Semen Novikov has reached the 87 kg Greco-Roman final at the world wrestling championships in Astana, securing at least a silver medal for Bulgaria. The Olympic champion defeated Uzbekistan’s Mukhammadkodir Rasulov 2–0 in the semifinal.
The bout was interrupted after contact to Novikov’s face caused bleeding. He continued and protected his advantage, adding a point by forcing his opponent out of the wrestling area. The victory was his fourth of the competition.
His route to the final included a pin against Latana Sopa, a late 6–5 comeback against Islam Abbasov and a 3–0 quarterfinal win over Lasha Gobadze. The narrow victory over Abbasov was particularly important: Novikov scored the decisive points in the final seconds.
The final pairs him with Iran’s Alireza Mohmadipiani, his opponent in the Paris Olympic gold-medal bout. Novikov won that encounter in 2024. Reaching another final brings a chance to add a world title to his Olympic achievement, but the title has not yet been awarded in the reports checked for this article.
Edmond Nazaryan will contest bronze at 63 kg after losing his semifinal 4–12 to Armenia’s Karen Aslanyan. His earlier three wins included victories over Kerem Kamal and Mohammad Keshktkar. The latest confirmed development is the semifinal outcome; no unverified final result is presented here.
