February 2025 Russian Men's Freestyle Wrestling Rankings
57 KG
#4 Nachyn Mongush avenged his loss from the 2024 Russian Nationals to 2024 Russian Nationals silver medalist #2 Lev Pavlov to win the Ivan Yarygin Memorial. Bronze medalists at the Yarygin were Yunus Yavbatirov and Artur Chebodaev. Artur Chebodaev is back in the rankings at #6 for beating 2021 Senior World Team Rep #8 Abubakar Mutaliev for bronze at the Yarygin. #7 Artem Gobaev moved up to 61 KG and has been removed from the rankings.
61 KG
#3 Abasgadzhi Magomedov moved back up to 65 KG where he failed to place at the Yarygin after a loss in the round of 16 to #6 Dalgat Abdulkadyrov and is currently ranked 10th at the weight. This is due to his loss in 2024 to #9 Eldar Akhmadudidnov.
#1 Zavur Uguev won the Yarygin over #3 Muslim Mekhtikhanov with Anzor Mazhidov and Alexander Avelov taking bronze at the Yarygin. Anzor Mazhidov takes the #4 spot for beating #4 Chermen Tavitov for bronze at the Yarygin. Alexander Avelov takes the #6 spot in the rankings for beating #7 Kezhik Mongush and #9 Akhmed Zubairov on his way to bronze at the Yarygin. Imam Umarov takes the #10 spot in the rankings for beating formerly tenth ranked Said Khunkerov and #8 Tamerlan Karaev at the Yarygin.
65 KG
#2 Ibragim Ibragimov won the Yarygin over #10 Ramazan Ferzaliev with #5 Aripgadzhi Abdulaev and Chayan Mongush raking bronze. #10 Ramazan Ferzaliev moves up to the #4 spot in the rankings for beating #5 Aripgadzhi Abdulaev in the semifinals of the Yarygin. #5 Aripgadzhi Abdulaev holds down the #5 spot with wins over 2022 Soslan Andiev Memorial champion Elbrus Valiev and #6 Dalgat Abdulkadyrov.
2024 Junior World bronze medalist Adam Arkhiev joins the rankings at #8 for beating 2024 Shamil Umakhanov Memorial bronze medalist #9 Eldar Akhmadudinov in repechage at the Yarygin. Chayan Mongush takes the #7 spot in the rankings for beating #8 Adam Arkhiev for bronze at the Yarygin. 2023 61 KG Senior World silver medalist #3 (61) Abasgadzhi Magomedov takes the #10 spot in the rankings due to losses to #6 Dalgat Abdulkadyrov (Yarygin round of 16) and #9 Eldar Akhmadudinov (2024 Shamil Umakhanov Memorial quarterfinals). #4 Zagir Shakhiev moved up to 70 KG where he took 5th at the Yarygin and is ranked eighth.
70 KG
#4 (74) David Baev made his successful return to 70 KG with a Yarygin title over #7 Konstantin Kaprynov with 2024 U23 world silver medalist #3 Magomed-Emi Eitemirov and #2 Kurban Shiraev taking bronze. #7 Konstantin Kaprynov takes the #2 spot for beating #2 Kurban Shiraev and #5 Aisen Potapov to make the finals of the Yarygin. #4 (74) David Baev takes the #1 spot in the rankings for beating #2 Konstantin Kaprynov, #4 Magomed-Emi Eitemirov, and #4 (65) Zagir Shakhiev to win the Yarygin.
Aisen Potapov takes the #5 spot in the rankings for beating #6 Alan Kudzoev in the quarterfinals after Kudzoev had upset 2023 Russian Nationals champion Evgheni Zherbaev in the round of 16. Zherbaev takes the #7 spot in the rankings upon his return to 70 KG due to his loss to #6 Alan Kudzoev at the Yarygin. Senior World bronze medalist former #1 Inalbek Sheriev moved up to 74 KG where he took 13th at the Yarygin after losing in the round of 16 to eventual bronze medalist #5 Timur Bizhoev and is currently ranked #6 at the weight. #4 (65) Zagir Shakhiev takes the #8 spot in the rankings for making the semis of the Yarygin with a key round of 16 win over #9 Abdurakhman Dalgatov, who gets in the rankings at #9 for beating formerly 5th ranked 2024 Ali Aliyev Memorial champion #10 Umar Umarov.
74 KG
#1 Zaurbek Sidakov won the Yarygin over #5 Magomed Dibirgadzhiev with #6 Timur Bizhoev and #18 (INT) Amir Mohammad Yazdani (IRI) taking bronze. #5 Magomed Dibirgadzhiev and #6 Timur Bizhoev both move up one spot to #4 and #5 respectively due to #4 David Baev moving back down to 70 KG. #1 (70) Inalbek Sheriev debuts in the 74 KG rankings at #6 behind #5 Timur Bizhoev who he lost to in the round of 16 at the Yarygin. Ramazan Muradov takes the #8 spot in the rankings for making the semis of the Yarygin and beating #9 Alan Dziraev. Alan Dziraev debuts in the 74 KG rankings at #9 for beating #10 Israil Kasumov in the round of 16 of the Yarygin.
79 KG
#4 Akhmed Usmanov won the Yarygin over #5 Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev with Dzhamal Akhmadudinov and #8 Akhmed Manilov taking bronze. There were multiple upsets across the top five that resulted in #4 Akhmed Usmanov and #5 Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev taking back the #1 and #2 spots, so I will be explaining the upsets first so that Usmanov and Alikhmaev’s lofty spots in the ranking are better understood.
#2 Abdulkerim Abdulaev beat #3 Kasum Kasumov (who beat Akhmed Usmanov in September at the Khadartsev Brothers Memorial to make him #4 in the rankings) then #2 Abdulkerim Abdulaev loses to unranked Dzhamal Akhmadudinov in the quarterfinals who goes on to lose to #5 Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev in the semis. So from this, #5 Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev takes the #2 spot in the rankings for beating #3 Dzhamal Akhmadudinov in the semis after Akhmadudinov had beaten #2 (now #4) Abdulkerim Abdulaev and #9 Magomed Kardanov to get to the semis. As it stands, Usmanov is at #1 for beating #2 Alikhmaev, Akhmadudinov takes #3 for beating #4 Abdulaev and Kasumov falls one spot to #5 for losing to #4 Abdulaev. 2024 Senior World runner-up former #1 Magomed Magomaev drops seven spots to #8 for his loss to U23 world champion #12 (INT) Mehdi Yousefi (IRI).
86 KG
#1 Artur Naifonov won the Yarygin over #3 Arslan Bagaev with Ada Bagomedov and Dmitri Zainidinov taking bronze. Dmitri Zainidinov takes the #7 spot in the rankings for beating #8 Arsen Balayan for bronze after Balayan had upset #6 Alan Naifonov in the qualification round. Alan Naifonov falls three spots to #9 for his loss to #8 Balayan.
92 KG
#6 Azamat Zakuev won the Yarygin over #9 Mukhammed-Takhir Khaniev with #2 Alan Bagaev and Magomedsharif Biyakaev taking bronze. #6 Azamat Zakuev takes the #2 spot at 92 KG behind reigning world champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev due to wins over #2 Alan Bagaev at the Semenov Cup in 2024 and this year at the Yarygin. #9 Mukhammed-Takhir Khaniev moves up five spots to #4 for taking silver at the Yarygin for beating #5 Magomedsharif Biyakaev and #8 Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov to make the finals of the Yarygin.
Magomedsharif Biyakaev takes the #5 spot in the rankings for beating 2024 Russian Nationals runner-up #6 Ashkab Saadulaev in the quarterfinals of the Yarygin. Artem Bekoev takes the #10 spot in the rankings for beating 2023 Shamil Umakhanov Memorial bronze medalist Nurgun Sergin in the qualifier round of the Yarygin. #5 Magomed Kurbanov moved back up to 97 KG where he won the Yarygin and is ranked #3 for winning the Yarygin.
97 KG
#5 (92) Magomed Kurbanov won the Yarygin over #6 Bady-Maadyr Samdan with Irbeg Tavgazov and Konstantin Pshenichnikov taking bronze. #9 Aslanbek Sotiev moves up four spots to #5 for beating Artur Silot Torres (CUB) in the quarterfinals after Silot Torres had upset #4 Shamil-Imam Gadzhialiev in the round of 16. #6 Bady-Maadyr Samdan takes the #4 spot in the rankings for beating #5 Aslanbek Sotiev in the semifinals of the Yarygin. Former #3 Igor Ovsyannikov moved up to 125 KG where he is ranked ninth.
125 KG
#3 Zelimkhan Khizriev won the Yarygin over #7 Artem Pukhovsky with Morteza Jan Mohammadi (IRI) and #3 (97) Igor Ovsyannikov taking bronze. #3 Zelimkhan Khizriev moves up two spots to #1 for beating #2 Shamil Musaev in the semifinals of the Yarygin along with beating #3 Artem Pukhovsky who beat formerly top ranked Abdulla Kurbanov in the semis of the Yarygin. Artem Pukhovsky is back in the rankings at #3 for beating #1 Abdulla Kurbanov in the semifinals of the Yarygin.
#1 Abdulla Kurbanov and #2 Shamil Musaev drop three spots to #4 and #5 for their losses to #1 Zelimkhan Khizriev and #3 Artem Pukhosky respectively. #6 Georgi Dzhoev moves up four spots to #2 for his win over #3 Artem Pukhovsky in the finals of the U23 Russian National Championships back in August 2024. Khasan Khubaev is back in the rankings at #8 for beating #10 Khabib Davudgadzhiev in the qualification round of the Yarygin.
Pound for Pound
Lots of changes to the pound for pound so we’ll go from the top ten and work our way down. #7 Alik Khadartsev and #8 Abasgadzhi Magomedov are out of the pound for pound all together due to Magomedov’s string of losses at 65 KG (Eldar Akhmadudinov at the Shamil Umakahnov Memorial in 2024 and Dalgat Abdulkadyrov at the Yarygin) and Khadartsev’s pound for pound resume being entirely reliant on his win over Magomedov.
2024 74 KG Russian Nationals champion #19 Anzor Zakuev moves up to #5 in the rankings due to wins over #6 David Baev and #9 Magomed Dibirgadzhiev at 2024 74 KG Russian Nationals. David Baev takes the #6 spot in the rankings for winning the 70 KG Yarygin and for career wins over #9 Magomed Dibirgadzhiev, #10 Timur Bizhoev, #12 Konstantin Kaprynov, and #13 Kurban Shiraev.
#5 Inalbek Sheriev moved up to 74 KG where he took 13th at the Yarygin with a loss to eventual bronze medalist Timur Bizhoev. Timur Bizhoev is back in the pound for pound rankings at #10 for beating #5 Inalbek Sheriev who falls six spots to #11. Bizhoev’s lofty spot is earned also due to wins over #1 Zaurbek Sidakov, #6 David Baev, #7 Akhmed Usmanov, and #9 Magomed Dibirgadzhiev. Bizhoev can’t raise higher due to his loss to #9 Magomed Dibirgadzhiev in the 2024 Russian National semifinals.
Unranked Magomed Dibirgadzhiev is in at #9 for beating #10 Timur Bizhoev in the semifinals of the 2024 74 KG Russian Nationals. 70 KG Yarygin runner-up Konstantin Kaprynov returns to the Yarygin at #12 for beating #6 Kurban Shiraev at the 70 KG Yarygin. #6 Kurban Shiraev falls seven spots to #13 for his loss to #12 Konstantin Kaprynov at the Yarygin.
Due to the high turnover rate at 79 KG, the emergence of important head to head 74 KG results, weight changes, and new upper weight talent emerging, much of the bottom half of the top 25 has shifted drastically. Most notably is the removal of former #14 Magomed Magomaev (loss to #12 (INT) Mehdi Yousefi at PWL), #15 Abdulkerim Abdulaev and #16 Kasum Kasumov from the pound for pound. #15 Abdulkerim Abdulaev beat #16 Kasum Kasumov (who beat #15 Akhmed Usmanov in September 2024 at the Khadartsev Brothers Memorial) in the opening round of the Yarygin and then lost to #3 (79) Dzhamal Akhmadudinov in the quarterfinals of the Yarygin and then Akhmadudinov lost in the semis to #22 Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev, which eliminates Abdulaev and Kasumov from the pound for pound rankings.
Azamat Zakuev is in the pound for pound rankings at #18 for beating 2024 92 KG Russian Nationals Champion #19 Alan Bagaev at the 2024 Semenov Cup and the finals of the Yarygin in January. Zelimkhan Khizriev takes the #23 spot for earning the #1 spot at heavyweight in Russia by winning the Yarygin over #25 Artem Pukhovsky (this is due to the fact Khizriev beat national runner-up #5 Shamil Musaev while Pukhovsky beat reigning Russian National Champion #4 Abdulla Kurbanov to make the finals of the Yarygin). Georgi Dzhioev takes the #24 spot in the pound for pound rankings for beating #25 Artem Pukhovsky in August at the 125 KG U23 Russian National finals.