57 KG: Men's Freestyle 2019 World Championship Preview
Photo courtesy of Gabor Martin/United World Wrestling
57 KG looks to be one of the most stacked weights this year at the world championships, as 15 ranked athletes are slated to compete for top 6 placement and an automatic spot at the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year. Returning world champ #1 Zaur Uguev of Russia looks to be a favorite to repeat but was felled by #3 Makhir Amiraslanov of Azerbaijan at the European Games and will have to get past the talented Azeri and many more formidable opponents if he seeks to match his gold from Budapest with one from Nursultan.
Title Contenders:
#1 Zavur Uguev (RUS)- 2018 World champion, 2019 Ali Aliev champ, 2019 European Games bronze medalist, 2x Yarygin champ (‘17 & ‘18). Key Wins: Nurislam Sanayev (2018 world championships finals), Giorgi Edisherashvili (2019 Ali Aliev), Muslim Sadulaev (2018 Russian Nationals), Aryan Tyutrin (2019 Russian world team wrestle-off), Yuki Takahashi (2018 world wrestling championships semis). Key Losses: Makhir Amiraslanov (2019 European Games semifinals), Giorgi Edisherashvili (2018 European Championships finals, 2017 European championships semis), Azamat Tuskaev (2017 Alans finals), Sandeep Tomar (2017 World championships)
#2 Suleyman Atli (TUR)- 2018 world bronze medalist, 2019 European champ, 2017 Yasar Dogu champ, 2019 European Games bronze medalist. Key Wins: Zavur Uguev (2017 Yasar Dogu), Makhir Amiraslanov (2017 Yasar Dogu finals, 2019 European Championships), Muslim Sadulaev (2019 European Championships finals), Beka Lomtadze (2017 world championships), Bekhbayar Erdenebat (2016 world cup). Key Losses: Nurislam Sanayev (2018 world championships quarterfinals), Stevan Micic (2019 European Games quarterfinals), Beka Bujiashvili (2019 Dan Kolov finals), Mikyay Salim Naim (2017 U-23 world championships), Thomas Gilman (2018 Yasar Dogu).
#3 Makhir Amiraslanov (AZE)- 2019 European Games champ, 2019 European Championships bronze medalist 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games champ, 2017 Ali Aliev champ. Key Wins: Zavur Uguev (2019 European Games semifinals), Artem Gebek (2017 World Cup), Giorgi Edisherashvili (2017 Ali Aliev). Key Losses: Suleyman Atli (2019 European Championships, 2017 Yasar Dogu finals), Nodiryun Safarov (2017 World championships), Yuki Takahashi (2015 world championships).
#8 Bekhbayar Erdenebat (MGL): 2x world bronze medalist (‘15 & ‘17), 2018 Asian games champ, 2019 Mongolia Open champ, 2019 Yarygin 5th, 2015 Baku GGP runner-up Key Wins: Suleyman Atli (2017 world wrestling championships round of 16), Reza Atri (2018 Asian Games), Kumsong Kang (2018 Asian Games finals), Vladimir Dubov (2017 world championships bronze medal match), Yuki Takahashi (2015 world championships quarters), Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg (2019 Mongolia Open) Key Losses: Reza Atri (2018 world’s), Abasgadzhi Magomedov (2019 Yarygin), Thomas Gilman (2019 Yarygin bronze medal match), Yuki Takahashi (2017 world’s quarters), Vladimir Khinchegashvili (2015 world’s semis)
#13 Stevan Micic (SRB)- 2019 European Games runner-up, 2015 Junior world bronze medalist, 2018 Ziolkowski champ, 2018 European championships bronze medalist, 2018 Mediterreanean games bronze medalist (65) Key Wins: Suleyman Atli (2019 European Games quarterfinals), Nurislam Sanayev (2018 Ziolkowski semis), Daton Fix (2015 Junior world team trials finals match series), Taras Markovych (2019 European Games semifinals) Key Losses: Makhir Amiraslanov (2019 European Games finals), Zavur Uguev (2018 European championships qualification round), Ravi Kumar (2015 Junior world’s round of 16), Selehattin Killicsallyan (2018 Mediterreanean games)
#10 Yuki Takahashi (JPN)- 2017 world champ, 2018 world bronze medalist, 2018 Asian games bronze medalist, 2017 Asian championships gold medalist, 2014 world 5th, 2016 Baku GGP bronze. Key Wins: Bekhbayar Erdenebat (2017 world’s quarters), Thomas Gilman (2017 world finals, 2018 world cup), Reineri Andreu Ortega (2018 world bronze medal match), Reza Atri (2016 Baku GGP bronze medal match), Makhir Amiraslanov (2015 World wrestling championships round of 16) Key Losses: Zavur Uguev (2018 world championships semis), Kumsong Kang (2018 Asian Games, 2019 Asian championships), Abasgadzhi Magomedov (2017 Yarygin qualification round), Bekhbayar Erdenebat (2015 world wrestling championships quarterfinals), Nariman Israpilov (2016 Baku GGP qualification round).
The title contender tier is primarily occupied by returning world medalists or world champions with the exception of two guys who really showed out in the form of #3 Makhir Amiraslanov of Azerbaijan and #13 Stevan Micic of Serbia. Amiraslanov took out the returning world champion #1 Zavur Uguev of Russia in the semifinals 3-2 and Micic would stun returning world bronze medalist #2 Suleyman Atli of Turkey to make the finals against Amiraslanov. Amiraslanov would dominate Micic 9-1 to culminate his European Games performance and announce his presence as a serious title contender at the weight. Returning world champion #1 Zaur Uguev has won the Ali Aliyev this year in impressive fashion over returning world 5th place finisher #18 Reineri Andreu Ortega of Cuba and finally got revenge over old foe 3x European champ Giorgi Edisherashvili of Azerbaijan by tech fall. Uguev’s only loss was a 3-2 decision to #3 Amiraslanov. #2 Suleyman Atli (TUR) best performances this year have seen him pick up a title at the European championships and a bronze at the European Games notching wins over #3 Makhir Amiraslanov and #6 Muslim Sadulaev in the finals.
#8 Bekhbayar Erdenebat (MGL) struggled last year at the world championships after a shocking loss in the qualification round to #7 Reza Atri of Iran but unlike Atri he’s more then one or two good wins and has shown himself to be a consistent title threat with world bronze medals in 2015 and 2017 along with wins over #2 Suleyman Atli, 2017 world champ #10 Yuki Takahashi, #7 Reza Atri, and #9 Kumsong Kang. 2x 133 LB NCAA runner-up for Michigan Stevan Micic has been incredibly impressive so far in his career competing for Serbia taking bronze at the 2018 European championships, winning the Ziolkowski last year, and a runner-up finish at the European Games. Micic has great wins over the likes of #2 Suleyman Atli, returning world runner-up #16 Nurislam Sanayev, and #17 Daton Fix. #10 Yuki Takahashi (JPN), a world champion in 2017 and a returning world bronze medalist has had an up and down year losing to #18 Reineri Andreu Ortega of Cuba at the world cup and #9 Kumsong Kang of North Korea at the Asian Championships but I feel that if Takahashi shows up in the form he showed in Paris with his great reattacks, positioning and mat savvy then he’ll be in contention to win his second world title.
Medal Contenders:
#7 Reza Atri (IRI)- 2019 Asian championships gold medalist, 2016 Medved champ, 2018 Asian games bronze medalist. Key Wins: Kumsong Kang (2019 Asian Championships finals), Bekhbayar Erdenebat (2018 world wrestling championships qualification round), Makhmudjon Shavkatov (2019 Asian championships). Key Losses: Vladislav Andreev (2018 world wrestling championships round of 16), Bekhbayar Erdenebat (2018 Asian Games), Thomas Gilman (2017 world’s round of 16), Andrey Yatsenko (2017 world’s repechage)
#9 Kumsong Kang (PRK)- 2018 Asian championships gold medalist, 2019 Asian championships runner-up, 2018 Asian Games runner-up. Key Wins: Yuki Takahashi (2018 Asian Games, 2019 Asian championships), Ravi Kumar (2019 Asian championships), Toshihiro Hasegawa (2018 Asian championships semis). Key Losses: Giorgi Edisherashvili (2018 world championships), Reza Atri (2019 Asian championships), Bekhbayar Erdenebat (2018 Asian Games)
#7(61) Arsen Harutunyan (ARM)- 2019 61 KG European championships gold medalist, 2019 Stepan Sargsyan 61 KG Cup runner-up, 2018 Junior world bronze medalist, 2017 55 KG junior world bronze medalist Key Wins: Beka Lomtadze (2019 European Championships finals), Nikolai Okhlopkov (2019 European championships semis), Recep Topal (2019 European championships quarters), Zhandos Ismailov (2019 Sargsyan semis). Key Losses: Abasgadzhi Magomedov (2019 Sargsyan cup finals), Akhmed Idrisov (2018 Junior world semis), Ismail Gadzhiev (2017 junior world championships quarterfinals).
#16 Nurislam Sanayev (KAZ)- 2018 world championships runner-up, 2018 61 KG asian championships gold medalist, 2019 Ziolkowski runner-up, 2019 61 KG Dan Kolov champ, 2015 world championships 5th Key Wins: Suleyman Atli (2018 world’s quarterfinals), Thomas Gilman (2018 world’s semis), Aryan Tyutrin (2019 Dan Kolov qualification round), Joe Colon (2019 Dan Kolov semis), Sandeep Tomar (2019 Dan Kolov finals) Key Losses: Zaur Uguev (2018 world championships finals), Stevan Micic (2018 Ziolkowski semis), Hak Jin Jong (2017 world championships quarters), Aryan Tyutrin (2019 Ziolkowski finals), Ulukbek Zholdoshbekov (2019 Kyrgyzstan world team qualifying tournament finals).
#17 Daton Fix (USA)- 2019 Pan-Am Games champ, 2017 Junior world champ, 2018 Junior world bronze medalist, 2016 Junior world bronze medalist, 2015 cadet world’s bronze medalist Key Wins: Thomas Gilman (2019 Final X), Reineri Andreu Ortega (2019 Pan-Am Games), Ismail Gadzhiev (2017 junior world finals), Andrey Yatsenko (2016 junior world bronze medal match). Key Losses: Thomas Gilman (2018 Final X), Naveen Naveen (2018 Junior world semis), Khasanguseynov Badrudinov (2016 junior world’s), Parviz Ibragimov (2017 U-23 world’s), Abasgadzhi Magomedov (2015 cadet world’s).
#18 Reineri Andreu Ortega (CUB)- 2017 U-23 world champ, 2018 Pan-Am champ, 2019 Pan-Am games bronze, 2019 Asian championships bronze, 2019 Ali Aliev bronze 2018 world 5th. Key wins: Mikyay Salim Naim (2017 U-23 world finals), Giorgi Edisherashvili (2019 Ali Aliev bronze medal match), Thomas Gilman (2018 Pan-Am championships), Parviz Ibragimov (2017 U-23 world semis), Wanhao Zou (2019 Ali Aliev). Key Losses: Josh Rodriguez (2019 Pan-Am championships), Daton Fix (2019 Pan-Am Games), Zaur Uguev (2019 Ali Aliev, 2018 world’s), Yuki Takahashi (2018 world bronze medal match, 2018 world cup), Bekhbayar Erdenebat (2018 world cup), Giorgi Edisherashvili (2018 world cup).
Many of the guys in the medal contender tier have the ability to become title contenders, it’s just due to a number of factors they’ve either failed to do so yet based off of technical issues, incredible depth of the weight, are new to the weight, or are coming off bad losses. #7 Reza Atri and #9 Kumsong Kang are in a similar situation to each other in that Atri and Kang both have great wins in the form of #8 Bekhbayar Erdenebat and #10 Yuki Takahashi respectively, but after that things get fall apart as Atri beat Kang in the Asian championships finals this year but outside of that and his Erdenebat win he’s been somewhat middling his career and Kang is a great young talent but so far has only had his two wins over #10 Yuki Takahashi and an Asian championships title over a depleted field in 2018 to show for it. Both guys can improve and have shown themselves capable of beating title contenders in the past but this will be a crucial year to determine if they themselves are ready to make the jump into title contention.
#7(61) Arsen Harutunyan of Armenia, a returning junior world bronze medalist stunned many this year as he took out 2016 world runner-up #8(61) Beka Lomtadze of Georgia in the European championships finals at 61 KG in his senior level debut. With Harutunyan’s pace, ankle picks, and double legs, the young talented Armenian will be a handful for anyone that isn’t at ready right off the whistle. #16 Nurislam Sanayev rebounded from a tough mid year stretch last year at 61 to come and tech returning world runner-up Thomas Gilman of the United States in the semifinals and defeat #2 Suleyman Atli of Turkey 11-6 in the quarters before going on to lose a 4-3 match to #1 Zavur Uguev in the finals. Sanayev won the Dan Kolov this year up at 61 KG and is coming off a runner-up finish at the Ziolkowski where he lost via 14-4 tech fall to #4 Aryan Tyutrin of Russia. Sanayev has shown himself in the past capable of rebounding from losses and peaking at world’s and he’ll be seeking to do just that with a chance to qualify for his second Olympics on the line. #17 Daton Fix has been a longtime age group talent for the United States and in defeating 2017 world silver medalist Thomas Gilman this year in a three match series at Final X he made his first senior world team and expectations are high for the talented Oklahoma State product who is fresh off a Pan-Am Games title where he defeated #18 Reineri Andreu Ortega of Cuba. #18 Reineri Andreu Ortega has had an up and down year, defeating #10 Yuki Takahashi at the world cup and losing to #4 Aryan Tyutrin at the same event then taking bronze at the Ali Aliev and beating U-23 world bronze medalist Wanhao Zou of China and 3x European champ Giorgi Edisherashvili of Azerbaijan, but then going but also losing to Josh Rodriguez at Pan-Am’s and then #17 Daton Fix at the Pan-Am Games. Andreu Ortega poses match-up issues for guys who tend to load up on one or two reattacks but it seems the young Cuban has struggled this year in generating his own offense and this makes me hesitant to believe that he’ll break through into title contention.
Dark Horse (s):
#15 Ulukbek Zholdoshbekov (KGZ)- 2019 61 KG Takhti Cup champ, 2019 U-23 Asian championships gold medalist, 2019 61 KG Kyrgyzstan world team qualification tournament champ, 2016 Ali Aliev bronze medalist. Key Wins: Nurislam Sanayev (2019 Kyrgyzstan world team qualifier tournament finals), Zelimkhan Abakarov (2018 Kadyrov Cup), Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (2019 Takhti Cup finals), Behnam Ehsanpour (2019 Takhti Cup quarters), Zaur Uguev (2016 Ali Aliev bronze medal match). Key Losses: Magomedrasul Idrisov (2018 61 KG U-23 world’s), Nikolai Okhlopkov (2018 61 KG U-23 world’s bronze medal match), Petr Konstantinov (2019 Medved qualification round), Yudai Fujita (2019 61 KG Asian championships quarterfinals), Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg (2018 61 KG world’s qualification round), Bekhbayar Erdenebat (2017 world’s qualification round).
Andrey Yatsenko (UKR)- 2017 world bronze medalist, 2019 U-23 European champ, 2018 Kartozia & Balavadze GP runner-up, 2019 International Ukrainain tournament bronze Key Wins: Reza Atri (2017 world’s), Hak Jin Jong (2017 world’s), Amirkhan Guvazhokov (2019 U-23 European championships finals), Mehran Rezazadeh (2018 Tbilisi GP). Key Losses: Thomas Gilman (2017 world’s), Daton Fix (2016 Junior world bronze medal match), Vladislav Andreev (2019 International Ukrainain tournament semis), Suleyman Atli (2018 Tbilisi GP finals)
#15 Ulukbek Zholdoshbekov had a fantastic run up at 61 KG beating 2x Russian nationals bronze medalist #3 Zelimkhan Abakarov of Russia at the 2018 Kadyrov Cup then breaking out at the Takhti Cup this year with wins over #9 Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov and #11 Behnam Ehsanpour but would falter and not place at the Asian championships, rebound with a win over #16 Nurislam Sanayev at the Kyrgyzstan world team qualifying tournament, but then falter again and not place at the Medved in his return to 57 KG due to a loss to Peter Konstantinov of Russia. Zholdoshbekov is one of the most dangerous guys in the field and is a threat to throw at any time in the match but his inconsistency this year make me bullish on him putting it all together against guys with more complete skill sets who can negate his throws and win close matches against the tough Kyrgyzstani. 2017 world bronze medalist Andrey Yatsenko of Ukraine is listed as a dark horse due to the fact he was battling for his world team spot the whole year with IUT champ Taras Markovich and that he took a loss to #14 Vladislav Andreev at the IUT, but with wins over #7 Reza Atri and Hak Jin Jong he’s shown himself capable of having what it takes to break through and place but the major question is can he do it here in a field that is significantly deeper then the one in Paris in 2017?