The new ranking system gives results 100% of their value for 12 months, 50% after 12 months and removes them completely after 24 months. As the 2026 season has progressed, the corresponding 2024 points therefore expired, while 2025 results were reduced to 50%, creating opportunities for athletes who were consistently competing and collecting new results.
The ranking following the Hungarian event shows a number of established names consolidating their positions, while several athletes emerged as new leaders or moved into the top group just before 2026’s main judo event, the Baku World Senior Championships Individuals & Mixed Teams. In this article, we talk about the men's categories first.
The -60 kg category has developed around a group of athletes with repeated World Judo Tour and continental results. Azerbaijan's Balabay Agayev remains one of the central figures, adding victories in France and Mongolia to his list, alongside a second-place finish in Uzbekistan.
At the same time, Izhak Ashpiz (ISR) has become one of the most notable new names in the category. His 2026 record includes victories in Hungary and Georgia, together with third-place finishes in France, Mongolia and the continental championships. He has become a new powerhouse in the category, reflecting his emergence through a series of strong results.
Michel Augusto (BRA) is also part of the leading group after a productive season to date, winning in Peru, his first Grand prix victory, and finishing third in Switzerland. Ayub Bliev (RUS), meanwhile, continues to earn significant points after winning the Tajikistan Grand Slam and later taking third place in Qingdao, China.
The -66 kg category has seen Takeoka Takeshi (JPN) build his 2026 campaign with victories in France and Mongolia. The current title holder’s results later in the season placed him back at the centre of the ranking picture after a relatively quiet period in the early part of the season.
Nurali Emomali (TJK) has produced an equally significant run. He won on home soil, as well as at the continental championships and also finished third in Uzbekistan. His results have provided a substantial accumulation of new 2026 points.
Ramazan Abdulaev (RUS) also became an important presence in the category, registering a second place in Mongolia and third places in Georgia, Kazakhstan and Switzerland. Ruslan Pashayev (AZE) took a victory in Austria and a third-place finish in France. Aside from the outcomes, the focus will be on the Azerbaijani at the upcoming World Judo Championships, on his home soil.
The -73 kg category produced one of the clearest examples of a rapidly changing ranking landscape. From April onwards, Muhiddin Asadulloev (TJK) established himself as one of the leading athletes, winning both the Asian Championships and the Tajikistan Grand Slam. His later results strengthened that position further; a third-place finish in Switzerland illustrated his consistency.
Daniel Cargnin (BRA) had a highly productive season too. After winning the 2026 Panamerican Championships, he went on to win in Switzerland, while finishing fifth in Austria.
Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov (UAE) remains another major factor. He won in France, finished second at the continental championships and took third place in China. Danil Lavrentev (RUS) then entered the leading group with a victory in Kazakhstan, second place in Switzerland and third place in Tajikistan.
At -81 kg, Timur Arbuzov (RUS) developed a strong campaign during the continental championships and the World Judo Tour. He won the Europeans and added a third-place finish in Mongolia to his CV. However, even as the title-holder, he is not part of his national team’s selection due to an injury.
Zelim Tckaev has produced a series of consistent results, winning in China and taking bronze at the continental championships. Yet, he loves to compete in front of the home crowd, as illustrated by his three wins at the Baku Grand Slam. One thing is certain: the local fans will do everything in their power to hear the Azərbaycan Marşı as many times as possible!
Yuhei Oino (JPN) began his international career with five consecutive bronze medals, then continued with back-to-back triumphs. He collected his first silver this year in Ulaanbaatar. Understanding how he likes streaks, the second spot in Baku could have his name on it!
Francois Gauthier Drapeau (CAN) has also made a notable contribution to the category this year, taking a silver in Peru and recording two fifth-place finishes elsewhere.
The -90 kg category saw the 2023 world champion Luka Maisuradze (GEO) develop into one of the most productive competitors of the season. From April onwards, he won in Tbilisi twice, became the champion of the continent after his Grand Slam triumph, and then won the European Open in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sanshiro Murao (JPN) returned to the forefront by winning in Mongolia. Since the 2023 World Championships in Doha, he has only lost once at international events (the 2024 Olympic Games) and, with the red back number in place, he is the man to beat at -90 kg.
Murad Fatiyev has produced a strong sequence of results with a victory in Uzbekistan and third places in Mongolia and China. Additionally, he will benefit from the support of the Azerbaijani fans which makes him one of the main competitors for Murao.
One of the most experienced judoka in the field, however, is Rafael Macedo (BRA). To put it into perspective, he became junior world champion in 2014 and has continued to compete actively since then. This year, the three-time grand prix winner won in Peru, finished third at the Pan-American Championships and recorded three additional placings.
One of the clearest ranking developments has come in the -100 kg category, where Gennaro Pirelli (ITA) reached world number one status for the first time. His 2026 campaign includes victories in Hungary, Peru, Mongolia and the European Championships; nobody has beaten him at international events since his fifth-place finish in Paris in February. These consistent, repeated victories brought him to the top of the ranking in September.
Pirelli’s goals are clear for Baku:
Leonardo Goncalves (BRA) also produced a strong campaign, winning the Pan-American Championships and taking third place in Kazakhstan and Peru. However, in Lausanne and Budapest, he did not reach the quarter-finals.
Simeon Catharina (NED) has accumulated several excellent results in 2026 so far, finishing second in Switzerland and at the European Championships, third in Georgia at the grand slam and has recorded three further placings in 2026. He was among of the busiest athletes of the category. Conversely, Russian athlete Niiaz Bilalov had not competed since the Europeans but the bronze medal in Budapest showed his power and ability.
Dota Arai (JPN) has not participated in any international events since his triumph in the season opener in Paris, while Olympic silver medallist Ilia Sulamanidze (GEO) kicked off the year with two bronze medals (European Championships and Ulaanbaatar) and finished on top of the podium in Lausanne. Both will be on the hunt for gold in Baku.
In the +100 kg category, Inal Tasoev (RUS) remains one of the most successful athletes of the season. The two-time world champion and current title holder's results include victories in Switzerland and Kazakhstan and third place in Mongolia. In the absence of Teddy Riner, he is one of the favourites in the category.
Behind him in the world ranking is his compatriot Valerii Endovitskii who has also produced an important run, winning in Hungary and finishing third at the continental championships, while finishing 7th in Mongolia. Ushangi Kokauri (AZE) is also very present, continuing to collect podium finishes. He took silver in Kazakhstan and bronze in Tajikistan.
Irakli Demetrashvili (GEO) added another victory to his list in Georgia and had a second-place finish in Mongolia. The organisers expect many fans from the neighbouring country; the Georgian team could have the second-largest group of supporters behind the locals.
Beyond individual performances, the early months of 2026 have highlighted the underlying mechanics of the IJF world ranking system. With the removal of early 2024 results and the reduction of 2025 points, the rankings now reflect recent activity more accurately than ever before.
As the season progresses, the Olympic qualification phase open since Ulaanbaatar, the importance of strategic participation has increased, but for now, everyone is focused on the Baku World Senior Championships Individuals & Mixed Teams.