Bajrang Punia (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)As of today, we are 50 days from the start of wrestling at the Olympic Games. Over the next 50 days, we'll bring you one profile per day of a decorated international contender. Make sure you get to know the wrestlers that Team USA will compete against in Tokyo.
6/11/21 - Frank Staebler (Germany)
6/10/21 - Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)
The leader of the past Indian resurgence over the 2016-2020 quad, Bajrang Punia has amassed a large following based on his hard-nosed, high paced wrestling style that has garnered him back-to-back world medals in 2018 and 2019 and the status as one of 65 KG's premier contenders for a medal in Tokyo. Before going into Bajrang's career, let's take a look at some of his credentials and best wins.
Bajrang Punia (IND)- 2013 60 KG world bronze medalist, 2018 65 KG world runner-up, 2019 Ali Aliev champion, 2019 65 KG world bronze medalist, 2x 65 KG Asian championships gold medalist (2017 & 2019), 2018 65 KG Asian Games champion.
Key Wins: #3 (70) Kurban Shiraev (2019 Ali Aliyev), #6 Haji Aliyev (2019 PWL4), #17 Jordan Oliver (2019 Dan Kolov finals, 2020 Matteo Pellicone finals), #3 (61) Beka Lomtadze (2015 61 KG world championships), Alejandro Valdes Tobier (2018 world's semis, 2018 Indian PWL season 4, 2019 DRL), Younes Emami (2017 U-23 world's, 2018 Asian championships bronze medal match, 2018 Tbilisi GP, 2018 Yasar Dogu), #20 Zain Retherford (2020 Matteo Pellicone).
Key Losses: #5 Takuto Otoguro (2018 65 KG world finals, 2020 65 KG Asian championships finals, 2021 65 KG Asian championships finals), Daulet Niyazbekov (2019 65 KG world semifinals), Yianni Diakomihalis (2019 Beat the Streets), #20 Zain Retherford (2020 NLWC #4), #15 Naachyn Kuular (2017 65 KG U-23 world finals), #4 (61) Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (2016 61 KG world championships), Vasyl Shuptar (2015 61 KG world bronze medal match), Nomin Batbold (2015 61 KG world championships), Vladimir Dubov (2013 60 KG world championships), #16 (70) Zurab Iakobishvili (2017 65 KG world championships), Mustafa Kaya (2017 65 KG world championships repechage).
The Beginning (2010-2013)
Bajrang's short age group career saw him garner impressive accolades, the likes of back-to-back 55 KG Cadet Asian championship titles in 2010 & 2011, a 2011 54 KG Cadet world gold medal and a 5th place finish at the 2012 Junior World championships. Bajrang would make his official Senior level debut at 18 years old at the 60 KG 2013 Dave Schultz Memorial Invitational making the finals off wins over U.S. domestic standouts Reece Humphrey (USA) and Andrew Hochstrasser (USA) before taking silver to Virginia Tech All-American Devin Carter (USA). Now 19 years old going into the 60 KG world championships with medal finishes at the Dave Schultz Memorial Invitational and the Asian championships, Bajrang was able to come back from an opening-round tech fall loss to eventual runner-up Vladimir Dubov (BUL) to beat Nyam Ochir Enkhsaikhan (MGL) for his first senior world medal.
Bajrang on the Rocks (2014-2017)
2014 was a mixed bag for Bajrang where he struggled against International competition and ultimately, India sent Rahul Mann (IND) to the world championships instead of Bajrang. Even with that being the case, Bajrang still had some strong performances from 2014. Bajrang had a 2-3 record at the World Cup, beating Recep Topal (TUR) and Jimmy Kennedy (USA) but falling to Masoud Esmaeilpour (IRI), Volodya Frangulyan (ARM), and Nyam Ochir Enkhsaikhan (MGL). The week after the World Cup, Bajrang competed in an exhibition match at the NCAA tournament against BJ Futrell and was beaten by pin. The remainder of Bajrang's 2014 would string together a run of four straight runner-up finishes at the City of Sassari tournament, Commonwealth championships, Asian championships and Asian Games, losing to the likes of Yogeshwar Dutt, David Tremblay, and Masoud Esmaeilpour.
2015 was Bajrang's breakout year of the 2012-2016 quad, starting off with a title at the Dave Schultz Memorial Invitational over 2014 Yarygin silver medalist Vladimir Flegontov (RUS). Bajrang would have an uncharacteristically limited schedule and his only competition after the Dave Schultz Memorial Invitational would be the World Championships in Las Vegas. Looking to cash in big, Bajrang's chance at a world title would be dashed immediately in his opening round match against eventual silver medalist Nomin Batbold (MGL), who thrashed Punia 10-0. With Batbold making the finals, Bajrang was pulled into repechage where he'd face explosive American Reece Humphrey (USA) in his first match back. Bajrang stymied the potent offense of Humphrey and was able to use his trademark foot stomp single to take Humphrey down and closed out the bout after a series of turns from a bent leg turk was converted into a pin. Bajrang's next match against European Games runner-up #3 (61), Beka Lomtadze (GEO), would push him to the brink. Down 6-3 at the end of the first, Bajrang rattled off 10 straight points in the second period and got another pin to qualify himself for the bronze medal match opposite Vasyl Shuptar (UKR). Shuptar would punish Bajrang's pressure-heavy style early and prevent him from using his dominant top game to hold on to a 6-6 win.
Starting off 2016, Bajrang failed to place at the Asian championships for the first time in his career, losing to Kum Su Jon of North Korea in the Round of 16. Bajrang's next competition at the World Cup would yield mixed results with losses against elite competition the likes of Tony Ramos (USA) and Masoud Esmaeilpour (IRI) and wins over lesser-known guys in Mehmet Soyler (TUR) and Mirjalal Hasanzade (AZE). Bajrang's next two competitions would be up at 65 KG, where he would win the Pune Mayor's Cup and Commonwealth Championships, beating the likes of Andri Svyrd (UKR), Batmagnai Batchuulun (MGL) and 2014 world rep Rahul Mann (IND).
Daulet Niyazbekov (KAZ), a 2011 world bronze medalist and two-time Asian champion fresh off a Ziolkowski title, was Bajrang's opening round opponent at the World Championships. Unfazed by the impressive credentials of the Kazakh, Bajrang put together a masterful performance overcoming an early takedown to put on a 12-3 clinic. A 6-4 win over Temurjon Usmonohunov (UZB) put Bajrang into the quarterfinals against #4 (61) Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (AZE). Gvarzatilov, a 2013 Junior world champion for Azerbaijan, who was coming off an incredibly dominant showing at the Baku GGP, where he dominated Cuban dynamo Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez 9-0 in the finals. The explosive counters of Gvarzatilov would prove to be too much for Bajrang, as a big headlock put him up early, followed up by an exposure off a Bajrang shot and a lefty high crotch and gut wrench sealed the 10-0 win for Gvarzatilov and ended Bajrang's world championship run.
Making the full time move up to 65 KG to start off 2017, Bajrang's year would start off with an abysmal 1-3 showing at the World Cup, with his sole win being against 2015 Cadet world bronze medalist Iveriko Julakidze (GEO) to go with losses to Meysam Nasiri (IRI), Batmagnai Batchuulun (MGL), and Sefa Aksoy (TUR). Bajrang had an impressive recovery with a runner-up finish at the Dan Kolov to Boris Novachkov (BUL), where he beat Magomed Muslimov (AZE) and Viktor Rassadin (RUS). Bajrang's Asian Championships performance would catapult him into the upper echelon of 65, taking out returning champion Meysam Nasiri (IRI) 7-5 in the quarterfinals and defeating Gwang Kuk Kim (PRK) and Seung-Chul Lee (KOR) in the semis and finals for gold.
Bajrang's fourth world championships appearance began with a 6-2 win over Alexander Semisorow of Germany, before he faced returning Olympian Zurab Iakobishvili of Georgia. Iakobishvili was coming off an impressive Ziolkowski title up at 70 KG over Russian Nationals champion #3 (74) Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (BLR). Iakobishvili would prove to be too much for the game Bajrang and beat the Indian stalwart 6-2. With Iakobishvili making the finals, Bajrang was pulled into repechage against 2016 European runner-up Mustafa Kaya (TUR), who would counter Bajrang to an 8-3 win. Still only 23, with four world championships appearances under his belt, Bajrang would compete in the inaugural U-23 world championships where he'd make the finals opposite Russian Nationals bronze medalist #15 Naachyn Kuular (RUS) after impressive wins over world medalists Younes Emami (IRI) and #6 (70) Heydar Yavuz (TUR). Kuular put on an absolute offensive clinic on Bajrang, countering Bajrang's pressure from shallow underhooks with huge back-to-back throws on his way to a massive 17-6 win for inaugural U-23 world gold.
Bajrang the Contender (2018-)
2018 would be the start of Bajrang's reputation as an ironman who would compete anytime, anywhere. Bajrang competed at 7 different competitions, beginning with the Indian Pro Wrestling League, where he fell to 2016 Olympic champion Soslan Ramonov (RUS) and won a match over Harphool Harphool (IND). The returning Asian champion, Bajrang was in a loaded field with two-time champion Daulet Niyazbekov (KAZ), Daichi Takatani (JPN), and Younes Emami (IRI). It would be Takatani who would hand Bajrang a 7-5 loss in the quarterfinal. In a rematch from the U-23 world championships, Bajrang would come out ahead of Younes Emami (IRI) 10-4 in a barn burner to win bronze.
Bajrang won the Commonwealth Games over Daniel Charig of Wales, but his next three titles at the Tbilisi GP, Yasar Dogu, and Asian Games would truly cement him as the #1 guy going into world's at 65 KG. Bajrang avenged past losses to Daichi Takatani and Mustafa Kaya and notched impressive victories over Younes Emami, Murshid Mutalimov, Gor Ogannesyan, Mehran Nasiri, and Sirojiddin Khasanov. At the world championships, Bajrang was able to make his first world's semifinals match opposite returning world bronze medalist Alejandro Valdes Tobier, a punishing Cuban powerhouse who was the favorite to win the year prior in Paris. Punia, showing nerves of steel, was able to take a razor-thin 4-3 win to make the finals. A 19-year-old phenom who had stormed his way through the opposite bracket outscoring his competition 51-19. Takuto Otoguro (JPN) was a man possessed in Budapest. Otoguro went up to an early 5-0 lead on Bajrang after a huge double leg on the edge and Bajrang and Otoguro would trade takedowns for the rest of the first, ending the period with Otoguro up 7-6. The second period would see Otoguro pull away from Bajrang, timing his forward pressure to get in on leg attacks and ultimately win world gold at 19 years old with a 17-6 victory.
2019 saw Bajrang push his competition even further, competing 8 times; German Club League, the Indian Pro League, the Dan Kolov, the Asian Championships, the Tbilisi Grand Prix, the Ali Aliev, the Grapple at the Garden, and the World Championships. Bajrang started off his year strong with impressive performances in club league wrestling, defeating the likes of three-time world champion #6 Haji Aliyev (AZE), 2018 Yarygin bronze medalist Andrey Kviatkovski (UKR), and two-time world medalist Alejandro Valdes Tobier (CUB). Bajrang would begin his rivalry with U.S. stalwart #17 Jordan Oliver (USA) with a victory in the finals of the Dan Kolov. Sayatbek Okassov (KAZ) pushed Bajrang early in the finals of the Asian championships, but Bajrang pulled ahead 12-7 to win his third continental title. Bajrang would use a training camp in Dagestan to get the opportunity to compete at the prestigious Ali Aliyev, where he beat three Russian Nationals medalists in #3 (70) Kurban Shiraev (RUS), #5 (70), Viktor Rassadin (RUS) and Islam Dudaev (RUS). An opportune match against two-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell, fresh off an incredible performance at the U.S. Open, taking out Frank Molinaro (USA), #20 Zain Retherford (USA) and #17 Jordan Oliver (USA). Diakomihalis would show no signs of being star-struck by Bajrang coming out on top of a wild 10-8 match against the top-ranked Bajrang. In his final competition before the world championships, Bajrang would win his second Tbilisi Grand Prix title over 2016 60 KG Junior world champion Peyman Biabani (IRI).
The 2019 world championships in Nursultan, Kazakhstan were set up perfectly for Bajrang: Takuto Otoguro struggling with injuries and losing to Rei Higuchi in a three-match series in Japan and Bajrang having beaten Haji Aliyev, Alejandro Valdes Tobier, and Tulga Tumur Ochir and 2x 61 KG world runner-up Gadzhimurad Rashidov being somewhat untested at the weight. Bajrang was the most consistent man and the #1 ranked wrestler going into the world championships with a finals spot nearly guaranteed. Bajrang held up his end of the deal through the semis, where he would face three-time Asian champion Daulet Niyazbekov (KAZ). Tied 2-2 at the end of the first, Bajrang lead in the second when a failed chest wrap on the edge was scored 4 for Niyazbekov in an egregious case of home cooking officiating, Niyazbekov completely shut down and Bajrang went on the offensive coming back to tie the score 9-9, but Niyazbekov won on criteria. Wrestling for bronze against Tulga Tumur Ochir (MGL), Bajrang controlled the score comfortably when he was absolutely launched by Tumur Ochir and had to hold on to win 7-6 and qualify India for the Olympics at 65 KG.
Even with the truncated 2020 season due to COVID-19, Bajrang was still able to compete three times. Bajrang won the Matteo Pellicone with victories over #17 Jordan Oliver (USA), #20 Zain Retherford (USA), #18 Joey McKenna (USA) and Vasyl Shuptar (UKR). Bajrang injury defaulted in the finals of the Asian championships to #5 Takuto Otoguro (JPN) and would compete at the end of the year in December, losing 6-0 to #20 Zain Retherford. Bajrang's 2021 so far has seen him win his second Matteo Pellicone title over Tulga Tumur Ochir (MGL) and lose an emphatic 10-2 Asian championships finals match to #5 Takuto Otoguro (JPN).
While Bajrang did have a very impressive 2016-2020 that saw continual improvement and points where he was a consensus top-five guy who can challenge for world gold from 2018-2019, I don't think it holds up in Tokyo without a good draw. The 65 KG field is absolutely stacked with style nightmares for Bajrang in #1 Gadzhimurad Rashidov (RUS), #2 Vazgen Tevanyan (ARM), #4 Ismail Musukaev (HUN), #5 Takuto Otoguro (JPN) and while he could beat #6 Haji Aliyev (AZE), #7 Ernazar Akhmataliev (KGZ) and Daulet Niyazbekov (KAZ) Bajrang would have to wrestle perfect matches in succession which unless he gets an absolute softball of a bracket, I just don't see happening.
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