2023 97 KG Senior World Championships Preview

Title Contenders

#1 Abdulrashid Sadulaev (AIN)-Five-time world champion (‘14, ‘15 at 86 KG, ‘18,’19,’21 at 97 KG), two-time Olympic champion (‘16 at 86 KG, ‘20 at 97 KG), 2021 97 KG Ali Aliev Champion, 2023 97 KG Commonwealth Cup champion. Key Wins: #2 Kyle Snyder (2020 97 Kg Olympic finals, 2021 97 KG World finals, 2018 97 KG world finals), Sharif Sharifov (2019 97 KG world finals), #3 Alikhan Zhabrailov (2023 97 KG Team Sadulaev vs. Team Sidakov finals), #12 Sergey Kozyrev (2023 97 Kg Commonwealth Cup), #11 Shamil Musaev (2023 97 KG Commonwealth Cup). Key Losses: Gamzat Osmanov (2013 84 KG Baku GGP), Shamil Kudiyamagomedov (2012 84 KG Ali Aliyev), #2 Kyle Snyder (2017 97 KG World Finals), Khalil Zubairov (2013 84 Kg Junior Championships of Dagestan, 2013 84 KG Junior Russian Nationals). 

#2 Kyle Snyder (USA)- 2022 97 KG Senior World champion, 2016 97 Kg Olympic champion, 2017 97 KG world champion, 2016 97 KG world champion, 2020 97 KG Olympic runner-up, 2021 97 KG Senior World runner-up, 2023 97 KG Zagreb Open champion, 2023 97 KG Budapest Ranking Series champion, 2018 Senior world runner-up, 2019 97 KG Senior world bronze, 2019 97 KG Alans champion. Key Wins: #1 Abdulrashid Sadulaev (2017 97 KG World Finals), Abdusalam Gadisov (2015 97 KG Senior World Finals), Khetag Gozyumov (2016 97 KG World finals), #8 Magomedkhan Magomedov (2022 97 KG Senior World’s, 2019 97 KG Alans, 2023 97 KG Zagreb Open, 2023 97 KG Budapest Open), #7 Givi Matcharashvili (2018 97 KG World Cup, 2023 97 KG Budapest Open), #6 J’den Cox (2022 97 KG Rudis Supermatch). Key Losses: #1 Abdulrashid Sadulaev (2018 97 KG Senior World finals, 2020 97 KG Olympic, 2021 97 KG World finals), Aslanbek Alborov (2017 97 KG World Cup, 2018 97 KG Yasar Dogu), Sharif Sharifov (2019 97 KG Senior World’s), Mohammad Mohammadian (2020 97 KG Matteo Pellicone).

Medal Contenders

#10 Akhmed Tazhudinov (BRN)- 2022 97 KG 1st Ivan Poddubny Tournament champion, 2022 97 KG Russian Nationals bronze medalist, 2023 97 KG Asian Championships gold medalist, 2023 97 KG Bishkek Ranking Series Tournament champion. Key Wins: #3 Alikhan Zhabrailov (2022 97 KG 1st Ivan Poddubny Tournament), #5 (125) Abdulla Kurbanov (2022 97 KG 1st Ivan Poddubny Tournament), #12 Sergey Kozyrev (2022 97 KG 1st Ivan Poddubny Tournament), #16 Mojtaba Goleij (2023 97 KG Asian Championships), Magomed Ibragimov (2023 97 KG Bishkek Ranking Series Tournament). Key Losses: Aslanbek Sotiev (2022 97 KG Russian Nationals),

#7 Givi Matcharashvili (GEO)- 2023 97 KG Senior European Champion, 2022 97 KG Senior World bronze medalist, 2019 125 Kg European Games runner-up, 2018 97 KG U23 World champion. Key Wins: #8 Magomedkhan Magomedov (2023 97 KG European Finals), Vladislav Baitsaev (2022 97 KG Senior World bronze medal match), Magomed Zakariev (2018 97 KG U23 World championships), Jamaladdin Magomedov (2019 125 KG European Games), Kollin Moore (2018 97 KG U23 World Championships, 2017 97 KG Junior World championships). Key Losses: #2 Kyle Snyder (2023 97 KG Budapest Ranking Series Tournament), #16 Batyrbek Tsakulov (2022 97 KG Senior World championships, 2022 97 KG Matteo Pellicone Tournament), #11 Shamil Musaev (2017 97 KG Junior World’s, 2019 97 KG U23 World’s).

#8 Magomedkhan Magomedov (AZE)- 2022 97 KG Senior World bronze medalist, 2023 97 KG European Championships runner-up, 2023 97 KG Budapest Ranking Series Tournament runner-up, 2022 97 KG European Champion, 2021 97 KG Yarygin champion. Key Wins: Mohammad Mohammadian (2022 97 KG Senior World bronze medal match), Vladislav Baitsaev (2022 97 KG Senior European Finals), Elizbar Odikadze (2022 97 KG Senior European Championships), #9 Igor Ovsyannikov (2021 97 KG Yarygin finals). Key Losses: #2 Kyle Snyder (2022 97 KG Senior World championships, 2023 97 KG Zagreb Open, 2019 97 KG Alans, 2023 97 KG Budapest Ranking Series Tournament), #1 Abdulrashid Sadulaev (2021 97 KG Ali Aliev), Givi Matcharashvili (2023 97 KG European Championships, 2022 97 KG Matteo Pellicone Tournament). 

#16 Mojtaba Goleij (IRI)- 2017 97 KG U23 World Champion, 2019 97 KG U23 World Champion, 2021 97 KG Senior World bronze medalist, 2023 97 KG Asian Championships bronze medalist, 2022 97 KG Islamic Solidarity Games champion. Key Wins: #11 Shamil Musaev (2019 97 KG U23 World Championships), Elizbar Odikadze (2021 97 Kg Senior World championships), Rasul Magomedov (2017 97 KG U23 World Championships), Valerii Andriitsev (2018 97 KG Yasar Dogu). Key Losses: #2 Kyle Snyder (2021 97 KG Senior World Championships), #1 Abdulrashid Sadulaev (2021 97 Kg Ali Aliyev), #10 Akhmed Tazhudinov (2023 97 KG Asian Championships).

Dark Horses

Magomedgadzhi Nurov (MKD)- 2019 Senior World bronze medalist, 2023 97 KG Ali Aliev champion. Key Wins: #11 Shamil Musaev (2023 97 KG Ali Aliev), Gadzhimagomed Tazhudinov (2023 97 KG Ali Aliev), Ramazan Shakhbanov (2023 97 KG Ali Aliev), Alisher Yergali (2019 97 KG Senior World bronze medal match). Key Losses: #1 Abdulrashid Sadulaev (2019 97 KG Senior World Championships), #2 Kyle Snyder (2022 97 KG Senior World’s), Batsul Ulziisaikhan (2021 97 KG World’s repechage), Reineris Salas Perez (2020 97 KG Olympics quarterfinals), #7 Givi Matcharashvili (2022 97 KG Senior World Championships)

Action Fighter/Wrestler to Watch

Ben Honis (ITA)- 2023 97 Kg European Championships 5th place finisher, 2023 97 KG Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series Tournament 5th place finisher, 2019 197 LB NCAA Championships 8th Place Finisher for Cornell. Key Wins: N/A. Key Losses: N/A

The Breakdown

Reigning Olympic champion #1 Abdulrashid Sadulaev (AIN) enters as the man to beat in this bracket. Facing off against him as the only other denizen of the Title Contender tier is reigning world champion #2 Kyle Snyder (USA). The record between Sadulaev and Snyder stands at 3-1 for Sadulaev with victories at the the 2018 World Finals, 2020 Olympic Finals, and 2021 Senior World Finals to Snyder’s sole win in the 2017 Senior World Finals. If there is a match between Snyder and Sadulaev in the finals, I confidently pick Sadulaev here. 

The medal contender tier is where things get more interesting, especially with the addition of Bahrain’s tenth ranked Akhmed Tazhudinov. Tazhudinov, a Dagestani transfer who took bronze at Russian Nationals in 2022, is massive for the weight and uses his length very well for underhooks to bodylocks and knee picks and has great upset potential in this bracket. Someone I would highly anticipate seeing in a match against Tazhudinov would be returning world bronze medalist #8 Magomedkhan Magomedov (AZE) who also excels from bodylocks and has great offensive variety with a KILLER chest wrap. Returning bronze medalist #7 Givi Matcharashvili (GEO) is yet another European 97 KG with an excellent chest wrap but Matcharashvili uses his plus athleticism combined with a very crafty 2-1 and arm drag facilitated snatch single based offense to lay his claim as one of the most elite of the weight. Lastly and most offensively impotent is 2021 Senior World bronze medalist #16 Mojtaba Goleij (IRI). Goleij is an open book at this point, pushing you from underhooks for pushouts or snapping down for go behinds until he exhausts and breaks his opponent. While I don’t fancy Goleij’s offensive selection, he is a truly elite competitor who could make his way to the world semifinals or more with his boring skillset. 

Regarding my pick for dark horse wrestler of the tournament, #18 Magomedgadzhi Nurov (MKD) is a 2019 world bronze medalist with an excellent double leg, chest wrap, and can throw confidently when giving strong underhooks or a high bodylock. Nurov is incredibly strong but what makes him absent from the medal contender tier is that his game lacks dynamism and he has a poor gas tank. For my action fighter/wrestler pick of the tournament, I chose Cornell All-American Ben Honis of Italy. Honis is large for the weight and boasts excellent physicality and a strong double leg but is still adapting to the finesse of the international styles and has yet to have a breakthrough international performance. Still Honis has a big gas tank and strong leg attacks so he is bound to have some interesting matches in Belgrade.

Predictions

GOLD: #1 Abdulrashid Sadulaev over #2 Kyle Snyder

BRONZE: #10 Akhmed Tazhudinov

BRONZE: #7 Givi Matcharashvili