November 2023 Men's Freestyle Wrestling International Rankings

61 KG

#9 Masanosuke Ono (JPN) won the Senior World Championships over Ahmet Duman (TUR) with #2 Vito Arujau (USA) and Tsogbadrakh Tseevensuren (MGL) taking bronze. #9 Masanosuke Ono (JPN) takes the #1 spot in the rankings for his dominant (10-2 & 12-0) wins over #1 Zavur Uguev (RUS) and #2 Vito Arujau (USA) in the qualification and semifinal rounds of the Senior World Championships.

Ahmet Duman (TUR) takes the #10 spot in the rankings for taking silver at the Senior World Championships; This ranking is justified as he beat Tsogbadrakh Tseevensuren (MGL) in the semifinals who had beaten formerly 10th ranked Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (KGZ) in the round of 16. Tseevensuren takes the #11 spot for taking bronze at the Senior World Championships and beating #12 Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (KGZ) in the round of 16. Azamat Tuskaev (SRB) takes the #13 spot in the rankings in his 61 KG debut based off wins over #3 Zavur Uguev (RUS) and #11 (57) Nachyn Mongush (RUS) to go with a 2020 57 KG European title. Arman Eloyan (FRA) returns to the rankings at #17 for beating #18 Mezhlum Mezhlumyan (ARM) at Senior World’s after Mezhlumyan (ARM) had beaten 2021 Senior European runner-up #19 Andrii Dzhelep (UKR).

#9 Bashir Magomedov (RUS) won the U23 World Championships over Ruslan Abdullaev (AZE) with Ebrahim Khari (IRI) and Abhiskek Dhaiya (IND) taking bronze. Magomedov’s win in Tirana gives him his second U23 World Title to go along with his gold he earned in Tirana in 2023.

Alexander Avelov (RUS) won the Korkin Memorial over Yakov Pavlov (RUS) and Bair Bayanduev (RUS) taking bronze.

65 KG

#17 Nachyin Kuular (KAZ) moves up eight spots in the rankings to #9 for beating Olympic Champion #1 Kotaro Kiyooka (JPN) in the German Bundesliga League up at 71 KG. Even though it was up at 71 KG, given that they’re both 65 KG athletes, I am counting this result towards their standings in the 65 KG rankings.

#6 Ibragim Ibragimov (RUS) won his second U23 World Championships over Kaiji Ogino (JPN) with #9 Abbas Ebrahim (IRI) and Bilol Sharip Uulu (KGZ) taking bronze. Kaiji Ogino (JPN) enters the rankings at #10 for beating #9 Abbas Ebrahim (IRI) in the semifinals of the U23 World Championships while Ebrahim falls two spots to #11 for his loss to Ogino.

#5 (61) Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RUS) won the Korkin Memorial over Chaiian Mongush (RUS) with Ulukbek Zholdoshbekov (KGZ) and Viktor Zherbaev (RUS) taking bronze.

70 KG

#17 Magomed-Bashir Khaniev (AZE) won the U23 World Championships over #14 Magomed-Emi Eltemirov (RUS) with #13 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) and Sujeet Sujeet (IND) taking bronze. #14 Magomed-Emi Eltemirov (RUS) defeated returning U23 World silver medalist #13 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) in the round of 16 while #17 Magomed-Bashir Khaniev (AZE) beat Sujeet Sujeet (IND) in the semifinals. These results, especially Eltemirov’s will be relevant when explaining the ranking changes that occurred after Senior World’s.

Nurkhoza Kaipanov (KAZ) won the Senior World Championships over #13 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) with #1 Inalbek Sheriev (RUS) and #4 Abdulmazhid Kudiev (TJK) taking bronze. Nurkhoza Kaipanov (KAZ) takes the #1 spot for winning the Senior World Championships with ranked victories over #13 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN), #4 Abdulmazhid Kudiev (TJK) and #11 Akaki Kemertelidze (GEO). #13 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) moves up nine spots to #4 for his win over #1 Inalbek Sheriev (RUS) in the semifinals of the Senior World Championships; Sheriev falls four spots to #5 for his loss to #4 Aoyagi.

#14 Magomed-Emi Eltemirov (RUS) moves up eleven spots to #3 for his win at the U23 World Championships over #4 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN). #17 Magomed-Bashir Khaniev (AZE) climbs up fifteen spots in the rankings to #2 for his win over #3 Magomed-Emi Eltemirov (RUS) in the finals of the U23 World Championships. #5 Inalbek Sheriev (RUS) took bronze at the Senior World Championships with ranked wins #8 Kanan Heybatov (AZE) and #3 Arman Andreasyan (ARM); Heybatov (AZE) and Andreasyan (ARM) fall to #15 and #11 respectively for their losses to Sheriev along with the massive reshuffling of the weights. #6 James Green (USA) falls seven spots in the rankings to #13 for his loss to #12 Akaki Kemertelidze (GEO) in the round of 16; #7 Alec Pantaleo (USA) also drops seven spots to #14 to accommodate Green’s fall in the rankings as he lost to Green in the U.S. World Team Trials finals.

#6 Abdulmazhid Kudiev (TJK) notched ranked wins at the Senior World Championships over 2023 Senior World bronze medalist #17 Ramazan Ramazanov (BUL) and #12 Akaki Kemertelidze (GEO).

2023 Senior Russian National Champion Evgheni Zherbaev (RUS) made a successful return to competition by winning the Korkin Memorial over Konstantin Kaprynov (RUS) with Yasar Dogu champion #16 Ernazar Akmataliev (KGZ) and Sayin Kazyryk (RUS) taking bronze. Zherbaev returns to the rankings at #9, while he could be higher due to wins over #5 Inalbek Sheriev (RUS) and #16 Ernazar Akmataliev (KGZ), he is hurt due to inactivity in a highly active weight class and a loss to #3 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) at his last competition (2023 Senior World Championships).

74 KG

Kota Takahashi (JPN) won the U23 World Championships over Orozobek Toktomambetov (KGZ) with Mitchell Mesenbrink (USA) and Dzhabrail Gadzhiev (AZE) taking bronze. Kota Takahashi (JPN) would be eligible to be ranked at 74 KG for winning the U23 World Championships over U.S. Olympic Trials bronze medalist Mitch Mesenbrink (USA), Junior World Champion #19 Ali Abbas Rezaei (IRI), and Magomedrasul Asluev (BRN) but because later in October he moved up to 79 KG where he took fifth at the Senior World Championships, he is not ranked. Who is able to get into the rankings based off their performance at the U23 World Championships is U.S. Olympic Trials bronze medalist Mitchell Mesenbrink (USA) at #19 for his wins over #20 Ali Abbas Rezaei (IRI) and Magomedrasul Asluev (BRN).

#9 Viktor Rassadin (TJK) won the Korkin Memorial over Alexander Baltuev (RUS) with Ali Karampour (IRI) and Tamir Eshinimaev (RUS) taking bronze.

79 KG

Mahdi Yousefi (IRI) won the U23 World Championships over Feng Lu (CHN) with Masaki Sato (JPN) and #15 Arsen Balayan (RUS) taking bronze. Mahdi Yousefi (IRI) takes the #18 spot for winning U23 World’s over #19 Feng Lu (CHN), who beat #15 Arsen Balayan (RUS) in the semifinals. #15 Arsen Balayan (RUS) falls five spots to #20 for his loss to #19 Feng Lu (CHN) in the U23 World semifinals along with the ranking movement from the Senior World Championships.

#12 Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO) won the Senior World Championships over #2 Magomed Magomaev (RUS) with #3 Mohammad Nokhodi (IRI) and Akhsarbek Gulaev (SVK) taking bronze. #12 Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO) takes the #1 spot for ranked wins over #3 Mohammad Nokhodi (IRI) and #2 Magomed Magomaev (RUS). #3 Mohammad Nokhodi (IRI) moves up one spot to #2 for beating #1 Jordan Burroughs (USA) in the quarterfinals of the Senior World Championships. #2 Magomed Magomaev (RUS) falls three spots to #5 for his loss to #1 Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO) in the world finals along with a weaker resume then #2 Mohammad Nokhodi, #3 Jordan Burroughs, and #4 Chance Marsteller. #11 Chance Marsteller (USA) moves up seven spots to #4 even with a loss to #14 Orkhan Abasov (AZE) at the 2023 Senior World Championships due to having a better overall resume plus superior wins over #3 Jordan Burroughs, #9 (86) Osman Nurmagomedov (AZE), #12 (86) Arsenii Dzhioev (AZE), and #18 (86) Vladimeri Gamkrelidze (GEO).

Akhsarbek Gulaev (SVK) returns to the rankings at #12 for taking bronze at the Senior World Championships over #13 Suldkhuu Olanbayar (MGL). Suldkhuu Olanbayar (MGL) debuts in the rankings at #13 for beating #14 Orkhan Abasov (AZE) in repechage. Magomet Evloev (TJK) debuts in the rankings at #15 for beating #13 Khidir Saipudinov (BRN) at the Senior World Championships; Saipudinov drops three spots to #16 for his loss to Evloev.

#8 Akhmed Usmanov (RUS) won the Korkin Memorial over Dmitry Kuprin (RUS) with Nikita Suchkov (RUS) and Anton Suchkov (RUS) taking bronze.

86 KG

Arslan Bagaev (RUS) won the U23 World Championships over #11 Arsenii Dzhioev (AZE) with Eugeniu Mihalcaen (MDA) and Yudai Takahashi (JPN) taking bronze. Arslan Bagaev (RUS) returns to the rankings at #11 for beating #11 Arsenii Dzhioev (AZE) for gold at U23 World’s. Eugeniu Mihalcaen (MDA) debuts in the rankings at #17 for beating #16 Vladimeri Gamkrelidze (GEO) for bronze; Gamkrelidze falls two spots to #18 for his loss to Mihalcaen.

Dmitri Zainidinov (RUS) won the Korkin Memorial over Azret Ulimbashev (RUS) with Andrian Lensky (RUS) and Bayar-Saikhan Bady (RUS) taking bronze.

92 KG

#1 Abdulrashid Sadulaev (RUS) won the Senior World Championships over Miriani Maisuradze (GEO) with #2 David Taylor (USA) and #11 Batyrbek Tsakulov (SVK) taking bronze. Miriani Maisuradze (GEO) returns to the rankings at #11 for beating #11 Batyrbek Tsakulov (SVK) in the quarterfinals of the Senior World Championships; Tsakulov falls one spot to #12 for his loss to #11 Maisuradze. #1 Abdulrashid Sadulaev ended his three year long world medal drought with gold in Tirana with four total ranked wins: 2020 86 KG Olympic champion #2 David Taylor (USA), two-time 92 KG Senior World Champion #3 Kamran Ghasempour (IRI), 2022 Senior World bronze medalist #11 Miriani Maisuradze (GEO), and 2021 86 KG Senior World bronze medalist #14 Abubakar Abakarov (AZE).

#15 Amirhossein Firouzpour (IRI) won his second U23 World Championships in a rematch of the 2022 finals against #19 Jacob Cardenas (USA). Bronze medalists at the U23 World Championships were Ion Demian (MDA) and Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov (RUS). Ion Demian (MDA) enters the rankings at #17 for beating U23 European Champion #15 Gkivi Bliatze (GRE) in the Firouzpour repechage bracket while Fatih Altunbas (TUR) enters the rankings at #18 for beating U23 European runner-up #16 Adlan Viskhanov (FRA) in the quarterfinals. #17 Ion Demian (MDA) beat #18 Fatih Altunbas (TUR) for bronze; #15 Gkivi Bliatze (GRE) and #16 Adlan Viskhanov (FRA) both fell four spots to #19 and #20 for their losses to #17 Demian and #18 Altunbas respectively. #19 Jacob Cardenas (USA) moves up three spots to #16 for taking silver at the U23 World Championships and beating formerly 17th ranked Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov (RUS).

Mukhamed-Takhir Khaniev (RUS) won the Korkin Memorial over Konstantin Pshenichnikov (RUS) with Gadzhimagomed Nazhmudinov (RUS) and Nyurgun Sergin (RUS) taking bronze.

97 KG

#11 Rizabek Aitmukhan (KAZ) won the U23 World Championships over Mehdi Hajiloueian (IRI) with Vicky Vicky (IND) and Uladislau Kazlou (BLR) taking bronze. Aitmukhan’s U23 world gold means that he has now won all major age group World titles within the past year ( 2023 92 KG Senior World title, 97 KG Junior and U23 World Titles in 2024) before turning 21. Even given this impressive feat, Aitmukhan is still the #2 wrestler in Kazakhstan behind #10 Alisher Yergali (KAZ) who beat him in the Kazakhstan National Finals in March.

#10 (92) Magomed Kurbanov (RUS) returns to the rankings at #5 with his return to 97 KG with gold at the Korkin Memorial. Kurbanov’s high ranking is due to his multiple wins over #4 Alikhan Zhabrailov (RUS). Kurbanov won gold at the Korkin Memorial over Yegor Belskikh (RUS) with Maxim Tolmachev (RUS) and Alexander Hushtyn (BLR) taking bronze.

125 KG

#3 Amir Masoumi Valadi (IRI) won the U23 World Championships over #12 Alen Khubulov (BUL) with #13 Abdulla Kurbanov (RUS) and Volodymyr Kochanov (UKR) taking bronze. #11 Shamil Musaev (RUS) won the Korkin Memorial over Ostap Pasenok (RUS) with Nikita Khabarov (RUS) taking bronze.

Pound for Pound

61 KG Senior World Champion Masanosuke Ono (JPN) debuts in the pound for pound rankings at #18 for beating past world champions #20 Vito Arujau (USA) and #24 Zavur Uguev (RUS). Nurkhoza Kaipanov (KAZ) debuts in the pound for pound rankings at #21 for winning the 70 KG Senior World Championships. Mohammad Nokhodi (IRI) returns to the pound for pound rankings at #22 for beating #19 Jordan Burroughs (USA) at the 79 KG Senior World Championships; Burroughs falls four spots to #23 for his loss to Nokhodi. Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO) takes the #19 spot in the rankings for winning the 79 KG Senior World Championships and beating #22 Mohammad Nokhodi (IRI). An interesting note regarding 74 KG Olympic bronze medalist #16 Chermen Valiev (ALB) is that in order to qualify for the Olympics, he had to 79 KG Senior World Champion #19 Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO) and 70 KG Senior World Champion #21 Nurkhoza Kaipanov (KAZ) at the World Olympic Games Qualifier, showing off the ridiculous depth in the 74 KG weight class.

Seth PetarraNovember 4, 2024Comment