2021 Russian Wrestling Nationals Day 1 Recap
The first day of Russian nationals saw electrifying action, shocking upsets, and the emergence of new contenders. We’ll be covering the top things to know that happened over day one at 57, 86, and 92 kilograms.
Tuvan duo notches impressive string of upsets to make the 57 KG semis
Belek-Ool Khuzuget and Nachyn Mongush were both Tuvan age group talents who hadn’t quite converted it over to the senior level like their Dagestani contemporaries like #1 (74) Razambek Zhamalov or #3 Akhmed Idrisov. Khuzuget had a 2009 50 KG cadet European title win over 2x European bronze medal Recep Topal and Mongush with a 2019 Junior national title over #3 Akhmed Idrisov and a Junior European title to go along with it. But their lack of production at the senior level had me to believe that while they are solid, they wouldn’t quite have the potential of guys like Akhmed Idrisov, Azamat Tuskaev, or Abubakar Mutaliev. I was wrong.
Khuzuget’s fantastic run started in the qualification round where he upset returning bronze medalist #3 Akhmed Idrisov 6-5. A round of 16 win over 2015 Cadet world champion Alexey Kopylov. An injury default win over 2019 bronze medalist Khasanhussein Badrudinov would propel Khuzuget into a pivotal semifinal matchup against reigning 3x world champion #1 Zavur Uguev. Khuzuget put up a spirit effort, holding a 1-0 lead over Uguev for much of the match until an explosive takedown and turn for Uguev gave him the 4-1 lead and won him the match. Khuzuget is qualified for the bronze medal match where he will likely wrestle 2018 national runner-up Donduk-Ool Khuresh-Ool, another Tuvan.
Nachyn Mongush’s path to the semis would not come about in such a dramatic fashion as Belek-Ool Khuzuget but he did have a strong 10-6 win in the round of 32. Mongush would face off against the returning national runner-up and European champion #2 Azamat Tuskaev who had been the only Russian to defeat reigning three time world champion #1 Zavur Uguev. Mongush capitalized on Tuskaev’s tendency to wrestle matches close and was able to take away a 2-1 match from the titled North Ossetian.
Other important results from 57 KG were #2 Azamat Tuskaev beating 2019 national champion Ramiz Gamzatov 5-4 and #1 Zavur Uguev tech falling 2019 Intercontinental Cup champion Abubakar Mutaliev in the round of 16.
#4 Artur Naifonov mounts late rally against #5 Magomed Ramazanov to make sixth match, third Russian nationals finals against #3 Dauren Kurugliev.
Coming into Russian Nationals, I pointed out that 86 KG had fielded some of its best depth in the longest time, and that held up throughout every round of competition. Immediately we saw 2020 Yarygin bronze medalist #19 (92) Magomedsharif Biyakaev start things off with a bang with upsets over returning bronze medalist #13 Arsenali Musalaliev and Khabib Gadzhiev in the qualification round and the round of 16 respectively. Come to the quarters, he wrestles off against 2018 79 KG world bronze medalist #14 Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov and loses 4-1. Then when you follow #14 (92) Vladislav Valiev’s path to the quarterfinals, he beats 2018 Alans bronze medalist Slavik Naniev 8-6 in the round of 32 and then #8 Tazhidin Akaev in the round of 16 before falling 6-2 to #5 Magomed Ramazanov in the quarterfinals.
Come time for the semis between #4 Artur Naifonov/#5 Magomed Ramazanov and #3 Dauren Kurugliev/#14 Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov even though both of the 79 KG staples in Ramazanov and Gadzhimagomedov came up short, they both shored up a lot of their issues from their past performances at 86 KG. Ramazanov was able to overcome slow starts to get up to an 8-1 lead over 2019 world bronze medalist #4 Artur Naifonov before falling behind and losing 9-8 in the best match of day 1, and Gadzhimagomedov was able to hold off the absolute powerhouse in Kurugliev for most of the match to a 1-1 score until a freight train double from Kurugliev won him the match 4-1.
One of the biggest things for me is the amazing progress that #5 Magomed Ramazanov has made in the past 3 years, establishing him as a top 5 talent across 79 KG and 86 KG with wins over prolific world and Russian nationals medalists the likes of Vladislav Valiev, Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov, Jabrayil Hasanov, Soslan Ktsoev, Dato Marsagishvili, Zahid Valencia, Alan Zaseev, Kakhaber Khubezhty, Atsamaz Sanakoev, and David Khutsishvili. It has been something truly fantastic to see and I cannot wait to see the further progress he makes during the next quad.
#7 Anzor Urishev earns his 13th straight Russian Nationals medal while #3 Magomed Kurbanov makes third straight national finals looking for first national title.
#7 Anzor Urishev made his sixth national finals with a controlled 1-1 win over 2x U-23 national champion Azamat Zakuev. Another strong win of Urishev’s on his way to the finals was a 2-1 quarterfinal win over 2018 86 KG bronze medalist Zelimkhan Minkailov. #3 Magomed Kurbanov had a stronger run with wins over North Caucasian Federal District champion #9 Soslan Ktsoev and NCFD runner-up #14 Guram Chertkoev. Notably absent from the field was #4 Batyrbek Tsakulov who injury defaulted out in his first match against Magomedmurad Baibekov in the qualification round. Baibekov made the quarters with a win over 2019 Junior world champ Alan Bagaev in the round of 16. In the quarters, he was pinned by #13 Guram Chertkoev.