Who's (Really) Number One?
Photo courtesy of Doordarshan News Live
*All rankings cited here are from The Fight Site’s (TFS) international freestyle rankings attached at the bottom of the article.
United World Wrestling (UWW) debuted their Ranking Series events in 2018 with the goal of creating more well-balanced and evenly distributed World Championship brackets. They were seeking to combat an issue often seen in random draw format competitions where the best athletes would draw each other early in competition. That, along with the single elimination “follow the leader” format of these tournaments, would often see the best fail to place.
While this seems good in theory, there have been a slew of issues associated with the Ranking Series format. One of them, and in my opinion the most tragic of them all, is the reformatting of the the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Memorial Invitational in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. The Yarygin, named after the legendary three-time World and Olympic champion Ivan Yarygin of the Soviet Union, was legendary for its difficulty. The Yarygin is regarded as the toughest tournament outside of the World Championships and is often a preview of the Russian National Championships, with brackets often featuring up to 20 Russians in them. But ever since its debut as a ranking event for UWW, the number of Russian athletes allowed has been reduced to five Russians, who earn the spots through being returning national team members or World team members, or placing at qualification tournaments such as the Alans in December or the Mindiashvili Grand Prix.
The ranking events for 2018 in freestyle were the Yarygin in January, The Granma Y Cerra Pellado in February, the Mongolia Open in June, the Tbilisi Grand Prix and Yasar Dogu in July, and the Ziolkowski and Medved in September. For 2019, the ranking series events have been the Yarygin in January, The Dan Kolov in February, The Sassari Invitational Memorial in May, and the Yasar Dogu in July. Along with these specific ranking series events, placement at the athlete’s respective continental championships and the prior World Championship contribute to how many points they will have going into the next World Championship. The athletes with the most rankings points will take the top four seeds. This picture below should help clarify it a bit more.
Having gone over the specifics of this ranking system, you can reference the title of the article to understand how I feel it works and aligns with who actually are the best guys in the world.
Issues arise when athletes who benefit from World Championship brackets with less depth are able to get a good draw, then carry out with a strong placement at a weaker continental championships, then tack on some Ranking Series events points and notch themselves a top four seed. Even more problematic for 2019 is the issue of not accounting for the depth that tournaments such as European Games, the Ali Aliev, the Tbilisi GP, the Medved, the Stepan Sargysan Cup, the Takhti Cup, and the World Cup fields typically have, and how the results and head to head matches from these tournaments have major implications to determining who actually is best going into Worlds.
What I’m going to be doing in this article is seeing how the number one ranked wrestlers going into the World Championships, based on UWW Ranking Series points, match up with the actual number one ranked wrestlers based off The Fight Site’s own international rankings made by yours truly.
57 KG
To start us off, we begin at 57 KG with returning World bronze medalist Suleyman Atli of Turkey. Atli takes the top spot with 61 ranking points ahead of returning World champion Zaur Uguev of Russia.
So far this year, Atli won the European Championship, took bronze at the European Games, and was runner-up at the Dan Kolov. Atli’s run to a European Championship title was especially impressive as he beat third ranked Makhir Amiraslanov of Azerbaijan, sixth ranked Muslim Sadulaev of Russia and nineteenth ranked Georgi Vangelov of Bulgaria. Atli’s losses so far this year have been to unranked Beka Bujiashvili of Georgia in the Dan Kolov finals in February and to #13 Stevan Micic of Serbia in June.
Who should be number one is fellow European Games bronze medalist and 2018 World champ Zaur Uguev of Russia. Uguev won the Ali Aliev over a stacked field where he tech falled three-time European champ Giorgi Edisherashvili of Azerbaijan, 2018 Pan Am champ #18 Reineri Andreu Ortega (CUB), 2018 U-23 World bronze medalist Wanhao Zou of China, and 2017 Alans champ Azamat Tuskaev of Russia. Uguev also tech falled the Ziolkowski champ #4 Aryan Tyutrin of Russia to win the World team spot for Russia.
So when you combine the fact that Uguev has superior placement to Atli along with fewer lower ranked/unranked losses, he’s the clear number one. Atli is currently the second ranked wrestler in the world in The Fight Site international freestyle wrestling rankings.
61 KG
The next number one per UWW rankings points is the returning World champ Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez of Cuba, who sits at the top with 76 ranking points and a bronze medal at the Ali Aliev, a runner-up finish at the Pan American Championship and a 4th place finish at the Cerra Pellado. Bonne Rodriguez’s best wins this year comes in the form two-time Russian Nationals bronze medalist #3 Zelimkhan Abakarov and Asian Championship bronze medalist #17 Yudai Fujita of Japan at the World Cup. Bonne Rodriguez has shown pronounced inconsistency throughout the year, failing to live up to the form he showed in Budapest last year, losing matches to #3 Zelimkhan Abakarov of Russia at the Ali Aliev, Joe Colon of the United States at the Pan Am championships, #20 Muenir Recep Aktas of Turkey at the World Cup, Ben Whitford and Cory Clark of the United States at the Cerra Pellado.
Having highlighted Bonne Rodriguez’s roller coaster of a year, the rightful #1 going into Worlds should be two-time Russian Nationals champ Magomedrasul Idrisov. The Yarygin champ Idrisov is coming off a tremendous showing at Russian Nationals where he avenged a loss from the Ali Aliev to #2 Zelimkhan Abakarov in the semifinals and would take out 2018 Alans champ Ramazan Ferzaliev of Russia in the finals. Idrisov had a strong start to the year, winning the Yarygin in January, but hit a rough patch from April to May where he failed to place at the European Championship after losing to #13 Recep Topal of Turkey and losing in the finals of the Ali Aliev to then #2 Zelimkhan Abakarov, plus a shocking upset loss in the finals at 65 KG at the Sassari Invitational Memorial to Sonba Gongane of India. Idrisov’s fantastic recovery in winning the Russian National Championship and the Ziolkowski, coupled with his strong history of domestic dominance in Russia and Bonne Rodriguez’s rocky year gives Idrisov the top spot going into Nur-Sultan.
Bonne Rodriguez is currently the tenth ranked wrestler in The Fight Site’s international freestyle wrestling rankings, while Idrisov holds the top ranking.
65 KG
The next top ranked wrestler per UWW’s ranking points is returning World runner-up Bajrang Punia of India with 78 ranking points. Punia has taken home titles this year the Ali Aliev, the Asian Championship, the Dan Kolov, and the Tbilisi GP along with participating in the Indian Pro Wrestling League and Grapple at the Garden. Punia’s only loss this year has been to Yasar Dogu champ #11 Yianni Diakomihalis of the United States at Grapple at the Garden, an exhibition. Punia’s list of wins this year is expansive and includes three-time World champ #4 Haji Aliev of Azerbaijan, two-time World bronze medalist #2 Alejandro Valdes Tobier of Cuba, Russian National bronze medalist #13 Julian Gergenov, #11 (70 KG) Andrey Kviatkovski of Ukraine, 2016 Yarygin champ Nyurgun Skryabin of Belarus, Jordan Oliver of the United States, Junior World runner-up #13 Kurban Shiraev of Russia, two-time U-23 World bronze medalist Islam Dudaev of Russia, and 2019 Asian Championship bronze medalist Peiman Biabani of Iran.
UWW got this weight right, as Bajrang’s insane strength of schedule has provided him with the body of work and wins to be the rightful number one going into the World Championships. #3 Takuto Otoguro of Japan is the returning World champ who defeated Punia last year in the finals, but he suffered a domestic loss at the All Japan Championships to 2016 57 KG Olympic runner-up #10 Rei Higuchi in the finals after coming back from injuries. Because of that, he can’t claim the top spot.
70 KG
The top ranked 70 KG athlete per UWW ranking points is two-time World champ Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov of Russia who has 92 points. Gazimagomedov has competed between 70 and 74 KG this year and at 70 KG he won the Yarygin in impressive fashion over two-time World bronze medalist Mandakhnaran Ganzorig of Mongolia to go along with wins over young Russian talents in top ranked David Baev and #2 Razambek Zhamalov. Gazimagomedov followed that up by taking bronze at the European Championships after a 4-3 upset loss to eventual runner-up #6 Agaguseynov Mustafaev of Azerbaijan in the qualification round. Gazimagomedov didn’t place at the Ali Aliev after a loss up at 74 KG to Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev of Russia and then Gazimagomedov would follow it up by rebounding with a bronze medal finish at 74 KG Russian Nationals where he would defeat the Ali Aliev champ, sixth ranked Darsam Dzhaparov in the quarters before falling to eventual champ #4 Magomed Kurbanaliev in the semis.
Gazimagomedov is currently ranked 8th at 74 KG off the strength of his placement at Russian nationals. The man who should be the number one ranked wrestler going into the World Championships at 70 KG is Russian National champ David Baev.
David Baev has placed three years in a row at Russian nationals, each punctuated by clutch performances. He began in 2017 by stunning the world with a 10-10 win over returning World champ Magomed Kurbanaliev 10-10 in the quarters while still a junior (18-20 years old) and going on to take bronze. Baev would fall in the round of 16 in 2018 to eventual World champ Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov and recover by taking out eventual Junior World runner-up Razambek Zhamalov out with a last second takedown to win 4-3 for bronze.
Baev’s path to the Russian National title this year saw him avenge three former losses as he tech falled three-time national runner-up Israil Kasumov in the quarters, demolished then #1 Evgeni Zherbaev 15-4 in the semis, then would earn payback for an 8-4 loss suffered in January in the Yarygin bronze medal match to #3 Razambek Zhamalov with a 10-10 criteria win. Along with his domestic dominance, Baev has won international titles at the Alans and the Medved in 2018 where he notched wins over #4 (74 KG) Magomed Kurbanaliev of Russia, #6 Agaguseynov Mustafaev of Azerbaijan, #11 Andrey Kviatkovski of Ukraine and two-time World medalist #19 James Green of the United States. Baev has defeated the likes of the second, third, fourth ranked wrestlers at 74 KG and the sixth, eleventh, and nineteenth ranked wrestlers at 70. He’s hotter then anyone right now at the weight and because of this, he should be the #1 going into Worlds.
74 KG
Frank Chamizo of Italy holds down the #1 spot at 74 KG, as the former two-time World champ who finished 5th in Budapest has notched titles at the European Championship and the Sassari Memorial Invitational to go along with a silver medal at the Yasar Dogu and a bronze at the Dan Kolov. Chamizo’s only loss this year has been to five-time World and Olympic champ Jordan Burroughs of the United States at the Dan Kolov in the round of 16. Chamizo has notched wins over the likes of #5 Khetik Tsabolov of Russia, #7 Timur Bizhoev of Russia, three-time European Championship runner-up #20 Zelimkhan Khadjiev of France, Yarygin bronze medalist #18 Azamat Nurikov of Belarus, and 2017 U-23 European bronze medalist Andrei Karpach of Belarus.
While Chamizo’s resume for this year is very nice, in a weight as deep as 74 KG it’s not good enough to be #1, in fact he’s #3 in the TFS rankings The rightful #1 should be returning World champ Zaurbek Sidakov of Russia. Sidakov defeated five-time World and Olympic champ #2 Jordan Burroughs of the U.S. and Chamizo at the World Championships last year, won the Yarygin over #12 Yakup Gor of Turkey and pinned two-time World/Olympic bronze medalist #17 Soner Demirtas to win the European Games. Whether Sidakov can earn back to back titles in Nur-Sultan as the third seed has yet to be seen, but Sidakov is wholly deserving of the number one ranking.
79 KG
Returning World champ Kyle Dake of the United States occupies the top of the UWW rankings with 60 ranking points. Dake has been inactive for the majority of the year due to an injury suffered in training and was able to receive a late wrestle off after winning the Grand Prix of Spain in June before beating #3 Alex Dieringer in a two match series to win the World team spot. Dake is also the TFS #1 ranked wrestler off the strength of his resounding wins over five-time World and Olympic champ #2 (74 KG) Jordan Burroughs of the United States, 2018 92 KG World champ J’den Cox of the United States, 2018 86 KG World champion David Taylor of the United States, 2018 World bronze medalist Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov of Russia, 2018 world silver #5 Jabrayil Hasanov of Azerbaijan, and three-time world champ Denis Tsargush of Russia.
86 KG
Returning World runner-up Fatih Erdin of Turkey holds the top spot of the UWW rankings with 84 ranking points. Erdin has earned a runner-up finish at the Yarygin, fifth at the Dan Kolov, bronze at the European Championships, 5th at the European Games, and bronze at the Ziolkowski. Erdin’s good win this year is the same good win he had last year which was European champ #5 Vladislav Valiev of Russia at coincidentally the same event, the Yarygin. Other then that, Erdin’s year has been defined by his losses which were to #2 Artur Naifonov of Russia by pin at the Ziolkowsk in the semis, #4 Dauren Kurugliev of Russia in the Yarygin finals, #7 Ali Shabanov of Belarus in the European Games quarters, #18 Akhmed Dudarov of Germany in the European Games bronze medal match, and #8 Sosuke Takatani of Japan at the World Cup. Because of all of these losses, Erdin is ranked #11 in the FTS rankings and would be lower were it not for his annual good win over Vladislav Valiev.
With returning World champ David Taylor out due to injury there is only one who can be the greatest, Hassan Yazdani Charati of Iran.
Yazdani Charati is a two-time World and Olympic champ and won the Dan Kolov this year by a 16-5 tech fall win over #7 Ali Shabanov of Belarus to avenge a loss from the 2016 Grand Prix of Paris finals at 74 KG. Yazdani Charati has wins over #3 Ghasempour, #4 Kurugliev, #5 Valiev, #6 Shabanov, #12 Gostiev, #14 Ianulov, and #15 Yasar. And c’mon, you don’t get called “Yazdani the Greatest” for no reason.
92 KG
Atop the UWW rankings at 92 KG is returning World champion J’den Cox of the United States with 92 ranking points. So far this year, Cox has followed up his World title in Budapest with titles at the Pan Am Championships and the Yasar Dogu along with an exhibition win at Grapple at the Garden over Princeton’s NCAA 197 4th place finisher Pat Brucki. Cox is also the FTS number one ranked 92 KG wrestler as he has exceptional wins over #2 Alireza Karimimachiani of Iran, #7 Dato Marsagishvili of Georgia, 2018 86 KG world champ David Taylor of the U.S., #11 Shamil Zubairov of Azerbaijan, and #19 Ivan Yankouski of Belarus.
97 KG
Three-time World and Olympic champ Kyle Snyder of the United States is the top ranked 97 KG competitor with 94 ranking points. Snyder is currently ranked second in the FTS ranking. Snyder is the returning World silver medalist and so far this year has won titles at the Dan Kolov, the Yasar Dogu, the Pan Am Championships, and the Pan Am Games, while failing to place at the Yarygin. Snyder’s best wins this year so far have been over #5 Valerii Andriitsev of Ukraine, #7 Ali Khalil Shahbanibangar of Iran, #11 Reineris Salas Perez of Cuba, and #18 Ty Walz of the United States.
While Snyder has had a great year and a truly exceptional American upper weight talent, he’s not deserving of the top spot at 97 KG. That would belong to the man who pinned him in the World finals, four-time World and Olympic champ Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Sadulaev won both the European Games and the European Championships this year along with a 10-0 tech fall win over #3 Vladislav Baitsaev to make the World team. Sadulaev has beaten #8 Aleksandr Husthyn of Belarus, #4 Nurmagomed Gadzhiev of Azerbaijan, #16 Magomedgadzhi Nurov of Macedonia, along with his aforementioned mauling of 2018 European champion #3 Vladislav Baitsaev of Russia in his wrestle-off.
125 KG
Two-time World champ Geno Petriashvili of Georgia is the top ranked heavyweight with 88 ranking points. So far this year, Petriashvili has a silver medal finish at the European Championships, a title at the Tbilisi GP, and a injury default 5th place finish at the Dan Kolov. Petriashvili’s best wins this year are over #9 Oleksandr Khotsianivski of Ukraine and #18 Daniel Ligeti of Hungary. Petriashvili’s sole loss this year has been to three-time World and Olympic champ #1 Taha Akgul of Turkey.
Petriashvili is the FTS #2 ranked wrestler, who should be number one is three-time World and Olympic champion Taha Akgul of Turkey. Taha Akgul won World and Olympic titles through 2014-2016, was World silver to Petriashvili in 2017, and suffered an upset loss to #3 Hadi last year at the World Championship quarterfinals to prevent a semifinal matchup with the Georgian. Considering the drop off heavyweight has after Petriashvili, Akgul, and Hadi and how it’s even more pronounced now that returning World bronze medalist #3 Parviz Hadi of Iran is injured, the minute that Akgul and Petriashvili have a H2H over each other you’re shown without a shadow of a doubt who the best heavyweight is, and this year Akgul beat Petriashvili in the European Championships finals, like how he beat him in the 2018 finals and then teched him in the 2017 quarters. Then, Geno takes it back later in the year. What will be interesting to see is if Taha can peak and beat Geno at Worlds because for the last two years, that hasn’t happened, in the form of their 2017 World finals match and then Hadi spoiling the party in 2018 in the quarters.