One of his principal challengers will be the young Israeli, Izhak Ashpiz, now world number two after a series of impressive results, including a recent victory at the Hungary Grand Slam on 11th September and bronze at the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2026. Explosive, technically precise and tactically astute, Ashpiz is only 18! His strengths can also be his weaknesses though, and vice versa: he can win any contest by ippon but can also be caught in the same way. He is certainly one to watch.
A third serious contender for the title is Michel Augusto (BRA). Third in Lausanne a few weeks ago and winner of the Lima Grand Prix this summer, he arrives for only his second senior world championships, determined to improve on the fifth place he achieved in Hungary last year.
Ayub Bliev will also be a major contender. The Russian judoka, already a world medallist in Budapest in 2025, will be doing everything possible to climb one or even two steps higher on the podium. Always difficult to control and dangerous in every exchange, he is one of the category’s strongest athletes at present, as demonstrated by his victory at the Dushanbe Grand Slam 2026.
There are many other established Olympic and world medallists capable of upsetting the current order. The depth of the category promises a compelling opening to the Baku World Championships 2026.