Ramonov won an early season showdown of former and reigning world champions, beating Italy’s Frank Chamizo at the Medved Prizes tournament in Belarus’ capital Minsk to step up from world number five to head the 65 kilograms rankings.

At the same event, five-time world champion Gatsalov defeated current world champion Kyle Snyder of the United States in the quarter-finals and then held on for a win over 2014 world gold medallist Abdusalam Gadisov in the semis-finals.

His efforts have propelled him to the summit of the 97kg category, followed by Snyder in second and Gadisov in third.

Gatsalov, who previously competed at 125kg, won the gold medal at the World Military Games in his return to 97kg last October.

Beginning the year ranked at number 16, the 33-year-old moved himself above the two younger world champions to the top of the rankings.

Gatsalov’s 15-place leap in the rankings was the biggest of the month, followed by Iran’s Meysam Nasiri.

He rose 13 places to number seven after winning the Asian Championships at 65kg.

Mongolia’s Batchuluun Batmagnai went from unranked to number eight following his victory in the 65kg crown at the Yasar Dogu International event in Istanbul.

Also in February, Bahrain saw its first wrestler gain a place in the international rankings after former Russian national team member Adam Batirov won the 70kg title at the Asian Championships.

Batirov, who last competed for Russia at the 2011 World Championships, joins the 70kg rankings at number 15.