Russia's Sajid Sajidov is the reigning World freestyle champion at 84 kg/185 lbs., but fellow Russian Georgy Ketoev won the 2007 European Championships. The Russians have another star at this weight in past World and Olympic champion Adam Saitiev.

Ketoev is listed on the FILA Website as Russia's entrant for the 2007 World Championships and he has to be considered the favorite to win this weight class just by virtue of who he beat out in his own country just to qualify for the Worlds.

Revaz Mindorishvili of Georgia won a World silver medal last year after capturing the 2005 World title.

Iran's Reza Yazdani and Uzbekistan's Zaurbek Sokhiev are the returning bronze medalists.

Taras Danko of the Ukraine, fifth in the World last year and third two years ago, placed second at the 2007 European Championships.

The U.S. has a definite medal threat in this weight class in veteran Joe Williams, a two-time World bronze medalist who has bumped up a division to 84 kg this year. Williams is a veteran who is difficult to score on and who still has the explosiveness to put up points offensively. He definitely could be a factor in this tournament.

Iran's Mansouri Mehdi won the 2007 Asian Championships.

Look for the Russians to continue their dominance with a very tough wrestler in Ketoev expected to compete in Baku.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2006 World Championships
84 kg/185 lbs. - Gold - Sajid Sajidov (Russia); Silver - Revazi Mindorashvili (Georgia); Bronze - Reza Yazdani (Iran); Bronze - Zaurbek Sokhiev (Uzbekistan); 5th - Taras Danko (Ukraine); 5th - Vadim Laliev (Armenia); 7th - Radoslaw Horbik (Poland); 8th - Dejan Bogdanov (Macedonia); 9th - David Bichinashvili (Germany); 10th - Shinya Matsumoto (Japan)

2005 World Championships
84 kg/185 lbs. - Gold - Revaz Mindorishvili (Georgia); Silver - Yoel Romero (Cuba); Bronze - Magomed Kurguliev (Kazakhstan); Bronze - Taras Danko (Ukraine); 5th - Sazhid Sazhidov (Russia); 5th - Radoslaw Horbik (Poland); 7th- Mo Lawal (USA); 8th - Thomas Buchell (Switzerland); 9th - Saslan Hattsyiev (Bulgaria); 10th - Matthew White (Puerto Rico)

2004 Olympic Games
Gold - Cael Sanderson (USA); Silver - Moon Eui Jae (Korea); Bronze - Sazhid Sazhidov (Russia); 4th -  Yoel Romero (Cuba); 5th - Majid Khodaei (Iran); 6th - Lazaro Loizidis (Greece); 7th - Taras Danko (Ukraine); 8th - Shamil Aliev (Tajikistan); 9th - Nicolae Ghita (Romania); 10th - Hideakazu Yokoyama (Japan)

2003 World Championships
84 kg/185 lbs. - Gold - Sajid Sajidov (Russia) dec. Cael Sanderson (United States), 4-3; Bronze - Revaz Mindorashvili (Georgia) dec. Siarhei Borchanka (Belarus), 6-2; 5th - Magomed Kurugliyev (Kazakhstan); 6th - Yoel Romero (Cuba); 7th - Gokhan Yavaser (Turkey); 8th - Mamed Agaev (Armenia); 9th - Nicolae Ghita (Romania); 10th - Vincent Aka Akesse (France)

2002 World Championships
84 kg/185 lbs. - Gold - Adam Saitiev (Russia) dec. Yoel Romero (Cuba), 4-3, ot, 6:14; Bronze - Majid Khodaee (Iran) dec. Arkadiy Tzopa (Bulgaria), 7-1; 5th - Marcin Jurecki (Poland); 6th - D. Mindorashvili (Georgia); 7th - Adam Sanakoev (Uzbekistan); 8th - Andre Backhaus (Germany); 9th - Kim Jang-Soo (Korea); 10th - Robert Eggertswyler (Switzerland)