CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 11) – Three wrestlers from Georgia, including two London 2012 medal winners, top the pre-Wrestling  World Championships edition of the FILA World Rankings for men’s freestyle.

Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) tops the rankings at 60kg, London bronze medalist Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) has been the leader at 84kg all summer, and Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (GEO) won one of the last senior tournaments of the summer to strengthen his position at 55kg.

KHINCHEGASHVILI, the Olympic silver medalist one year ago at 55kg, slipped into the top spot at 60kg as Opan SAT (RUS) has faltered since winning the European championships in March.

Russian national champion Bekhan GOYGEREEV (RUS), who won the Universiade in July, and 2011 world silver medalist Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) are making a charge up the rankings to challenge KHINCHEGASHIVILI at 60kg.

European champion MARSAGISHVILI, meanwhile, has been on top at 84kg all summer as have Olympic gold medalist and world champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) at 74kg and Taha AKGUL (TUR), who has turned away all challengers at 120kg in 2013.

AKGUL has won four tournament titles in 2013, including the European championships, and was awarded top individual honors at the men’s freestyle World Cup in February.

Last year’s junior world champion Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) claimed the top spot at 66kg last month with a win at the Universiade and heads into the world championships as the weight category’s leader ahead of European champion David SAFARYAN (ARM).

London Olympian Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) also remains on top at 96kg, a spot he earned after a win at the University Games over European champion Pavlo OLEYNIK (UKR).  GADISOV, however, is only listed second on Russia’s entries for the world championships behind national champion Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS).

The rankings are listed by the wrestler’s name, country code, most recent or most significant result of the year, and the wrestler’s ranking the previous month.

International wrestling rankings Men's freestyle, July 2013

55 kg – Former European and junior world champion Nariman ISRAPILOV (RUS) posted technical falls in four of his five bouts to win the Universiade crown and vault from unranked to No. 3 in the rankings.

Andrei DUKOV (ROU), who has reached the medals podium in four events this year, climbed to No.6 a win at the Ion Corneanu Memorial in Targoviste, Romania.

1.	Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (GEO) Europe No.1 (3)	
2.	Kyong-Il YANG (PRK) - Asia No.2 (2)	
3.	Nariman ISRAPILOV (RUS) - Universiade No.1 (not ranked)	
4.	Amit KUMAR (IND) - Asia No.1 (4)	
5.	Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) - Ali Aliev No.1 (5)	
6.	Andrei DUKOV (ROU) - Ion Corneanu Memorial No.1 (10)	
7.	Vladislav ANDREEV (BLR) - Europe No.2 (3)	
8.	Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) - Grand Prix of Germany No.1 (11)	
9.	Fumitaka MORISHITA (JPN) - Universiade No.3 (nr)	
10.	Nomin BATBOLD (MGL) - Mongolian Open No.1 (6)	
11.	Rasul KALIEV (KAZ) - Ali Aliev No.2 (9)	
12.	Samat NADYRBEK UULU (KAZ) - Universiade No.2 (nr)	
13.	Zoheir EL OUARRAQE (FRA) - Mediterranean Games No.1 (13)	
14.	Sergey RATUSHNIY (UKR) - Black Sea No.1 (14)	
15.	Ghenadi TULBEA (MON) - Golden Grand Prix Sassari No.1 (15)	
 
60 kg – Bekhan GOYGEREEV (RUS), winner of the Russian national championship crown in June, rolled up big wins in Kazan for the Universiade title and No.6 in the rankings.

Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR), who gained a toe-hold on the rankings last month as runner-up in the Golden Grand Prix event in Sassari, took a big step forward to No.9 with the title in the Grand Prix of Spain.

1.	Opan SAT	(RUS)	 Europe No.1 (1)	
2.	Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) - GGP Sassari No.1 (2)	
3.	Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) - Europe No.2 (3)	
4.	HWANG Ryong-Hak (PRK) - Asia No.1 (4)	
5.	Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) - German GP No.1 (5)	
6.	Bekhan GOYGEREEV (RUS) - Universiade No.1 (nr)	
7.	Masoud ESMAILPOURJYOUBARI (IRI) - World Cup No.1 (7)	
8.	Erhan BAKIR (TUR) - Mediterranean Games No.1 (8)	
9.	Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) - Grand Prix of Spain No.1 (15)	
10.	Tsogtbaatar DAMDINBAZAR (MGL) - German GP No.3 (9)	
11.	Haji ALIEV (AZE) - Universiade No.3 (nr)	
12.	Vasyl SHUPTER (UKR) - Universiade No.3 (nr)	
13.	Tim SCHLEICHER (GER) - Europe No.3 (12)	
14.	Nikolai AIVASIAN (UKR) - Black Sea No.1 (13)	
15.	Nikolai BOLOTNYUK (SVK) - GP Spain (nr)	
 
66 kg – 2012 junior world champion Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) held onto a 6-2 win over European champion David SAFARYAN (ARM) to take over the top spot in the rankings.

Yakup GOR (TUR) took a bronze medal in Spain and Martin DAUM (GER) won a bronze in Romania to secure their places in the rankings. However, the other medalists in July’s events fell short of breaking into the top 15.

1.	Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) - Universiade No.1 (7)	
2.	David SAFARYAN (ARM) - Universiade No.2 (1)	
3.	Yakup GOR (TUR) - Europe No.2 (2)	
4.	Semyon RADULOV (UKR) - Universiade No.3 (6)	
5.	Mandakhnaran GANZORIG (MGL) - Mongolian Open No.1 (4)	
6.	Mustafa KAYA (TUR) - Mediterranean Games No.1 (5)	
7.	Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) - Yarygin GP No.1 (3)	
8.	Haislan GARCIA VERANES (CAN) - German GP No.1 (8)	
9.	Martin DAUM (GER) - German GP No.2 (12)	
10.	Amit Dhankar KUMAR (IND) - Asia No.1 (9)	
11.	Alexander KONTOEV (BLR) - Europe No.3 (10)	
12.	Brent METCALF (USA) - Yarygin GP No.2 (11)	
13.	Dauren ZHUMAGAZIEV (KAZ) - German GP No.3 (13)	
14.	Malkhaz ZARKUA (GEO) - Sassari GGP No.1 (14)	
15.	Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB) - Pan America No.1 (15)	
 
74 kg – Two-time former world champion Denis TSARGUSH (RUS) returned to the mats after leaving London 2012 with a bronze medal and won the Universiade title, posting technical falls in each of his five wins.

Pan American silver medalist Cleopas NCUBE (CAN), who was born in Zimbabwe and now wrestles for Canada, defeated 2012 Olympian Ashraf ALIEV (AZE) for the Grand Prix of Spain title and No.12 in the rankings.

1.	Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) - World Cup No.1 (1)	
2.	Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) - Mediterranean Games No. 1 (3)	
3.	Denis TSARGUSH (RUS) - Universiade No. 1 (nr)	
4.	Andiar GEDUEV (RUS) - Europe No.1 (2)	
5.	Gabor HATOS (HUN) - Europe No.2 (3)	
6.	Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) - Asia No.1 (5)	
7.	Akzhurek TANATAROV (KAZ) - German GP No.1 (9)	
8.	Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) - Universiade No.2 (nr)	
9.	Andrej SHYYKA (GER) - Ion Corneanu No.2 (12)	
10.	Zaur EFENDIEV (SRB) - Universiade No.3 (nr)	
11.	Ali SHABANOV (BLR) - Ali Aliev No.2 (13)	
12.	Cleopas NCUBE (CAN) - GP Spain No.1 (14)	
13.	Gia CYKHLANDZE (UKR) - Europe No.3 (7)	
14.	Leonid BAZAN (BUL) - Europe No.3 (8)	
15.	Luca LAMPIS (GGP) - Sassari No.1 (11)		
 
84 kg – Beijiing 2008 Olympian Gheorghita STEFAN (ROU), down 0-6 in the Universiade final, came back with a three-point back-arching throw and three-point double-leg takedown to defeat Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS), 8-7, under one of FILA’s new rules for ending a bout before regulation.

The stunning victory over the junior world bronze medalist lifted STEFAN to No.5 in the rankings, while KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV comes in at No.9.  Meanwhile, Piotr IANULOV (MDA), out of the rankings last month, returned at No.10 with a bronze medal in Kazan.

1.	Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) - Europe No.1 (1)	
2.	Anzor URISHEV (RUS) - Europe No.3 (2)	
3	Musa MURTAZALIEV (ARM) - Europe No.2 (3)	
4.	Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR) - Europe No.3 (4)	
5.	Gheorghita STEFAN (ROU) - Universiade No.1 (nr)	
6.	Hakki CEYLAN (TUR) - Yasar Dogu No.2 (5)	
7.	Meisam MOSTAFA JOUKAR (IRI) - Takhti Cup No.1 (6)	
8.	Murad GAIDAROV (BLR) - German GP No.1 (8)	
9.	Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (URS) - Universiade No.2 (nr)	
10.	Piotr IANULOV (MDA) - Universiade No.3 (nr)	
11.	Umidyon ISMANOV (UZB) - Asia No.1 (9)	
12.	Azlan KAKHIDZE (KAZ) - Universiade No.8 (14)	
13.	Serder BOKE (TUR) - Mediterranean Games No.1 (7)	
14.	Jaime Yusept ESPINAL (PUR) - Sassari GGP No.2 (14)	
15.	Aibek USUPOV (KGZ) - Asia No. 2 (10)	
 
96 kg – Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) rolled over European champion Pavlo OLEYNIK (UKR), 8-0, for the Universiade crown and leap-frogged to the top of the rankings over OLEYNIK and former No.1 Vladislav BAITSEV (RUS).

BAITSEV, winner of the Yarygin Grand Prix in January, has not wrestled since finishing third at the European championships in March and has fallen out of the rankings.

Olympic bronze medalist Khetag GAZYMOV (AZE) won the Grand Prix of Spain to move up to No.5, while German Grand Prix winner William HARTH (GER) made it two in a row at Ion Corneanu to break into the rankings at No.9.

1.	Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) - Universaide No.1 (3)	
2.	Pavlo OLEYNIK (UKR) - Universiade No.2 (2)	
3.	Khadshimourat GATSALOV (RUS) - Ali Aliev No.2 (4)	
4.	Valeri ANDRIITSEV (UKR) - Black Sea No.1 (5)	
5.	Khetag GAZYMOV (AZE) - GP Spain No.1 (7)	
6.	Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) - Yasar Dogu No.1 (6)	
7.	Kenan GOR (TUR) - GP Spain (9)	
8.	Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) - GP Spain (nr)	
9.	William HARTH (GER) - Ion Corneanu No.1 (nr)	
10.	Khuderbulga DORJKHAND (MGL) - Universiade No.3 (nr)	
11.	Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) - Alexander Medved No.1 (10)	
12.	Alikhan DZHUMAEV (KAZ) - Universiade No.3 (nr)	
13.	Yuri MAIER (ARG) - South America No.1 (13)	
14.	Nicolae CEBAN (MDA) - Sassari GGP No.3 (12)	
15.	Riza YILDIRIM (TUR) - Mediterranean Games No.1 (nr)	
 
120 kg – Taha AKGUL (TUR) won his fifth straight tournament title since finishing eighth at last summer’s Olympic Games. The European champion held off 2011 world bronze medalist Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) for a 3-2 in in the quarterfinals.

Aslan DZEBISHOV (AZE) added the Grand Prix of Spain title to the Ali Aliev crown he won in May to jump from No.7 to No.2 while Rares David CHINTOAN (ROU) broke into the rankings at No. 9 with a win at Ion Corneanu after finishing runner-up in the Golden Grand Prix meet in Sassari, Italy.

1.	Taha AKGUL (TUR) - Universiade No.1 (1)	
2.	Aslan DZEBISHOV (AZE) - GP of Spain No.1 (7)	
3.	Alen ZASEEV (UKR) - Ali Aliev No.2 (2)	
4.	Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (UKR) - Universiade No.2 (6)	
5.	Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) - Europe No.3 (3)	
6.	Parviz HADI (IRI) - Universiade No.3 (nr)	
7.	Kurban KURBANOV (UZB) - Ali Aliev No.3 (8)	
8.	David MODZMANASHVILI (GEO) - Int'l Ukrainian No.3 (10)	
9.	Rares Daniel CHINTOAN (ROU) - Ion Corneanu No.1 (nr)	
10.	Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) - Europe No.3 (4)	
11.	Magomedgazhi NURASULOV (RUS) - Yarygin No.1 (5)	
12.	Daulet SHABANBAY (KAZ) - German GP No.1 (13)	
13.	Daniel LIGETI (HUN) - Ali Aliev No.3 (9)	
14.	Fatih YASARLI (TUR) - GP of Spain No.2 (nr)	
15.	Chuluunbat JARGALSAIKHAN (MGL) - Mongolian Open No.1 (14)