World Championships Bracketology: Greco-Roman 59 kg, 66 kg, 80 kg and 130 kg
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Photo: U.S. World Team member Ellis Coleman. Photo by Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com.
Brackets have been released for the second day of Greco-Roman action at the 2017 World Championships being held at AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France.
Weight classes competing tomorrow include 59 kg/130 lbs., 66 kg/145 lbs., 80 kg/176 lbs. and 130 kg/286 lbs.
Each bracket has been broken down into several categories to add extra insight and perspective on what fans can expect during day one of the World Championships.
Complete brackets, as well as a live stream of the event, are available to U.S. residents on Trackwrestling.com.
59 kg/130 lbs.
The favorite: Stig-Andre Berge (Norway)
Potential bracket buster: Mirambek Ainagulov (Kazakhstan)
Early matches to watch: Round of 32 – Stig-Andre Berge (Norway) vs. Kanybek Zholchubekov (Uzbekistan); Round of 32 – Etienne Kinsinger (Germany) vs. Stepan Maryanyan (Russia)
Strongest quadrant: Quadrant one looks to be the area of the bracket where fans will get a big bang for their buck. Only six athletes comprise this quadrant, but all six have semifinal potential. Leading the way is Olympic bronze medalist and top seed Stig-Andre Berge (Norway). Joining Berge in quadrant one are past Junior World and Asian champion Kanybek Zholchubekov (Uzbekistan), 2016 Junior World champion Leo Tudezca (France) and 2015 U23 European champion Victor Ciobanu (Moldova).
The tough road: Stepan Maryanyan (Russia) faces a difficult road should he hope to break through for his first World medal. Up first is 2016 Junior World silver medalist Etienne Kinsinger (Germany), followed by potential matchups with 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Erik Torba (Hungary) and Asian champion Kenchiro Fumita (Japan) before getting to a semifinal against Berge.
American outlook: Ildar Hafizov may be representing the U.S. for the first time at this event, but he is no stranger to the World stage. He begins his conquest with a great tune-up bout against Vazgen Khachatryan (Armenia). Things get tougher with potential matchups against Fumita, Maryanyan and Berge looming.
66 kg/145 lbs.
The favorite: Artem Surkov (Russia)
Potential bracket buster: Soslan Daurov (Belarus)
Early match to watch: Round of 16 – Artem Surkov (Russia) vs. Elmurat Tasmuradov (Uzbekistan)
Strongest quadrant: 2013 World champion Han-Soo Ryu (Korea) leads the pack in quadrant two, but several challengers have the potential to spoil Ryu’s title bid. Other notables in quadrant two include 2010 Junior World champion and 2016 Military World silver medalist Kamran Mammadov (Azerbaijan), European bronze medalist Goga Gogiberashvili (Georgia), African champion Abouhalima (Egypt) and 2013 Junior World champion Karen Aslanyan (Armenia).
The tough road: Sticking with Ryu as the toughest road to the finals. His path is expected to cross Mammadov, Flavio Frueller (Switzerland), Gogiberashvili and the Tasmuradov-Surkov winner.
American outlook: Difficulty level will slowly progress for Ellis Coleman (United States). His expected path to the finals would include Diego Ribeiro Romanelli (Brazil), U23 European bronze medalist Mate Nemes (Serbia), European champion Artem Surkov (Russia) or Olympic bronze medalist Elmurat Tazmuradov, then Ryu. Coleman needs to make the quarters at a minimum for a solid medal shot.
80 kg/176 lbs.
The favorite: Roman Vlasov (Russia)
Potential bracket buster: Alex Kessidis (Sweden)
Early matches to watch: Round of 32 – Roman Vlasov (Russia) vs. Elvin Mursaliev (Azerbaijan); Round of 32 – Aslan Atem (Turkey) vs. Pascal Eisele (Germany)
Strongest quadrant: Dispersed throughout quadrant three are five-time World and Olympic silver medalist Mark Madsen (Denmark), European silver medalist Radzik Kuliev (Belarus), European bronze medalists Daniel Aleksandrov (Bulgaria) and Laszlo Szbao (Hungary), as well as Asian bronze medalists Singh Harpreet (India) and Ashkat Dilmukhamedov (Kazakhstan). Madsen is the favorite to emerge from this pool, but each match will be a tough test for Denmark’s finest.
The tough road: Madsen’s road to the finals is hazardous at best. He is expected to open with Aleksandrov, Kuliev and some combination of Szbao, Harpreet and Dilmukhamedov to set a semifinal date with two-time Olympic champion Roman Vlasov. Madsen lost to Vlasov in the Olympic final at 75 kg last summer.
American outlook: Haight is right in the mix of the quadrant three mash up. A potential finals road for Haight would look something like Szbao, Harpreet, Madsen and Vlasov. Clearly, this is the toughest U.S. draw of the day.
130 kg/286 lbs.
The favorite: Riza Kayaalp (Turkey)
Potential bracket buster: Minseok Kim (Korea)
Early match to watch: Round of 32 – Oscar Pino Hands (Cuba) vs. Balint Lam (Hungary)
Strongest quadrant: Quadrant four boasts two past Olympic medalists in Sabah Shariati (Azerbaijan) and Heki Nabi (Estonia). Also in the mix here are Olympian Murat Ramonov (Kyrgyzstan), 2010 Junior World bronze medalist Shahab Ghourehjili (Iran), 2014 Junior World silver medalist Mantas Knystautas (Lithuania) and 2013 Military World bronze medalist Mykola Kuchmii (Ukraine). Overall, this weight class is spread rather evenly across the bracket in terms of known talent.
The tough road: Hungary’s top contender Balint Lam will have a challenging road to the finals. He starts off against Pan American champion Oscar Pino Hands (Cuba), then will see the likes of Miroslav Metodiev (Bulgaria), World No. 6 Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu (Romania) and two-time World champion Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) on his side of the bracket.
American outlook: As World Championships draws go, Robby Smith (United States) has the benefit of a favorable one this go around. He opens with a beatable opponent in Tamas Soos (Slovakia). His expected path would cross Asian bronze medalist Minseok Kim (Korea), European bronze medalist Levan Arabuli (Georgia) and Shariati to make the finals.
Brackets have been released for the second day of Greco-Roman action at the 2017 World Championships being held at AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France.
Weight classes competing tomorrow include 59 kg/130 lbs., 66 kg/145 lbs., 80 kg/176 lbs. and 130 kg/286 lbs.
Each bracket has been broken down into several categories to add extra insight and perspective on what fans can expect during day one of the World Championships.
Complete brackets, as well as a live stream of the event, are available to U.S. residents on Trackwrestling.com.
59 kg/130 lbs.
The favorite: Stig-Andre Berge (Norway)
Potential bracket buster: Mirambek Ainagulov (Kazakhstan)
Early matches to watch: Round of 32 – Stig-Andre Berge (Norway) vs. Kanybek Zholchubekov (Uzbekistan); Round of 32 – Etienne Kinsinger (Germany) vs. Stepan Maryanyan (Russia)
Strongest quadrant: Quadrant one looks to be the area of the bracket where fans will get a big bang for their buck. Only six athletes comprise this quadrant, but all six have semifinal potential. Leading the way is Olympic bronze medalist and top seed Stig-Andre Berge (Norway). Joining Berge in quadrant one are past Junior World and Asian champion Kanybek Zholchubekov (Uzbekistan), 2016 Junior World champion Leo Tudezca (France) and 2015 U23 European champion Victor Ciobanu (Moldova).
The tough road: Stepan Maryanyan (Russia) faces a difficult road should he hope to break through for his first World medal. Up first is 2016 Junior World silver medalist Etienne Kinsinger (Germany), followed by potential matchups with 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Erik Torba (Hungary) and Asian champion Kenchiro Fumita (Japan) before getting to a semifinal against Berge.
American outlook: Ildar Hafizov may be representing the U.S. for the first time at this event, but he is no stranger to the World stage. He begins his conquest with a great tune-up bout against Vazgen Khachatryan (Armenia). Things get tougher with potential matchups against Fumita, Maryanyan and Berge looming.
66 kg/145 lbs.
The favorite: Artem Surkov (Russia)
Potential bracket buster: Soslan Daurov (Belarus)
Early match to watch: Round of 16 – Artem Surkov (Russia) vs. Elmurat Tasmuradov (Uzbekistan)
Strongest quadrant: 2013 World champion Han-Soo Ryu (Korea) leads the pack in quadrant two, but several challengers have the potential to spoil Ryu’s title bid. Other notables in quadrant two include 2010 Junior World champion and 2016 Military World silver medalist Kamran Mammadov (Azerbaijan), European bronze medalist Goga Gogiberashvili (Georgia), African champion Abouhalima (Egypt) and 2013 Junior World champion Karen Aslanyan (Armenia).
The tough road: Sticking with Ryu as the toughest road to the finals. His path is expected to cross Mammadov, Flavio Frueller (Switzerland), Gogiberashvili and the Tasmuradov-Surkov winner.
American outlook: Difficulty level will slowly progress for Ellis Coleman (United States). His expected path to the finals would include Diego Ribeiro Romanelli (Brazil), U23 European bronze medalist Mate Nemes (Serbia), European champion Artem Surkov (Russia) or Olympic bronze medalist Elmurat Tazmuradov, then Ryu. Coleman needs to make the quarters at a minimum for a solid medal shot.
80 kg/176 lbs.
The favorite: Roman Vlasov (Russia)
Potential bracket buster: Alex Kessidis (Sweden)
Early matches to watch: Round of 32 – Roman Vlasov (Russia) vs. Elvin Mursaliev (Azerbaijan); Round of 32 – Aslan Atem (Turkey) vs. Pascal Eisele (Germany)
Strongest quadrant: Dispersed throughout quadrant three are five-time World and Olympic silver medalist Mark Madsen (Denmark), European silver medalist Radzik Kuliev (Belarus), European bronze medalists Daniel Aleksandrov (Bulgaria) and Laszlo Szbao (Hungary), as well as Asian bronze medalists Singh Harpreet (India) and Ashkat Dilmukhamedov (Kazakhstan). Madsen is the favorite to emerge from this pool, but each match will be a tough test for Denmark’s finest.
The tough road: Madsen’s road to the finals is hazardous at best. He is expected to open with Aleksandrov, Kuliev and some combination of Szbao, Harpreet and Dilmukhamedov to set a semifinal date with two-time Olympic champion Roman Vlasov. Madsen lost to Vlasov in the Olympic final at 75 kg last summer.
American outlook: Haight is right in the mix of the quadrant three mash up. A potential finals road for Haight would look something like Szbao, Harpreet, Madsen and Vlasov. Clearly, this is the toughest U.S. draw of the day.
130 kg/286 lbs.
The favorite: Riza Kayaalp (Turkey)
Potential bracket buster: Minseok Kim (Korea)
Early match to watch: Round of 32 – Oscar Pino Hands (Cuba) vs. Balint Lam (Hungary)
Strongest quadrant: Quadrant four boasts two past Olympic medalists in Sabah Shariati (Azerbaijan) and Heki Nabi (Estonia). Also in the mix here are Olympian Murat Ramonov (Kyrgyzstan), 2010 Junior World bronze medalist Shahab Ghourehjili (Iran), 2014 Junior World silver medalist Mantas Knystautas (Lithuania) and 2013 Military World bronze medalist Mykola Kuchmii (Ukraine). Overall, this weight class is spread rather evenly across the bracket in terms of known talent.
The tough road: Hungary’s top contender Balint Lam will have a challenging road to the finals. He starts off against Pan American champion Oscar Pino Hands (Cuba), then will see the likes of Miroslav Metodiev (Bulgaria), World No. 6 Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu (Romania) and two-time World champion Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) on his side of the bracket.
American outlook: As World Championships draws go, Robby Smith (United States) has the benefit of a favorable one this go around. He opens with a beatable opponent in Tamas Soos (Slovakia). His expected path would cross Asian bronze medalist Minseok Kim (Korea), European bronze medalist Levan Arabuli (Georgia) and Shariati to make the finals.
