CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (March 31) – World champions Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) and Khetag GAZUMOV (AZE) returned to international competition at the Medved Prizes in early March with some convincing victories.

Sadulaev and Gazumov bolstered their claims to No.1 and No.2 in their respective weight categories in the United World Wrestling freestyle rankings for April while the triumph in Minsk lifted Burroughs to No.2 ahead of world silver medalist Sosuke TAKATANI (JPN).

Many other medalists and place-winners in Minsk also made moves up the rankings while winners at the European Under-23 Wrestling Championships and the Buryatia Cup in Russia were also considered for new positions in the polls.

For some wrestlers, however, winning a medal at one event in March was not enough.

Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM), a junior world bronze medalist in 2012, made a big splash in March by defeating 2013 world champion Bekhan GOYGEREEV (RUS) for the Medved Prizes crown.

The flexible Frangulyan then stopped 2013 junior world champ Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE) on his way to the European U23 title to go from unranked to No.7 in the rankings with the back-to-back victories.

Meanwhile, Aleksander HUSHTYN (BLR) and Omar GUSOSHVILI (GEO) followed a trip to the medals podium in Minsk with title runs at the U23s in Walbrzych, Poland.

Hushtyn, a silver medalist to Sadulaev in Minsk, claims No.9 in the rankings after defeating Magomedhadshi KHATIEV (AZE), 11-6, in the gold medal final. Khatiev edged Golden Grand Prix Final winner and sixth-ranked Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS), 7-6, in the semifinals.

Gusoshvili, who lost 0-4 to Gazumov in the Medved semifinals, came back with a 9-4 win in the U23s gold medal final over junior European champ Nurmagomed GADZHIEV (AZE) for No.10 in the rankings.

In Ulan-Ude, top-ranked Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) won his fifth event in a row since finishing ninth place at last fall’s world championships and his seventh overall at 61kg over the last 12 months.
Asian Games silver medalist Zelimkhan YUSUPOV (TJK) edged up one place at 70kg while Japan’s Tomotsugu ISHIDA (65kg) and Atsushi MATSUMOTO (86kg) joined the rankings in

Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, most recent or most significant result of the last 12 months, and their ranking the previous month.

57kg – World bronze medalist Vladislav ANDREEV (BLR) edged Yarygin Grand Prix bronze medalist ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL), 4-3, in the semifinals of the Medved Prizes International to reclaim much of the ground he lost in February after a 22nd at the

Yarygin runner-up Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) (above) rang up four technical falls at the European U23s on his way to the title.

1. JONG Hak-Jin (PRK) – Asian Games No.1 (1)
2. YANG Kyong-Il (PRK) – World No.1 (2)
3. Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) – World No.2 (3)
4. ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) – Medved Prizes No.3 (6)
5. Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (5)
6. Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (7)
7. Vladislav ANDREEV (BLR) – Medved Prize No.1 (15)
8. Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) – World No.3 (4)
9. Artyom GEBEKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.5 (10)
10. DAMDINBAZAR Tsogtbaatar (MGL) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (11)
11. Nyurgun SKRYABIN (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (8)
12. Rasul KALIEV (KAZ) – Asia Games No.2 (9)
13. BATBOLD Nomin (MGL) –Buryatia Cup No.2 (14)
14. Samat NADYRBEK UULU (KGZ) – Medved Prizes No.2 (not ranked)
15. Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE) – GGP Final No.2 (13)
16. Younes SARMASTIDZAJI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (16)
17. Fumitaka MORISHITA (JPN) – Buryatia Cup No.2 (15)
18. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) – World No.5 (12)
19. Anthony RAMOS (USA) – Paris GP No.1 (18)
20. John PINEDA (CAN) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (19) 

61kg – World champion Haji ALIEV (AZE), who had slipped to second in the rankings at 61kg, was transferred to No.12 at 65kg after a bronze medal in the Paris Grand Prix and an eighth-place finish at the Medved Prizes after a 6-4 quarterfinal loss to eventual bronze medal winner Alexander KONTOEV (BLR).

1. Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (1)
2. Masoud ESMAILPOUR (IRI) – Paris Grand Prix No.2 (3)
3. Bekhan GOIGEREEV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.2 (7)
4. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – World No.3 (4)
5. ENKHSAIKHAN Nyam-Ochir (MGL) – World No.3 (5)
6. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (6)
7. Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) – Medved Prizes No.1 (nr)
8. Iman SADEGHIKOUKANDEH (IRI) – Paris GP No.1 (11)
9. Egor PONOMAREV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (9)
10. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL) – Paris GP No.2 (8)
11. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) – Medved Prizes No.3 (nr)
12. Dyamal OTARSULTANOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (10)
13. Andrei PERPELITA (MDA) – Medved Prizes No.5 (12)
14. Artas SANAA (KAZ) – World No.5 (13)
15. Murshid MUTALIMOV (RUS) – Farrell Memorial No.1 (15)
16. Rustam AMPAR (RUS) – Farrell Memorial No.2 (16)
17. Vladimir FLEGONTOV (RUS) – Schultz Memorial No.2 (17)
18. Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (18)
19. Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) – GGP Final No.2 (14)
20. Andrei SVYRYD (UKR) – European U23s (nr)

65kg – Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) grabbed a seventh place at the Medved Prizes and won Italy’s first European freestyle title since 1992 with a triumph at the European U23s, including a 12-11 triumph in the semifinals over Paris Grand Prix winner Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE).

1. Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)
2. Sayed Ahmad MOHAMMADI (IRI) – World No.2 (2)
3. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.2 (3)
4. Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE) – Paris GP No.1 (6)
5. Azamat NURIKOV (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (10)
6. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) – World No.3 (5)
7. Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (7)
8. Brent METCALF (USA) – Yarygin GP No.2 (8)
9. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) – Europe U-23 No.1 (nr)
10. Mihail SAVA (MDA) – World No.3 (4)
11. Alexandr KONTOEV (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.3 (nr)
12. Haji ALIEV (AZE) – Paris Grand Prix No.3 (2@61)
13. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) – World No.5 (9)
14. Yogeshwar DUTT (IND) – Asian Games No.1 (12)
15. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) – CAC Games No.1 (13)
16. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.5 (9)
17. Aaron PICO (USA) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (14)
18. David SAFARYAN (ARM) – Deglane Challenge No.2 (16)
19. Tomotsugu ISHIDA (JPN) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (nr)
20. BATMANGAI Batchuluun (MGL) – Buryatia Cup No.3 (nr)

70kg – Rasul ARSANALIEV (RUS) notched three technical falls and a fall to win the European U23s crown and debut in the rankings at No.9 right behind fellow Yarygin Grand Prix bronze medalist Israil KAZUMOV (RUS).

Magomed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) registered three technical falls on his way to the Medved Prizes crown to join the rankings at No.13.

1. Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)
2. Yakup GOR (TUR) – World No.2 (2)
3. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (3)
4. Ali SHABANOV (BLR) – World No.3 (4)
5. Zelimkhan YUSUPOV (TJK) – Asian Games No.2 (6)
6. Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) – Asian Games No.1 (5)
7. Rasul DZUKAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (7)
8. Israil KASUMOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (8)
9. Rasul ARSANALIEV (RUS) – European U23s No.1 (nr)
10. Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (11)
11. Nicholas MARABLE (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (9)
12. Ruslan DIBIRGADZHIYEV (AZE) – Paris GP No.3 (10)
13. Magomed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (nr)
14. Andrey KARPACH (BLR) – European U23s No.3 (nr)
15. Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA) – Korkin Tourney No.2 (15)
16. Saeed DADASHPOUR (IRI) – Yarygin GP No.2 (16)
17. Dustin SCHLATTER (USA) – Cerro Pelado No.2 (17)
18. Kevin LeVALLEY (USA) – Cerro Pelado No.3 (18)
19. Zhan SAFYAN (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.2 (nr)
20. Ivan KUSYAK (UKR) – European U23s No.2 (nr)

74kg – London 2012 Olympic Games champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) defeated Asian Games champion Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) and world bronze medalist Ali SHABANOV (BLR) on his way to the Medved Prizes crown. Burroughs edges up to No.2, right behind world champ Denis TSARGUSH (RUS).

Zurab ERBOTSONASHVILI (GEO) rang up three technical falls and then edged European silver medalist Grigor GRIGORYAN (ARM), 1-1 on criteria, to join the rankings at No.15. Grigoryan moves from No.13 at 70kg to No.16 at 74kg.

1. Denis TSARGUSH (RUS) – World No.1 (1)
2. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) – Medved Prizes No.1 (3)
3. Sosuke TAKATANI (JPN) – World No.2 (2)
4. Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) – Paris GP No.1 (5)
5. Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) – Cerro Pelado No.3 (4)
6. Jumber KVELASHVILI (GEO) – Takhti Cup No.2 (6)
7. Krystian BRZOZOWSKI (POL) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (8)
8. Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (9)
9. Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) – Kadyrov Cup No.3 (10)
10. Yakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) – Medved Prizes No.2 (nr)
11. Rustam DUDAEV (UKR) – World No.5 (7)
12. Peyman YARAHMADI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (12)
13. Luca LAMPIS (FRA) – Cerro Pelado No.3 (15)
14. PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) – Buryatia Cup No.2 (14)
15. Zurab ERBOTSONASHVILI (GEO) – European U23s No.1 (nr)
16. Grigor GRIGORYAN (ARM) – European U23s No.2 (14@70)
17. Galimzhan USSERBAEV (KAZ) – World Military No.1 (11)
18. Essadollah AKBARI (IRI) – Asian Games No.2 (15)
19. Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (16)
20. Andrew HOWE (USA) – Yarygin GP No.2 (17)

86kg – Aleksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) could do little against world champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) in the Medved Prizes final, losing by fall. However, Hushtyn bounced back two weeks later for the European U23s crown and No.9 in the rankings.

Magomedhadshi KHATIEV (AZE) fashioned a 7-6 win over Golden Grand Prix Final winner Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) in the semifinals of the European U23s for No.19.

1. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (1)
2. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (2)
3. Mohammad Hossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) – World No.3 (3)
4. Meisam MOSTAFA JOUKAR (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (5)
5. Selim YASAR (TUR) – World No.3 (4)
6. Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – European U23s No.3 (6)
7. Anzor URISHEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (9)
8. ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.2 (10)
9. Aleksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) – European U23s No.1 (nr)
10. Clayton FOSTER (USA) – Cerro Pelado No.2 (11)
11. Albert SARITOV (RUS) - Ali Aliev No.1 (7)
12. Gamzat OSMANOV (AZE) – World No.5 (8)
13. Alireza KAMIMACHIANI (IRI) – Paris GP No.1 (13)
14. Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL) – Paris GP No.2 (14)
15. Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.5 (12)
16. Akhmed MAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yarygin No.3 (15)
17. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) – Yarygin No.3 (16)
18. Sebastien JEZIERZANSKI (POL) – Cerro Pelado No.3 (17)
19. Magomedhadshi KHATIEV (AZE) – European U23s No.2 (nr)
20. Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (nr)

97kg – Omar GUSOSHVILI (GEO) fell, 0-4, to world silver medalist Khetag GAZUMOV (AZE) in the semifinals of the Medved Prizes, but bounced back for the bronze medal with a victory over European bronze medal winner Nicolae CEBAN (MDA).

1. Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)
2. Khetag GAZUMOV (AZE) – Medved Prizes No.1 (2)
3. Valeri ANDRIITSEV (UKR) – Medved Prizes No.3 (3)
4. Reza YAZDANI (IRI) – Asian Games No.1 (4)
5. Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) – Medved Prizes No.2 (6)
6. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) – Takhti Cup No.1 (5)
7. Javier CORTINA LACERRA (CUB) – World No.3 (7)
8. Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ) – Paris GP No.3 (8)
9. DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL) – Asian Games No.3 (9)
10. Omar GUSOSHIVILI (GEO) – European U23s No.1 (nr)
11. Pavlo OLEYNIK (UKR) – Paris GP No.3 (10)
12. Ibragim SAIDOV (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.1 (11)
13. Yuri BELONOVSKI (RUS) – Ali Aliev No.1 (12)
14. Zainulla KURBANOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (13)
15. Mamet IBRAGIMOV (KAZ) – Yarygin GP No.3 (14)
16. Nicolae CEBAN (MDA) – Medved Prizes No.5 (nr)
17. James BERGMAN (USA) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (16)
18. Radoslaw BARAN (POL) – Cerro Pelado No.3 (17)
19. William HARTH (GER) – World Military No.1 (15)
20. Nurmagomed GADZHIEV (AZE) – European U23s No.2 (nr)

125kg – Yarygin Grand Prix Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS) continues to look like Russia’s future hope at super heavyweight, taking the European U23 crown with three technical falls and a 6-0 win over Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (GEO).

London 2012 silver medalist David MODZMANASHVILI (GEO), making only his second mat appearance since finishing fifth at last year’s European championships, defeated 2013 world silver medalist Alen ZASEEV (UKR) in the Medved finals for No.14 in the rankings

1. Taha AKGUL (TUR) – World No.1 (1)
2. Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) – World No.2 (2)
3. Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (UKR) – Paris GP No.1 (4)
4. Khadshimourad GATSALOV (RUS) – World No.3 (3)
5. Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS) – European U23s No.1 (8)
6. Alen ZASEEV (UKR) – Medved Prizes No.2 (7)
7. Aleksey SHEMAROV (BLR) – World No.5 (6)
8. Tervel DLAGNEV (USA) – World No.3 (5)
9. JARGALSAIKHAN Chuluunbat (MGL) – Yargyin GP No.3 (9)
10. Parviz HADI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (10)
11. Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) – Paris GP No.2 (11)
12. Alan KHUGAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (12)
13. NATSAGSUREN Zolboo (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.3 (13)
14. David MODZMANASHVILI (GEO) – Medved Prizes No.1 (nr)
15. Zachery REY (USA) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (16)
16. Pavel KRIVTSOV (RUS) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (15)
17. Daniel LIGETI (HUN) – Cerro Pelado No.2 (17)
18. DENG Zhiwei (CHN) – Paris GP No.3 (18)
19. Giorgi SAKANDELIDZE (GEO) – Medved Prizes No.3 (nr)
20. Amin TAHERI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.3 (20)

Criteria for United World Wrestling rankings