Speak about a mixed bag of talent! The 74 kg/163 lbs. weight class could be the most loaded and volatile of all divisions at this year's World Greco-Roman Championships. With athletes coming in from two previous weight divisions, 69 kg and 76 kg, and a mix of veterans and new stars, this weight class will provide tremendous drama in Moscow this year.    The first question will be, what about Cuba's Filiberto Azcuy? This remarkable athlete was the 2001 World Champion at 69 kg, and has won two straight Olympic gold medals, with a 74 kg title in 1996 and a 69 kg title in 2000. This year, Azcuy did not compete at the Pan American Championships, replaced by veteran Cecilio Rodriguez. If Azcuy wrestles, he has proven he can compete at this division, which is where he wrestled when he first came into prominence.     The 2001 World Champion at 76 kg was Ara Abrahamjian of Sweden. He moved up from a sixth-place finish at the 2000 Olympic Games to become the top man last year. Abrahamjian did not compete in the 2002 European Championships, replaced by Mohammed Babulfath, who was seventh. Again, will we see this World Champion this year or not?    Russia is certainly expected to be strong at this division, as it boasts both silver medalists at last year's World Championships at 69 kg and 76 kg. Alexei Gloushkov was the World runner-up at 69 kg in 2001, and Alexei Mishin was the World silver medalist at 76 kg. Gloushkov was an Olympic bronze medalist in 2000, while Mishin was a 2001 European Champion.  The Russian at the 2002 European Championships was Varteres Samourgashev, who won a silver medal. Wrestling fans will remember Samourgashev as the 2000 Olympic champion, way down at 63 kg. The 2000 Olympic champion at 76 kg was also a Russian, Mourat Kardanov, who has been wrestling at 85 kg in recent seasons. Russia, so deep in the middle weights, might throw in another talented young athlete if it so chooses.     The 2001 World bronze medalist at 76 kg was Kim Jim Soon of Korea. Kim was fifth in the 2000 Olympic Games. However, Korea also boasts one of the greatest stars from the former 69 kg division, Song Sang Pil. Song has had a pair of disappointing years, seventh in the 2001 Worlds and fifth in the 2000 Olympics. However, Song was a 1997 and 1999 World Champion and a 1998 World bronze medalist. Both Kim and Song won medals in European tournaments this winter. It is also safe to say that Korea should be very strong at this division.    As the European Championships is one of the best indicators of World-level success, the 2002 European Champion at 74 kg was Badri Khasaia of Georgia. Khasaia was not a World or Olympic placewinner at either of the old weight classes the last two years. However, he did win the gold medal at the Pytlasinki Tournament in Poland, the top pre-World tune-up, another indication that he could win it all in Moscow.    We will first now look at the former 76 kg athletes, who may have a slight advantage by dropping two kilograms, over the 69 kg athletes who are moving up five kilograms.     The 2001 World bronze medalist at 76 kg was veteran Rustem Adzhy of Ukraine. He was a 1995 World Champion at 69 kg. Adzhy was fourth in the 2002 European Championships, showing that he is a true contender at this new division. Ukraine also boasts David Manukyan, a veteran who was fourth at the 2000 Olympics at 76 kg, as well as  Sergei Solodkyy, who was fourth in the 2001 World Championships at 76 kg.    Marko Yli-Hannuksela of Finland was sixth at the 2001 Worlds at 76 kg, but has had numerous top finishes in major events. Yli-Hannuksela was a 1997 World Champion, and won the bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. His bronze medal at this year's European Championships proves that he will again be in the mix here.    There are a number of former 76 kg World Champions looking to return to glory. 1999 World Champion Nazmi Avluca of Turkey, 1998 World Champion Bachtiar Baiseitov of Kazakhstan and 1995 World Champion Yvon Reimer of France are serious challengers whenever they are in the field. Neither Avluca or Reimer competed for their nations at the 2002 European Championships, making their appearance in Moscow another question mark. Avluca was the 2002 University World Champion at 84 kg, but moving up on the Turkish team is difficult with a two-time Olympic champion at that division (Hamza Yerlikaya).    Among the other 76 kg World placewinners last year were Tamas Berzicza of Hungary, Odelis Herrero of Cuba, Artur Michalkewicz of Poland and Dimitris Avramis of Greece. Berzicza was fifth in the 2002 European Championships at 74 kg.     Some of the other prominent 76 kg athletes from the 2000 Olympics were Vyacheslav Makarenko of Belarus, Tarieli Melalashvili of Georgia, Evgeniy Erofaylov of Uzbekistan and Khvichia Bichniahsvili of Azerbaijan.    Going back to 69 kg, placing fourth through sixth respectively at the 2001 World Championships were Jimmy Samuelson of Sweden, Moises Sanchez of Spain and Paviz Zaidvand of Iran. Neither Samuelson or Sanchez were in the lineup at the 2002 European meet. Zaidvand was a 2001 Asian champion.    Japan's Katsuhiko Nagata was the 69 kg Olympic silver medalist, clearly the top performance of his career. Placing fourth at the 69 kg weight class at the 2000 Olympics was veteran Valeri Nikitin of Estonia. Nikitin was eighth at the 2002 European Championships at 74 kg, showing that he has moved up in size and is taking on the bigger boys.     Others who have had success at 69 kg in recent years includ Maz Schwindt of Germany, Ondrej Jaros of the Czech Republic, Mahmut Altay of Turkey, Islam Doguchiyev of Azerbaijan, Ryszard Wolny of Poland, Ender Memet of Romania and Ruslan Biktyakov of Uzbekistan. The question is whether these athletes were able to successfully change to a new weight division, or if they were disappeared by the elimination of their weight class.    A few successful athletes from some of the recent 2002 international events to watch are Konstantin Schneider of Germany, Taniu Proichenski of Bulgaria, Shatsiky Volodymyr of Ukraine, Vugar Aslanov of Azerbaijan, Michal Jaworski of Poland, Sayed Marashian of Iran, Oleg Michailovich of Belarus, Dagil Khalimov of Russia and Abdou El Barbary of Egypt. With such a wide mix at this division, some of these athletes might crack through soon.    We have not discussed the U.S. entry here until this point, because the rest of the world may not know much about him. T.C. Dantzler has labored behind U.S. wrestling stars Matt Lindland and Keith Sieracki for a number of years, and make his big break through this year to become No. 1 in the nation. Dantzler is a gifted athlete with explosive techniques, and when he is on a roll, he can unstoppable.  In this wacky weight class, perhaps Dantzler will be the new name that rises to the top when it is all sorted out.    Take your pick. There are a ton of past World and Olympic medalists from two weight divisions, some exciting new faces and much uncertainty here. The status of Filiberto Azcuy of Cuba stands out as a major question. The choice of the Russian entry is also a big factor. Anybody who can predict the medalists at this weight class is truly an international wrestling expert.    2001 World Championships results    69 kg/152 lbs. -  Gold - Filiberto Azcuy (Cuba) dec. Alexei Gloushkov (Russia), 4-0; Bronze - Rustem Adzhy (Ukraine) pin Jimmy Samuelson (Sweden), 1:28; 5th - Moises Sanchez (Spain); 6th - Parviz Zaidvand (Iran); 7th - Song Sang Pil (Korea); 8th - Maxim Schwindt (Germany); 9th - Ondrej Jaros (Czech Republic); 10th - Mahmut Altay (Turkey)    2001 World Championships results   76 kg/167.5 - Gold - Ara Abrahamjian (Sweden) pin Alexei Michine (Russia), 5:04; Bronze - Kim Jin Soo (Korea) dec. Sergiy Solodkyy (Ukraine), 3-0; 5th - Tamas Berzicza (Hungary); 6th - Marko Yli-Hannuksela (Finland); 7th - Bakhtiyar Baiseitov (Kazakhstan); 8th - Odelis Herrero (Cuba); 9th - Artur Michalkiewicz (Poland); 10th - Dimitris Avramis (Greece)    2000 Olympic Games results   69 kg/152 lbs. - Gold - Filiberto Azcuy (Cuba) won by tech. fall over Katsuhiko Nagata (Japan), 11-0, 1:44; Bronze - Alexei Glouchkov (Russia)