two technical-superiority victories and a convincing 10-5 semi-final win over Malik Shavaev of Kyrgyzstan before being awarded the gold medal following Ramazanov’s withdrawal.
Sagar Jaglan Shines for India
One of the standout performances of the tournament came from India’s Sagar Jaglan, who captured the 74kg freestyle gold medal.
The former U17 world champion and U20 world silver medallist returned to action after a lengthy injury layoff and looked in excellent form. After dropping back to 74kg, Jaglan defeated compatriot Jaideep in the quarter-finals and advanced to the final with a technical-superiority victory.
In a tense gold-medal match, Jaglan edged Russia’s Tamir Eshinimaev 3-2 to secure his first-ever Ranking Series title.
Other Major Results
At 92kg freestyle, defending champion Askhab Saadulaev of Russia successfully retained his title with a hard-fought 6-3 victory over Kazakhstan’s Azamat Dauletbekov.
North Korea enjoyed a memorable day in women’s wrestling, winning three gold medals:
Hyo Gyong Choe (55kg) defeated Japan’s Natsumi Masuda by fall.
Ok Ju Kim (62kg) dominated Bulgaria’s Bilyana Dudova 10-0.
Hyon Gyong Mun (65kg) claimed a 14-2 technical-superiority victory over China’s Shuai Zhang.
Host nation Mongolia celebrated through former world silver medallist Delgermaa Enkhsaikhan, who won the 68kg title with an 8-2 victory over Russia’s Elizaveta Petliakova.
India added another gold medal thanks to Kajal, who comfortably defeated Nigeria’s Damola Ojo 8-0 in the women’s 76kg final.
Key Takeaway
While Ramazanov’s silver medal may not have come in the manner he hoped, his dominant run to the final was arguably the biggest storyline of the tournament. After more than a year away from competition, the Olympic champion demonstrated that he remains a major force in the 86kg division and a serious contender for global honours later this season.
