Top Wrestlers of the 1990's

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 15) -- The 1990's was an unforgettable decade in international wrestling. The Soviet Union, the most successful wrestling nation in the world, dissolved in 1991. Most former Soviet republics competed as a single Unified Team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, winning medals in 16 of the 20 weight categories, before separately thereafter.

Over 400 wrestlers representing 75 nations competed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. It marked the final time Olympic wrestling had 20 weight categories as the number of Olympic weight categories decreased after 1996.

The 1990's saw legends Aleksander KARELIN and Bruce BAUMGARTNER cement their legacies in wrestling, and all-time great Buvaisar SAITIEV begin his rise to greatness.

Let's examine some of the top wrestlers of the 1990's.

Aleksander KARELIN (URS/RUS)

It is virtually impossible to overstate the dominance of Aleksander KARELIN (RUS) in Greco-Roman wrestling. The "Russian Bear" had an unrivaled 13-year unbeaten streak in international wrestling competition and went six consecutive years without surrendering a point. He never lost a match at the world championships. Karelin claimed eight of his nine world titles during the 1990's, along with two of his three Olympic titles and nine of his 12 European titles. United World Wrestling named Karelin the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of the 20th century.

Bruce BAUMGARTNER (USA)

Freestyle super heavyweight Bruce BAUMGARTNER (USA) is the most decorated American wrestler ever. He won 13 world or Olympic medals during his career, with six coming during the 1990's. Baumgartner became the first American wrestler to win four Olympic medals. He won gold medals in both 1984 and 1992, along with a silver in 1988 and a bronze in 1996. Baumgartner was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2008 and the International Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame in 2003.

Makharbek KHADARTSEV (URS/RUS)

Makharbek KHADARTSEV was one of the world's top upper-weight freestyle wrestlers for a decade. From 1986 to 1992, Khadartsev had an incredible run of seven straight world or Olympic titles in the light heavyweight category. After winning his first Olympic gold medal at the Seoul Olympics in 1988, Khadartsev repeated as Olympic champion at the Barcelona. Olympics in 1992. He followed it up by winning medals (two silver, one bronze) in each the next three world championships before claiming a silver medal at the 1996 Olympics. He also won three European titles during the 1990's.

Hamza YERLIKAYA (TUR)

Turkey's Hamza YERLIKAYA (TUR) was a force in Greco-Roman wrestling. He made his senior level debut in 1993 and claimed his first world title that year at the age of 17 in Stockholm, Sweden, at 82kg. Two years later, Yerlikaya added a second world title to his resume by winning gold in Prague, Czechoslovakia. At the age of 20, Yerlikaya shined in his Olympic debut, winning the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta at 82kg. Four years later, Yerlikaya competed at the Sydney Olympics and carried the flag for Turkey in the opening ceremony. He also added to his legacy by winning his second Olympic gold medal. Yerlikaya finished his career with seven world and Olympic medals and eight European titles.

John SMITH (USA)

United States freestyle wrestler John SMITH (USA) dominated the world for six straight years. After winning two world titles and an Olympic gold medal in the 1980's, Smith continued his dominance into the early 1990's. He won world titles in 1991 and 1992 before capturing his second Olympic gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.