World champion Khetik Tsabolov transfers to Serbia

A staple of the Russian middleweights for the past decade, Khetik Tsabolov will attempt to separate himself from his domestic rivals by transferring to Serbia.

2014 World champion, 2017 World silver medalist, Five-time Russian Nationals champion. #2 ranked Khetik Tsabolov of Russia has transferred to Serbia. Tsabolov will have to qualify 74 kilograms for Serbia at the European Olympic Games Qualifying tournament in March.

This news can be corroborated by the February 16th update on United World Wrestling’s official database:

The field for the European Olympic Qualifier is stacked, it will likely include 2018 World runner-up and #10 ranked Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO), 2020 79 KG European champion #11 Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (BLR), a pair of 2020 Individual World Cup bronze medalists in #15 Fazli Eryilmaz (TUR) and Taimuraz Salkazanov (SVK), along with Murad Kuramagomedov (HUN), 2020 Yasar Dogu champion #20 Alipasha Umarpashaev (BUL), #11 (79) Vasyl Mykhailov (UKR), and 2019 European Games bronze medalist Khadzhimurad Gadzhiev (AZE).

Tsabolov is coming off a runner-up performance at the 2020 Russian National Championship where he upset returning two-time World champion #3 Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS) 9-3, avenging a 2018 National finals loss. He also avenged his 2019 National finals loss to #7 Magomed Kurbanaliev (RUS) 8-7 in the semis. In the 2020 finals, against returning 70 KG National runner-up #1 Razambek Zhamalov (RUS), Tsabolov dropped a 5-1 match to take his third straight consecutive runner-up finish at Russian Nationals.