World Championships preview in men's freestyle at 125 kg/275 lbs.
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Photo: Nick Gwiazdowski at the U.S. World Team Trials in Lincoln, Neb. Photo by Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com.
Video: Nick Gwiazdowski at World Team Training Camp
Date of Competition: Friday, August 25
The man to beat at 125 kg/275 lbs. is Turkey’s Taha Akgul, who has won gold the past three years at the World Championships and Olympic Games. Akgul maintained his No. 1 UWW World Ranking by topping the field at this year’s European Championships over a strong list of contenders.
The primary challenger to Akgul is Olympic bronze medalist and two-time World bronze medalist Geno Petriashvili of Georgia. Petriashvili, currently ranked No. 2 in the World, does own a win over Akgul, but the series has been primarily controlled by Akgul.
Both Akgul and Petriashvili are highly-offensive heavyweights with outstanding takedown-to-lace combinations. The key to ousting either of these competitors is matching offensive output and maintaining solid par terre defense should a takedown be surrendered.
A strong candidate to break up the anticipated Akgul-Petriashvili showdown is World No. 3 Alen Zasieiev of Ukraine. Zasieiev won a World silver medal in 2013, and has proven he can compete with anyone in the World. This year, the Ukrainian has picked up gold medals at the Ali Aliev Tournament and Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov Tournament.
Iran has seen tremendous success at 125 kg in recent years with two-time Olympic medalist Komeil Ghasemi holding the spot. World No. 7 Ghasemi did compete at the World Cup, however it looks like Iran will be sending Asian champion Yadollah Mohebbi to Paris in his stead. Mohebbi slots in at No. 9 in the World Rankings.
Recent news from Azerbaijan indicates 2015 World silver medalist and current World No. 4 Jamalladin Magomedov, who won silver at the European Championships, is out for the World Championships. Sources have also indicated Azerbaijan will not send a 125 kg representative.
One athlete with great potential to rise to World-medal status this time around is World No. 6 Levan Berianidze of Armenia. Berianidze claimed a bronze medal at the European Championships and finished in fifth-place at the Olympic Games and World Championships the past two years. He won a World bronze medal back in 2010 while competing for Georgia.
Russia boasts three wrestlers in the top 12 of the UWW World Rankings, but indications are unranked Anzor Khizriev will be the Russian entrant at Worlds. Khizriev won the Russian Nationals in June, but has had marginal success internationally. His only international competition of 2017 was a 12th place outing at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix.
India’s Sumit Sumit enters the World Championships with some momentum following a silver-medal win at the Asian Championships. He does not own a World ranking, but could pose problems for the top contenders at 125 kg.
Another solid medal threat is World No. 5 Daniel Ligeti of Hungary. Since finishing in seventh place at the Rio Olympics, Ligetti has collected five medals at tough international events to go alongside a fifth-place finish at the European Championships. However, there is a vulnerability with Ligeti given his last international showing at the Grand Prix of Spain where he did not medal.
American representative Nick Gwiazdowski will make his first appearance at a World Championships. Gwiazdowski enters Paris with a No. 17 World ranking after cruising to gold at the Grand Prix of Spain. He knocked off Pan American champion and World No. 14 Dom Bradley in the finals of the U.S. World Team Trials, proving he is ready to succeed at the World level.
Other notables to keep an eye on at 125 kg are Pan American silver medalist Yudenny Alpajon Esteves of Cuba, World No. 8 Robert Baran of Poland and Asian bronze medalist Zolboo Natsagsuren of Mongolia.
The four seeded athletes at 125 kg are No. 1 Akgul, No. 2 Petriashvili, No. 3 Berianidze and No. 4 Ligeti. This is one of the few weights where all four seeds are expected to enter the field.
This weight category will be contested on the first day of men’s freestyle action, Aug. 25. The tournament will begin at 10 a.m. local time, with finals scheduled for 7 p.m. Paris is situated six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time.
A live stream of the World Championships, as well as brackets for each weight, will be provided to U.S. residents on Trackwrestling.com.
UWW World Rankings
1. Taha Akgul (Turkey)
2. Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)
3. Alen Zasieiev (Ukraine)
4. Jamalladin Magomedov (Azerbaijan)
5. Daniel Ligeti (Hungary)
6. Levan Berianidze (Armenia)
7. Komeil Ghasemi (Iran)
8. Robert Baran (Poland)
9. Yadollah Mohebbi (Iran)
10. Alan Khugaev (Russia)
11. Baldan Tsyshipov (Russia)
12. Muhamadgazi Magomedov (Russia)
13. Vitali Piasniak (Belarus)
14. Dominique Bradley (United States)
15. Yudenny Alpajon Esteves (Cuba)
16. Rares Daniel Chintoan (Romania)
17. Nick Gwiazdowski (United States)
18. Sakir Bokzurt (Turkey)
19. Zolboo Natsagsuren (Mongolia)
20. Yermukambert Inkar (Kazakhstan)
World Championships Seeds
1. Taha Akgul (Turkey)
2. Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)
3. Levan Berianidze (Armenia)
4. Daniel Ligeti (Hungary)
Recent World and Olympic Results
2016 Olympic Games
125 kg/275 lbs. – Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey); Silver – Komeil Ghasemi (Iran); Bronze – Ibrahim Saidau (Belarus); Bronze – Geno Petriashvili (Georgia); 5th – Levan Berianidze (Armenia); 5th – Tervel Dlagnev (United States); 7th – Daniel Ligeti (Hungary); 8th – Korey Jarvis (Canada); 9th – Diaaeldin Abdelmottaleb (Egypt); 10th – Alen Zasieiev (Ukraine)
2015 World Championships
125 kg/275 lbs. – Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey); Silver – Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Geno Petriashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); 5th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 5th – Levan Berianidze (Armenia); 7th – Daulet Shabanbay (Kazakhstan); 8th – Nobuyoshi Arakida (Japan); 9th – Parviz Hadi (Iran); 10th – Aiaal Lazarev (Kyrgyzstan)
2014 World Championships
125 kg/275 lbs. – Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey); Silver – Komeil Ghasemi (Iran); Bronze – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); Bronze – Khadzhimurat Gatsalov (Russia); 5th – Alexei Shemarov (Belarus); 5th – Oleksandr Khotsianivskyi (Ukraine); 7th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 8th – Aslan Dzebisov (Azerbaijan); 9th – Nick Matuhin (Germany); 10th – Zhiwei Deng (China)
2013 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Gold – Khadzhimurat Gatsalov (Russia); Silver – Alen Zasieiev (Ukraine); Bronze – Geno Petriashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Taha Akgul (Turkey); 5th – Zhiwei Deng (China); 5th – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); 7th – Rares Chintoan (Romania); 8th – Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan); 9th – Daniel Ligeti (Hungary); 10th – Komeil Ghasemi (Iran)
Video: Nick Gwiazdowski at World Team Training Camp
Date of Competition: Friday, August 25
The man to beat at 125 kg/275 lbs. is Turkey’s Taha Akgul, who has won gold the past three years at the World Championships and Olympic Games. Akgul maintained his No. 1 UWW World Ranking by topping the field at this year’s European Championships over a strong list of contenders.
The primary challenger to Akgul is Olympic bronze medalist and two-time World bronze medalist Geno Petriashvili of Georgia. Petriashvili, currently ranked No. 2 in the World, does own a win over Akgul, but the series has been primarily controlled by Akgul.
Both Akgul and Petriashvili are highly-offensive heavyweights with outstanding takedown-to-lace combinations. The key to ousting either of these competitors is matching offensive output and maintaining solid par terre defense should a takedown be surrendered.
A strong candidate to break up the anticipated Akgul-Petriashvili showdown is World No. 3 Alen Zasieiev of Ukraine. Zasieiev won a World silver medal in 2013, and has proven he can compete with anyone in the World. This year, the Ukrainian has picked up gold medals at the Ali Aliev Tournament and Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov Tournament.
Iran has seen tremendous success at 125 kg in recent years with two-time Olympic medalist Komeil Ghasemi holding the spot. World No. 7 Ghasemi did compete at the World Cup, however it looks like Iran will be sending Asian champion Yadollah Mohebbi to Paris in his stead. Mohebbi slots in at No. 9 in the World Rankings.
Recent news from Azerbaijan indicates 2015 World silver medalist and current World No. 4 Jamalladin Magomedov, who won silver at the European Championships, is out for the World Championships. Sources have also indicated Azerbaijan will not send a 125 kg representative.
One athlete with great potential to rise to World-medal status this time around is World No. 6 Levan Berianidze of Armenia. Berianidze claimed a bronze medal at the European Championships and finished in fifth-place at the Olympic Games and World Championships the past two years. He won a World bronze medal back in 2010 while competing for Georgia.
Russia boasts three wrestlers in the top 12 of the UWW World Rankings, but indications are unranked Anzor Khizriev will be the Russian entrant at Worlds. Khizriev won the Russian Nationals in June, but has had marginal success internationally. His only international competition of 2017 was a 12th place outing at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix.
India’s Sumit Sumit enters the World Championships with some momentum following a silver-medal win at the Asian Championships. He does not own a World ranking, but could pose problems for the top contenders at 125 kg.
Another solid medal threat is World No. 5 Daniel Ligeti of Hungary. Since finishing in seventh place at the Rio Olympics, Ligetti has collected five medals at tough international events to go alongside a fifth-place finish at the European Championships. However, there is a vulnerability with Ligeti given his last international showing at the Grand Prix of Spain where he did not medal.
American representative Nick Gwiazdowski will make his first appearance at a World Championships. Gwiazdowski enters Paris with a No. 17 World ranking after cruising to gold at the Grand Prix of Spain. He knocked off Pan American champion and World No. 14 Dom Bradley in the finals of the U.S. World Team Trials, proving he is ready to succeed at the World level.
Other notables to keep an eye on at 125 kg are Pan American silver medalist Yudenny Alpajon Esteves of Cuba, World No. 8 Robert Baran of Poland and Asian bronze medalist Zolboo Natsagsuren of Mongolia.
The four seeded athletes at 125 kg are No. 1 Akgul, No. 2 Petriashvili, No. 3 Berianidze and No. 4 Ligeti. This is one of the few weights where all four seeds are expected to enter the field.
This weight category will be contested on the first day of men’s freestyle action, Aug. 25. The tournament will begin at 10 a.m. local time, with finals scheduled for 7 p.m. Paris is situated six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time.
A live stream of the World Championships, as well as brackets for each weight, will be provided to U.S. residents on Trackwrestling.com.
UWW World Rankings
1. Taha Akgul (Turkey)
2. Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)
3. Alen Zasieiev (Ukraine)
4. Jamalladin Magomedov (Azerbaijan)
5. Daniel Ligeti (Hungary)
6. Levan Berianidze (Armenia)
7. Komeil Ghasemi (Iran)
8. Robert Baran (Poland)
9. Yadollah Mohebbi (Iran)
10. Alan Khugaev (Russia)
11. Baldan Tsyshipov (Russia)
12. Muhamadgazi Magomedov (Russia)
13. Vitali Piasniak (Belarus)
14. Dominique Bradley (United States)
15. Yudenny Alpajon Esteves (Cuba)
16. Rares Daniel Chintoan (Romania)
17. Nick Gwiazdowski (United States)
18. Sakir Bokzurt (Turkey)
19. Zolboo Natsagsuren (Mongolia)
20. Yermukambert Inkar (Kazakhstan)
World Championships Seeds
1. Taha Akgul (Turkey)
2. Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)
3. Levan Berianidze (Armenia)
4. Daniel Ligeti (Hungary)
Recent World and Olympic Results
2016 Olympic Games
125 kg/275 lbs. – Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey); Silver – Komeil Ghasemi (Iran); Bronze – Ibrahim Saidau (Belarus); Bronze – Geno Petriashvili (Georgia); 5th – Levan Berianidze (Armenia); 5th – Tervel Dlagnev (United States); 7th – Daniel Ligeti (Hungary); 8th – Korey Jarvis (Canada); 9th – Diaaeldin Abdelmottaleb (Egypt); 10th – Alen Zasieiev (Ukraine)
2015 World Championships
125 kg/275 lbs. – Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey); Silver – Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Geno Petriashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); 5th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 5th – Levan Berianidze (Armenia); 7th – Daulet Shabanbay (Kazakhstan); 8th – Nobuyoshi Arakida (Japan); 9th – Parviz Hadi (Iran); 10th – Aiaal Lazarev (Kyrgyzstan)
2014 World Championships
125 kg/275 lbs. – Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey); Silver – Komeil Ghasemi (Iran); Bronze – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); Bronze – Khadzhimurat Gatsalov (Russia); 5th – Alexei Shemarov (Belarus); 5th – Oleksandr Khotsianivskyi (Ukraine); 7th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 8th – Aslan Dzebisov (Azerbaijan); 9th – Nick Matuhin (Germany); 10th – Zhiwei Deng (China)
2013 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Gold – Khadzhimurat Gatsalov (Russia); Silver – Alen Zasieiev (Ukraine); Bronze – Geno Petriashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Taha Akgul (Turkey); 5th – Zhiwei Deng (China); 5th – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); 7th – Rares Chintoan (Romania); 8th – Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan); 9th – Daniel Ligeti (Hungary); 10th – Komeil Ghasemi (Iran)
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