World Wrestling Championships 2026: Joginder Rathee, Karanjit Singh Exit as India Face Tough Greco-Roman Challenge

India endured a difficult day in the heavyweight and 72kg Greco-Roman categories at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, with Joginder Rathee and Karanjit Singh losing their opening bouts against experienced international opponents.

India’s Greco-Roman campaign faced an early setback at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships, with Joginder Rathee and Karanjit Singh suffering defeats in their respective opening-round contests. Rathee went down 9-0 to Turkey’s Riza Kayaalp in the 130kg category, while Karanjit lost a narrow 3-2 bout against Japan’s Rintaro Sogabe at 72kg.

The results highlighted the difficulty of competing against established international wrestlers, particularly in a discipline where control in par terre, exposure points and the ability to capitalise on brief openings can decide matches quickly.

Kayaalp, a five-time world champion, demonstrated his experience against Rathee, while Sogabe showed composure to protect a slender lead against Karanjit.

Rathee faced one of the toughest possible opponents in the heavyweight division in Kayaalp, who was returning to the World Championships after a three-year absence.

The Turkish wrestler controlled the contest from the outset, winning 9-0 through a series of gut wrenches from par terre. Once Rathee was placed in the ground position, Kayaalp repeatedly exploited the opportunity to turn him and accumulate points.

The bout ended without Rathee being able to establish an attacking response. Kayaalp’s efficiency in converting the par terre advantage into successive scoring actions underlined the challenge facing wrestlers against elite Greco-Roman specialists.

For Rathee, the result was a difficult opening against a competitor with an extensive record at the highest level. Kayaalp entered the tournament pursuing another world medal, and his performance suggested that his technical execution remained sharp. The Turkish heavyweight later suffered a major surprise in the competition. Finland’s Matti Kuosmanen defeated Kayaalp 5-3 in the subsequent round, landing a four-point arm throw early in the contest and holding on despite Kayaalp reducing the deficit to 4-3. The result ended Kayaalp’s hopes of winning gold, leaving bronze as his best possible outcome.

Karanjit Singh narrowly beaten at 72kg

Karanjit Singh’s contest against Sogabe was considerably closer. The Japanese wrestler, competing internationally for only the second time, secured a 3-2 victory after successfully countering an attempted throw from par terre.

Sogabe earned two points from the counter and then defended his advantage to progress to the next round. Karanjit remained within striking distance, but the Indian could not overturn the deficit before the bout ended.

The narrow margin made the result particularly frustrating for the Indian wrestler. Unlike Rathee’s defeat, which was decided by a clear technical advantage, Karanjit’s contest was settled by a single point.

Sogabe’s victory also demonstrated the unpredictability of the championship, where relatively inexperienced competitors can advance by taking advantage of decisive moments and defending their leads effectively.

The 130kg category produced one of the biggest shocks of the session when Kuosmanen eliminated Kayaalp. The Finnish wrestler, a returning bronze medallist, secured the victory in his first career meeting with the Turkish great.

Elsewhere, Belarusian Pavel Hlinchuk delivered one of the day’s most entertaining performances, defeating Egypt’s Abdellatif Mohamed 18-9. After trailing 9-8 at the break, Hlinchuk produced two four-point throws in the second period to turn the match around.

Iran’s Fardin Hedayati also impressed on his senior World Championships debut. He defeated China’s Wenhao Jiang 8-0 to reach the semifinals, having earlier advanced with an 8-0 win over Kazakhstan’s Olzhas Syrlybay. At 72kg, defending champion Ulvu Ganizade of Azerbaijan suffered a heartbreaking exit after injuring his right knee while attempting a late scoring move against Russian wrestler Mingiian Goriaev. Ganizade had taken a 6-5 lead with a four-point throw but was unable to continue effectively after the injury. Goriaev eventually won 7-6 by injury default.

The 97kg division also saw defending champion Hadi Saravi of Iran make a controlled start, defeating Germany’s Anton Vieweg 5-0. Saravi had earlier opened his campaign with an 8-0 win over Armenia’s Hayk Khloyan.

For India, the opening defeats of Rathee and Karanjit underlined the demanding nature of the Greco-Roman competition. Rathee encountered an opponent with a formidable international record, while Karanjit was edged out in a closely contested bout.

The results also reinforced the importance of defending against par terre attacks and converting limited scoring opportunities into decisive advantages. Against opponents at this level, even a brief lapse can lead to multiple points and change the course of a match.

India will need to build on the experience gained from these contests as its wrestlers continue competing on the international circuit. While the opening results were disappointing, the broader championship has already demonstrated how quickly fortunes can change, with defending champions and decorated medal-winners also facing unexpected setbacks.