Iranian wrestler Amin Mirzazadeh successfully defended his Asian Games Greco-Roman 130kg title after defeating Uzbekistan’s Rafael Tsitsuashvili 3-1 in the final at the Inae Sports Center on Wednesday. The victory gave Iran its first wrestling medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Games and added another gold medal to the country’s growing medal tally.
Mirzazadeh Claims Second Asian Games Title
The triumph marked another major achievement for Amin Mirzazadeh, who has established himself as one of the leading heavyweight wrestlers in international Greco-Roman competition.
After receiving a bye in the opening round, the Iranian began his campaign in the quarterfinals against Kyrgyzstan’s Murat Botoev. He produced a dominant performance, winning 7-0 and advancing comfortably to the last four.
The semifinal proved considerably more challenging. Mirzazadeh faced China’s Meng Lingzhe in a closely fought contest that ended 1-1. Under the competition rules, Mirzazadeh advanced because he had scored the first point of the bout.
That narrow victory set up a final against Uzbekistan’s Tsitsuashvili, where the Iranian produced another composed performance to secure a 3-1 victory and retain his Asian Games crown.
A Strong Record at the Highest Level
The latest gold medal adds to an already impressive career for Amin Mirzazadeh.
The 28-year-old wrestler is a two-time world champion and four-time Asian champion. He also won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, adding Olympic success to his achievements at the world and continental levels.
His record against Tsitsuashvili also gave him confidence heading into the Asian Games final. Earlier in 2026, Mirzazadeh defeated the Uzbek wrestler 9-0 in the final of the Asian Championships in Bishkek.
However, the Asian Games final was much closer. Tsitsuashvili managed to stay competitive, but Mirzazadeh maintained enough control to finish the contest with a 3-1 victory.
Iran Gets Its First Wrestling Medal
The success of Amin Mirzazadeh delivered Iran’s first wrestling medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
Wrestling remains an important part of Iran’s sporting tradition, particularly in Greco-Roman and freestyle competition. The country entered the Games with strong expectations in the wrestling events, and Mirzazadeh’s victory provided an early boost to the delegation.
The gold also became Iran’s 11th gold medal of the competition. At the time of the victory, the Iranian delegation had collected 11 gold, 16 silver and 12 bronze medals, placing the country sixth in the overall medal standings.
With more wrestling events still scheduled, Iran has opportunities to add to its medal collection in the remaining weight classes.
Mirzazadeh Hopes for More Iranian Success
After winning the final, Amin Mirzazadeh thanked God for the gold medal and expressed hope that his achievement would inspire further victories for Iran’s wrestling team.
His comments reflected the broader importance of the result for the Iranian delegation. The victory was not only a personal achievement but also the first wrestling success for Iran at the Games.
For Mirzazadeh, retaining the title also demonstrated his consistency at major Asian competitions. His previous Asian Games victory came at the Hangzhou Games, meaning he has now won the heavyweight Greco-Roman title at two consecutive editions.
Focus Turns to Remaining Weight Classes
Iran’s wrestling campaign will continue as the remaining Greco-Roman weight classes take to the mat.
The victory by Amin Mirzazadeh gives the team an early gold medal and establishes a strong start for Iran’s wrestlers. Attention will now turn to the athletes competing in the other divisions as they attempt to add more medals to the country’s overall tally.
For Mirzazadeh, the latest title adds another chapter to a career that already includes world championships, Asian titles and an Olympic medal. His ability to perform across different major competitions has made him one of Iran’s most experienced heavyweight wrestlers.
The Aichi-Nagoya victory also continues a successful run against some of Asia’s strongest competitors. From his 7-0 quarterfinal victory to the narrow semifinal and final wins, Amin Mirzazadeh navigated a demanding tournament without dropping a bout.
With the Greco-Roman competition continuing, Iran will look to build on its opening wrestling medal. For Mirzazadeh, however, the mission in the 130kg division is already complete: he arrived as the defending champion and left with another Asian Games gold medal.
