Listed are wrestlers who were World or Olympic Champions in men's freestyle wrestling. Men's freestyle wrestling competition began at the Olympics in 1904. The World Championships for men's freestyle wrestling began in 1951. The World Championships takes place during non-Olympic years. At the World Championships team scoring is kept, while no official team statistics are kept at the Olympics.
World Level Champions in Men's Freestyle Wrestling by Year and Weight Olympic Champions and Olympic competition years in freestyle wrestling are highlighted in gold.
1904 Year Team 47.6 kg 52.2 kg 56.7 kg 61.2 kg 65.8 kg 71.7 kg 71.7+ kg 1904 Curry, Robert (1/1) Mehnert, George (1/2) Niflot, Isidor (1/1) Bradshaw, Benjamin (1/1) Roehm, Otto (1/1) Ericksen, Charles (1/1) Hansen, Bernhoff (1/1)
1908 Year Team 54 kg 60.3 kg 66.6 kg 73 kg 73+ kg 1908 Mehnert, George (2/2) Dole, George (1/1) de Relwyskow, George (1/1) Bacon, Stanley (1/1) O'Kelly, Con (1/1)
1920 Year Team 60 kg 67.5 kg 75 kg 82.5 kg 82.5+ kg 1920 Ackerly, Charles (1/1) Anttila, Kalle (1/1) Leino, Eino (1/1) Larsson, Anders (1/1) Roth, Robert (1/1)
1924–1936 Year Team 56 kg 61 kg 66 kg 72 kg 79 kg 87 kg 87+ kg 1924 Pihlajamäki, Kustaa (1/2) Reed, Robin (1/1) Vis, Russell (1/1) Gehri, Hermann (1/1) Hagmann, Fritz (1/1) Spellman, John (1/1) Steel, Harry (1/1) 1928 Mäkinen, Kaarlo (1/1) Morrison, Allie (1/1) Käpp, Osvald (1/1) Haavisto, Arvo (1/1) Kyburz, Ernst (1/1) Sjöstedt, Thure (1/1) Richthoff, Johan (1/2) 1932 Pearce, Robert (1/1) Pihlajamäki, Hermanni (1/1) Pacôme, Charles (1/1) van Bebber, Jack (1/1) Johansson, Ivar (1/1) Mehringer, Peter (1/1) Richthoff, Johan (2/2) 1936 Zombori, Ödön (1/1) Pihlajamäki, Kustaa (2/2) Kárpáti, Károly (1/1) Lewis, Frank (1/1) Poilvé, Emile (1/1) Fridell, Knut (1/1) Palusalu, Kristjan (1/1)
1948–1968 Year Team 52 kg 57 kg 62 kg (−1961), 63 kg (1962–1968) 67 kg (−1961), 70 kg (1962–1968) 73 kg (−1961), 78 kg (1962–1968) 79 kg (−1961), 87 kg (1962–1968) 87 kg (−1961), 97 kg (1962–1968) 87+ kg (−1961), 97+ kg (1962–1968) 1948 Viitala, Lenni (1/1) Akar, Nasuh (1/2) Bilge, Gazanfer (1/1) Atik, Celal (1/2) Doğu, Yaşar (1/2) Brand, Glen (1/1) Wittenberg, Henry (1/1) Bóbis, Gyula (1/1) 1949 N/A No Championships Held 1950 N/A No Championships Held 1951 Yuecel, Ali (1/1) Akar, Nasuh (2/2) Zafer, Nurettin (1/1) Anderberg, Olle (1/2) Atik, Celal (2/2) Zafer, Haydar (1/1) Doğu, Yaşar (2/2) Antonsson, Bertil (1/1) 1952 Gemici, Hasan (1/1) Ishii, Shohachi (1/1) Şit, Bayram (1/1) Anderberg, Olle (2/2) Smith, William (1/1) Tsimakuridze, David (1/1) Palm, Viking (1/1) Mekokishvili, Arsen (1/2) 1953 N/A No Championships Held 1954 Akbaş, Hüseyin (1/4) Dağıstanlı, Mustafa (1/5) Sasahara, Shozo (1/2) Towfigh, Jahanbakht (1/1) Balavadze, Vakhtang (1/2) Zandi, Abbas (1/1) Englas, August (1/1) Mekokishvili, Arsen (2/2) 1955 N/A No Championships Held 1956 Tsalkalamanidze, Mirian (1/1) Dağıstanlı, Mustafa (2/5) Sasahara, Shozo (2/2) Habibi, Emam-Ali (1/4) Ikeda, Mitsuo (1/1) Stanchev, Nikola (1/1) Takhti, Gholamreza (1/3) Kaplan, Hamit (1/2) 1957 Kartal, Mehmet (1/1) Akbaş, Hüseyin (2/4) Dağıstanlı, Mustafa (3/5) Bestayev, Alimbeg (1/1) Balavadze, Vakhtang (2/2) Sorouri, Nabi (1/1) Sirakov, Petko (1/1) Kaplan, Hamit (2/2) 1958 N/A No Championships Held 1959 Aliev, Ali (1/5) Akbaş, Hüseyin (3/4) Dağıstanlı, Mustafa (4/5) Sinyavski, Vladimir (1/1) Habibi, Emam-Ali (2/4) Skhirtladze, Georgi (1/1) Takhti, Gholamreza (2/3) Ahmedov, Lyutvi (1/1) 1960 Bilek, Ahmet (1/1) McCann, Terry (1/1) Dağıstanlı, Mustafa (5/5) Wilson, Shelby (1/1) Blubaugh, Douglas (1/1) Güngör, Hasan (1/1) Atli, Ismet (1/1) Dietrich, Wilfried (1/2) 1961 Aliev, Ali (2/5) Seifpour, Ebrahim (1/2) Rubashvili, Vladimir (1/1) Sanatkaran, Mohammad (1/1) Habibi, Emam-Ali (3/4) Mehdizadeh, Mansour (1/3) Takhti, Gholamreza (3/3) Dietrich, Wilfried (2/2) 1962 Aliev, Ali (3/5) Akbaş, Hüseyin (4/4) Watanabe, Osamu (1/3) Valchev, Enyu (1/2) Habibi, Emam-Ali (4/4) Mehdizadeh, Mansour (2/3) Medved, Aleksandr (1/10) Ivanitsky, Aleksandr (1/5) 1963 Yanilmaz, Cemal (1/1) Ibragimov, Aydin (1/1) Watanabe, Osamu (2/3) Horiuchi, Iwao (1/1) Sagaradze, Guliko (1/2) Gardzhev, Prodan (1/3) Medved, Aleksandr (2/10) Ivanitsky, Aleksandr (2/5) 1964 Yoshida, Yoshikatsu (1/1) Uetake, Yojiro (1/2) Watanabe, Osamu (3/3) Valchev, Enyu (2/2) Ogan, Ismail (1/1) Gardzhev, Prodan (2/3) Medved, Aleksandr (3/10) Ivanitsky, Aleksandr (3/5) 1965 Yoshida, Yoshihisa (1/1) Fukuda, Tomiaki (1/1) Seifpour, Ebrahim (2/2) Mohaved, Abdollah (1/6) Sagaradze, Guliko (2/2) Mehdizadeh, Mansour (3/3) Ayık, Ahmet (1/3) Ivanitsky, Aleksandr (4/5) 1966 Chang, Chang-sun (1/1) Aliev, Ali (4/5) Kaneka, Masaaki (1/3) Mohaved, Abdollah (2/6) Atalay, Mahmut (1/2) Gardzhev, Prodan (3/3) Medved, Aleksandr (4/10) Ivanitsky, Aleksandr (5/5) 1967 Nakata, Shigeo (1/2) Aliev, Ali (5/5) Kaneka, Masaaki (2/3) Mohaved, Abdollah (3/6) Robin, Daniel (1/1) Gurevich, Boris Mikhaylovich (1/3) Ayık, Ahmet (2/3) Medved, Aleksandr (5/10) 1968 Nakata, Shigeo (2/2) Uetake, Yojiro (2/2) Kaneka, Masaaki (3/3) Mohaved, Abdollah (4/6) Atalay, Mahmut (2/2) Gurevich, Boris Mikhaylovich (2/3) Ayık, Ahmet (3/3) Medved, Aleksandr (6/10)
1969–1996 Year Team 48 kg 52 kg 57 kg 62 kg 68 kg 74 kg 82 kg 90 kg 100 kg 100+ kg (−1984), 130 kg (1985–1996) 1969 Javadi, Ebrahim (1/4) Sanders, Rick (1/1) Tanaka, Tadamichi (1/1) Morita, Takeo (1/1) Mohaved, Abdollah (5/6) Beriashvili, Zarbeg (1/1) Fozzard, Fred (1/1) Gurevich, Boris Mikhaylovich (3/3) Lomidze, Shota (1/2) Medved, Aleksandr (7/10) 1970 Javadi, Ebrahim (2/4) Alan, Ali Riza (1/1) Yanagida, Hideaki (1/3) Seyed, Shamseddin (1/1) Mohaved, Abdollah (6/6) Wells, Wayne (1/2) Shakhmuradov, Yury (1/1) Strakhov, Gennady (1/1) Gulyutkin, Vladimir (1/2) Medved, Aleksandr (8/10) 1971 Javadi, Ebrahim (3/4) Ghorbani, Mohammad (1/1) Yanagida, Hideaki (2/3) Abdulbekov, Zagalav (1/3) Gable, Dan (1/2) Gusov, Yury (1/1) Tediashvili, Levan (1/6) Petrov, Rusi (1/1) Lomidze, Shota (2/2) Medved, Aleksandr (9/10) 1972 Dmitriyev, Roman (1/2) Kato, Kiyomi (1/1) Yanagida, Hideaki (3/3) Abdulbekov, Zagalav (2/3) Gable, Dan (2/2) Wells, Wayne (2/2) Tediashvili, Levan (2/6) Peterson, Ben (1/1) Yarygin, Ivan (1/3) Medved, Aleksandr (10/10) 1973 Dmitriyev, Roman (2/2) Javadi, Ebrahim (4/4) Farahvashi, Mohsen (1/1) Abdulbekov, Zagalav (3/3) Keaser, Lloyd (1/1) Barzegar, Mansour (1/1) Syulzhin, Vasily (1/1) Tediashvili, Levan (3/6) Yarygin, Ivan (2/3) Andiyev, Soslan (1/6) 1974 Isaev, Khasan (1/3) Takada, Yuji (1/5) Yumin, Vladimir (1/5) Oidov, Zevegiin (1/2) Nasrullayev, Nasrulla (1/1) Ashuraliyev, Ruslan (1/2) Novozhilov, Viktor (1/1) Tediashvili, Levan (4/6) Gulyutkin, Vladimir (2/2) Simon, Ladislau (1/1) 1975 Isaev, Khasan (2/3) Takada, Yuji (2/5) Arai, Masao (1/1) Oidov, Zevegiin (2/2) Pinigin, Pavel (1/4) Ashuraliyev, Ruslan (2/2) Seger, Adolf (1/2) Tediashvili, Levan (5/6) Bayanmönkh, Khorloogiin (1/1) Andiyev, Soslan (2/6) 1976 Isaev, Khasan (3/3) Takada, Yuji (3/5) Yumin, Vladimir (2/5) Yang, Jung-mo (1/1) Pinigin, Pavel (2/4) Date, Jiichiro (1/1) Peterson, John (1/1) Tediashvili, Levan (6/6) Yarygin, Ivan (3/3) Andiyev, Soslan (3/6) 1977 Beloglazov, Anatoly (1/4) Takada, Yuji (4/5) Sasaki, Tadashi (1/1) Yumin, Vladimir (3/5) Pinigin, Pavel (3/4) Dziedzic, Stan (1/1) Seger, Adolf (2/2) Prokopchuk, Anatoly (1/1) Bisultanov, Aslanbek (2/2) Andiyev, Soslan (4/6) 1978 Kornilayev, Sergei (1/4) Beloglazov, Anatoly (2/4) Tomiyama, Hideaki (1/3) Yumin, Vladimir (4/5) Pinigin, Pavel (4/4) Kemp, Lee (1/3) Aratsilov, Magomedkhan (1/1) Neupert, Uwe (1/2) Büttner, Harald (1/1) Andiyev, Soslan (5/6) 1979 Kornilayev, Sergei (2/4) Takada, Yuji (5/5) Tomiyama, Hideaki (2/3) Yumin, Vladimir (5/5) Charachura, Mikhail (1/2) Kemp, Lee (2/3) Kovács, István (1/1) Ortzev, Khasan (1/1) Mate, Ilya (1/3) Khasimikov, Salman (1/4) 1980 Pollio, Claudio (1/1) Beloglazov, Anatoly (3/4) Beloglazov, Sergei (1/8) Abushev, Magomedgasan (3/3) Absaidov, Saipulla (1/2) Raychev, Valentin (1/1) Abilov, Ismail (1/1) Oganisyan, Sanasar (2/3) Mate, Ilya (2/3) Andiyev, Soslan (6/6) 1981 Kornilayev, Sergei (3/4) Asakura, Toshio (1/1) Beloglazov, Sergei (2/8) Shterev, Simeon (1/1) Absaidov, Saipulla (2/2) Knosp, Martin (1/1) Campbell, Chris (1/1) Oganisyan, Sanasar (3/3) Gehrke, Roland (1/1) Khasimikov, Salman (2/4) 1982 Kornilayev, Sergei (4/4) Reich, Hartmut (1/1) Beloglazov, Anatoly (4/4) Beloglazov, Sergei (3/8) Charachura, Mikhail (2/2) Kemp, Lee (3/3) Dzgoev, Taymuraz (1/2) Neupert, Uwe (2/2) Mate, Ilya (3/3) Khasimikov, Salman (3/4) 1983 Kim, Chol-han (1/2) Yordanov, Valentin (1/8) Beloglazov, Sergei (4/8) Alekseev, Viktor (1/2) Fadzaev, Arsen (1/8) Schultz, Dave (1/2) Dzgoev, Taymuraz (2/2) Naniev, Petr (1/1) Khadartsev, Aslan (1/3) Khasimikov, Salman (4/4) 1984 Weaver, Bobby (1/1) Trstena, Šaban (1/1) Tomiyama, Hideaki (3/3) Lewis, Randy (1/1) You, In-tak (1/1) Schultz, Dave (2/2) Schultz, Mark (1/3) Banach, Ed (1/1) Banach, Lou (1/1) Baumgartner, Bruce (1/5) 1985 Kim, Chol-han (2/2) Yordanov, Valentin (2/8) Beloglazov, Sergei (5/8) Alekseev, Viktor (2/2) Fadzaev, Arsen (2/8) Cascaret, Raúl (1/2) Schultz, Mark (2/3) Scherr, Bill (1/1) Khabelov, Leri (1/6) Gobezhishvili, David (1/3) 1986 Li, Jae-sik (1/2) Kim Yong-sik (1/2) Beloglazov, Sergei (6/8) Isayev, Khazar (1/1) Fadzaev, Arsen (3/8) Cascaret, Raúl (2/2) Modosian, Vladimir (1/1) Khadartsev, Makharbek (1/7) Khadartsev, Aslan (2/3) Baumgartner, Bruce (2/5) 1987 Li, Jae-sik (2/2) Yordanov, Valentin (3/8) Beloglazov, Sergei (7/8) Smith, John (1/6) Fadzaev, Arsen (4/8) Varayev, Adlan (1/1) Schultz, Mark (3/3) Khadartsev, Makharbek (2/7) Khabelov, Leri (2/6) Khadartsev, Aslan (3/3) 1988 Kobayashi, Takashi (1/1) Sato, Mitsuru (1/1) Beloglazov, Sergei (8/8) Smith, John (2/6) Fadzaev, Arsen (5/8) Monday, Kenny (1/2) Han, Myung-woo (1/1) Khadartsev, Makharbek (3/7) Puşcaşu, Vasile (1/1) Gobezhishvili, David (2/3) 1989 Kim, Jong-shin (1/1) Yordanov, Valentin (4/8) Kim Yong-sik (2/2) Smith, John (3/6) Budayev, Boris (1/1) Monday, Kenny (2/2) Jabrailov, Elmadi (1/1) Khadartsev, Makharbek (4/7) Atavov, Ahmed (1/1) Soleimani, Alireza (1/1) 1990 Martínez, Aldo (1/1) Torkan, Majid (1/1) Puerto, Alejandro (1/3) Smith, John (4/6) Fadzaev, Arsen (6/8) Sukra, Rahmat (1/1) Lohyňa, Jozef (1/1) Khadartsev, Makharbek (5/7) Khabelov, Leri (3/6) Gobezhishvili, David (3/3) 1991 Vugar Orujov (1/2) Jones, Zeke (1/1) Smal, Sergey (1/1) Smith, John (5/6) Fadzaev, Arsen (7/8) Khadem, Amir Reza (1/1) Jackson, Kevin (1/3) Khadartsev, Makharbek (6/7) Khabelov, Leri (4/6) Schröder, Andreas (1/1) 1992 Kim, Il (1/2) Ri, Hak-son (1/1) Puerto, Alejandro (2/3) Smith, John (6/6) Fadzaev, Arsen (8/8) Park, Jang-soon (1/2) Jackson, Kevin (2/3) Khadartsev, Makharbek (7/7) Khabelov, Leri (5/6) Baumgartner, Bruce (3/5) 1993 Vila, Alexis (1/2) Yordanov, Valentin (5/8) Brands, Terry (1/2) Brands, Tom (1/2) Fallah, Akbar (1/1) Park, Jang-soon (2/2) Öztürk, Sabahattin (1/1) Douglas, Melvin (1/1) Khabelov, Leri (6/6) Baumgartner, Bruce (4/5) 1994 Vila, Alexis (2/2) Yordanov, Valentin (6/8) Puerto, Alejandro (3/3) Azizov, Magomed (1/1) Leipold, Alexander (1/1) Ceylan, Turan (1/1) Zhabrailov, Lukman (1/1) Rasoul, Khadem (1/3) Sabejew, Arawat (1/1) Demir, Mahmut (1/2) 1995 Oroudjov, Vougar (2/2) Yordanov, Valentin (7/8) Brands, Terry (2/2) Tedeyev, Elbrus (1/4) Gevorgyan, Arayik (1/3) Saitiev, Buvaisar (1/9) Jackson, Kevin (3/3) Rasoul, Khadem (2/3) Angle, Kurt (1/2) Baumgartner, Bruce (5/5) 1996 Kim, Il (2/2) Yordanov, Valentin (8/8) Cross, Kendall (1/1) Brands, Tom (2/2) Bogiyev, Vadim (1/1) Saitiev, Buvaisar (2/9) Magomedov, Khadzhimurad (1/2) Rasoul, Khadem (3/3) Angle, Kurt (2/2) Demir, Mahmut (2/2)
1997–2001