List of the best freestyle wrestling Olympic athletes of all time, with photos of the athletes when available. The famous freestyle wrestling event Olympians on this list are all regarded as some of the toughest athletes to have ever competed at the Olympics. Almost every one of these historic freestyle wrestling Olympians have taken home a medal, which is why they've earned a spot on this list.
Only the greatest freestyle wrestling Olympic athletes are featured on the front page of this list, so be sure to vote for who you believe are the best freestyle wrestling athletes and vote down the ones you disagree with. This list below has a variety of Olympians on it, including legends such as Henry Cejudo and WWE superstar Kurt Angle.
If you enjoyed this list of the best Olympic freestyle wrestlers, head on over and check out this list of popular Russian Olympians.
1
214100Buvaisar Saitiev
Age: 45Olympic Country: Russia
Date Of Birth: 1975-03-11
Place Of Birth: Khasavyurt,Russia,Europe,Asia,North Eurasia
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Welterweight,Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Welterweight,Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Welterweight
Weight: 74.0
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Welterweight 66-74kg,Men's freestyle Wrestling, Welterweight 68-74 kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 2004 Summer Olympics,2008 Summer Olympics,1996 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: 3 Gold medals
Buvaisar Hamidovich Saitiev, also spelled Buvaysar Hamidovich Saytiev, (Russian: Бувайсар Хамидович Сайтиев, Chechen: Сайт КIант Бувайса) (born March 11, 1975 in Khasavyurt, Dagestan ASSR) is a... more2
13282Alexander Medved
Age: 83Olympic Country: Soviet Union
Date Of Birth: 1937-09-16
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 1972 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Super Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 1964 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Light Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 1968 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Heavyweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Wrestling, Freestyle Super Heavyweight + 100kg,Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Light Heavyweight 87-97 kg,Men's Freestyle Wrestling
Olympic Medalist Games: 1972 Summer Olympics,1964 Summer Olympics,1968 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Aleksandr Vasiliyevich Medved (born 16 September 1937) is a retired freestyle wrestler who competed for the Soviet Union and was named by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles... more- 38047
Bruce Baumgartner
Age: 58Date Of Birth: 1960-11-02
Place Of Birth: Haledon,New Jersey,Passaic County,United States of America,United States
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Super Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Super Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Super Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Super Heavyweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Super Heavyweight 100-130 kg,Men's Wrestling, Freestyle Super Heavyweight + 100kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 1988 Summer Olympics,1984 Summer Olympics,1992 Summer Olympics,1996 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Silver medal,Gold medal,Bronze medal
Bruce Robert Baumgartner (born November 2, 1960) is a retired American amateur wrestler and current assistant vice president for university advancement and former athletic director at the Edinboro... more 
48150Yaşar Doğu
Dec. at 48 (1913-1961)Date Of Birth: 1913
Place Of Birth: Samsun,Turkey,Black Sea Region,Europe,Asia
Yaşar Doğu (1913 – 8 January 1961), was a renowned Turkish World and Olympic champion sports wrestler in Greco-Roman and Freestyle. He was born in the village Karlı of Kavak district in Samsun... more- 59365
John Smith
Age: 53Date Of Birth: 1965-08-09
Place Of Birth: Oklahoma City,United States of America,Oklahoma,Canadian County,Oklahoma County
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Featherweight,Wrestling at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Featherweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Featherweight 57-62kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 1988 Summer Olympics,1992 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
John William Smith (born August 9, 1965) is an American folkstyle and freestyle wrestler and coach. He is a two-time NCAA Division I national champion, and a six-time world and Olympic champion. As... more - 67955
Ahmet Ayık
Age: 82Date Of Birth: 1938-03-31
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 1964 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Light Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 1968 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Light Heavyweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Light Heavyweight 87-97 kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 1964 Summer Olympics,1968 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Silver medal,Gold medal
Ahmet Ayık (born March 31, 1938), is a former Turkish World champion and Olympic medalist sports wrestler in the Light heavyweight class (97 kg) and a sports executive. He won the silver medal at the... more - 76746
Ivan Yarygin
Dec. at 49 (1948-1997)Date Of Birth: 1948-11-07
Place Of Birth: Kemerovo,Russia,Kemerovo Oblast,Europe,Asia
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 1976 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 1972 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Heavyweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Heavyweight 90-100kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 1976 Summer Olympics,1972 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Ivan Sergeyevich Yarygin (7 November 1948 – 11 October 1997) was a Soviet and Russian heavyweight freestyle wrestler. Between 1970 and 1980 he won all his international competitions, except for the... more - 86751
Levan Tediashvili
Age: 70Date Of Birth: 1948-03-15
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 1976 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Light Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 1972 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Middleweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's freestyle wrestling, light heavyweight 90kg,Men's freestyle wrestling, Middleweight 74-82 kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 1976 Summer Olympics,1972 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Levan Tediashvili (Georgian: ლევან თედიაშვილი; born 15 March 1948 in Gegmoubani, Georgian SSR) is a former Soviet (Georgian) wrestler and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling in 1972 and 1976. He... more - 94835
Sergei Beloglazov
Age: 62Date Of Birth: 1956-09-16
Place Of Birth: Kaliningrad,Russia,Kaliningrad Oblast,Europe,Asia
Nationality: Russia
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 1980 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Bantamweight,Wrestling at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Bantamweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Bantamweight 52-57 kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 1980 Summer Olympics,1988 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Sergei Alekseevich Beloglazov (Russian: Серге́й Алексеевич Белоглазов, born September 16, 1956 in Kaliningrad) is a former Olympic wrestler and World Champion. He trained at the Armed Forces sports... more - 104330
Abdulrashid Sadulaev
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Kaori Icho
Age: 34Date Of Birth: 1984-06-13
Nationality: Japan
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's Freestyle Middleweight,Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's Freestyle Middleweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Women's Freestyle Wrestling, Middleweight 55 - 63 kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 2004 Summer Olympics,2008 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Kaori Icho (Japanese: 伊調 馨, Hepburn: Icho Kaori, born 13 June 1984) is a Japanese freestyle wrestler. She is a ten-time World Champion and four-time Olympic Champion, winning gold in 2004, 2008, 2012... more - 123221
Yojiro Uetake
Age: 76Date Of Birth: 1943-01-12
Place Of Birth: Tatebayashi,Japan,Kantō region,Gunma Prefecture,Earth
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 1964 summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Bantamweight,Wrestling at the 1968 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle bantamweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Bantamweight 52-57 kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 1964 Summer Olympics,1968 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Yojiro Uetake (上武 洋次郎, Uetake Yōjirō, born January 12, 1943) is a Japanese wrestler and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling. He is considered the greatest wrestler in history of Oklahoma State... more - 133832
Mavlet Batirov
Age: 35Olympic Country: Russia
Date Of Birth: 1983-12-12
Olympic Sport: Freestyle wrestling
Nationality: Russia
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Featherweight,Wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Bantamweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Featherweight 55 - 60 kg,Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Bantamweight 55kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 2008 Summer Olympics,2004 Summer Olympics
Olympic Games Participant: 2004 Summer Olympics,2008 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Mavlet Alavdinovich Batirov (Russian: Мавлет Алавдинович Батиров, born December 12, 1983) is a Russian freestyle wrestler, world and 2-time Olympic champion, who competed in the men's freestyle 55 kg... more - 143528
Ramazan Şahin
Age: 35Date Of Birth: 1983-07-08
Place Of Birth: Makhachkala,Russia,Europe,Asia,North Eurasia
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Lightweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Lightweight 60-66 kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 2008 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Ramazan Şahin (born Ramzan Irbaikhanov, Russian: Рамзан Ирбайханов, on 8 July 1983) is a Russian-Turkish freestyle wrestler of Chechen descent. He won gold medals at the 2007 World Championships,... more - 152922
Makharbek Khadartsev
Age: 54Date Of Birth: 1964-10-02
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Light Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Light Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Light Heavyweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's freestyle wrestling, light heavyweight 90kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 1988 Summer Olympics,1996 Summer Olympics,1992 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal,Silver medal
Makharbek Khasbiyevich Khadartsev (Russian: Махарбек Хазбиевич Хадарцев) (born 2 October 1964 in Suadag, Alagirsky District, North Ossetia) is a former Soviet wrestler who later competed for Russia,... more - 163935
Helen Louise Maroulis
Age: 27Date Of Birth: 1991-09-19
Place Of Birth: Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
Weight: 57.15
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Valeria Koblova
- 183936
Hüseyin Akbaş
Hüseyin Akbaş was a Turkish wrestler. He was born in Almus in the Tokat Province. He was Olympic bronze medalist in Freestyle wrestling in 1956, and silver medalist in 1964. He won gold medals at the... more - 192619
Saori Yoshida
Age: 36Olympic Country: Japan
Date Of Birth: 1982-10-05
Place Of Birth: Tsu,Japan,Kansai,Mie Prefecture,Earth
Olympic Sport: Freestyle wrestling
Nationality: Japan
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's Freestyle Lightweight,Wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's Freestyle Lightweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Women's Freestyle Wrestling, Lightweight 48 - 55kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 2008 Summer Olympics,2004 Summer Olympics
Olympic Games Participant: 2004 Summer Olympics,2008 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Saori Yoshida (吉田 沙保里, Yoshida Saori, born 5 October 1982) is a former Japanese freestyle wrestler. Starting in 1998 she won almost every major competition, including three Olympic Games, four Asian... more - 204037
Artur Taymazov
Age: 39Date Of Birth: 1979-07-20
Place Of Birth: Vladikavkaz,Russia,Europe,Asia,North Eurasia
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Super Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Super Heavyweight,Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Super Heavyweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Super Heavyweight 96-120 kg,Freestyle Super Heavyweight 97-130 kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 2004 Summer Olympics,2000 Summer Olympics,2008 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal,Silver medal
Artur Taymazov (Ossetian: Таймазты Барисы фырт Артур; Russian: Артур Борисович Таймазов; born 20 July 1979) is an Ossetian-Uzbek-Russian wrestler and politician. He was Uzbekistan's most decorated... more - 213430
Arsen Fadzayev
Age: 56Date Of Birth: 1962-09-05
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Lightweight,Wrestling at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Lightweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle, Lightweight 62-68kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 1988 Summer Olympics,1992 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Arsen Suleymanovich Fadzayev (Russian: Арсен Сулейманович Фадзаев; born 5 September 1962, in Chikola, North Ossetia–Alania, Russia) is a former Soviet wrestler, world champion and Olympic champion in... more - 223532
Adam Saitiev
Age: 41Date Of Birth: 1977-12-12
Place Of Birth: Khasavyurt,Russia,Europe,Asia,North Eurasia
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle Middleweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Middleweight 76-85 kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 2000 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Adam Hamidovich Saitiev, also spelled Saytiev, (Chechen: Адам Хамидович Сайтиев, born December 12, 1977) is a Russian wrestler of Chechen heritage, who won gold at the 2000 Summer Olympics for the... more - 233838
Sofia Mattsson
Age: 29Olympic Country: Sweden
Date Of Birth: 1989-11-11
Olympic Sport: Freestyle wrestling
Nationality: Sweden
Olympic Games Participant: 2008 Summer Olympics
Sofia Magdalena Mattsson (born 11 November 1989) is a Swedish wrestler, who has won a World Championship, four European championships and an Olympic bronze medal.... more - 242016
Vasyl Fedoryshyn
Age: 37Olympic Country: Ukraine
Date Of Birth: 1981-03-31
Olympic Sport: Freestyle wrestling
Nationality: Ukraine
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle Featherweight
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Featherweight 55 - 60 kg
Olympic Medalist Games: 2008 Summer Olympics
Olympic Games Participant: 2008 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Silver medal
Vasyl Petrovych Fedoryshyn (Ukrainian: Васи́ль Петро́вич Федори́шин; born March 31, 1981) is a male wrestler from Ukraine, who competes in the men's -60 kg freestyle division. ... more - 252623
Dzhamal Otarsultanov
Age: 31Olympic Country: Russia
Date Of Birth: 1987-04-14
Place Of Birth: Dagestan, Russia
Olympic Sport: Freestyle wrestling
Nationality: Russia
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Wrestling at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 55 kg
Weight: 55
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Bantamweight 55kg
Olympic Medalist Games: The London 2012 Summer Olympics
Olympic Games Participant: The London 2012 Summer Olympics
Olympic Medals Won: Gold medal
Dzhamal Sultanovich Otarsultanov is a male Russian wrestler of Chechen heritage, who won the gold medal in men's freestyle 55 kg at the 2012 London Olympics.... more
