This is a ranking of the best wrestlers in the world in Greco-Roman wrestling of all time. The athletes are ranked according to their World Championship and Olympic Games titles. If the number is the same, silver and bronze medals are also considered. Wrestlers who are still active and who can theoretically move up in the ranking, their names are highlighted in red. Newcomer to the 2022 ranking list, Rıza Kayaalp, made it to the finals as usual at the 2023 World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia. He was physically in top condition, but gave away the victory in the last seconds of the final fight and with it the possibility to equal Nikolay Balboshin in the medal ranking. Exactly the same fate has befallen Artur Aleksanyan, also new in the ranking list since 2022. (last updated: 2023)
1. Aleksandr Karelin
Russian, representing Soviet Union and Russia
12 world level titles
1988 Olympic champion
1989 world champion
1990 world champion
1991 world champion
1992 Olympic champion
1993 world champion
1994 world champion
1995 world champion
1996 Olympic champion
1997 world champion
1998 world champion
1999 world champion
Karelins record in his wrestling career is 887 wins and two losses.
2. Mijaín López
Cuban, representing Cuba
9 world level titles
2005 world champion
2007 world champion
2008 Olympic champion
2009 world champion
2010 world champion
2012 Olympic champion
2014 world champion
2016 Olympic champion
2020 Olympic champion
López is the only wrestler in the world to have won the Olympic gold medal four times.
3. Valery Rezantsev
Russian, representing Soviet Union
7 world level titles
1970 world champion
1971 world champion
1972 Olympic champion
1973 world champion
1974 world champion
1975 world champion
1976 Olympic champion
Rezantsev has not suffered a single defeat in all the international championships in which he has participated.
4. Hamid Sourian
Iranian, representing Iran
7 world level titles
2005 world champion
2006 world champion
2007 world champion
2009 world champion
2010 world champion
2012 Olympic champion
2014 world champion
Sourian is the first Iranian wrestler to win a gold medal in Greco-Roman style at the Olympic Games for Iran.
5. Nikolay Balboshin
Russian, representing Soviet Union
6 world level titles
1973 world champion
1974 world champion
1976 Olympic champion
1977 world champion
1978 world champion
1979 world champion
At the 1976 Olympics, Balboshin pinned all five of his opponents.
6. Rıza Kayaalp
Turkish, representing Turkey
5 world level titles
2011 world champion
2015 world champion
2017 world champion
2019 world champion
2022 world champion
By winning his twelfth title, Kayaalp became one of two most decorated wrestlers in European tournaments.
7. Armen Nazaryan
Armenian, representing Armenia and Bulgaria
5 world level titles
1996 Olympic champion
2000 Olympic champion
2002 world champion
2003 world champion
2005 world champion
Nasarjan’s son Edmond became European champion in 2020 at the age of 18.
8. Artur Aleksanyan
Armenian, representing Armenia
5 world level titles
2014 world champion
2015 world champion
2016 Olympic champion
2017 world champion
2022 world champion
Aleksanyan is the most decorated Armenian wrestler in European tournaments.
9. Hamza Yerlikaya
Turkish, representing Turkey
5 world level titles
1993 world champion
1995 world champion
1996 Olympic champion
2000 Olympic champion
2005 world champion
In 1993, at the age of 17, Yerlikaya broke the record as the youngest world champion ever.
10. István Kozma
Hungarian, representing Hungary
5 world level titles
1962 world champion
1964 Olympic champion
1966 world champion
1967 world champion
1968 Olympic champion
Between 1959 and 1969 Kozma won 15 Hungarian championship titles, five of them in free style.
11. Roman Vlasov
Russian, representing Russia
5 world level titles
2011 world champion
2012 Olympic champion
2015 world champion
2016 Olympic champion
2021 world champion
Originally from Siberia, Vlasov is coached by, among others, Viktor Kuznetsov, who also trained the exceptional athlete Alexander Karelin.
12. Petar Kirov
Bulgarian, representing Bulgaria
5 world level titles
1968 Olympic champion
1970 world champion
1971 world champion
1972 Olympic champion
1974 world champion
Kirov started wrestling as a teenager and did not compete in an international championship until he was 24.
13. Roman Rurua
Georgian, representing Soviet Union
5 world level titles
1966 world champion
1967 world champion
1968 Olympic champion
1969 world champion
1970 world champion
Between 1966 and 1970, Rurua was unbeaten internationally.
14. Aleksandar Tomov
Bulgarian, representing Bulgaria
5 world level titles
1971 world champion
1973 world champion
1974 world champion
1975 world champion
1979 world champion
With his additional 3 silver medals at the Olympic Games and 5 European titles, he is considered one of the most successful super heavyweights.
15. Gogi Koguashvili
Georgian, representing Russia
5 world level titles
1993 world champion
1994 world champion
1997 world champion
1998 world champion
1999 world champion
Koguashvili participated in 4 Olympic Games.
16. Viktor Igumenov
Russian, representing Soviet Union
5 world level titles
1966 world champion
1967 world champion
1969 world champion
1970 world champion
1971 world champion
After his active career Igumenov was head coach of the Soviet Union. At the 1976 Olympics, his Greco-Roman team won 7 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze out of 10 medals.
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