CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (January 4) – Logan STIEBER (USA) and Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) grabbed the final two spots atop the United World Wrestling freestyle rankings for 2016 with triumphs at the world championships in Budapest.

Stieber and Kurbanaliev, gold medal finalists at 65kg in the Golden Grand Prix Final one year ago, won the world titles on both sides of the lightweight category to take over the top spots in the rankings at 61kg and 70kg, respectively.
 

Kurbanaliev, wrestling in his second senior world championships, won his first world title after taking a bronze medal at the 2013 world meet, also in Budapest. Kurbanaliev was ranked No.10 at 65kg before becoming Russia’s entry at 70kg in the abbreviated world meet.

With the victory, Kurbanaliev becomes the third wrestler from Russia to finish atop the freestyle rankings along with Soslan RAMONOV (RUS), who won the Rio 2016 gold medal at 65kg, and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS), who extended his sway over 86kg for a third straight year.

Stieber, meanwhile, needed a pair of last-second victories in Budapest to go from unranked to top-ranked at 61kg and become the second American to finish on top of the 2016 rankings. Kyle SNYDER (USA) won the 97kg gold medal at Rio 2016.

Also making a big leap, 2013 junior world champion Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE) won the Golden Grand Prix Final in late November and rode the momentum to a bronze medal in Budapest, vaulting from unranked to No.3 at 61kg.

In addition to Gvarzatilov, all four wrestlers in the bronze medal finals at 70kg, including 2013 world bronze medal winner at 74kg Rashid KURBANOV (UZB), were unranked coming into Budapest.

The top six wrestlers in the six Rio 2016 weight categories were unchanged except for Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) who slipped ahead of Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) at 74kg to No.3 after winning at the Golden Grand Prix Final in Baku.

Former world champion Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) also rode a win in Baku from No.15 to No.8 while former European champion Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) also won in Baku to go from unranked to No.13 in the rankings.

Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, their most notable or most recent result over the last 12 months and their position in the previous rankings.

57kg – Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE), formerly the 2013 European champion for Georgia, defeated three Asian championship medalists at the Golden Grand Prix Final for his major title in over three years to join the rankings at No.13.

1. Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) - Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Haji ALIEV (AZE) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. YANG Kyong-Il (PRK) – Rio OG No.8 (7)
8. Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) – Rio OG No.9 (8)
9. Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) – Ali Aliev No.1 (9)
10. Sandeep TOMAR (IND) – Asia No.1 (15)
11. JONG Hak-Jin (PRK) – Asia No.2 (16)
12. Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) – Rio OG No.12 (8)
13. Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) – GGP Final No.1 (Not ranked)
14. Adama DIATTA (SEN) – Spanish GP No.3 (14)
15. ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) – Spanish GP No.1 (12)
16. Mirjalal HASANZADE (AZE) – German GP No.2 (13)
17. Artyom GEBEKOV (RUS) – Kunaev Int’l No.1 (nr)
18. Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) – Ali Aliev No.3 (nr)
19. Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (11)
20. Andrey YATSENKO (UKR) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.3 (19)

61kg – Along with Stieber claiming the No.1 ranking with the world title, American compatriot Alan WATERS (USA) earned a No.18 ranking with a pair of bronze medals at the Intercontinental Cup and Golden Grand Prix Final.

1. Logan STIEBER (USA) – World No.1 (nr)
2. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) – World No.2 (7)
3. Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE) – World No.3 (nr)
4. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) – World No.3 (9)
5. Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) – World No.5 (6)
6. Youri SIEMANKIN (FRA) – World No.5 (nr)
7. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) – Asia No.1 (1)
8. Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (2)
9. Georgi KALIEV (BLR) – Europe No.2 (5)
10. Bekhan GOIGEREEV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.2 (4)
11. Imam ADZHIEV (RUS) – European U23 No.1 (3)
12. Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) – World Military No.2 (12)
13. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) – Commonwealth No.1 (18)
14. TUMENBILEG Tuvshintulga (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.1 (8)
15. Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (11)
16. Murshid MUTALIMOV (RUS) – Intercontinental Cup No.3 (16)
17. Gadzhimagomed ALIEV (RUS) – Kunaev Int’l No.3 (nr)
18. Alan WATERS (USA) – GGP Final No.3 (nr)
19. Viktor RASSADIN (RUS) – World University No.1 (nr)
20. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI – German GP No.2 (14)

65kg – Two-time European bronze medalist Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) won the Intercontinental Cup in October for No.13 in the rankings, regaining a position in the lightweight poll after a six-month hiatus.

1. Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Togrul ASGAROV (AZE) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Frank MOLINARO (USA) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (7)
8. Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.1 (8)
9. Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.2 (12)
10. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) – Medved Prizes No.1 (11)
11. Meysam NASIRI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (14)
12. Haislan GARCIA VERANES (CAN) – Rio OG No.11 (13)
13. Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) – Intercontinental Cup No.1 (nr)
14. Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE) – Ali Aliev No.1 (16)
15. YEERLANDIEKE Katal (CHN) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (15)
16. Bernard FUTRELL (USA) - Farrell Memorial No.1 (nr)
17. Daniel AMAS (NGR) – Africa No.1 (17)
18. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) – Europe No.2 (19)
19. Semyon RADULOV (UKR) – Europe No.3 (nr)
20. Teymur MAMMADOV (AZE) – Ali Aliev No.2 (18)

70kg – Asian Games gold medalist Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) edged 2015 world bronze medal winner James GREEN (USA) on criteria in the Budapest quarterfinals, but was forced to settle for fifth place after losses to Kurbanaliev and 2016 Asia champion Moustafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI).

1. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) – World No.1 (10@65)
2. Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) – World No.2 (12)
3. Moustafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) - World No.3 (nr)
4. Elaman DOGDURBEK UULU (KGZ) – World No.3 (nr)
5. Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) – World No.5 (nr)
6. Nobuyoshi TAKOJIMA (JPN) – World No.5 (nr)
7. Israil KASUMOV (RUS) – GGP Final No.1 (9@65)
8. James GREEN (USA) – World No.7 (3)
9. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) – Europe No.1 (4)
10. David TLASHADZE (GEO) – Europe No.2 (5)
11. Miroslav KIROV (BUL) – World No.8 (14)
12. Yakup GOR (TUR) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.3 (3)
13. Azamat NURIKOV (BLR) – Europe No.3 (6)
14. Gitinomagomed GADZHIEV (AZE) – GGP Final No.2 (nr)
15. Gadjimurad OMAROV (AZE) – European U23 No.2 (8)
16. Rasul ARSANALIEV (RUS) – European U23 No.1 (9)
17. Mihail SAVA (MDA) – World University No.2 (nr)
18. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (11)
19. Evgeni ZHERBAEV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (16)
20. Andrey KARPACH (BLR) – World Military No.3 (nr)

74kg – Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) won one of six world military titles in freestyle for Russia in September to climb two rungs to No.8 at welterweight, while Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) slipped ahead of fellow Rio 2016 bronze medalist Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) with a victory at the GGP Final in November.

1. Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
4. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
5. Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Galimzhan USSERBAEV (KAZ) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) – Rio OG No.9 (7)
8. Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (10)
9. Sosuke TAKATANI (JPN) – Rio OG No.7 (8)
10. Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) – Spanish GP No.1 (9)
11. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) – Spanish GP No.2 (11)
12. PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) – World Cup No.2 (12)
13. Yakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.3 (13)
14. Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS) – Ali Aliev No.1 (14)
15. Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Ali Aliev No.2 (15)
16. Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ) – GGP Final No.3 (20)
17. Zaur MAKIEV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (19)
18. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) – GGP Final No.2 (nr)
19. Georgi IVANOV (BUL) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (16)
20. Taymuraz FRIEV NASKIDEAVA (ESP) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.2 (17)

86kg – Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS), who opened 2016 with a triumph at the Yarygin Grand Prix, closed out the year with a win at the GGP Final to solidify his position at No.7 behind the six Rio 2016 gold and bronze medal finalists.

1. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Selim YASAR (TUR) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Sharif SHARIPOV (AZE) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. J’den COX (USA) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – GGP Final No.1 (7)
8. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) – Ali Aliev No.1 (9)
9. Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) – Rio OG No.7 (8)
10. Anzor URISHEV (RUS) – GGP Final No.2 (nr)
11. Nurmagomed GADZHIEV (AZE) – German GP No.1 (10)
12. Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.3 (15)
13. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (11)
14. Aleksander GOSTIEV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (13)
15. Amarhadshi MAGOMEDOV (BLR) – German GP No.2 (14)
16. Mikhail GANEV (BUL) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.3 (12)
17. ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL) – Spanish GP No.3 (16)
18. Azlan KAKHIDZE (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (18)
19. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOV (BLR) – Henri Deglane No.1 (nr)
20. Istvan VEREB (HUN) – Spanish GP No.2 (16)

97kg – Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) won the battle of world silver medalists with Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB), 9-3, to claim the Golden Grand Prix Final, rebounding to No.8 in the rankings after tumbling to No.15 in the summer.

1. Kyle SNYDER (USA) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Khetag GAZYUMOV (AZE) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Albert SARITOV (ROU) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Valeri ANDRIITSEV (UKR) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. Reza YAZDANI (IRI) – Rio OG No.7 (7)
8. Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) – GGP Final No.1 (15)
9. Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (8)
10. Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ) – Rio OG No.8 (9)
11. Javier CORTINA LACERRA (CUB) – Cerro Pelado Int’l No.3 (10)
12. Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (11)
13. Khadshimourad GATSALOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (12)
14. Nicolae CEBAN (MDA) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (13)
15. Radoslaw BARAN (POL) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.3 (14)
16. Yuri BELONOVSKI (RUS) – Kunaev Int’l No.1 (nr)
17. Akhmed BATAEV (RUS) – Intercontinental Cup No.1 (nr)
18. Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI) – World University No.1 (nr)
19. Aleksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)
20. Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) – Europe No.2 (nr)

125kg – Dmitri Korkin tourney winner Baldan TSYSHIPOV (RUS) and Takhti Cup runner-up Yadollah MOHEBBI (IRI) muscled their way onto the yearend rankings at No.13 and No.14, respectively, with bronze medals at the GGP Final in Baku.

1. Taha AKGUL (TUR) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Ibragim SAIDOV (BLR) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. Levan BERIANIDZE (ARM) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Tervel DLAGNEV (USA) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. Alen ZASIEIEV (UKR) – GGP Final No.2 (7)
8. Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.1 (8)
9. Robert BARAN (POL) – Europe No.2 (10)
10. Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) – German GP No.1 (11)
11. Parviz HADI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (9)
12. Muradin KUSHKOV (RUS) – Kunaev Int’l No.1 (nr)
13. Baldan TSYSHIPOV (RUS) – GGP Final No.3 (nr)
14. Yadollah MOHEBBI (IRI) – GGP Final No.3 (nr)
15. Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS) – Kunaev Int’l No.3 (nr)
16. Daniel LIGETI (HUN) - Spanish GP No.1 (12)
17. DENG Zhiwei (CHN) – Ziolkowski Int’1 No.3 (13)
18. Korey JARVIS (CAN) – Sassari Tourney No.1 (14)
19. Daulet SHABANBAY (KAZ) – German GP No.2 (15)
20. Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (UKR) – Dmitri Korkin No.3 (20)