Heavyweight, Freestyle (≤100 kilograms), Men

This was effectively a new class, although it was called the heavyweight class. The previous version of that weight class was now called the super-heavyweights. This would turn out to be a showcase for 1972 European Champion Ivan Yarygin, who won all seven of his matches by falls. He needed only 17:03 on the mat to win his gold medal decisively. Silver went to Mongolian Khorloogiin Bayanmönkh, who had been runner-up at the 1971 Worlds. He won that medal with a victory on points over Hungarian József Csátári, who had also won a bronze medal at the 1968 Olympics, that one in light-heavyweight freestyle.

Yarygin would win the 1973 World Championships, the 1975-76 Europeans, and defended his Olympic gold medal in 1976 at Montréal. Bayanmönkh also wrestled at the 1976 Olympics, placing fifth in heavyweight freestyle.