CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (January 31) – Rio 2016 champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) and bronze medalist Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) kicked off 2017 with victories at Grand Prix events, solidifying their claims to top positions in the United World Wrestling freestyle rankings for January.

Snyder rolled to victory at the Yarygin Grand Prix, one year after finishing third in Krasnoyarsk (RUS), to head into the new year with his No.1 ranking at 97kg intact. Petriashvili, meanwhile, prevailed in Paris to support his claim to No.3 at 125kg.

Yet, while only a handful of wrestlers in the top 10 of each category were in action in January, many of the medalists in Krasnoyarsk and Paris were unranked or positioned in the lower half of the rankings. This resulted in some churn in the second 10 as they look ahead to the continental championships this spring.

World military champion Alan KHUGAEV (RUS) made the biggest leap in the rankings with a win at 125kg in Krasnoyarsk, going from unranked to No.8. Khugaev notched a 3-2 win in the final over Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS), who spent three months atop the 97kg rankings in 2016 before slumping to 11th in Rio de Janeiro.

Also, at the Yarygin Grand Prix, Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) climbed one place to No.7, after defeating Mahammasjavad EBRAHIMIZIVLAEI (IRI), 4-3, in the final at 86kg.  World student champion Ebrahimizivlaei joins the rankings at No.10.

Among the seven titlists from Russia in Krasnoyarsk, world bronze medalist Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) won at 61kg to move up to No.3 in the rankings and Israil KASUMOV (RUS) added the 70kg crown to his Golden Grand Prix Final crown to climb to No.5.

In Paris, where Petriashvili was the highest ranked wrestler in action at No.3, European silver medalist Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) climbed to No.16 at 97kg and Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) kicks off the year with a No.17 at 61kg.

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 – European champion Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) stunned Rio 2016 silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), 3-1, in a preliminary round match at 61kg and rode the momentum into the finals in Krasnoyarsk for No.14 in the rankings. 

Higuchi, meanwhile, stormed back in repechage with a fall and three technical falls – including a 13-2 triumph over 2013 world champion Bekhan GOIGEREEV (RUS) -- for third place to hold onto his No.2 position at 57kg.

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 (10)
11. JONG Hak-Jin (PRK) – Asia No.2 (11)
12. Zaur UGUEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (Not Ranked)
13. Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) – GGP Final No.1 (13)
14. Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2@61 (19)
15. Artyom GEBEKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (17)
16. Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) – Rio OG No.12 (12)
17. Nariman ISRAPILOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
18. Nicholas MEGALUDIS (USA) – Paris GP No.1 (nr)
19. Zoheir EL OUARRAQE (FRA) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)
20. Dimchik RINCHINOV (BLR) – Paris GP No.2 (nr)

61kg – World student champion Viktor RASSADIN (RUS) defeated military world champ Nachyin KUULAR (RUS), 12-3, in the bronze medal bouts in Krasnoyarsk to leap from 19th to No.7 while Kuular joins at No.12.

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

65kg – Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) won his third Yarygin Grand Prix crown with a 7-3 win over Cherman VALIEV (RUS), wrestling in his first major international event, to climb from six places to No.7 in the rankings.

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. Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (13)
8. Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.1 (8)
9. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (7)
10. Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.2 (9)
11. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) – Medved Prizes No.1 (10)
12. Meysam NASIRI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (11)
13. Bernard FUTRELL (USA) – Paris Int’l No.3 (16)
14. Haislan GARCIA VERANES (CAN) – Rio OG No.11 (12)
15. Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE) – Ali Aliev No.1 (14)
16. YEERLANBIEKE Katal (CHN) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (15)
17. Alan GOGAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
18. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) – Europe No.2 (18)
19. Semyon RADULOV (UKR) – Europe No.3 (19)
20. Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)

70kg – Kasumov ISRAIL (RUS) followed his win at the Golden Grand Prix Final in November with his third Yarygin Grand Prix title overall to climb two places to No.5 in the rankings.

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

74kg – Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) edged Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS), 3-3, on criteria in the Krasnoyarsk semifinals to claim his second Yarygin Grand Prix crown in three years for No.12 in the rankings. Ali Aliev tourney winner Khubezhty followed at No.13.

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 (3)
4. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
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 (8)
9. Sosuke TAKATANI (JPN) – Rio OG No.7 (9)
10. Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) – Spanish GP No.1 (10)
11. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) – Spanish GP No.2 (11)
12. Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (15)
13. Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (14)
14. PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) – Spanish GP No.3 (12)
15. Yakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.3 (13)
16. Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ) – GGP Final No.3 (16)
17. Atsamaz SANAKOEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
18. Kyle DAKE (USA) – Paris GP No.1 (nr)
19. Zaur MAKIEV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (19)
20. Alex DIERINGER (USA) – Paris GP No.2 (nr)

86kg – Ali Aliev winner Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) slipped past world student champion Mahammasjavad EBRAHIMIZIVLAEI (IRI), 4-3, to win the Yarygin Grand Prix title and leapfrog Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) for No.7 in the rankings.

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. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (8)
8. Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – GGP Final No.1 (7)
9. Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) – Rio OG No.7 (9)
10. Mahammasjavad EBRAHIMIZIVLAEI (IRI) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
11. Anzor URISHEV (RUS) – GGP Final No.2 (10)
12. Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – GGP Final No.3 (12)
13. Ahmed MAGAMAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
14. Vladislav VALIEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
15. Nurmagomed GADZHIEV (AZE) – German GP No.1 (11)
16. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (13)
17. Aleksander GOSTIEV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (14)
18. David TAYLOR (USA) – Paris GP No.1 (nr)
19. Richard PERRY (USA) – Paris GP No.2 (nr)
20. Istvan VEREB (HUN) – Paris GP No.3 (20)

97kg – Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS) bumped off rivals Yuri BELONOVSKI (RUS) and Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS) before falling to Rio 2016 gold medalist Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the championship final. Magomedov’s runner-up performance lifted the Ali Aliev winner to No.9 in the rankings.

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 (8)
9. Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
10. Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ) – Rio OG No.8 (10)
11. Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (9)
12. Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2@125 (12)
13. Yuri BELONOVSKI (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (16)
14. Javier CORTINA LACERRA (CUB) – Cerro Pelado Int’l No.3 (10)
15. Khadshimourad GATSALOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (13)
16. Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) – Paris GP No.1 (20)
17. Nicolae CEBAN (MDA) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (14)
18. Radoslaw BARAN (POL) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.3 (15)
19. Akhmed BATAEV (RUS) – Intercontinental Cup No.1 (17)
20. Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI) – World University No.1 (18)

125kg – Daniel LIGETI (HUN), who finished seventh at Rio 2016, moved up to No.13 in the rankings after finishing second to Rio 2016 bronze medalist Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) at the Paris Grand Prix. 

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. Alan KHUGAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (nr)
9. Muradin KUSHKOV (RUS) – Kunaev Int’l No.1 (12)
10. Baldan TSYSHIPOV (RUS) – GGP Final No.3 (13)
11. Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.1 (8)
12. Robert BARAN (POL) – Europe No.2 (9)
13. Daniel LIGETI (HUN) – Paris GP No.2 (16)
14. Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS) – Kunaev Int’l No.3 (15)
15. Yadollah MOHEBBI (IRI) – GGP Final No.3 (14)
16. Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) – German GP No.1 (10)
17. Parviz HADI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (11)
18. DENG Zhiwei (CHN) – Ziolkowski Int’1 No.3 (17)
19. Zachery REY (USA) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)
20. Daulet SHABANBAY (KAZ) – German GP No.2 (19)