The men's freestyle division at the 2025 U23 World Championships will take place from October 24-27 in Novi Sad, Serbia. This event is loaded with talent and will feature many of the sport's future stars. The United States will be the favorite to win the team title this year, but will be challenged by talented teams from Iran and Russia. Check out the article below for a full preview and predictions for Team USA at this year's U23 Worlds.

57 kg: Luke Lilledahl - GOLD

57kg Medal Threats

• Muhammadali Alizada, AZE
• Luka Gvinjilia, GEO - 2024 U20 World Bronze
• Sumit Malik, IND - 2025 U20 World Silver
• Milad Valizadeh, IRI - 2025 Senior Asian Silver
• Aiandai Ondar, UWW
• Nodirbek Jumanazarov, UZB - 2023 U20 World Bronze, 2021 U17 World Silver

Luke Lilledahl has won gold at the U17 World Championships and U20 World Championships, and is now looking to add a U23 World Title belt to his collection. Lilledahl should be considered the favorite in Serbia, but will be challenged by the above six competitors. Of this group, I think Valizadeh, Ondar, and Gvinjilia are the wrestlers to watch out for in the bracket above the others. Valizadeh brings with him experience on the senior level, competing at the 2023 Senior World Championships and 2025 Senior Asian Championships. Valizadeh failed to place at 2023 Worlds, but he made the quarters, where he lost to 2022 World Champ Zelimkhan Abakarov. At the 2025 Asian Championships, Valizadeh brought home a silver medal, only losing to 2025 World Champion Chong Song Han. Despite those impressive results on the senior level, it’s worth noting that Valizadeh failed to place at the 2024 U20 World Championships in the bracket where Lilledahl won gold.

Georgia’s Luka Gvinjilia doesn’t have the same results on the senior level as Valizadeh, but Gvinjilia has wrestled at several age-level world championships. His best result was bronze at the 2024 U20 Worlds where he lost to Russia’s Lev Pavlov (5-2) - Pavlov would then go on to lose to Lilledahl in the finals. 

Russia’s Aaindai Ondar is the final wrestler that I think could present a unique challenge to Lilledahl. Ondar hasn’t competed much internationally, but he’s fresh off winning a U23 Russian Nationals title, where he recorded notable wins over Magomed Magomedov and the aforementioned Lev Pavlov. Ondar has the skills to defeat anyone in this bracket and no one should be surprised if he wins gold in Serbia.

57 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold: Luke Lilledahl, USA

Silver: Nodirbek Jumanazarov, UZB

Bronze: Milad Valizadeh, IRI

Bronze: Muhammadali Alizada, AZE

61 kg: Jax Forrest - GOLD

61kg Medal Threats

• Fedor Baltuev, RUS - 2021 U20 World Bronze, 2017 U17 World Gold (teched Jesse Mendez in 2021)
• Reza Momeni, IRI
• Mykyta Abramov, UKR - 2024 U23 World 5th, 2022 U20 World 5th, 2019 U17 World Bronze
• Merey Bazarbaev, KAZ - 2022 U20 World Silver
• Jeyhun Allahverdiyev, AZE
• Nika Zangaladze, GEO - U20 Euro Silver (teched Ozdamirov eventual U20 World Champ)

Jax Forrest is fresh off his 5th place finish at the senior world championships and will be in a very challenging bracket at U23 Worlds. I’m picking Forrest to win gold here, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. Russia’s Fedor Baltuev hasn’t wrestled at a world championship since 2021, where he won a bronze medal at U20 worlds while teching Jesse Mendez in the quarterfinals (10-0). Beyond that result, Baltuev earned his U23 World team spot by winning a deep bracket at the U23 Russian Nationals. 

After Baltuev, any of the other 5 wrestlers listed above will be tough challenges for Forrest, but I’m most interested in watching Georgia’s Nika Zangaladze. He’s still young and competed at 57 kg at U20 Worlds this year. Though he failed to place there, Zangaladze previously teched the eventual U20 World Champion Magomed Ozdamirov. Zangaldze has a dangerous leg lace, and if he gets on top, he’s capable of ending any match early. 

61 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold: Jax Forrest, USA

Silver: Fedor Baltuev, RUS

Bronze: Nika Zangaladze, GEO 

Bronze: Jeyhun Allahverdiyev, AZE

65 kg - Marcus Blaze - BRONZE

65 kg Medal Threats

• Khamzat Aramerzouev, FRA - 2025 Senior Euro Silver, 2022 U20 World Bronze,
• Sujeet, IND - 2024 U23 World Bronze, 2022 U20 World Bronze
• Yasin Rezaei, IRI - 2023 Senior Asian Bronze
• Yuto Nishiuchi, JPN - 2022 U20 World Gold, 2019 U17 World Bronze
• Bilol Sharip Uulu, KGZ - 2024 U23 World Bronze, 2022 U17 World Silver (beat Jalolov and Ibragimov)
• Bashir Magomedov, RUS - 2024 U23 World Gold, 2023 U23 World Gold
• Abdullah Toprak, TUR - 2025 U20 World Bronze, 2023 U23 World Bronze, 2021 U17 World Gold, 2016 U17 World Bronze
• Umidjon Jalolov, UZB - 2025 Senior World Bronze, 2022 U20 World Gold, 2019 U17 World Gold, 2017 U20 World Silver

65 kg might be the deepest weight in the U23 World Championships and is filled with parity at the top. Because of that, I’m picking Marcus Blaze to finish with a bronze, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on top of the podium. However, the depth of 65 kg, and Blaze being slightly undersized makes me hesitate to pick him to win gold.

Of the above 6 wrestlers I have listed as medal threats, I think Jalolov, Magomedov, Sujeet, Nishiuchi, and Sharip Uulu are the wrestlers to beat. Jalolov won a bronze medal at the 2025 Senior World Championships, where he notably defeated Sebastian Rivera, Ibragim Ibragimov, and Abdulmazhid Kudiev. Because of that performance, Jalolov should be considered the slight favorite in this bracket, and with a gold medal, he could cement himself as one of the best 65 kg wrestlers in the world.

After Jalolov, Sujeet has the most impressive senior-level resume with victories over  Yianni Diakomihalis, Vazgen Tevanyan, Islam Dudaev, Umidjon Jalolov, and Lachlan McNeil. Sujeet will be one of the bigger 65 kg wrestlers in this bracket, and because of that, could present the biggest challenge to Blaze. Sujeet also wrestles a very hard pace and often uses his underhook to overwhelm his opponents. 

Bashir Magomedov might actually be the best wrestler in this bracket, but he hasn’t wrestled much internationally aside from the past two U23 World Championships (which he won). Magomedov teched Julian Chlebove (14-3) in 2023 and then went on to defeat Assylzhan Yessengeldi (this year’s senior world bronze medalist who defeated Jax Forrest) in the finals that year. Most of Magomedov’s notable wins are within Russia, but no one will be surprised if he wins his third straight U23 World Gold. 

Yuto Nishiuchi and Bilol Sharip Uulu are two of the more “unknown” wrestlers in this bracket, but they absolutely have the skills to win gold. Nishiuchi won gold at the 2023 U20 World Championships, where he defeated Luke Lilledahl in the finals (5-0). That year, Nishiuchi also recorded notable wins over Aman Sehrawat, Zane Richards, and Darian Cruz. It will be interesting to see if Nishiuchi’s skills will translate up at 65 kg, but if they do, I expect to see him on the podium. Sharip Uulu might be Kyrgyzstan’s best 65 kg wrestler (regardless of age), and he boasts wins over this year’s world bronze and world 5th place finishers - Umidjon Jalolov and Ibragim Ibragimov. Sharip Uulu defeated Jalolov last year (4-1) in the bronze medal match at U23 Worlds, and more recently took out Ibragimov at the Ranking Series Tournament in Albania (14-4). Sharip Uulu is dangerous on top and can turn his opponents with both a gut wrench and leg lace. I think Sharip Uulu is one of the brightest prospects for Kyrgyzstan, and this tournament could be his breakout performance. 

65 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold: Bashir Magomedov, RUS

Silver: Umidjon Jalolov, UZB

Bronze: Yuto Nishiuchi, JPN

Bronze: Marcus Blaze, USA

70 kg: PJ Duke - BRONZE

70kg Medal Threats

• Kanan Heybatov, AZE - 2023 U23 World Bronze, 2022 U20 World Gold (beat Austin Gomez)
• Goga Otinashvili, GEO - 2022 U20 World Bronze
• Sina Khalili, IRI - 2023 U17 World Gold, 2025 Senior Asian Bronze
• Alexandr Gaidarli, MDA - 2025 U20 World Silver
• Umar Umarov, RUS

PJ Duke has had a BUSY freestyle season after making THREE world teams, winning a U20 World title, and competing at the senior world championships. He’ll now be looking to cap off his year with a U23 World title in a very tough bracket. While all of the above wrestlers are dangerous, Hebatov and Khalili are the wrestlers that I think will present the toughest challenges to Duke.

Kanan Heybatov is one of Azerbaijan’s best young prospects, and although he failed to place at the Senior World Championships this year, he had an outstanding 2025. Heybatov began his year by winning gold at the Zagreb Open in February by defeating Sina Khalili (12-1), Ebrahim Elahi (10-5), and Austin Gomez (9-5). He also won bronze at the European Championships with a 5-2 victory over Ismail Musukaev. Heybatov is one of the few wrestlers in the bracket who will be able to match Duke’s physicality and skills. It’s also worth noting that Heybatov defeated Mitchell Mesenbrink back in the finals of the 2022 U20 World Championships.

Still only 19 years old, Sina Khalili might be Iran’s future at either 70 kg or 74 kg. Khalili medaled at every senior-level tournament he entered this year by finishing with a silver medal at the Zagreb Ranking Series Tournament, bronze at the Asian Championships, and bronze at the Hungarian Ranking Series Tournament. Khalili also made the quarterfinals at the 2024 Senior World Championships, where he lost a close, 6-5 match to the eventual world bronze medalist Abdulmazhid Kudiev. Khalili has all the skills to win gold in Serbia if he puts together a complete tournament.

70 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold: Kanan Heybatov, AZE

Silver: Sina Khalili, IRI

Bronze: PJ Duke, USA

Bronze: Alexandr Gaidarli, MDA

74 kg: Mitchell Mesenbrink - GOLD

74kg Medal Threats

• Magomed Khaniev, AZE - 2024 U23 World Gold
• Magomedrasul Asluev, BRN - 2025 Senior Asian Bronze
• Maguel Wagin, GER - 2023 U17 World Bronze
• Mohammad Bakhshi, IRI
• Yoshinosuke Aoyagi, JPN - 2025 Senior World Gold, 2024 Senior World Silver, 2024 U23 World Bronze, 2023 U23 World Silver, 2022 U20 World Bronze
• Magomed Baitukaev, RUS - 2024 U20 World Silver, 2023 U20 World Bronze, 2021 U17 World Gold

Along with 65 kg, 74 kg is incredibly deep and might be the bracket filled with the most intrigue. I’m picking Mitchell Mesenbrink to win gold but Yoshinosuke Aoyagi, Magomed Khaniev, and Magomed Baitukaev are incredibly talented wrestlers who are capable of taking out Mesenbrink. Aoyagi leads this group as this year’s 70 kg senior world champ. Aoyagi wins at every level, and I’d be shocked to see him off the podium in Serbia. Aoyagi might still be undersized for 74 kg, but he’s one of the smartest wrestlers in the world and almost always executes his game plan to perfection. 

After Aoyagi and Mesenbrink, Magomed Khaniev might be the best wrestler in the field. Khaniev won U23 Worlds last year at 70 kg with notable victories over Russia’s Magomed Eltemirov and India’s Sujeet. Khaniev also had success at the senior level this year with a silver medal finish at the Ranking Series Tournament in Hungary. There, Khaniev recorded a notable victory over Magomedrasul Asluev but lost in the finals to 2025 Senior World Champion Kota Takahashi (4-0). 

Russia’s Magomed Baitukaev is the final wrestler who could challenge Mesenbrink for gold. Baitukaev defeated PJ Duke last year on his way to winning U20 World silver, but lost to Meyer Shapiro two years ago while taking bronze at the U20 Worlds. Baitukaev has outstanding offense, but he may not have the conditioning to stay on the mat for 6 minutes against Mesenbrink. 

74 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold: Mitchell Mesenbrink, USA

Silver: Magomed Khaniev, AZE

Bronze: Yoshinosuke Aoyagi, JPN

Bronze: Magomed Baitukaev, RUS

79 kg: Levi Haines - GOLD

79kg Medal Threats

• Chandermohan, IND - 2025 U23 Asian Gold
• Mahdi Yousefi, IRI - 2025 U20 World Gold, 2024 U23 World Gold, 2024 U20 World Bronze
• Davud Daudov, RUS
• Ibrahim Yaprak, TUR - 2023 U20 World Bronze

After winning a world silver medal last month, Levi Haines is the favorite to win gold in this bracket. He’s still relatively inexperienced on the freestyle scene, but he seems to only get better every time out on the mat. This bracket isn’t as deep as some of the others, but there are a few challengers worth mentioning. 

The first is 2025 U20 World gold medalist Mahdi Yousefi from Iran. Yousefi is currently second on Iran’s ladder at 79 kg (behind only Mohammad Nokhodki), and has notable wins on the senior level over Khidir Saipudinov (2025 senior world bronze), Magomet Evloev, Daulet Yergesh, Vladimeri Gamkrelidze (2023 senior world silver), and Akhsarbek Gulaev (2024 senior world bronze). Yousefi is also the returning U23 World Champion and won a tough bracket this year at U20 Worlds, capped off by a win over Team USA’s Will Henckel in the finals. 

After Yousefi, there isn’t a clear next best guy in the bracket, but Russia’s Daudov could be that wrestler. Daudov hasn’t wrestled in an international tournament, but the U23 Russian Nationals bracket he won was incredibly deep. Navigating that type of bracket shows he’s capable of winning this bracket in Serbia.

79 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold: Levi Haines, USA

Silver: Ibrahim Yaprak, TUR

Bronze: Mahdi Yousefi, IRI

Bronze: Geannis Garzon, CUB

86 kg: Rocco Welsh - 5th Place

86kg Medal Threats

• Ali Tcokaev, AZE - 2023 U20 World Bronze
• Rakhim Magamadov, FRA - 2025 Senior World 5th, 2023 U20 World Gold, 2022 U20 World Gold, 2021 U20 World Silver, 2019 U17 World Bronze
• Abolfazl Rahmani, IRI - 2025 U20 World Bronze, 2024 U20 World Bronze
• Aaron Ayzerov, ISR
• Soltan Begenjov, TKM
• Arsen Balaian, RUS - 2024 U23 World Bronze

Rocco Welsh will wrestle at his first world championships and will compete in a deep weight class at 86 kg. Welsh isn’t an incredibly seasoned freestyle wrestler, but he notably defeated Evan Wick this year at the Zagreb Open in February. Beyond that, Welsh lost only to Chance Marsteller (6-0) and Parker Keckeisen (4-1) at the US Open, where he eventually placed 5th. With the right draw, Welsh could make the finals, but because of the depth of this bracket, I’m picking Welsh to win bronze. 

Rakhim Magamadov and Abolfazl Rahmani are probably the two best wrestlers in the bracket. Magamadov was 5th at this year’s Senior Worlds and recorded his best win over two-time world bronze medalist Azamat Dauletbekov (12-1). Magamadov was also beating world silver medalist Hayato Ishiguro before losing by tech fall (17-7). Iran’s Abolfazl Rahmani is coming off a bronze medal performance at the U20 World Championships, where he lost only to Max McEnelly on criteria (5-5). Despite that loss, Rahmani has legitimate senior-level results that suggest he’s one of the top 20-30 wrestlers in the world at 86 kg. In fact, Rahmani won the senior Asian Championships this year by defeating Kazakhstan’s Bolat Sakaev in the finals (who has a past win over Chance Marsteller). 

86 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold: Rakhim Magamadov, FRA

Silver: Ali Tcokaev, AZE

Bronze: Abolfazl Rahmani, IRI

Bronze: Arsen Balaian, RUS

92 kg: Josh Barr - BRONZE

92kg Medal Threats

• Magomed Sharipov, BRN - 2023 Senior World 5th, 2024 Senior Asian Bronze
• Andro Margishvili, GEO - 2022 U20 World Silver, 2023 U23 World 5th
• Mohammadmobin Azimi, IRI - 2023 U20 World Gold, 2025 Senior Asian Bronze
• Mukhamed Khaniev, RUS - 2019 U17 World Gold
• Sherzod Poyonov, UZB - 2025 U20 World Gold

Josh Barr is coming off a fantastic year-and-a-half of competition. He won a U20 World silver medal last summer, was the NCAA runner-up last year, and made Final X, losing two close matches to eventual world champion Trent Hidlay. Even with those results, Barr is in a very competitive bracket filled with the talent to challenge him. 

Iran’s Mohammad Mobin Azimi is one of the favorites in this bracket. Azimi has been stuck behind Kamran Ghasempour and Amir Firouzpour on the senior ladder in Iran, but Azimi is one of the best 92 kg wrestlers in the world. In 2023, Azimi defeated Kazakhstan’s Rizabek Aitmukhan to win the U20 World Championships. Then, less than 2 months later, Aitmukhan went on to win senior worlds. Azimi would be a threat to win senior world gold and will be an outstanding test for Barr, and anyone else in the bracket at U23 Worlds. 

After Azimi, Mukhamed Khaniev and Sherzod Poyonov are the two competitors most likely to challenge for gold. Khaniev doesn’t have any notable international results on the senior level recently, but he won a U17 world title back in 2019 - that bracket was remarkably at 51 kg and included Richard Figueroa! Beyond that, Khaniev has been one of Russia’s top 5 86-92 kg wrestlers over the past few years - he was bronze at the 2024 Russian Nationals and silver at the 2025 Yarygin. 

Sherzod Poyonov is one of Uzbekistan’s best young wrestlers and is coming off a gold medal performance at the U20 World Championships. There, Poyonov defeated Kamil Kurugliyev in the finals (3-2) - Kurugliyev would then go on to take 5th at senior worlds the next month. Poyonov is still only 20 years old, but I expect him to reach the podium in Serbia. 

92 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold: Mohammadmobin Azimi, IRI

Silver: Mukhamed Khaniev, RUS

Bronze: Josh Barr, USA

Bronze: Magomed Sharipov, BRN

97 kg: Garavous Kouekabakilaho - DNP

97kg Medal Threats

• Adlan Viskhanov, FRA - 2022 U20 World Bronze
• Vicky, IND - 2024 U23 World Bronze
• Abolfazly Babaloo, IRI - 2023 U20 World Gold
• Arash Yoshida, JPN - 2025 Senior World Bronze
• Rizabek Aitmukhan, KAZ - 2023 Senior World Gold, 2024 U23 World Gold, 2024 U20 World Gold, 2023 U20 World Silver
• Soslan Dzhagaev, RUS

Garavous Kouekabakilaho is a two-time NAIA national champion and was probably the most surprising world team member for Team USA this year. He earned his spot by impressively defeating South Dakota State’s Thomas Dineen in two straight tech-fall matches in the finals of U23 Worlds. Despite that performance, Kouekabakilaho is in one of the deepest and most accomplished brackets at U23 Worlds. Because of that, it’ll be a tough road to reach the podium for Kouekabakilaho.

Japan’s Arash Yoshida should be considered the favorite in this bracket. Yoshida has had an incredible year that started with a win over Kyle Snyder and culminated with a bronze medal at the senior world championships in Croatia last month. Beyond those results, Yoshida also boasts wins this year over 2023 World Champion Rizabek Aitmukhan and 2024 Olympic silver medalist Givi Matcharashvili. Yoshida is the man to beat in this bracket, and I’d be surprised if anyone takes him out in Serbia. 

97 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold: Arash Yoshida, JPN

Silver: Soslan Dzhagaev, RUS

Bronze: Rizabek Aitmukhan, KAZ

Bronze: Adlan Viskhanov, FRA

125 kg: Daniel Herrera - DNP

125kg Medal Threats

• Georgi Ivanov, BUL
• Konstantine Petriashvili, GEO - 2025 U20 World Bronze, 2024 U17 World Gold, 2023 U17 World Bronze
• Abolfazl Mohammad Nezhad, IRI - 2025 U20 World Silver, 2024 U17 World Bronze
• Hakan Buyukcingil, TUR - 2024 U20 World Bronze, 2023 U20 World Bronze
• Volodymyr Kochanov, UKR - 2024 U23 World Bronze
• Khabib Davudgadzhiev, RUS

125 kg isn’t the deepest bracket at U23 Worlds, but there are still enough landmines that will make it challenging for Daniel Herrera to reach the podium. Petriashvili, Nezhad, Buyukcingil, and Kochanov are all more accomplished age-level wrestlers than Herrera. There isn’t a clear favorite in this field, so with the right draw, no one should be surprised if Herrera puts together a run and wrestlers for a medal in Serbia. 

125 kg Medal Predictions:

Gold: Vladimir Kochanov, UKR

Silver: Hakan Buyukcingil, TUR

Bronze: Abolfazl Mohammad Nezhad, IRI

Bronze: Georgi Ivanov, BUL

Team Prediction: GOLD

If my above predictions come true (or at least are close), Team USA should win the team title this year at U23 Worlds. I have Team USA winning 8 total medals - 4 gold,  2 silver, and 2 bronze. This is not my American bias showing in this preview - this team is really THAT GOOD, and some of the wrestlers I predicted to win silver or bronze have the ability to win gold. As we all know, predictions mean very little once the wrestling takes place, and it's almost guaranteed that we see some chaos in Novi Sad. Because of that, you're not going to want to miss a match of this year's U23 World Championships!