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.
Aleksandr Medved, 1962–1972 Buvaisar Saitiev, 1995–2008 Sergei Beloglazov, 1980–1988 Arsen Fadzaev, 1983–1992 Valentin Yordanov, 1983–1996 Abdulrashid Sadulaev, 2014–2024 Makharbek Khadartsev, 1986–1992 Jordan Burroughs, 2011–2022 Abdollah Movahed, 1965–1970 Levan Tediashvili, 1971–1976 Soslan Andiyev, 1973–1980 John Smith, 1987–1992 Leri Khabelov, 1985–1993 Khadzhimurat Gatsalov, 2004–2013 Mustafa Dağıstanlı, 1954–1960 Aleksandr Ivanitsky, 1962–1966 Ali Aliev, 1959–1967 Yuji Takada, 1974–1979 Vladimir Yumin, 1974–1979 Bruce Baumgartner, 1984–1995 The list below includes unofficial championships won during the Olympic Games, although no official team statistics are kept during Olympic years.