Tbilisi Grand Prix, Junior Continentals Equal Few Changes in July FS Rankings

By William May

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (July 11) – Three junior continental championships dominated the wrestling calendar in June, leaving the Tbilisi Grand Prix the only senior event with a significant impact on the United World Wrestling freestyle rankings for July.

The top six wrestlers in seven of the eight freestyle weight held firm. Only senior European silver medalist Alexander GOSTIEV (AZE) was able to crack the top six, climbing four places to No.4 at 86k after a victory in Tbilisi.

Meanwhile, Galib ALIYEV (AZE) went from unranked following a triumph at Yasar Dogu in March to No.11 after Tbilisi with wins over European under-23 runner-up Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR) and Paris Grand Prix winner Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO).

Senior European bronze medalist at 61kg Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) follows Aliyev at No.12 after winning the 65kg title in Tbilisi to climb four places in the super bantamweight poll.

Among the medalists from the junior continental championships, Andrey YATSENKO (UKR) was ranked highest at No.10 in 57kg – actually a demotion from No.9 in June after falling, 8-7, in the European juniors to Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) in the 60kg final.

Yatsenko’s position was fueled, in part, by a silver medal from the 2016 senior European championships as well as the title at the Ukraine International in early March.  Yatsenko and Rahimzade, who climbed to No.16 from 19th at 61kg, are both bronze medal winners at the European under-23s at the end of March.

Meanwhile, U23 winner Givi MATCHRASHVILI (GEO) joined the rankings at 97kg at No.17 following a win at the juniors meet in Dortmund, Germany. Sharvan SHARVAN (IND), No.20 at 61kg, was the only junior champion outside of Europe to break into the rankings.

Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, their most notable or most recent result over the last 12 months and their position in the previous rankings.

57kg – 2016 world silver medalist Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) won the Tbilisi Grand Prix at 57kg and makes the move from No.8 at 61kg to No.7 in the bantamweight rankings.

1. Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) – Rio OG No.3 (1)
2. Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) – Europe No.1 (2)
3. Suleyman ATLI (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (3)
4. Zaur UGUEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (4)
5. ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (5)
6. Andrei DUKOV (ROU) – Europe No.2 (6)
7. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) – Tbilisi GP No.1 (8@61)
8. Makhir AMIRASLANOV (AZE) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (7)
9. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) – Asia No.1 (8)
10. Andrey YATSENKO (UKR) – European Jrs No.2 (9)
11. ZANDANBUD Zanabazar (MGL) – Asia No.2 (10)
12. Artyom GEBEKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (15)
13. Mirjalal HASANZADE (AZE) – Tbilisi GP No.2 (Not Ranked)
14. Sandeep TOMAR (IND) – GGP Final No.3 (11)
15. JONG Hak-Jin (PRK) – World Military No.1 (12)
16. YANG Kyong-Il (PRK) – Rio OG No.8 (13)
17. Tyler GRAFF (USA) – Pan America No.1 (16)
18. Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) – European U23 No.2 (17)
19. Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) – European Jrs No.1 (nr)
20. Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (nr)

61kg – Asian junior champion Sharvan SHARVAN (IND) joins the rankings at No.20, following a seventh place at the junior world meet last August and a fifth place at the senior Dan Kolov tourney in April. Sharvan’s triumph in New Delhi included a fall late in the semifinals over Rio 2016 Olympian Abbas RAKHMONOV (UZB).

1. Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.1 (1)
2. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) – Europe No.2 (2)
3. Logan STIEBER (USA) – Pan America No.3 (3)
4. Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) – Asia No.1 (4)
5. Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) – Asia No.3 (5)
6. Haji ALIEV (AZE) – World Cup No.1 (6)
7. Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) – European U23 No.1 (11)
8. Davian QUINTANA JAIME (CUB) – Pan America No.1 (9)
9. KIM Han-Song (PRK) – Asia No.2 (10)
10. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (7)
11. Galib ALIYEV (AZE) – Tbilisi GP No.1 (nr)
12. Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) – Europe No.3 (19)
13. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (12)
14. Masoud ESMAEILPOUR (IRI) – World Cup No.2 (13)
15. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) – Tbilisi GP No.2 (20)
16. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) – European Jrs No.1 (19)
17. Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (14)
18. Andrei PERPELITA (MDA) – Europe No.3 (17)
19. Viktor RASSADIN (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (18)
20. Sharvan SHARVAN (IND) – Asia Jrs No.1 (nr)

65kg – Selehattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR), a bronze medal winner at Yasar Dogu in March, takes a toe-hold on the rankings at No.19 after a runner-up showing in Tbilisi followed by 10th place at the Dan Kolov tourney in April.

1. Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) – Europe No.1@70 (2)
3. Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (3)
4. Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) – Asia No.2@70 (4)
5. Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) – Europe No.2 (5)
6. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) – Asia No.1 (6)
7. Meysam NASIRI (IRI) – Asia No.3 (7)
8. Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB) – Pan America No.1 (8)
9. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) – Buryatia Cup No.3 (9)
10. Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE) – Dan Kolov No.3 (10)
11. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) – Pan America No.2 (11)
12. Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) – GGP Final No.2 (12)
13. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.3 (13)
14. David HABAT (SLO) – Europe No.3 (14)
15. LEE Seung-Chul (KOR) – Asia No.2 (15)
16. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (17)
17. George BUCUR (ROU) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (18)
18. Gor OGANESYAN (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.2 (19)
19. Selehattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) – Tbilisi GP No.2 (nr)
20. Gitinomagomed GADZHIEV (AZE) – GGP Final No.2 (20)

70kg – Former European U23 winner Zurabi ERBOTSONASHVILI (GEO) defeated 2016 senior European runner-up David TLASHADZE (GEO) in the first round in Tbilisi as both join the rankings on the final two rungs.

1. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)
2. James GREEN (USA) – Pan America No.1 (2)
3. Israil KASUMOV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (3)
4. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) – Europe No.2 (4)
5. Moustafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) - World No.3 (5)
6. Akzurek TANATAROV (KAZ) – Asia No.1 (6)
7. Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (8)
8. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Dan Kolov No.1 (10)
9. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (11)
10. Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) – World No.2 (7)
11. Elaman DOGDURBEK UULU (KGZ) – World No.3 (9)
12. Ildus GINIYATULLIN (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (12)
13. Ruslan DIBIRGADZHIYEV (AZE) – Europe No.3 (13)
14. Gadjimurad OMAROV (AZE) – European U23 No.1 (14)
15. Nikolay KURTEV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.2 (15)
16. Hamed RASHIDI (IRI) – Asia No.3 (16)
17. Evgeni ZHERBAEV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (17)
18. Alexander SEMISOROW (GER) – Dan Kolov No.3 (18)
19. Zurabi ERBOTSONASHVILI (GEO) – Tbilisi GP No.1 (nr)
20. David TLASHADZE (GEO) – Tbilisi GP No.3 (nr)

74kg – European Games bronze medal winner Jumber KVELASHVILI (GEO) won in Tbilisi to rejoin the rankings at No.15, while runner-up Grigor GRIGORYAN (ARM) climbed to No.10. Grigoryan was also a bronze medalist at the European championships in May.

1. Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) – Rio OG No.2 (1)
2. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) – Europe No.1 (2)
3. Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) – World Cup No.1 (4)
5. Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (5)
6. Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) – Asia No.1 (6)
7. Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (7)
8. Muslim EVLAEV (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (8)
9. Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (9)
10. Grigor GRIGORYAN (ARM) – Europe No.3 (12)
11. Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS) – Dan Kolov No.1 (10)
12. Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) – Cerrado Pelado Int’l No.1 (11)
13. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) – European U23 No.1 (13)
14. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) – European U23 No.2 (14)
15. Jumber KVELASHVILI (GEO) – Tbilisi GP No.1 (nr)
16. Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ) – Dan Kolov No.3 (16)
17. Peyman YARAHMADI (IRI) – World Cup No.3 (15)
18. Atsamaz SANAKOEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (17)
19. Sosuke TAKATANI (JPN) – Yarygin GP No.6 (18)
20. Alex DIERINGER (USA) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (19)

86kg – Fresh from a silver medal at the European championships, Alexander GOSTIEV (AZE) won in Tbilisi to get a further boost in the rankings from No.8 to fourth at middleweight after falling out of the rankings two months earlier.

1. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) – Rio OG No.1@74 (2)
3. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (3)
4. Aleksander GOSTIEV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (8)
5. Selim YASAR (TUR) – Europe No.3 (4)
6. J’den COX (USA) – Rio OG No.3 (5)
7. David TAYLOR (USA) – World Cup No.1 (6)
8. Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (7)
9. Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Dan Kolov No.2 (9)
10. Istvan VEREB (HUN) – Europe No.3 (10)
11. Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – World Cup No.2 (11)
12. Sharif SHARIPOV (AZE) – Rio OG No.3 (12)
13. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) – Pan American No.1 (13)
14. Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) – Pan America No.2 (14)
15. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (16)
16. PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) – Asia No.3 (15)
17. Adilet DAVLUMBAEV (KAZ) – Dan Kolov No.3 (17)
18. Anzor URISHEV (RUS) – GGP Final No.2 (18)
19. Murat ERTURK (TUR) – Tbilisi GP No.3 (19)
20. David KHUTSISHVILI (GEO) – Tbilisi GP No.2 (nr)

97kg – European U23 champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) won his second age-group title of 2017 with the European junior title in Dortmund, Germany, and claims the No.17 in the heavyweight rankings.

1. Kyle SNYDER (USA) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) – Asia No.1 (2)
3. Riza YILDIRIM (TUR) – Europe No.1 (3)
4. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) – Europe No.3 (4)
5. Arslanbek ALBOROV (AZE) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (5)
6. Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) – Europe No.2 (6)
7. Aleksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) – Europe No.3 (7)
8. Magomedgadzhi NUROV (MKD) – Dan Kolov No.3 (8)
9. Hossein SHAHBAZIGAZVAR (IRI) – Asia No.2 (9)
10. Yuri BELONOVSKI (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.2 (10)
11. Fatih YASARLI (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.2 (13)
12. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) – Cerro Pelado Int’l No.1 (11)
13. Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (14)
14. Mikhail GANEV (BUL) – Ukraine Int’l No.2 (15)
15. Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) – GGP Final No.1 (12)
16. Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI) – World Cup No.3 (16)
17. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) – European Jrs No.1 (nr)
18. Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) – Paris GP No.1 (17)
19. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (18)
20. Mojtaba GOLIEJ (IRI) – Tbilisi GP No.1 (nr)

125kg – Robert BARAN (POL) rebounded from a quarterfinal loss to 2916 senior European champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) with a pair of wins by fall for third place in Tbilisi and No.8 in the rankings.

1. Taha AKGUL (TUR) – Europe No.1 (1)
2. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.3 (2)
3. Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) – Rio OG No.2 (3)
4. Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (4)
5. Alen ZASIEIEV (UKR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (5)
6. Levan BERIANIDZE (ARM) – Europe No.3 (6)
7. Daniel LIGETI (HUN) – Dan Kolov No.3 (7)
8. Robert BARAN (POL) – Yasar Dogu No.3 (10)
9. Baldan TSYSHIPOV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (8)
10. Alan KHUGAEV (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (9)
11. Yadollah MOHEBBI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (11)
12. Muhamadgazi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.2 (13)
13. Vitali PIASNIAK (BLR) – European U23 No.2 (14)
14. Dominique BRADLEY (USA) – Pan America No.1 (15)
15. Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVES (CUB) – Pan America No.2 (16)
16. Muradin KUSHKOV (RUS) – Kunaev Int’l No.1 (12)
17. Sakir BOKZURT (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.3 (17)
18. NATSAGSUREN Zolboo (MGL) – Asia No.3 (18)
19. Yermukambert INKAR (KAZ) – Dan Kolov No.2 (19)
20. Amir Reza AMIRI (IRI) – Tbilisi GP No.3 (nr)