Gadzhimurad Rashidov
Gadzhimurad Gazigandovich Rashidov (; born 30 October 1995) is a Russian freestyle wrestler who competes at 65 kilograms. He is the 2019 World Champion (finalist in 2017 and 2018) and the 2020 and three-time Russian National Champion. 2020 Summer Olympics bronze medalist at 65 kg. Nicknamed the All-American killer, Rashidov holds an undefeated 5–0 record against American wrestlers, who combine fifteen All-American honors and nine NCAA Division I National titles. Background. Rashidov was born and raised in the Gubden village, Dagestan. He started wrestling at the age of six on his home, under his father. After  finishing high school in 2011, he moved to Kaspiysk, and started training at Gamidov's Wrestling Academy, in Makhachkala. As the trips from his house to the school were too long, he switched to Kuramagomedov's wrestling academy, which is located in Kaspiysk, under Said Gireyev and his father. Career. Age-group. Rashidov was a two-time Cadet World Champion in 2011 and 2012, and a two-time Junior World Championship silver medalist, in 2014 and 2015. Senior level. 2012-2015. Rashidov made his senior freestyle debut in 2012, when he placed third at the Ali Aliev Memorial International. In  2015, after placing fifth at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix, Rashidov claimed a bronze medal at the Russian Nationals, and then went on to help the Russian Team win gold at the European Nations Cup. 2016. To start off the year, Rashidov dropped down from 61 to 57 kilograms, and claimed a bronze medal from the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in January. He then became the '16 European Champion, racking up wins over Asadulla Lachinau and two-time Cadet World Champion Andriy Yatsenko. On May, he competed at the Russian Nationals, where after defeating '14 Junior World Champion Azamat Tuskaev , the Dagestan National Team decided to withdraw all the Dagestani wrestlers from the championship, after frustration due to the final decision regarding the conflict between Viktor Lebedev and Ismail Musukaev, which led to a forfeit from Rashidov. 2017 World Wrestling Championships. After defeats over Viktor Rassadin of Sakha-Yakutia at the 2017 Russian National Freestyle Wrestling Championships, he competed at the 2017 World Championships in Paris. His first opponent was Jozsef Molnar of Hungary; Rashidov beat him by technical fall (11-0). In the round of eight, he won 11–0 over NCAA four-time champion from Ohio State Logan Stieber . In the quarterfinal, he rematched World and Olympic champion Vladimer Khinchegashvili of Georgia and beat him by the score, 6–3. In the semifinal Rashidov faced with his countryman from Krasnoyarsk, Opan Sat. Rashidov won the wrestling match (8-2). In the gold medal match, Rashidov lost to three-times world champion from Azerbaijan, Haji Aliyev, by pinfall. 2018 European Wrestling Championships. Rashidov won European world team trials at the Ivan Yarygin 2018 and represented the Russian team at 61 kilos at the 2018 European Wrestling Championships. His first opponent was Vladimir Burukov of Ukraine, he won the match within a  minute. In the second round he beat his countryman from Sakha Republic who represent the Belarus Nurgun Skryabin. In semifinals, he faced Recep Topal of Turkey and beat him by the score, 4–0. In the gold medal match, he beat Beka Lomtadze of Georgia and won the second European title in his career. 2018 World Wrestling Championships. Rashidov made Russia World Team Member and competed at the World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary. His first opponent in men's freestyle at 61 kilos was Tümenbilegiin Tüvshintulga of Mongolia where Rashidov won in close match by score 2–1. In the quarterfinals , Rashidov faced Indian national champion Sonba Tanaji Gongane, the wrestling match finished by technical superiority by Rashidov (12-0). In the semifinals, Rashdidov faced Beka Lomtadze and beat him by technical superiority (10-0). In the gold medal match he lost by 6–5 to Yowlys Bonne of Cuba. Ivan Yarygin 2019 and new weight class. Rashidov decided to compete at 65 kilos for the 2020 Olympic cycle, at Yarygin 2019 in the warm-up he got hand injury, in the first match he faced American folkstyle superstar and NCAA 3-time champion Zain Retherford of Penn State. He won the  match by score (4-3), then he faced 2-time world bronze medalist Akhmed Chakaev of Chechnya and lost. For bronze medal match Rashidov faced Cristian Lopez of Cuba and won the match by score (2-1). He made his debut at the World Championships 2019 in his new weight of class of 65 kg, in the first round he beat Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan - in a rematch of the 2017 World Wrestling Championships' final at 61 kg - by score (4-2). In the quarterfinal, he beat his teammate Gadzhimurad Aliev (Haji Mohamad Ali) by score (9-0), in the  semifinal he beat his countryman Ismail Muuskaev in a close match (3-2), in the final match he defeated Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazakhstan and won the gold medal. Freestyle record. !| International Freestyle Matches ! Res. ! Record ! Opponent ! Score ! Date ! Event ! 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