FILA releases new rankings, Metcalf breaks through

On Monday the international wrestling governing body, FILA, released new Men’s freestyle rankings, and for what feels like the first time in what feels like forever, Metcalf is finally in the rankings (thanks to Metcalf’s awesome performance at the Golden Grand Prix in Azerbaijan). Let’s take a look at the 65 KG wrestlers :

1. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (1)

2. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) – Ali Aliev No.1 (7)

3. Yogeshwar DUTT (IND) – Commonwealth Games No.1 (8)

4. David SAFARYAN (ARM) – German GP No.2 (9)

5. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) – CAC Games No.1 (2)

6. Servet COSKUN (TUR) – Europe No.2 (3)

7. Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) – Europe No.3 (4)

8. Konstantin KHABALASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.3 (5)

9. Sayed Ahmad MOHAMMADI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (6)

10. Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA) – Spanish GP No.1 (14)

11. Brent METCALF (USA) – GGP Final No.1 (nr)

12. Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE) – GGP Final No.2 (nr)

13. Haislan GARCIA VERANES (CAN) – GGP Final No.3 (nr)

14. Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) – Takhti Cup No.5 (13)

15. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.1 (12)

16. George BUCUR (ROU) – World University No.2 (19)

17. BATMAGNAI Batchuluun (MGL) – World University No.3 (13)

18. Andrey KVIATKOVSKI (UKR) – Ali Aliev No.2 (16)

19. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.3 (10)

20. KANG Jin-Hyeok (PRK) – Asia No.2 (9)

Taking a quick look we see that Metcalf makes his debut at #11 in the rankings. He did so by winning two really good matches at the aformentioned Golden Grand Prix. He defeated Haislan Garcia (#13 of Canada) 2-0 in the Prix’s semifinals, and then defeated Muslimov (#12 of Azerbaijan) 6-6 on criteria, with Metcalf hitting a sweet four point throw, to win the tournament.

Also, some other notable names on the list is Boris Novachkov (#7 of Bulgaria). While just because “X” beats wrestler “Y”, and “Y” defeated wrestler “Z”, so “X” can beat “Z” doesn’t always work, it should at least be noted that Jordan Oliver defeated Novachkov at the Beat the Streets event in New York earlier. Metcalf defeated Oliver twice at the World Team Trials in a best-of-three wrestle off to clinch the World Spot at 65 KG.

Of course the #1 guy Kurbanaliev of Russia also may sound familiar (for those who don’t follow along internationally very closely) and it should because he was the wrestler Metcalf defeated in exciting fashion at Beat the Streets this summer. It went a little something like this:

So while you can make a few arguments against what I am about to say, the main point I am trying to make is that while we may see Metcalf at only #11, it is still very possible that he can beat wrestlers that are ahead of him, even guys who are ten spots ahead of him in fact. FILA rankings aren’t always perfect, but hey, it’s all we got to go on. As long as Metcalf is peaking at the right time – which he appears to be on top of his game right now – I think we can begin to hope for a World medal from Metcalf, and we can even dream that he will bring home gold.