Six Wrestlers on the Mat: Uzbekistan's Freestyle Wrestling Squad for the Asian Games

From September 30 to October 3, Nagoya, Japan, will host one of the most anticipated sports at the Asian Games — wrestling. The Uzbekistan freestyle wrestling team will compete for medals in six weight categories.

The 2026 Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4 in the Aichi-Nagoya region of Japan. Wrestling competitions will be held from September 30 to October 3 at the Inae Sports Center sports complex. This information has also been confirmed by the United World Wrestling (UWW).

The Uzbekistan national team will compete in freestyle wrestling in six weight categories on the mat. The presence of Olympic champion Razambek Jamalov in the squad ensures that the national team will be in the spotlight. UWW has also recognized Jamalov as the Paris Olympic champion.

Uzbekistan's squad of six

The national freestyle wrestling team is as follows:

This squad is also listed in the UWW's list of athletes entered for the Asian Games. However, the organization noted that the list of participants may change before the competition.

Main focus — 74 kilograms

One of the weight classes that generates the most interest for Uzbek fans is undoubtedly 74 kg .

In this weight class, the country's honor will be defended by Razambek Jamalov . For Jamalov, who achieved championship status at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Nagoya competition will be an opportunity to demonstrate his status on the Asian level once again. UWW has confirmed his participation in the 74 kg weight class at the 2026 Asian Games.

However, the national team's goal is not tied to just one name.

at 57 kilograms G‘ulomjon Abdullayev, at 65 kilograms Umidjon Jalolov, at 86 kilograms Bobur Islomov, at 97 kilograms Sherzod Poyonov and at 125 kilograms Hasanboy Rahimov will also be Uzbekistan's main hopes for medals.

Six weights — six opportunities

In wrestling, each weight category is equivalent to a separate tournament. A single unlucky bout can change the fate of the entire competition. Therefore, Uzbekistan's participation in six weight classes opens several doors for medals.

Especially in weight classes like 57, 65, and 74 kilograms, the competition in Asia is traditionally very high. The preliminary list published by UWW also includes athletes from China, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India, South Korea, and other strong wrestling schools against the representatives of Uzbekistan.

Therefore, every victory in Nagoya is not just a simple result — it will be an important step for the balance of power on the continent.

A big test remains for Nagoya

A total of 258 athletes are planned to participate in freestyle, women's, and Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2026 Asian Games. Wrestling matches will continue from September 30 to October 3.

Uzbekistan will participate in all three disciplines. The six athletes in freestyle wrestling are one of the national delegation's main weapons for medals.

Now it's time to turn preparation into a real battle.

Because at the Asian Games, it's not the name, title, or previous results that matter, but the few minutes on the mat that are decisive.

Starting September 30, six representatives of Uzbekistan will fight to be the best in their weight class on the Nagoya mat. One of them is a hero who conquered the Olympic peak, and the others have the opportunity to write their names even higher on the Asian stage.

Most importantly, this is not just another competition. It is an opportunity for these six athletes to start a new chapter in raising the flag of Uzbekistan high in Asian wrestling once again.

Note: The list of participants published by UWW is preliminary and may change before the competition.