By Imagine the scene: a packed stadium filled with energy where two wrestlers walk onto a mat. No lights; no fanfare. Just intensity, strength, and heart. The whistle blows, and it is a full-on war of skill and willpower within seconds. That is the beauty of freestyle wrestlingâpure and powerful. But beyond that raw performance, technology is quietly changing how the best freestyle wrestlers of all time train, recover, and compete at the highest level.Â
Over time, many wrestlers have done much more than win matches. They have influenced generations, broken records, and created a different perspective on the sport. In this blog, we will share about the 20 legends that will be remembered forever on and off the mat.
These wrestlers are not ranked according to their achievements; this is simply a list of the top 20 best freestyle wrestlers of all time.
1. Jordan Burroughs (USA) – 74 kgs
Jordan Burroughs is recognised as one of the best freestyle wrestlers of all time. He is a five-time world champion and Olympic Gold Medalist. Famous for his double-leg takedown and relentless pace, Burroughs has earned a position as a global ambassador for wrestling. He has made over $595,000 in bonuses in his great career.Â
2. Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia ) – 97 kgs
Abdulrashid Sadulaev, known as the “Russian Tank,” is a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and six-time world champion. He also holds several European titles, like the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix, and national titles. He is among the few wrestlers to win world titles in three separate weight classes.
 3. Aleksandr Medved (Soviet Union) – 110 kgs
Aleksandr Medved is a Soviet wrestling legend who won three Olympic golds and seven world titles from 1962 to 1972. He was also an Olympic flag bearer and a Judge’s Oath sponsor in the 1980 Olympics. His accolades put him right on our list of the best freestyle wrestlers of all time.Â
4. Dan Gable (USA) – 68 kgs
Dan Gable’s legendary work ethic and dominance led to his undefeated record and 1972 Olympic gold medal. He became a great coach and set the stage for the future of freestyle wrestlers.
5. Kaori Icho (Japan) – 63 kgs
Kaori Icho is one of the Japanese best freestyle wrestlers of all time and the first woman in any sport to win four consecutive gold medals at the Olympics (2004-2016). Icho is a ten-time world champion who didn’t lose for over a decade. In 2016, Icho received the People’s Honour Award from Japan.
6. John Smith (United States) – 62 kgs
John Smith is an American wrestling legend, known for his low single-leg takedown. John Smith is a two-time NCAA Champion. He has two Olympic gold medals and has won four World Championships, making him one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers ever.
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7. Cael Sanderson (United States) – 84 kgs
Cael Sanderson is an American wrestling legend and the head coach of Penn State’s team. He also won an Olympic gold medal. With over 100 wins, Sanderson is the only NCAA Division I wrestler to win without losing. He has been considered one of the best freestyle wrestlers of all time.
8. Arsen Fadzaev (Former Soviet Union) – 68 kgs
Arsen Fadzaev, born in 1962, was the Soviet Unionâs best freestyle wrestler with two Olympic titles and six world championship titles. He was also a politician, running for a position in the 2022 North Ossetia-Alania elections.
9. Kyle Dake (USA) – 74 kgs
Kyle Dake is an American freestyle wrestler who is a four-time world champion. He won consecutive World titles in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 and was also a bronze medalist in Tokyo in 2020 and Paris in 2024.
10. Henry Cejudo (USA) – Bantamweight Division
Henry Cejudo, born in 1987, is an American mixed martial artist and one of the best freestyle wrestlers of all time. He was a two-division UFC champion, holding the Flyweight and Bantamweight titles, and is one of the greatest combat sports athletes in history.
11. Makharbek Khadartsev (Soviet Union/russia) – 90 kgs
Makharbek Khadartsev (born 1964 in North Ossetia) is a Soviet/Russian politician and former freestyle wrestler. He represented both Russia and Uzbekistan and won two Olympic golds and five world championships.
12. Saori Yoshida (Japan) – 52 kgs
Saori Yoshida (born 1982) is one of the best freestyle wrestlers of all time. She has won three Olympic golds, four titles at the Asian Games, and 13 titles at the world championships. Widely regarded as the most dominant wrestler in history, she is also the most decorated wrestler with only three career losses in international wrestling. In 2007, she was the first woman to be named “Athlete of the Year” in Japan.
13. David Taylor (USA) 86 – 92 kgs
David Taylor (born 1990) is one of the best freestyle wrestlers and the current head coach of Oklahoma State. He is a 2020 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist and a three-time world champion. His heated rivalry with Hassan Yazdani has drawn significant attention. He was named NCAA champion two times during his collegiate career and earned the Dan Hodge Trophy two times.
14. Kevin Jackson (USA)Â – 82 kgs
Kevin Jackson (born 1968) is a retired American wrestler and considered one of the Best Freestyle Wrestlers of all time, a MMA fighter, a 1992 Olympic gold medalist, and a two-time world champion. He was a four-time NCAA All-American and is currently an Assistant Coach for the University of Michigan.
15. Mark Schultz (USA) – 80 kgs
Mark Schultz is a 1984 Olympic gold medalist, three-time NCAA champion, and two-time world champion.Â
16. Hassan Yazdani (Iran) – 74 kgs
Hassan Yazdani is one of the best freestyle wrestler hailing from Iran. He is a two-time Olympic Champion and world champion. He won Olympic gold at 74kg in 2016 by defeating Aniuar Geduev of Russia.
17. John Peterson (USA) – 82 kgs
A prominent Wisconsin athlete, John Peterson, made his Olympic debut in 1972, earning a silver medal in the 82 kg freestyle wrestling division. He then topped the podium by winning gold at the 1976 Olympics. This familial wrestling greatness did not stop with John; his brother Ben also won medals in both events.
18. Kurt Angle (USA) – 90 kgs
Before becoming a superstar in professional wrestling, Kurt Angle won an Olympic gold medal with a broken neck in the 1996, Atlanta Olympic Games. His astonishing Olympic run cements his legacy alongside the best freestyle wrestlers in history.
19. Dave Schultz (USA) – 74 kgs
Schultz was an Olympic and world champion of freestyle wrestling, earning a remarkable seven medals in the sport. He and his brother Mark both achieved gold medals in freestyle wrestling at the 1984 Olympics.
20. HĂźseyin AkbaĹ (Turkey) – Bantamweight Division
HĂźseyin AkbaĹ won Olympic bronze in 1956 and silver in 1964 as a Turkish freestyle wrestler. He was a four-time world champion and medaled many times in his long career.
To wrap it all up
These 20 athletes are the best freestyle wrestlers of all time. Not only do they have impressive medals to boast, but they also had lasting impacts on the sport. From gold medals at the Olympic Games to sowing the seeds for generations of wrestlers, their legacies are prevalent in every takedown and every reversal observed on the mat today. Whether through coaching, inspiration, or continued fierce competition, they remind us why we hold the best freestyle wrestlers of all time in such high regard.
