2019 International Rankings - Men's Freestyle

Takahashi Maintains Top Position

By Seth Petarra

There really wasn’t that much movement in March. Second-ranked Erdenebat Bekhbayar (MGL) won the President Cup of Buryatia over Yarygin bronze medalist Donduk Kuresh Ool of Russia. Fourth-ranked Zaur Uguev (RUS) won a tight 6-5 win over 2014 European bronze medalist Zoheir El Ouarraqe (FRA) in the Dan Kolov finals. Reineri Andreu Ortega (CUB), ranked 15th, dominated the Central American Championships as expected. Ahmet Peker (TUR) upset 2017 U-23 world runner-up and #19 Mikyay Salim Naim (BUL) at the Dan Kolov. Salim Naim drops one spot to #20 in the rankings. 

I put in Reza Atri (IRI) at 14th between former #14 Reineri Andreu Ortega (CUB) and former #15 Hak Jin Jong (PRK) because Atri's wins are of a higher quality than that of Ortega. The latter's only recent body of work is from his U-23 world title, which doesn’t quite hold up as well in April. Ortega has got a more recent body of work than Hak Jin Jong, whose best wins are all back in 2014. While they’re great wins—such as his win at the 2014 Takhti Cup over world champ and #1 Yuki Takahashi (JPN)—he hasn’t notched a win of such caliber since that time. 

Sixteenth-ranked Khasanguseynov Badrudinov (RUS) lost to #9 Ibragim Ilyasov (RUS) at the Andrei Shumulin tournament to decide who will represent Russia at the U-23 European Championships in June. Badrudinov then went and wrestled up at 61kg at the Bill Farrell and lost to eventual bronze medalist Seth Gross (USA). I flipped #10 Ibragim Ilyasov (RUS) and #9 Georgi Vangelov (BUL) because I found Ilyasov’s body of work to be superior to Vangelov, as Vangelov has wins over #12 (61) Artem Gebek (RUS) and #14 (61) Suleyman Atli (TUR), whereas Ilyasov has wins over #1 Yuki Takahashi (JPN), #6 Azamat Tuskaev (RUS), #11 Afghan Khasalov (AZE), and #16 Khasanguseynov Badrudinov (RUS).