From: Tim Foley news@meltwaterpress.comSubject: Rio 2016 Hopefuls Cox, Higuchi Debut in Freestyle World Rankings

Date: July 6, 2016 at 2:40 AMTo: lanny@wrestlingusa.com

Rio 2016 Hopefuls Cox, Higuchi Debut in Freestyle World RankingsBy William May

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (July 5) – Rio 2016 hopefuls Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) and Jayden COX (USA) make their debut in the United WorldWrestling rankings for freestyle after turning in persuasive performances in June during the early run-up to the August 5-21 Olympic Games.

Higuchi won a pair of titles on Japan’s pre-Olympic tour of Europe to go from unranked to No.10 at 57kg. At the Ziolkowski International, Higuchiedged world bronze medalist Vladimir DUBOV (BUL), 4-3, in the final after running over European silver medalist Andrey YATSENKO (UKR) bytechnical fall in the quarterfinals.

Cox, meanwhile, edged European runner-up Aleksander GOSTIEV (AZE), 3-2, and came from behind to defeat world bronze medalist AlirezaKARIMIMACHIANI (IRI), 6-2, at the World Cup meet in Los Angeles.

Cox fell to European bronze medal winner Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO), 7-4, in the U.S.-Georgia dual meet for third place and joins therankings at No.10. Marsagishvili, looking for a return the Olympic Games after a bronze medal at London 2012, climbs from No.12 to ninth.

Also, newly minted Russian national champ Muhamadgazi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) joins the rankings for the first time at No.12 after finishingrunner-up to world bronze medalist Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) at the Ziolkowski International.

All eight wrestlers at the top of the rankings hold onto to their places with only a couple of the leaders in action in June.

Georgia’s rankings leaders Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (57kg) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (125kg) were perfect with four wins each at the WorldCup, leading Georgia to the third-place trophy in Los Angeles behind Iran and Russia.

At 125kg, reigning world champ Taha AKGUL (TUR) appears to still be struggling with a leg injury and forfeited all four his bouts at the WorldCup, slipping from No.2 to fourth at super heavyweight.

World champ Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) racked up technical falls in four of his five bouts at 86kg to run away with the middleweight title inPoland.

Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, most notable or most recent result over the last 12 months, and their position in theprevious rankings.

57kg – Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), headed to Rio 2016 as Asia qualifying tourney winner, bagged a pair of titles at the Macedonian Pearl and theZiolkowski International to join the rankings at No.10.

1. Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) – World No.1 (1)2. Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) – World No.2 (2)3. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – Canada Cup No.1 (5)4. JONG Hak-Jin (PRK) – Asia No.2 (4)5. ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) – Mongolia Open No.1 (6)6. Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.3 (7)7. Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) – World No.3 (3)8. Artas SANAA (KAZ) – World No.5 (8)

8. Artas SANAA (KAZ) – World No.5 (8)9. Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (9)10. Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.1 (Not ranked)11. Suleyman ATLI (TUR) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.1 (10)12. Ivan GUIDEA (ROU) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.1 (12)13. Tomar SANDEEP (IND) – Asia No.1 (13)14. Reza ATRANAGHARCHI (IRI) – Medved Prizes No.1 (11)15. Mirjalal HASANZADE (AZE) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (14)16. Andrey YATSENKO (UKR) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.3 (17)17. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) – Europe No.3 (15)18. Garnik MNATSAKANYAN (ARM) – Sargsyan Int’l No.3 (20)19. Andrei DUKOV (ROU) – Europe No.3 (18)20. Adama DIATTA (SEN) – Africa No.1 (19)

61kg – Asia champion Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) climbs to No.2 in the rankings with a pair of technical falls to win the Ziolkowski Internationalwhile European Games silver medalist Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) jumps to No.9 with three wins against one loss at the World Cup.

1. Haji ALIEV (AZE) – Europe No.3 (1)2. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.1 (4)3. Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (3)4. Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (2)5. Imam ADZHIEV (RUS) – European U23 No.1 (5)6. Georgi KALIEV (BLR) – Europe No.2 (6)7. Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (8)8. Bekhan GOIGEREEV (RUS) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.3 (12)9. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) – World Cup No.1 (16)10. TUMENBILEG Tuvshintulga (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.1 (11)11. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) – Sargsyan Int’l No.1 (13)12. Nyurgun SKRYABIN (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (8)13. Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (9)14. Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) – World No.3 (10)15. Mehran NASIRIFRANCHALI (IRI) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (14)16. Masakazu KAMOI (JPN) – World No.5 (15)17. Coleman SCOTT (USA) – Pan America No.1 (17)18. Muenir Recep AKTAS (TUR) – Europe No.8 (18)19. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) – World Cup No.3 (nr)20. Dyamal OTARSULTANOV (RUS) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.3 (nr)

65kg – Three-time former Pan American champ Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) notched a pair of titles in June, including the Ziolkowskicrown, to leap seven places to No. 11. Frank MOLINARO (USA) joins the rankings at No.18 after four wins at the World Cup.

1. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) – Europe No.1 (1)2. Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (2)3. Israil KASUMOV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (4)4. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (5)5. Meysam NASIRI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (3)6. Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) – World No.2 (6)7. Togrul ASGAROV (AZE) – European Games No.1 (8)8. Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.1 (11)9. Yogeshwar DUTT (IND) – Asian OG Qualifier No.1 (12)10. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) – Cerra Pelado Int’l No.1 (11)11. Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) – Pan Am OG Qualifier No.2 (18)12. Sayed Ahmad MOHAMMADI (IRI) – World No.3 (7)13. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (9)14. BATCHULUUN Batmagnai (MGL) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (10)15. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) – World Cup No.2 (15)16. YEERLANDIEKE Katal (CHN) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (19)17. David SAFARYAN (ARM) – European OG Qualifier No.1 (13)18. Frank MOLINARO (USA) – World Cup No.1 (nr)19. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) – Europe No.2 (16)20. BATBOLD Nomin (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.2 (17)

70kg – Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) returns to the rankings at No.16 -- after four months in rankings limbo -- with a victory atthe Sargsyan International in Armenia, his first tournament triumph since the Ali Aliev tourney nearly one year ago.

the Sargsyan International in Armenia, his first tournament triumph since the Ali Aliev tourney nearly one year ago.

1. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)2. Adam BATIROV (BRN) – Asia No.1 (3)3. Yakup GOR (TUR) – World No.3 (4)4. James GREEN (USA) – World No.3 (5)5. Azamat NURIKOV (BLR) – Europe No.3 (4)6. David TLASHADZE (GEO) – Europe No.2 (6)7. Gadjimurad OMAROV (AZE) – European U23 No.2 (9)8. Rasul ARSANALIEV (RUS) – European U23 No.1 (89. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (10)10. BUYANJAV Batzorig (MGL) – Asia No.3 (7)11. Miroslav KIROV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.3 (11)12. Nikolay KURTEV (BUL) – Europe No.3 (12)13. Evgeni ZHERBAEV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (13)14. Khabib MAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.3 (14)15. Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) – Asia No.2 (15)16. Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Sargsyan Int’l No.1 (nr)17. Azamat OMURZHANOV (KAZ) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.3 (nr)18. Muhammad NADERI – Takhti Cup No.1 (16)19. Aaron PICO (USA) – Medved Prizes No.3 (17)20. Ahmed SHAMIYA (CAN) – Canada Cup No.1 (nr)

74kg – Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) reversed a loss to Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) in the finals of the Medved Prizes in February with atechnical fall win at the World Cup to leap to No.4 in the rankings with a perfect 4-0 record in Los Angeles.

1. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) – World No.1 (1)2. Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) – World No.3 (2)3. PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) – World No.2 (4)4. Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) – World Cup No.1 (9)5. Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (3)6. Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) – Pan Am OG Qualifier No.1 (6)7. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) – Europe No.1 (7)8. Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (8)9. Narasingh YADAV (IND) – World No.3 (5)10. Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) – Istanbul OG No.1 (10)11. Yakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) – European OG Qualifier No.2 (14)12. Zaur MAKIEV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (11)13. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (12)14. Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.3 (13)15. Sosuke TAKATANI (JPN) – Macedonian Pearl No.1 (16)16. Galimzhan USSERBAEV (KAZ) – Asian OG Qualifier No.1 (17)17. Moustafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (15)18. Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (nr)19. Taymuraz FRIEV NASKIDEAVA (ESP) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.2 (18)20. Georgi IVANOV (BUL) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (19)

86kg – Two-time world silver medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) grabbed three tournament titles in June, including the Ziolkowski crown,to climb to No.4, while Jayden COX (USA) notched three wins at the World Cup in Los Angeles to debut in the rankings at No.10.

1. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)2. Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (2)3. Selim YASAR (TUR) – World No.2 (4)4. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.1 (10)5. Aleksander GOSTIEV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (3)6. Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO) – World No.3 (6)7. Ehsan LASHGARI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (8)8. ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL) – Asia OG Qualifier No.1 (9)9. Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.3 (12)10. Jayden COX (USA) – World Cup No.2 (nr)11. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (7)12. Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) – World No.3 (5)13. Nurmagomed GADZHIEV (AZE) – Medved Prizes No.1 (11)14. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (19)15. Istvan VEREB (HUN) – European OG Qualifier No.1 (15)16. Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR) – Europe No.3 (13)17. Azlan KAKHIDZE (KAZ) – Asia OG Qualifier No.2 (14)18. Amarhadshi MAGOMEDOV (BLR) – European OG Qualifier No.2 (16)19. BI Shengfeng (CHN) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.1 (17)20. KIM Gwan-Uk (KOR) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.2 (18)

97kg – Dan Kolov winner Radoslaw BARAN (POL) grabbed a third place at the Ziolkowski International for No.7 in the rankings while Ziolkowskirunner-up Nicolae CEBAN (MDA) climbed three places to No.11.

1. Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (1)2. Khadshimourad GATSALOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (2)3. Kyle SNYDER (USA) – Medved Prizes No.3 (3)4. Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) – World No.2 (4)5. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) – Europe No.3 (5)6. Khetag GAZUMOV (AZE) – World No.3 (6)7. Radoslaw BARAN (POL) – Ziolkowski No.3 (10)8. Valeri ANDRIITSEV (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (7)9. Pavlo OLIYNIK (UKR) – World No.3 (8)10. Reza YAZDANI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (9)11. Nicolae CEBAN (MDA) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (14)12. Georgi KETOEV (ARM) – Sargsyan Int’l No.1 (12)13. Ibragim BOLUKBASI (TUR) – European OG Qualifier No.2 (11)14. Albert SARITOV (ROU) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.1 (13)15. DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.2 (15)16. Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ) – Asia OG Qualifier No.1 (16)17. Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.3 (20)18. Javier CORTINA LACERRA (CUB) – Pan Am OG Qualifier No.1 (nr)19. Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) – Europe No.2 (17)20. Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) - Pan America No.1 (18)

125kg – World bronze medalist Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) climbs to No.2 in the rankings with a win at the Ziolkowski International, while Russiannational champ Muhamadgazi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) debuts at No.12 in the rankings after finishing runner-up in Poland.

1. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.1 (1)2. Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.1 (3)3. Parviz HADI (IRI) – Sargsyan Int’l No.1 (4)4. Taha AKGUL (TUR) – World No.1 (2)5. Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) – Asia OG Qualifier No.1 (6)6. DENG Zhiwei (CHN) – Ziolkowski Int’1 No.3 (9)7. Levan BERIANIDZE (ARM) – Sargsyan No.3 (11)8. Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) – Yasar Dogu No.3 (5)9. JARGALSAIKHAN Chuluunbat (MGL) – Paris GP No.3 (7)10. Daulet SHABANBAY (KAZ) – Asia No.2 (8)11. Robert BARAN (POL) – Europe No.2 (10)12. Muhamadgazi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Ziolkowski Int’l No.2 (nr)13. Tervel DLAGNEV (USA) – Pan Am OG Qualifier No.1 (12)14. Daniel LIGETI (HUN) – European OG Qualifier No.1 (13)15. Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (UKR) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.1 (14)16. Lyuben ILIEV (BUL) – European OG Qualifier No.2 (16)17. Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) – Asia No.3 (16)

17. Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) – Asia No.3 (16)18. Aleksey NIKOLAEV (BLR) – Europe No.3 (17)19. Luis VIVENES (VEN) – Paris GP No.2 (18)20. Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) – Africa No.1 (19)

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