#WrestleIstanbul: Freestyle Brackets Breakdown
Friday, February 25, 2022 - 15:38 By Eric Olanowski & Vinay Siwach
ISTANBUL, Turkey (February 25) -- The freestyle draws were completed Friday in Istanbul, Turkey for the Yasar Dogu, Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Ranking Series event.
Once again, it's Turkey and Kazakhstan that have the most wrestlers entered. Both countries have 30 wrestlers for the 10 weight classes.
The USA has 15 wrestlers in Istanbul while Iran has 13. India follows with 12 wrestlers of their own. Mongolia has brought 11 wrestlers.
Three countries have 10 wrestlers in the competitions and those are Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Wrestling Federation.
The 65kg category has 26 wrestlers, the most for any weight class in freestyle.
Turkey will have selection bouts before the competition to pick the third wrestler at all 10 freestyle weights.
57kg (17 entries)
Gold: 13000 points
Silver: 11400 points
Bronze: 10200 points
Former Ranking Series event champion Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) and World Championships bronze medalist Horst LEHR (GER) headline a 17-wrestler bracket at 57kg.
Bujiashvili opens up against Seyed AZIMISIYACHEGHAEI (IRI) and he can meet Lehr in the upper side of the bracket.
Lehr, who is also looking to improve his ranking, will have two-time cadet World bronze AMAN (IND) as his biggest test. If he wants to be ranked third after the competition, Lehr needs to win gold.
61kg (20 entries)
Gold: 13000 points
Silver: 11400 points
Bronze: 10200 points
Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Ravi KUMAR (IND) will a wrestler to follow at 61kg. An exciting class against Suleyman ATLI (TUR) is on the cards if the two can keep winning and reach the semifinals. Kumar begins his campaign against fellow Indian Mangal KADYAN (IND) while Atli starts against Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ).
Atli will also have to go past U23 European champion Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO) to reach the semifinals.
The lower side of the bracket is also packed as former U23 world champion Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ), Russian champion Ramiz GAMZATOV (RWF), and Tokyo Olympian Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) are drawn on the same side.
Zholdoshbekov and Gamzatov could clash in the quarterfinals while Abdullaev is favourite to reach the semifinals.
65kg (26 entries)
Gold: 13000 points
Silver: 11400 points
Bronze: 10200 points
World champion Zagir SHAKHIEV (RWF) and Russian champion Shamil MAMMEDOV (RWF) are drawn on either side of the bracket and could potentially meet in the final.
But Shakhiev has Joey MCKENNA (USA) and former U23 World silver medalist Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) on his side of the bracket. Shakhiev and Mckenna can meet in the quarters and Askarov has a good chance to make the semifinals.
World number two Shakhiev can overthrow top-ranked Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) with at least a 10th place finish. Currently, the Russian has 45000 points, and with a 10th-place finish, Shakhiev will get 7480 points, bringing his overall total to 58000 points. That'd be enough to overtake Otoguro, who has 51000.
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) also has a chance to be top-ranked but Shakhiev will have to lose early as well. The Mongolian is at 44500 points and can grab the top-ranking with a 10th-place finish. That will take his tally to 51980 points, while gold will take him to 57500 points.
But he is on the same side as Mammedov, former world bronze medalist Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE), former world champion Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) and World bronze and Tokyo Olympian Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN). Lomtadze and Muszukajev wrestler in the first round and winner is likely to get Gvarzatilov.
Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) and young star Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) are also on the lower side of the bracket and clash in the first round.
70kg (21 entries)
Gold: 13000 points
Silver: 11400 points
Bronze: 10200 points
World silver medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) and Russian champion Viktor RASSADIN (RWF) are expected to meet in the quarterfinal at 70kg. The winner will most likely get two-time world medalist James GREEN (USA) in the semifinals but Green will have to overcome fellow American teammate Jordan OLIVER (USA) for that.
Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), bronze medalist in Oslo, can clash with Oslo silver medalist at 65kg Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) in the semifinals. The two will have to keep their winning streak till then.
In rankings, Akmataliev is ranked second with 37000 points but can go ahead of top-ranked Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), who has 45000 points. For that, he needs to finish at least 8th.
Iakobishvili sits third with 31000 points. He can move up to the second rank with a tournament win, as that will take him to 44000 points.
74kg (18 entries)
Gold: 13000 points
Silver: 11400 points
Bronze: 10200 points
Asian champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), junior world champion Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI) and Turkey veteran Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) all have ended up on the lower side of the bracket at 74kg. Demirtas can claim his lost glory with a win in front of his home fans.
79kg (21 entries)
Gold: 13000 points
Silver: 11400 points
Bronze: 10200 points
Favorite to win the weight class Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) begins against Meiir KOSHKINBAYEV (KAZ). Two wins for him to start and he can wrestle Russian Nationals silver in 2020 Gadzhimurad ALIKHMAEV (RWF).
The five-time world champion can cement his place further at the top of the rankings with a medal-winning performance in Istanbul. Burroughs enters the Yasar Dogu with 45000 points. He can add 13000 points for gold, 11400 points for silver and 10200 points for bronze.
Junior Worlds bronze Gourav BALIYAN (IND) and Asian bronze medalist Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) can put on a show before likely making a semifinal against Burroughs.
Former world champion Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) and Asian champion Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) are on the lower side of the bracket. One of the two is likely to make the final.
86kg (20 entries)
Gold: 13000 points
Silver: 11400 points
Bronze: 10200 points
74kg Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) is making the jump up to 86kg. He begins his campaign against Maksat SATYBALDY (KAZ).
Two-time junior world champion Mark HALL (USA) is also on the same side and the two can meet in the quarterfinals.
Former U23 Worlds silver medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) and former world number Fatih ERDIN (TUR) can clash in the pre-quarterfinals.
Dauletbekov can be the biggest mover in rankings as well if he wins gold. The Kazak wrestler is currently in the seventh spot with 25000 points, and a medal in Istanbul can move him to the fourth spot.
92kg (13 entries)
Gold: 11000 points
Silver: 9400 points
Bronze: 8200 points
India’s Deepak PUNIA highlights the top side of the chart at 92kg. He’s moving up from his normal weight of 86kg where he finished in second place at the ’19 World Championships. He’ll likely get Iran’s Asian runner-up from a season ago Ahmad BAZRIGHALEG (IRI) if he wins his opening round match against Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE).
On the lower side, Erhan YAYLACI (TUR), the U23 world bronze medalist from a season ago, will square off with Ahmed BILICI (TUR). The winner of that match will likely get Ivan Yariguin champion Guram CHERTKOEV (RUS) for a spot in the finals.
97kg (14 entries)
Gold: 11000 points
Silver: 9400 points
Bronze: 8200 points
Mohammad MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) enters Turkey looking for a third consecutive Ranking Series title. Over the last two seasons, he’s claimed golds at the Matteo Pellicone and the Poland Open. He’s most known for his incredible run at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event where he pinned Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) en route to winning gold.
Mohammadian is on the bottom side of the 97kg bracket, where he’ll kick off his day against Uzbekistan youngster Muhammadrasul RAKHIMOV (UZB). If he remains unbeaten until the semifinals, he’ll likely get Mongolia’s No. 11 Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL), who can move into the top ten with a medal in Istanbul.
On the top side of the bracket, Russia’s European championship wrestle-off between Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RWF) and Shamil MUSAEV (RWF) could happen in the second round if they get past their opening round opponents. The winner of that match virtually earns a 97kg berth to Budapest.
125kg (21 entries)
Gold: 13000 points
Silver: 11400 points
Bronze: 10200 points
All eyes will be on Turkish legend Taha AKGUL (TUR). The Rio Olympic champion is on a quest to win his seventh Yasar Dogu title.
Akgul is on the top side of the bracket. His toughest competition will likely come in the quarterfinals against reigning Asian champion Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ).
On the bottom side, Tokyo Olympian Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) opens up his day against reigning world bronze medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL). Whoever wins that bout will likely square off against Olympian Gennadji CUDINOVIC (GER) or Alisher YERGALI (KAZ), who is moving up from his Tokyo Olympic weight of 97kg.
Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) is entered at 79kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)
Olympic champion 
World champion and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist
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