Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov at the Last Chance Qualifier (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.
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)
An exceptional run in 2017 that saw him capture Russian Nationals gold and establish himself as a frontrunner for gold in a loaded 70 KG world bracket helped #3 Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (BLR) establish himself as one of Russia's great talents for gold in the 2016-2020 quad. Two years behind incredibly deep 74 and 70 KG weight classes saw Kadimagomedov's star dim, but a transfer to Belarus in 2020 revitalized the dynamic Dagestani and since then, he has won a 79 KG European title and a loaded world qualifier to put himself on the shortlist of title contenders for gold in Tokyo. For today's Olympic profile, we're going to look at Belarus's Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov.
The Stats
#3 Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (BLR)- 2020 Individual World cup 79 KG bronze, 2021 74 KG World Olympic Qualifier champion 2017 70 KG Yarygin bronze, 2017 70 KG Yasar Dogu champion, 2017 70 KG Russian national champion, 2018 74 KG Dan Kolov bronze medalist, 2019 74 KG Sargsyan Cup champ, 2019 74 KG Medved bronze medalist, 2020 79 KG European Championships champion.
Key Wins: #1 Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS; 2017 Russian nationals), #4 Taimuraz Salkazanov ( 2020 World Olympic Qualifier), #5 (86) Magomed Ramazanov (2020 79 KG European championships finals), #8 Timur Bizhoev (2017 Yarygin), #12 Soner Demirtas (2021 European Olympic Qualifier, 2021 World Olympic Qualifier), #9 (79) Arsalan Budazhapov (2021 World Olympic qualifier), #13 Khetag Tsabolov (2019 Stepan Sargsyan Cup), #14 Nikita Suchkov ( 2018 Alans), #11 Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (2017 70 KG Yasar Dogu), #16 (65) Magomedmurad Gadzhiev ( 2017 70 KG Yasar Dogu)
Key Losses: Yakup Gor (2017 world championships), #3 (74) Zaurbek Sidakov ( 2017 Yarygin), #14(79) Evgheni Lapshov ( 2018 Russian nationals), #7 Magomed Kurbanaliev ( 2019 Ali Aliev), #18 Cherman Valiev (2019 Russian 70 KG Nationals), #6 Razambek Zhamalov (2019 70 KG Russian Nationals), Bekzod Abdurakhmanov ( 2019 Medved), #2 (79) Akhmed Usmanov (2021 79 KG Individual World Cup), Alipasha Umarpashaev (2021 European Olympic qualifier).
2014-2016
Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov's Senior-level career would start at 20 years old in 2014, where he would take bronze at the 2014 Intercontinental Cup after a semifinal loss to 2014 Azerbaijan world rep Magomed Muslimov (AZE). Kadimagomedov's return to competition would be in March 2015, where he'd take bronze in his new weight class of 70 KG after an opening-round loss to returning Russian Nationals bronze medalist #11 Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (RUS). Russian Nationals would be a significant turning point for Kadimagomedov. An impressive semifinal run with a win over #9 (79) Arsalan Budazhapov (KGZ) put Kadimagomedov against Gazimagomedov with a chance at revenge, but Gazimagomedov powered through Kadimagomedov in an 8-0 win. No shame to losing to the eventual world champion, Kadimagomedov dropped to the bronze medal match where he faced U-23 European bronze medalist #2 (70) Evgheni Zherbaev, who had just upset the returning world champion #13 (74) Khetag Tsabolov (SRB) in repechage. Running into another absolutely dominant offensive talent, Kadimagomedov would be game early, but lost 15-4 and finished fifth.
Fresh off his fifth-place finish at Russian Nationals and no longer an unknown like he was in 2014 and early 2015, Kadimagomedov had his greatest breakthrough in the finals of the Ali Aliyev. Both Kadimagomedov and his finals opponent Khabib Magomedov had great tournament runs. Kadimagomedov beating the likes of three-time Russian Nationals bronze medalist Kamal Malikov in the semis. Khabib Magomedov was exceptional with wins over #1 (70) Israil Kasumov (RUS), 2018 70 KG European championships bronze medalist Murtuz Muslimov (AZE), Magomed Khizriev (RUS) and two-time world bronze medalist Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (UZB). In the battle between the two red hot prospects, it would be Kadimagomedov who would emerge the victor in a tight 2-1 match.
Kadimagomedov would have a very busy 2016, competing a total of six times. A ninth-place finish at the Yarygin saw Kadimagomedov make the quarterfinals but fall to two-time U-23 European champion Rasul Arsanaliev (RUS) 22-14. His second international title would come in the form of gold at the Stepan Sargsyan Cup over 2014 European runner-up Grigor Grigoryan (ARM). Kadimagomedov made the quarterfinals of the Russian Nationals championships but was eliminated from competition when he, along with the rest of team Dagestan, left in protest due to the controversial officiating of the 57 KG match between returning national finalists Victor Lebedev (RUS) and #4 (65) Ismail Musukaev (HUN).
The returning Ali Aliyev champion, Kadimagomedov, had a strong showing on his way to the finals repeating his win from 2015 over three time Russian Nationals bronze medalist Kamal Malikov (RUS) and adding a win over 2020 Individual World Cup champion #2 (79) Akhmed Usmanov (RUS). His finals opponent would be the dangerous #7 Khalil Aminov (RUS), who has some of the best reattacks among all middleweights. Aminov's reattacks would make the difference in the match as the crafty Dagestani was able to negate the high-paced counter exposure of Kadimagomedov to win 9-8 for gold. A tech fall loss in the second round of the Intercontinental Cup to 2014 74 KG Russian Nationals bronze medalist #6 (86) Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov (RUS) placed Kadimagomedov 8th and a 10th place finish at a loaded Kunaev tournament with losses to 2012 66 KG Olympic bronze medalist Akzhurek Tanatarov (KAZ) and 2015 Russian Nationals bronze medalist #2 (70) Evgheni Zherbaev (RUS) ended Kadimagomedov's year on a sour note. But 2017 would be the year that would change Kadimagomedov's career forever.
2017-2019
Kadimagomedov had garnered strong medal placements at respected Russian tournaments the likes of the Ali Aliyev and the Intercontinental Cup and even taken fifth at Russian Nationals in 2015, but the one that had a piece of hardware that had evaded him in his career was from the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Memorial tournament. The unofficial “Russian Nationals before Russian Nationals,†the Ivan Yarygin Memorial, was a legendary tournament where the best of Russia would go face to face for valuable experience against each other early in the season and the chance if they win to wrestle at the European championships. Battles between European, World, and Olympic champions were the norm at the Yarygin as the tournament was the ultimate flex of Russia's unsurpassed depth.
To say that Kadimagomedov was a changed man from who he was from 2014-2016 would be an understatement. Kadimagomedov had the best win of his career in the quarterfinals of the Yarygin over returning 74 KG Russian Nationals bronze medalist and Yarygin runner-up Khusey Suyunchev (RUS) to face returning Yarygin and national champion #1 Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS). In a foreshadowing of their battles to come, Kadimagomedov pushed Sidakov to the brink, but the North Ossetian star would walk away with a 9-7 win and finals berth. Kadimagomedov's opponent in the bronze medal match would be his polar opposite, a punishing hand fighter that slowed matches down to a snail's pace and won off one or two takedowns in the form of 2013 69 KG Cadet world bronze medalist #10 Timur Bizhoev (RUS). Opening up Bizhoev, Kadimagomedov was able to come away with an 8-5 win over the talented Kabardian for the biggest medal of his career.
After an impressive showing against elite domestic competition at the Yarygin, Kadimagomedov was selected as the World Cup rep. While a 1-2 record may not be impressive on paper, this was really Kadimagomedov's big tournament outside of Russia and having an 8-6 shoot out with #11 James Green (USA) early in the tournament, a win over David Suynyuchakhanov (AZE) and a lopsided 14-7 loss to finish the tournament to two-time world bronze medalist Mandakhnaran Ganzorig (MGL) are a mixed bag, but not a sign of the end of days for Kadimagomedov.
Looking to regain momentum after his World Cup performance, Kadimagomedov entered a loaded field at the Yasar Dogu. 2016 European runner-up #16 (65) Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (POL), 2017 U-23 world bronze medalist Muhammet Akdeniz (TUR), 2009 66 KG world runner-up Rasul Dzhukaev (RUS), two-time world champion #11 Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (RUS) and 2016 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Ildous Giniyatullin (RUS) all fell to the power of Kadimagomedov. To say Kadimagomedov had momentum behind him would be an understatement, and he'd be one of the premier contenders for Russian Nationals gold.
Russians Nationals was absolutely loaded with talent in 2017. Sidakov, #2 Evgheni Zherbaev, returning world champion #9 Magomed Kurbanaliev, 2009 world runner-up Rasul Dzhukaev and 2019 70 KG world champion #4 (70) David Baev all combined made for a bracket with a landmine around every corner. Kadimagomedov would make it to the quarterfinals where he'd face returning national champion in Sidakov; Kadimagomedov would show himself to be the better man capitalizing on a late chest wrap exposure to beat the returning champion and cause the biggest riot of Russian Nationals. Kadimagomedov's semifinals opponent Dzhukaev had upset top-ranked Israil Kasumov 4-4 in the quarterfinals, but Kadimagomedov held off the Cinderella run of the decorated Chechen to make his first Russian Nationals finals. A departure from the explosive, edge-of-your-seat action from their earlier matches at Russian Nationals, Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov, would emerge victorious against Magomed Dibirgadzhiev 2-1 for Russian Nationals gold.
A final tuneup before the World Championships at the Ziolkowski would sow the seeds of unrest in Kadimagomedov, as a lopsided finals loss to 2016 65 KG Olympian #16 (70) Zurab Iakobishvili (GEO) made Kadimagomedov's susceptibility to slow starts and letting his opponents in his legs rear its ugly head again. Tech falls over Lennard Wickel (GER) and Mihail Sava (MDA) put Kadimagomedov into the quarterfinals against returning two-time world medalist Yakup Gor (TUR). Gor, using his powerful underhooks and impressive gas tank, outlasted the dynamic Kadimagomedov to a 6-5 win and the major upset. With Gor falling by way of 5-2 decision to returning 65 KG Olympic bronze medalist #5 Frank Chamizo (ITA), Kadiamgomedov's biggest year of his career ended in heartbreak as he placed seventh at the world championships.
2018-2021
Now calling 74 KG his new home, Kadimagomedov would make his debut in the weight class at the Dan Kolov, taking bronze after a semifinal loss to Chamizo. While his incredible 2017 run had only appreciated with the success of Sidakov (RUS) and Gazimagomedov (RUS) in 2018, Kadimagomedov was still having trouble adjusting to 74 KG early in 2018 and it showed as he dropped a disappointing decision at Russian Nationals to #14 (79) Evgheni Lapshov (RUS) and failed to place. Kadimagomedov's penultimate competition of the year would take place at the Ugra cup where he'd finish runner-up to #2 (79) Akhmed Usmanov (RUS) and had an impressive 10-8 quarterfinal win over Khabib Magomedov (RUS) in a rematch of their 2015 70 KG Ali Aliev finals. Kadimagomedov did have a reprise at the end of the year, as he was able to make the semifinals of the Alans with an impressive quarterfinal win over two-time Russian Nationals bronze medalist #15 Nikita Suchkov (RUS) but would be outdone by world runner-up #7 Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO) and #17 Kakhaber Khubezhty (RUS) and took fifth.
Kadimagomedov's 2019 saw a mixed schedule, losing in the opening round of the 79 KG Ali Aliev to #9 Magomed Kurbanaliev (RUS) followed up by competing in a shark tank of a bracket at 70 KG Russian Nationals that saw him fall to a pair of future Russian Nationals champions in #6 Razambek Zhamalov (RUS) and #18 Cherman Valiev (RUS) in two absolute shoot outs. Kadimagomedov would make a move back up to 74 KG, where he'd get the biggest win of his career at 74 KG over returning two-time Russian Nationals runner-up #13 Khetag Tsabolov (SRB) in the finals of the Stepan Sargsyan Cup. Concluding 2019 with a bronze medal finish at the Medved, Kadimagomedov was at a crossroads going into the final year of the 2020 quad, as 70 KG wouldn't be a weight class in the Olympics and 74 was too deep and he couldn't make the cut down to 65. A change of scenery was in order.
Kadimagomedov's debut for Belarus would be at the 2020 European Championships, his debut appearance at a continental competition and in a new weight class at 79 KG. Kadimagomedov, who reportedly was cutting no weight for this at all and was training less than 100%, breezed through to the finals where he would face then top-ranked Yarygin champion #5 (86) Magomed Ramazanov (RUS), who was a returning 86 KG Russian Nationals bronze medalist. Not fazed by the hard-nosed, handfighting snatch singles and duck unders of Ramazanov, Kadimagomedov put on an absolute counter masterclass thrashing the lauded 10-3 with a spectacular superducks and exceptional scrambling. Entering the Individual World Cup at the end of the year as the #1 wrestler in the world, Kadimagomedov would get his chance at his rubber match against Russian Nationals champion #2 (79) Akhmed Usmanov (RUS), who led the series 1-1 after a 2018 Ugra Cup finals win. The positioning and precise leg attacks of Usmanov would prove to be too much for Kadimagomedov and he would fall 4-1 in the quarterfinals and rebound with a 13-0 tech fall for bronze against Asian championships runner-up Baliyan Gourav (IND).
Kadimagomedov's first attempt at qualifying Belarus at the European Olympic Qualifier for the Olympics was a return to form in two ways. On one end, he beat two-time World/Olympic medalist #12 Soner Demirtas (TUR), but on the other end, he was eliminated from competition in the quarterfinals 4-4 by Alipasha Umarpashaev (BUL). Kadimagomedov would have to go to the substantially deeper World qualifier in May if he wanted to qualify Belarus for Tokyo and in a field that had world medalists #12 Soner Demirtas (TUR), #13 Khetag Tsabolov (SRB) and #4 Taimuraz Salkazanov (SVK), Kadimagomedov's chances in Tokyo seemed slim. But Kadimagomedov tore through the credentialed bracket beating world medalists Demirtas, #4 Taimuraz Salkazanov (SVK), Mihail Sava (MDA) and 2020 Asian champion #9 (79) Arsalan Budazhapov (KGZ) to make the finals and qualify Belarus for Tokyo. Not letting up in the finals, Kadimagomedov mounted a late comeback to take gold over 2020 Individual World Cup 79 KG bronze medalist Vasyl Mykhailov (UKR).
#3 Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov is in a very, very unique position for Belarus going into the Tokyo Olympics. Because he doesn't have a huge body of work competing at “ranking series†events that by UWW rules give athletes points that affect their “seeding†at official UWW events and give them better bracket placement, Kadimagomedov, along with two-time 79 KG world champion #2 Kyle Dake (USA) and 2018 world runner-up Kentchadze will all be unseeded at the Olympics. Meaning the 74 KG bracket is gonna be an absolute bloodbath as the “random draw†will ensure Kadimagomedov will be given an elite match early in the tournament, truly testing if he is ready to put it all together and bank on his immense talent.
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