Vlasov, Seven of Eight World Champs Top Pre-Olympic Greco-Roman Rankings

London 2012 gold medalist Roman VLASOV (RUS) closed out the 2016 "regular season" with a triumph in Madrid as seven world champions head to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on top of the United World Wrestling rankings for Greco-Roman.

Vlasov, who was welcomed to 2016 with a shock loss at the Ivan Poddubny tourney in January, capped pre-Olympic preparations with an 8-0 technical fall over fellow Rio qualifier Yurisandy HERNANDEZ RIOS (CUB) in the 75kg final at the Grand Prix of Spain.

In addition to Vlasov’s win in Madrid, three more world champions and rankings leaders were also in action in July, wrapping up their Rio 2016 regimen with victories at the German Grand Prix in Dortmund.

Local favorite Frank STAEBLER (GER) stopped 2015 world bronze medalist Artem SURKOV (RUS), 2-1 for the 66kg crown and his third tournament title since winning the world title in September.

Turkey’s world champion duo of Selcuk CEBI (80kg) and Riza KAYAALP (130kg) also recorded victories in Dortmund for some momentum heading into Rio 2016.

Cebi, who qualified for Rio at 75kg, edged KIM Hyeon-Woo (KOR), 3-1, in the 80kg final to ensure himself the top spot in this non-Olympic weight category. Meanwhile, Kim, ranked No.4 at 75kg, is also qualified, setting up a possible rematch at Carioca Arena 2 on August 14.

Kayaalp stopped Russian nationals runner-up Vitali SHCHUR (RUS), 5-1, in the 130kg final in Dortmund to tighten his grip on the No.1 ranking before heading to Brazil.

Mijain LOPEZ NUNEZ (CUB)

One week later, world silver medalist Mijain LOPEZ NUNEZ (CUB) forged a 6-0 win over Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) for the No.2 ranking at super heavyweight. Semenov, meanwhile, made the biggest jump for July, going from unranked to No. 6.

Other world champions heading to Rio at the top of the rankings are Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) at 59kg, missing in action over the last 10 months, and Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), the 71kg champion who qualified at 66kg in May.

Zhan BELENYUK (UKR) won the Trophee Milone crown in May to sew up the No.1 ranking at 85kg, but two-time world bronze medalist Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) fashioned a 3-0 win in Madrid over European Games champion David CHAKVETADZE (RUS) to climb to No.2 in the rankings.

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) is the only Greco-Roman world champion in 2015 not to finish on top of his respective category. Aleksanyan slipped to No.2 at 98kg after a loss in the European championship finals to Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS).

Ironically, top-ranked Melnikov is not on Russia’s list of entries for Rio 2016, while Aleksanyan, who won the Trophee Milone in May, heads to Brazil as one of the early favorites at heavyweight.

Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, most notable or most recent result over the last 12 months, and their position in the previous rankings.

Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB)

59kg – 2015 European Games gold medalist Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) defeated reigning European champ Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS), 4-2, on his way to the Spanish Grand Prix title, rejoining the rankings at No.15.

1. Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) – World No.1 (1)

2. Rovshan BAYRAMOV (AZE) – World No.2 (2)

3. Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) – GGP Final No.1 (3)

4. Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (4)

5. YUN Won-Chol (PRK) – World No.3 (5)

6. Soslan DAUROV (BLR) – Pytlasinski Cup No.3 (6)

7. Arsen ERALIEV (KGZ) – Pytlasinski Cup No.3 (7)

8. Stig Andre BERGE (NOR) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (9)

9. Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.3 (8)

10. Haitham Mahmoud FAHMY (EGY) – Pytlasinski Cup No.2 (10)

11. Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) – Pytlasinski Cup No.1 (11)

12. Shinobu OTA (JPN) – Asian OG Qualifier No.2 (12)

13. KIM Seung-Hak (KOR) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.1 (13)

14. Hamid SORYAN (IRI) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.1 (14)

15. Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) – Spanish GP No.1 (Not Ranked)

16. Andres MONTANO (ECU) – Spanish GP No.2 (nr)

17. Ibragim LABAZANOV (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.1 (15)

18. Kristijan FRIS (SRB) – European OG Qualifier No.2 (16)

19. Jesse THIELKE (USA) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.2 (17)

20. Sanal SEMENOV (RUS) – German GP No.1 (nr)

Frank STAEBLER (GER)

66kg – London 2012 silver medalist Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) won the 71kg crown in Madrid to leapfrog to No.2 in the rankings over Las Vegas world runner-up RYU Han-Soo (KOR), who made an early exit from 71kg at the German Grand Prix in Dortmund.

1. Frank STAEBLER (GER) – World No.1 (1)

2. Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) – Spanish GP No.1 (4)

3. RYU Han-Soo (KOR) – World No.2 (2)

4. Islambek ALBIEV (RUS) - Europe No.1 (5)

5. Artem SURKOV (RUS) – World No.3 (3)

6. Davor STEFANEK (SRB) – Europe No.2 (6)

7. Mehdi ZEIDVAND (IRI) – Pytlasinski Cup No.1 (7)

8. Migran ARUTUNYAN (ARM) – Trophee Milone No.1 (8)

9. Miguel MARTINEZ PALACIOS (CUB) – Spanish GP No.1 (13)

10. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) – European OG Qualifier No.2 (9)

11. Tarek Aziz BENAISSA (ALG) – All-African Games No.1 (10)

12. Hasan ALIYEV (AZE) – Europe No.3 (11)

13. Wuileixis RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN) – Pan Am OG Qualifier No.1 (12)

14. Ionut PANAIT (ROU) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.1 (14)

15. David KARECINSKI (POL) – Pytlasinski No.2 (16)

16. Edgaras VENCKAITIS (LTU) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.3 (15)

17. Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) – European U23 No.1 (17)

18. Omid NOROOZI (IRI) – Asian OG Qualifier No.2 (18)

19. CHOI Gi-Uk (KOR) – German GP No.3 (nr)

20. Artak MARGARYAN (FRA) – Hungarian GP No.3 (19)

Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE)

71kg – Maximilian SCHWABE (GER) scored wins over world silver medalist RYU Han-Soo (KOR) and bronze medalist Adam KURAK (RUS) on his way to his first major international title at the German Grand Prix and No.19 in the rankings.

1. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) – World No.1 (1)

2. Balint KORPASI (HUN) – Spanish GP No.2 (2)

3. Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) – Asia No.1 (3)

4. Adam KURAK (RUS) – German GP No.3 (4)

5. Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) – Europe No.1 (5)

6. Aleksandar MAKSIMOVIC (SRB) – Europe No.2 (6)

7. Armen VARDANYAN (UKR) – Trophee Milone No.2 (7)

8. Tero VAELIMAEKI (FIN) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (8)

9. ZHANG Ridong (CHN) – Pytlasinski Cup No.3 (9)

10. Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.2 (10)

11. Zackarias TALLROTH (SWE) – World No.3 (11)

12. Mathias MAASCH (GER) – Paris GP No.1 (12)

13. Danijel JANECIC (CRO) – LIG Int’l No.3 (13)

14. Tomi HINOVEANU (ROU) – Corneanu Int’l No.2 (14)

15. Abuyazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) – German GP No.3 (nr)

16. Timur BERDIEV (BLR) – World No.5 (15)

17. Yunus OZEL (TUR) – Europe No.5 (16)

18. Darkhan BAYAKMETOV (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (17)

19. Maximilian SCHWABE (GER) – German GP No.1 (nr)

20. Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR) – Vehbi Emre No.1 (19)

Roman VLASOV (RUS)

75kg – Africa champion and Rio qualifier Mahmoud SEBIE (EGY) won medals at 80kg at both the German Grand Prix and a week later in Madrid to grab a toehold in the rankings at No. 20.

1. Roman VLASOV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)

2. Doszhan KARTIKOV (KAZ) – Asia No.1 (2)

3. Mark MADSEN (DEN) – Pytlasinski Cup No.1 (3)

4. KIM Hyeon-Woo (KOR) – Pytlasinski Cup No.2 (4)

5. Andrew BISEK (USA) – World No.3 (5)

6. Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.1 (6)

7. Viktor NEMES (SRB) – Europe No.2 (7)

8. Peter BACSI (HUN) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.1 (8)

9. Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.3 (9)

10. Saeid Mourad ABDVALI (IRI) – World Cup No.1 (10)

11. YANG Bin (CHN) – Pytlasinski No.3 (11)

12. Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) – German No.2 (13)

13. Elvin MURSALIYEV (AZE) – Europe No.5 (12)

14. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) – Spanish GP No.1 (17)

15. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) – Europe No.3 (15)

16. Pascal EISELE (GER) – Europe No.1, 80kg (16)

17. Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) – Zagreb GP No.1 (14)

18. Zied AIT OUAGRAM (MAR) – Africa-Oceania OG Qualifier No.1 (18)

19. Neven ZUGAJ (CRO) – Hungarian GP No.3 (19)

20. Mahmoud SEBIE (EGY) – Spanish GP No.2, No.2 (nr)

Selcuk CEBI (TUR)

80kg – Eduard SARGSYAN (ARM) and Patrick MARTINEZ (USA) added bronze medals in July after collecting bronze at the Pytlasinski Cup in June. Sargsyan rode the bronze medal in Dortmund four places to No.8 while Martinez snared bronze in Madrid to break into the rankings at No.17.

1. Selcuk CEBI (TUR) – German GP No.1 (1)

2. Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) – European U23 No.1 (2

3. Evgeni SALEEV (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.1 (3)

4. Rafik HUSEYNOV (AZE) – German GP No.1, 75kg (4)

5. Ramin TAHERISARTANG (IRI) – Pytlasinski Cup No.1 (5)

6. Viktor SASUNOVSKI (BLR) – World No.2 (6)

7. Edgar BABAYAN (POL) – Europe No.2 (7)

8. Eduard SARGSYAN (ARM) – German GP No.3 (12)

9. Pavel POMINCHUK (BLR) – Pytlasinski Cup No.2 (9)

10. Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.2 (8)

11. AISHAN Aishan (CHN) – Asia No.2 (10)

12. Aslan ATEM (TUR) – Europe No.3 (11)

13. Laszlo SZABO (HUN) – Spanish GP No.3 (14)

14. Ramazan ABACHARAEV (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.1 (13)

15. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) – World Cup No.1 (15)

16. Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) – European U23 No.2 (16)

17. Patrick MARTINEZ (USA) – Spanish GP No.3 (nr)

18. Raibek BISULTANOV (DEN) – Hungarian GP No.2 (17)

19. Ashkat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (19)

20. Yousef GHADERIAN (IRI) – World No.3 (20)

Zhan BELENYUK (UKR)

85kg – Two-time world bronze medalist Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) edged European Games gold medalist David CHAKVETADZE (RUS), 1-0, in the final of the Spanish Grand Prix to leap three places to No.2 in the rankings.

1. Zhan BELENYUK (UKR) – World No.1 (1)

2. Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) – Pytlasinski Cup No.3 (5)

3. David CHAKVETADZE (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.3 (2)

4. Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) – World No.2 (3)

5. Saman Ahmed TAHMASEBI (AZE) – World No.3 (4)

6. Denis KUDLA (GER) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.1 (7)

7. Alexej MISHIN (RUS) – European OG Qualifier No.1 (6)

8. Robert KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.2 (8)

9. Habibollah AKHLAGHI (IRI) – World No.3 (9)

10. Islam ABBASOV (AZE) – World Cup No.1 (10)

11. Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) – Pytlasinski Cup No.3 (12)

12. Damian JANIKOWSKI (POL) – Pytlasinski Cup No.2 (11)

13. Javid HAMZATOV (BLR) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.1 (13)

14. Nikolai BAYRAKOV (BUL) – European OG Qualifier No.2 (14)

15. Nikolai STADUB (BLR) – Pytlasinski Cup No.1 (15)

16. Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (16)

17. Ramsin AZIZSIR (GER) – German GP No.2 (18)

18. Metehan BASAR (TUR) – German GP No.3 (20)

19. Zakarias BERG (SWE) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.3 (19)

20. Ahmed Mohamed SAAD (EGY) – Spanish GP No.2 (nr)

Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS)

98kg – Pan American Games champion Yasmany LUGO CABRERA (CUB) added a second silver medal at the Spanish Grand Prix to the one he won at the Pytlasinski Cup in June to climb to No.8 in his final warm-up before Rio 2016.

1. Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (1)

2. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) – World No.1 (2)

3. Ghasem REZAEI (IRI) – World No.2 (3)

4. Islam MAGOMEDOV (RUS) – World No.3 (4)

5. Aleksander HRABOVIK (BLR) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.1 (5)

6. Cenk ILDEM (TUR) – Europe No.3 (6)

7. Mahdi ALIYARI FEYZABADI (IRI) – Pytlasinski Cup No.1 (7)

8. Yasmany LUGO CABRERA (CUB) – Pytlasinski Cup No.2 (9)

9. Dimitri TIMCHENKO (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (8)

10. Daigoro TIMONCINI (ITA) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.2 (11)

11. XIAO Di (CHN) – Hungarian GP No.1 (10)

12. Muhammad Etka SEVER (GER) – European U23 No.1 (12)

13. Musa EVLOEV (RUS) – German GP No.1 (13)

14. Timofej DZEYNICHENKO (BLR) – Pytlasinski Cup No.3 (14)

15. Balasz KISS (HUN) – Pytlasinski Cup No.3 (15)

16. Ardo ARUSAAR (EST) – European OG Qualifier No.1 (16)

17. Fredrik SCHOEN (SWE) – German GP No.2 (nr)

18. Daniel GASTL (AUT) – German GP No.3 (nr)

19. Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU) – Corneanu Int’l No.3 (19)

20. Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN) – Spanish GP No.3 (nr)

Riza KAYAALP (TUR)

130kg – Two-time junior world champ Sergey SEMENOV (RUS), who tumbled out of the rankings earlier this spring, returns to the rankings at No.6 after a pair of wins against ranked opponents in the World Cup in May and a silver medal in Madrid.

1. Riza KAYAALP (TUR) – World No.1 (1)

2. Mijain LOPEZ NUNEZ (CUB) – Spanish GP No.1 (2)

3. Aleksander CHERNETSKI (UKR) – Europe No.2 (3)

4. Eduard POPP (GER) – Pytlasinski Cup No.1 (9)

5. Johan Magnus EUREN (SWE) – Europe No.3 (5)

6. Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) – Spanish GP No.2 (nr)

7. Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) – World No.3 (4)

8. Iosif CHUGOSHVILI (BLR) – Europe No.3 (6)

9. Nurmakhan TINALIEV (KAZ) – Asia OG Qualifier No.1 (7)

10. Vitali SHCHUR (RUS) – German GP No.2 (nr)

11. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) – European U23 No.1 (11)

12. Heiki NABI (EST) – European OG Qualifier No.1 (8)

13. MENG Qiang (CHN) – Hungarian GP No.1 (10)

14. Bashir BABAJANZADEH (IRI) – Pytlasinski Cup No.3 (12)

15. Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) – Corneanu Int’l No.1 (13)

16. Murat RAMONOV (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (14)

17. Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) – German GP No.3 (20)

18. Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.3 (15)

19. Amir GHASEMI MONJAZI (IRI) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.1 (16)

20. Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA) – Pan America No.2 (17)

For more information please contact Tim Foley at foley@unitedworldwrestling.org or Gordon Templeman at gordon@unitedworldwrestling.org

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