November 2025 Russian Men's Freestyle Wrestling Rankings
57 KG
#3 (61) Akhmed Idrisov won the Khadartsev Brothers Cup over #4 Ramiz Gamzatov with #15 (INT) Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (MGL) and Lev Pavlov winning bronze. Idrisov slots in at #2 in the rankings behind reigning world team member #1 Musa Mekhtikhanov due to a victory over #3 Nachyn Mongush from the 2024 Yarygin quarterfinals.
#6 Abubakar Mutaliev won the Kadyrov Cup over #7 Magomed Gazigandov with Yunus Yavbatirov and Muhammet Karavus (TUR) taking bronze. #8 Ayandai Ondar took fifth at the U23 World Championships, making it to the semifinals before losing to #9 (INT) Luke Lilledahl (USA) and to #10 (INT) Milad Valizadeh (IRI) for bronze.
61 KG
#3 Akhmed Idrisov moved down to 57 KG where he is currently ranked second. 65 KG Russian Nationals runner-up #3 (65) Abasgadzh Magomedov won the Kadyrov Cup over #4 Muslim Mekhtikhanov with Khalid Magomedov (RUS) and Rustam Zhilyasov (RUS) taking bronze. Magomedov takes the #2 spot in the rankings behind reigning world champion #1 Zavur Uguev.
#4 (65) Alik Khadartsev won the Khadartsev Brothers Cup by forfeit over Artem Gobaev with Bato Sultimov and Bekhbayar Erdenebat (MGL) finishing bronze. There was a lot of shakeup on the bottom half of the top ten from the Khadartsev Brothers Cup, starting off with #8 Anzor Mazhidov beating #5 Alexander Avelov in the quarterfinals and then losing in the semifinals and bronze medal match to #4 Alik Khadartsev and Bato Sultimov respectively. Coupled with this was Magomed Sebedinov’s upset win over #7 Bair Bayanduev in the quarterfinals of the Gobaev bracket, causing further change.
The results of the Khadartsev Brothers Cup caused the following changes in the rankings. Gobaev returns to the rankings at #6 over bronze medalist #7 Bato Sultimov due to having stronger credentials (2024 61 KG Russian Nationals bronze medalist, 2023 57 KG Russian Nationals runner-up, 2024 61 KG U23 European Champion) and Bato Sultimov takes the #7 spot for beating #8 Anzor Mazhidov while Magomed Sebedinov takes the #9 spot for upsetting #5 Alexander Avelov who falls to #10 in the rankings. #4 (65) Alik Khadartsev slots in at #3 behind #2 Abasgadzhi Magomedov who he lost to at the Catch Wrestling League 1 event.
Fedor Baltuev finished in 18th place at the U23 World Championships due to an injury loss to Shubham Shubham (IND) in the qualification round.
65 KG
#1 Shamil Mamedov last competed up at 70 KG at the Sharapudin Abdulgalimov Memorial where he won gold and is ranked #1 at 70 KG until he competes at 65 KG again. #3 Abasgadzhi Magomedov and #4 Alik Khadartsev moved down to 61 KG where they are currently ranked second and third.
#2 Bashir Magomedov took third at the U23 World Championships after a quarterfinal loss to #4 (INT) Sujeet Sujeet (IND).
#8 Adam Arkhiev won the Kadyrov Cup over #5 Ramazan Ferzaliev with Rashid Babazade (AZE) and Islam Huseynov (BLR) taking bronze. #3 Dzhambulat Kizinov (RUS) won the Khadartsev Brothers Cup over #9 Aripgadzhi Abdulaev with Idris Dukaev and Magomed Tazhudinov taking bronze.
With the absence of Mamedov, Magomedov, and Khadartsev, three new wrestlers were added to the rankings in the form of Magomed Tazhudinov, Ibragim Abdurakhmonov, and Muslim Saidulaev at #8, #9, and #10 respectively. Arkhiev Arkhiev moves up four spots to #4 for beating #5 Ramazan Ferzaliev in the finals of the Kadyrov Cup. Arkhiev is limited from moving up further due to a loss to Kizinov in the bronze medal match of Russian Nationals this year.
70 KG
#1 (65) Shamil Mamedov is the new #1 at 70 KG until he competes at 65 KG, as Mamedov won the Sharapudin Abdulgalimov Memorial in September.
#8 (INT) Viktor Rassadin (TJK) won the Kadyrov Cup over #11(INT) Ebrahim Elahi (IRI) with #7 Magomed-Emi Eltemirov and Sanzhar Dozhanov (KAZ) taking bronze. #7 Magomed-Emi Eltemirov moves up four spots to #3 for beating former #2 (now #4) Abdurakhman Dalgatov in the bronze medal match of the Kadyrov Cup.
#8 Kurban Shiraev moves up two spots in the rankings to #6 avenging his semifinals loss from Russian Nationals to Russian Nationals silver medalist #4 (now #7) Konstantin Kaprynov (RUS) in the finals of the Khadartsev Brothers Cup. Bronze medalists at the Khadartsev Brothers Cup were Mustafo Akhmedov (TJK) and #10 Gadzhimurad Gadzhiev.
#8 Umar Umarov went 1-2 at the U23 World Championships, losing in the qualification round to #16 (INT) Sina Khalili (IRI) and beating Naveen Kumar (IND) in his first round of repechage before defaulting out down 8-3 to Maiis Aliyev (KAZ)
74 KG
#8 Alan Kudzoev won the Khadartsev Brothers Cup over #2 (now #3) Imam Ganishov with #7 Anzor Zakuev and #6 Alexander Baltuev taking bronze. #10 Alan Kudzoev (RUS) moves up three spots to #7 for beating #7 (now #8) Imam Ganishov in the finals of the Khadartsev Brothers Cup. #7 Anzor Zakuev and #6 Alexander Baltuev both go down one spot respectively with #8 Alan Kudzoev rising to the #2 spot in the rankings.
#4 Inalbek Sheriev (RUS) won the Kadyrov Cup over Ismail Khaniev with #10 Aznaur Tavaev and Seyfulla Itaev (FRA) taking bronze. #6 Magomed Baitukaev took 19th at the U23 World Championships after a loss in the qualification round to Magomedrasul Asluev (BRN).
79 KG
#6 (INT) Murad Kuramagomedov (HUN) beat #6 Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev while wrestling for ASV Schorndorf in the Bundesliga Wrestling League at 80 KG.
#16 (INT) Suldkhuu Olanbayar (MGL) won the Khadartsev Brothers Cup over Dmitri Kuprin with #7 Nikita Suchkov and Magomed Magomaev taking bronze. Dmitri Kuprin (RUS) takes the #5 spot in the rankings for taking silver at the Khadartsev Brothers Cup were he beat 2024 Senior world runner-up Magomed Magomaev (RUS) and #8 (now #9) David Betanov to make the finals.
Malamagomed Gamzatov (RUS) won the Kadyrov Cup over Magomedmurad Yakhiev (RUS) with Kasum Kasumov (RUS) and Said Saidulov (RUS) taking bronze. Malamagomed Gamzatov enters the rankings at #7 for beating #6 (now #8) Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev and #10 Magomedmurad Yakhiev at the Kadyrov Cup. Magomedmurad Yakhiev enters the rankings at #10 for beating Kasum Kasumov at the Kadyrov Cup. #2 Mokhmad Nasirkhaev has been removed from the rankings due his unranked loss to Ibrahim Yaprak (TUR) in the quarterfinals of the Kadyrov Cup.
#2 Davud Daudov took fifth at the U23 World Championships with losses to #2 (INT) Levi Haines (USA) and #7 (INT) Mehdi Yousefi (IRI) in the semifinals and bronze medal matches.
86 KG
#3 Arsen Balayan won the U23 World Championships over #9 (INT) Eugeniu Mihalcaen (MDA).
#2 Artur Naifonov won the Khadartsev Brothers Cup over #12 (INT) Ali Tcokaev (AZE) with Alan Naifonov and #4 (79) Kamil Abdulvagabov (RUS) taking bronze. #5 Amanulla Rasulov (RUS) won the Kadyrov Cup over Ramzan Bulatov (RUS) with Abdulkerim Abdulaev (RUS) and Osman Gocen (TUR) taking bronze.
Azamat Khadzaragov debuts in the 86 KG rankings at #8 for beating former #6 (now #9) Magomed Nurov in the quarterfinals of the Khadartsev Brothers Cup. Alan Naifonov takes the #7 spot in the rankings for beating #8 Azamat Khadzaragov for bronze at the Khadartsev Brothers Cup. Rashid Satykhazhiev takes the #6 spot in the rankings due to a win he has over #7 Alan Naifonov in the second round of repechage at Senior Russian Nationals.
92 KG
#8 (now unranked) Mukhammad-Takhir Khaniev took silver at the U23 World Championships to #2 (INT) Mohammad Azimi (IRI).
Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov won the Khadartsev Brothers Cup over Akhmed Mirzabegov with #4 Azamat Zakuev and Magomed Sharipov (BRN) taking bronze. Akhmed Mirzabegov enters the rankings at #4 for beating #4 (now #7) Azamat Zakuev and #8 (now #11) Batyrbek Tsakulov (SVK) to make the finals of the Khadartsev Brothers Cup. Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov returns to the rankings at #3 for beating #4 Akhmed Mirzabegov in the finals of the Khadartsev Brothers Cup.
Tazhitin Akaev won the Kadyrov Cup over #3 (now #6) Yusup Khadzhi Aidaev with #5 (now #8) Ashkab Saadulaev and #7 (now #10) Nurgun Sergin taking bronze. Tazhitin Akaev (RUS) takes the #5 spot in the rankings for winning the Kadyrov Cup over #6 Yusup Khadzhi Aidaev (RUS) along with notching a win over #8 Ashkab Saadulaev (RUS) in the quarterfinals
97 KG
#5 Soslan Dzhagaev took bronze at the U23 World Championships after losing in the semifinals to eventual runner-up #19 (INT) Merab Suleimanashvili (GEO).
#2 Alikhan Ktsoev (RUS) won the Khadartsev Brothers Cup over Konstantin Pshenichnikov (RUS) with Sergey #9 Kozyrev (RUS) and #9 (92) Vladislav Valiev (RUS) taking bronze. Konstantin Pshenichnikov takes the #9 spot in the rankings for beating #9 (now #10) Sergey Kozyrev in the semifinals
Suleyman Karadeniz (TUR) won the Kadyrov Cup over #6 Shamil Imam Gadzhialiev with Gamzat Tazhudinov and Akhmed Magamaev (BUL) taking bronze.
125 KG
#1 Abdulla Kurbanov won the Kadyrov Cup over #6 Zelimkhan Khizriev with Hakan Buyukcingil (TUR) and Yusup Batirmurzaev (KAZ) taking bronze.
#2 Shamil Musaev won the Khadartsev Brothers Cup over Soslan Khinchagov with Georgy Byazrov and Bagautdin Zainutdinov taking bronze. #2 (97) Alikhan Ktsoev won the Absolute Category match at the Khadartsev Brothers Cup over #2 Shamil Musaev.
Khabib Davudgadzhiev won bronze at the U23 World Championships over Khachatur Khachatryan (ARM) to rebound from a semifinals loss to eventual champion Abolfazl Mohammad Nezhad (IRI).
Pound for Pound
Much of the turn over in the pound for pound is due to the volatility of the 70 and 74 KG weight classes that saw multiple significant changes take place due to the results of the Khadartsev Brothers Cup and the Kadyrov Cup. When situations like this occur, to ensure proper balance of the rankings, I do not overfill the rankings with athletes from high turnover weight classes as it is not really indicative of who is the best “pound for pound” but who is riding the hot hand of trading wins and losses of the month.
My solution when presented with presented with high turnover weights is to side with leaders in weight classes without as much depth but who have stronger domestic and international placements and less losses (i.e. Artur Naifonov at 86 KG, Abdulla Kurbanov at 125 KG, Alikhan Ktsoev at 97 KG). Does this lessen the depth of the volatile weight classes? No. But what as previously mentioned it ensures that the pound for pound rankings are indicative of who is the best “pound for pound” wrestler and not just overfilling a weight with athletes a credentialed guy who isn’t performing as strongly in the off-season (i.e. post Russian Nationals, post world championships).
#15 Artur Naifonov benefits the most the volatility of 70 and 74 KG as he climbs up nine spots to #6 from this as the former three-time Russian National champion and three time World/Olympic medalist is the consensus #2 at 86 KG behind #1 Ibragim Kadiev and his only unavenged losses at 86 KG since 2018 are four time World/Olympic champion David Taylor, #5 Ibragim Kadiev, #3 (86) Kamran Ghasempour (IRI), and four time World/Olympic champion Hassan Yazdani (IRI). Behind him is 65 KG national champion Ibragim Ibragimov at #7. Former #6 Akhmed Usmanov drops two spots to #8 for losses to #2 (INT) Levi Haines (USA) and #3 (INT) Khidir Saipudinov (BRN) at the 79 KG Senior World Championships in September. Three-time 125 KG Russian Nationals champion #19 Abdulla Kurbanov moves up ten spots to #9 and two-time Khadartsev Cup 97 KG champion Alikhan Ktsoev takes the #10 spot.
Alan Kudzoev takes the #15 spot in the rankings for beating Senior Russian Nationals champion #16 Imam Ganishov in the 74 KG Khadartsev Brothers Cup finals. #22 Inalbek Sheriev moves up five spots to #17 as he is the #4 wrestler at 74 KG along with being a 2023 70 KG U23 world champion, 2024 70 KG Senior World bronze medalist, and 2025 74 KG Senior Russian Nationals bronze medalist.
Magomed-Emi Eltemirov is back in the rankings at #20 for beating #21 Abdurakhman Dalgatov in the bronze medal match of the 70 KG Kadyrov Cup. #23 Kurban Shiraev is over #24 Konstantin Kaprynov as he avenged his 70 KG Russian Nationals semifinals loss to Kaprynov in the finals of the Khadartsev Brothers Cup.