December 2019 Men's Freestyle International Rankings

Photo courtesy of Kadir Caliskan/United World Wrestling

Rankings tables can be found at the bottom of this article.

Weight summaries:

57 KG

#8 Reineri Andreu Ortega (CUB) got teched 16-0 by Dan Kolov bronze medalist Georgi Vangelov (BUL) in the DRL while wrestling for Germania Weingarten vs. ASV Nendingen in their November 30th dual meet. For this, Andreu Ortega falls three spots in the rankings to #11, while Vangelov returns to the rankings at #17. Afghan Khasalov (AZE) enters the rankings at #10 for his wins at the U-23 world championships over Russian national champ #12 Ramiz Gamzatov (RUS) and his win this month at the Azerbaijan national championships over European Games champion #6 Makhir Amiraslanov (AZE). From Andreu Ortega’s fall, that allowed for #9 Nurislam Sanayev (KAZ) and #10 Stevan Micic (SRB) to take the #8 and #9 spot. 

Akhmed Idrisov (RUS) is in at #16 for his body of work from October that saw him beat #11 Reineri Andreu Ortega (CUB) and Giorgi Edisherashvili (AZE) while wrestling for Vfk Schifferstadt. #11 Kumsong Kang (PRK) dropped seven spots in the rankings to #11 due to the fact his only good win over the past two years has been #19 Yuki Takahashi (JPN) and his win over world bronze medalist #3 Ravi Kumar (IND) occured when Kumar was still a great prospect but had yet to have the body of work to be considered a high level win like he does today.

61 KG

#7 Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (AZE) took losses from back in October to #11 Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RUS), #3 Zelimkhan Abakarov (RUS), #10(65) Murshid Mutalimov (RUS), and #11(65) Alejandro Valdes Tobier (CUB) at the DRL and is in the Azerbaijan national finals against 2018 U-23 world runner-up Ali Rahimzade (AZE), so he has been dropped from the 61 KG rankings. #11 Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RUS) moves up four spots in the rankings for beating #8 Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez (CUB) and #7 Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (AZE) while in the DRL. New to the rankings is 2016 57 KG Olympic runner-up and this year’s 65 KG Meiji cup champ #12(65) Rei Higuchi (JPN). Higuchi is slated to compete at 57 KG for the Emperor’s Cup on December 19th and competed on November 30th at 63 Kilos for KSV Eisleben in the DRL where he teched 2018 57 KG Yasar Dogu runner-up Dzhimchuk Rinchinov (BLR). Higuchi slots in at the 61 KG rankings at #9. 

65 KG

#11(70) Soslan Ramonov (RUS) is slated to return to 65 KG for the Alans this weekend and returns to the weight he won the 2016 Olympics at #4 for his wins over #5 Bajrang Punia (IND), #6 Haji Aliev (AZE), #11 Alejandro Valdes Tobier (CUB), and #12 Ilyas Bekbulatov (UZB). #6 Haji Aliev beat #7 Naachiyn Kuular (RUS) and #8 Vladimir Khinchegashvili (GEO) at the Alrosa Cup. #19 Murshid Mutalimov (RUS) beat #7 Alejandro Valdes Tobier (CUB) and Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (AZE) in October in the DRL while wrestling for VfK Schifferstadt and moves up in the rankings nine spots to #10. #10 Akhmed Chakaev (RUS) moves up one spot in the rankings to #9 after beating #7 Alejandro Valdes Tobier (CUB) 7-7 while wrestling for KSV Ispringen in their November 24th dual meet against Germania Weingarten. 

70 KG

Kadyrov Cup runner-up #11 Soslan Ramonov (RUS) is slated to return to 65 KG for the Alans this weekend and returns to the weight he won the 2016 Olympics at  #4 for his wins over #5 Bajrang Punia (IND), #6 Haji Aliev (AZE), #11 Alejandro Valdes Tobier (CUB), and #12 Ilyas Bekbulatov (UZB). Ugra cup champ #8 Israil Kasumov (RUS) is slated to compete at 74 KG for the Alans where he is currently ranked 16th. European championships runner-up #12 Agaguseynov Mustafaev (AZE) is in the Azerbaijan national finals against Ali Aliev runner-up Gitinomagomed Gadzhiev (AZE) after beating 65 KG U-23 world champ Turan Bayramov (AZE) in the semis. 

74 KG

#4 Magomed Kurbanaliev (RUS) dropped two spots in the rankings to #6 after taking losses at the Alrosa Cup to #8 Timur Bizhoev (RUS) and Geandry Garzon (CUB). From Kurbanaliev’s loss, U-23 world champ #7 Razambek Zhamalov (RUS) moves up three spots in the rankings to #4 off the strength of his win over Bizhoev at the Yuri Gusov tournament to qualify for the U-23 world championships. #10 Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO) teched #9 Khadzhimurad Gadzhiev (AZE) 12-2 to earn bronze at the Alrosa Cup. 

#8 Timur Bizhoev’s impressive Alrosa cup shot him up to #5 for his wins over #4 Magomed Kurbanaliev (RUS) and #10 Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO). 70 KG Ugra Cup champ #8(70) Israil Kasumov (RUS) returned to 74 KG to compete for KSV Ispringen in the DRL where he lost to #12 Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (RUS, Germania Weingarten) and beat Murad Kuramagomedov (HUN, KSV Eisleben) and is slated to compete in a stacked 74 KG field this weekend at the Alans, Kasumov returns to the 74 KG rankings at #16. #12 Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (RUS) has had a strong performance at the DRL while wrestling for Germania Weingarten, notching wins over #16 Israil Kasumov (RUS) and Gadjimurad Omarov (AZE). 

79 KG

Medved champ and Yarygin runner-up #4 Magomed Ramazanov (RUS) moved back up to 86 KG where he had a standout performance at the Alans, beating European champion #4(86) Vladislav Valiev (RUS), 5x World/Olympic medalist #8 Jabrayil Hasanov (AZE), and Sassari tournament champ Ahmed Bazrigaleh (IRI). Ramazanov slots in at his same spot of #4 for the 86 KG rankings. #7 Rashid Kurbanov (UZB) went up to 86 KG for the Alrosa Cup where he went winless and has been removed from the 79 KG rankings. With Ramazanov and Kurbanov up at 86 KG, Ugra Cup bronze medalist Akhmed Usmanov (RUS) slides in at #19 while Dmitri Zainiidinov (RUS) takes the #20 spot for tech falling #13 Khalil Aminov (RUS) at the Ugra Cup. 

86 KG

79 KG Medved champ and Yarygin runner-up #4 (79) Magomed Ramazanov (RUS) moved back up to 86 KG where he had a standout performance at the Alans, beating European champion #4(86) Vladislav Valiev (RUS), 5x World/Olympic medalist #8 Jabrayil Hasanov (AZE), and Sassari tournament champ Ahmed Bazrigaleh (IRI). Ramazanov slots in at his same spot of #4 for the 86 KG rankings. #7 (79) Rashid Kurbanov (UZB) went up to 86 KG for the Alrosa Cup where he went winless. #11 Arsenali Musalaliev (RUS) drops three spots in the rankings to #13 for being pinned in the November 24th dual meet between KSV Ispringen and Germania Weingarten to Rasul Tikhaev (BLR). Rasul Tikhaev (BLR) returns to the rankings at #13 for beating #9 Ali Shabanov (BLR) and #11 Arsenali Musalaliev (RUS). 

92 KG

World bronze medalist #4 Alikhan Zhabrailov (RUS) moved up to 97 KG where he beat world runner-up #3 Sharif Sharifov (AZE) and #11 Reineris Salas Perez (CUB) at the Alrosa Cup to debut at #8. #8 Anzor Urishev (RUS) moved up to 97 KG and took 4th at the Alrosa Cup beating #11 Reineris Salas Perez (CUB) but getting teched by #6 Mohammad Mohammadian (IRI) for broze. Urishev debuts at 97 KG at #9. Filling in the gaps left by them moving up is Akhmed Magamaev (BUL) at #13 who beat #14 Tazhudin Mukhtarov (RUS) in the finals of the Kunaev and Gadzhimagomed Nazhmudinov (RUS) at #20 for taking bronze at the intercontinental cup in October. 

97 KG

World bronze medalist #4 (92) Alikhan Zhabrailov (RUS) moved up to 97 KG where he beat world runner-up #2 Sharif Sharifov (AZE) and #11 Reineris Salas Perez (CUB) at the Alrosa Cup to debut at #8. #8 (92) Anzor Urishev (RUS) moved up to 97 KG and took 4th at the Alrosa Cup beating #11 Reineris Salas Perez (CUB) but getting teched by #6 Mohammad Mohammadian (IRI) for broze. Urishev debuts at 97 KG at #9. #2 Sharif Sharifov (AZE) falls one spot to #3 for his loss to Zhabrailov. #5 Elizbar Odikadze (GEO) competed up at 125 KG at the Alrosa Cup as a last second replacement for 3x world champ #1(125) Geno Petriashvili (GEO)  and lost in the finals of the Russia vs. the world dual meet to 3x world champ #5 (125) Bilyal Makhov (RUS).

125 KG

U-23 world champ Amir Zare (IRI) notched the biggest win of his career in the form of a 15-11 win over reigning 3x world champ #1 Geno Petriashvili (GEO) at the Iranian Pro League to debut in the rankings at #7. #20 Zelimkhan Khizriev (RUS) beat #11 Nick Gwiazdowski (USA) 7-7 on the November 24th dual between KSV Ispringen and KSV Eisleben to move up five spots in the rankings to #15 while Gwiazdowski drops five spots spots to #16. Ziolkowski champ 3x world champ #5 Bilyal Makhov (RUS) went undefeated at the Alrosa Cup, winning his match in the Russia vs. the World dual meet against 2018 97 KG world bronze medalist #5(97) Elizbar Odikadze (GEO). 

P4P

All members of the top eleven stay stable at the spots their in. 97 KG world runner-up Sharif Sharifov (AZE) falls three spots to #15 for his loss to 92 KG world bronze medalist Alikhan Zhabrailov (RUS) at the Alrosa Cup. #15 Magomed Kurbanaliev (RUS) drops three spots in the rankings to #18 after suffering losses at the Alrosa Cup to European bronze medalist Timur Bizhoev (RUS) and Geandry Garzon (CUB). From Kurbanaliev and Sharifov’s losses, two time world champ #14 Zavur Uguev (RUS) moves up to #12 while 92 KG world runner-up Alireza Karimimachiani (IRI) moves up two spots from #16 to #14.