Musa Mekhtikhanov

Mekhtikhanov began wrestling at the age of ten. He graduated from the physical education department of Khasavyurt Pedagogical College. He trained at the Saytiyev Brothers Wrestling School in Khasavyurt; his coaches included Adam Saitiev and Musa Saydulbatalov.^[3]

In 2017, he finished third at the North Caucasus Federal District junior championships held in Khasavyurt.^[4] In 2020, he won a bronze medal at the North Caucasus Federal District senior championships in Khasavyurt. The same year, at the Russian Under-23 Championships in Smolensk, he defeated Mikhail Ivanov of Yakutia 10–0 by technical superiority in the final and became champion.^[5][6]

In 2021, Mekhtikhanov finished third at the Dagestan Championships in Kaspiysk. At the Russian Championships the same year, he was eliminated in the round of 16 after losing 5–3 to Khasanuseyn Badrudinov. At the Russian Under-23 Championships in Naro-Fominsk, he won the bronze medal.^[7][8][9]

In 2022, he won the bronze medal at the 2022 Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin in Krasnoyarsk after defeating Kazakhstan's Abzal Okenov. Later that year, at the Russian Championships in Kyzyl, he defeated Amir Chamzyn in the bronze-medal bout and finished third.^[10][11]

After winning bronze medals in the 57 kg event at the 2023 and 2024 Russian Championships, Mekhtikhanov became Russian champion in 2025. The same year, he finished seventh in the 57 kg event at the 2025 World Wrestling Championships.^[12][13]

At the 2026 European Wrestling Championships held in Tirana, Albania, Mekhtikhanov won the silver medal in the men's freestyle 57 kg event. In the semi-finals, he defeated Azamat Tuskaev, who represented Serbia, 5–0 to reach the final. In the final, he lost 8–6 to Azerbaijan's Islam Bazarganov and finished second.^[14][15]

He is the brother of wrestler Muslim Mekhtikhanov.^[16]