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  • Photo: Tony Rotundo

    Seth Petarra •

    Photo: Tony Rotundo

    2021 World Championship Preview: 57 kg Men's Freestyle

    Thomas Gilman at the 2020 Olympics (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)

    Olympic bronze medalist #3 Thomas Gilman (USA) is coming off a career best performance in Tokyo, falling by the thinnest of margins to Olympic champion #1 Zavur Uguev (RWF) and notching huge wins over #5 Gulomyon Abdullaev (UZB) and #4 Reza Atri (IRI).Even with Gilman's career best, him as a lock for gold is no sure bet as a pair of old rivals in #6 Abubakar Mutaliev (RWF) and #8 Suleyman Atli (TUR) threaten to usurp Gilman's newfound momentum. #15 Aryan Tyutrin (BLR), #14 Bekhbayar Erdenebat (MGL) and European bronze medalist Afghan Khashalov (AZE) round out a strong field with no returning world champion at the weight.

    Title Contenders

  • #8 Suleyman Atli (TUR)- 2018 world bronze medalist, 2019 European champ, 2017 Yasar Dogu champ, 2019 European Games bronze medalist, 2019 world silver medalist, 2020 European runner-up, 2021 European champion Key Wins: #1 Zavur Uguev (2017 Yasar Dogu), Makhir Amiraslanov (2017 Yasar Dogu finals, 2019 European Championships), Muslim Sadulaev (2019 European Championships finals), #3 (61) Beka Lomtadze (2017 world championships), #14 Bekhbayar Erdenebat (2016 world cup), #3 Thomas Gilman (2018 World bronze medal match), #9 Nachyn Mongush (2021 European championships finals) Key Losses: #12 Nurislam Sanayev (2018 world championships quarterfinals), Stevan Micic (2019 European Games quarterfinals), Beka Bujiashvili (2019 Dan Kolov finals), #3 Thomas Gilman (2018 Yasar Dogu), #4 Reza Atri (2021 Olympics), #10 Azamat Tuskaev (2020 European championships finals), #1 Zavur Uguev (2019 world finals)

  • #6 Abubakar Mutaliev (RUS)- 2019 Intercontinental Cup champion, 2019 Kadyrov Cup runner-up, 2021 Russian Nationals bronze medalist, 2019 Alans 5th place finisher, 2021 Russian World Team Trials Wrestle-Offs champion. Key Wins: #3 Thomas Gilman (2019 Intercontinental Cup, 2019 Alans) #7 Ramiz Gamzatov (2021 Russian World Team Trials Wrestle-Offs), #10 Azamat Tuskaev (2021 Russian World Team Trials Wrestle-Offs), Khasanhussein Badrudinov (2019 Intercontinental Cup Finals), #17 Belek-Ool Kuzhuget (2021 Russian Nationals bronze medal match) Key Losses: #11 Akhmed Idrisov (2019 Allans semifinals), #10 Azamat Tuskaev (2019 Alans bronze medal match), #7 Ramiz Gamzatov (2020 Yarygin qualification round), #1 Zavur Uguev (2021 Russian Nationals), Muslim Sadulaev (2019 Kadyrov Cup finals).

  • #3 Thomas Gilman(USA)- 2014 junior world bronze, 2017 World team trials champ, 2017 Grand Prix of Spain champ, 2017 world runner-up, 2018 Pan-Am bronze medalist, 2018 Final X champ, 2018 Yasar Dogu champ, 2018 world 5th, 2019 Final X runner-up, 2019 Yusup Abdusalamov tournament champion, 2019 Intercontinental Cup bronze medalist, 2020 Matteo Pellicone champion, 2021 Olympic bronze medalist Key wins: #8 Suleyman Atli (2018 Yasar Dogu), #5 Gulomyon Abdullaev (2021 Olympics), Salikh Muradov (2019 Yusup Abdusalamov tournament finals, 2019 Intercontinental Cup), Dimchik Rinchinov (2018 Yasar Dogu finals), Berdakh Primbayev (2018 Yasar Dogu), Tony Ramos(2017 world team trials), Nico Megaludis(2017 world team trials), #4 Reza Atri(2014 Junior worlds, 2017 worlds, 2021 Olympic bronze medal match), Zoheir El Quarrage(2017 Grand Prix of Spain), Hak Jin Jong (2017 worlds), Andrey Yatsenko (2017 worlds), Nodiryun Safarov (2017 worlds), Amit Kumar (2017 World Club Cup), #12 (61) Teimuraz Vanishvili (2018 world cup), #4 (61) Daton Fix (2018 Final X, 2020 Matteo Pellicone ), Giorgi Edisherashvili (2018 world quarters) Key Losses: #1 Zavur Uguev (2021 Olympics qualification round), Mirjalal Hasanzade(2014 Junior worlds), #13 Yuki Takahashi (2017 worlds, 2018 world cup), #12 Nurislam Sanayev (2018 world semis), #6 Abubakar Mutaliev (2019 Intercontinental Cup, 2019 Alans), #8 Suleyman Atli (2018 world bronze medal match), #4 Reza Atri (2017 World Club Cup), #20 Giorgi Vangelov (2013 Junior worlds, 2019 Dan Kolov), Giorgi Edisherashvili (2018 world cup), #18 Reineri Andreu Ortega (2018 Pan-Am Championships), #4 (61) Daton Fix (2019 Final X)

    #6 Abubakar Mutaliev (RWF) made the Russian team after winning wrestle-offs against 2019 national champion #7 Ramiz Gamzatov (RWF) and 2020 National runner-up #10 Azamat Tuskaev (RWF). Mutaliev has a high output style with a great knee pull single and two past wins over #3 Thomas Gilman (USA) from the 2019 Intercontinental Cup and the 2019 Alans and is a very real title threat.

    #3 Thomas Gilman (USA) is the returning Olympic bronze medalist at this weight and looked at his career best in Tokyo. While Gilman has had early season issues with consistency and dropping matches, come time for World's or the Olympics, Gilman is historically dialed in and I expect to see this here in a dangerous field with past foes.

    #8 Suleyman Atli (TUR) was the returning world runner-up going into the Olympics and the number two ranked athlete in the world but a close opening round lose to eventual 5th place finisher #4 Reza Atri (IRI) stopped his chances of Olympic hardware. Against a rejuvenated Gilman and debuting Mutaliev, I don't immediately take Atli but he's still dangerous and a good bet against the rest of the field.

    Medal Contenders

  • #14 Bekhbayar Erdenebat (MGL): 2x world bronze medalist (‘15 & ‘17), 2018 Asian games champ, 2019 Mongolia Open champ, 2019 Yarygin 5th, 2015 Baku GGP runner-up Key Wins: Suleyman Atli (2017 world wrestling championships round of 16), Reza Atri (2018 Asian Games), Kumsong Kang (2018 Asian Games finals), Vladimir Dubov (2017 world championships bronze medal match), Yuki Takahashi (2015 world championships quarters), Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg (2019 Mongolia Open), Makhir Amiraslanov (2019 world championships), Giorgi Edisherashvili (2021 World Olympic qualifier), Key Losses: #4 Reza Atri (2018 world's, 2021 Olympics, 2019 World's), #1 (61) Abasgadzhi Magomedov (2019 Yarygin), Thomas Gilman (2019 Yarygin bronze medal match), Yuki Takahashi (2017 world's quarters), Vladimir Khinchegashvili (2015 world's semis), Dinislam Takhtarov (2018 61 KG Alans), #1 Zavur Uguev (2019 world championships)

  • #15 Aryan Tyutrin (BLR)- 3x Russian Nationals bronze medalist (‘14, ‘16, ‘18), 2019 Ziolkowski champion, 2021 Yarygin champion, 2021 Medved champion. Key Wins: #7 Ramiz Gamzatov (2019 Ziolkowski), #12 Nurislam Sanayev (2019 Ziolkowski), #16 Musa Mekhtikhanov (2021 Yarygin finals), Muslim Sadulaev (2021 Medved finals) Key Losses: #9 Nachyn Mongush (2021 European Championships), Afghan Khashalov (2021 European Championships bronze medal match), #1 Zavur Uguev (2019 Russian World team wrestle-offs), Donduk-Ool Khuresh-Ool (2018 Russian Nationals), Khasanhussein Badrudinov (2019 Russian Nationals)

  • Afghan Khashalov (AZE)- 2016 Junior world champ, 2017 junior world bronze medallist, 2017 Junior European champ, 2014 cadet world runner-up, 2017 Azerbaijan National champ, 2014 Cadet Euro champ, 2017 Azerbaijan National federation cup bronze medallist, 2016 Azerbaijan Junior National Federation Cup runner-up, 2017 Military world championships bronze medallist, 2017 Azerbaijan National Federation Cup bronze, 2018 International Ukrainian tournament bronze, 2018 Military world 5th, 2018 U-23 European Championships runner-up, 2019 U-23 word bronze medalist, 2020 Yasar Dogu bronze medalist, 2021 European championships bronze medalist Key Wins: Andrey Yatsenko (2017 Military World championships), Khasanguseynov Badrudinov (2016 Junior world finals), #7 (61) Taras Markovych (2018 U-23 European Championships), #15 Aryan Tyutrin (2021 European Championships bronze medal match), #7 Ramiz Gamzatov (2019 U-23 world bronze medal match), Andrei Dukov (2017 World Military Championships), Giorgi Edisherashvili (2017 Azerbaijan National Finals), Salim Mikyay Naim (2017 Junior Worlds, 2017 Junior Euro finals), Nader Nasiri (2017 Junior worlds), #5 Gulomyon Abdullaev (2016 Junior Worlds, 2017 Junior worlds), Magomed Badrudinov (2014 Cadet European Finals), Vladislav Andreev (2018 International Ukrainian tournament), Josh Rodriguez (2018 International Ukrainian tournament) Key Losses: Makhir Amiraslanov (2016 Azerbaijan Federation National Cup, 2017 Azerbaijan National Federation Cup), Nariman Israpilov (2016 Baku GGP), Yuki Takahashi (2016 Baku GGP), Daton Fix (2017 Junior Worlds), Ibragim Ilyasov (2017 Military World Championships, 2018 U-23 European Championships), Kendrick Maple (2018 world cup at 61 KG), Erdenebat Bekhbayar (2018 World Cup), Gwang Un Pak (2018 Military Worlds), Azamat Tuskaev (2018 Military worlds bronze medal match), Dzhabrail Gairbekov (2017 Alans), #18 Reineri Andreu Ortega (2019 U-23 world championships), #9 Nachyn Mongush (2021 European Championships), #20 Georgi Vangelov (2020 Yasar Dogu semifinals)

    Out of the medal contender tier, I'm taking #15 Aryan Tyutrin (BLR) as the guy with the most breakout potential as evident by his past wins over #7 Ramiz Gamzatov (RWF), #12 Nurislam Sanayev (KAZ), and Muslim Sadualaev (RWF). Afghan Khashalov (AZE) did beat him in the bronze medal match of Euros and there's some bad feeling in my gut that Khashalov puts together a quarterfinal run beating guys I like more than him, but for the time being I'll pull for Tyutrin out of the group.
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