Senior Worlds Previews: Men’s Freestyle lighter weights (57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg)

Justin Hoch

Three of the four 2022 World medalists are entered again, and they are all among those seeded. 2023 World champion Rahman Amouzadkhalili of Iran gathered in the No. 1 seed. Amouzadkhalili added an Asian gold medal this spring. 2022 World bronze medalist Iszmail Muszukajev of Hungary, now a two-time World medalist, is seeded No. 4, while 2022 World bronze medalist Bajrang Punia of India is seeded No. 8. Bajrang has won three Senior World medals and was also a 2020 Olympic bronze medalist.

This bracket may get totally wrecked by a number of stars who did not get seeded. 2020 Olympic champion Takuto Otoguro of Japan is entered and unseeded. Otoguro has not competed internationally since his win in Tokyo. Three-time World champion and two-time Olympic medalist Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan also enters unseeded. Aliyev was a 2023 European champion, competing up at 70 kg. 2017 and 2018 World bronze medalist Alejandro Valdes Tobier of Cuba is also entered but did not secure a seed.

Also coming in unseeded and expected to compete is Individual Neutral Athlete Shamil Mamedov, who was a U20 World champion for Russia in 2021 and won the 2022 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix. Coming in unseeded is Nick Lee of the United States, wrestling in his first Senior Worlds after stopping 2022 World silver medalist Yianni Diakomihalis in Final X.

Seeded No. 2 seed is New Jersey native Sebastian Rivera of Puerto Rico, who was an All-American at both Rutgers and Northwestern. Rivera was fifth in the 2022 World Championships and seventh in 2021.  The No. 3 seed is 2021 World bronze medalist Tulga Tumur Ochir of Mongolia, who was an Asian silver medalist this year. 2020 Olympian Agustin Destribats of Argentina is seeded No. 5. 2022 U23 World champion and 2020 Olympian Vazgen Tevanyan of Armenia is seeded No. 6, while 2023 European bronze medalist Edemi Bolkvadze of Georgia received the No. 7 seed.

Some other familiar names to U.S. college fans are Lachlan McNeil of Canada, who wrestles for North Carolina, Joshua Finesilver of Israel, who competed for Duke, Colin Realbuto of Italy, who wrestled for Northern Iowa and Austin Gomez of Mexico, who wrestled for Wisconsin and Iowa State.

1. Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI)

2. Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)

3. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)

4. Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)

5. Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)

6. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)

7. Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO)

8. BAJRANG (IND)

65 kg/143 lbs. -  Gold - Rahman Amouzadkhalili (Iran); Silver - Yianni Diakomihalis (USA); Bronze - Iszmail Muszukajev (Hungary); Bronze - Bajrang Punia (India); 5th - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan); 5th - Sebastian Rivera (Puerto Rico); 7th - Abbos Rakhmonov (Uzbekistan); 8th - Adil Ospanov (Kazakhstan); 9th - Tsogbadrakh Tseveensuren (Mongolia); 10th - Kaiki Yamaguchi (Japan)

65 kg/143 lbs. - Gold - Zagir Shakhiev (RWF); Silver - Amirmohammad Babak Yazdanicherati (Iran); Bronze - Alibek Osmonov (Kyrgyzstan); Bronze - Tulga Tumur Ochir (Mongolia); 5th - Krzysztof Bienkowski (Poland); 5th - Rohit (India); 7th - Vasyl Shuptar (Ukraine); 8th - Sebastian Rivera (Puerto Rico); 9th - Selahattin Kilicsallayan (Turkey); 10th - Haji Ali (Brunei)

65 kg/143 lbs. - Gold - Takuto Otoguro (Japan); Silver - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan); Bronze - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (ROC); Bronze - Bajrang Punia (India); 5th – Izmiel Muszukajev (Hungary); 5th - Daulet Niyazbekov (Kazakhstan); 7th - Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Poland); 8th - Morteza Ghiasa Cheka (Iran); 9th - Tulga Tumur Ochir (Mongolia); 10th - Alejandro Enrique Valdez Tobier (Cuba)

Justin Hoch

The two 2002 World medalists who are entered this year have received the top two seeds, No. 1 seed Ernazar Akmataliev of Kyrgyzstan and No. 2 seed Zain Retherford of the United States. Akhmataliev has won medals in consecutive World championships, a bronze in 2022 and a silver in 2021. Retherford, competing on his third USA World Team, won a World silver in 2022. Akhmataliev has won four international medals so far in 2023. Retherford claimed a 2023 Pan American title.

Iran brings 2021 World silver medalist Amirmohammad Yazdanicherati, who did not receive a seed and will be drawn in. Also unseeded is Individual Neutral Athlete Evgheni Zherbaev, who was a 2021 World bronze medalist for Russia and claimed the Russian Nationals title this year.

None of the seeds from No. 3 to No. 8 have been past Senior World medalists. Claiming No. 3 is Arman Andreasyan of Armenia, who was fifth in the 2021 and 2022 World Championships. Giorgi Elbakidze of Georgia, the No. 4 seed, was a 2022 U23 World champion.

Closing out the seeds are No. 5 Ramazan Ramazanov of Bulgaria, No. 6 Servet Coskun of Turkey, No. 7 Ihor Nykyforuk of Ukraine and No. 8 Sanzhar Doszhanov of Kazakhstan. Ramazanov, who started his career with Russia, was a 2023 European silver medalist. Coskun was eighth in the 2023 World Championships. Nykyforuk was a 2023 European bronze medalist and won a 2029 U23 World bronze medal. Doszhanov was a 2023 Asian champion.

Among the other challengers are 2017 U20 World bronze medalist Temuulen Enkhtuya of Mongolia, 2023 European U23 champion Magomed Khaniev of Azerbaijan, 2022 U20 World bronze medalist Mulaym Yadav of India, 2022 U20 World bronze medalist Yoshinosuke Aoyagi of Japan and 2023 Asian silver medalist Zafarbek Otakhonov of Uzbekistan.

1. Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)

2. Zain RETHERFORD (USA)

3. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)

4. Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)

5. Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL)

6. Servet COSKUN (TUR)

7. Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR)

8. Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ)

70 kg/154 lbs. - Gold - Taishi Narikuni (Japan); Silver - Zain Retherford (USA); Bronze - Ernazar Akmataliev (Kyrgyzstan); Bronze - Zurabi Iakobishvili (Georgia); 5th - Naveen (India); 5th - Arman Andreasyan (Armenia); 7th - Ramazan Ramazanov (Bulgaria); 8th - Servet Coskun (Turkey); 9th - Gianluca Talamo (Italy); 10th - Joshua Finesilver (Israel)

70 kg/154 lbs. - Gold – Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Poland); Silver – Ernazar Akmataliev (Kyrgyzstan); Bronze – Zurabi Iakobishvili (Georgia); Bronze – Evgenii Zherbaev (RWF); 5th – Turan Bayramov (Azerbaijan); 5th – Arman Andreasyan (Armenia); 7th – James Green (USA); 8th – Erfan Elahi (Iran); 9th – Mustafa Kaya (Turkey); 10th – Nicolae Cojocaru (Great Britain)

Note: 70 kg is a non-Olympic weight class, so there are no results from the 2020 Olympic Games held in Tokyo, Japan.

Justin Hoch

Four-time World champion and 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Kyle Dake of the United States comes into Belgrade as the top star in the weight class. After winning two World titles at 79 kg, Dake moved to 74 kg, where he claimed his Olympic bronze then two straight World titles. Dake defeated Taimuraz Salkazanov of Slovakia in the finals the last two years. In the preliminary seeds, Dake received No. 2 and Salkazanov No. 3, meaning they may meet in the World semifinals this year if the seeds hold.

Wrestling fans are looking forward to the possible return of 2020 Olympic champion Zaurbek Sidakov, who would be competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete. Sidakov also boasts World titles in 2018 and 2019 for Russia. Another Individual Neutral Athlete entered will be 2020 Olympic silver medalist Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau, who hails from Belarus. Neither of these athletes would receive a seed.

Speaking of unseeded stars, add in 2022 World bronze medalist Frank Chamizo of Italy, a two-time World champion who is capable of reaching the top of the podium in every event he enters. Also unseeded is Hetik Cabolov of Serbia, a 2014 World champion. Add 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Bekzod Abdurakhmanov of Uzbekistan, 2019 World silver medalist Nurkosha Kaipanov of Kazakhstan and 2018 World silver medalist Avtandil Kentchadze of Georgia to the list of unseeded entries.

The No. 1 seed is Soner Demirtas of Turkey, who was fifth in the 2022 World Championships and was a 2017 World bronze medalist. Demirtas was a 2023 European bronze medalist and placed in two ranking series events. The No. 4 seed went to 2023 World bronze medalist Yones Emamichoghaei of Iran, who was also a 2019 World bronze medalist. Rounding out the top eight seeds are 2023 Asian bronze medalist Suldkhuu Olonbayar of Mongolia (No. 5), Mitchell Finesilver of Israel (No. 6), Murad Kuramagomedov of Hungary (No. 7) and two-time U20 World medalist Sagar Jaglan of India (No. 8).  

Some of the past U.S. college athletes in the draw for other nations in addition to Finesilver (Duke) are Anthony Valencia of Mexico (Arizona State) and Malik Amine of San Marino (Michigan).

1. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)

2. Kyle DAKE (USA)

3. Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)

4. Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI)

5. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)

6. Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)

7. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)

8. Sagar JAGLAN (IND)

74 kg/163 lbs. - Gold - Kyle Dake (USA); Silver - Taimuraz Salkazanov (Slovakia); Bronze - Yones Emamichoghaei (Iran); Bronze - Frank Chamizo (Italy); 5th -  Sagar Jaglan (India); 5th - Soner Demirtas (Turkey); 7th - Hetik Cabolov (Serbia); 8th - Suldkhuu Olonbayar (Mongolia); 9th - Vasile Diacon (Moldova); 10th - Daichi Takatani (Japan)

74 kg/163 lbs. - Gold - Kyle Dake (USA); Silver - Tajmuraz Salkazanov (Slovakia); Bronze - Fazli Eryilmaz (Turkey); Bronze - Timur Bizhoev (RWF); 5th - Azamat Nurykau (Belarus); 5th - Avtandil Kentchadze (Georgia); 7th - Hetik Cabolov (Serbia); 8th - Yones Aliakbar Emamichoghaei (Iran); 9th - Ali Pasha Umarpashaev (Bulgaria); 10th - Joshgun Azimov (Azerbaijan)

74 kg/163 lbs. - Gold - Zaurbek Sidakov (ROC); Silver - Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau (Belarus); Bronze - Kyle Dake (USA); Bronze - Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan); 5th - Frank Chamizo (Italy); 5th - Daniyar Kaisanov (Kazakhstan); 7th - Amr Reda Ramadan Hussen (Egypt); 8th - Turan Bayramov (Azerbaijan); 9th - Jeandry Garzon Caballero (Cuba); 10th - Vasyl Mykhailov (Ukraine)