2023 International Wrestling Rankings - Men's Freestyle

61 - Muslim Mekhtikhanov

Muslim Mekhtikhanov dropped from 65kg to 61kg and won the Yarygin in January with wins over Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg and 2021 world champion Abasgadzhi Magomedov. Mekhtikhanov then followed up that performance by defeating 2022 world silver medalist Reza Atri at the Clubs Cup in Iran in February. Those two performances earn Mekhtikhanov the #1 spot in the world. 

Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu has also emerged as a contender at 61kg. Zhumashbek Uulu was a U23 world silver medalist in 2022 and most recently won the Bill Farrell in November (at 65kg) and the Ranking Series Tournament in Egypt. Between those 2 tournaments, Zhumashbek Uulu recorded wins over Taras Markovych, Jahongimirza Turobov, Arsen Harutyunan, Matt Kolodzik, Anthony Ashnault, and Nick Lee. 

Austin DeSanto makes his debut in the rankings at 61kg after winning the Deglane in January and earning a bronze medal in Egypt. DeSanto's best wins in that time period came over Nahshon Garrett, Shelton Mack, and Ulukbek Zholdoshbekov while only losing to Ukraine's Taras Markovych.

Questions or comments? Contact our ranker, Jon Kozak, on Twitter @KozakJon or through email at Jonathan.Kozak@flosports.tv.