Zbigniew Baranowski of Poland (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)For the second part in the best to not make the Olympics article series, we're going to be looking at the 86 through 125 kilogram weight classes. Before reading Part One , here is part one, which details the 57 through 74 kg.
86 KG
#5 (92) Zbigniew Baranowski (POL)- 2019 92 KG European runner-up, 2019 Ziolkowski runner-up, 2020 Individual World Cup runner-up
Zbigniew Baranowski, an Olympian in 2016, was one of the stronger performers of the past quad along and was poised to be a legitimate world medal threat in 2019 after a stunning upset win over #4 Dauren Kurugliev (RUS) to make the Ziolkowski finals. Baranowski was stunned in the second round of the World Championships by Pat Downey (USA) 8-2 and eliminated from the competition when Downey was tech-falled in the Round of 16 by European Games bronze medalist Akhmed Dudarov (GER). Making the finals of Individual World Cup to end 2020, Baranowski finished runner-up to #4 Dauren Kurugliev of Russia after scoring wins of note over world medalists Taimuraz Friev Naskideava (ESP) and Osman Gocen (TUR).
2021 saw Baranowski's spot as Poland's rep put in jeopardy as #16 Sebastian Jezierzanski put together a strong campaign to start off the year, finishing as a runner-up at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix to #5 Magomed Ramazanov (RUS) and winning the International Ukrainian Tournament with wins over Akhmed Magamaev (BUL) and #17 Javrail Shapiev (UZB). But a 17th place finish at the European qualifier after a loss in the Round of 16 to #13 Sandro Aminashvili (GEO) meant Baranowski was back as the man to qualify Poland for Tokyo at the World qualifier. Baranowski was successful in making the semis where he faced Sosuke Takatani (JPN), the 74 KG world runner-up in 2014, and Takatani showed no signs of the size difference affecting him as he outclassed Baranowski in a 7-2 win.
The next move for Baranowski will be an interesting one. In October, the Non-Olympic World championships could allow him to stay at his natural weight class of 92 KG, where he's top-five and allow for #16 Sebastian Jezierzanski (POL) to man the 86 KG spot, with both men being strong medal contenders in the fields.
Abubakar Abakarov (AZE)- 2018 74 KG Junior world runner-up, 2019 79 KG Junior world bronze medalist, 2019 79 KG Junior world runner-up, 2021 Henri Deglane Grand Prix bronze medalist, 2021 World OG qualifier bronze
Abubakar Abakarov first made his name known with a runner-up finish at the 2018 74 KG Junior World Championships. He lost in the finals to 2019 165 LB NCAA champion Mekhi Lewis (USA). But the following year, having jumped levels in skill and weight up at 79 KG, Abakarov was able to beat Aaron Brooks (USA) and #6 (79) Radik Valiev (RUS) on his way to a bronze medal and runner-up finish at the Junior and U-23 World Championships. Abakarov's move up to 86 KG in 2020 wasn't without some initial hiccups after an eighth-place finish at the European championships and seventh at the Individual World Cup with losses to #3 Artur Naifonov (RUS), Akhmed Magamaev (BUL), and Taimuraz Friev Naskideava (ESP).
But Abakarov's ascension in 2021 has been one of the recent developments at 86 KG to keep an eye on. At the European qualifier, where he took fifth, beating 2013 world bronze medalist Istvan Vereb (HUN) and followed it up with a bronze medal finish at the World qualifier, where he beat European runner-up #13 Sandro Aminashvili (GEO), 2019 Intercontinental Cup champion Azamat Dauletbekov (KAZ), and Ville Heino (FIN). Abakarov looks to be a contender to keep an eye on as he continues to grow.
#13 Sandro Aminashvili (GEO)- 2015 world bronze medalist, 2016 Olympian, 2018 European championships bronze medalist, 2020 Georgian Nationals champion
After an underwhelming 2016-2020 quad, #13 Sandro Aminashvili came on strong at the end of 2020, winning Georgian Nationals over two-time World/Olympic medalist #19 Dato Marsagishvili (GEO). Despite an initial setback to start the year with an eighth-place finish at the European qualifier, after a 6-0 quarterfinal loss to #15 Boris Makoev (SVK), Aminashvili rebounded with a runner-up showing at the European Championships, where he finished runner-up to #3 Artur Naifonov (RUS) with wins over 4x World medalist #14 Ali Shabanov (BLR) and International Ukrainian Tournament champion #16 Sebastian Jezierzanski (POL). At the World qualifier, fresh off his runner-up finish at the European Championships, Aminashvili was upset in an absolute thrashing in the Round of 16 against Abubakar Abakarov of Azerbaijan.
97 KG
Valerii Andriitsev (UKR)- 2012 Olympic silver medalist, 2014 world bronze medalist, 2016 Olympic 5th place finisher, 2019 Henri Deglane champion, 2019 Dan Kolov runner-up
A 2007 Junior world champion and two-time World/Olympic medalist for Ukraine, Valerii Andriitsev (UKR) has put together a consistent, if under the radar resume. Wins over the likes of 2x world champion Reza Yazdani (IRI), #6 Elizbar Odikadze (GEO), 8x World/Olympic medalist Khetag Gozyumov (AZE), 2013 world bronze medalist Anzor Boltukaev (RUS) and 2019 Russian Nationals runner-up Igor Ovsyannikov (RUS) in his career have made Andriitsev one of the most solid performers over his 13-year career. In the past quad though, Andriitsev has started to slow down, not wrestling at world's from 2017-2018 and failing to place at any tournaments in 2018. 2019 saw him finish as the runner-up at the Dan Kolov and champion of the Henri Deglane Grand Prix over #6 Dzianis Khramiankov (BLR), but the World Championships saw him take 11th with losses to #13 Sharif Sharifov (AZE) and Minwon Seo (KOR).
Andriitsev was passed up as the rep for the European qualifier with 2018 U-23 world bronze medalist, Magomed Zakariiev, who was eliminated in the first round by 2020 Individual World Cup bronze medalist Akhmed Bataev (BUL). As the representative at the World qualifier, Andriitsev was felled by returning Olympic bronze medalist #16 Albert Saritov (ROU) 3-2 in the semifinals.
Akhmed Bataev (BUL)- 2x Intercontinental Cup champion ('15 & '16), 2015 Kadyrov Cup champion, 2018 Ali Aliev bronze medalist, 2020 Individual World Cup bronze medalist
A strong Chechen under the radar contender for Russia from the latter half of the 2012-2016 quad with wins over the likes #4 (92) Aslanbek Alborov (AZE), #16 Albert Saritov (ROU), #16 (125) Batraz Gazzaev (RUS), and 2017 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Rasul Magomedov (RUS), Akhmed Bataev made big news when he transferred to Bulgaria in 2020. Bataev made his presence immediately felt, taking bronze at the Individual World Cup with a win over 2018 92 KG U-23 world champion Shamil Zubairov of Azerbaijan. Wrestling at the qualifiers, Bataev would fall at the European qualifier to #11 Aleksandr Hushtyn (BLR) and 2018 world bronze medalist Abraham Conyedo Ruano (ITA) to take 5th. Competing again at the world qualifier, Bataev would register another fifth-place finish, defaulting out after a semifinal loss to Abraham Conyedo Ruano (ITA).
#15 Erik Thiele (GER)- 2016 Junior world runner-up, 2018 U-23 European championships bronze medalist, 2021 European OG qualifier bronze medalist, 2020 World OG qualifier bronze
A 2016 Junior world runner-up, Erik Thiele had an unremarkable 2016-2020, with his best achievement being a bronze medal finish at the 2018 U-23 European championships where he lost to #4 (125) Dzianis Khramiankov (BLR); Thiele came on strong this year at the qualifiers. At the European qualifier, Thiele made the semis with wins over Timofei Xenidis (GRE) and Radoslaw Baran (POL) before falling to #5 Suleyman Karadeniz (TUR); In the bronze medal match, Thiele beat 2016 Olympic bronze medalist #16 Albert Saritov (ROU) 4-3. After a semifinal loss at the World qualifier, Thiele won bronze with an injury default win over 2020 Individual World Cup bronze medalist Akhmed Bataev (BUL).
125 KG
#5 Aiaal Lazarev (KGZ)- 2016 Olympian, 2015 Asian champion, 2020 Individual World Cup bronze medalist, 2021 Asian championships runner-up
Lazarev, a rare upperweight Yakut transfer, has carved out a strong career for himself, wrestling for Kyrgyzstan with five Asian championship medals. Lazarev, in his late 30's has had the best results of his career, taking bronze at the Individual World Cup in 2020 with wins over 2015 world runner-up Jamaladdin Magomedov (AZE) and 2019 Ziolkowski champion Amarveer Dhesi (CAN) and this year at the Asian Championships he upset Iranian national champion #2 Amin Taheri (IRI) in the semis. But even with Lazarev's strong showings, he still was unable to qualify for the Olympics, finishing bronze at the Asian qualifier after a 7-2 quarterfinal loss to Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (MGL) and bronze at the World qualifier after a 2-2 qualification round loss to eventual runner-up Sumit Sumit (IND).
It's tough to say what's next for Lazarev as, at 35, the years of competition he has left are few, but in the twilight of his career, he has proven to be a staunch veteran test for young talent, which is a very commendable thing in itself.
#18 Robert Baran (POL)- 2016 European championships runner-up, 2018 European bronze medalist, 2020 European championships runner-up, 2020 Individual World Cup runner-up
Robert Baran had the best year of his career in 2020, making the finals of the European and Individual World Cup, falling to #1 Taha Akgul (TUR) and #10 Shamil Sharipov (RUS). At the European championships and Individual World Cup, Baran was able to notch impressive wins over World/Olympic medalists Jamaladdin Magomedov (AZE), Levan Berianidze (ARM) and 2021 Asian championships runner-up #5 Aiaal Lazarev (KGZ). In a rematch of the 2020 Individual World Cup, #10 Shamil Sharipov (RUS) beat him 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Competing at the World qualifier, Baran took bronze after a 7-1 quarterfinal loss to #7 Sergey Kozyrev (RUS) with a win over 2016 Olympian Daniel Ligeti (HUN).
Jamaladdin Magomedov (AZE)- 2011 world bronze medalist, 2015 European Games bronze medalist, 2015 world runner-up, 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games champion, 2018 Medved champion, 2019 European Games bronze medalist.
A staple of the heavyweight scene for the past two quads, Jamaladdin Magomedov, has notched wins over the likes of two-time world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski (USA), 2018 world runner-up Zhiwei Deng (CHN) and three-time world champion #2 Geno Petriashvili (GEO). Since 2019 Magomedov has been in somewhat of a slump, losing in the quarterfinals of the 2019 World Championships to Zhiwei Deng (CHN) and finishing 7th and at the 2020 Individual World Cup, Magomedov lost to #18 Robert Baran (POL) 4-0 in the quarterfinals and by fall to #5 Aiaal Lazarev (KGZ) for bronze. At the European qualifier, Magomedov was cautioned out in the semis down 15-6 to Gennadij Cudinovic (GER). Vakhit Galayev replaced Magomedov for the World qualifier and fell in the quarterfinal to 2016 Olympian Jose Daniel Diaz Robertii (VEN).
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