Aghayev Sets the Pace in Baku’s -60 kg Judo Field

Balabay Aghayev enters the Baku World Championships 2026 as the leading name in the -60 kg Judo category. Competing for the host nation, the Azerbaijani is world number one, the top seed and one of the clearest contenders for the title.

Aghayev arrives after winning the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2026 in June. He will be aiming to return to a world podium, having previously won silver at the 2018 junior world championships. The home pressure will be real, but so will the opportunity to make an early statement for Azerbaijan.

The -60 kg category is set to open the championships with serious intensity.

Izhak Ashpiz of Israel is expected to be among Aghayev’s main challengers. Still only 18, Ashpiz has risen to world number two after a string of notable results, including victory at the Hungary Grand Slam on 11 September and bronze at the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2026.

Ashpiz brings an explosive style, combining technical precision with smart tactical decisions. His contests can change quickly: he has the ability to win by Ippon, but can also be caught just as suddenly. That balance of risk and attacking ambition makes him one of the division’s most intriguing athletes.

Brazil’s Michel Augusto also arrives with momentum. He placed third in Lausanne a few weeks ago and claimed the Lima Grand Prix during the summer. At just his second senior world championships, Augusto will seek to improve on the fifth place he earned in Hungary last year.

Ayub Bliev is another major threat in a field packed with proven medal contenders. The Russian judoka won a world medal in Budapest in 2025 and comes to Baku after taking gold at the Dushanbe Grand Slam 2026. Difficult to contain in exchanges, he has the form and experience to challenge for a higher place on the podium.

With Olympic and world medallists also capable of disrupting the favourites, the -60 kg contest has no shortage of danger. For Aghayev, Ashpiz, Augusto and Bliev, the opening category of the Baku World Championships 2026 offers an immediate test of nerve, timing and ambition.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation