Russian star David Musulbes has won this division for three straight years, with a 2000 Olympic gold and World titles in 2001 and 2002. He has been the dominant force here since moving up in weight in the late 1990's from the 97 kg division. He has consistently put together his best performances at the most important event of the year. He also won the gold medal at the European Championships this year again. Musulbes combines power and technique, and with his background from the lower weight, has enough speed to offer a complete package of skills. He also has that extra ingredient, the will to win, which can make the difference in close bouts.    Musulbes, however, did not win at the Russian Nationals this year, and could have his streak stopped because he is not on the mat. If Musulbes does not attend, Kouramagomed Kouramagomedov will be the choice. Kouramagomedov was a World Champion at 97 kg in  1997, and has been impressive since moving up to the highest weight class. He attended the World Cup this year and defeated the returning champion, Kerry McCoy of the USA, but lost a match to a lesser opponent. Kouramagomedov is not big for a super heavyweight, and matches up better against the lighter big men in the division.    Cuba's 1998 World champion Alexis Rodriguez placed second last year, giving him five World-level medals. Rodriguez is one of those big super heavyweights that is consistently in contention. He burst onto the World scene in 1977, winning medals at the Junior World Championships and Senior World Championships, and has not let up since. He comes to the Worlds from a recent loss at the Pan American Games, where he was pinned by McCoy in the finals. Rodriguez is a gifted athlete, which helps him in tight matches.    Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan won silver medals at the 2000 Olympics and 2001 World Championships and has tremendous abilities for a big man. Wrestling fans will remember his wide open victory over American Kerry McCoy in the quarterfinals of the Sydney Olympics, a match that featured many more points than most heavyweights score in an entire tournament. What Taymazov does not have is a World title, losing both of his finals opportunities to the veteran Musulbes. Perhaps it is a matchup problem with Musulbes, or he gives him too much respect. However, this is an athlete with the abilities to win it all sometime very soon.    You can't talk heavyweight without mentioning American star Kerry McCoy, who is a native New Yorker and will truly be wrestling on his home mats at this year's World meet. McCoy has beaten almost all of the best big men of his era, but he still lacks a World-level medal. He was fifth at the 2000 Olympics and fourth in the World meet twice. One year, he beat Rodriguez in the World semifinals, only to have the victory (and ultimately the medal) taken away through a protest. He captured four World Cup gold medals, before having his streak snapped this year in Boise, Idaho. He beat out 1999 World champion Stephen Neal to make his Olympic team, using his technical skills and mat smarts to slow down a tremendous athlete.    McCoy seems to know how to beat Rodriguez, but has had difficulties with both Musulbes and Taymazov. Like Musulbes, he started his career at 97 kg. McCoy's game is motion and speed, and he has built up the size and power to compete with everybody in the division. The main question is what kind of boost will McCoy receive from the home fans in New York.    Aydin Polatci of Turkey captured the 2002 World bronze medal, and is the top big man in a nation that takes great pride in its super heavyweights. Polatci was only fifth at the European Championships this year. The Turkish roster does not list Polatci, with Recep Kara or M. Sait Bingol as the names submitted.     Young David Otiashvili of Georgia placed fourth in the World last year, his best performance to date. McCoy beat Otiashvili in their matchup at the Kurt Angle Classic last fall. He was second in the 2002 European Championships, but did not compete this year. Alexander Modebadze won the bronze medal for Georgia at the Europeans in 2003. The Georgian roster lists Modebadze rather than Otiashvili, which makes things a bit interesting.    This weight division is usually stocked with competitive athletes from Europe, including many tough challengers from the former Soviet republics. Winning the super heavyweight class usually means defeating some of these difficult challengers. Hungary's new heavyweight is Otto Aubeli, who was fifth in the World Championships in 2002 and sixth in the 2003 European Championships. Germany is expected to enter Sven Thiele, a World silver medalist in 1995 who scored a win over McCoy at the World Cup this year. Also on the German list is Markus Hamann, who was seventh in the World meet last year.    Ukraine will feature either Ivan Ishenko or Serhii Priadun, both who can handle themselves in this division. Priadun had a career-best finish at this division with a silver medal at the 2003 European Championships. Iran's hopes are with Ali Reza Rezaei, who is a consistent performer but has yet to make any big news on the World level.    A newcomer of note is Rares Chintuan of Romania, who placed fourth in the 2003 European Championships. Some of the other super heavyweights of note include Boris Hrinkevich of Belarus, Bozhidar Boyadzhiev of Bulgaria and Palwinder Singh Cheema of India.     A common thing among heavyweights can be close, low-scoring battles. With the addition of the clinch rule in freestyle wrestling, many of the super heavyweight matches are determined from this locked position. You may see that the big man with the best clinch is able to win the close battles, especially in the medal rounds.    Russia remains the nation to beat, with either Kouramagomedov or Mussulbes carrying the national pride with them. Taymazov of Uzbekistan seeks his first World title, and Rodriguez of Cuba is gunning for a second World crown. Hometown hero McCoy from the United States has a great opportunity to give himself and his fans something to be very proud of. With a combination of new young super heavyweights and some chiseled veterans, the results of the pool competitions should be very interesting. Breaking into the medals will be difficult, with such a talented group of stars who have dominated recent World events and do not seem ready to give up their place on the podium.    RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS    2002 World Championships results  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - David Musulbes (Russia) dec. Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba), 5-0, ot, 6:04; Bronze - Aydin Polatci (Turkey) won by tech. fall over David Otiashvili (Georgia), 10-0, 1:25; 5th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 6th - Ruslan Shikhsafiyev (Kazakhstan); 7th - Markus Hamann (Germany); 8th - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Boris Boyadzhiev (Bulgaria); 10th - Boris Grinkevich (Belarus)    2001 World Championships results  130 kg/286 lbs. - Gold - David Musulbes (Russia) dec. Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan), 4-3; Bronze - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba) dec. Kerry McCoy (USA), 3-1; 5th - Arpad Ritter (Hungary); 5th - Aydin Polatci (Turkey); 6th - Boyadjiev Bojidar (Bulgaria); 7th - Abbass Jadidi (Iran); 8th - Cheema Pallander (India); 9th - Th. Abatzis (Greece); 10th - Barys Hrynkevich (Bulgaria)    2000 Olympic Games results  130 kg/286 lbs. - Gold - David Musulbes (Russia) dec. Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan), 5-2; Bronze - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba) won by ref. dec. over Abbas Jadidi (Iran), 0-0, ot, 9:00; 5th - Kerry McCoy (United States); 6th - Aleksei Medvedev (Belarus); 7th - Sven Thiele (Germany); 8th - Alexander Kowalewski (Kyrgyzstan); 9th - Rajab Ashabaliyev (Azerbaijan); 10th - Alex Modebadze (Georgia); 11th - Aydin Polatci (Turkey); 12th - Krassimir Kotchev (Bulgaria); 13th - Dolgorsuren Sumiyabazar (Mongolia); 14th - Chen Zingqiang (China); 15th - Efsathios Topalidis (Greece); 16th - Peter Pecha (Slovakia); 17th - Zsolt Gombos (Hungary); 18th - Merabi Valiyev (Ukraine)    120 kg/264.5 lbs.   AUSTRALIA - Hardip Bassi  BANGLADESH - Habil Khan  BELARUS - Boris Hrinkevich  BULGARIA - Bozhidar Boyadzhiev or Martin Lazarov  CANADA - Colbie Bell or Eric Kirschner