Abdulrashid Sadulaev
Russian freestyle wrestler (born 1996)
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Abdulrashid Bulachevich Sadulaev (Russian: Абдулрашид Булачевич Садулаев, IPA: [ɐbdʊɫrɐˈʂɨts sədʊˈɫa(ɪ̯)ɪf]; born 9 May 1996) is a Russian freestyle wrestler who competes at 92 kilograms and formerly at 97 and 86 kilograms.[5] Sadulaev is widely regarded as one of the most dominant active freestyle wrestlers in the world as well as one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of all time.[6][7][8] He is currently signed to an exclusive contract with Real American Freestyle (RAF).[9]
Sadulaev in 2021 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Abdulrashid Bulachevich Sadulaev |
Nickname | The Russian Tank |
| Born | 9 May 1996[1][2][3] |
| Alma mater | Dagestan State University |
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 97 kg (214 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country |  Russia |
| Sport | Wrestling |
| Rank | No. 1 UWW ranking at 92kg No. 1 at 97kg No. 1 P4P FloWrestling (2015)[4] Grand Master of Sports |
Event | Freestyle |
| Club | Gamid Gamidov Wrestling Club Urojai Wrestling Club Sadulaev Sport School |
| Coached by | Shamil Omarov, Magomed Magomedov, Anvar Magomedgadzhiev, Sazhid Sazhidov |
Medal record | |
Nicknamed the "Russian Tank,"[2][10] he is a two time Olympic gold medalist (2016, 2020), a six–time World Champion (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024), the Individual World Cup champion (2020), a four–time European Continental Champion (2014, 2018, 2019, 2020), three-time Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix winner (2014, 2018, 2024), a two-time European Games Champion (2015, 2019) and also a two–time Cadet World Champion (2012, 2013).[11] He is also a six-time Russian national champion.[12] Sadulaev is one of two wrestlers to win world titles in three different weight classes.
Background and personal life
Sadulaev was born in 1996 in the village of Tsurib, Charodinsky District, Dagestan, Russia. In 2016, he described himself as a devout Muslim, said he began wrestling seriously at age 13, and recalled winning a district title with a 300-ruble prize. He is the youngest of four siblings. He also stated that he does not have a Twitter account and uses Instagram, saying that accounts on Twitter using his identity are fake. After finishing 11th grade, he began training and won his first Cadet World Championship at age 16.[13]
He graduated from the Law Institute of Dagestan State University.[14]
Career
2012-14: World Champion, European Champion
Sadulaev's senior level debut was at the 2012 XLIII Ali Aliyev Memorial when he was 16 years old. He was defeated in the semifinals by Shamil Kudiyamagomedov, but ended up winning bronze.[15][16][17] At the 2013 Memorial Heydar Aliyev, he lost by technical fall to Gamzat Osmanov.[18] At the 2014 Russian National Championships, Sadulaev defeated Kudiyamagomedov and won his first national title. After the Russian Nationals, he participated at the 2014 World Wrestling Championships, where Sadulaev defeated Reineris Salas of Cuba 11–0 by technical fall.[19]
2015: World Champion
On 8 May 2015, Sadulaev won the Russian Freestyle Wrestling Nationals again and took part in the European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, and World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the Games he outscored four opponents 42–1 (4–0) by technical fall and won gold medal. On 11 September 2015, he won World Championships, in the final knocking down Koloi Kartoev (Selim Yaşar) of Turkey, overall scoring 47–2 (6–0) in the championships.[20] As a result, he was given a Mercedes-Benz G-Class G63 and Toyota Land Cruiser 200 by Dagestani business magnate Gadzhiev brothers and Ziyavudin Magomedov.[21]
Sadulaev faced on 7 November wrestlers from Belarus, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Poland at the European Nations Cup (Alrosa Cup).[22] He beat number one Georgian wrestler Elizbar Odikadze via technical fall (11–0).[citation needed]
2016: Olympic Champion
On 29 January, Sadulaev was expected to participate at the international tournament Golden Grand-Prix Ivan Yarygin 2016,[23][24] but he pulled out in late January citing a minor shoulder injury.[citation needed]
Sadulaev returned to wrestling in the U23 European Championships in Ruse, Bulgaria on 3 April,[25] and then he participated at the Wenceslas Ziolkowski Memorial XXV on 18 June 2016.[26] At the European Championships he defeated Stefan Reichmuth of Switzerland in the eightfinals, Hungarian Gergely Gyrits in the quarterfinals, Belarusian Aliaksandr Hushtyn in the semifinals and finally Georgian Irakli Mtsituri; all victories were by technical superiority. On 18 June, Sadulaev won the Wenceslas Ziolkowski Memorial LII, beating Aleksey Mushtin, teammate Omargadzhi Magomedov, István Veréb of Hungary, Sebastian Jezierzanski and Zbigniew Baranowski, both from Poland, by technical superiority.[27]
Sadulaev competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics without Russian Olympic Trials, that news was announced by the head coach of the Russian freestyle wrestling team Dzhambolat Tedeyev.[28] Sadualev beat István Veréb by technical superiority, then Pedro Ceballos of Venezuela by points, fellow countryman Sharif Sharifov of Azerbaijan and in the gold medal match Selim Yasar, 5–0.[citation needed]
After Sadulaev's return to Russia, he was greeted by a rowdy welcome victory in Moscow. The Olympic athletes were also given a reception of the Russian medalists in the Kremlin, with the traditional ceremonial meeting being presided by President Vladimir Putin. The champions received BMW luxury crossovers, with the BMW X6 luxury crossovers being awarded for the gold medalists.[29] Sadulaev was also greeted as a national hero in his native Dagestan.[30] Aside from receiving financial reward for his Olympic achievements, Dagestan's Head of the Region Ramazan Abdulatipov presented Sadulaev an Akhal-Teke horse (native to Turkmenistan), which has a reputation for having speed, endurance and intelligence, and is highly valued in Dagestan.[citation needed]
2017: Weight class changes, WC runner-up, European Champion
Sadulaev competed in the Russian Nationals, defeating 2011 European runner-up Vladislav Baitcaev by decision (8–7). Sadulaev became the new Russian national champion in the 97 kg weight category. Before the final match he easily beat Yuri Belonovskiy, Umar Kudliev, Stanislav Gadzhiev and Tamerlan Rasuev by technical superiority.[31] As a result, Ingushetian president Yunus-bek Yevkurov bestowed him a Toyota Land Cruiser 200.[32]
At the World Championships, Sadulaev participated in the 97 kg weight category. En route he defeated Reineris Salas, Mateusz Filipczak, Elizbar Odikadze and Georgy Ketoyev. In the final he lost to Kyle Snyder in a close match.[33]
2018: World Champion, rematch against Snyder
After that he debuted in the weight category 92 kg at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin 2018. In the final match, he beat 2012 Olympian and countryman Anzor Urishev.[34]
On 3 August 2018, Sadulaev won his fourth national title at the Russian Nationals, knocking down Vladislav Baitcaev for gold by score (8–1).[35]
Sadulaev was chosen to represent Russia in his weight class for the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, facing countrymen Magomedgadzhi Nurov, Mamed Ibragimov, Magomed Ibragimov, who he all beat by technical fall. In the semi-final he defeated Elizbar Odikadze from Georgia, and in the final in a rematch he faced American Kyle Snyder, finishing him by pin fall.[36]
2019: European Games gold medalist and World Championships
Sadulaev won European Games in Minsk, Belarus where he didn't give up a single point. After made world team trials, he repeated the success of last year at the world championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, in the final match he beat Azerbaijan's Sharif Sharifov by score (4–0). The rematch against USA's Kyle Snyder did not take place due to the loss of the American to Sharif Sharifov in the semifinals.[37]
2020
In 2020, he won the gold medal in the men's 97 kg event at the 2020 Individual Wrestling World Cup held in Belgrade, Serbia.[38]
2021
Sadulaev clinched gold at the 2020 Summer Olympics by defeating his rival Snyder in the final. For that achievement, a member of the Russian State Duma rewarded him with a $1 million.[39] Sadulaev once again defeated his rival Snyder to claim gold at the 2021 World Wrestling Championships.
2022
On 15 October 2022, Sadulaev faced Belarusian Aliaksandr Hushtyn at Poddubny wrestling league 2. He won this match by score (7–0).[40]
2023
On 18 September 2023, he competed at the 2023 World Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia. In the quarterfinals, he got a neck injury against his opponent Akhmed Tazhudinov of Bahrain and retired from the championships, being down 2–9 prior to retirement.[41][42] It was only Sadulaev's fourth loss at the senior level, and the first since his loss in the final of the 2017 World Championships to Snyder.[43]
2024
On 28 January 2024, Sadulaev won the Ivan Yarygin cup held in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.[44][45] A few months later, he won the Russian Nationals for a sixth time at 97 kg.[46] After he was barred from competing at the 2024 Olympics, Sadulaev defeated the 92 kg Russian Nationals champion Alan Bagaev in a special wrestle-off to qualify for the 2024 World Wrestling Championships.[47] There, he won his 6th world title at 92 kilos, defeating World and Olympic champion David Taylor 7-0 and World champion Kamran Ghasempour 5–3. With this victory, he became the second wrestler in history to win world titles in three different weight classes.[48]
2026: Real American Freestyle
Sadulaev signed an exclusive contract with Real American Freestyle (RAF) on 15 January 2026.[9]
Championships and accomplishments
- 2012 Cadet World Champion – 76 kg
- 2012 Ali Aliyev Memorial Bronze Medalist – 84 kg
- 2013 Cadet World Champion – 85 kg
- 2013 Heydar Aliyev Memorial Bronze Medalist – 84 kg
- 2014 Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin – 86 kg
- 2014 Golden Grand-Prix Yaşar Doğu – 86 kg
- 2014, 2015 Russian National Freestyle Wrestling Champion – 86 kg
- 2014 European Champion – 86 kg
- 2014 Wenceslas Ziolkowski Memorial XXIII – 86 kg
- 2014 World Champion – 86 kg
- 2015 Alexander Medved International – 86 kg
- 2015 European Games – 86 kg
- 2015 World Champion – 86 kg
- 2015 European Nations Cup (Moscow Lights-Alrosa Cup) – 97 kg
- 2016 European Championships U23 – 86 kg
- 2016 Wenceslas Ziolkowski Memorial LII – 86 kg
- 2016 Summer Olympics – 86 kg
- 2017 Russian National Freestyle Wrestling Champion – 97 kg
- 2017 World Championships Silver Medalist – 97 kg
- 2018 Golden Grand-Prix Ivan Yarygin – 92 kg
- 2018 Dan Kolov & Nikola Petrov international – 92 kg
- 2018 World Champion – 97 kg
- 2019 European Champion – 97 kg
- 2019 European Games Champion – 97 kg
- 2019 World Champion – 97 kg
- 2020 European Champion – 97 kg
- 2020 Russian National Freestyle Wrestling Champion – 97 kg
- 2020 Summer Olympics – 97 kg
- 2021 World Champion – 97 kg
- 2024 Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin – 97 kg
- 2024 World Champion – 92 kg
Freestyle wrestling record
Awards
- Order of Honour (11 September 2021)
- Master of Sports of International Class (25 March 2019)[50]
- Hero of Dagestan (18 November 2018)[51]
- Master of Sports (17 October 2016)[52]
- Order of Friendship (25 August 2016)[53]
- Order of Merit for the Republic of Dagestan (26 August 2016)[54]
- Order of Honour "Al-Fakhr" (26 August 2016)[55]
- Merited Master of Sports (11 April 2016)[56]
- Master of Sports of International Class (5 August 2015)[57]
- Master of Sports of International Class (18 September 2014)[58]
In June 2015, Sadulaev was voted best Russian sportsman of June at the TV project "Golden Pedestal" (on the now-defunct Rossiya 2), earning 55.6% of votes and trumping Aliya Mustafina, who got 44.4% of votes.[59][60]
