Date of competition: Saturday, Sept. 11

Young Russian star Besik Kudukhov has become the dominant force in this weight class.

Kudukhov is the returning World champion in this division after bumping up to 60 kg/132 lbs. in 2009. 

Kudukhov also won a World title in 2007 at 55 kg/121 lbs. and won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics at 55 kilos.

Kudukhov won the Russian Nationals this year at 60 kilos and is the clear favorite to win the World title on his home mat in Moscow, Russia.

Kudukhov beat Azerbaijan’s Zalimkhan Huseynov in the finals of the 2009 Worlds. Dilshod Mansurov of Uzbekistan and Vasyl Fedoryshin of Ukraine are the returning bronze medalists.

Fedoryshin won a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics. He was third in the 2010 European Championships.

2006 World champion Seyed Morad Mohammadi of Iran also could be in the mix. He was fifth in the World last year.

Veteran Mike Zadick of the U.S. has had a strong season, winning the Dave Schultz Memorial International before beating 2009 World Team member Shawn Bunch to win the World Team Trials.

Zadick is very good offensively and defensively. He won a World silver medal in 2006, beating two-time Olympic gold medalist Mavlet Batirov of Russia in the semifinals. Batirov has not lost internationally since that setback. Batirov moved up a weight class to 66 kg/145.5 lbs. this year and is not expected to compete at the Worlds.

Zadick is a three-time World Team member and 2008 Olympian.

The U.S. is looking for its first World-level medal in this weight class since Zadick medaled in 2006.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2009 World Championships
Gold - Besik Kudukhov (Russia); Silver - Zalimkhan Huseynov (Azerbaijan); Bronze - Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan); Bronze - Vasyl Fedoryshin (Ukraine); 5th - Shogo Maeda (Japan); 5th - Sayed Mohammadi (Iran); 7th - Artur Arakelyan (Armenia); 8th - Maikel Perez Gonzales (Cuba); 9th - Bazar Bazarguruev (Kyrgyzstan); 10th-  Anatolie Guidea (Bulgaria)

2008 Olympic Games
60 kg/132 lbs. – Gold - Mavlet Batirov (Russia); Silver - Vasyl Fedoryshyn (Ukraine); Bronze – Kenichi Yumoto (Japan); Bronze – Seyed Morad Mohammadi (Iran); 5th – Bazar Bazarguruev (Krygyzstan); 5th – Zelimkhan Huseinov (Azerbaijan); 7th – Muzad Ramazanov (Macedonia); 8th – Yandro Quintana (Cuba); 9th – Yogeshwar Dutt (India); 10th – Saeed Azarbayjani (Canada)

2007 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. – Gold - Mavlet Batirov (Russia); Silver - Anatoli Guidea (Bulgaria); Bronze - Bazar Bazarguruev (Kyrgyzstan); Bronze - Sahit Prizreni (Albania); 5th - Tevfik Odabasi (Turkey); 5th - He Quin (China); 7th - Samat Khakupov (Kazakhstan); 8th - Murat Ramazanov (Macedonia); 9th - Themis Iakovidis (Greece); 10th - Vasil Fedorishyn (Ukraine)

2006 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. – Gold – Seyed Morad Mohammadi (Iran); Silver – Mike Zadick (USA); Bronze – Noriyuki Takatsuka (Japan); Bronze – Mavlet Batirov (Russia); 5th – Vasil Fedoryshin (Ukraine); 5th – Dutt Yogeshwar (India); 7th – David Pogosian (Georgia); 8th – Aliaksandr Karnitski (Belarus); 9th – Yandro Quintana (Cuba); 10th – Farzad Tarash (Australia)

2005 World Championships
60 kg/ 132 lbs. - Gold - Alan Dudaev (Russia); Silver - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); Bronze - Martin Berberyan (Armenia); Bronze - Mehdi Mohammadi (Iran); 5th - Levan Chabradze (Georgia); 5th - Oyunbileg Purevbaatar (Mongolia); 7th - Jae-Myung Song (Korea); 8th - Giuvi Sissaouri (Canada); 9th - Gergo Woller (Hungary); 10th - Tevfik Odabasi (Turkey)