#WrestleBelgrade Preview: men’s freestyle light weights

Photo of Thomas Gilman by Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com.

The 2022 Senior World Championships are just around the corner, set for Sept. 10-18 in Belgrade, Serbia.

WATCH LIVE

Over the next two weeks, USA Wrestling will be posting weight class previews for the 2022 World Championships in six segments. There will be two previews in each style, light weights (first five weights) and heavy weights (final five weights). Included will be a story on each weight class, with seeds plus World/Olympic results going back to 2017.

Today, we feature 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg and 74 kg in men’s freestyle:

57 kg
U.S. representative: Thomas Gilman
Competition date: Sept. 16-17

Three of last year’s four World medalists are back in action for the 2022 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, led by No. 1 seed and defending World champion Thomas Gilman from USA, who is also an Olympic bronze medalist and a 2017 World runner-up.

2021 World silver medalist Alireza Sarlak (Iran) and World bronze medalist Horst Lehr (Germany) will come in as the Nos. 4 and 3 seeds, respectively. The No. 2 seed goes to Olympic silver medalist and 2019 World bronze medalist Ravi Kumar (India).

Another Senior World medalist registered to compete is Toshihiro Hasegawa (Japan), who earned bronze at the 2021 Worlds at 61 kg. He was also a 2018 U23 World champion. Joining Hasegawa as U23 gold medalist is Aliabbas Rzazade (Azerbaijan), who won his title in 2021. In the finals, he defeated Bekbolot Myrzanazar Uulu (Kyrgyzstan), who will also be in Serbia.

Two U.S. natives will be in the field, competing for different countries in Darian Cruz (Puerto Rico) and Stevan Micic (Serbia). Cruz is a 2022 Pan American Championships runner-up, while Micic is a two-time European bronze medalist.

57 kg seeds:
No. 1 Thomas GILMAN (USA)
No. 2 Ravi KUMAR (IND)
No. 3 Horst LEHR (GER)
No. 4 Alireza SARLAK (IRI)
No. 5 Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
No. 6 Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO)
No. 7 Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL)
No. 8 Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2021 World Championships
57 kg/125.5 lbs - Gold - Thomas Gilman (USA); Silver - Alireza Sarlak (Iran); Bronze - Horst Lehr (Germany); Bronze - Aryan Tsiutryn (Belarus); 5th - Abubakar Mutaliev (RWF); 5th - Suleyman Atli (Turkey); 7th - Toshiya Abe (Japan); 8th - Afgan Khashalov (Azerbaijan); 9th - Vladimir Egorov (North Macedonia); 10th - Mikyay Naim (Bulgaria)

2020 Olympic Games
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Gold - Zavur Ugaev (ROC); Silver - Kumar Ravi (India); Bronze - Nurislam Sanayev (Kazakhstan); Bronze - Thomas Gilman (USA); 5th - Reza Atrinagharchi (Iran); 5th - Georgi Vangelov (Bulgaria); 7th - Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan); 8th - Yuki Takahashi (Japan); 9th - Bekhbayar Erdenbat (Mongolia); 10th - Oscar Eduardo Tigeros Urbano (Colombia)

2019 World Championships
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Gold – Zavur Uguev (Russia); Silver – Suleyman Atli (Turkey); Bronze – Nurislam Sanayev (Kazakhstan); Bronze – Ravi Kumar (India); 5th – Stevan Micic (Serbia); 5th – Reza Atrinagharchi (Iran); 7th – Bekhbayar Erdenebat (Mongolia); 8th – Givi Davidovi (Italy); 9th – Oscar Tigreros Urbano (Colombia); 10th – Yuki Takahashi (Japan)

2018 World Championships
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Gold - Zavur Uguev (Russia); Silver - Nurislam Sanayev (Kazakhstan); Bronze - Suleyman Atli (Turkey); Bronze - Yuki Takahashi (Japan); 5th - Thomas Gilman (USA); 5th - Reineri Andreu Ortega (Cuba); 7th - Giorgi Edisherashvili (Azerbaijan); 8th - Josh Failauga (American Samoa); Givi Davidovi (Italy); 10th - Sandeep Tomar (India)

2017 World Championships
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Gold - Yuki Takahashi (Japan); Silver - Thomas Gilman (USA); Bronze –Andrey Yatsenko (Ukraine); Bronze – Bekhbayar Erdenebat (Mongolia); 5th - Hak-Jin Jong (North Korea); 5th - Vladimer Dubov (Bulgaria); 7th - Sandeep Tomar (India) ; 8th - Nodirjon Safarov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Sunggwon Kim (Korea); 10th - Givi Davidovi (Italy)

61 kg
U.S. representative: Seth Gross
Competition dates: Sept. 17-18

Holding the No. 1 seed is the only returning medalist at the weight, bronze medalist Arsen Harutyuyan of Armenia, who also won U23 World gold last year.

Rounding out the top-four seeds is Olympic fifth-place finisher Georgi Vangelov (Bulgaria) at No. 2, 2019 U23 World champion Ulukbek Zholdoshbekov (Kyrgyzstan) at No. 3 and two-time Senior World medalist Suleyman Atli (Turkey) at No. 4. Also carrying a seed into Belgrade is 2016 Olympic silver medalist and 2018 U23 World champion Rei Higuchi (Japan), who is No. 8.

Other notable athletes in the field include two-time U23 World champion Reineri Andreu Ortega (Cuba), two-time U23 World bronze medalist Islam Dudaev (Albania) and Tokyo Olympics fifth-place finish Reza Atri (Iran).

Representing the USA is Seth Gross, who defeated 2021 World silver medalist Daton Fix at Final X Stillwater for the chance to compete in Belgrade. Also with USA ties is Michigan wrestler Joey Silva, who will compete for Puerto Rico.

61 kg seeds:
No. 1 Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
No. 2 Georgi Valentinov VANGELOV (BUL)
No. 3 Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
No. 4 Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
No. 5 Eduard GRIGOREV (POL)
No. 6 Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO)
No. 7 Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)
No. 8 Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)

RECENT WORLD RESULTS
2021 World Championships
61 kg/134 lbs. - Gold - Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RWF); Silver - Daton Fix (USA); Bronze - Arsen Harutyunyan (Armenia); Bronze - Toshihiro Hasegawa (Japan); 5th - Ravinder (India); 5th - Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg (Mongolia); 7th - Georgi Vangelov (Bulgaria); 8th - Arman Norik Eloyan (France); 9th - Emrah Ormanoglu (Turkey); 10th - Alibeg Alibegov (Bahrain)

2019 World Championships
61 kg/134 lbs. - Gold - Beka Lomtadze (Georgia); Silver - Magomedrasul Idrisov (Russia); Bronze - Behnam Ehsanpoor (Iran); Bronze - Rahul Balasaheb Aware (India); 5th - Abbos Rakhmonov (Uzbekistan); 5th - Tyler Graff (USA); 7th - Rassul Kaliyev (Kazakhstan); 8th - Kerim Hojakov (Turkmenistan); 9th - Almaz Smanbekov (Kyrgyzstan); 10th - Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg (Mongolia)

2018 World Championships
61kg/134 lbs. – Gold - Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez (Cuba); Silver – Gadzhimurad Rashidov (Russia); Bronze – Joseph Colon (United States); Bronze- Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg (Mongolia); 5th – Beka Lomtadze (Georgia); 5th – Mohammadbagher Yakhkeshi (Iran); 7th – Kazuya Koynagi (Japan) 8th – Sonba Gongane (India); 9th – Ivan Bileichuk (Ukraine); 10th – Parviz Ibrahimov (Azerbaijan)

2017 World Championships
61 kg/134 lbs. - Gold - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan); Silver - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (Russia); Bronze –Vladimer Khinchegashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez (Cuba); 5th - Cengizhan Erdogan (Turkey); 5th - Rinya Nakamura (Japan), 10-0; 7th - Daulet Niyazbekov (Kazakhstan); 8th - Ivan Guidea (Romania); 9th - Mykola Bolotnjuk (Slovakia); 10th - Ivan Bileichuk (Ukraine)

65 kg
U.S. representative: Yianni Diakomihalis
Competition dates: Sept. 17-18

The 65 kg weight class has had a different champion every year since 2015, and it seems this year, it’s anyone’s crown to grab. The weight features two Olympic medalists in Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan, who won silver in Tokyo and bronze in Rio, and Bajrang Punia of India, who claimed bronze in Tokyo. Aliyev, a three-time World champion, is the No. 1 seed, while Punia, a two-time World medalist, is the No. 2 seed.

There are five other Senior World medalists in the mix, including 2019 World bronze medalist and No. 4 seed Iszmail Muszukajev (Hungary), 2021 World bronze medalist and No. 5 seed Alibek Osmonov (Kyrgyzstan), 2013 and 2015 World medalist Vladimir Dubov (Bulgaria), 2017 and 2018 World bronze medalist Alejandro Valdes Tobier (Cuba) and 2016 World silver medalist Beka Lomtadze (Georgia).

Additionally, four athletes come into Belgrade with age-group World titles, including 2021 U20 and two-time U17 World champion Rahman Amouzad (Iran), two-time U17 World champion Yianni Diakomihalis (USA) and a pair of 2019 U20 World champions in Kaiki Yamaguchi (Japan) at 61 kg and Erik Arushanian (Ukraine) at 70 kg. They are joined by several other age-group World medalists.

American-born and 2022 Pan American silver medalist Sebastian Rivera (Puerto Rico) holds the No. 3 seed at the weight.

65 kg seeds:
No. 1 Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
No. 2 Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
No. 3 Sebastian C RIVERA (PUR)
No. 4 Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
No. 5 Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ)
No. 6 Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
No. 7 Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
No. 8 Munir Recep AKTAS (TUR)

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2021 World Championships
65 kg/143 lbs. - Gold - Zagir Shakhiev (RWF); Silver - Amirmohammad Babak Yazdanicherati (Iran); Bronze - Alibek Osmonov (Kyrgyzstan); Bronze - Tulga Tumur Ochir (Mongolia); 5th - Krzysztof Bienkowski (Poland); 5th - Rohit (India); 7th - Vasyl Shuptar (Ukraine); 8th - Sebastian Rivera (Puerto Rico); 9th - Selahattin Kilicsallayan (Turkey); 10th - Haji Ali (Brunei)

2020 Olympic Games
65 kg/143 lbs. - Gold - Takuto Otaguro (Japan); Silver - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan); Bronze - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (ROC); Bronze - Bajrang Punia (India); 5th – Izmiel Muszukajev (Hungary); 5th - Daulet Niyazbekov (Kazakhstan); 7th - Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Poland); 8th - Morteza Ghiasa Cheka (Iran); 9th - Tulga Tumur Ochir (Mongolia); 10th - Alejandro Enrique Valdez Tobier (Cuba)

2019 World Championships
65 kg/143 lbs. – Gold – Gadzhimurad Rashidov (Russia); Silver – Daulet Niyazbekov (Kazakhstan); Bronze – Bajrang Bajrang (India); Bronze – Iszmail Muszukajev (Hungary); 5th – Takuto Otoguro (Japan); 5th – Tulga Tumur Ochir (Mongolia); 7th – Haji Ali (Bahrain); 8th – Alexander Semisorow (Germany); 9th – Jong Son (North Korea); 10th – Selahattin Kilicsallayan (Turkey)

2018 World Championships
65 kg/143 lbs. – Gold – Takuto Otoguro (Japan); Silver – Bajrang Bajrang (India); Bronze - Akhmed Chakaev (Russia); Bronze – Alejandro Valdes Tobier (Cuba); 5th – George Bucur (Romania); 5th – Seungchul Lee (South Korea); 7th – Tulga Tumur Ochir (Mongolia); 8th – Andrei Perpelita (Moldova); 9th – Niurhun Skrabin (Belarus); 10th – Dimitar Ivanov (Bulgaria)

2017 World Championships
65 kg/143 lbs. - Gold - Zurabi Iakobishvili (Georgia); Silver - Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Poland); Bronze –Alan Gogaev (Russia) ; Bronze –Alejandro Valdes Tobier (Cuba); 5th - Mustafa Kaya (Turkey); 5th - Azamat Nurykau (Belarus); 7th - Adam Batirov (Bahrain); 8th - Franklin Gomez Matos (Puerto Rico); 9th - Aghahuseyn Mustafayev (Azerbaijan); 10th - Meisam Nasiri (Iran)

70 kg
U.S. representative: Zain Retherford
Competition dates: Sept. 15-16

No. 1 seed Ernazar Akmataliev of Kyrgyzstan is the only 2021 70 kg World medalist returning to the field. He had a successful season last year, winning Senior World silver and U23 World gold. There are two other past World medalists, including 2017 World champion and two-time World bronze medalist Zurabi Iakobishvili (Georgia) as the No. 2 seed, and No. 5 seed Amirmohammad Yazdanicherati (Iran), who won silver at last year's Worlds at 65 kg.

There are four age-group World medal winners heading to Belgrade such as 2012 U17 World champion Zain Retherford (USA), who is the No. 6 seed, and 2013 U20 World champion Selahattin Kilicsallayan (Turkey), who is the No. 7 seed. Those that aren’t seeded are two-time U23 World bronze medalist Maxim Sacultan (Moldova) and 2017 U20 World bronze medalist Temuulen Enkhtuya (Mongolia).

In addition to Iakobishvili, Bacar Ndum (Guinea Bissau) and Taishi Narikuni (Japan) enter the field as 2022 continental champions.

70 kg seeds:
No. 1 Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
No. 2 Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)
No. 3 Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
No. 4 Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)
No. 5 Amirmohammad YAZDANICHERATI (IRI)
No. 6 Zain Allen RETHERFORD (USA)
No. 7 Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)

RECENT WORLD RESULTS
2021 World Championships
70 kg/154 lbs. - Gold – Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Poland); Silver – Ernazar Akmataliev (Kyrgyzstan); Bronze – Zurabi Iakobishvili (Georgia); Bronze – Evgenii Zherbaev (RWF); 5th – Turan Bayramov (Azerbaijan); 5th – Arman Andreasyan (Armenia); 7th – James Green (USA); 8th – Erfan Elahi (Iran); 9th – Mustafa Kaya (Turkey); 10th – Nicolae Cojocaru (Great Britain)

2019 World Championships
70 kg/154 lbs. - Gold - David Baev (Russia); Silver - Nurkozha Kaipanov (Kazakhstan); Bronze - Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Poland); Bronze - Yones Aliakbar Emamichoghaei (Iran); 5th - Zurabi Iakobishvili (Georgia); 5th - Nicolae Cojocaru (Great Britain); 7th - Kojiro Shiga (Japan); 8th - Ikhtiyor Navruzov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Ali Pasha Umarpashaev (Bulgaria); 10th - Elaman Dogdurbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)

2018 World Championships
70 kg/154 lbs. - Gold - Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (Russia); Silver - Adam Batirov (Bahrain); Bronze – Franklin Maren Castillo (Cuba); Bronze - Zurabi Iakovishvili (Georgia); 5th - Andriy Kvyatkovskyy (Ukraine); 5th - Byambaa Bat Erdene (Mongolia); 7th – Ikhtiyor Navruzov (Uzbekistan), 8th – Devid Safaryan (Armenia), 9th – Elaman Dogdurbek Uulu (Mongolia), 10th – Emrach Gasanov (Israel)

2017 World Championships
70 kg/154 lbs.  - Gold - Frank Chamizo Marquez (Italy); Silver - James Green (United States); Bronze –Yuhi Fujinami (Japan) ; Bronze – Akzurek Tanatarov (Kazakhstan); 5th - Zurabi Erbotsonashvili (Georgia); 5th - Yakup Gor (Turkey); 7th - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (Russia); 8th - Mostafa Hosseinkhani (Iran); 9th - Adrian Ionut Moise (Romania); 10th - Ikhtiyor Navruzov (Uzbekistan)

74 kg
U.S. representative: Kyle Dake
Competition dates: Sept. 16-17

Leading the field is USA’s Kyle Dake, who is the defending World champion. Also a Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist, Dake seeks his fourth-straight World title in Belgrade. He won the crown at 79 kg in 2018 and 2019 before moving down to 74 kg for the Olympic year, where he also snagged a World gold.

Rounding out the top-four seeds is 2021 World silver medalist Tajmuraz Salkazanov (Slovakia) at No. 2, two-time World champion Frank Chamizo (Italy) at No. 3 and two-time age-group World champion Turan Bayramov (Azerbaijan) at No. 4. Chamizo won his 2015 and 2017 World titles at 65 kg and 70 kg, respectively. At 74 kg, Chamizo owns a 2019 World silver.

Holding the Nos. 5-7 seeds is 2019 World bronze medalist Yones Emamichoghaei (Iran), 2014 World champion and 2017 World runner-up Hetik Cabolov (Serbia) and 2017 World bronze medalist Soner Demirtas (Turkey).

Other World medalists in the field include 2018 World bronze medalist Franklin Marin Castillo (Cuba), 2019 World silver medalist Nurkozha Kaipanov (Kazakhstan) and 2011 World silver medalist Franklin Gomez (Puerto Rico).

Gomez went to college at Michigan State and trains in the USA with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. Other U.S. connections come from Malik Amine (San Marino), a 2022 Mediterranean Games bronze medalist, who was born and raised in the U.S. and competed for the University of Michigan.

74 kg seeds:
No. 1 Kyle DAKE (USA)
No. 2 Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
No. 3 Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
No. 4 Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
No. 5 Yones Aliakbar EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI)
No. 6 Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
No. 7 Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
No. 8 Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2021 World Championships
74 kg/163 lbs. - Gold - Kyle Dake (USA); Silver - Tajmuraz Salkazanov (Slovakia); Bronze - Fazli Eryilmaz (Turkey); Bronze - Timur Bizhoev (RWF); 5th - Azamat Nurykau (Belarus); 5th - Avtandil Kentchadze (Georgia); 7th - Hetik Cabolov (Serbia); 8th - Yones Aliakbar Emamichoghaei (Iran); 9th - Ali Pasha Umarpashaev (Bulgaria); 10th - Joshgun Azimov (Azerbaijan)

2020 Olympic Games
74 kg/163 lbs. - Gold - Zaurbek Sidakov (ROC); Silver - Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau (Belarus); Bronze - Kyle Dake (USA); Bronze - Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan); 5th - Frank Chamizo (Italy); 5th - Daniyar Kaisanov (Kazakhstan); 7th - Amr Reda Ramadan Hussen (Egypt); 8th - Turan Bayramov (Azerbaijan); 9th - Jeandry Garzon Caballero (Cuba); 10th - Vasyl Mykhailov (Ukraine)

2019 World Championships
74 kg/163 kg – Gold – Zaurbek Sidakov (Russia); Silver – Frank Chamizo (Italy); Bronze – Jordan Burroughs (United States); Bronze – Daniyar Kaisanov (Kazakhstan); Fifth – Mao Okui (Japan); Fifth – Kamil Rybicki (Poland); Seventh – Khadzhimurad Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan); Eighth – Murad Kuramagomedov (Hungary); Ninth – Seungchul Lee (South Korea); 10th – Vasyl Mykhailov (Ukraine)

2018 World Championships
74 kg/163 lbs. – Gold – Zaurbek Sidakov (Russia); Silver – Avtandi Kentchadze (Georgia); Bronze – Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan); Bronze – Jordan Burroughs (United States); Fifth – Frank Chamizo (Italy); Fifth – Soner Demirtas (Turkey); Seventh – Bolat Sakayev (Kazakhstan); Eighth – Abubakr Abakarov (Azerbaijan); Ninth – Andrzej Sokalski (Poland); 10th – Azamat Nurykau (Belarus)

2017 World Championships
74 kg/163 lbs. - Gold - Jordan Burroughs (United States); Silver - Khetik Tsabolov (Russia); Bronze – Soener Demirtas (Turkey) ; Bronze – Ali Shabanau (Belarus); 5th - Yabrail Hasanov (Azerbaijan); 5th - Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan); 7th - Livan Lopez Azcuy (Cuba); 8th - Sohsuke Takatani (Japan); 9th - Zelimkhan Khadiev (France); 10th - Hanoc Rachamin (Israel)