World Rankings

Chamizo Climbs to No.1 in World Freestyle Rankings, 4 Russians Top Rankings

Wednesday, August 1, 2018 - 03:54 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (Aug. 1) -- Two-time world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) rose four spots to No.1 at 74kg in the August 2018 Ranking Series for freestyle wrestling. 

Chamizo, a world champion last year at 70kg, recently captured a gold medal at the Yasar Dogu with a criteria victory (10-10) over returning world champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), avenging a loss from May. Chamizo won a European bronze medal in May, with his lone loss coming to Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) in the semifinals. 

Russia leads the pack with four wrestlers ranked No.1 in freestyle. No other country has multiple top-ranked wrestlers in the freestyle rankings. Russia's No.1-ranked wrestlers include Zavur UGUEV (57kg), Ilias BEKBULATOV (65kg), Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (79kg) and Vladislav BAITCAEV (97kg).

Both Uguev and Bekbulatov won gold medals at the Yarygin Grand Prix and Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournaments, and both finished as silver medalists at the European Championships. Gadzhimagomedov won a gold at the European Championships, as well as gold medals at the Yarygin Grand Prix and Kolov-Petrov tournaments. Baitcaev claimed his first European title earlier this year, and was also a World Military champion. 


Fresh off winning a gold medal at the Yasar Dogu, Mohammadjavad EBRAHIMIZIVLAEI (IRI) sits atop the world rankings at 92kg. He won his Yasar Dogu gold by narrowly defeating fellow Iranian Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI on criteria. Earlier this year Ebrahimizivlaei won a gold medal at the Asian Championships. 


Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) holds his No.1 ranking at 125kg after winning a bronze medal at the Yasar Dogu this past weekend. Gwiazdowski, a returning world bronze medalist, won a Pan American gold medal in May and an Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix gold in January. 

Other top-ranked freestyle wrestlers include Asian bronze medalist Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB) at 61kg, Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR) at 70kg and Fatih ERDIN (TUR) at 86kg.

The final Ranking Series event is the Medved, which takes place Sept. 14-16 in Minsk, Belarus.

For more on the Ranking Series format, be sure to check out this article. 

View all the rankings on United World Wrestling's homepage.

57kg
1. Zavur UGUEV (RUS) // 42 Points
2. Thomas GILMAN (USA) // 36 Points
3. Suleyman ATLI (TUR) // 32 Points
4. Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) // 32 Points
5. Khuresh Ool DONDUK OOL (RUS) // 30 Points

61kg
1. Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB) // 49 Points
2. Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) // 42 Points
3. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) // 41 Points
4. Mirjalal HASAN ZADA (AZE) // 31 Points
5. Nurislam (Artas) SANAYEV (SANAA) (KAZ) // 24 Points

65kg
1. Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) // 45 Points
2. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) // 45 Points
3. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) // 40 Points
4. Mehran Akbar NASIRIAFRACHALI (IRI) // 39 Points
5. Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) // 39 Points

70kg
1. Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR) // 51 Points
2. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) // 44 Points
3. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) // 43 Points
4. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) // 35 Points
5. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) // 31 Points

74kg
1. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) // 44 Points
2. Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) // 37 Points
3. Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ) // 37 Points
4. Mandakhnaran GANZORIG (MGL) // 32 Points
5. Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM) // 30 Points

79kg
1. Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) // 42 Points
2. Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) // 36 Points
3. Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) // 31 Points
4. Kyle Douglas DAKE (USA) // 30 Points
5. Muhammet Nuri KOTANOGLU (TUR) // 30 Points

86kg
1. Fatih ERDIN (TUR) // 76 Points
2. David TAYLOR III (USA) // 62 Points
3. Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) // 46 Points
4. Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO) // 41 Points
5. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) // 37 Points

92kg
1. Mohammadjavad EBRAHIMIZIVLAEI (IRI) // 51 Points
2. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) // 41 Points
3. Serdar BOKE (TUR) // 40 Points
4. Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) // 32 Points
5. Anzor URISHEV (RUS) // 29 Points

97kg
1. Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) // 38 Points
2. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) // 37 Points
3. Magomed Idrisovitch IBRAGIMOV (UZB) // 36 Points
4. Mojtaba Mohammadshafie GOLEIJ (IRI) // 35 Points
5. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) // 31 Points

125kg
1. Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) // 48 Points
2. Danylo KARTAVYI (UKR) // 40 Points
3. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) // 37 Points
4. Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS) // 35 Points
5. Zolboo NATSAGSUREN (MGL) // 35 Points

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Women's Wrestling Preview

Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 15:12 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 16) -- Six 2025 champions will look to defend their gold medal in Women's Wrestling at the European Championships starting next week. But the tournament will also see a return of a few veteran stars in Tirana.

Among the returning champions will be Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), who ended a 24-year wait for Greece to have European champion in Women's Wrestling, now going for her second title at 53kg.

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Just as is the case globally, there’s no shortage of depth in the 53kg weight class in Europe and a number of wrestlers can upset the Greek wrestler.

Two former champions, Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) and Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (UWW), are returning to the continental championships for the first time since 2024. The two met in the final at the 2024 edition with the latter winning the gold medal.

Tirana will also mark the return of prodigious talent Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR), a former U17 world and U20 European champion. She will be among the many Ukrainians favorites to win gold in their respective categories.

Apart from the four, Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), Gerda TEREK (HUN) and Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) are also in contention to finish on the podium.

Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), right, will look to defend her 76kg title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Strong Ukraine Squad
Ukraine have won the women’s team title in each of the last three editions and are set to defend it, thanks to a strong squad heading to Tirana. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) at 50kg and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) at 76kg will look to repeat as champions while U20 world champion Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) will make her senior debut at 72kg.

Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) at 57kg and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) at 59kg have good chances to finish on the top of the podium as well.

Livach will be the favorite at 50kg despite the likes of returning silver medalist Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR), U23 European champion Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), returning bronze medalist Natallia VARAKINA (UWW) and rising star Svenja JUNGO (SUI).

Alpyeyeva stunned the wrestling world by winning the 76kg gold medal last year by beating Yasemin ADAR (TUR) in the final. While both bronze medalists from 2025, Martina KUENZ (AUT) and Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (UWW) are returning, it’s U23 world silver medalist Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) who likely to be the biggest challenger to Alpyeyeva.

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) is hoping to return to the top of the podium at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Two-time Olympic medalist and former European champion Koliadenko will lead the charge at 65kg. After being denied last year by Irina RINGACI (MDA) in the semifinals, Koliadenko will be looking to bounce back and add to her previous three European gold medals.

While the absence of Ringaci and last year's champion Grace BULLEN (NOR), who has moved to 62kg should make things easier, Koliadenko still has some tricky opponents in Tirana. World silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) should be the biggest challenger for Koliadenko.

Greco-trained Sokolovska, who won the U20 world title at 76kg, will be at 72kg replacing European and world champion Alla BELINSKA (UKR) this year. In a stacked weight class, she will be challenged by Olympic medalist and former European champion Buse TOSUN (TUR), who moved down to 68kg last year and finished with a bronze medal. But she is back to 72kg, switching spots with Nesrin BAS (TUR), 2025 silver at 72kg, who is now at 68kg.

U23 European champion Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) will be another tough competitor for Sokolovska along with world medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL).

Nesrin BAS (TUR)Nesrin BAS (TUR) will present her challenge at 68kg this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Bas' Golden Chance 
Bas at 68kg will be keen on claiming the top position in European after falling short at the continental and world level last year. She lost finals at 72kg at both the competitions in 2025.

Bas, a three-time U23 world champion, will face returning champion Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) who recently won the U23 European gold. Shauchuk has been rising quickly through the ranks and she defeated Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) in the final last year to stun the Bratislava crowd. 

Shauchuk should be ready for a tougher outing as Bas brings more skill set and Zelenykh will be keen on revenge. Former U23 European champion Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) will be the dark horse.

Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) is the defending champion at 55kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Verbina Eyes Second Straight Gold
Defending champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW), also a world silver medalist, could have had a smooth sailing to the gold medal but the entry of former European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) just added to the challenge of defending the title. While these two go in as favorites, keep an eye out for Tuba DEMIR (TUR) who has the potential to go deep into this bracket as well.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) is eyeing her fifth European gold medal in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Bullen Favorite at 62kg
Grace BULLEN (NOR) spent most of 2025, a year after the Olympics, at 65kg in which she also won gold at the European Championships. But the four-time champion is returning to 62kg and will be the favorite at the weight class to win her fifth title to go with her two silver medals.

Bullen defeated Ringaci in a memorable final last year, but she should have less trouble winning gold this year. U23 European champion Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) should be her biggest threat along with former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), and former U23 world and European champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN).

Returning silver medalist Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), who has notched up a series of good results recently, will also be looking to return to the final and challenge Bullen.

With defending champion at 57kg Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) giving the European Championships a miss, returning silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) has the chance to improve the color of her medal. Among other contenders are returning bronze medalists Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Solomiia VYNYYK (UKR). Former U20 European champion and U20 world silver medalist Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR) will also be looking to at least finish on the podium for Norway.

Another returning silver medalist from Turkiye hoping to upgrade her medal is Bediha GUN (TUR), who lost to Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) last year in the final at 59kg.

Sidelnikova’s absence will make things only slightly easier for Gun in Tirana but world silver medalist Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) is expected to pose a serious threat as she chases her first-ever European medal.

Finalists from February’s U23 European Championships, Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Marta HETMANAVA (UWW) are also entered and it won’t be a shock if the two make the final. Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), silver medalist at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in February, will be among the contenders as well.