Khadzhimurad Gadzhiev of Azerbaijan (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)As of today, we under 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.
7/8/21 - Ali Shabanov
7/7/21 - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (Russia)
7/6/21 - Suleyman Karadeniz (Turkey)
7/5/21 - Frank Chamizo (Italy)
7/3/21 - Yui Susaki (Japan)
7/1/21 - Amir Zare (Iran)
6/28/21 - Zavur Uguev (Russia)
6/27/21 - Zhan Beleniuk (Ukraine)
6/26/21 - Sergey Kozyrev (Russia)
6/24/21 - Kenchiro Fumita (Japan)
6/23/21 - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (Belarus)
6/22/21 - Erica Wiebe (Canada)
6/21/21 - Myles Amine (San Marino)
6/20/21 - Sofia Mattsson (Sweden)
6/19/21 - Hassan Yazdani Charati (Iran)
6/18/21 - Tamas Lorincz (Hungary)
6/17/21 - Takuro Otoguro (Japan)
6/16/21 - Elizbar Odikadze (Georgia)
6/15/21 - Koumba Larroque (France)
6/14/21 - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
6/13/21 - Ningning Rong (China)
6/12/21 - Bajrang Punia (India)
6/11/21 - Frank Staebler (Germany)
6/10/21 - Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)
A 2018 70 KG Junior World championship title over Russian phenom Razambek Zhamalov put Khadzhimurad Gadzhiev of Azerbaijan on the map, but it would be his follow-up performance in 2019 that would announce him as a contender. At the 2019 World Championships, Gadzhiev beat three past World/Olympic medalists in 2010 66 KG world champion Sushil Kumar (IND), two-time World/Olympic medalist #13 Soner Demirtas (TUR) and two-time World medalist Bekzod Abdurakhmanov to make the 74 KG World Championships quarterfinals. While he would lose 8-1 to #8 Jordan Burroughs (USA), Gadzhiev had announced himself as a presence at 74 KG. Today's Olympic profile will look at the career of Khadzhimurad Gadzhiev of Azerbaijan.
The Stats
Khadzhimurad Gadzhiev (AZE)- 2017 63 KG Cadet world bronze medalist, 2018 70 KG Junior world champion, 2019 Takhti Cup champion, 2019 European championships 5th, 2019 European Games bronze, medalist, 2019 Junior World bronze medalist, 2019 Korkin bronze medalist, 2020 Yasar Dogu bronze medalist, 2021 European Olympic qualifier runner-up, 2021 Henri Deglane Grand Prix bronze medalist, 2021 Ziolkowski bronze medalist
Key Wins: #6 Razambek Zhamalov (2018 70 KG Junior world championships), #13 Soner Demirtas (2019 world championships), Sushil Kumar (2019 world championships), Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (2019 world championships), Younes Emami (2021 Ziolkowski), Vasyl Mykhailov (2019 European Games).
Key Losses: #8 Jordan Burroughs (2019 world championships), #13 Soner Demirtas (2019 European Games), #5 Frank Chamizo (2019 European championships, 2020 European championships), #9 Timur Bizhoev (2019 European championships), Nadirbek Khizriev (2019 Korkin), #2 Kyle Dake (2021 Henri Deglane Grand Prix), #7 (70) James Green (2018 70 KG world championships), David Carr (2019 Junior world championships semifinals), Mostafa Hosseinkhani (2021 Ziolkowski semifinals).
2016-2021
Khadzhimurad Gadzhiev's career began at the 2016 63 KG Cadet European Championships, where he took bronze over #8 (65) Erik Arushanian (UKR) after a 10-0 semifinal loss to Inal Dzhhopua (AZE). Gadzhiev would return to action in the summer of 2017, finishing runner-up to Inar Ketiia (RUS) 9-5 at the 63 KG Cadet European Championships and taking bronze at the Cadet World Championships after a loss to eventual champion Inar Ketiia (RUS).
2018 would see Gadzhiev grow into the 70 KG weight class. He'd debut at the Junior European Championships, taking silver to 2017 65 KG Yarygin runner-up #19 Cherman Valiev of Russia. Making the finals of the Junior World Championships, Gadzhiev would be faced with #6 Razambek Zhamalov of Russia, who'd come off an explosive run at Russian Nationals where he finished fifth behind world champions #10 Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (RUS) and #4 (70) David Baev (RUS). Trailing Zhamalov 3-1 throughout the bout, he was able to hit a counter late in the second period to take the 3-3 criteria lead and hold on for the win and the 70 KG Junior world title. After the success of his Junior world campaign, Gadzhiev was selected as the Senior world rep for Azerbaijan and, in his opening round, faced returning world runner-up #7 (70) James Green (USA). Close with Green throughout, Gadzhiev would fall to the American standout 6-4. Completing in 2018, Gadzhiev would enter the Kadyrov Cup, where he beat Bekzhan Dzhambulov (KGZ) and Sumiyabazar Zandanbud (MGL).
2019 came and Gadzhiev made the move up to 70 KG, where he continued to build momentum after his strong finish to 2018. Starting the year off with a title at the Takhti Cup over 2014 Asian champion Reza Afzali Paemani (IRI). At the Senior European championships, Gadzhiev would make the semifinals opposite two-time World champion #5 Frank Chamizo (ITA) and fall to the talented Italian 6-2 and fall to the bronze medal match. Against 2018 Russian Nationals bronze medalist #9, Timur Bizhoev (RUS) lost 6-4 to take fifth.
An opening-round loss to two-time World/Olympic medalist #13 Soner Demirtas (TUR) put Gadzhiev into the repechage of the European Games, where he came back to take bronze with wins over Kyrillos Binenmpaoum (GRE) and Vasyl Mykhailov (UKR) for his first Senior European medal. As the returning 70 KG Junior world champion, Gadzhiev was seen as the rightful favorite to win his second Junior world title, but a shocking upset by tech fall to American David Carr would snub out Gadzhiev's chances at consecutive Junior world titles. Rebounding for bronze with a victory against David Betanov (RUS), Gadzhiev would enter the 2019 Senior world championships.
Gadzhiev's run at the 2019 Senior world championships would change his career forever. In his opening round match, Gadzhiev faced off against the 2x World/Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar (IND), who went up big after an early arm throw. Fighting and clawing back against the powerful Indian, Gadzhiev pulled out an 11-9 win to move onto the Round of 32 against Demirtas. In a rematch of his opening-round loss from the European Games, Gadzhiev proved himself to be the better man beating his second straight World/Olympic medalist in Demirtas for a 5-2 win. The Round of 16 would be Gadzhiev's toughest test yet, as returning World bronze medalist Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (UZB) was coming off gold at the Asian Games and looked fantastic. A fireman's carry in the opening seconds of the match put up 4-0 over Abdurakhmanov and a takedown and stepout for Abdurakhmanov made the score 4-3 Gadzhiev. In an absolute shoot-out, Gadzhiev would pull away with 8 points in the second period to Abdurakhmanov's 6 and win the match 12-9 to make the quarterfinals. Having beaten three past World/Olympic medalists to make the quarterfinals, Gadzhiev was matched against none other than 5x World/Olympic champion #8 Jordan Burroughs (USA). Gadzhiev, having gone through an absolutely brutal trio of opponents to make the quarters, was absolutely drained and the veteran Burroughs dominated the younger Gadzhiev 8-1 to make the semis. With Burroughs 4-3 semifinal loss to returning world champion #1 Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS), Gadzhiev's brilliant world title run was ended. Gadzhiev's 2019 ended with a bronze medal at the Dmitri Korkin tournament after a loss to Nadirbek Khizriev (RUS).
Gadzhiev's abbreviated 2020 season began with a bronze medal finish at the Yasar Dogu, where he lost to eventual champion Alipasha Umarpashaev (BUL) in the semifinals. After an opening-round win over 2019 70 KG U-23 European runner-up Patryk Olenczyn (POL), Gadzhiev would default out of European championships after hurting his arm defending a 4 point fireman's carry from #5 Frank Chamizo (ITA) in the round of 16.
Gadzhiev made his return to competition in January of this year, taking bronze at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix after losing to 2x 79 KG world champion #2 Kyle Dake (USA). Competing at the European Olympic qualifier, Gadziev was able to qualify Azerbaijan for the Olympics by making the finals with wins over Murad Kuramagomedov (HUN), Maxim Vasilioglu (MDA), and Charles Andre Afa (FRA). In his final competition of 2021 before the Olympics, Gadzhiev took bronze at the Ziolkowski, beating 2019 70 KG world bronze medalist Younes Emami (IRI) in the quarterfinals before falling to 2016 70 KG world bronze medalist Mostafa Hosseinkhani (IRI) in the semis.
While he had an exceptional run in 2019 that saw him beat three past World/Olympic medalists, Khadzhimurad Gadzhiev of Azerbaijan is very much facing an uphill battle to place in Tokyo. If he has anything but a top bracket, he is gonna have to contend with #1 Zaurbek Sidakov, #2 Kyle Dake (USA), #3 Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (BLR), #5 Frank Chamizo (ITA) or #7 Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO) before the semifinals. While Gadzhiev has made lots of growth, stylistically, those matches are just too much for Gadzhiev to pull through. The upcoming 2022-2024 Olympics should see Gadzhiev's profile continue to rise and a Senior world medal is a real possibility.
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