February 2026 Men's Freestyle Wrestling International Rankings

#19 Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (MGL) won the Ivan Yarygin Memorial over #12 Musa Mekhtikhanov (RUS) with #1 Chongsong Han (PRK) and Aryan Tyutrin (BLR) taking bronze.

#19 Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (MGL) was the breakout star of the Yarygin, as the talented Mongolian upstart upset reigning World Champion #1 Chongsong Han of North Korea in the semifinals. Batkhuyag, rebounding from a bronze medal finish at the Bill Farrell Memorial in November, notched additional wins over 2024 Russian Nationals Champion #3 Akhmed Idrisov (RUS), 2024 Russian Nationals runner-up Lev Pavlov (RUS), and 2024 U23 World bronze medalist Yunus Yavbatirov (RUS). For his exceptional run to Yarygin gold, Batkhuyag takes the number one spot in the rankings.

Other notable results from the Ivan Yarygin Memorial saw the return of 2024 Russian Nationals runner-up Lev Pavlov (RUS) to the rankings at #15 for beating 2025 Russian Nationals runner-up #15 Amir Chamzyn (RUS) in his opening round match. Yarygin bronze medalist 2021 Senior World bronze medalist Aryan Tyutrin (BLR) is back in the rankings at #18 for beating #16 (now #19) Ramiz Gamzatov (RUS) in the quarterfinals of the Yarygin. From the Batkhuyag consolation bracket, #4 Akhmed Idrisov (RUS) beat Yunus Yavbatirov (RUS) and #15 Lev Pavlov (RUS) to make the bronze medal match.

61 KG

#12 Austin DeSanto (USA) won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix over #10 Leonid Colesnic (MDA) with Nils Leutert (SUI) taking bronze. #12 Austin DeSanto (USA) goes up two spots to #10 for beating #10 Leonid Colesnic (MDA), who drops one spot to #11. #2 Alik Khadartsev (RUS) moved up to 65 KG, where he took fifth at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial and is currently ranked thirteenth at the weight. #10 Austin DeSanto (USA) beat Nathan Tomasello (USA) at RAF 05.

Recep Topal (TUR) beat Emrah Ormanoglu (TUR) to win gold at the Yasar Dogu with Nebi Uzen (TUR) and Ahora Khateri (IRI) taking bronze. Both Topal and Ormanoglu enter the rankings, Topal at #15 for beating #16 Ormanoglu at the Yasar Dogu, and Ormanoglu for two ranked wins at the Yarygin over #18 Bato Sultimov (RUS) and #20 Alexander Avelov (RUS).

Chermen Tavitov (RUS) won the Ivan Yarygin Memorial over #16 Kezhik Mongush (RUS) with #5 Muslim Mekhtikhanov (RUS) and Imam Umarov (RUS) taking bronze. Chermen Tavitov (RUS) returns to the rankings at #4 for beating #14 Kezhik Mongush (RUS), #5 Muslim Mekhtikhanov (RUS), #16 Emrah Ormanoglu (TUR), and Alexander Avelov (RUS). Akhmed Kumidov (RUS) is in the rankings at #17 for beating #18 Adilet Almukhamedov (KAZ) in repechage, after Almukhamedov had upset former #19 Anzor Mazhidov (RUS) in the round of 32.

65 KG

Magomed Kartojev (GER) won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix over Quentin Sticker (FRA) with Marwane Yezza (FRA) and Sergiu Lepasco (MDA) taking bronze.

Jordan Oliver (USA) returns to the rankings at #11 for his second win over #4 Real Woods (USA) at RAF 05, to complement his win over Woods from RAF 03. The reason Oliver can not debut higher is due to inactivity, as he has not competed since the 2024 70 KG Senior World Team Trials and that his best wins at 65 KG that are currently active are limited to #20 Joey McKenna (USA) and Yianni Diakomihalis (USA) who is now a 70 KG wrestler.

#13 Bashir Magomedov (RUS) won the Ivan Yarygin Memorial over #8 Ibragim Ibragimov (RUS) with #9 Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RUS) and Gadzhimagomed Gadzhiev (RUS) taking bronze. #13 Bashir Magomedov (RUS) moves up five spots to #8 for beating #8 Ibragim Ibragimov (RUS), #9 Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RUS), #2 (61) Alik Khadartsev (RUS), and #20 (now unranked) Adam Arkhiev (RUS).

#2 (61) Alik Khadartsev (RUS) is in the rankings at #13 for taking fifth at the Yarygin with losses to #8 Bashir Magomedov (RUS) and #10 Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RUS) along with getting a victory over #15 (now #17) Dzhambulat Kizinov (RUS) in the quarterfinals.

70 KG

#2 David Baev (RUS) won the Ivan Yarygin Memorial over #5 Viktor Rassadin (TJK) with #16 Abdurakhman Dalgatov (RUS) and #8 Magomed-Emi Eltemirov (RUS) taking bronze. Baev moves up one spot to overtake #1 Ernazar Akmataliev (KGZ) as the number one ranked wrestler at 70 KG. While Akmataliev and Baev are very close on ranked wins (both men have victories over Ismail Musukaev (HUN), #4 Arman Andreasyan (ARM), and #5 Viktor Rassadin (TJK), I give Baev more credit here due to having an extremely strong 74 KG resume as well that garnered him victories over 2024 Olympic champion Razambek Zhamalov (UZB), Yarygin champion #1 Timur Bizhoev (RUS), and #4 Anzor Zakuev (RUS) to go with two bronze medal finishes at 74 KG Russian Nationals in 2022 and 2023.

#16 Abdurakhman Dalgatov (RUS) moves up five spots in the rankings to #11 for taking bronze at the Yarygin with victories over #11 Kurban Shiraev (RUS) and #13 Aisen Potapov (RUS). Aisen Potapov (RUS) debuts in the rankings at #13 for notching two ranked wins at the Yarygin in the former of #12 (now #14) Konstantin Kaprynov (RUS) and #13 (now #15) Umar Umarov (RUS). Both Dalgatov and Potapov lost to eventual silver medalist #5 Viktor Rassadin (TJK).

Zalkarbek Tabladiev (KGZ) won the Yasar Dogu over 2024 65 KG Olympic bronze medalist Islam Dudaev (ALB) with Hamza Alaca (TUR) and Rustamzhan Kakharov (KGZ) taking bronze. #19 Vasile Diacon (MDA) won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix over Ed Scott (USA) with Alec Pantaleo (USA) and Muhammad Abdurachmanov (BEL) taking bronze.

74 KG

#15 Timur Bizhoev (RUS) won the Ivan yarygin Memorial over Anzor Zakuev (RUS) with #1 Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS) and #8 Inalbek Sheriev (RUS) taking bronze. #15 Timur Bizhoev (RUS) had a huge run to Yarygin gold with victories over #8 Inalbek Sheriev (RUS), #10 Imam Ganishov (RUS), and #11 Magomed Dibirgadzhiev (RUS) along with the aforementioned victory over Anzor Zakuev (RUS) in the finals.

Anzor Zakuev (RUS) was the second wrestler at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial, along with new #1 at 57 KG Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (MGL) to upset a top ranked wrestler, when he defeated #1 Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS) in the semifinals. Unfortunately, Zakuev would not be able to conclude his tournament with gold and would take silver to #15 Timur Bizhoev (RUS).

From the results of the Yarygin, #15 Timur Bizhoev (RUS) is the new #1 74 kilogram wrestler in the world. Anzor Zakuev (RUS), who upset #1 Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS), takes the #4 spot in the rankings ahead of Sidakov at #5. Ahead of Zakuev is 2025 70 KG World Champion and Meiji Cup champion Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) at #2 and 2025 74 KG Senior World Champion Kota Takahashi (JPN) at #3.

#6 David Carr (USA) won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix over Seyfulla Itaev (FRA) with Will Lewan Jr. (USA) and Terrel Barraclough (USA) taking bronze. Quincy Monday (USA) won the Yasar Dogu over Ali Abbas Rezaei (IRI) with James Green (USA) and Ali Karampour (IRI) taking bronze.

79 KG

#7 Akhmed Usmanov (RUS) won the Ivan Yarygin Memorial over Ismail Khaniev (RUS) with Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev (RUS) and #17 Kasum Kasumov (RUS) taking bronze.

Ismail Khaniev (RUS) debuts in the 79 KG rankings at #16 for beating #16 Dmitri Kuprin (RUS), Gadzhimurad Alikhamev (RUS), and #18 Malamagomed Gamzatov (RUS) for bronze. Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev (RUS) is back in the rankings at #17 for beating #19 Malamagomed Gamzatov (RUS) for bronze after Gamzatov had upset #16 (now #20) Dmitri Kuprin (RUS) in the first round of repechage.

2024 Senior World runner-up Magomed Magomaev (RUS) is back in the rankings at #13 for beating #14 Davud Daudov (RUS) and #20 Nikita Suchkov (RUS) before falling in the semifinals to eventual champion #7 Akhmed Usmanov (RUS) and injury defaulting out to fifth. Notable upset even if unranked was Arsen Kulov beating 2025 Yarygin bronze medalist Dzhamal Akhmadudinov (RUS) in the RD16; Kulov would lose to #7 Akhmed Usmanov and #18 Kasum Kasumov after and failed to place.

Ibrahim Yaprak (TUR) won the Yasar Dogu over Ohan Tahtaci (TUR) with Adilet Maratbaev (KAZ) and Ramazan Sari (TUR) taking bronze. Zelimkhan Khadjiev (FRA) won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix over Vlad Stratan (MDA) with Davit Tchetchelashvili (GEO) and Marat Kardanov (GER) taking bronze.

86 KG

#6 Ibragim Kadiev (RUS) beat #5 Artur Naifonov (RUS) in the finals of the Ivan Yarygin Memorial with #12 Bozigit Islamgereev (RUS) and Amanulla Rasulov (RUS) taking bronze. #6 Ibragim Kadiev (RUS) moves up one spot to #5 for beating #5 Artur Naifonov (RUS), #8 Bozigit Islamgereev (RUS), and #9 Arsen Balayan (RUS) to win the Yarygin.

#12 Bozigit Islamgereev (RUS) upset 2025 U23 World Champion #8 Arsen Balayan (RUS) for bronze to move up four spots in the rankings to #8. Amanulla Rasulov (RUS) is back in the rankings at #20 for beating #19 (now unranked) Arslan Bagaev (RUS) for bronze.

Mohammad Norouzian (IRI) won the Yasar Dogu Memorial over Malik Shavaev (KGZ) with Osman Gocen (TUR) and Ismail Kucuksolak (TUR) taking bronze. Tornike Tulashvili (GEO) won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix over Miko Elkala (FIN) with Mohammad Umkhadjiev (FRA) taking bronze. #1 Zahid Valencia (USA) beat Nate Jackson (USA) at RAF 05.

92 KG

Jacob Cardenas (USA) won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix over Ion Demian (MDA) with #4 Michael Macchiavello (USA) taking bronze. Cardenas is back in the rankings at #10 for his win over #4 Michael Macchiavello (USA), who falls to #11; the reasoning for this is due to Macchiavello’s inflated spot in the rankings due to a victory over #5 (now #2) Amanulla Gadzhimagomedov (RUS) at the PWL: USA vs. Russia duel meet ahead of the Senior World Championships.

Since that duel meet, Gadzhimagomedov has taken silver at the Senior World Championships and won the Yarygin and is more deserving of his rightful spot in the rankings, while Macchiavello needed to be adjusted due to only, which meant athletes (see #3 Joshua Barr and Jacob Cardenas) who’s spot in the rankings was dependent on a win over him would need to be adjusted accordingly. From this, I determined that Barr, Cardenas, and Macchiavello would best fit in the #9-11 range.

#5 Amanulla Gadzhimagomedov (RUS) won the Ivan Yarygin Memorial over #9 Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov (RUS) with #10 Akhmed Mirzabegov (RUS) and #17 Alan Bagaev (RUS) taking bronze. As was explained in the Cardenas Henri Deglane Grand Prix post, Gadzhimagomedov got moved up three spots to #2 for his stronger resume (‘25 world silver, ‘26 Yarygin gold) than the trio of Americans (Barr, Cardenas, Macchiavello) which also allowed for other Russians to ascend the top ten.

The biggest mover from the Yarygin is #20 Nurgun Sergin who jumps thirteen spots in the rankings to #7 for wins over #15 Azamat Zakuev (RUS) and #8 Slavik Naniev (RUS) to make the semifinals. Sergin was stopped in the semis by #5 Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov (RUS) and in the bronze medal match by #6 Akhmed Mirzabegov (RUS).

#9 Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov (RUS) moves up four spots to #5 for beating #6 Akhmed Mirzabegov (RUS), #7 Nurgun Sergin (RUS), and 2018 86 KG Senior World silver medalist Fatih Erdin (TUR) to make the finals of the Yarygin. Magomedsharif Biyakaev (RUS) takes the #15 spot in the rankings for beating #14 (now #16) Yusup Khadzhi Aidaev (RUS) at the Yarygin.

Fatih Erdin (TUR) won the Yasar Dogu over Alperen Tokgoz (TUR) with Suleyman Karadeniz (TUR) and Harun Kilic (TUR) taking bronze.

97 KG

Stephen Buchanan (USA) beat Yoel Romero (USA) at RAF 05. Stephen Buchanan (USA) won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix over Radu Lefter (MDA) with Adlan Viskhanov (FRA) and Zane Lanham (USA) taking bronze.

Mukhamed-Takhir Khaniev (RUS) won the Ivan Yarygin Memorial in impressive fashion over 2021 European Champion #12 Magomed Kurbanov (RUS) with #9 Alikhan Ktsoev (RUS) and Soslan Dzhagaev (RUS) taking bronze. Mukhamed-Takhir Khaniev (RUS) debuts in the 97 KG rankings at #8 for his victories over #9 Alikhan Ktsoev (RUS) and #11 Magomed Kurbanov (RUS) at the Yarygin. Soslan Dzhagaev (RUS) upset #10 Alikhan Zhabrailov (RUS) in the quarterfinals to take the #14 spot in the rankings with Zhabrailov falling five spots to #15 for his loss to Dzhagaev.

I dropped #4 Hassan Yazdani (IRI) from #4 to #12 because while I had previously put him up in the top five for his 86 KG resume being so strong, him being in a busy weight class such as 97 kilograms, where so many other guys have built up stronger resumes in his absence i.e. Amirali Azarpira, Arash Yoshida, Rizabek Aitmukhan, Magomedkhan Magomedov, and Givi Matcharashvili, that it made the most sense to rank him accordingly as the #2 guy in Iran behind World Silver medalist #3 Amirali Azarpira (IRI) but ahead of #13 Mojtaba Goleij (IRI), #16 Ahmad Bazrigaleh (IRI), #17 Mohammad Mohammadian (IRI), and #20 Abolfazl Babaloo (IRI), given that his 97 resume is only based off wins over Mojtaba Goleij and #20 Abolfazl Babaloo.

#20 Abofazl Babaloo (IRI) won the Yasar Dogu over Rifat Gidak (TUR) with Mustafa Sessiz (TUR) and Emirhan Kilic (TUR) taking bronze.

125 KG

#11 Mason Parris (USA) won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix over Coby Merrill (USA) with Johannes Ludescher (AUT) taking bronze. Jordan Wood (USA) won the Yasar Dogu over Greg Kerkvliet (USA) by injury default with Abolfazl Mohammad Nezhad (IRI) and Hakan Buyuckingil (TUR) taking bronze.

#19 Shamil Musaev (RUS) won the Ivan Yarygin Memorial over Khabib Davudgadzhiev (RUS) with #8 Abdulla Kurbanov (RUS) and #14 Inal Gagloev (RUS) taking bronze. #19 Shamil Musaev (RUS) takes the #8 spot in the rankings for upsetting #8 (now #9) Abdulla Kurbanov (RUS) in the semifinals. Khabib Davudgadzhiev (RUS) takes the #14 spot in the rankings for beating #13 Dzianis Khramiankov (BLR) and #14 Inal Gagloev (RUS) to make the Yarygin finals. There was a minor upset in the bronze medal match as #14 (now #15) Inal Gagloev (RUS) beat #13 (now #16) Dzianis Khramiankov (BLR).

Pound for Pound

With #2 Zaurbek Sidakov’s loss, the top ten of the pound for pound was shaken up. 74 KG Yarygin champion Timur Bizhoev (RUS) takes the #8 spot in the rankings for his win over #9 Anzor Zakuev (RUS) along with a past victory over #10 Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS). #3 Hassan Yazdani (IRI) was dropped down ten spots to #13 to reflect his status better as his resume most aligns with being the top 86 KG athlete, even with him being at 97 KG, the weight of his wins justify him being the top of that 86 KG cluster in the rankings instead of the the top ten of the pound for pound. This is his is due to Yazdani’s past wins over #15 Hayato Ishiguro (JPN), #17 Kamran Ghasempour (IRI), and #19 Artur Naifonov (RUS).

The cream of the crop (read top five) of the pound for pound is comprised of the current 65 KG Senior World Champion (#2 Rahman Amouzad), 2024 Olympic champion and ‘25 Senior 65 World silver Kotaro Kiyooka (JPN), 2023 65 KG Senior World bronze (#4 Shamil Mamedov, favorite to medal in Paris but Russia was banned, which led to him transferring to Bulgaria this past year), and three-time heavyweight world champion Amir Zare at #5. When there is high fluctuation in higher valued weight classes in the pound for pound (i.e. 74, 65, 57, 86), consistency and placement at the weight class will be the deciding factor.

Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (MGL) enters the pound for pound at #25 for winning the Ivan Yarygin Memorial at 57 KG where he upset reigning World Champion #2 (57) Chongsong Han (PRK).

Seth PetarraFebruary 6, 2026Comment