The 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas are getting so close and after a busy month of July, the United World Wrestling organization has put out a new set of rankings and once again two Iowans made the list of top 20 wrestlers at each weight.
Usually we start the UWW rankings post with Tony Ramos, but with Brent Metcalf climbing to #2 in the 65 kg weight class, it’s hard to not lead with his story. Metcalf continues his big climb up the rankings as he added a Pan American Games gold medal to his resume to reach the second spot in the rankings. He now only sits behind Mohammadi of Iran, who was the silver medalist at this weight in 2014. Metcalf has long been motivated to win a medal at this weight, and now with a #2 ranking, he is quickly becoming one of America’s best chances at winning some hardware.
65 KG –
1. Sayed Ahmad MOHAMMADI (IRI) – World No.2 (1)
2. Brent METCALF (USA) – Pan Am Games No.1 (5)
3. Togrul ASGAROV (AZE) – Euro Games No.1 (6)
4. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.2 (2)
5. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) – Ziolkowski No.1 (7)
Brent’s Hawkeye Wrestling Club teammate Tony Ramos checks in at #17 in the 57 kg rankings. Ramos has fallen from #13, to 15, and now 17, but it is due to inactivity not to any losses. Ramos was slated to travel to Canada and compete in the Pan American Games for Team USA, but had to withdraw from the event. His replacement, Angel Escobedo went out and brought home a silver medal for America.
57 KG –
1. YANG Kyong-Il (PRK) – World No.1 (1)
2. Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) – European Games No.1 (5)
3. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – Pan American Games No.1 (3@61)
4. Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) – World Cup No.2 (5)
5. ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) – Asia No.1 (3)
17. Anthony RAMOS (USA) – Paris Grand Prix No.1 (15)
[…] as one of their favorites to medal for America. Here we are now in 2015 and Metcalf has ascended to #2 in the latest World rankings, but despite his consistency, his lack of success at the World tournament has fans […]