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  • Photo: Sam Janicki

    Seth Petarra •

    Photo: Sam Janicki

    2021 World Championship Preview: 125 kg Men's Freestyle

    Nick Gwiazdowski at the 2021 World Team Trials(Photo/Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com)

    The greatest heavyweight rivalry in wrestling returns as a pair of three-time World/Olympic champions in #1 Taha Akgul of Turkey and #2 Geno Petriashvili of Georgia looks to climb back atop the podium after bronze and silver medal finishes in Tokyo. Tokyo bronze medalist #3 Amir Zare of Iran has announced himself as heavyweight's premier young talent with the departure of Olympic champion Gable Steveson of the US and looks to cap his year off with world gold.

    Title Contenders

  • #1 Taha Akgul (TUR)- 2013 world bronze medalist, 2x World champion (‘14 & ‘15), 2016 Olympic champion, 2x world runner-up (‘17,'19), 2021 Olympic bronze medalist 7x European champion (‘12,'13,'14,'17,'18,'19, ‘21), 2015 European Games champion, 6x Yasar Dogu champion (‘12, ‘13, ‘14, ‘15, ‘16, ‘19), 2012 Ziolkowski runner-up, 2010 Junior world runner-up, 2019 Yarygin runner-up. Key Wins: #2 Geno Petriashvili ( 2013 Yasar Dogu, 2013 Moscow lights tournament, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 European championships), Bilyal Makhov (2015 world championships), #7 Sergey Kozyrev (2021 European championships finals), #8 Nick Gwiazdowski (2017 world championships, 2019 Yasar Dogu finals), #9 Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (2021 Olympics bronze medal match) #10 Dzianis Khramiankov (2021 European championships), Khomeil Ghasemi (2014 world finals, 2016 Olympic finals), Khadzhimurat Gatsalov (2014 Yasar Dogu), #6 Zhiwei Deng (2013 University World Games, 2019 world championships). Key Losses: #2 Geno Petriashvili (2016 European championships, 2017 world finals, 2019 world finals), Gable Steveson (2021 Olympic quarterfinals) Fatih Cakiroglu (2011 Yasar Dogu, 2010 Mediterranean championships), Tervel Dlagnev (2012 Ziolkowski finals), Alan Zasieiev (2013 world championships), Muradin Kushkov (2010 Junior world finals), #12 Anzor Khizriev (2019 Yarygin finals), Parviz Hadi (2018 world championships quarterfinals), Bilyal Makhov (2012 Olympics), Daniel Ligeti (2011 FILA test tournament)

  • #2 Geno Petriashvili (GEO)- 3x World champion (‘17, ‘18, ‘19), 2021 Olympic runner-up, 2x world bronze medalist (‘13 & ‘15), 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, Key Wins: #1 Taha Akgul (2016 Euros, 2017 worlds, 2019 world finals), #3 Amir Zare (2021 Olympic semifinals), #6 Zhiwei Deng (2015 Ziolkowski, 2013 world bronze medal match, 2018 world finals, 2021 Olympics quarterfinals), Yadollah Mohebbi (2018 Tbilsi GP semis, 2016 Baku GGP), #8 Nick Gwiazdowski (2017 World Club Cup), Tervel Dlagnev (2016 Olympics), Khomeil Ghasemi (2016 Medved) Key Losses: Jamaluddin magomedov(2015 worlds), Khadzhimurad Gatsalov(2013 worlds), Adam Coon(2011 Cadet worlds), Alexei Shemarov(2015 European Games), Alan Zasieiev(2013 European Championships, 2014 world cup), Magomedghadshi Nuraslanov(2012 Junior worlds), Khomeil Ghasem(2016 Olympics), Taha Akgul(2017 European Championships, 2013 European Nations Cup, 2018 European Championships finals, 2019 European championships, 2021 European championships, 2013 Yasar Dogu), Oleksandr Khotsianivski (2018 International Ukrainian tournament), #3 Amir Zare (2019 Iranian Club League), Gable Steveson (2021 Olympics Finals)

  • #3 Amir Zare (IRI)- 2018 110 KG Cadet Asian Champion, 2018 110 KG Cadet world champion, 2018 Youth Olympic Games runner-up, 2019 Junior Asian champ, 2019 Junior World runner-up, 2019 U-23 world champ, 2019 Alans bronze medalist, 2020 Matteo Pellicone champ, 2020 Iranian World Team Trials runner-up, 2021 Ziolkowski champ, 2021 Olympic bronze medalist. Key Wins: #2 Geno Petriashvili (2019 Club World Championships), #6 Zhiwei Deng (2021 Olympic bronze medal match) Yusup Batirmurzaev (2019 U-23 world championships, 2020 Matteo Pellicone), Bilyal Makhov (2020 Matteo Pellicone finals), #8 Nick Gwiazdowski (2019 Alans bronze medal match, 2021 Ziolkowski finals), Amin Taheri (2020 Iranian World Team Trials), Yadollah Mohebbi (2020 Iranian World Team Trials), Parviz Hadi (2020 Iranian World Team Trials), Khasanboy Rakhimov (2019 Alans), Vitali Goloev (2019 U-23 world finals). Key Losses: #6 Sergey Kozyrev (2018 110 KG Youth Olympic Games Finals), #8 Amin Taheri (2020 Iranian World Team Trials), #18 Batraz Gazzaev (2019 Alans semifinals), Mason Parris (2019 Junior world finals), #2 Geno Petriashvili (2021 Olympic semifinals)

    Akgul has never beaten Petriashvili at a World/Olympic championships and Petriashvili has never beaten Akgul at the European championships with the record between the two sitting at 6-3 with Akgul taking the lead. While Akgul hasn't been able to pull it out late against Akgul in his matches at the 2017 and 2019 world finals, I have a feeling now Akgul will be able to pull the trigger and have what it takes to win World/Olympic title #4. Don't count out #3 Amir Zare because if his defense holds up against Akgul, he has the pace and handfighting to crowd and potentially upset the Turkish front runner. And it can't be forgotten that Zare is 1-1 with Petriashvili and led him throughout their Tokyo semifinal bout. The young Iranian is a major x-factor in this weight and Oslo can be his homecoming.


    Medal Contenders

  • #4 Zelimkhan Khizriev (RWF)- 2021 Russian World Team Trials Wrestle-Offs champion, 2021 Ali Aliev champion, 2021 Yarygin champion 2019 Yarygin bronze medalist, 2019 Russian Nationals bronze medalist, 2021 Russian Nationals 5th place finisher, 2019 Ali Aliev champion, 2018 Ali Aliev champion 2017 Ziolkowski runner-up, 2015 Junior European bronze medalist. Key Wins: #8 Nick Gwiazdowski (2019 DRL), #6 Zhiwei Deng (2019 Yarygin bronze medal match), #5 Baldan Tsyzhipov (2021 Russian World Team Trials Wrestle-Offs), #11 Shamil Sharipov (2021 Russian World Team Wrestle-Offs), #20 Kazbek Khubulov (2021 Russian Nationals), Yusup Batirmurzaev (2021 Ali Aliev),Tamerlan Rasuev (2021 Russian Nationals), Khamzat Khizriev (2021 Yarygin Finals, 2019 Russian Nationals), Kamil Kosciolek (2021 Ali Aliev finals), #17 Atsamaz Tebloev (2019 Russian Nationals bronze medal match), Magomedamin Dibirov (2018 Ali Aliev champion) Key Losses: #7 Sergey Kozyrev (2021 Russian Nationals), #13 Anzor Khizriev (2021 Russian Nationals bronze medal match, 2020 Russian Nationals, 2019 Yarygin, 2017 Russian Nationals), Alan Khugaev (2019 Russian Nationals), Daniel Ligeti (2017 Ziolkowski finals), Magomedgadzhi Nurasulov (2018 Russian Nationals)

  • #8 Nick Gwiazdowski (USA)- 2015 Bill Farrell Invitational 1st, 2015 Grand Prix of Spain 1st, 2016 Ziolkowski 1st, 2017 world bronze medallist, 2018 Yarygin bronze medalist, 2018 Pan-Am champ, 2018 Final X champ, 2018 Yasar Dogu bronze, 2018 world bronze medalist Key Wins: Gable Steveson (2019 Final X), #6 Zhiwei Deng(2016 Grand Prix of Spain finals), Alexander Khotsianivski(2016 Ziolkowski), Parviz Hadi(2016 World Club Cup), Yadollah Mohebi (2017 worlds), Sumit Sumit (2018 World bronze medal match), Amarveer Dhesi (2018 world's repechage), #13 Anzor Khizriev (2018 DRL), #9 Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (2018 Yarygin bronze medal match), Mason Parris (2020 RTC Cup, 2021 US World Team Trials) Key Losses: #1 Taha Akgul (2017 worlds), #2 Geno Petriashvili (2017 World Club Cup), Oleksandr Khotsianivski (2018 Yasar Dogu semis), #6 Zhiwei Deng (2018 world quarters), Yadollah Mohebbi (2019 world championships), Gable Steveson (2021 Olympic Trials finals), #3 Amir Zare (2019 Alans bronze medal match, 2021 Ziolkowski finals), #4 Zelimkhan Khizriev (2019 DRL), Mason Parris (2020 RTC Cup)

  • #9 Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (MGL)- 2021 Olympics 5th place finisher, 2019 U-23 world bronze medalist, 2021 Asian OG Qualifier runner-up, 2019 U-23 Asian championships runner-up, 2017 Junior Asian Championships runner-up. Key Wins: #10 Dzianis Khramiankov (2021 Olympic Games), #18 Gennadij Cudinovic (2021 Olympic Games), #14 Aiaal Lazarev (2021 Asian OG Qualifier), Greg Kerkvliet (2019 U-23 World championships bronze medal match). Key Losses: Vitali Goloev (2019 U-23 world championships), Yusup Batirmurzaev (2019 U-23 Asian Championships, 2021 Asian OG Qualifier finals), Gable Steveson (2021 Olympics), #1 Taha Akgul (2021 Olympics bronze medal match).


    #4 Zelimkhan Khizriev (RWF) has made an absolutely standout second half of the year; winning titles at the Yarygin, Ali Aliev and winning the Russian World Team Trials wrestle-offs after failing to place at Russian Nationals. Khizriev was a known talent in Russia who broke through on the second half of the 2016-2020 quad when he took bronze at the 2019 Yarygin, beating returning world runner-up #6 Zhiwei Deng (CHN) for bronze. Khizriev has finally put it all together and with wins over #5 Baldan Tsyzhipov (RWF), #8 Nick Gwiazdowski (USA), #6 Zhiwei Deng (CHN) and #11 Shamil Sharipov (RWF), he really looks the part of someone who could breakthrough to challenge the trio of Petriashvili, Akgul, and Zare.

    Two-time world bronze medalist #8 Nick Gwiazdowski of the United States has made a strong comeback this year after finishing runner-up in the US Olympic Trials to eventual Olympic champion Gable Steveson (USA). A perennial contender, Gwiazdowski has taken wins over past world medalists Parviz Hadi (IRI), Oleksandr Khotsianivski (UKR) and #6 Zhiwei Deng (CHN). Gwiazdowski has had issues in the past with match IQ and getting stuck underneath counter-minded, brick-hipped heavyweights on his low shots, but a dialed-in Gwiazdowski has routinely shown himself capable of hanging with the best and I'm excited to see what he brings to Oslo.

    #9 Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (MGL) has been around the block for a while now, alternating between Senior, Junior, and U-23 events for the past quad. Munkhtur really got his first break at the end of 2019 when he beat Greg Kerkvliet (USA) for bronze at the U-23 World Championships. But 2021 has been the year Munkhtur has really broken through into a different tier, taking 5th at the Olympics and getting ranked wins this year over #10 Dzianis Khramiankov (BLR), #14 Aiaal Lazarev (KGZ) and #17 Gennadij Cudinovic (GER). Munkhtur brings a highly physical skillset into his matches and while he doesn't boast the technical acumen the likes of Akgul or Petriashvili, his ability to leverage his natural length and size into a hard-nosed, explosive heavyweight style has shown to give guys real problems. Expect to see him continue to grow throughout this quad.

    I'm very excited to see how heavyweight ends up playing out in Oslo. Between the race between Akgul and Petriashvili for World/Olympic title #4 and Zare looking better than ever in Tokyo, I'm thrilled. Add in Zelimkhan Khizriev giving Russia a real shot at their first world medalist in 6 years and you've got a weight you can't miss.
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