April 2020 Men's International Freestyle Wrestling Rankings

Photo courtesy of United World Wrestling

57 KG

Thomas Gilman (USA), bronze at the intercontinental cup and Yarygin last year, returns to the rankings in a big way off the strength of back to back titles at the Matteo Pellicone and the Pan-Am Olympic Games Qualifier. In January, Gilman beat 2018 61 KG world bronze Joe Colon (USA) in the finals who was fresh off an upset of then 10th ranked European Games runner-up Stevan Micic (SRB). Gilman notched his own wins over Minghiu Liu (CHN) and Daton Fix (USA) as well. Due to multiple losses to Abubakr Mutaliev (RUS), Gilman wasn’t capable to use that momentum to catapult him into the rankings. But his title winning performance at the Pan-Am Olympic Games qualifier over 2x Pan-Am and 2x U-23 world champion eight ranked Reineri Andreu Ortega (CUB) to avenge a loss from two years prior allowed for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club Standout to return to the top 10, taking the #7 spot. 

#8 Reineri Andreu Ortega (CUB) won the Pan-Am championships and took bronze at the Olympic qualifier after losing to Gilman. Colombia’s Oscar Eduardo Tigreros Urbano is qualified for the 2021 Olympics for finishing runner-up to Gilman.  2017 junior world runner-up Ismail Gadzhiev (RUS) won the North Caucasian Federal District Tournament over the 2019 Yusup Abdusalamov tournament runner-up Salikh Muradov (RUS).

61 KG

#3 Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RUS) won the Musa Azaev cup over a talented field netting wins over the likes of #6 Shamil Omarov (RUS), #8 Ibragim Abdurakhmanov (RUS), #9 Magomed Magomedov (RUS), and 2018 Ali Aliyev champ Dzhabrail Gairbekov (RUS). The win over Abdurakhmanov is especially meaningful for Magomedov as it avenges a loss from last year’s Intercontinental Cup. #10 Artem Gebek (RUS) won the North Caucasian Federal District tournament over Tamerlan Karaev (RUS) who debuts in the rankings for defeating 2019 57 KG Russian Nationals champion #19(57) Ramiz Gamzatov (RUS) and 2019 U-23 European championships runner-up Amirkhan Guvazhokov (RUS) at #18. On his path to the title, Gebek beat Alans bronze medalist #20(57) Alexander Sabanov (RUS) and Rakhman Mintullaev (RUS), Mintullaev defeated Sabanov by fall to take bronze. Winning the Pan-Am title was world 5th place finisher Tyler Graff of the United States.

65 KG

#17 Yianni Diakomihalis (USA) won the Pan-Am championships in his return to competition. Diakomihalis notched a relevant win over Agustin Destribats (ARG) in the semifinals, while later in the month rival #16 Zain Retherford (USA) would lose by fall to Destribats in the semis of the Pan-Am OG qualifier. Qualifying for the 2021 Olympics was two time world bronze medalist #14 Alejandro Valdes Tobier (CUB) and the aforementioned Agustin Destribats (ARG). 2016 46 KG Cadet world champ Zagir Shakiev (RUS) won the North Caucasian Federal District over Akhmed Kasumov. #6(61) Shamil Omarov (RUS) finished at bronze up a weight at the North Caucasian Federal District. #16 Zain Retherford (USA) falls four spots in the rankings to #20 for his loss to Destribats at the Pan-Am Olympic Qualifier.

70 KG

2019 Intercontinental Cup and Kunaev champ #11 Aznaur Tavaev (RUS) won the North Caucasian Federal District tournament over 2017 61 KG Russian nationals bronze medalist Islam Dudaev (RUS). On his route to the finals, he defeated 5th place finisher at 2019 nationals Abdullagadzhi Magomedov (RUS) in a last second win, and Kasum Kasumov. Winning his second Pan-Am title was Anthony Ashnault (USA) who earned three pins and a tech to take home gold.

74 KG

A 4x world medalist with his last bit of hardware coming in the form of a world bronze medal at 66 kilograms in 2010, Geandry Garzon of Cuba has been on the comeback trail since 2019 and ended the year strong with a win in November over Russian nationals champ #7 Magomed Kurbanaliev (RUS). Garzon made it to the finals for the Pan-Am Olympic Qualifier to make his second Olympics 12 years apart from his 10th place performance in Beijing. Also qualifying for the Olympics was 2011 60 KG world runner-up Franklin Gomez Matos of Puerto Rico. Winning the North Caucasian Federal District was 2017 70 KG Russian nationals runner-up Magomed Dibirgadzhiev (RUS) over Rasul Shapiev (RUS). 

79 KG

2019 74 KG U.S. World Team Trials runner-up Jason Nolf (USA) won the Pan-Am title with a tech over Guseyn Ruslanzada of Canada in round robin action. Alans bronze medalist and 2018 Ali Aliyev champ Akhmed Usmanov (RUS) returns to the rankings at #11 after defeating Yarygin bronze medalist #8 Khalid Yakhiev (RUS) in the finals of the North Caucasian Federal District to qualify for Russian nationals. All individuals who medaled at the weight qualified for nationals. Usmanov could climb higher considering his past wins over #5(74) Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (RUS), Alan Zaseev (RUS), and #8(74) Khetik Tsabolov (RUS) but his loss at to Asludin Magomedov (RUS) at the Yarygin and his loss year at the Semenov cup to Malik Shavaev (RUS) prevented him from moving higher. 

86 KG

2018 World Champion David Taylor of the United States return to action after recovering from a knee injury that had him hampered for the majority of 2019 what's the dominant showing at the pan-am Olympic qualifier.  Taylor's impressive body of work that has seen him defeat has #1 Hassan Yazdani Charati (IRI), #2 Artur Naifonov (RUS), #5 Dauren Kurugliev (RUS), #6 Vladislav Valiev (RUS), #20 Yurieski Torreblanca (CUB), and #6(97) Sharif Sharifov (AZE) allows him to take the #1 spot. Winning his fourth Pan-Am Games/Championships title was Yurieski Torreblanca (CUB) who returns to the rankings at #20 for defeating Matteo Pellicone runner-up #20 Alex Dieringer (USA) in the semifinals. Taking the title at the  North Caucasian Federal District was Khabib Gadzhiev (RUS) who defeated 2019 Stepan Sargsyan tournament champ Zaur Makiev (RUS) in the finals. 

92 KG

Angus Arthur (JAM) won the Pan-Am championship title. Tazhudin Mukhtarov (RUS) won the North Caucasian Federal District title over Said Akhmadov. No change in the rankings.

97 KG

#12 Reineris Salas Perez (CUB) and Jordan Steen (CAN) qualified for 2021 Olympics by making the finals of the Pan-Am Olympic Qualifier. #4 Kyle Snyder (USA) decimated #12 Reineris Salas Perez (CUB) in the finals of the Pan-Am Championships 11-1 to take home gold. 2018 Russian nationals bronze medalist Zaynulla Kurbanov (RUS) won the North Caucasian Federal District tournament over Magomed Tagirov (RUS).  No changes in the rankings.

125 KG

Tony Nelson (USA) won the Pan-Am championship title, while two time world bronze medalist #17 Nick Gwiazdowski (USA) qualified for the Olympics by making the finals of the Pan-Am Olympic games qualifier. 2018. 2017 Russian nationals runner-up #16 Magomedgadzhi Nurasulov (RUS) won the North Caucasian Federal District over 2017 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Adlan Ibragimov (RUS). There were no changes in the rankings. 

P4P

There is a #1 Pound For Pound and it is reining two time 74 KG world champion Zaurbek Sidakov of Russia who moves up one spot from #1 over reigning 5x World/Olympic champ Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Sidakov hasn’t lost since January 2018 to than returning world runner-up #16 (P4P) Khetik Tsabolov (RUS) and hasn’t looked back notching significant wins over Tsabolov, #8 Jordan Burroughs, #11 Frank Chamizo, #21 Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov, and #23 Magomed Kurbanaliev. Sadulaev’s dominance has been incredibly consistent, from 2014-2016 with a down year at 2017 that saw him go up 11 kilograms and fall to the reigning two time World/Olympic champ #12 Kyle Snyder, and then expanding upon his dominance through 2018-2019 thrashing the 2018 field including an incredible pin over Snyder and a brilliant showing against Sharif Sharifov in the 2019 world finals. Having said this, the depth of 97 KG isn’t equal to that of 74 and having shown himself capable of coming out on top such a weight filled with past World/Olympic champs like Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Dake Frank Chamizo, Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov, Magomed Kurbanaliev, Khetik Tsabolov, and Togrul Asgarov whereas no athlete has been able to until as of late (Mohammad Mohammdian, Sharif Sharifov) break up the top heavy Sadulaev/Snyder stranglehold at the top of 97 KG. 

The other change in the P4P rankings was the return of 2018 world champ David Taylor who slots in at #6 for his multiple wins over reigning 3x World/Olympic champ #7 Hassan Yazdani Charati of Iran along with his win over 97 KG world runner-up #22 Sharif Sharifov of Azerbaijan. Moving up three spots was #7 Gadzhimurad Rashidov of Russia, who is the reigning 65 KG world champ. Rashidov’s resume (2 world runner-up finishes, one title) at what is an objectively tougher weight than 86 and 92 coupled with better wins over World/Olympic medalists and champs like Haji Aliyev, Ismail Musukaev, Akhmed Chakaev, Bekhan Goygereev, Naachin Kuular, Suleyman Atli, Vladimir Khinchegashvili, Takuto Otoguro, and Beka Lomtadze solidifies his spot at #4. 

Getting dropped in the rankings due to the overall lack of depth inherent to heavyweight what is Geno Petriashvili  and Taha Akgul. Haji Aliyev and Magomed Kurbanaliev are back in the rankings because while they’ve got limiting losses to Cubans (Alejandro Valdes Tobier for Aliyev, Geandry Garzon for Kurbanaliev) and sublime young talent (Takuto Otoguro & Gadzhimurad Rashidov for Aliyev, Razambek Zhamalov and David Baev for Magomed Kurbanaliev) both have proven consistently outside of these losses to be able to consistently take out the best guys in the world and they have the past hardware to show it with Aliyev have three 61 KG world titles, a 2016 57 KG Olympic bronze medal, and a European Games title last year, and Kurbanaliev having a 2016 world title at 70 KG, 2013 and 2018 Russian Nationals titles at 65 and 74, two Yarygin titles (‘14,’17) and a title at the 2017 Alans where he beat #1 P4P Zaurbek Sidakov. I would be stupid to not include them, and while I will admit to and speak volumes of my stupidity in other areas of my life, respecting Kurbanaliev and Aliyev is not an area where my encroaching idiocy will plague me.