It's worth mentioning that nations are not limited to one wrestler earning a world ranking per weight class and that the top wrestling countries often have multiple athletes ranked at the same weight. Many of the teams competing at the World Cup have multiple wrestlers entered at a weight and, in some cases, all of them are ranked. Which athlete is given the nod to compete in which meet is sometimes not determined until match time.
Since wrestling was officially reinstated as an Olympic sport last September, a number of changes have been made by FILA. One of the more significant is that some of the weight classes have been slightly changed and, at non-Olympic events, a new weight class, 70 kilos, was added. Who the stars are at this new weight class is difficult to tell as the results to examine from it are still quite limited.
The ten teams competing have been put into two pools. The top two teams at last year's World Championships, No. 1 Iran and No. 2 Russia, were placed in separate pools and the remaining eight countries were drawn at random. While some of the anticipated individual matchups may automatically happen in pool competition, other ones can only occur depending on how each teams finish within their pool.
57 kilos: No. 1 Hassan Rahimi (Iran) vs. No. 2 Amit Kumar (India) -- Session III
A rematch of the World finals last year, won in a close bout by Rahimi. Rahimi won gold in a tight, chess match type bout filled with calculated explosions and amazing defense by both wrestlers.
61 kilos: No. 5 Nyam-Ochir Enkhsaiakhan (Mongolia) vs. No. 12 Vasily Fedorishin (Ukraine) -- Session III
Vasily Fedorishin, a veteran, is still quite slick and has a number of solid wins recently. How much he is still on the top of his game will be determined in a bout with the talented Mongolian.
For Team USA, two-time World Team member Reece Humphrey is expected to benefit from this weight class being changed from 60 kilos to 61 kilos and may be primed for big wins. Teammate Jimmy Kennedy is ranked No. 8 in the world after a recent tournament victory in Turkey, which included a win over Nyam-Ochir.
65 kilos: No. 3 Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran (Mongolia) vs. No. 7 Alibeggadzhi Emeev (Russia) -- Session I
Emeev has had some good wins as of late and a match with 2013 World bronze medalist Mandakhnaran will be a good barometer of where he stands.
70 kilos: No. 4 (at 74 kilos) Nick Marable (USA) vs. No. 2 Peyman Yaramadi (Iran) -- Session II
There is much anticipation for the USA vs. Iran dual meet and this match is one of the crucial ones. Marable shocked the world with a victory over then-undefeated (in international competition) Jordan Burroughs in Turkey last month and has since dropped down to the new weight class of 70 kilos. Given his performances of late, he should be considered the favorite this weekend. Yaramadi will be a formidable test for him.
Jordan Burroughs defeated Ezzatollah Akbari to win gold (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)A rematch from last year's World Championship finals, won 4-0 by Burroughs. The poster boy for USA wrestling is the 2011, 2013 World champ and the 2012 Olympic champ and will look to continue his new win streak after losing to Marable last month.
86 kilos: No. 1 Ibragim Aldatov (Ukraine) No. 3 Ehsan Lashgari (Iran) -- TBD
Two-time world champ Aldatov did not face bronze medalist Lashgari in last year's Worlds. If Ukraine and Iran have the same finish in their respective pools they may meet on Sunday. Aldatov has a wide range of scoring techniques and may have the best leg lace in the world.
97 kilos: No. 1 Reza Yazdani (Iran) vs. No. 3 Pavlo Oleynik (Ukraine) -- TBD
Yazdani is one of the most exciting wrestlers competing today. Oleynik is a talented, decorated wrestler and Yazdani dominated him en route to gold medal at last year's Worlds. Yazdani has an unusual combination of lightning fast offense and an uncanny ability to win lengthy scrambles.
125 kilos: Tervel Dlagnev vs. Komeil Ghasemi -- Session II
Dlagnev and Ghasemi have a healthy rivalry with Dlagnev winning in the quarterfinals of last year's Worlds. If USA wishes to beat Iran, another win by Dlagnev appears to be essential.
No. 2 Alen Zaseev (Ukraine) vs. No. 7 Geno Petriashvili (Georgia) -- Session II
A lot of people expected Zazeev to win in the finals of last year's Worlds after how he looked through the semifinals. Instead, he got tossed by Gatsalov twice. Zaseev is a big heavyweight and moves quickly. He may be tested by standing world bronze medalist Petriashvili.
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