Ranking Series

Olympic Champ Kim Remains Lone Non-European No. 1 Ranked Wrestler

Tuesday, June 25, 2019 - 17:40 By Eric Olanowski

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VEVEY, Switzerland (June 25) – Korea's Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo captured a gold medal at the Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial last month on the Italian island of Sardinia and remained the lone non-European to hold a No. 1 ranking heading into the final Greco-Roman Ranking Series event, the Oleg Karavaev (July 26-28). 

Of the nine top spots held by European wrestlers, five Russian wrestlers are ranked first in their respective weight class. The Russian-five are Sergey EMELIN (60kg), Stepan MARYANYAN (63kg), Artem SURKOV (67kg), Musa EVLOEV (97kg), and Sergey SEMENOV (130kg).

Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), Frank STAEBLER (GER), Emrah KUS (TUR), and Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) give Azerbaijan, Germany, Turkey, and Ukraine the remaining four top spots. 

Azizli Remains Top-Ranked Wrestler at 55kg 
Eldaniz Azizli comes in as the No.1 seed at 55kg. The Azeri has a resounding 30-point lead over second-ranked Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) and has the luxury of sitting out of the Oleg Karavaev and still keeping his top spot.  

Bakhromov has the narrow six-point lead over Budapest world runner-up Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), and a nine-point lead over fourth-ranked Ekrem OZTURK (TUR). But this may not matter because there are only two athletes entered into the Oleg Karavaev at 55kg and neither are within striking distance of earning a seed for Nur-Sultan World Championships. 

If the entry list stays the same, this weight won't change before September, leaving the potential semifinals matchup between Azizli and Ozturk on the top side, and Bakhromov and Sharshenbekov on the bottom side. 

Top 10 at 55kg 
76 - Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
46 - Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB)
40 - Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
37 -Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
35 - Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
27 - Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
24 - Reza Kheirollah KHEDRI (IRI)
20 - Liguo CAO (CHN)
20 - Norayr HAKHOYAN (ARM)
20 - Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)

Emelin Holds Criteria over Ciobanu, Will be No. 1 Seed at 60kg
Sergey Emelin and Victor CIOBANU (MDA) traded golds at the World and European Championships and could meet each other in another gold-medal match if the rankings hold through the World Championships. 

Emlin, the first ranked wrestler at 60kg, holds an 18-point advantage over the man who upset him in the European finals, Vicotr Ciobanu, but the Russian holds criteria and has locked up the top seed because of it. 

KIM Seunghak (KOR) climbed to the third spot in the latest rankings and established himself as a credible threat to win a 60kg medal at the world championships after winning back-to-back Ranking Series titles. Earlier this year, Kim won the Hungarian Grand Prix, then won the Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial last month. 

Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) is ranked fourth in the world at 60kg and only sits four points behind Kim. But Kazakhstan's 11th ranked Aidos SULTANGALI sits 17 points behind Lizatovic and will wrestle at the final Ranking Series event. He'd need a gold medal in a weight class with greater than 20 athletes to earn the 18 points he needs to overthrow Lizatovic for the fourth spot.

Top 10 at 60kg 
78 - Sergey EMELIN (RUS)
60 - Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
46 - Seunghak KIM (KOR)
42 - Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
39 - Sailike WALIHAN (CHN)
38 - Se Ung RI (PRK)
34 - Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
28 - Firuz TUKHTAEV (UZB)
28 - Gyanender GYANENDER (IND)
26 - Virgil MUNTEANU (ROU)

Top Three at 63kg Locked in For Nur-Sultan 
Reigning world champion Stepan Maryanyan's record has remained unblemished since he won the world title in Budapest. He's since won the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament and the European Championships and has cemented his spot at the top of the 63kg weight class with 80 Ranking Series points. 

The two wrestlers right behind him, Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) and TUO Erbatu (CHN), have also locked up their top-four seed, but only six points separate the two. Tasmuradov, who got hurt at the Asian Championships, holds a six-point lead over Tuo. 

Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) is ranked fourth in the world at 63kg, 22 points behind Tuo. Galstyan still has some work to do if he hopes to lock up a seed at Worlds. Thirty-three wrestlers can still catch him, and one of the wrestlers looking to steal a spot is 22nd ranked Shinobu OTA (JPN). Ota is entered into the Oleg Kavaraev and needs 15 to take over the fourth spot from the Armenian. 

Top 10 at 63kg 
80 - Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS)
56 - Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB)
50 - Erbatu TUO (CHN)
28 - Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
28 - Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
26 - Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR)
26 - Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
25 - Rahman BILICI (TUR)
25 - Lenur TEMIROV (UKR)
20 - Hassan Hassan Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)

Surkov Stands at No. 1 at 67kg 
Defending world champion Artem Surkov has a 30-point advantage over second-ranked RYU Hansu (KOR) and will sit out of the Oleg Kavaraev because he's locked up the No. 1 seed. 

But Korea's Ryu only has a three-point cushion over Poland's third-ranked Gevorg SAHAKYAN and Kazahkstan's Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET. 

From there, six wrestlers can claim a seed, but only two of them will wrestle at the Oleg Kavaraev, and they both happen to be from Japan. Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA and Shogo TAKAHASHI, who are ranked ninth and tenth respectively, are tied with 28 points. 

Since they are the only two top-ten ranked wrestlers entered into the final Ranking Series event, if more than 20 wrestlers show up in their bracket and either win a gold medal, they could jump inside the top-three just before the World Championships. 

Top 10 at 67kg 
78 - Artem SURKOV (RUS)
48 - Hansu RYU (KOR)
45 - Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
43 - Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)
40 - Davor STEFANEK (SRB)
30 - Danijel JANECIC (CRO)
30 - Mate NEMES (SRB)
28 - Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
28 - Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (JPN)
28 - Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN)

Mnatsakanian Moves to No. 1 After Staebler Dropping Down to 67kg 
Germany's Frank STAEBLER has been making his way down to the Olympic weight of 67kg since winning his third world title in Budapest and will be forfeiting his top-ranked at 72kg. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) will be the beneficiary of the German wrestler's move. After he moves up to No. 1, and with no ranked wrestlers entered into the Oleg Kavaraev, the other top-three seeded wrestlers at the World Championships will be Balint KORPASI (HUN), Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS), and Tarek Aziz BENAISSA (ALG), respectively.

Top 10 at 72kg 
60 - Frank STAEBLER (GER)
55 - Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
52 - Balint KORPASI (HUN)
40 - Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS)
38 - Tarek Aziz BENAISSA (ALG)
32 - Hujun ZHANG (CHN)
30 - Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR)
26 - Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN)
26 - Mateusz Lucjan BERNATEK (POL)
25 - Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE)

Kim Remains Lone Non-European No.1-Ranked Wrestler
Korea's London Olympic champion Kim Hyeonwoo is the lone non-European wrestler to hold the world's No. 1 ranking. Kim won the Asian Championships and the Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial, while also finishing with bronze medals at the Zagreb Open and Hungarian Grand Prix. His 87 points are 26 more than second-ranked Viktor NEMES (SRB), which means he'll be the top-seeded wrestler at 77kg when the World Championships roll around. 

Nemes has a one-point lead over reigning world champion Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS), though it's not clear if Russia will go with Chekhirkin or two-time Olympic champion Roman VLASOV (RUS), who won the European title at this weight. 

Hungary's Tamas LORINCZ is the fourth-ranked wrestler and is only in danger of losing his seed to Kamal BEY (USA), but since the American failed to make the world team, Lorincz should be safe not competing in Belarus. 

Top 10 at 77kg 
87 - Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
61 - Viktor NEMES (SRB)
60 - Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS)
52 - Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
36 - Kamal Ameer BEY (USA)
32 - Bilan NALGIEV (UZB)
22 - Roman VLASOV (RUS)
20 - Alex Michel BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE)
20 - Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB)
20 - Roland SCHWARZ (GER)

Kus' European Bronze Pushes Him Past Bacsi Who Recently Retired 
Emrah KUS (TUR) and Peter BACSI (HUN) are ranked first and second respectively heading into July, but since Bacsi has announced his retirement, Saeid Morad ABDVALI (IRI) will move into to the second slot come September. 

Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) is the fourth-ranked wrestler, but that's likely to change because two top-eight wrestlers who are close enough to steal the fourth seed will wrestle in Belarus. 

Reigning European champion Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) is three points away from Sasunouski, and Asian bronze medalist Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ), who is seven points from the Belarusian, are both aiming for gold at the Oleg Karavaev. 

Top 10 at 82kg 
70 - Emrah KUS (TUR)
60 - Peter BACSI (HUN)
38 - Saeid Morad ABDVALI (IRI)
37 - Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR)
36 - Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
34 - Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN)
32 - Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)
30 - Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ)
25 - Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM)
20 - Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)

87kg Seeds Set Heading into Oleg Karavaev 
The seeds at 87kg for the World Championships are set in stone. The reason being, Hungary has two wrestlers in the top-four and can only enter one of them into the World Championships. In addition to that, there's only one unseeded wrestler who can jump into the top four, but he'll receive a bump because of the two seeded Hungarians. 

Reigning European champion Zhan Beleniuk will be first. Turkey's two-time world champion Metehan BASAR will follow him in the second spot. Hungary will most likely go with fourth-ranked Viktor LORINCZ, who has defeated third-ranked Erik SZILVASSY three times this year. This means Lorincz will be the third-seeded wrestler, with Islam ABBASOV (AZE) moving into the fourth slot. 

Top 10 at 87kg 
62 - Zhan BELENIUK (UKR)
60 - Metehan BASAR (TUR)
56 - Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
52 - Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
40 - Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
32 - Radzik KULIYEU (BLR)
32 - Hossein Ahmad NOURI (IRI)
32 - Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
28 - Mikalai STADUB (BLR)
26 - Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB)

Evloev Enters Nur-Sultan No. 1 at 97kg
You can lock in Musa Evloev, Kiril MILOV (BUL), and Tracy HANCOCK (USA) to the top three seeds at 97kg for the World Championships. They've built enough points to sit out of the final Ranking Series event and still sit in the top three.

The remaining top-four ranked wrestler who hasn't locked up his spot is Mahdi ALIYARIFEIZABADI (IRI). Aliyarifeizabadi sits in fourth with 39 points. There are still seven wrestlers, none of which are entered into the Oleg Karavaev, that could pass him if they were to show up. Of those seven wrestlers that can catch Aliyarifeizabadi, four of them sit within nine points. That means, a medal at the Oleg Kavaraev would steal the spot from the Iranian.

Top 10 at 97kg 
82 - Musa EVLOEV (RUS)
74 - Kiril Milenov MILOV (BUL)
60 - Tracy Gangelo HANCOCK (USA)
39 - Mahdi Abbas ALIYARIFEIZABADI (IRI)
35 - Mihail KAJALA (SRB)
32 - Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN)
32 - Fatih BASKOY (TUR)
30 - Balazs KISS (HUN)
28 - Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
28 - Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB)

Semenov Seals No. 1 Spot at 130kg
Similar to 97kg, the top-three wrestlers at 130kg have locked up their spot for at least a top-four seed for the World Championships. Sergey Semenov, Adam Jacob COON (USA), and Heiki NABI (EST) will be the top-three seeds respectively come September's World Championships. 

When it comes to the fourth-ranking, KIM Minseok (KOR) holds the spot as of now. Though it's unlikely to happen because there are only eight wrestlers entered into the Oleg Kavaraev, Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) can still overtake the Korean with a gold-medal performance in a bracket with 20+ wrestlers.

Top 10 at 130kg 
76 - Sergey SEMENOV (RUS)
60 - Adam Jacob COON (USA)
52 - Heiki NABI (EST)
47 - Minseok KIM (KOR)
30 - Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)
28 - Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
28 - Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
28 - Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
26 - Lingzhe MENG (CHN)
26 - Balint LAM (HUN)

#WrestleBudapest

World C'ships hopefuls battle it out in Budapest Ranking Series

Monday, July 14, 2025 - 14:51 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 13) -- The Budapest Ranking Series, held at this time of year, serves as the primary team selection event for most countries heading into the World Championships. Rather than conducting domestic trials, nations use this international competition to identify their top wrestlers for each weight class.

Georgia, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan will be among the top countries looking to finalize their Greco-Roman teams during the July 17-20 tournament in Hungary capital.

Azerbaijan, one of the strongest Greco-Roman nations, is bringing all three of its 2024 world champions. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), the 55kg world champion, and Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), the 63kg world champion, are both entered at 60kg. Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE), the 72kg world champion, will compete at 77kg alongside Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE).

Mammadli is on a hot streak, having claimed European and world titles in 2024 before adding the 2025 European gold at 60kg. Meanwhile, Azizli, a European silver medalist at 55kg, enters the 60kg bracket for two key reasons: to challenge Mammadli and avoid a significant weight cut.

Ganizade and Suleymanov did not win medals at the European Championships but will battle it out at 77kg in Budapest to make the team.

Paris Olympic bronze medalist and European champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is at 72kg, up from his preferred 67kg as he prepares for the World Championships without forcing himself to reduce weight.

Similarly, hosts Hungary will have tough battles among local wrestlers. European 72kg champion Levente LEVAI (HUN) is moving up to 77kg and his brother Zoltan, a regular at 77kg, is now at 82kg. But so is world silver medalist Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) and it will be toss-up between the two to make the World Championships team.

The 87kg continues to be a heavily contested weight class as Tamas LEVAI (HUN), Istvan TAKACS (HUN) and European champion David LOSONCZI (HUN) are entered and the winner is likely to take the spot for the Zagreb Worlds.

At 130kg, Darius VITEK (HUN) and Koppany LASZLO (HUN) will fight it out for the spot.

The competition, however, won't be limited to these team selection battles. Many other top wrestlers are also entered, aiming for final preparations before the World Championships in Zagreb from September 13-21.

Here's the breakdown of each weight class:

55kg: European champion Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) will be the favorite in the bracket which also has 2024 European champ Artiom DELEANU (MDA), United States phenom Jayden RANEY (USA), Mongolia Ranking Series winner Anil MOR (IND) and world bronze medalist Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB).

The Budapest tournament will be a big test for teenagers Mor and Raney as they compete at the senior level.

60kg: Apart from Azizli and Mammadli, Pridon ABULADZE (GEO), world U20 medalist SUMIT (IND), Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ), former world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA), European silver medalist Georgij TIBILOV (SRB), Sadyk LALAEV (UWW), Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (UWW) and world U23 champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) rack up a stacked bracket.

Mammadli will still be the favorite, coming in as the European champion. He will also be keen on avenging his Zagreb Open loss to Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB). Azizli, who has tried to make 60kg before in his career, will have a big task as he has struggled to match up against bigger-sized wrestlers at this weight class.

Tibilov made the finals in Bratislava but lost to Mammadli. He will be keen on getting a rematch in Budapest. Lalaev, who lost to Tibilov, has a chance to avenge that loss to the Serbian. He also has to battle it out with Allakhiarov as both are fighting for a spot at the World Championships as UWW wrestlers in Zagreb.

Ganiev, who has impressed with world U23 gold and Asian Championships silver, can be a problem for others in the bracket.

63kg: Red-hot Kerem KAMAL (TUR) will try to maintain his winning streak of 2025 as he enters the fourth tournament of the year. He won gold in Tirana, Bratislava and Ulaanbaatar in dominant fashion. He will be in Budapest at 63kg as the favorite.

European silver medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) has a chance to avenge his loss in the final to Kamal but a strong bracket means he has bigger hurdles as well.

World U23 champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT), Dinislam BAMMATOV (UWW) and Sergey EMELIN (UWW) are entered to gain ranking points in Budapest.

67kg: With Jafarov moving up to 72kg for this tournament, former world champions Leri ABULADZE (GEO) and Sebastian NAD (SRB) along with a few others can win the gold.

Abuladze needs to win gold to make the World Championships over European bronze medalist Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) who will also look to beat his compatriot and earn his ticket to Zagreb.

Kazakhstan's world U23 champion Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) has not shown the same form since winning the world gold in 2023. He has a chance to be in Zagreb with good performance in Budapest. He also has Din  KOSHKAR (KAZ) fighting for the same spot.

Add Ruslan BICHURIN (UWW) to the bracket as he can easily take the gold medal to surprise the field at 67kg.

Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) is a world U23 champion at 72kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

72kg: Three Georgians are entered at 72kg -- Iuri LOMADZE (GEO), Otar ABULADZE (GEO), Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO). The winner will get the spot on the Georgian team for the World Championships but the challenge is to win the tournament.

Lomadze failed to win a medal at the European Championships which created an opportunity for world bronze medalist Abuladze and world U23 champion Chkhikvadze to enter the race for a spot on the team.

Former world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB), who missed out on a medal at the Europeans, would be keen on getting back to winning ways before the World Championships where he won bronze last year.

Jafarov won't be too worried about his result here as he neither gains ranking points nor is his Azerbaijan team spot in danger.

77kg: Both Ganizade and Suleymanov have a chance to make the world team for Azerbaijan. Even if Ganizade misses the podium, he will most likely be back to 72kg. Still, it spices up the 77kg in Budapest.

Levai, who won 72kg European gold, will be challenging the 77kg field in Budapest as he prepares for the World Championships. His win in Bratislava has forced his brother Zoltan to move to 82kg. Levai has rock-solid defense and can score points from different positions.

But big-throwing wrestlers like Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), Sergei STEPANOV (UWW) and Sergei KUTUZOV (UWW) are entered in the competition.

Gutu missed the European Championships and his place was taken by Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA). Now, both are fighting for the 77kg spot for Moldova. Asian champion Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) will be hoping to build on his gold, his first-ever in any championships. 

Other significant names include Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR), Yunus BASAR (TUR) and Kamal BEY (USA).

82kg: European champion Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) will be challenged more than the Euros in Budapest. While he has mastered the European field, the Asian wrestlers can pose some unique challenges.

Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) and Samandar BOBONAZAROV (UZB) are the big names entered from Asia. Also add the two Kazakhstan wrestlers, Dias KALEN (KAZ) and Shamil OZHAEV (KAZ). World U23 silver medalist Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) will also be a tough competitor from the U.S.

Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) are some of the European stars.

87kg: Always regarded as the toughest weight class in Greco-Roman, the 87kg doesn't have a clear favorite. Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) will only be at his third competition this year after he won the Zagreb Open early in the year and then the invitational Thor Masters last month. It remains to be seen how rusty he looks coming back from the break.

Hungarian trio -- Levai, Takacs and Losonczi -- are fighting it out for the spot on the team and Losonczi will be the favorite to win, like last year.

The biggest challenge will come from Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW), Alan OSTAEV (UWW) and Aues GONIBOV (UWW). Only one of the three can be at the World Championships and that will add motivation for them to win the tournament.

Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) are also entered as they look to earn some ranking points for World Championships.

Islam ABBASOV (AZE), Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), Shamil OZHAEV (KAZ) and Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) are also in the bracket, making it even more unpredictable.

97kg: A mini-battle for Azerbaijan will be between Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE) and Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE), while Artur SARGSIAN (UWW) and Magomed MURTAZALIEV (UWW) will vie for UWW spots. Sargasian suffered a surprising loss at the European Championships but will hope to make the world team.

Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) and Alex SZOKE (HUN) are other big names in the competition.

130kg: European silver medalist Hamza BAKIR (TUR) will be the favorite to win the gold medal at 130kg despite the presence of Beka KANDELAKI (AZE),  Heiki NABI (EST), Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) among others.

Hungary has Darius VITEK (HUN) and Koppany LASZLO (HUN) competing for the 130kg spot for Hungary. 

Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) is a surprise entry at 130kg from Serbia as he seems to struggle to make the 97kg weight class

The United States has three entries -- Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA), Aden ATTAO (USA) and Courtney FREEMAN (USA).