2021 World Champion Amir Zare (photo courtesy of Kadir Caliskan; UWW)57 KG
#1 Ravi Kumar (IND) won the Commonwealth Games over Ebikweminomo Welson (NGR) with Darthe Capellan (CAN) and Ali Asad (PAK) taking bronze. Jore Volk (USA) won the Junior World championships over Merey Bazarbayev (KAZ) with Takhti Cup champion Ahmad Javan (IRI) and Abhishkek Chaka (IND) taking bronze. #11 Gulomyon Abdullaev (UZB) won the Islamic Solidarity Games over #10 Almaz Smanbekov (KGZ) with #9 Rakhat Kalzhan (KAZ) and #16 Aliabbas Rzazade (AZE) taking bronze. Abdullaev moves up seven spots to #4 for avenging his losses from the Asian championships to #9 Kalzhan and Smanbekov.
Russian Nationals bronze medalist #5 Ramiz Gamzatov (RUS) was impressive in winning the All-Russian Spartakiad title with a dominating 11-0 tech fall win over fellow Russian Nationals bronze medalist #6 Musa Mekhtikhanov (RUS). Bronze medalists at the All-Russian Spartakiad were Muslim Sadulaev (RUS) and Petr Kopylov (RUS). Major shakeups took place because of the All-Russian Spartakiad, namely the debut of Kopylov into the top ten at #9 after defeating #8 Azamat Tuskaev (RUS) in the quarterfinals after Tuskaev had beaten Russian Nationals runner-up #4 Nachyn Mongush (RUS) in the qualification round.
In the aftermath of the All-Russian Spartakiad and the Islamic Solidarity Games plus the confirmation of #11 (61) Zelimkhan Abakarov (ALB) cutting down to 57 KG to represent Albania at the world championships, the following changes to the rankings took place. #11 Gulomyon Abdullaev (UZB) moves up seven spots in the rankings to #4 for winning the Islamic Solidarity Games title over Smanbekov and Kalzhan avenging his losses from his 5th place finish at the Asian championship along with his win from last year in the 61 KG Ziolkowski finals over #2 Ravi Kumar (IND). Abakarov takes the #5 spot in the rankings for his win over Kumar in the finals of the 61 KG Dan Kolov tournament, but can't be higher than #4 Abdullaev because of Abdullaev's greater quantity of ranked wins (#2 Ravi Kumar, #8 Rakhat Kalzhan, #13 Almaz Smanbekov, #15 Aryan Tyutrin). The aftermath of the All-Russian Spartakiad had Kopylov debut in the top ten at #9, Tuskaev drop three spots to #11 for his loss to Kopylov and Mongush fall eight spots to #12 for his loss to Tuskaev.
61 KG
#3 Akhmed Idrisov (RUS) avenged his loss to 2021 world champion #1 Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RUS) from the Russian National finals in June with a 4-1 victory at the All-Russian Spartakiad to take gold and the number one spot in the rankings. Bronze medalists at the All-Russian Spartakiad were #12 Muslim Mekhtikhanov (RUS) and Cherman Tavitov (RUS).
Yuto Nisiuchi (JPN) won the Junior World championships over Armin Habibzadehsaroukolaei (IRI) with Khamzat Arsamerzouev (FRA) and Kumar Mohit (IND) taking bronze. 2021 Asian champion Jahongirmirza Turobov (UZB) is back in the rankings at #16 for winning the Islamic Solidarity Games over #20 Islam Bazarganov (AZE). Bronze medalists at the Islamic Solidarity Games were #17 Recep Topal (TUR) and Majid Dastan (IRI). Turobov's return to the ranking was facilitated not only by his win over #20 Ibazarganov in the finals, but also by his win in the qualification round over Matteo Pellicone champion Topal. Reza Atri (IRI), #19 (65) Eduard Grigoriev (POL), and #11 (65) Islam Dudaev (ALB) have been added to the top ten at #6, #8, and #9 as they have been confirmed as the respective world championship representatives for Iran, Poland, and Albania. Atri is coming off a Takhti cup title and a victory over 2021 world bronze medalist #7 Arsen Harutyunyan (ARM), Grigoriev was a European bronze medalist and beat #5 (57) Zelimkhan Abakarov (ALB) while at the European championships, and Islam Dudaev (ALB) is a Yarygin and European bronze medalist with a strong win over #10 (65) Tulga Tumur Ochir (MGL) at the Yarygin.
65 KG
#7 Shamil Mamedov (RUS) won the All-Russian Spartakiad over #5 Gadzhimurad Rashidov (RUS) with #6 Aripgadzhi Abdulaev (RUS) and #8 Alik Khadartsev (RUS) taking bronze. Mamedov's path to the finals saw him beat Khadartsev and #10 Ramazan Ferzaliev (RUS), while Rashidov's best win came in the semifinals against Russian Nationals bronze medalist Abdulaev. Mamedov moves up four spots to #3 for his win over Rashidov and the reason for this is Mamedov's overall body of work within the past year (wins over Rashidov, Khadartsev, Ferzaliev, #9 (61) Islam Dudaev, #10 Tulga Tumur Ochir, #13 Ziraddin Bayramov, and #19 Ibragim Abdurakhmanov and Junior World, Yarygin, Umakhanov and Yasar Dogu titles) allow him to jump above Russian Nationals champion #3 Ibragim Ibragimov (RUS) and #4 Gadzhimurad Omarov (RUS) in the ranking plus, Rashidov beat Abdulaev, who beat Mamedov at Russian Nationals in the quarters and Mamedov can now be ranked above Abdulaev because he beat Rashidov who beat Abdulaev.
#2 Haji Aliyev (AZE) won the Islamic Solidarity Games title over #5 (57) Zelimkhan Abakarov (ALB) by pin. Bronze medalists at the Islamic Solidarity Games were Morteza Ghiasi Cheka (IRI) and Adlan Askarov (KAZ). Umidjon Jalolov (UZB) won the Junior World championships over Ziraddin Bayramov (AZE) with #13 Sujeet Sujeet (IND) and Yoshinosuke Aoyagi (JPN) finishing with bronze. Jalolov is back in the rankings at #12 for beating Bayramov after Bayramov upset Sujeet in the semifinals. Bayramov slots in at the #13 slot for his win over Sujeet, while Sujeet falls one spot to #14. #18 Bajrang Punia (IND) won the Commonwealth Games title over Lachlan McNeil (CAN) with George Ramm (ENG) and Inayat Ullah (PAK) taking bronze.
2021 70 KG U23 world runner-up #9 (70) Vazgen Tevanyan (ARM) is back in the 65 KG rankings at #11 as he's confirmed as Armenia's world championships representative. Tevanyan won the Takhti Cup back in July and has career wins over #1 Ismail Musukaev (HUN), Aliyev, 2021 70 KG world champion Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (POL), and #15 Yianni Diakomihalis (USA). Dudaev, a bronze medalist at this year's Yarygin and European championships, has been removed from the rankings and put in at #9 at 61 KG as he's the confirmed world championships representative at that weight for Albania.
70KG
#6 Kurban Shiraev (RUS) won the All-Russian Spartakiad over #9 (65) Zagir Shakhiev (RUS). Bronze medalists at the All-Russian Spartakiad were #19 Alan Kudzoev (RUS) and Inalbek Sheriev (RUS). Kudzoev (RUS) makes the biggest jump in the rankings to #6 off his performance at the All-Russian Spartakiad with his quarterfinal win over #4 Anzor Zakuev (RUS). Shakhiev (RUS) makes his 70KG ranking debut at #5 after finishing runner-up to Shiraev (RUS) and beating Kudzoev (RUS) in the semis. Inalbek Sheriev (RUS) is back in the rankings at #8 for beating #5 Ruslan Zhendaev (RUS) for bronze at the All-Russian Spartakiad.
2021 world runner-up #11 Ernazar Akmataliev (KGZ) won the Islamic Solidarity Games over Hossein Abouzaripashkolaei (IRI) with Asgar Mammadaliev (AZE) and Bacar N'Dum (GBS) taking bronze. Kanan Heybatov (AZE) won the Junior World championships over Mitchell Mesenbrink (USA) with Mulaym Yadav (IND) and Hossein Mohammad Aghaei (IRI) taking bronze.
74KG
#5 Razambek Zhamalov (RUS) won the All-Russian Spartakiad over #6 David Baev (RUS). Bronze medalists of the All-Russian Spartakiad were #9 Timur Bizhoev (RUS) and Artem Umarov (RUS). Naveen Naveen (IND) won the Commonwealth Games over Muhammad Tahir (PAK) with John Ogbonna (NGR) and Jasmit Phulka (CAN) taking bronze.
Dzhabrail Gadzhiev (AZE) won the Junior World championships by pin over Ryunosoke Kamiya (JPN). Bronze medalists at the Junior World championships were Jafar Chuliboyev (UZB) and Sagar Jaglan (IND). Gadzhiev is back in the rankings at #20 for winning Junior World's and for his win over Islamic Solidarity Games champion #14 Turan Bayramov (AZE) this year at Azerbaijan nationals. #20 Erfan Elahi (IRI) is out because he lost in the Junior world quarterfinals to 2021 80 KG Cadet world champion Sagar Jaglan.
#15 Turan Bayramov (AZE) won the Islamic Solidarity Games over Mohammed Firouzpourbandpei (IRI). Bronze medalists at the Islamic Solidarity Games were #17 Fazli Eryilmaz (TUR) and Ikhtiyor Navruzov (UZB). Bayramov moves up one spot to #14 for winning the Islamic Solidarity Games while Mohammed Firouzpourbandpei debuts in the rankings at #15 for beating 2021 world bronze medalist Eryilmaz and 2019 70 KG world runner-up #18 Nurkhoza Kaipanov (KAZ) on his way to a runner-up finish.
79KG
#12 Magomed Magomaev (RUS) won the All-Russian Spartakiad with a 12-1 victory over #17 Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev (RUS) in the finals. Bronze medalists of the All-Russian Spartakiad were #18 Akhmed Usmanov (RUS) and Kakhaber Khubezhty (RUS). Khubezhty made a big comeback to the rankings at #9 with an upset win in the quarterfinals over Russian Nationals bronze medalist #5 Radik Valiev (RUS), before falling in the semis to Alikhmaev. Alikhmaev moves up nine spots in the rankings to #8 for his win over Khubezhty on his way to making the finals of the All-Russian Spartakiad. Magomaev moves up six spots to #6 for winning Spartakiad over Alikhmaev.
#7 Ali Savadkouhi (IRI) won the Islamic Solidarity Games over Muhammet Akdeniz (TUR) with Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (UZB) and Gadzhimurad Omarov (AZE) taking bronze. Akdeniz debuts in the international rankings at #20 for beating 2021 74 KG Olympic bronze medalist Abdurakhmanov in the semifinals.
Sobhan Yari (IRI) won the Junior World championships over Mushegh Mkrtchyan (ARM) with Mukhammad Abdullaev (KGZ) and Otari Adeishvili (GEO) taking bronze.
86KG
Alireza Karimimachiani (IRI) won the Islamic Solidarity Games over 2021 world bronze medalist #19 Abubakar Abakarov (AZE). Bronze medalists at the Islamic Solidarity Games were Nurtilek Karypbaev (KGZ) and #20 Osman Gocen (TUR). Karimimachiani followed his Islamic Solidarity Games title with a runner-up finish at the Iranian world team trials to reigning world champion #1 Hassan Yazdani Charati (IRI). Karimimachiani returns to the rankings at #4 off the strength of his three past world medals and victories over Sharif Sharifov (AZE), Dato Marsagishvili (GEO), and #4 (97) Batyrbek Tsakulov (SVK).
In a battle of reigning Russian National champions, #3 Artur Naifonov (RUS) took a narrow 2-0 win over two-time 79 KG Russian National champion #4 (79) Malik Shavaev (RUS) to win the All-Russian Spartakiad. Bronze medalists at the All-Russian Spartakiad were #5 Dauren Kurugliev (RUS) and Slavik Naniev (RUS). Shavaev makes his debut in the 86 KG rankings at #6 for beating Kurugliev (RUS) in the quarterfinals with Kurugliev falling two spots to #7. Naniev returns to the rankings at #18 for beating #15 Arsenali Musalaliev (RUS) in the qualification round on his way to bronze.
Rakhim Magamadov (FRA) won the Junior World championships over Bennett Berge (USA). Bronze medalists at the Junior World championships were Ismail Kucuksolak (TUR) and Aref Ranjbari (IRI). Deepak Punia (IND) won the Commonwealth Games over Muhammad Inam (PAK) with Alexander Moore (CAN) and Jayden Lawrence (AUS) taking bronze.
92KG
Ahmad Bazrigaleh (IRI) won the Islamic Solidarity Games over #13 Erhan Yaylaci (TUR). Bronze medalists at the Islamic Solidarity Games were Bobur Islomov (UZB) and 2021 world bronze medalist #10 Osman Nurmagomedov (AZE). Bazrigaleh took a 6-6 criteria win over Nurmagomedov in the semifinals.
#16 Guram Chertkoev (RUS) won the All-Russian Spartakiad over #5 Vladislav Valiev (RUS) with #19 Alan Bagaev (RUS) and Magomedmurad Baibekov (RUS) taking bronze. Amirhossein Firouzpourbandpei (IRI) won the 92 KG Junior World title over Andro Margishvili (GEO) with Adlan Viskhanov (FRA) and Sergey Sargsyan (ARM) taking bronze. #1 Kamran Ghasempour (IRI) secured his 2022 world team spot by beating Junior world champion Firouzpourbandpei in the finals of Iranian world team trials.
The top ten was shaken up with the addition of Chertkoev moving up eleven spots to #5 after beating Valiev in the finals of the All-Russian Spartakiad and with 2021 92 KG Junior world runner-up Mahdi Hajilouian (IRI) who was added at #9 because he beat #10 Ahmad Bazrigaleh (IRI) in the finals of the Takhti Cup back in July.
97KG
#10 Alikhan Zhabrailov (RUS) won the All-Russian Spartakiad over Gadzhimagomed Tazhudinov (RUS) with Igor Ovsyannikov (RUS) and #16 Sergey Kozyrev (RUS) taking bronze. Tazhudinov debuts in the rankings at #10 for beating 2019 Russian Nationals runner-up Ovysannikov in the semifinals after Ovsyannikov beat Russian Nationals champion #8 Aslanbek Sotiev (RUS) in his quarterfinal match. Ovsyannikov slots in at the #11 spot for his win over Sotiev while Sotiev drops four spots to #12.
Ben Kueter (USA) won the Junior World championships over Rifak Gidak (TUR). Taking bronze at the Junior World championships were Amirali Azarpira (IRI) and Niraj Niraj (IND). Nishan Randhawa (CAN) won the Commonwealth Games over 2021 Junior World bronze medalist Nicolaas Steyne De Lange (RSA) with Deepak Deepak (IND) and Thomas Burns (AUS) taking bronze. 2021 world bronze medalist #9 Mojtaba Goleij (IRI) won the Islamic Solidarity Games over Mustafa Sessiz (TUR) with Magomed Ibragimov (UZB) and Mamed Ibragimov (KAZ) taking bronze.
125KG
Amirreza Masoumi Valadi (IRI) followed up a runner-up finish at Iranian world team trials to reigning world champion #1 Amir Zare (IRI) with a dominant showing at the Junior World championships that earned him gold. In the finals, Masoumi Valadi tech falled Mahendra Gaikwad (IND) 13-2 and tech falled top heavyweight college recruit Nick Feldman (USA) 11-1 in the semifinals. Bronze medalists at the Junior World championships were Merab Suleimanishvili (GEO) and Adil Misirci (TUR).
Masoumi Valadi debuts in the international rankings at #13 for his Junior world title plus his victory over Asian champion Yadollah Mohebbi (IRI) at Iranian world team trials. Asian champion Mohebbi (IRI) is back in the rankings at #14 because of his superior resume (victories over 2016 Olympic runner-up Khomeil Ghasemi, two-time world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski, 2018 world runner-up Zhiwei Deng, 2013 world runner-up Alan Zasieiev, and 2018 Asian champion David Modzmanashvili) compared to the rest of the bottom half of the rankings from August who are primarily there off of beating someone who has a win over Yusup Batirmurzaev or Zhiwei Deng (i.e. #11 Robert Baran beating #12 Anthony Cassioppi at the Ziolkowski after Cassioppi had beaten #16 Kamil Kosciolek when Kosciolek had just beaten #17 Derek White who beat 2018 world runner-up #18 Zhiwei Deng at the Ziolkowski after Deng had beaten #19 Yusup Batirmurzaev who'd fallen ten spots from #9 to #19 for his losses to #13 Alisher Yergali and Deng).
Seyed Hashemi Jouybari (IRI) won the Islamic Solidarity Games over Salim Ercan (TUR) with Khasanboy Rakhimov (UZB) taking bronze. Amarveer Dhesi (CAN) won the Commonwealth Games over Zaman Anwar (PAK) with Mandhir Kooner (ENG) and Mohit (IND) taking bronze.
#9 Erik Dzhioev (RUS) moves up five spots in the rankings to #4 after winning the All-Russian Spartakiad over 2020 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Vitali Goloev (RUS). Goloev makes his return to the rankings at #5 after his win over #6 Khasan Khubaev (RUS) in the semifinals, when Khubaev had been coming off wins over two-time Russian Nationals champion Alan Khugaev (RUS) in the qualification round and 2022 Russian Nationals champion #4 Alen Khubulov (RUS) in the quarterfinals. Bronze medalists at the All-Russian Spartakiad were #15 Anzor Khizriev (RUS) and Khubaev. Khizriev (RUS) moves up five spots to #10 for his win over #7 Baldan Tsyzhipov (RUS) in the bronze medal match. Along with his victory over Goloev in the finals, Dzhioev beat past Russian Nationals medalists Khizriev (RUS) and Tsyzhipov (RUS) to take his spot as Russia's top heavyweight.
Pound for Pound
2021 65 KG Olympic bronze medalist #7 Gadzhimurad Rashidov (RUS) and 2021 61 KG world champion #8 Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RUS) both took major falls in the rankings after losses in the finals of the All-Russian Spartakiad. Rashidov lost to Yarygin champion Shamil Mamedov while Magomedov lost to Russian Nationals runner-up Akhmed Idrisov. Rashidov drops eight spots to #15 while Magomedov drops ten spots to #18. Mamedov and Idrisov both return to the rankings for their wins over past world champions with Mamedov slotting in at #14 and Idrisov taking #17.
While it may seem harsh to drop two top-ten standouts so low down the rankings there's sound reasoning behind it. Rashidov's loss to Mamedov is his second domestic loss of this year after his stunner to Russian Nationals runner-up Gadzhimurad Omarov in the semifinals of Russian Nationals in June and following up his loss to the excellent Shamil Mamedov, there have to be repercussions for losing big matches. Rashidov has been excellent from 2017-2021 and has wins over 2021 65 KG Olympic champion Takuto Otoguro (JPN), three-time world champion #16 Haji Aliyev (AZE), and 2019 65 KG world bronze medalist #13 Ismail Musukaev (HUN) but when the rest of the pound-for-pound is competing more frequently and winning more against high-level competition they carry more weight.
The same argument applies for #8 Abasgadzhi Magomedov who fell ten spots down to #18 after losing to Akhmed Idrisov in the finals of the 61 KG All-Russian Spartakiad. Magomedov's high placement in the pound-for-pound was predicated on his two-year-long unbeaten run and 2021 61 KG world title. Magomedov's lack of pound-for-pound opponents at 61 KG hurt him when he lost because, while he does have dominance against the 61 KG field, he doesn't have the essential wins to anchor him to a top ten spot when he does take losses.
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