Fi: Your 2014 World FS Championship Guide

Fi: Your 2014 World FS Championship Guide

Sep 4, 2014 by Christian Pyles
Fi: Your 2014 World FS Championship Guide
In just a few days the best the World has to offer in our sport will lay it all on the line.

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In just a few days the best the World has to offer in our sport will lay it all on the line.

The United States is sending a team with a combination of youth and experience but filled with star power. I feel like I say it every year, but this is one of our best teams in quite some time. I really believe this team can do something special.

In this preview I’ll hit all the angles: The foreign contenders, their stylistic offerings as well as our American outlook. I’ll give you my best guess as far as predictions go, but recall that FILA does not seed, the 4 best guys could ALL be on the same side and we just have to #DealWithIt.

57KG Contenders:

Vladimer-Khinchegashvili-Georgia- FILA Rank #1
The top ranked Georgian brings a lot to the table. The Golden Grand Prix champion has uncanny defense, able to get out of ridiculous situations when guys get in deep. He favors a single leg he can shoot to both sides. His inside reach single is particularly breath-taking. He also brings great throw bys and a solid gas tank, ablle to go for 6 minutes.

Victor Lebedev-Russia-FILA Rank #2
World Champion Lebedev is back on the World Team and is poised for another title run. A unique wrestler who likes to use a lot of in and out motion as well as level changes to get to his attacks. He’s extremely creative, able to force positions just knowing he is the better scrambler from that spot. He works well in and out of ties and does a great job of making in match adjustments. Lebedev won’t play your game. He’s always been one of my favorites.

Hassan Rahimi-Iran-FILA Rank #5
I’ll begin to sound a bit like a broken record for many Iranians, but this is a country that has a phenomenal developmental system and implements an amazing strategy almost uniformly with their athletes. 2013 World Champion Rahimi is physical and holds great position. Like many Iranians, he loves to work out of an underhook. From there he’ll use both a single leg and a High C. He stays extremely low at all times. Very hard to open him up.

Kyong Yang II-Peoples Republic of Korea-Unranked
Yang is a beast guys. Really like his style. Not sure where he fits in here, but the 2013 Olympic Bronze and 2009 World Champ is formidable. Yang has a sick misdirection low single as well as deceptively good hips. His re-attacks are great and his duck under is nasty. I like him.

Bekhbayar Erdenebat-Mongolia-FILA Rank #8
Erdenebat comes in as the last top 10 registered for World Competition. He was 1st in the German Grand Prix and brings a wild style to 57. He’s a bit of a wild man looking for throws a lot. However, he can be a bit reckless at times, leaving himself vulnerable to attacks and giving up cheap points.

Balasaheb Rahul Aware-India-Unranked
The 2009 Asian Champ has spent a lot of time at 60 but is making the cut down to 57KG. Aware brings amazing defense to the table. Like Khinchegashvili, he has that uncanny ability to fight out of crazy positions where he looks dead to rights. He also has a great knee tap and favors a high crotch when he attacks Legs.

Tony Ramos-USA-Unranked
The stare is making his World Championships debut, and I think that depending on the draw he could have a great showing. The field is nasty up top, but he could potentially fit in that tier 2 of guys with Yang, Aware, etc. He’s got a few key attributes for a good transition to the next level: Great defense, unwavering confidence, and mat savvy. Tony Ramos won’t beat himself. He may not light up the scoreboard, but he showed us at NCAA’s that winning ugly can get you the same result. He’ll need to get to his single more than usual and really have his re-attack game going. If he does that he can wrestle in the Bronze match. If he can avoid one of the big 3 in that match, Bronze is possible.

Final Thoughts: I just don’t see anyone breaking up that top 3 of Lebedev, Khinchegashvili and Rahimi. I think they’re squarely the 3 best, and if you feel super confident in any of them I’d have to disagree. There all separated by a razor thin margin in my eyes. Things need to go Tony’s way in the drawings for him to find himself in medal contention.

CP’s Predictions:
1. Victor Lebedev-Russia
2. Vladimer Khinchegashvili-Georgia
3. Hassan Rahimi-Iran
3. Kyong Yang-PRK
5. Tony Ramos-USA
5. Balasaheb Rahul Aware-India

61KG Contenders:

Masoud Esmailpoor-Iran-FILA Rank #2
The 2013 Bronze Medalist brings his gas tank and all his weapons to Uzbekistan. He loves to work out of an underhook, take ground and make you mess up. He will do this all day if you let him. Motor, pace and positioning are how he beats you. He uses his hook to get to the single. He’s creative at getting to legs and can get key turns with his gutwrench. Also of note, he’ll run a straight up Folkstyle armbar on you if he gets the chance. You’ll remember he had a wild one against Reece Humphrey in the quarters last year. Reece all but had the match won, but Esmailpoor wore out Reece in a way I’d never seen. It would have been a cool moment if we weren’t rooting our lungs out for Reece.

Haji Aliyev-Azerbaijan-FILA Rank #1
He’s been on an utter tear the last year winning the Golden Grand Prix, Europeans among other tournaments. Haji favors a single leg, sometimes he sets it up, sometimes not, he can score either way. It’s nearly uncanny. He will shoot from space and finish no sweat. You need to keep him off your legs to beat him. Jimmy Kennedy nearly had him beat, but gave up some extremely odd late points and lost the match narrowly.

Alexandr Bogomoev-Russia-FILA Rank #4
Bogomoev navigated a minefield of a Russian Nationals en route to securing his spot in the World Championships. Bogomoev has been one of my personal favorites since I saw him wrestle in NY in the USA v. Russia series. He’s not someone who will initiate a ton of offense, but his re-attacks and defense are mindblowing. He’s a great athlete with a tremendous combination of speed and power.

Vladimir Dubov-Bulgaria-FILA Rank #5
The 2013 World Silver Medalist will look to climb back on the podium another time. I am not sure he has the necessary goods to compete with the best guys. To his credit he’s a strong athlete with some solid defense, go behinds, and can be a fairly solid with upper body attacks as well. I just am not sure the offense is there to hang with the upper echelon. Also of note, he got absolutely massacred by Aliev this year 10-0.

Vasyl Shuptar-Ukraine-FILA Rank #6
I like Shuptar a lot. He’s a wild card in this mix. Though he doesn’t have a signature tournament victory, finishing 3rd in the GGP and Europeans, he has been impressive nonetheless. Shuptar has a lot of great set ups to his single leg including a nice knock by. Shuptar has shown an ability to transition well from his throw by to a leg attack.He is a very gifted athlete with excellent reaction time able to get go-behinds on errant shots with ease. He was right there with Aliev in the European Semi’s losing an absolute barn burner.

Jimmy Kennedy-USA-FILA Rank #17
He’s ready to make his mark. Can’t say enough about Jimmy’s development and improvement over the last year. Dominating fields with Olympic medalists and getting tons of overseas experience, Kennedy is a nightmare draw for anyone on the World scene. A great athlete when you consider his size and strength for this weight who possess an excellent variety of offense. He can stand and hand fight for position with the best, he can work shots from outside and he has tremendous positional discipline, rarely giving guys opportunities. I mentioned a year ago he did everything BUT beat Aliyev. He also has a win over Bogomoev to his credit as well, avenging a tech-fall defeat from a few months ago. That speaks to the improvement he’s making. I don’t give any validity to his current ranking and firmly believe he can win a World title this year.

Final Thoughts: I do wonder how Kennedy will match up with Esmailpoor. I think he’s got the offense and the tank to go with him, but something about that matchup bothers me a bit. Maybe I’m being a little gutless here, as I truly believe that Kennedy could be the most talented guy in the field. I just think Esmailpoor will find a way to win. Go Jimmy!

CP’s Predictions:
1. Masoud Esmailpoor-Iran
2. Jimmy Kennedy-USA
3. Haji Aliev-Azerbaijan
3. Alexandr Bogomoev-Russia
5. Vasyl Shuptar-Ukraine
5. Vladimir Dubov-Bulgaria

65KG Contenders:

Ahmad Seyed Mohammadi-Iran-FILA Rank #9
Rankings shmankings, this is the best dude I watched all year. He’s got it all: a devastating single with great finishes, tremendous motion and lateral movement and of course the traditional Iranian positional dominance. When I watched film on these guys he was the one person who made me think “This guy could be a problem for Metcalf.” In addition, he is great in front head and has a solid gut wrench, able to score in bunches. He does a great job at finishing when extended as well. He’s an older competitive, but you wouldn’t know it watching him.

Soslan Ramonov-Russia-FILA Rank #13
Ramonov took out top ranked Kurbanaliev in Russian Nationals and a slew of other hammers to earn his trip to the World Championships. Ramonov is a tremendous athlete and scrambler, able to get out of tough spots when guys are in deep. I’ve seen him fade before, but typically his tank is solid. He’s not going to be the most offensive guy, and can take some errant shots which gets him in trouble at times. However, when he’s pressed, he has another gear and is able to turn up his activity level and fire off quality shots. He likes to pull the head and fake as a primary set up and has a great throw by as well. Metcalf has beaten him before(Yarygin 2013) but his athleticism and unorthodox style still is a bit concerning.

Franklin Gomez Matos-Puerto Rico-FILA Rank #5
We all know Franklin from his days on the D1 scene where he was an NCAA Champion at 133. Gomez, who trains at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club has had his share of International success as well having won World Silver in 2011. Gomez is a very gifted athlete, with a great combination of speed and power. Sometimes finding an angle to attacks is a struggle for Gomez but he can be very, very hard to score on in his own right. I personally don’t feel he’s on the same level as the aforementioned guys and Metcalf, but time will surely tell.

Devid Sefaryan-Armenia-FILA Rank #4
He’s the returning World Champ, and I just am not sure how it happened. Everytime I watch this guy I’m like “Why doesn’t he do anything?” He loves to slow it down, and really pick his spots offensively. However, when he DOES pull the trigger, he scores at a very high percentage. Though he’s hard to score on he can be moved around. He wants to get his hands on your head and pull and pull and pull and wait for that one opening. When he shoots you’ll be like “Why don’t you do that MORE!?” He’s a tough guy to place in this field.

Haislan Garcia-Canada-FILA Rank #15
Everyone knows what you have to do to beat Garcia, the problem is it’s much easier said than done. Though Garcia very rarely attacks, he can make the more aggressive leg attackers very nervous with this chest lock and ability to expose. Garcia could be the most physically powerful guy in this weight. He lives and dies by the sword of counter wrestling. If you take bad shots, you lose. If you finish, you win. How well he defends will tell the tale for Haislan.

Boris Novachkov-Bulgaria-FILA Rank #7
Another familiar face to Americans, the Cal Poly NCAA Finalist has had a great International season placing 3rd at Europeans, 2nd at Kolov and 5th at Yasar Dogu. Novachkov got the World’s attention when he shocked 2012 Olympic Champion Asgarov in a wild match at Europeans. Novachkov favors a single leg more than any other attack and brings that same great body awareness we saw in many of his matches as an NCAA hammer. Novachkov trains at Illinois under Mark Perry and recently fell to Jordan Oliver in NYC.

Brent Metcalf-USA-FILA Rank #11
The time is now. Brands’ words, not mine. I think it truly is. A combination of factors I believe make Brent poised for a medal run, potentially of the Gold variety. Everyone says “win a match first.” Well if he can somehow avoid drawing a World medalist in round one, I feel fairly confident that will happen. Metcalf has had solid success this year despite a rough showing at the Yarygin. He won the Golden Grand Prix and was undefeated in the World Cup. He also had a win over World #1 Kurbanaliev. Though many are ranked ahead of him, I would be utterly stunned if he fell to Novachkov or Gomez. He’s beaten Garcia before (Garcia, to his credit has also beaten Brent) and I love his match up with the returning champ. I think we’ve seen Brent add layers to his game. He’s always had a gut, but we are seeing it more and more now. He’s also developed a pretty sweet head pinch as well. We all know he’s great at wearing on guys head and getting to his high crotch, though I always felt his sweep was underrated (and underutilized). The key for Brent is finishing shots and not giving up early points and having to come back. The savvy International guys know how to shut it down within the rules. This could be the year for Metcalf.

Final Thoughts: If Metcalf wins, someone will have to take Mohammadi out of the picture. I just think that matchup is unfortunate. I truly believe Metcalf will medal here, and that Gold is possible. That may seem unrealistic based on his history, but the field is not inspiring and Brent is wrestling better than ever.

CP’s Predictions:
1. Ahmad Seyed Mohammadi-Iran
2. Brent Metcalf-USA
3. Soslan Ramonov-Russia
3. Devid Safaryan-Armenia
5. Haislan Garcia-Canada
5. Franklin Gomez Matos-Puerto Rico

70KG Contenders

Mostafa Mohabbali Hosseinkhani-Iran-FILA Rank #1
Another excellent Iranian. He fits the typical template for Iranian success. Mostafa is a positional bastion, nearly impossible to penetrate. He can blow you out just by picking all your mistakes apart. He is not tremendously offensive, but similar to Safaryan, he is lethal when he picks his spots. He beat Marable 1-0 on a push out point at the World Cup. He works very well out of an underhook and is more than happy to let you beat yourself. If Marable opens it up on this guy he runs the risk of getting further behind. This guy is that dangerous.

Khetik Tsabolov-Russia-FILA Rank #6
Coming off a 2nd place World Cup finish and a Russian Nationals title Tsabolov has a fairly unique style that he brings to the table. He loves upper body stuff as well as an inside trip. He doesn’t take a ton of leg attacks and when he does he is not always in good position. I think he’ll struggle with Marable’s power and hips personally.

Grigor Grigoryan-Armenia-FILA Rank #4
Grigoryan was 20th in JR Worlds just a few weeks ago,yet maintained his top 5 ranking. To his credit he was 3rd in Europeans this year as well. He is another one of those guys who is very hard to score on when you get to their legs and is excellent at getting exposures. He has a very unique style often winding up with an overhook and whizzer. Preparing for someone like Grigoryan would be very difficult.

Yakup Gor-Turkey-FILA Rank #5
Gor was a tough guy to find much information on, to say the least. However, I was able to find some matches on Yakup and he’s a blast to watch. He is a very creative finisher and loves a single leg. It’s almost uncanny how much this guy can shoot at times. He will just shoot and shoot and shoot, and though he can give up some cheap points, he ultimately finds himself on the winning end of these shootouts. I personally think if he employs that type of strategy against Marable, he’ll get punished.

Ali Shabanau-Belarus-Unranked
Remember this guy? Let me refersh your memory-2013 Worlds semis against Burroughs? Still not remembering? Think about the dirty, cheating style he employed, raking JB’s eyes and eventually getting DQ’d. On the same page now I bet. Anyways, this guy, despite his reckless nature is an extremely skilled wrestler. Coming off a Bronze medal at the 2013 worlds Shabanau is headed down to 70KG. He’s got a lot that he brings to the table including a sweet low single and great body awareness. He’s a real wildcard, don’t let the lack of a ranking fool you, this guy can win this tournament.

Anatolievich Leonid Bazan-Bulgaria-Unranked
Bazan was 2nd in the Sargysan, 3rd at European’s and 1st at Kolov. He has a nice high crotch and is a solid finisher. He’s got good strength and athleticism and could be a factor.

Nick Marable-USA FILA Rank #19
Marable has shown tremendous discipline shrinking his body down to 70KG. He was a thick, thick 165 in college, so getting down to 154.5 has to be a real sacrifice. He’s looked great lately having won the Golden Grand Prix, Yasar Dogu(where he beat Burroughs) and 3rd in the World Cup. He will struggle with guys if he finds himself in a hole, so the keys for Nick will be scoring early and letting guys beat themselves. He’s got amazing hips and defense and a nice power double. He will be among the most physically imposing 70’s in this field and with a good weight cut, he could be in the hunt for a medal. The Iranian poses the greatest challenge to Nick, but Shabanau is not to be overlooked either.

Final Thoughts: Not an amazing weight if I’m being honest. It’s a new weight and it’s filled with guys who have been up at 74 and are trying to shrink their bodies, or bulked up 66’s. The best guys from the bordering weights stayed at 65 and 74 respectively. Marable has a great shot at a medal and I expect him to do so with a good weight cut.

CP’s Predictions:
1. Mostafa Mohabbali Hosseinkhani-Iran
2. Ali Shabanau-Belarus
3. Nick Marable-USA
3. Yakup Gor-Turkey
5. Grigor Grigoryan-Armenia
5. Khetik Tsabolov-Russia

74KG Contenders

Denis Tsargush-Russia-Unranked
A familiar face to anyone who’s been paying attention the last 7 or so years of International wrestling. Tsargush has done everything he can to earn the title of a cheater, but his success is not merely a result of him blurring the lines of what being a good sport is. He’s got tremendous skills and athleticism. Denis is very difficult to score on and is a near automatic finisher when he’s on his legs. Combine that with savvy top work and you’ve got a recipe for another nice run at Worlds for the World Champion. His singlet grab single is his most common form of treachery, but it’s never been enough against someone on the level of Burroughs. He’s still on paper one of the biggest obstacles for JB.

Reza Alireza Afzalipaemami-Iran-FILA Rank #3
The Asian, University and World Cup champion is bringing a lot of momentum into Worlds. Reza is great at getting to a single leg from his underhook, and of course can be very difficult to score on. He’s an absolute powerhouse able to blow through you when he gets in deep as well as take his time on the finish if the situation presents itself. He is positionally excellent and likes to take ground and force errant shots. He is excellent when you are on his leg as well. Very good athlete.

Jabrayil Hasanov-Azerbaijan-FILA Rank #2
A familiar face as he’s had battles with multiple Americans. Most recently David Taylor took care of him at Beat the Streets this Spring. Hasanov has a unique style and can take some wacky shots and find a way to score. He’s excellent when you’re on his leg as well. His re-attacks could be one of his greatest assets. I do wonder if he will have enough of his own go to offense against the best guys.

Livan Azcuy Lopez-Cuba-FILA Rank #14
The 2013 World SIlver medalist at 66KG makes the jump up 2 weights to 74. Though a bit undersized he is still among the more powerful and dangerous wrestlers at 74. Livan is extremely difficult to score on, but can be a bit reluctant to pull the trigger, preferring to let you beat yourself. He fell big time to JB at Pan Ams but the multi-world medalist should find himself in the mix again in Uzbekistan.

Rashid Kurbanov-Uzbekistan-Unranked
The hometown hero will have the strength of his nation behind him when he goes to battle next week. Rashid is a returning Bronze medalist at the 2013 Worlds and was 2nd at the Golden Grand Prix. He’s very strong and excellent with a front headlock. He’s not overly offensive but excels at making in match adjustments. His savvy defense will have him in the mix as well.

Jordan Burroughs-USA-FILA Rank #1
Want to know what I think? This is going to be the most mind-blowing and dominant performance of Jordan Burroughs International career. It’s a perfect storm for JB. He’s been looking great, he’s healthy and it’s his first World tournament with cumulative scoring, something that gives JB added benefit to score and score and score. Last year he spotted the planet an ankle, and they could barely get a point on the board. This year I’m expecting a masterpiece. Maybe he goes unscored upon, perhaps he techs his way through. He is the best wrestler I’ve ever watched in my life. He always rises to the occasion and I expect it to be done in a major way here.

Final Thoughts: Jordan Burroughs for President.

CP’s Predictions:
1. Jordan Burroughs-USA
2. Denis Tsargush-Russia
3. Reza Alireza Afzalipaemami-Iran
3. Rashid Kurbanov-Uzbekistan
5. Jabrayil Hasanov-Azerbaijan
5. Livan Azcuy Lopez-Cuba

86KG Contenders:

Abdulrashid Sadulaev-Russia-FILA Rank #1
Though my buddy Willie Saylor is not as enthralled by Sadulaev, I have to say he’s a pretty remarkable athlete. No, his offense isn’t otherworldly like Burroughs, he’s so incredibly solid in every possible position he is very hard to pick against. He can manage the match, and like many greats, can get that key score when he has to. On top he can get lots and lots of turns. He is unbelievable when he’s underneath in either a front headlock or extended on a shot. He will drag out or run to the leg almost without fail. If you end up with him in this position and don’t get out as fast as possible, you’ll pay. I’m told he has a great fireman’s, I’ve watched maybe 6 or so matches of his and don’t recall seeing it, but I’ll defer to others on that one. He is a 2 time Cadet champ and though there are some questions about his age he’s listed at only 18 years old. He’s going to be winning for a long time.

Reineris Salas Perez-Cuba-FILA Rank #2
This dude is a super freak. He doesn’t have the most polished offense in the world, but he’s a complete powderkeg. He defends shots and re-attacks in ways i’ve never seen. He’s got a solid double leg that plays well with his overwhelming strength. He could be a nightmare matchup for a guy like Ruth who shoots first and asks questions later. Then again, I’d pay pretty large sums of money to catch that match. The 2013 World Silver medalist is a threat to win the whole thing.

Gamzat Osmanov-Azerbaijan-FILA Rank #8
The Grand Prix champion brings a nice variety of skills to the World championships. Gamzat transitions very well from takedown to turn and can score in bunches. His re-attacks are great and perhaps his most dangerous skill. He doesn’t pull the trigger often but when pressed he has a nice single that he can finish at a very high clip.

Dato Marsagishvili-Georgia-Unranked
The 2012 Bronze Medalist cannot be counted out of this tournament. Though he can fade at times and is not the biggest 86, he is great at getting to legs and can finish from just about anywhere.

Istvan Vereb-Hungary-FILA Rank #10
The 2013 Bronze medalist is a horse. He’s got a great motor and horsepower. He’s got some great wins including one over Gaidarov. He uses a double leg well and can work upper body as well.

Askari Mohammadian Mohammadhossein-Iran-FILA Rank #16
A year ago Askari blanked Ed Ruth 7-0 at University’s. To be fair, Ed Ruth was also teched by Clayton Foster last year, and narrowed the gap significantly. Still, it puts Askari in a pretty unique class of guys. He’s not terribly impressive to watch, though he’s extremely strong and can move guys around well. His drag game is excellent.

Ed Ruth-USA-FILA Rank #20
The level of variance for Ed Ruth’s performance is probably higher than any other Team USA member. If he goes 0-1, I don’t think anyone could be terribly stunned, and can we really be THAT surprised if Ed Ruth wins ANY tournament? Even Worlds? He just continues to improve at such a quick rate, there’s no reason to expect him to not look better from World Team Trials and the Golden Grand Prix from July (where he finished 3rd). He has limitless offense and will shoot all day if you let him. His ability to get to legs is up there with any guy in this weight. He works both sides of the body extremely well also. He does concern me a bit in a few positions. I worry he will give up some key exposure at times trying to fight off a takedown or get a finish, and he can let himself get moved around a bit. I can’t wait to watch The Truth’s debut on the World Stage.

Final Thoughts: I think Sadulaev is so tough to pick against, though he doesn’t leave himself much margin for error. Salas Perez is someone who could give Sadulaev problems. I have no idea what to make of Ruth in this tournament honestly. He’s the ultimate boom or bust, so I’ll split the difference.

CP’s Predictions:
1. Abdulrashid Sadulaev-Russia
2. Reineris Salas Perez-Cuba
3. Dato Marsagishvili-Georgia
3. Askari Mohammadian Mohammadhossein-Iran
5. Ed Ruth-USA
5. Gamzat Osmanov-Azerbaijan


97KG Contenders:

Reza Yazdani-Iran-FILA Rank #1
The Leopard of Juybar! What a sick nickname, am i right? He is a physical freak. A short stocky ball of fire ready to explode. He shoots probably the most devastating high single I’ve ever seen. It is very rare where we see his short stature become exploited. He is among the most explosive wrestlers in the world and is able to score very will from short offense. I love watching this guy and am not sure if anyone touches him this year.

Abdusalam Gadisov-Russia-FILA Rank #2
The European champion finds himself as the Russian representative once again. He’s a tall, hulk of a man who uses his length and power effectively. He is great at attacking from his front headlock to a leg attack. He is difficult to score on and has excellent go behinds. He beat World Silver medalist Gazyumov at Europeans this year.

Khetag Gazyumov-Azerbaijan-FILA Rank #3
This guy pulls his singlet down to his knees. Truly a rebel with a cause who cares nothing of modern wrestling fashion! I’m a fan for life. Khetag brings his high pedigree and credentials to the World stage once again. Having won Olympic Bronze and World Silver, Gold is the one medal that has eluded Khetag over the years. He has a great single leg and is very difficult to score on. He clears ties very well to get to his attacks and is difficult to open up. He’s been known to fade at times, but those have proven to be more outliers than anything.

Ivan Yankouski-Belarus-FILA Rank #4
The Yarygin runner up is squarely behind Gadisov, Yazdani and Gazyumov, having struggled with all three. He’s got an excellent mid level single to go with a great gut wrench. His positioning and hips are good, able to stuff lots of attacks.

Valerii Andriitsev-Ukraine-FILA Rank #7
The Olympic Silver medalist is looking to prove his Olympic run was not a fluke. Andriitsev loves to work out of an underhook on the left side. He’s got an excellent motor and grit and will punish errant shots with a surprisingly effective go behind. He is not the most polished technician but accomplishes a lot with pace and positioning.

Jake Varner-USA-FILA Rank #9
It’s going to be a huge test for Varner, to be frank. He took some time away, and looked like the Varner of old when he returned. At times Varner looks like an unstoppable force. At other times, his offense can appear clunky and difficult to execute. Finding angles and getting to legs will be the key to victory for Jake. He fell to Gazyumov in July in a match where Gazyumov dictated the pace, got to the legs and scored. Varner struggled to create an opening. I expect a better showing this time around, yet can’t help but feel like he will struggle against Gadiso, Gazyumov and Yazdani all the same. When Jake is on his arsenal is extremely varied. He has great shucks and throw by’s, a lethal ankle pick and excellent top work. If his offense is clicking it could be Beijing all over again. If not, he will be on the outside looking in.

Final Thoughts: Jake needs to avoid the big 3 to medal. I think he will struggle to beat any of them personally. Apart from those three I firmly believe he is the best of the rest. I can’t picture a scenario where I pick against Yazdani.

CP’s Predictions:
1. Reza Yazdani-Iran
2. Abdusalam Gadisov-Russia
3. Khetag Gazyumov-Azerbaijan
3. Jake Varner-USA
5. Ivan Yankouski-Belarus
5. Valeri Andriitsev-Ukraine

125 KG Contenders:

Khadzimurat Gatsalov-Russia-FILA Rank #4
The 5 time World Champion is looking for another title up at 125. He’s been at several weights throughout his career, but seems to have found a home at 125. Though he’s noticeably undersized, Gatsalov doesn’t let that become a factor. Gatsalov doesn’t put himself in positions where his size is an issue. If he’s on a leg, he will be poised to finish. Gatsalov has tremendous strength and athleticism that helps him contend with the big boys. His body awareness sets him apart from the field.

Taha Akgul-Turkey-FILA Rank #1
Taha took out Tervel in the Bronze medal match last year and has continued to impress winning Europeans as well as the Yasar Dogu. He’s got an amazing low ankle shot and can finish from absolutely every position he winds up in. It’s almost uncanny. He is a fairly active wrestler by heavyweight standards. He’s very good in par terre as well. His frequent attacks can leave him open to getting exposed at times, but ultimately his offense wins out over time.

Oleksandr Khotsianivskiyi-Ukraine-FILA Rank #3
He navigated a brutal field at the Golden Grand Prix to win it over Sakadeildze, Dlagnev, Shemarov and others. He has excellent timing with his shots and couples that with excellent power. He wants to pull the head a lot to set up his double leg. He’s a very fundamental wrestler.

Alexei Shemarov-Belarus-FILA Rank #5
The 2011 World Champ doesn’t do much, to be painfully honest. He perpetuates many of the false stereotypes about heavyweight wrestlers. He is so hard to score on and is excellent at exposing from a chest wrap. If you can finish your shots, you’ll beat him. The thing is, you don’t get many chances to do so.

Parviz Hodavirdi Hadi Basmanj-Iran-FILA Rank #9
Hadi won the World Cup and the Takhti Cup this year. The Iranian big man is especially large by heavyweight standards. Though he’s a bit rotund, he is a very nimble athlete with exceptional footwork and a motor to boot. He’s not a big leg attack guy, but his snaps are excellent and his positioning is on point.

Tervel Dlagnev-USA-FILA Rank #16
I mean he is in the Bronze bout every year, but is ranked 16th. Whatevs. We know how great Tervel is. He’s beaten many of the best in the World, but has come up just short in a few of the big matches. Tervel is among the most offensive wrestlers on the planet. His single leg is excellent and for his size his mobility is absurd. Tervel not placing the last few years isn’t an indictment on his skill, it just illustrates how incredibly hard it is to win on the world stage. He can get it done, and if he doesn’t he’s still amazing.

Final Thoughts: Really tough to pick against Gatsalov when he has shown he can get it done time and time again. I’ll believe he’s out of his prime when he stops winning World Titles. Until then, he’s my pick. I think Tervel can do it, Gatsalov will be the toughest matchup of all the guys mentioned.

CP’s Predictions:
1. Khadzimurat Gatsalov-Russia
2. Tervel Dlagnev-USA
3. Taha Akgul-Turkey
3. Oleksandr Khotsianivskiyi-Ukraine
5. Alexei Shemarov-Belarus
5. Parviz Hodavirdi Hadi Basmanj-Iran

Closing Thoughts: This can be a special team. Yes, I have all our guys wrestling for a medal. No, that’s probably not going to happen. However, please tell me where I’m terribly optimistic? Maybe it’s Ramos, maybe Metcalf or Ruth. I don’t know. I watch a lot of these guys and think this could be a great showing for us with our team having a shot at a top 3 finish as a team. Tell me where we can’t medal? Tell me what guys are THAT much better than ours? I don’t see it. I see a great 2 days of wrestling for our team. That’s my honest assessment.