Eldaniz and Sanan make history in Astana

October 25, 2026

The Wrestling World Championships are underway in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

On the second day of the competition, two Azerbaijani wrestlers were crowned world champions.

Eldaniz Azizli (55kg) has added another title to his collection. Azizli defeated Iran’s Payam Balootaki 3-1 in the final to become a five-time world champion. With this achievement, the decorated wrestler has further improved his unique record in Azerbaijani wrestling.

Sanan Suleymanov (77kg), meanwhile, faced Moldova’s Alexandrin Gutu in the decisive bout. Defeating his opponent 8-3, Sanan became a senior world champion for the first time. He also ended a 15-year wait, becoming the first Azerbaijani male wrestler since 2011 to win a world title in an Olympic weight category.