CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland – Five new names appeared atop the FILA World Rankings in men’s freestyle as the dust settled from four continental championship meets held in April around the world.

Rasul KALIEV (KAZ), Haji ALIEV (AZE), Moustafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI), Abdul Rashid SADULAEV (RUS) and Taha AKGUL (TUR) all moved to the top of their respective weight categories after winning performances in the European and Asia championships.

Yarygin Grand Prix winner Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) was the only wrestler to emerge from the continental meets in April with his No.1 ranking intact. Kurbanaliev rolled up four wins by technical superiority and another by fall at 65kg in Helsinki to win his first European championship title.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) at 74kg and Reza YAZDANI (IRI) at 97kg remain the only 2013 world champions still on top of their respective rankings after April. Burroughs won the U.S. Open at 74kg, while Yazdani turned in a solid performance at 97kg in March to pace Iran to the World Cup crown.

Meanwhile, three wrestlers from the African championships and Florian TEMEGIL (PLW) all broke into rankings with championship performances in Tunis and Pago Pago.

Ayad IBRAHIM (EGY) won a gold medal in freestyle and bronze in Greco-Roman in Tunis, Augusto MIDANA (GBS) won a fourth African championship title, and Mohamed Ali ZAGHOUL (EGY) was a double-winner with titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Temengil, meanwhile, won freestyle and Greco-Roman titles in the Oceania championships for a second year in a row to add to his two earlier Oceania freestyle titles in 2011 and 2012.

57kg – Rasul KALIEV (KAZ), a fifth-place finisher at last year’s world meet, rolled over Paris Golden Grand Prix winner DAMDINBAZAR Tsogtbaatar (MGL) in the Asian championships final to take over the top position at 57kg.

London 2012 silver medalist at 55kg Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) quietly fashioned four wins on the way to his first senior-level European championships crown.

1. Rasul KALIEV (KAZ) – Asia No.1 (8)

2. Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.1 (15@61)

3. DAMDINBAZAR Tsogtbaatar (MGL) – Asia No.2 (13)

4. Fumitaka MORISHITA (JPN) – Asia No.3 (8)

5. Samat NADYRBEK UULU (KGZ) – Asia No.3 (14)

6. Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) – World Cup No.2 (6)

7. Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) – World Cup No.1 (1)

8. Rustam AMPAR (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (10)

9. Amit KUMAR (IND) – Schultz Memorial No.2 (2)

10. BATBOLD Nomin (MGL) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (3)

11. Ghenadi TULBEA (MON) – Europe No.2 (not ranked)

12. Garik BARSEGHYAN (ARM) – Europe No.3 (nr)

13. Zoheir EL QUARRAGQE (FRA) – Europe No.3 (nr)

14. JIN Jong-Hak (PRK) – Takhti Cup No.1 (7)

15. Sezer AKGUL (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.3 (5)

16. Andrei DUKOV (ROU) – Dan Kolov No.3 (17)

17. Vladislav ANDREEV (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.3 (17)

18. Mehrab REZAZADEH (IRI) – Asia No.5 (nr)

19. Sergey RATUSHNIY (UKR) – World Cup No.4 (19)

20. Nikolaj NOEV (TJK) – Mongolian Open No.3 (20)

61kg – Haji ALIEV (AZE), 30th in the 2013 world championships, picked world champion Bekhan GOYGEREEV (RUS) apart for a 12-5 triumph in the final of the European championships to leapfrog to the top spot at 61kg.

Masoud ESMAILPOUR (IRI) won the battle of world bronze medalists over Bajneesh BAJRANG (IND) at the Asia championships to claim No.4 in the rankings, while Takhti Cup winner Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) won a bronze medal to climb to No.5.

1. Haji ALIEV (AZE) – Europe No.1 (3)

2. Dyamal OTARSULTANOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (2)

3. Bekhan GOYGEREEV (RUS) – Europe No.2 (1)

4. Masoud ESMAILPOUR (IRI) – Asia No.1 (6)

5. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (8)

6. Bajneesh BAJRANG (IND) – Asia No.2 (nr)

7. ENKHSAIKHAN Nyam-Ochir (MGL) – Paris GGP No.1 (4)

8. Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE) – Yasar Dogu No.3 (5)

9. LHAMGARMAA Nazmandakh (MGL) – Asia No.3 (18)

10. Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) – Europe No.3 (nr)

11. Andrei PERPELITA (MDA) – Europe No.3 (nr)

12. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL) – Europe No.5 (11)

13. Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.3 (7)

14. James KENNEDY (USA) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (9)

15. Bazar BAZARGURUEV (KGZ) – Mongolian Open No.2 (17@65)

16. Vasyl FEDORISHIN (UKR) – Takhti Cup No.2 (12)

17. Noriyuki TAKATSUKA (JPN) – Takhti Cup No.3 (13)

18. Alexander SEMISOROW (GER) – Europe No.5 (nr)

19. Muenir Recep AKTAS (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.2 (14)

20. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) – Europe No.7 (nr)

65kg – Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) followed up his triumph at Dan Kolov in February with a win at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Juan to move in behind European champion Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) as No.2 in the rankings.

Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL), who finished second to Gomez Matos at Dan Kolov, stunned London 2012 gold medalist Togrul ASGAROV (AZE) at the European championships on his way to a bronze medal and No.4 in the rankings.

1. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (1)

2. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) – CAC Games No.1 (4)

3. Servet COSKUN (TUR) – Europe No.2 (6)

4. Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) – Europe No.3 (9)

5. Konstantin KHABALASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.3 (12)

6. Sayed Ahmad MOHAMMADI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (17@61)

7. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.3 (15)

8. KANG Jin-Hyeok (PRK) – Asia No.2 (nr)

9. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.1 (3)

10. Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) – Takhti Cup No.5 (11)

11. BATMAGNAI Batchuluun (MGL) – Asia No.3 (16)

12. Furkat FARMANOV (UZB) – Asia No.3 (nr)

13. Andrey KVIATKOVSKI (UKR) – GGP Final No.3 (7@70)

14. Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (10)

15. Azamat NURIKOV (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (20)

16. Dauren ZHUMAGAZIEV (KAZ) – Takhti Cup No.3 (13)

17. Alibeggadzhi EMEEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (5)

18. Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (8)

19. Alexander KONTOEV (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.2 (18)

20. Hernan GUZMAN IPUZ (COL) – CAC Games No.2 (nr)

70kg – Takhti Cup winner Moustafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) notched three technical falls on his way to his first senior-level Asian title and, along with a dominating showing at the World Cup, moves to the top of the 70kg poll.

Ruslan DIBIRGADZHIYEV (AZE) defeated previously top-ranked Yakup GOR (TUR) in the semifinals of the European championships to move to grab the No.2 ranking with technical fall triumph over Grigor GRIGORYAN (ARM) in the Helsinki final.

1. Moustafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (2)

2. Ruslan DIBIRGADZHIYEV (AZE) – Europe No.1 (8)

3. Yakup GOR (TUR) – Europe No.3 (1)

4. Peyman YARAHMADI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.2 (3)

5. Grigor GRIGORYAN (ARM) – Europe No.2 (nr)

6. Israil KASUMOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (5)

7. Khetag TSABOLOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (4)

8. Miroslav KIROV (BUL) – Europe No.3 (9)

9. Somirshoh VOKHIDOV (TJK) – Asia No.2 (nr)

10. Ken HOSAKA (JPN) – Asia No.3 (nr)

11. Ibrahim NURIDDINOV (UZB) – Asia No.3 (nr)

12. LING Haiwei (CHN) – Asia No.5 (nr)

13. Amit Dhankar KUMAR (IND) – Asia No.5 (nr)

14. Zhombor GULYAS (HUN) – Europe No.5 (nr)

15. Adrian Ionut MOISE (ROU) – Europe No.5 (nr)

16. Geandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB) – Granma Cup No.1 (10)

17. Zaur EFENDIEV (SRB) – Paris GGP No.1 (11)

18. Emin AZIZOV (AZE) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (16)

19. BUYANJAV Batzorig (MGL) – Mongolian No.2 (15)

20. Ayad IBRAHIM (EGY) – Africa No.1 (nr)

74kg – Two-time Yarygin Grand Prix winner Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) won his second European championship title with a late four-point takedown and leapt to No.2 in the rankings.

Takhti Cup titlist Reza AFZALI PAEMAMI (IRI) outscored three opponents 26-0 to vault 15 places to No.3 in the rankings after winning his first senior Asia wrestling crown.  Alzali Paemami won the Asia cadet title in 2007 and junior crown in 2010.

1. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) – World No.1 (1)

2. Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (10)

3. Reza AFZALI PAEMAMI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (18)

4. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) – Europe No.3 (3)

5. Krystian BRZOZOWSKI (POL) – Europe No.3 (11)

6. Ali SHABANOV (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (2)

7. Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (4)

8. Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (15)

9. PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) – Asia No.2 (13)

10. Nicholas MARABLE (USA) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (6)

11. Leonid BAZAN (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (8)

12. Innokenti INNOKENTYEV (KGZ) – Asia No.3 (nr)

13. Ryoichi YAMANAKA (JPN) – Asia No.3 (nr)

14. Essadollah AKBARI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.3 (7)

15. Kiril TERZIEV (BUL) – Europe No.7 (nr)

16. Yakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.9 (9)

17. Parveen RANA (IND) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (nr)

18. Akzhurek TANATAROV (KAZ) – Int’l Kunaev No.1 (17)

19. Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI) – Europe No.5 (nr)

20. Augusto MIDANA (GBS) – Africa No.1 (nr)

86kg – Two-time cadet world champion Abdul Rashid SADULAEV (RUS) notched four technical falls in the preliminary rounds, then edged veteran Medved Prizes winner Murad GAIDAROV (BLR), 5-2, for his first European championship crown and the No.1 ranking.

Alexander DOLLY (IRL) battled back from his opening loss to Gaidarov for a berth in the bronze medal finals and had 2012 silver medalist Musa MURTAZALIEV (ARM) on the ropes in the second period. Dolly, however, gave up a late takedown and lost on criteria, but still becomes Ireland’s first wrestler in the FILA World Rankings at No.17.

1. Abdul Rashid SADULAEV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (5)

2. Murad GAIDAROV (BLR) – Europe No.2 (10)

3. Meisam MOSTAFA JOUKAR (IRI) – Asia No.1 (13)

4. Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) – Asia No.3 (5@74)

5. Azlan KAKHIDZE (KAZ) – Asia No.2 (12)

6. Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR) – World No.1 (1)

7. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) – Granma Cup No.1 (2)

8. Ehsan LASHGARI (IRI) – World No.3 (3)

9. Istvan VEREB (HUN) – Europe No.3 (nr)

10. Gamzat OSMANOV (AZE) – Dan Kolov No.1 (6)

11. Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (7)

12. Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.5 (8)

13. Musa MURTAZALIEV (ARM) – Europe No.3 (nr)

14. Albert SARITOV (RUS) – Mongolian Open No.1 (16)

15. Uitumen ORGODOL (MGL) – Asia No.3 (nr)

16. Clayton FOSTER (USA) – Yasar Dogu No.5 (11)

17. Alexander DOLLY (IRL) – Europe No.5 (nr)

18. Taymuraz FRIEV NASKIDEAVA (ESP) – Paris GGP No.1 (4)

19. Pedro CEBALLAS FUENTES (VEN) – CAC Games No.1 (20)

20. Mohamed Ali ZAGHOUL (EGY) – Africa No.1 (nr)

97 kg– Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) won his second European championship title with a 5-2 victory over world silver medalist Khetag GAZUMOV (AZE) for No.2 in the rankings behind two-time world champ Reza YAZDANI (IRI).

World University Games bronze medalist DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL) scored with an early four-point throw and held on for a 7-5 win over Medved Prizes bronze medal winner Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ) for the Asia title and No.11 in the rankings.

1. Reza YAZDANI (IRI) – World No.1 (1)

2. Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (4)

3. Khetag GAZUMOV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (2)

4. Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) – Europe No.3 (8)

5. Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) – Dan Kolov No.1 (5)

6. Pavlo OLEYNIK (UKR) – Europe No.5 (3)

7. Nicolae CEBAN (MDA) – Europe No.3 (13)

8. William HARTH (GER) – Europe No.5 (nr)

9. Lyuben ILIEV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.3 (7)

10. Riza YILDIRIM (TUR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (6)

11. DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL) – Asia No.1 (14)

12. Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (9)

13. Satyavart KADIAN (IND) – Asia No.3 (nr)

14. Rustam ISKANDARI (TJK) – Asia No.3 (nr)

15. Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.3 (11)

16. Dato KERASHVILI (GEO) – Takhti Cup No.3 (12)

17. Valeri ANDRIITSEV (UKR) – Yarygin GP No.3 (10)

18. Hamed TALEBIZARRINKAMAR (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (15)

19. Yusup JALILOV (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.2 (16)

20. Ali BONCEOGLU (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (17)

125kg – World bronze medalist Taha AKGUL (TUR) wrapped up Russian challenger Alan KHUGAEV (RUS) by technical fall for his third European championship title in a row and the No.1 ranking at 125kg.

Newly minted Asia champion Komeil GHASEMI (IRI), a London 2012 bronze medalist, moved to No.3 in the rankings ahead of world champion Khadshimourad GATSALOV (RUS), who has not wrestled internationally since the world meet last September.

1. Taha AKGUL (TUR) – Europe No.1 (3)

2. Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (6)

3. Alan KHUGAEV (RUS) – Europe No.2 (10)

4. Khadshimourad GATSALOV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)

5. Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (UKR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (4)

6. Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) – Dan Kolov No.1 (5)

7. Alen ZASEEV (UKR) – Dan Kolov No.2 (2)

8. Parviz HADI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (7)

9. Daniel LIGETI (HUN) – Europe No.3 (nr)

10. Daulet SHABANBAY (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (9)

11. NATSAGSUREN Zolboo (MGL) – Asia No.2 (nr)

12. Andranik GALSTYAN (ARM) – Dan Kolov No.3 (19)

13. Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) – Asia No.5 (nr)

14. JARGALSAIKHAN Chuluunbat (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.2 (12)

15. Tervel DLAGNEV (USA) – World No.5 (13)

16. David MODZMANASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.5 (nr)

17. Kurban KURBANOV (UZB) – Asia No.7 (nr)

18. SHANG Hai (CHN) – Asia No.3 (nr)

19. Luis VIVENES URBANESA (VEN) – CAC Games No.2 (20)

20. Florian TEMENGIL (PLW) – Oceania No.1 (nr)

William May conducts the World Rankings for FILA.  He has been active in wrestling across three continents for more than 40 years as a competitor, coach, referee and journalist. William worked as the "Sports Information Specialist" for wrestling at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games.  He can be reached on his Facebook page or by email, wmay52@hotmail.com 

About FILA

FILA, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, is the global governing body of the sport of wrestling. It works to promote the sport and facilitate the activities of its 177 national federations from around the world. It is based in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland.

To learn more about FILA visit its official website, http://www.fila-official.com/; Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/fila.official, or Twitter handle, @FILA_Official.

(For more information please contact FILA at 41.21 312 84 26 or Bob Condron, Press Officer,condron@fila-wrestling.com or rscondron@yahoo.com.  Also see rankings on www.fila-official.com