April 2025 Men's Freestyle Wrestling International Rankings
57 KG
#1 Rei Higuchi (JPN) has been removed from the rankings due to inactivity, as he stated he will not be competing again until December. 2024 61 KG Senior World Champion #2 Masanosuke Ono (JPN) takes over the #1 spot with Higuchi’s removal.
Chongsong Han (PRK) won the Asian Championships over Milad Valizadeh (IRI) with Rakhat Kalzhan (KAZ) and Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (MGL) taking bronze. Rakhat Kalzhan (KAZ) upset 2024 Olympic bronze medalist #4 Gulomjon Abdullaev (UZB) in the quarterfinals to take the #11 spot in the rankings with Milad Valizadeh (IRI) taking #10 for beating Kalzhan to make the finals and Chongson Han (PRK) taking #9 for beating Valizadeh for gold.
#4 Gulomjon Abdullaev (UZB) falls eight spots to #12 in the rankings for his loss to #11 Rakhat Kalzhan (KAZ) at the Asian Championships; Kalzhan holds a previous win over Abdullaev from the 2022 Asian Championships, where Kalzhan would go on to take silver and Abdullaev fifth after a loss to Almaz Smanbekov (KGZ).
#7 Lev Pavlov (RUS) won the U23 European Championships over Nika Zangaladze (GEO) with Bekir Keser (TUR) and Rahman Imanov (AZE) taking bronze.
61 KG
Levik Mikayelyan (ARM) won the U23 European Championships over #19 Ceyhun Allakhverdiev (AZE) with Tolga Ozbek (TUR) and Mykyta Abramov (UKR) taking bronze. #19 Ceyhun Allakhverdiev (AZE) moves up two spots to #17 for finishing runner-up at the U23 European Championships where he beat #18 Tolga Ozbek (TUR) to make the finals; Tolga Ozbek (TUR) debuts in the rankings at #18 for upsetting #13 Akhmed Zubairov (RUS) in the qualification round of the U23 European Championships. Levik Mikayelyan (ARM) takes the #16 spot for beating #17 Ceyhun Allakhverdiev (AZE) for U23 European Championships gold, while #13 Akhmed Zubairov (RUS) falls six spots to #19 for losing to #18 Tolga Ozbek (TUR) in the qualifying round.
Four-time European Champion #6 (57) Arsen Harutyunyan (ARM) takes the #3 spot in the rankings due to him being registered to compete at 61 KG for the European Championships; 2023 61 KG European runner-up Zelimkhan Abakarov (ALB) has the #4 spot behind Harutyunyan (of note, Abakarov does hold a win over current #1 Vito Arujau from the 2023 Budapest Ranking Series Tournament).
#7 Takara Suda (JPN) won the Senior Asian Championships over Udit Udit (IND) with Ahmad Javan (IRI) and Wanhou Zou (CHN) taking bronze. #12 Tsogbadrakh Tseevensuren (MGL) moved up to 65 KG, where he took silver at the Asian Championships behind #4 Kaisei Tanabe (JPN).
65 KG
#6 Kaisei Tanabe (JPN) won the Asian Championships over #12 (61) Tsogbadrakh Tseevensuren (MGL) with Kwang Jin Kim (PRK) and #13 Abbas Ebrahim (IRI) taking bronze. #12 Tosgbadrakh Tseevensuren (MGL) takes the #6 spot in the rankings for beating #4 Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (KGZ) in the semifinals; Zhumashbek Uulu falls three spots to #7 for his loss to Tseevensuren while #6 Kaisei Tanabe moves up two spots to #4 for beating Tseevensuren. Kwang Jin Kim (PRK) debuts in the rankings at #15 for beating #7 Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (KGZ) for bronze at the Asian Championships.
Aman Dzhandubaev (RUS) won the U23 European Championships over Abdullah Toprak (TUR) with Khamzat Arsamerzouev (FRA) and Murad Hagverdiyev (AZE) taking bronze.
70 KG
#17 Ernazar Akmataliev (KGZ) won the Asian Championships over #9 (74) Viktor Rassadin (TJK) with #5 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) and #9 Sina Khalili (IRI) taking bronze. Lots of movement occurred due to the events of the Asian Championships, so I will start off with covering the return of Viktor Rassadin to 70 KG and how that affects the rankings. Rassadin notched victories over #9 Sina Khalili (IRI) and #6 Tulga Tumur-Ochir (MGL) to make the finals of the Asian Championships, which along with his wins over #8 Konstantin Kaprynov (RUS) and #10 Kurban Shiraev (RUS) at the 2023 Korkin Cup allow for him to take the #3 spot in the rankings.
#17 Ernazar Akmataliev (KGZ) takes the #2 spot in the rankings for beating #3 Viktor Rassadin (TJK), 2019 65 KG Russian Nationals runner-up Naachyn Kuular (KAZ), and #6 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) to win the Asian Championships. #9 Sina Khalili (IRI) moves up one spot to #8 for beating former #6 Tulga Tumur-Ochir (MGL) for bronze at the Asian Championships; Tumur-Ochir falls three spots to #9 for his losses to #3 Viktor Rassadin (TJK) and #8 Sina Khalili (IRI).
#5 Magomed-Emi Eltemirov (RUS) won the U23 European Championships over #7 Kanan Heybatov (AZE) with Umut Erdogan (TUR) and Narek Pohosian (UKR) taking bronze. 2024 Senior World Champion #2 Nurkhoza Kaipanov (KAZ) moved up to 74 KG where he won the Asian Championships and is currently ranked fourteenth; Kaipanov’s departure opens a spot in the rankings at #20 for 2024 U.S. World Team Trials runner-up Alec Pantaleo (USA).
74 KG
2024 70 KG Senior World Champion #2 (70) Nurkhoza Kaipanov (KAZ) won the Asian Championships over Orozobek Toktomambetov (KGZ) with Magomedrasul Asluev (BRN) and Tu Aheiyou (CHN) taking bronze. Kaipanov takes the #14 spot in the rankings after returning to 74 KG. This is due to Kaipanov’s losses in 2024 to #11 Younes Emami (IRI) and #2 (70) Viktor Rassadin (TJK) and #3 Chermen Valiev (ALB) at the Asian and World Olympic Games Qualifiers.
Ismail Khaniev (RUS) won the U23 European Championships over #16 Aghanazar Novruzov (AZE) with Ion Marcu (MDA) and Luka Chkhtinudze (GEO) taking bronze. Ismail Khaniev (RUS) debuts in the rankings at #16 for beating #16 Aghanazar Novruzov (AZE), who falls one spot to #17 for his loss to Khaniev.
79 KG
Arsen Balayan (RUS) won the U23 European Championships over Farid Jabbarov (AZE) with Ibrahim Yeprak (TUR) and Umar Mavlaev (SWI) taking bronze. #12 Mehdi Yousefi (IRI) won the Asian Championships over #20 Khidir Saipudinov (BRN) with #16 Suldkhuu Olanbayar (MGL) and #18 Magomet Evloev (TJK) taking bronze. #20 Khidir Saipudinov (BRN) climbs up five spots to #15 for beating #16 Suldkhuu Olanbayar (MGL) in the semifinals of the Asian Championships.
86 KG
2024 Olympic bronze medalist #5 Dauren Kurugliev (GRE) moved up to 92 KG ahead of the European Championships and is currently ranked #2 behind two-time Senior World Champion Kamran Ghasempour (IRI).
#12 Arsenii Dzhioev (AZE) won the U23 European Championships over Rakhim Magamadov (FRA) with reigning U23 European and World Champion #11 Arslan Bagaev (RUS) and #20 Eugeniu Mihalcaen (MDA) taking bronze. Rakhim Magamadov (FRA) returns to the rankings at #11 for beating #11 Arslan Bagaev (RUS) in the U23 European Championships semifinals; #12 Arsenii Dzhioev (AZE) moves up two spots to #10 for beating #11 Rakhim Magamadov (FRA) in the finals. #11 Arslan Bagaev (RUS) falls one spot to #12 for losing to #11 Rakhim Magamadov (FRA) in the semifinals of the U23 European Championships.
Abolfazl Rahmani (IRI) won the Asian Championships over Bolat Sakayev (KAZ) with Batbilgun Nadambat (MGL) and Tatsuya Shirai (JPN) taking bronze.
92 KG
#5 (86) Dauren Kurugliev (GRE) takes the #2 spot at 92 KG ahead of the European Championships, where he will look to earn his fifth continental title.
#3 Amirhossein Firouzpour (IRI) won the Asian Championships over Deepak Punia (IND) with #6 Azamat Dauletbekov (KAZ) and Takashi Ishiguro (JPN) taking bronze.
#10 Mukhammad-Takhir Khaniev (RUS) won the U23 European Championships over Knaz Iboyan (ARM) with Sadig Mustafazade (AZE) and Denys Sahaliuk (UKR) taking bronze. Sadig Mustafazade (AZE) takes the #17 spot for beating #18 Sandro Kurashvili (GEO) for bronze after Kurashvili had upset 2024 U23 World bronze medalist #16 Ion Demian (MDA) in the qualification round. Demian falls three spots to #19. #20 Adlan Viskhanov (FRA) has been removed from the rankings due to a loss to Denys Sahaliuk (UKR) at the U23 European Championships.
97 KG
Uladislau Kazlou (BLR) won the U23 European Championships over Yarygin runner-up #20 Bady-Maadyr Samdan (RUS) with Resul Gune (TUR) and David Mchedlidze (UKR) taking bronze.
#4 Arash Yoshida (JPN) won his second Asian Championships title over 2023 92 KG Senior World #16 Rizabek Aitmukhan (KAZ) in a rematch of their 2023 Asian Championships finals match. Bronze medalists at the Asian Championships were 2023 92 KG Junior World Champion #9 (92) Mohammad Azimi (IRI) and Awusayiam Habila (CHN). #9 (92) Mohammad Azimi (IRI) takes the #17 spot in the rankings behind #16 Rizabek Aitmukhan (KAZ), who avenged a loss to Azimi from the 2023 Junior World Championships in the semifinals of the Asian Championships.
125 KG
#3 Amirreza Masoumi Valadi (IRI) won the Asian Championships over 2022 Senior World runner-up #5 Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (MGL) with Shamil Sharipov (BRN) and Dinesh Dinesh (IND) taking bronze.
Georgi Ivanov (BUL) won the U23 European Championships over Volodymyr Kochanov (UKR) with Khachatur Khachatryan (ARM) and 2023 110 KG Cadet World Champion Yusif Dursunov (AZE) taking bronze. Yarygin runner-up #13 Artem Pukhovsky (RUS) falls five spots to #18 for failing to place at the U23 European Championships due to losses to Georgi Ivanov (BUL) and Yusif Dursunov (AZE). Georgi Ivanov (BUL) takes the #16 spot in the rankings for beating #18 Artem Pukhovsky (RUS) in the qualification round of the U23 European Championships. Yusif Dursunov (AZE) debuts in the rankings at #17 for beating #18 Artem Pukhovsky (RUS) in repechage.
Pound for Pound
#7 Rei Higuchi (JPN) was removed from the rankings due to the fact he confirmed that he would not be competing again until December, which would disqualify him from the rankings due to inactivity. Ernazar Akmataliev (KGZ) takes the #23 spot in the rankings after taking the #2 spot in the 70 KG rankings after his impressive showing at the 70 KG Asian Championships that saw him beat 2024 Senior World runner-up #6 (70) Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) and 2024 74 KG Olympic 5th place finisher #3 (70) Viktor Rassadin (TJK).
2024 70 KG Senior World Champion Nurkhoza Kaipanov (KAZ) has been removed from the pound for pound rankings due to moving up to 74 KG, where he is currently ranked fourteenth.