2020 Russian Nationals 65 KG Preview
Photo by Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS via Getty Images
Names to Know
#1 Gadzhimurad Rashidov: 2019 world champion, 2x Russian nationals champion (2017 & 2019), 2018 European champion (61 KG)
#6 Soslan Ramonov: 2014 world champion, 2015 world bronze medalist, 2016 Olympic champion, 2017 Nusuev champion, 2019 Alans champion
#9 Akhmed Chakaev: 2x world medalist (2016 & 2018), 2017 Alans champ 2019 Yarygin champion, 2018 Russian national champion
#11 Dasha Sharastepanov: 2020 Yarygin bronze medalist, 2019 President Cup of Buryatia champion, 2018 Russian nationals bronze medalist
#13 Murshid Mutalimov: 2017 Russian nationals runner-up, 2017 Alans runner-up 2019 Russian nationals bronze medalist
Dinislam Takhtarov: 2019 61 KG Russian nationals bronze medalist, 2019 61 KG U-23 world bronze medalist
#8 (61) Kezhik Chimba: 2016 junior world bronze medalist, 2019 Russian nationals 5th (61), 2020 Yarygin bronze medalist
Bekhan Goygereev: 2013 world champion (60 KG), 2014 & 2017 Russian nationals bronze medalist, 2018 Russian nationals runner-up
Muslim Saidulaev: 2018 Alans champion, 2019 junior European championships runner-up
Alan Gogaev: 2010 world runner-up, 2012 Olympian, 2017 world bronze medalist, 2018 Alans bronze medalist
Julian Gergenov: 2018 Alans bronze medalist, 2019 Russian nationals bronze medalist, 2019 Ugra Cup champ
The Bracket Breakdown
Stacked. That is the one word I feel that describes this bracket best. Stacked. 9 returning Russian nationals medalists and 11x World/Olympic medals. Stacked, just absolutely stacked. The stackedness of this bracket aside, let’s just begin to breakdown what’s going on here.
The returning world champ and number four pound for pound, Gadzhimurad Rashidov, first major test of the tournament comes in the quarters against multiple time national champion and world medalist Alan Gogaev. Getting past Gogaev would set him up in the semis opposite the winner of the Gergenov/Goigereev quarter, which for me would be Rashidov/Gergenov, which I take Rashidov getting past a counter heavy Gergenov. Remember Gergenov’s career best performance where he defeated 2015 national champ Ilyas Bekbulatov, Muslim Saidulaev, and Islam Dudaev. Gergenov/Saidulaev is a great match, albeit a low scoring one and I can see either man getting past Goigereev who is starting to show his age. But it’s at the bottom half of the bracket where things get really interesting.
#11 Dasha Sharastepanov is one of the most underrated guys in the world right now with wins over #4 Haji Aliyev (AZE), #12 Murshid Mutalimov, and #12 Sirojiddin Khasanov (UZB) and draws Mutalimov first round. This will be a great match and the winner will take on 2x world bronze medalist #9 Akhmed Chakaev in the quarters, and I like to see Sharastepanov threaten Chakaev but Chakaev pull away with a close match. On the bottom half, Dinislam Takhtarov (most known for teching #1 (61) Alexander Bogomoev for bronze at nationals last year) vs. #8 (61) Kezhik Chimba will be a fun one for as long as it lasts, but I see Chimba overcoming the counter heavy Takhtarov to set up a quarterfinal match against #6 Soslan Ramonov. I see Ramonov getting past a game Chimba for a semifinal opposite #9 Akhmed Chakaev. Ramonov should get past Chakaev’s underhook heavy offense to set up a final match opposite #1 Gadzhimurad Rashidov. I see Kezhik Chimba and Murshid Mutalimov as the major breakout contenders here and wouldn’t be surprised if they upset a more established name like Ramonov (for Chimba) or Chakaev (for Sharastepanov).
