Daton Fix at the 2021 World Team Trials(Photo/Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com)#1 Abasgadzhi Magomedov of Russia has cemented himself as the consensus number one 61 KG wrestler in the world with his performances at the end of 2020 and throughout 2021. Two back-to-back Russian Nationals titles, an Individual World cup title and gold at the Yarygin and European championships have rightfully earned Magomedov the coveted top spot. While Magomedov has jumped levels, 61 KG is rejuvenated with an influx of talent after having not had a full World/Olympic championships since 2019. Returning world medalists #3 Beka Lomtadze (GEO) and #4 Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (AZE) lead the charge while #5 Daton Fix (USA), #7 Eduard Grigorev (POL), #9 Rahman Amouzadkhalili (IRI) and #10 Andrey Bekrenev (BLR) complete the rest of the top ten entered to compete. Past contenders the likes of #19 Ulukbek Zholdoshbekov (KGZ) and Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg (MGL) along with age group talents #13 Nico Megerle (GER) and Arsen Harutyunyan (ARM) round out what is a loaded bracket.
Title Contenders
·#1 Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RWF), #5 Daton Fix (USA) and #9 Rahman Amouzadkhalili (IRI) have been three of the most successful age group prospects through the 2016-2020 quad and having them all competing in one bracket is guaranteed fireworks. Factor in returning world champion #3 Beka Lomtadze (GEO), who's capable of beating anyone at the weight along with the dangerous #4 Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (AZE) and you have an absolutely loaded class of title contenders.
Medal Contenders
Arsen Harutyunyan (ARM) is coming off his first Olympics at 57 KG and is a 2019 European champion at 61 KG. He's got great wins over #3 Beka Lomtadze (GEO) and Stevan Micic (SRB), but his issues as a front runner who falters in scrambles makes me hesitant to pick him over guys like Magomedov, Gvarzatilov, or Fix and I believe Lomtadze has figured him out and Amouzadkhalili is too much for him to handle at this point.
#13 Nico Megerle (GER) is a really interesting guy to me as someone who is part of a really solid German program along with Horst Lehr at 57, Akhmed Dudarov at 86, Erik Thiele at 97 and Gennadij Cudinovic at 125 KG. Megerle did tech fall Russian Nationals runner-up #6 Muslim Mekhtikhanov (RWF) at the U-23 European championships but followed it up with a semis slide with losses to #12 Taimuraz Vanishvili (GEO) and Ruhan Rasim (BUL). Seeing Megerle put together a full tournament against more established Senior level talent will be one of my big points to watch out for here in the bracket.
#17 Adlan Askarov (KAZ) has been someone who came on strong at the end of 2019 with a bronze medal finish at Junior World's and a runner-up finish at the U-23 World Championships, both at 57 KG. Askarov made a strong argument for himself this year as a contender winning the Matteo Pellicone to start off the year over two time world medalist #8 (57) Suleyman Atli (TUR) and following it up with a runner-up finish at the Asian championships to Jahongirmirza Turobov (UZB) and then failing to place in a loaded Ziolkowski bracket from losses to #2 (57) Ravi Kumar (IND) and #5 (57) Gulomyon Abdullaev (UZB). Askarov is absolutely not someone to be counted out and thrives in extended exchanges.
#7 Eduard Grigorev (POL) came on strong with a runner-up finish at the Ali Aliyev that saw him beat #8 Taras Markovych (UKR) in the semis after Markovych had beaten out Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist #12 (57) Nurislam Sanayaev (KAZ) in his past match. Grigorev is a calculated counter wrestler who also boasts bronze medal finishes at the 2021 European championships and 2019 Yarygin and should be a stiff test for the young talent in this bracket.
Toshihiro Hasegawa (JPN) broke through at the end of 2018 with a gold medal at the U-23 World Championships over Olympic silver medalist #2 Ravi Kumar (IND). Hasegawa is one to keep eyes on early as Japan has a great track record of developing and pushing through lightweight talent.
Dark Horses
#19 Ulukbek Zholdoshbekov (KGZ) really had a great 2019 that saw him beat World/Olympic medalists Nurislam Sanayaev (KAZ), Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (AZE), Behnam Ehsanpour and Russian Nationals medalist Zelimkhan Abakarov (RUS) going into world's. An opening round loss to Makhir Amiraslanov (AZE) at 57 KG saw Zholdoshbekov make the move back up to 61 KG where he ended the year with a U-23 world title over Ravinder Ravinder (IND). But since the end of 2020, Zholdoshbekov has been on a major cold streak, losing in lopsided fashion to August Destribats at the Individual World Cup, then being replaced by Bekbolot Myrzanazar-Uulu for qualifying Kyrgyzstan at 57 for Tokyo and most recently took bronze at the Yasar Dogu. Zholdoshbekov has a great array of throws and is one of the best athletes in the weight, but his inability to pull the trigger and close out matches makes me not sold on him cashing it all in Oslo.
#10 Andrey Bekrenev (BLR) is back in the rankings after beating #11 Nodar Arabidze (RWF) at the Medved, but he's not been able to put it all together for world's losing in 2018 to Sonba Gongane (IND) but past wins over Arabidze and #12 (57) Nurislam Sanayev (KAZ) means at least he has an outside chance.
Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg (MGL) has a 2018 world bronze medal to his name that he won over 2019 world champion #3 Beka Lomtadze (GEO), but Tumenbileg is notorious for having a very low match output and waiting too long on the counter so he's got the goods it's just it's unlikely he'll pull the trigger much in the match and just keep it closer than it needs to be. I equate him a lightweight version of #12 (74) Azamat Nurikov (BLR) as a great counter wrestler with absolutely zero urgency and low shot output that costs them matches.
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