# Adam Saitiev

Adam Hamidovich Saitiev, also spelled Saytiev, (Chechen: Адам Хамидович Сайтиев, born December 12, 1977) is a Russian wrestler, who won gold at the 2000 Summer Olympics at 85 kg. Considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Adam also won the Wrestling World Championships in 1999 and 2002. His elder brother Buvaisar Saitiev, also a wrestler, was a three-time Olympic champion and six-time World champion.

## Wrestling career

Adam initially started his senior-level international career at 69 kg, or around 152 lbs. He found the weight cut too severe, and soon moved up to 76 kg, where he was world champ in 1999. However, his elder brother Buvaisar also competed in the same weight class, and Adam wanted to compete alongside his brother at the Olympics, not compete against him for a spot on the team. Adam moved up to 85 kg, and despite being undersized, won two world-level titles at the weight.
Saitiev competed many times after 2002, but his career was affected by many injuries.
Saitiev made a comeback in 2012. He found significant success, but in the Russian freestyle wrestling championships 2012 final match lost to Denis Tsargush (1-0; 1-0).

## Awards and honors

Saitiev is a recipient of the Order of Honor (2001) and Order of Friendship (2004).

## Match results

World Championships & Olympic Games Matches :
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location |
| 2002 UWW world at 84kg |||||||
| Win | 21-3 | Yoel Romero | 4-3 | September 5, 2002 | 2002 World Wrestling Championships | Tehran, Iran |
| Win | 20-3 | Arkadii Tzopa | Fall | September 5, 2002 | 2002 World Wrestling Championships | Tehran, Iran |
| Win | 19-3 | Marcin Jurecki | 7-3 | September 5, 2002 | 2002 World Wrestling Championships | Tehran, Iran |
| Win | 18-3 | Aman Deep | Tech. Fall | September 5, 2002 | 2002 World Wrestling Championships | Tehran, Iran |
| Win | 17-3 | Narantsetseg Burenbaatar | Tech. Fall | September 5, 2002 | 2002 World Wrestling Championships | Tehran, Iran |
| 2000 Olympic at 85kg |||||||
| Win | 16-3 | Yoel Romero | Fall | September 28, 2000 | 2000 Summer Olympics | Sydney, Australia |
| Win | 15-3 | Magomed Ibragimov | 3-0 | September 28, 2000 | 2000 Summer Olympics | Sydney, Australia |
| Win | 14-3 | Yang Hyung-mo | 5-0 | September 28, 2000 | 2000 Summer Olympics | Sydney, Australia |
| Win | 13-3 | Igor Praporshchikov | Fall | September 28, 2000 | 2000 Summer Olympics | Sydney, Australia |
| Win | 12-3 | Beibulat Musaev | 4-1 | September 28, 2000 | 2000 Summer Olympics | Sydney, Australia |
| 1999 UWW world at 76kg |||||||
| Win | 11-3 | Alexander Leipold | 6-3 | October 7, 1999 | 1999 World Wrestling Championships | Ankara, Turkey |
| Win | 10-3 | Joe Williams | Fall | October 7, 1999 | 1999 World Wrestling Championships | Ankara, Turkey |
| Win | 9-3 | Alik Musaev | 4-0 | October 7, 1999 | 1999 World Wrestling Championships | Ankara, Turkey |
| Win | 8-3 | Arpad Ritter | 11-3 | October 7, 1999 | 1999 World Wrestling Championships | Ankara, Turkey |
| Win | 7-3 | Radoslaw Horbik | 9-0 | October 7, 1999 | 1999 World Wrestling Championships | Ankara, Turkey |
| Win | 6-3 | Ruslan Khinchagov | 7-1 | October 7, 1999 | 1999 World Wrestling Championships | Ankara, Turkey |
| 1997 UWW world 6th at 69kg |||||||
| Loss | 5-3 | Davoud Ghanbari | Inj. Def. | August 29, 1997 | 1997 World Wrestling Championships | Krasnojarsk, Russia |
| Loss | 5-2 | Zaza Zazirov | 2-4 | August 29, 1997 | 1997 World Wrestling Championships | Krasnojarsk, Russia |
| Win | 5-1 | Yüksel Şanlı | Fall | August 29, 1997 | 1997 World Wrestling Championships | Krasnojarsk, Russia |
| Win | 4-1 | Almazbek Askarov | Fall | August 29, 1997 | 1997 World Wrestling Championships | Krasnojarsk, Russia |
| Win | 3-1 | David Gagishvili | Fall | August 29, 1997 | 1997 World Wrestling Championships | Krasnojarsk, Russia |
| Win | 2-1 | Elchad Allakhverdiev | 4-2 | August 29, 1997 | 1997 World Wrestling Championships | Krasnojarsk, Russia |
| Loss | 1-1 | Igor Kupeev | 2-5 | August 29, 1997 | 1997 World Wrestling Championships | Krasnojarsk, Russia |
| Win | 1-0 | Juan Carlos Rivero | Tech. Fall | August 29, 1997 | 1997 World Wrestling Championships | Krasnojarsk, Russia |