The 665th edition of Turkish oil wrestling’s most storied tradition is set to bring together generations of champions, rising contenders and renewed title stakes when the action unfolds in Edirne next month.
The historic Sarayiçi Er Meydanı will host the Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling from July 3-5, where 40 başpehlivans will compete in one of the most demanding tests in traditional sport, wrestling covered in oil under a single-elimination structure that rewards endurance as much as technique.
Qualification has been shaped by the CW Enerji Oil Wrestling League, where last year’s top 32 secured direct entry into Kırkpınar’s main draw. The remaining spots were filled through the latest qualifying stage at Sekapark Golden Belt Oil Wrestling, adding eight more contenders who will enter the draw from the fifth pot.
That group includes Onur Susuz, Süleyman Başar, Tanju Gemici, Serhat Elvan, Hasan Güzeller, Ünal Karaman, Tolga Turan and Ali Yanatma, all arriving as outsiders but now placed inside the main bracket.
The direct-entry list is stacked with proven winners and familiar names who have shaped the modern era of the sport. Ali Gürbüz, Recep Kara, Orhan Okulu, Ismail Balaban, Yusuf Can Zeybek, Mustafa Taş and others headline a field that mixes multi-time champions with emerging challengers trying to break through at the highest level.
Experience remains a defining feature of this year’s field. Kara and Mehmet Yeşil Yeşil are set for their 19th appearance in the başpehlivan category, underscoring longevity rarely seen in the sport’s most punishing division. At the other end, 24-year-old Yıldıray Pala stands out as the youngest competitor among the elite group.
Several wrestlers arrive with recent title momentum. Orhan Okulu enters as defending champion after defeating Feyzullah Aktürk in last year’s final, while Aktürk himself comes in as one of the most in-form athletes on the circuit after winning three of the four stages this season and reaching last year’s final as well.
The depth of championship pedigree is striking. Eight wrestlers in this year’s lineup have previously won Kırkpınar, including Gürbüz and Kara with four titles each, Okulu with three, and multiple two-time winners such as Yeşil Yeşil, Balaban and Zeybek. Mustafa Taş and Fatih Atlı also bring prior championship experience into the field.
A notable adjustment this year adds even more weight to the competition. The Turkish Traditional Wrestling Federation has revised its rule on the historic golden belt, allowing it to become permanently owned not only through three consecutive titles but also by winning five titles across different years.
That change puts veteran champions Ali Gürbüz and Recep Kara back in direct pursuit of a career-defining achievement. Both sit on four career titles, meaning a victory in Edirne would elevate them into permanent ownership territory, something not achieved since Ahmet Taşçı completed the feat in 1997.
The golden belt has remained without a permanent holder for 29 years, a gap that has only amplified its symbolic weight. Taşçı remains the last wrestler to secure it outright, setting a benchmark that has survived multiple eras of dominance and parity.
Form entering Kırkpınar also adds intrigue to the field. Feyzullah Aktürk, a three-time European champion, has been one of the standout performers on the CW Enerji circuit, capturing three of this season’s four stages and confirming his status as a leading contender despite falling just short in last year’s final.
