#UWWRankings

Big changes in freestyle rankings after continental championships

By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (May 25) -- After the completion of four continental championships, United World Wrestling has released a new set of rankings. Wrestlers from all three styles around the world got a chance to improve their ranks which will help them attain seeds at the World Championships.

The European Championships kicked off the season in March followed by the Asian Championships in April before Pan-Am and African Championships rounded off in May. The top eight wrestlers who acquired the most points from the four Ranking Series events and the Continental Championships will earn a seed for September's World Championships, held in Belgrade, Serbia.

Here are the top performers in freestyle after the four tournaments. Full rankings can be accessed at uww.org

57kg
Thomas GILMAN (USA) consolidated his position at the top after winning his first Pan-Am title in May. He had taken the lead over Olympic champion Zavur UGUEV (RWF) by winning the '21 World gold. He has 92200 points.

But Uguev has now slipped to third after Ravi KUMAR (IND) won his third straight Asian title. Having competed at 61kg at the Yasar Dogu Ranking event, Kumar dropped down to 57kg for Asian Championships and collected 10000 points. He now has 51400 points while Uguev is at 51000 points.

At the European Championships Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) won the gold to break into the top-10 at ninth position.

Other movers in top-15 were Guesseppe REA VILLARROEL (ECU) at 13th and Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL) at 15th for his bronze finish at the Pan-Ams.

fixAbasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF), red, and Daton FIX (USA) are one and two in 61kg rankings. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

61kg
A close race is ensuing between Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and Daton FIX (USA) as both won their respective continental titles. The former is second with 44000 points while Fix has jumped to third with 42000 points. World champion Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) holds a slender lead at the top with 45000 points.

Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) won bronze at Euros to climb to the fifth spot with 27700 points. Asian bronze medalist Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) is close behind at sixth with 25100 points.

Suleyman ATLI (TUR), Eduard GRIGOREV (POL), Akbar KURBANOV (KAZ), and Mangal KADYAN (IND) broke into top-15 after finishing in the top five at their respective continental championships.

Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL)Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL) is at number two in the 65kg rankings. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

65kg
Haji ALIYEV (AZE) competed for the first time since winning the silver medal at the Olympics and won a silver at the European Championships. He moved past Olympic champ Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) and is back at number three with 52400 points.

But he could not overtake Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) who has 53500 points to sit second in the rankings led by world champion and Yasar Dogu silver Zagir SHAKHIEV (RWF).

Bajrang PUNIA (IND) remained at fifth despite a silver at Asian Championships but Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) closed the gap with him with gold at European Championships. Punia has 42200 points while Muszukajev has 36000 points at seventh position.

Pan-Am champion Joseph MC KENNA (USA) moved to 13th but his opponent in the final Sebastian RIVERA remained a spot ahead of him at 12th.

Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) is the top ranked wrestlers at 70kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

70kg
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) had a chance to overtake topper Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) with gold at Asian Championships but he finished with a silver and remained at second with 53520 points. Iakobishvili won the gold at European Championships to move to the top with 54200 points after winning the bronze Yasar Dogu Ranking Series event.

Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) moved from eighth to fifth with silver at Euros and now has 36000 points.

Other big movers with European bronze Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) as he broke into the top-10 at ninth and Asian bronze Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) moving to 12th.

Pan-Am champion Emmanuel OLAPADE (CAN) and African champion Bacar NDUM (GBS) are at 15th and 16th respectively with 10000 points each. Asian champion Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) is at 17th with the same points.

Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), red, is now second while Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) is back in top-10. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

74kg
World champion Kyle DAKE (USA) moved further clear at the top with Pan-Am gold. He now sits at the top with 92200 points. Silver to him at Worlds Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) won the European Championships to move past Olympic champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RWF) and is now second with 52000 points.

Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) returned to top-10 at sixth with his silver at the European Championships but is lagging behind with only 36000 points.

African champion Amr RAMADAN (EGY) jumped to the 10th spot by collecting 13000 points for his gold. He now has 29200 points and is ahead of Asian champion Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) [27000 points] and European bronze medalist Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) [26500 points].

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) has 63000 points to be ranked top at 79kg. (Photo: UWW / Osvaldo Aguilar)

79kg
It will take some doing for any wrestler to catch Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) at 79kg as the five-time world champion has now moved to 63000 points after winning the Pan-Am title. The next best in world silver medalist Mohammad NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) who has only 37000 points.

Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) finished fifth at the European Championships to move to third with 33000 points while the champion in the tournament Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) is fourth with 31200 points.

Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA), the seventh placer at Euros, is currently eighth in the rankings with 21475 points while Asian champion Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) is a spot behind at ninth with 20200 points. European silver Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) finishes off the top-10 with 19200 points.

Pan-Am silver Samuel BARMISH (CAN) is at the 11th spot with 18300 points followed by Euros bronze Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) [18020 points]. Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) broke into top-15 with a bronze at Asian Championships and has 16700 points.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)David TAYLOR (USA), red, and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) are the top two wrestlers at 86kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

86kg
David TAYLOR (IRI) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) both decided to skip their respective continental championships but still remain one and two respectively.

But the two biggest movers were Olympic bronze Myles AMINE (SMR) who won the European title and now has 47200 points at the fourth position. Silver to him at the Euros and world bronze Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) is now fifth with 42000 points.

Boris MAKOEV (SVK) moved to sixth from 10th despite his ninth-place finish at the Europeans. He now has 36100 points, a mere 100 points more than Osman GOCEN (TUR) [36000 points] who won a bronze at the Euros.

Asian Championships finalists Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) and Deepak PUNIA (IND) take the eighth and ninth spots with 35000 points and 31000 points respectively.

10th at the European Championships Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA) has 30600 points to be placed at the 10th spot while Pan-Am bronze Ethan RAMOS (PUR) takes the 11th spot with 24700 points.

African champion Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG), Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP) and the European fifth Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR) all have 17000 points to be in 13th, 14th and 15th position.

Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI)Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) has 45000 points at the top at 92kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

92kg
No wrestler has been able to move past world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) at 92kg despite him skipping the Asian Championships. He has 45000 points at the top.

The closest who came to take his spot was world bronze medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) with 37500 points but he finished with bronze at European Championships. He only got 6500 points for that to be second. But he managed to move ahead of Magomed KURBANOV (RWF) [37000 points] with that performance.

Pan-Am champion and world bronze J'den COX is fourth with 36000 points.

Others have some work to do to catch up with the top four wrestlers. Pan-Am silver medalist Jeremy POIRIER (CAN) is seventh with 21000 points but the eighth, ninth and 10th spots are taken by wrestlers with 18200 points, Erhan YAYLACI 16000 points and Akhmed MAGAMAEV 15500 points and none of them competed at their continental championships.

At 11th, Orgilokh DAGVADORJ (MGL) has 15400 points for his silver medal at the Asian Championships while fifth place at the same tournament Takuma OTSU (JPN) has 14000 points and is at 13th spot.

European fifth Georgii RUBAEV (MDA) has 13200 points at the 14th position while Asian bronze medalist Viky CHAHAR (IND) is 15th with 13020 points.

Sadulaev SnyderAbdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) are clear of the rest of the field as top two at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

97kg
Kyle SNYDER (USA) won the Pan-Am Championships but could not move ahead of Olympic and world champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF). Snyder has 88400 points while Sadulaev has 96000 points.

The rankings are much closer if the top two are removed. World bronze medalist Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR) remains at third with 38500 points while European seventh Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD) has 36100 points at sixth position.

Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL) won a silver medal at the Asian Championships to total 36100 points and is now at the seventh position. World bronze medalist Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) is the only other wrestler to remain in the top-10 as he has 31000 points.

Three wrestlers bronze into top-15 as Mohammadhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) won the Asian title and improved to 12th position with 26400 points.

Radu LEFTER (MDA) survived to move out of the top-15, thanks to the 3100 points he got at the European Championships. He now has 20100 points at the 14th position. Asian bronze medalist Satywart KADIAN (IND) also has 20100 points and is ranked 15th.

akgulTaha AKGUL (TUR) took over the 125kg top rank from Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) after winning the European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

125kg
Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) once again met in the 125kg European Championships final. It was also a battle for the top spot in rankings and in both, Akgul came out on top. Akgul won the gold and now has 88200 points at the top while Petriashvili has 86400 points.

World champion Amir ZARE (IRI), who skipped the Asian Championships, is third with 79200 points. Another wrestler who skipped the Asian Championships was Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) and with 65400 points, he remains at the fourth spot.

But Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) moved to the sixth spot despite losing the final at Pan-Am Championships. His silver took his tally to 38800 points.

No other substantial change was seen in the rankings apart from Pan-Am champ Amarveer DHESI (CAN) breaking into the top-10. He is now 10th with 22800 points.

African champion Youssif HEMIDA (EGY) also moved up and is now at the 11th spot with 22000 points followed by European bronze medalist Robert BARAN (POL) at 12th with 20800 points.

Daniel LIGETI (HUN) also won a bronze at the European Championships which helped him move from 22nd to 14th. He now has 16700 points.

#WrestleSamokov

Onishi repeats as U20 world champ; Blaze wins 61kg gold

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 20) -- Four bouts, a combined score of 40-0, and a total time on the mat of five minutes and 24 seconds -- all matches finished inside the first period.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) put on one of the most dominant performances at the World U20 Championships, becoming a two-time world champion by winning the 59kg gold in Samokov, Bulgaria, on Wednesday.

The Japanese wrestling phenom spent less time on the mat than a full six-minute wrestling match and won all bouts with a 10-0 score, just like she did in 2024. Onishi has now outscored her opponents 80-0 over the two tournaments.

After three wins on Tuesday, Onishi faced Karin SAMUELSSON (SWE) in the final. She locked Samuelsson's legs around her head, turning her four times after the takedown. She used the technique on three of her four wins.

"I didn't want to finish quickly. I wanted to focus on winning each point and play the match with that focus," Onishi said.

Onishi feels that she has improved technically since last year, especially after winning the senior Asian Championships in which she faced stiff competition.

"I've been working on improving in various ways," she said. "I wanted to aim even higher in terms of technique and physical strength. The fact that I wasn't defeated in the senior category boosted my confidence. Winning the Asian Championships and Ranking Tournament in Tirana also boosted my confidence."

Sakura ONISHI (JPN)Sakura ONISHI (JPN) uses her trademark lace against Karin SAMUELSSON (SWE) in the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Next for Onishi is the senior World Championships in September as she prepares to win the world title in Zagreb as well. To prepare for that she wanted to test herself again in this age group.

"The World Championships are coming up, and I think this category is just one step in the process," she said. "I think I've taken a good step forward, and I definitely want to win the senior World Championships."

Ray HOSHINO (JPN)Ray HOSHINO (JPN) works on a takedown against SRISHTI (IND) in the 68kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan won its second gold medal through Ray HOSHINO (JPN), who also won her second World U20 title. Hoshino, the 2023 world U20 champion, showed no signs of rust in her 7-0 hammering of SRISHTI (IND) in the 68kg final in Samokov.

Srishti, a returning bronze medalist, tried to score on Hoshino, but the Japanese wrestler overpowered her and clearly had a better game plan for the final bout.

Hoshino scored the first takedown of the final and then added a step-out to take a 3-0 lead. She then scored a go-behind to extend her lead to 5-0 at the break. An ankle pick during Srishti's attack gave Hoshino her third takedown of the match and a 7-0 lead she kept until the end.

India crowned one champion on Wednesday when TAPSYA (IND) defeated the European U20 champion, Felicitas Domajeva (NOR), 5-2, to win the 57kg gold medal.

In a match decided by a single move, Tapsya scored a takedown and used an arm-bar to pin Domajeva, who survived the attempt but fell behind 5-0 as she had already conceded a point for passivity.

In the final seconds of the bout, Domajeva scored a takedown, but it was harmless to Tapsya, who defended any turn attempts to win 5-2 and India's first gold in Samokov.

The loss ended hopes for Domajeva to win the first world U20 gold medal for Norway in 37 years. She had became the first Norway wrestler to enter the World U20 Championships final in Women's Wrestling in 15 years.

Marcus BLAZE (USA)Marcus BLAZE (USA) celebrates, like his roommate at Penn State Masanosuke ONO (JPN), after winning the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U.S. defends Freestyle title

Marcus BLAZE (USA) upgraded his bronze medal from last year to a gold medal, and Maxwell MCENELLY (USA) won the gold medal in the 86 kg weight class as the United States successfully defended its freestyle team title at the World U20 Championships. With five gold medals, the U.S. had its best showing in the competition's history since 1984.

Blaze, who lost to the Japanese world champion Masanosuke ONO (JPN) last year, defeated a former world U17 champion Ahora KHATERI (USA), 10-0, in the final, his fourth win via technical superiority.

With his gold medals at the World U17 and U20 Championships, Blaze joins an elite group of wrestlers who have won world titles at both the U17 and U20 levels.

In Samokov, Blaze demonstrated that he will be a formidable opponent at the senior level as well. He wrestled with solid positioning and scored with various techniques. In the final match, he wrestled Khateri patiently, scoring five stepouts in the first period. A caution against Khateri made it 6-0, and then a go-behind and turn by Blaze made it 10-0.

"I feel good," Blaze said. "I wrestled pretty well. Throughout the tournament, I just kept getting better and better. I feel good about it. Our coaches gave me a game plan, and I stuck to it."

Before the final match, Blaze received a text message from his high school coach, Scott BURNETT, who explained Khateri's wrestling style and told Blaze to "suffocate" his opponent.

"When I was really young, my coach always said to be in a great position the whole time," he said. "Before the final, he told me to suffocate my opponent, and I feel like that's what I did out there."

Marcus BLAZE (USA)Marcus BLAZE (USA) is now a world U17 and U20 champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In his international career, Blaze has lost only once — to Ono in 2024 — but now, both wrestlers train at Penn State in the United States. After winning the gold medal, Blaze imitated Ono's 2024 celebration after the Japanese had won gold at the U20 World Championships.

"I live with Ono; he's my roommate," Blaze said. "He's a great person. At that time, he was just way better. I'm thankful to be able to wrestle with him every single day."

The second gold medal for the U.S. came from McEnelly, who defeated Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (UWW) 8-0 at 86 kg.

McEnelly prevented Islamgereev from attacking his legs and wrestled at a fast pace throughout the final. He scored four takedowns to shut out Islamgereev.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

57kg
GOLD: TAPSYA (IND) df. Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR), 5-2

BRONZE: Dolzhon TSYNGUEVA (UWW) df. Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Anna STRATAN (KAZ) df. Tindra DALMYR (SWE), 9-3

59kg
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Karin SAMUELSSON (SWE), 10-0

BRONZE: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. Ella FINDING (CAN), 4-1
BRONZE: Yifan ZHU (CHN) df. Aubre KRAZER (USA), 5-3

68kg
GOLD: Ray HOSHINO (JPN) df. SRISHTI (IND), 7-0

BRONZE: Eduarda RODRIGUES BATISTA (BRA) df. Laura KOEHLER (GER), via fall
BRONZE: Odzaya ERDENEBAT (MGL) df. Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR), 9-8

Freestyle

61kg
GOLD: Marcus BLAZE (USA) df. Ahora KHATERI (IRI), 10-0

BRONZE: Omar AYOUB (PUR) df. Adlan SAITIEV (UWW), 8-6
BRONZE: Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (UWW) df. Sargis BEGOYAN (ARM), 12-11

86kg
GOLD: Maxwell MCENELLY (USA) df. Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (UWW), 8-0

BRONZE: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) df. Razmik YEPREMYAN (ARM), 4-2
BRONZE: Ahmet YAGAN (TUR) df. Ryogo ASANO (JPN), 9-3