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World champion Valencia lone U.S. entrant at Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov International

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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling

Zahid Valencia at the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.

Zahid Valencia at the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.

The U.S. will have one entrant in the 63rd annual Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov International—2025 World champion Zahid Valencia.


Valencia takes the mats at 86 kg in men’s freestyle at Kolodrum Plovdiv Sports Hall in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on Friday, March 27. It will be Valencia’s second international competition this year. He was a bronze medalist at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event held in early February


Valencia is the reigning World champion in the weight class and defending champion at the Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov.


Information on a live stream, brackets and updated results will be provided by USA Wrestling as available.

2026 Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov International 

At Plovdiv, Bulgaria, March 26-28 


Event Schedule 

Thursday, March 26 
MFS 61-70-79-92 kg, GR 55-63-72-82 kg, WFS 55-59-65-72 kg 

10:30 a.m. – Qualification Rounds

 5 p.m. – Repechage, Medal Matches


Friday, March 27 
MFS 57-65-74-86 kg, GR 77-87-97-130 kg, WFS 57-62-68-76 kg 

10:30 a.m. – Qualification Rounds

 5 p.m. – Repechage, Medal Matches


Saturday, March 28 
MFS 97-125 kg, GR 60-67 kg, WFS 50-53 kg 

10:30 a.m. – Qualification Rounds

 5 p.m. – Repechage, Medal Matches


*All times listed local to Plovdiv, Bulgaria, which is located six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time.


U.S. Men’s Freestyle Roster 

86 kg – Zahid Valencia (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC)


U.S. Support Staff 

Coach – Zo El Ouarraqe (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC)