Aitmukhan, Yoshida, and Babalou Set for 97kg Showdown at U23 World Wrestling Championships
Rising Stars and Veterans Collide at 97kg in Novi Sad
The 97 kg freestyle division at the upcoming U23 World Wrestling Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, promises to be one of the most compelling categories of the tournament. It features two senior world medalists — Rizabek Aitmukhan of Kazakhstan and Arashi Yoshida of Japan — alongside Iran’s powerful young contender Abolfazl Babalou, creating a thrilling three-way battle for gold.
Aitmukhan’s Redemption Quest
Kazakhstan’s Rizabek Aitmukhan, the 2023 World Champion at 92 kg, is moving up in weight and looking to reclaim his dominant form. Earlier this year at the 2025 Senior World Championships in Zagreb, Aitmukhan faced an early exit after a narrow 5–4 loss to Russia’s Magomed Kurbanov. His hopes for a repechage run ended when Kurbanov later fell 10–9 to Akhmed Tazhudinov of Bahrain, eliminating Aitmukhan from contention.
Now, the Kazakh star arrives in Novi Sad with renewed focus — aiming to prove he remains one of the sport’s brightest young heavyweights.
Yoshida’s Rise Continues
Japan’s Arashi Yoshida earned his first senior world medal this year in Croatia, taking bronze at 97 kg. His run was marked by technical precision and composure:
Defeated his Lithuanian opponent 7–0 in the opening round.
Scored a 10–0 technical fall over Germany in the next match.
Beat Givi Matcharashvili (Georgia) 6–2 in the quarterfinals.
Yoshida’s impressive streak ended in the semifinals against American legend Kyle Snyder, who avenged his previous loss with a 9–1 victory. Yoshida bounced back in the bronze-medal bout, shutting out Poland’s Baranowski 6–0 to claim a place on the world podium.
The young Japanese contender now turns his focus to the U23 division, where he’s a favorite to reach the final once again.
Iran’s Babalou Looks to Break Through
Representing Iran, Abolfazl Babalou — the 2023 U20 World Champion — enters the U23 field seeking to reestablish his momentum. Despite his junior success, Babalou has yet to break into Iran’s senior national lineup, missing the chance to compete in Zagreb earlier this year.
The Serbian stage offers him a crucial opportunity: to test himself against elite opposition like Aitmukhan and Yoshida and perhaps upset the balance of power at 97 kg. A strong performance could cement his place as Iran’s next heavyweight prospect.
A Weight Class to Watch
With Aitmukhan, Yoshida, and Babalou all in contention, the 97 kg division is shaping up as one of the most unpredictable of the U23 World Championships. Each brings a unique storyline — Aitmukhan’s redemption, Yoshida’s ascent, and Babalou’s breakthrough pursuit.
Wrestling fans will be watching closely to see whether the experienced seniors maintain dominance — or if the Iranian youngster can rewrite the script in Novi Sad.