Olympic medallists, world champions and rising stars head to Hungary for the last opportunity to secure crucial United World Wrestling ranking points before the 2026 World Championships.
The stage is set for one of the most significant wrestling events of the season as the Budapest Ranking Series 2026 gets underway in Hungary. Serving as the fourth and final United World Wrestling (UWW) Ranking Series event of the year, the tournament offers wrestlers one last chance to improve their international rankings before the 2026 World Championships.
While every weight category promises intense competition, the spotlight firmly falls on two major storylines—the much-awaited return of Moldova’s Anastasia Nichita and an unpredictable battle in the women’s 53kg division, where the race for supremacy remains completely open.
Anastasia Nichita Returns After Long Break
One of the biggest attractions in Budapest will be the return of Olympic silver medallist and former world champion Anastasia Nichita. The Moldovan star is making her first international appearance after an extended break following the Paris Olympics, during which she also embraced motherhood.
Competing in the 59kg category, Nichita returns with an impressive résumé that includes a world title, multiple European crowns and an Olympic silver medal. Although she has been away from competitive wrestling, she remains one of the favourites to challenge for gold.
However, the road to the title will not be easy.
The 59kg draw features several accomplished wrestlers, including India’s Neha, Norway’s Othelie Høie, Ukraine’s Mariia Vynnyk, Poland’s Jowita Wrzesień, Kazakhstan’s Guldana Bekesh, and two strong American challengers, Abigail Nette and Alexis Janiak. The depth of the field makes this one of the toughest weight categories of the tournament.
53kg Division Wide Open Ahead of World Championships
Perhaps the most unpredictable category in Budapest is 53kg.
With reigning world champion Haruna Maruyama absent after failing to qualify through Japan’s domestic trials and Olympic champion Akari Fujinami having moved up to 57kg, the division currently has no clear favourite. That has opened the door for several wrestlers to establish themselves as serious contenders for the World Championships later this year.
India will field Antim and Nishu, both capable of producing deep runs. They will face strong competition from Romania’s European champion Andreea Ana, Ecuador’s Lucia Yepez, China’s Jin Zhang and Yuxuan Li, Poland’s Roksana Zasina, Serbia’s Ivana Gajic, and a talented American duo of Cristelle Rodriguez and Sydney Petzinger. The quality across the draw means even the early rounds could produce major upsets.
Indian Wrestlers Eye Valuable Ranking Points
India has entered a sizeable women’s squad across multiple weight categories, highlighting the country’s growing depth in women’s wrestling.
Among the notable Indian entries are:
Dipanshi and Priyanshi Prajapat (50kg)
Antim and Nishu (53kg)
Hansika Lamba (55kg)
Neha Sharma and Tapsya (57kg)
Neha (59kg)
Mansi and Savita (62kg)
Pulkit (65kg)
Nisha (68kg)
Diksha Malik (72kg)
Kajal and Priya (76kg)
For many of these wrestlers, Budapest represents a crucial opportunity to strengthen their international rankings and secure favourable seedings before the biggest event of the season.
Why Budapest Matters
Unlike a championship event, the Budapest Ranking Series does not award world titles. Instead, it offers valuable United World Wrestling ranking points, which directly influence seedings at the upcoming World Championships.
A strong performance in Hungary could help wrestlers avoid difficult early-round matchups, making this tournament strategically important despite not carrying championship status.
With Olympic medallists making comebacks, experienced world-class wrestlers chasing ranking points and several emerging stars eager to make their mark, Budapest is expected to deliver five days of high-quality international wrestling.
Key Highlights
Final UWW Ranking Series event before the 2026 World Championships.
Anastasia Nichita returns to international competition in the women’s 59kg category.
Women’s 53kg division has no dominant favourite, making it one of the tournament’s most open competitions.
India has entered wrestlers across every women’s weight category.
Ranking points earned in Budapest will determine seedings for the 2026 World Championships.
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