UWW releases latest freestyle rankings

Monday, March 20, 2023 - 12:47 By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (March 20) -- With two Ranking Series events done, the United World Wrestling has released the latest ranking in freestyle. While there were a few changes in the first spot, a considerable movement was seen throughout the top ten.

The latest rankings will be crucial to determine the top four seeds of the continental championships which begin with the Asian Championships on April 9 followed by the European Championships in the same month. The Pan-Am Championships and African Championships will be held in May.

The ranking points considered are that of the World Championships and the two Ranking Series events. Here's a breakdown of the rankings:

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57kg
The weight class continues to be headlined by world champion Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) who has 45000 points, all from the gold medal in Belgrade. He is followed by Thomas GILMAN (USA) with 37000 points for his silver.

Previously number three Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) has been pushed to fourth by Wanhao ZOU (CHN). He has 35555 points over Zandanbud's 31000 points. Zou collected 5480 points in Zagreb and 5075 points in Alexandria to jump to third.

Darian CRUZ (PUR) was the next big jumper who moved from ninth to sixth spot after his eighth-place finish in Zagreb for 6200 points and 5100 points for 12th finish in Egypt.

Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO), who began the year at the 12th spot, has moved up to eighth with 23880 points, thanks to his bronze medal in Zagreb and 10th place finish in Alexandria. Aliabbas RZAZADE also accumulated 18400 points and has moved from 13th to ninth spot in the rankings.

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), red, and Reza ATRI (IRI), blue, are equal at 45000 points but the former in ranked number one. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

61kg
Reza ATRI (IRI), a silver medalist from World Championships, began the year at 37000 points and was second-period world champion Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) who has 45000 points. Atri now has come equal to Higuchu with 45000 points for his gold medal in Zagreb. However, he still remains second to Higuchi.

The third and fourth places, Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL) and Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), have switched places. The latter has 41200 points while the former is at 37400 points from the earlier 31000 points for both.

Harutyunyan won the bronze medal in Alexandria worth 10200 points while Narmandakh was a silver medalist in Zagreb for 6200 points. Harutyunyan got more points since the number of participants in 61kg in Alexandria was much higher.

The only other mover in this weight class is Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB) who is now at the seventh spot with 22500 points, up from 14300 points. He achieved this feat after an eighth-place finish in Alexandria.

Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) broke into the top 10 after getting 7800 points at the Ibrahim Moustafa, replacing Islam DUDAEV (ALB) from the list.

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) and Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) are one and two at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

65kg
The top spot at 65kg remains unchanged as world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) sits first with 45000 points. However, other positions have seen a lot of moving.

Bronze medalist in Belgrade Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) has jumped to the second spot from third with 9000 points for his fifth-place finish at Zagreb Open. He now has 40000 points to replace John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA).

Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) has also moved from fifth spot to third after getting 14050 points in two tournaments. He finished 14th in Zagreb for 5050 points but managed to reach fifth in Alexandria to claim 9000 points.

These changes have pushed Belgrade silver medalist Diakomihalis to fourth and bronze medalist Bajrang PUNIA (IND) to fifth.

Joseph MCKENNA (USA) has broken into the top 10 with silver medals in Zagreb and Alexandria which were worth 11400 points each. His total of 22800 was enough for him to get the seventh spot.

Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) was 11th with 9000 points at the start of the year but won the gold medal in Alexandria to get 13000 points and push his place to eighth with a total of 22000 points.

Coming at number nine is Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) who is just behind with 21880 points as he finished 10th in Zagreb for 7480 points and improve one spot to ninth in Alexandria for another 7800 points to break into the top-10.

Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB) has slipped from seventh to 10th with 18200 points.

Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) is the top ranked wrestler at 70kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

70kg
Another world champion who continues to keep the top spot is Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) who has 45000 points. But the silver medalist, Zain RETHERFORD (USA) has been displaced by bronze medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) who now has 42000 points to Retherford's 37000 points. He got 11000 points for his gold medal in Alexandria.

Coming in at four is the fifth placer in Belgrade Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) with 31520 points as he finished seventh in Alexandria for 6520 points. He has overtaken Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) who has not competed since the World Championships.

No other changes were seen in this weight class.

Kyle DAKE (USA) has 45000 points at the top spot at 74kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

74kg
Kyle DAKE (USA) continues to be at the top spot with 45000 points at 74kg. He won the World Championships for those points and no one has challenged him thus far.

Bronze medalist Yones EMAMI (IRI) has jumped to second with his gold medal in Zagreb as he got 11400 points for that effort. He now has 42400 points, 325 more than Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) who finished 13th in Zagreb.

The lower half has seen many changes as Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) is out of the top 10 and the fourth spot it taken by Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) while Sagar JAGLAN (IND) comes in at fifth with 30800 points.

At number seven, Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR) has accumulated 18720 points with his bronze in Alexandria and seventh place finish in Zagreb. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) remains at eighth despite him improving from 17000 points to 18200 points.

The only other change is the number 10 spot which is now taken over by Lawrence LAVALLEE (USA) with 16800 points, replacing Daichi TAKATANI (JPN).

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) continues to be the top ranked wrestler at 79kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

79kg
The top two at 79kg have remained changed for the second year running as Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) sits at the number one spot and Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) is second.

At the start of the year, Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) was fifth but he has got 10200 points in the new year to jump to number three with 35200 points. He has pushed world bronze medalists Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) and Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) to number four and five.

Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) has changed his position from 10th to seventh with a fifth place finish in Alexandria. He got 9000 points for that performance.

The other entrant into the top 10 is Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) who is at number nine with 19400 points, thanks to his silver in Zagreb and gold in Alexandria. Since those were his first two competitions at 79kg, he did not have any previous points.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) replaced David TAYLOR (USA) at the top in 86kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

86kg
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) won the gold medal at Zagreb Open and that was enough for him to overtake world champion David TAYLOR (USA) for the top spot with 48000 points. Taylor has 45000 points. Taylor slipped to third when Boris MAKOEV (SVK) jumped from 31000 points to 46200 points with eighth place in Zagreb and fifth at Alexandria.

Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) improved two ranks to fourth with 38275 points. He finished 13th in Zagreb but managed to win a bronze medal in Alexandria which gave him 10200 points.

Ethan RAMOS (PUR) remains fifth but has 9000 points more than he began the year with 25000 points. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) has not competed since the World Championships and is in the sixth spot.

Myles AMINE (SMR) has improved one spot to seventh while Zahid VALENCIA (USA) has broken into the top 10 after the two Ranking Series events. He began at 15th with a bronze medal in Zagreb but added a silver in Alexandria to move to the eighth spot with 19600 points.

Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO) is in the ninth spot while Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) is tenth with 16000 points.

Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) is clear on the top in the 92kg rankings. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

92kg
The four World Championships medalists continue to occupy the top four spots in the rankings at 92kg but the order has changed. World champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) has 45000 points at the top.

Earlier in the fourth spot, Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) is now second with 42600 points. He won a silver medal in Zagreb for 6400 points and a bronze in Alexandria for 5200 points.

He replaced Jden COX (USA) who has now slipped to third while fellow world bronze medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) remains fourth with 36200 points, 5200 points more than at the start of the year.

Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) moves from ninth to seventh with 20700 points as he got 5200 points for his bronze medal in Zagreb. He managed to keep Illia ARCHAIA (UKR) at eighth who got 2480 points more than his 17000 points at the start of the year. Simone IANNATTONI (ITA) moves down to ninth with 18200 points.

Kollin MOORE (USA) is the newcomer in the rankings and he is at number 10 with 16000 points. He got 8000 points each for his gold medals in Zagreb and Alexandria.

Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) are the number one and two at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostandin Andonov)

97kg
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) managed to trim the gap between him and number one ranked Kyle SNYDER (USA) to 6000 points from 8000 points but he still remains at the second spot. Snyder has 56000 points while Tsakulov has 50000 points.

He was replaced by Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) after Zagreb Open but Tsakulov managed to retake that position from Magomedov by winning the gold medal in Alexandria. Magomedov has now been pushed to number four as Vladislav BATISAEV (HUN) improved from fifth to third after a ninth-place finish in Zagreb and a bronze medal in Alexandria. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), who was third, is now fifth despite improving his points from 31000 points to 36013 points.

Benjamin HONIS (ITA) and Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) 17920 are the new entrants in the top 10. Honis has 20280 points for his appearances in Zagreb and Alexandria in which he finished 10th and fifth respectively. Honis began his year at the 15th spot with 5800 points but got 5480 points in Zagreb to jump to 11th and 9000 points more in Alexandria to improve to seventh.

Baranowski began his rankings from Zagreb as he got 6520 points to be placed 20th. However, he won silver in Alexandria and moved to the ninth spot with 17920 points.

Taha AKGUL (TUR), blue, is number one at 125kg and Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) is number two. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

125kg
Taha AKGUL (TUR) wrestled in Alexandria and won gold to consolidate his top rank at 125kg with 56000 points, up from the 45000 points he got for winning the World Championships.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) replaced Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) from the second spot by winning the Zagreb Open for 11000 points. He was earlier at the fourth spot. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) has also been pushed to the fourth spot.

Daniel LIGETI (HUN) moved from ninth spot to fifth after an increase of 11275 points for his bronze in Zagreb and 13th place finish in Alexandria. He also pushed Amarveer DHESI (CAN), Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ) and Hayden ZILLMER (USA) down one spot each. DINESH (IND) moved from the 10th spot to the ninth with a seventh-place finish in Alexandria which gave him 6520 points.

Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) moved from 11th to 10th in the latest rankings as he won a bronze medal in Alexandria which was worth 8200 points.

#WrestleBratislava

Bullen bullies her way to 65kg gold; Ukraine wins team title

Saturday, April 12, 2025 - 12:13 By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 11) -- Grace BULLEN (NOR) had three European title before Friday, all in different weight classes.

She added a fourth European title, in a new weight class by defeating world and two-time European champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) 11-8 in the 65kg final, the heaviest she has competed in. Bullen won her first European title in 2017, winning gold at 58kg. In 2021, she won at 57kg, last year at 62kg and now at 65kg.

"I feel I've come to like jumping over challenges that I think are difficult but I am fully capable of [overcoming]," Bullen said of switching weight classes for Europeans. "Just getting that out there and proving to myself because I feel that every match, I have to prove something to myself. I did that today, even though it was hard coming here."

In what turned out to be the match of tournament in Women's Wrestling, Bullen and Rigaci went toe-to-toe in the 65kg final. Bullen got on board first with a suplex from standing for four but Ringaci immediately answered with a double-leg takedown and gut wrench to make it 4-4 with Bullen leading on criteria for her bigger move. A stepout gave Bullen a 5-4 lead before she defended a leg-attack from Ringaci to maintain the lead at the break.

"I've seen her throws," she said. "I see how she's able to come out of every position like a wizard. She's a hard opponent to have because she knows how to get out of difficult positions. I have more touch and go and she's likes to scramble, and I'm trying to stay out of it and give her as less as points to her."

Ringaci opened the second period with a takedown on the edge for two points and take the lead 6-5. As Ringaci tried her underhooks, Bullen would block with double-leg attacks. Ringaci would try the whizzer only to give taken down by Bullen. In one such attack, Bullen scored a takedown to reclaim the lead before a sequence gave two points each to both wrestler with Bullen lead 9-8.

Bullen went for the armbar and kept Ringaci in danger for the final minute and won her fourth European title.

Grace BULLEN (NOR) celebrates after winning the 65kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

"I'm trying not to [think about the points given]," she said. "I came into the match with some task and it's to wrestle with my style and I'm trying to do it as best as possible, keeping the distance and keeping my attacks as strong and fast. I know that I went up a weight class mainly because I wanted to meet new opponents. It's a new opponents and I get to challenge my wrestling into it and that's why I bumped up a weight class."

The Paris bronze medalist at 62kg said that after the performance in Paris, where she became the first Norway wrestler to win an Olympic medal in 94 years, it was difficult to restart with an aim of reaching the top level again.

"When you've done a great performance and you have to do it all over again," she said. "But it's like it's a new task. She's not an easy opponent to stand in front of as she's challenging and has a lot of experience on the mat. I have huge respect for all my opponents. I want to do great, even though I know it's difficult. So I'm proud of myself that I was able to do that today"

Bullen, who burst on the scene a decade ago with her big moves, won the U17 world and European titles, gold at the Youth Olympic Games in 2014, the world U23 title. As she grew as a wrestler, hopes with Bullen also grew. However, after failing to qualify for the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, Bullen needed a new lease of life for her wrestling.

Shifting base to Georgia and switching her training accordingly did wonders. She moved up to 62kg, won bronze medal at the World Championships and the Paris Olympic Games. That inspired many as a wrestler with South Sudanese heritage stood on the podium at the Olympics in Women's Wrestling.

Despite all the changes, Bullen wants to keep her style.

"I also don't want to lose Grace Bullen as a wrestler," she said. "Many people know me as a person that does a great lift. I want to be remembered as someone who finds a way that I can win matches and still take with me the great aspect of the wrestler that I always have been. I want to be remembered as someone making some great moments and big moves because I like the wow people get through out of it."

Iryna BONDAR (UKR) drops Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) for the fall at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ukraine wins team title

Ukraine won two more gold medals on Friday, adding to the two won day before and claimed the team title with 180 points. It was in a battle with Turkiye but the latter ended up with 158 points to be at the second place. Romania finished third with 79 points.

Rising start Iryna BONDAR (UKR) claimed the 62kg gold medal on her senior European Championships debut to add another medal to her resume. She capped her dominant run outscoring her opponents 31-5 including a fall in the final.

"This medal is the best one in my career so far," Bondar said. "It’s the senior level. Out of all the medals I’ve ever won, this is the best — the senior European Championships."

Wrestling Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) in the final, Bondar got on board with a point for Lindborg's inactivity before she swung the Swede using underhook and pinned her on the mat. Lindborg had 30-seconds to survive the pin attempt as the first period would have ended but Bondar controlled her and secured the fall with seven seconds remaining in the first period.

The gold medal is another one for the 21-year-old Bondar who has already won all the age-group continental golds.

"I’ve been working toward this," she said. "I progressed step by step — first in the U20 category. Last year was my final year there, then I moved on to U23. And now, for the first time, I’m competing at the senior level. This is a whole different level of wrestling — senior wrestling is tough and intense.

Among her four wins in Bratislava, Bondar defeated former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) 8-1 in the quarterfinals and handed Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) an 8-4 drubbing in the semifinals.

"[At the senior level], your opponents don’t forgive mistakes — if you do something wrong, even by accident, they immediately punish you," she said. "I’m really happy that I was able to defeat such strong opponents, some of whom have already competed at the Olympics. I’m very happy that I managed to win in my weight class."

Bondar, who is in the same weight class as Paris 62kg silver medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), said that she feels best at 62kg. Koliadenko wrestled at 65kg in Bratislava and won a bronze medal. Bondar, with her gold medal, confirmed her spot on the Ukrainian team for the World Championships, like all other gold or silver medalists from the country.

"I’m not planning to compete in 65kg," Bondar said. "I don’t feel like myself there. This year, I’ve already secured my spot and will go to the World Championship in the 62kg category."

The World Championships will be another big test for Bondar who is hoping to get the better of her Asian rivals who wrestle with more speed and attacks than the European wrestlers.

"Are there tougher opponents? Yes, absolutely. The toughest competitors are from Japan — they are the strongest in the world. You gain technique and experience. You wrestle with opponents you haven’t faced before, more experienced ones. You grow by competing against such athletes. I’m gradually building up speed now, over the summer, and we’ll be preparing for the World Championship."

Alla BLENSKA (UKR) celebrates after pinning Nesrin BAS (TUR) for the 72kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ukraine's second gold medal came at 72kg after Alla BELINSKA (UKR) defeated retuning champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) in the final, also via fall.

Bas was called for passivity in the first period and Belinska came out with a perfect headlock throw in the second period to put Bas on the mat and held her for the fall.

Ukraine's wins in the head-to-head bouts against Turkiye helped it claim the team title.

At 57kg, two-time European champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) added a third as she defeated Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 6-4, in the final.

Khoroshavtseva used an outside trip which wasn't successful but she got Kamaloglu in a takedown for two points. Kamaloglu answered with a single-leg takedown and then a turn to lead 4-2.

A snap from Khoroshavtseva helped her get the criteria 4-4 lead and Kamaloglu played catch up for the final two minutes of the bout. Khoroshavtseva used a wrong-direction go-behind for another two points to win her the gold medal, her first since the gold she won in 2021.

"It’s been a long journey and a huge amount of hard work to achieve this kind of result," she said. "I don’t really feel anything at all. The realization will probably come later. For now, it just feels like emptiness — because you gave it your all, and there’s nothing left to feel."

About her final, Khoroshavtseva said that she did not prepare too much and just wanted to wrestle.

"The final match was kind of chaotic, to be honest," she said. "I was more focused on the first day, and by the time the final came, I wasn’t really mentally or physically prepared — I just went out there to wrestle and do whatever I could."

The fifth gold of the night went to Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) who won her first gold medal in her 14th try at the European Championships. She defeated Andreea ANA (ROU) 5-4 in the final.

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Andreea ANA (ROU), 5-3

BRONZE: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) df. Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df. Viyaleta REBIKAVA CHYRYK (UWW), 2-1

57kg
GOLD: Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 6-4

BRONZE: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Jenna HEMIAE (FIN), 10-3
BRONZE: Solomiia VYNNYK (UWW) df. Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW), 4-3

62kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), via fall (5-0)

BRONZE: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 4-3
BRONZE: Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df. Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR), via fall (7-0)

65kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), 11-8

BRONZE: Dinara KUDAEVA (UWW) df. Olha PADOSHYK (POL), 5-0
BRONZE: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), via fall (6-4)

72kg
GOLD: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), via fall

BRONZE: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), 8-3
BRONZE: Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) df. Kseniia BURAKOVA (UWW), 3-2

UWW releases latest freestyle rankings

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Bullen bullies her way to 65kg gold; Ukraine wins team title