Men’s Freestyle at the Olympics starts Tuesday, August 3rd at 10pm (ET). The world’s best wrestling will be featured in Tokyo as each bracket has numerous world/Olympic champions and medalists. Before the action takes place, take a look at the FloWrestling team’s picks for every weight in men’s freestyle below.

57kg

Overview:

Russia’s Zaur Uguev has separated himself from the pack over the past two years. Uguev is the #2 seed in the bracket and is the two-time defending world champion at 57kg. On top of that, he hasn’t lost since June of 2019. Also in the field is 2017 world champion, Yuki Takahashi (JPN). Takahashi will be unseeded and randomly drawn into the bracket. Other challengers to Uguev will be past world medalists Suleyman Atli (3 Seed), Ravi Kumar (4 seed) and Nurislam Sanyaev. 

While Stevan Micic is the #1 seed, the biggest threat to any of the top guys might be Uzbekistan’s Gulumjon Abdullaev. He’s coming off momentum from the Poland Open in June where he took out Ravi Kumar, Nurislam Sanayev and Reza Atri. America’s Thomas Gilaman does have a past win over the #2 seed Suleyman Atli and Iran’s Reza Atri but has multiple losses to Yuki Takahashi, Nurislam Sanayev and unseeded Georgi Vangelov. Gilman is capable of medaling but must have a favorable draw and wrestle beyond what he’s shown in the past.

FloWrestling Team's Predictions:

Kozak

Gold - Yuki Takahashi (JPN)

Silver - Zaur Uguev (RUS) 

Bronze - Arsen Harutyunyan (ARM)

Bronze - Ravi Kumar (IND)

Bray

Gold - Zaur Uguev (RUS)

Silver - Suleyman Atli (TUR)

Bronze - Ravi Kumar (IND)

Bronze - Yuki Takahashi (JPN)

Spey

Gable - Zaur Uguev (RUS)

Silver - Arsen Harutyunyan (ARM)

Bronze - Ravi Kumar (IND)

Bronze - Bekhbayar Erdenebat (MGL)

Rader

Gold - Zaur Uguev (RUS)

Silver - Yuki Takahashi (JPN)

Bronze - Ravi Kumar (IND)

Bronze - Suleyman Atli (TUR)

Full 57kg Preview

57kg Olympian Rankings

65kg

Overview:

65kg is the deepest bracket of any in the men’s freestyle Olympic field. There are 3 past world champions competing at 65kg in Gadzhimurad Rashidov (2019), Takuto Otoguro (2018) and Haji Aliyev (2014, 2015, and 2017). There are also 5 other past world medalists in the bracket - Bajrang Punia (IND), Ismail Musukaev (HUN), Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (POL), Alejandro Valdes (CUB), and Daulet Niyazbekov (KAZ). On top of those credentialed athletes, Vazgen Tevanyan (ARM) has been on a run lately with recent wins over Aliyev, Gadzhiev, and Musukaev. While no American is present in this field, it should be one of the most fun to watch and unpredictable brackets in Tokyo.

FloWrestling Team's Predictions:

Kozak

Gold - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (RUS)

Silver - Vazgen Tevanyan (ARM)

Bronze - Bajrang Punia (IND)

Bronze - Takuto Otoguro (JPN)

Bray

Gold - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (RUS)

Silver - Bajrang Punia (IND)

Bronze - Ismail Musukaev (HUN)

Bronze - Haji Aliyev (AZE)

Spey

Gable -  Vazgen Tevanyan (ARM)

Silver - Haji Aliev (AZE)

Bronze - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (RUS)

Bronze - Takuto Otoguro (JPN)

Rader

Gold - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (RUS)

Silver - Takuto Otoguro (JPN)

Bronze - Bajrang Punia (IND)

Bronze - Ismail Musukaev (HUN)

Full 65kg Preview

65kg Olympian Rankings

74kg

Overview:

The most anticipated match in all of wrestling at the Olympics could be Kyle Dake vs Zaurbek Sidakov. Both men have dethroned the 74kg king Jordan Burroughs and are looking for Olympic glory in Tokyo. Sidakov is the two-time defending 74kg world champion while Dake has won the last 2 world titles at 79kg. Dake and Sidakov are clearly the best two wrestlers in this Olympic field but could meet in the very first round due to the fact that Kyle Dake is unseeded. After these top 2, Frank Chamizo looks to be the clear next contender. Chamizo has had close losses to both Dake and Sidakov and has 5 past world/Olympic medals to his name (2 golds, 1 silver, 2 bronze).

FloWrestling Team's Predictions:

Kozak

Gold - Kyle Dake (USA)

Silver - Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS)

Bronze - Frank Chamizo (ITA)

Bronze - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (BLR)

Bray

Gold - Kyle Dake (USA)

Silver - Zaurebek Sidakov (RUS)

Bronze - Frank Chamizo (ITA)

Bronze - Khadzhimurad Gadzhiev (AZE)

Spey

Gable - Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS)

Silver - Kyle Dake (USA)

Bronze - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (BLR)

Bronze - Frank Chamizo (ITA)

Rader

Gold - Kyle Dake (USA)

Silver - Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS)

Bronze - Frank Chamizo (ITA)

Bronze - Khadzhimurad Gadzhiev (AZE)

Full 74kg Preview

74kg Olympian Rankings

86kg

Overview:

86kg looks to be a 2 man race between Hassan Yazdani and David Taylor. Like at the 2018 World Championships, Taylor is unseeded again and has the potential to face #1 seeded Yazdani first round. If they are opposite in the bracket, expect these two legends to wrestle for Olympic gold in the finals. 

Artur Naifonov has established himself as the 3rd best in this field but only earned the #4 seed. Because of his seed, Naifonov will be on the same side of the bracket as Yazdani. Naifonov was pinned in previous bouts to both Taylor and Yazdani. However, he hasn’t lost to any other competitor in the field and has multiple wins over Myles Amine, Boris Makoev, and Javrail Shapiev. 

With Yazdani and Naifonov on the top side of the bracket, Deepak Punia and Myles Amine will be drawn into the bottom bracket as the #2 and #3 seeds respectively. If David Taylor isn’t drawn into this bottom bracket, there are numerous contenders to make both the finals and the bronze medal match. Not much on paper separates the #4-#12 wrestlers at 86kg.

FloWrestling Team's Predictions:

Kozak

Gold - David Taylor (USA)

Silver - Hassan Yazdani (IRI)

Bronze - Artur Naifonov (RUS)

Bronze - Myles Amine (SMR)

Bray

Gold - David Taylor (USA)

Silver - Hassan Yazdani (IRI)

Bronze - Naifonov (RUS)

Bronze - Myles Amine (SMR)

Spey

Gable - Hassan Yazdani (IRI)

Silver - David Taylor (USA)

Bronze - Osman Gocen (TUR)

Bronze - Artur Naifonov (RUS)

Rader

Gold - David Taylor (USA)

Silver - Hassan Yazdani (IRI)

Bronze - Artur Naifonov (RUS)

Bronze - Ali Shabanau (BLR)

Full 86kg Preview

86kg Olympian Rankings

97kg

Overview:

Russia’s Abdulrashid Sadulaev has established himself as the #1 P4P wrestler in the world by winning the last 2 world championships and winning over 50 straight matches. Sadulaev’s last loss (that wasn’t a forfeit) came to Kyle Snyder in the 2017 world finals. Sadulaev and Snyder are the #1 and #2 seeds respectively at 97kg-should they meet in Tokyo, it would be for Olympic Gold. 

Though Kyle Snyder has medaled at every worlds/Olympics he’s entered since 2015 (3 golds, 1 silver, 1 bronze), he might have to defeat 2 wrestlers who hold wins over him just to make the finals. Both Mohammad Mohamadian (IRI) and Sharif Sharifov (AZE) are unseeded and have past wins over Snyder. Sharifov defeated Snyder in a close 4-1 match in the 2018 world semi-finals and Mohammadian surprised Snyder by pinning him in January of 2020 at the Matteo Pellicone.

FloWrestling Team's Predictions:

Kozak

Gold - Abdulrashid Sadulaev (RUS)

Silver - Mohammad Mohammadian (IRI)

Bronze - Suleyman Karadeniz (TUR)

Bronze - Kyle Snyder (USA)

Bray

Gold - Abdulrashid Sadulaev (RUS)

Silver - Kyle Snyder (USA)

Bronze - Mohammad Mohammadian (IRI)

Bronze - Sharif Sharifov (AZE)

Spey

Gable - Kyle Snyder (USA)

Silver - Abdulrashid Sadulaev (RUS)

Bronze - Sharif Sharifov (AZE)

Bronze - Suleyman Karadeniz (TUR)

5th - Odikadze

Rader

Gold - Abdulrashid Sadulaev (RUS)

Silver - Kyle Snyder (USA)

Bronze - Mohammad Mohammadian (IRI)

Bronze - Elizbar Odikadze (GEO)

Full 97kg Preview

97kg Olympian Rankings

125kg

Overview:

Will the veterans at 125kg be able to hold off the young challengers? That’s the story at heavyweight in Tokyo. Taha Akgul (TUR) and Geno Petriashvili (GEO) have won the last 6 worlds/Olympics and will be opposite in the bracket (Agkul is the 3 seed, Petriashvili is the 1 seed). After those vets, Gable Steveson (USA), Amir Zare (IRI), Dzianis Khramiankou (BLR) and Sergey Kozyrev (RUS) are young challengers capable of causing some chaos in this bracket. To American fans, Gable Steveson has looked more than capable of winning the Olympics but he has yet to face any of the top challengers in this bracket. Iran’s Zare has already defeated Geno Petriashvili in November of 2019 and has two dominant wins over two-time world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski.

FloWrestling Team's Predictions:

Kozak

Gold - Gable Steveson (USA)

Silver - Amir Zare (IRI)

Bronze - Geno Petriashvili (GEO)

Bronze - Taha Akgul (TUR)

Bray

Gold - Gable Steveson (USA)

Silver - Taha Akgul (TUR)

Bronze - Geno Petriashvili (GEO)

Bronze - Amir Zare (IRI)

Spey

Gold - Geno Petriashvili

Silver - Taha Agul (TUR)

Bronze - Gable Steveson (USA)

Bronze - Dzianis Khramiankou (BLR)

Rader

Gold - Gable Steveson (USA)

Silver - Amir Zare (IRI)

Bronze - Geno Petriashvili (GEO)

Bronze - Taha Akgul (TUR)

Full 125kg Preview

125kg Olympian Rankings

Check out a full schedule for wrestling at the Olympics here.