Jon Kozak of FloWrestling wins journalist champion picks contest for 2022 Worlds in Belgrade

Jon Kozak of FloWrestling selected the most World champions among the journalists who submitted their selections to TheMat.com prior to the start of the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, which was held September 10-18.


Kozak had 15 correct responses out of the 30 weight classes, two more than any other journalist. He has six correct selections in men’s freestyle, six correct selections in women’s freestyle and three correct selections in Greco-Roman. He is the only person to get six correct in both men’s and women’s freestyle.

Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling, Richard Mann of Intermat and fan Sina Etamadi were next with 13 correct picks, followed by Ikuo Higuchi of the Japan Wrestling Federation, Willie Saylor of MatScouts and Petr Pavlov of Yakutia Russia with 12 picks.


There were 16 journalists from five different nations who participated this year.

Ali Feizasa of Iran was the only journalist who picked Rahman Amouzad Khalili of Iran as the men’s freestyle champion at 65 kg. Willie Saylor of Mat Scouts was the only journalist to pick Anastasia Nichita of Moldova as the women’s freestyle champion at 65 kg. Sina Etamadi was the only person to select Tsugumi Sakarai of Japan as the women’s freestyle champion at 57 kg.


15 – Jon Kozak (FloWrestling)

13 – Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling), Richard Mann (Intermat), Sina Etamadi (Fan)

12 – Ikuo Higuchi (Japan Wrestling Federation), Willie Saylor (MatScouts),  Petr Pavlov (Yakutia-RUS)

11 – Adam Engel (O’Colly), Ali Feizasa (ISNA News Agency-IRI),

10 – Dan Fickel (Wrestling USA), David Mirikitani (Weighing In), Byambaa Tsagaanbaatar (MGL)

9 – Tom Baranoski (Bloodround), Greg Kaup (Kaup Photography)

7 – John Johnson (Amateur Wrestling News), Larry Slater (Slater Photography)

Click to see all of the journalist picks