This weight class, like many others in the first year after the Olympic Games, appears to be fairly wide open for the World Championships.

Russia's Beylal Makhov won a World title in 2007, and he would have to be considered the favorite in this freestyle class at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. The competition in this division is set for Sept. 22 in Herning, Denmark.

Makhov beat 2008 Olympic silver medalist Bakhtiyar Akhmedov in the finals of the 2009 Russian Nationals.

Iran's Fardin Masoumi, who placed fifth in the 2008 Olympics, is wrestling well this season. He won the Asian Championships.

Azerbaijan's Ali Issaev also has had a strong season. He won the European Championships, downing Armenia's Ruslan Basiev in the finals. Turkey's Recep Kara and Ukraine's Vasili Tesmenetzki both won bronze medals at the Europeans.

Tesmenetzki won a gold medal at the World Cup this year.

First-time World Team member Tervel Dlagnev of the U.S. has more than held his own against top international wrestlers this year. Dlagnev beat Issaev twice, in a dual meet and in a tournament, during a recent trip to Baku, Azerbaijan.

Dlagnev, a 2008 World University champion, has medaled in a number of big international tournaments this year. He knocked off 2008 Olympian Steve Mocco, who also had been wrestling very well overseas this year, to make the American team.

This is the fourth different heavyweight in as many years to represent the U.S. at the Worlds or Olympics.

Uzbekistan's Artur Taymazov, who won his second straight Olympics title in 2008, has not been competing this season. It is possible he could still wrestle in this event.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2008 Olympic Games

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Bakhtiyar Akhmedov (Russia); Bronze - David Musulbes (Slovakia); Bronze - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 5th - Disney Rodriguez (Cuba); 5th - Fardin Masoumi (Iran); 7th - Steve Mocco (USA); 8th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 9th - Aydin Polatci (Turkey); 10th - Liang Lei (China)

2007 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Beylal Makhov (Russia); Silver - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); Bronze - Vadim Tasoev (Ukraine); Bronze - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); 5th - Tommy Rowlands (United States); 5th - Fatih Cakiroglu (Turkey); 7th - Soung-Jin Go (Korea); 8th - Boyidar Boyadiev (Bulgaria); 9th - Ali Issaev (Azerbaijan); 10th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan)

2006 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov (Russia); Bronze - Farden Masoumi Valadi (Iran); Bronze - Ruslan Basiev (Armenia); 5th - Davaanyam Lkhagvordorj (Mongolia); 5th - Recep Kara (Turkey); 7th - Khizar Durgayev (Azerbaijan); 8th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 9th - Liang Lei (China); 10th - Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia)

2005 World Championships
120  kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Ayden Polatci (Turkey); Silver - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); Bronze - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); Bronze - Tolly Thompson (USA); 5th - Liang Lei (China); 5th - Kuramagomed Kuramogomedov (Russia); 7th - Rares Chintoan (Romania); 8th - Fardi Mousami (Iran); 9th - Vadim Tasoev (Ukraine); 10th - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan)