Ivan Yarygin

Yarygin Finals Set For Day One

By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 26) – With a thrilling 5-0 semifinal victory over Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB), Russia's Ismail MUSUKAEV’s (RUS) guaranteed the rabid Krasnoyarsk fans would be treated to an all-Russian final on the first day of the Ivan Yarygin Gradn Prix in Krasnoyarsk.

Zaur UGUEV’s (RUS) punched his ticket to the 57kg finals after earning a lopsided 8-3 victory over Frank PERRELLI (USA). It was Uguev's second trip to the finals in as many years. Uguev, who was last year’s champion at 57kg will look to defend his title against junior world champion, Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS).

At 65kg, 2017 world finalist Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) and International D. A. Kunaev Tournament champion Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) will tangle in a highly anticipated matchup between two of Russia's best overall wrestlers. 

Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) will be tasked with stopping Israil Kasumov's (RUS) in his quest to capture a third Yarygin title. Kasumov, the two-time defending champion hasn't lost in Krasnoyarsk since 2015, but faces a tall order in 2016 world champion Kurbanaliev.

China leads the women’s weights, putting finalists into three of four weight categories. Japan trails with two finalists, followed by the DPRK, Russia and USA each with one finalist.

Freestyle
57kg
Gold – Zavur UGUEV (RUS) vs. Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS)

Bronze – Baris KAYA (TUR) vs. Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL)
Bronze – Khuresh ool DONDUK OOL (RUS) vs. Frank PERRELLI IV (USA)

Semifinal – Zavur UGUEV (RUS) df. Frank PERRELLI IV (USA), 8-3
Semifinal – Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) df. Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL), 7-0

61kg
Gold – Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) vs. Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)

Bronze –  Aleksandr BOGOMOEV (RUS) df. Anthony RAMOS (USA) 
Bronze – Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) vs. Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB)

Semifinal – Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) df. Aleksandr BOGOMOEV (RUS), 2-0
Semifinal – Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) df. Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB), 5-0

70kg
Gold – Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) vs. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)

Bronze – Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR) vs. Israil KASUMOV (RUS)
Bronze – Levan KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO) vs. Frank MOLINARO (USA)

Semifinal – Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Israil KASUMOV (RUS), 7-1
Semifinal – Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) df. Frank MOLINARO (USA), 8-5

Women’s Wrestling
50kg
Gold – Sonhyang KIM (PRK) vs. Yuki IRIE (JPN)

Bronze –  Valeriya CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS) vs. Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS)       
Bronze – Jie NI (CHN) vs. Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS) 

Semifinal – Yuki IRIE (JPN) df. Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS), 14-3
Semifinal – Sonhyang KIM (PRK) df. Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS), 8-0

55kg
Gold – Andoriahanako SAWA (JPN) vs. Mengyu XIE (CHN)

Bronze – Aleksandra NITSENKO (RUS) vs. Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL)
Bronze – Nina MENKENOVA (RUS) vs. Jonghwa CHOE (PRK)

Semifinal – Andoriahanako SAWA (JPN) df. Jonghwa CHOE (PRK), 8-0
Semifinal – Mengyu XIE (CHN) df. Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL), 9-5

59kg
Gold – Allison Mackenzie RAGAN (USA) vs. Ningning RONG (CHN)

Bronze – Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) vs. Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Bronze – Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS) vs. Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL)

Semifinal – Ningning RONG (CHN) df. Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL), 8-4
Semifinal – Allison Mackenzie RAGAN (USA) df. Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL), 9-6

65kg
Gold – Yulia PRONTSEVITCH (RUS) vs. Chuying TANG (CHN)

Bronze – Anna SHCHERBAKOVA (RUS) vs. Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL)
Bronze – Tsevegmed ENKHBAYAR (MGL) vs. Oyuntuya OTGONBAT (MGL)

Semifinal – Chuying TANG (CHN) df. Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL), 2-0
Semifinal – Yulia PRONTSEVITCH (RUS) df. Oyuntuya OTGONBAT (MGL), 5-2

#UWWAwards

UWW's top ranked wrestlers in 30 weight classes

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 15) -- United World Wrestling has announced the top ranked wrestlers for 2025 in all 30 weight classes. The ranks of these wrestlers are defined by the ranking points achieved at the 2025 World Championships, Continental Championships and the four Ranking Series.

Here's the list of top wrestlers, according to UWW rankings, in all the weight classes:

Freestyle

The United States has three wrestlers who finished as the top ranked wrestlers in the weight classes. World champs Zahid VALENCIA (USA) at 86kg, Trent HIDLAY (USA) at 92kg and Kyle SNYDER (USA) at 97kg are ranked one.

Bahrain has two wrestlers finishing as ranked one -- Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) at 79kg and Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) at 125kg.

World champion at 57kg Chongsong HAN (PRK) finished first and so did 61kg world champion Zavur UGUEV (UWW).

Iran, Japan and Slovakia also had one highest ranked wrestler as well with world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) at 65kg and Yoshinosuke AOYAG (JPN) at 70kg. World bronze medalist Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) finished top at 79kg.

57kg - Chongsong HAN (PRK)
61kg - Zavur UGUEV (UWW)
65kg - Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
70kg - Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)
74kg - Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
79kg - Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN)
86kg - Zahid VALENCIA (USA)
92kg - Trent HIDLAY (USA)
97kg - Kyle SNYDER (USA)
125kg - Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN)

Women's Wrestling

Best women's wrestling country, Japan, finished with three number one ranked wrestlers. Sakura ONISHI (JPN) at 59kg, Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) at 65kg and Ami ISHII (JPN) at 68kg, all world champs, are all ranked number one.

Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) is at the top at 57kg for Turkiye, ANTIM (IND) ranked topped at 53kg, Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) finished best at 55kg, Helen MAROULIS (USA) at 57kg and Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) at 62kg.

Ukraine's got on the list as well with world champion Alla BELINSKA (UKR) ranked number one at 72kg. World silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) finished as best wrestler at 76kg. 

50kg - Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)
53kg - ANTIM (IND)
55kg - Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)
57kg - Helen MAROULIS (USA)
59kg - Sakura ONISHI (JPN)
62kg - Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
65kg - Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)
68kg - Ami ISHII (JPN)
72kg - Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
76kg - Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)

Greco-Roman

Uzbekistan emerged as the best country in Greco-Roman with three top ranked wrestlers. World champion Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) at 63kg, Alisher GANIEV (UZB) at 60kg and Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) at 72kg were best.

Georgia and Hungary got two wrestlers each at the top. World champion Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) earned himself the top rank at 55kg while Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) is at 82kg. For Hungary, Alex SZOKE (HUN) at 97kg and Darius VITEK (HUN) at 130kg earned the top rank.

Iran, Turkiye and Serbia earned one spots each at the top of the ranking. Olympic and world champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) became the top ranked wrestler at 67kg, Ahmed YILMAZ (TUR) at 72kg and world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) at 87kg.

55kg - Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)
60kg - Alisher GANIEV (UZB)
63kg - Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB)
67kg - Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)
72kg - Abdullo ALIEV (UZB)
77kg - Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR)
82kg - Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
87kg - Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)
97kg - Alex SZOKE (HUN)
130kg - Darius VITEK (HUN)

Each of the top ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes will receive Swiss Francs (CHF) 5,000.