Bilyal Makhov

Bilyal Valerievich Makhov (Russian: Билял Валерьевич Махов, Kabardian: Махуэ Билал Валерий и къуэ; born 20 September 1987 in Nalchik) is a Russian mixed martial artist, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestler. Olympic gold medalist 2012. He is signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, currently competing in the Heavyweight division. He was the Russian champion in 2007 and 2010, European champion in 2010 and World champion in 2007, 2009 and 2010 in Men's Freestyle 120 kg wrestling and bronze medalist in 130 kg Greco-Roman Wrestling at the World Championships in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, he won the Russian National Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships

Bilyal Makhov
2016 Summer Olympics, Makhov (right) vs Zasyeyev (left)
Personal information
Full nameBilyal Valeryevich Makhov
CitizenshipRussian
Born (1987-09-20) September 20, 1987
Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia
Height196 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Weight125–130 kg (276–287 lb)
Sport
CountryKabardino-Balkaria, Russia
SportWrestling
Event(s)Freestyle and Greco-Roman
ClubCSKA Wrestling club, Khasavyurt WC
Coached byGadzhi Gadzhiev, Magomed Guseinov, Khankala Gadzhimagomedov
Medal record
Representing  Russia
Men's Freestyle wrestling
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2012 London 120 kg
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 Baku 120 kg
Gold medal – first place 2009 Herning 120 kg
Gold medal – first place 2010 Moscow 120 kg
Silver medal – second place 2011 Istanbul 120 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Las Vegas 125 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Baku 120 kg
Men's Greco-Roman wrestling
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Tashkent 130 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Las Vegas 130 kg

He originally won the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the men's 120 kg category but was upgraded to joint gold medallist with Komeil Ghasemi of Iran in 2020, when retesting of samples revealed both finalists had used illegal substances. In September 2021, Makhov was himself banned for four years after an anti-doping violation.[1]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

On April 25, 2015, it was announced that Makhov had signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to compete in the heavyweight division. Makhov decided to continue to wrestle in the hope to medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.[2] After the 2016 Summer Olympics, Makhov did not fight in the UFC due to long-term health issues caused by a mercury poisoning he had suffered in 2008.[3]

Championships and accomplishments

International Titles
  • Freestyle:
    • 2007 World Champion – 120 kg (Baku, Azerbaijan)
    • 2008 Golden Grand-Prix Ivan Yarygin 3rd – 120 kg (Krasnoyarsk, Russia)
    • 2009 World Champion – 120 kg (Herning, Denmark)
    • 2010 European Champion – 120 kg (Baku, Azerbaijan)
    • 2010 World Champion – 120 kg (Moscow, Russia)
    • 2011 World Championships runner-up – 120 kg (Istanbul, Turkey)
    • 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist – 120 kg (London, England)
    • 2015 Ali Aliyev Memorial winner – 125 kg (Kaspiysk, Dagestan)
    • 2015 World Championships Bronze Medalist – 125 kg (Las Vegas, United States)
  • Greco-Roman:
    • 2014 World Championships Bronze Medalist – 130 kg (Tashkent, Uzbekistan)
    • 2015 World Championships Bronze Medalist – 130 kg (Las Vegas, United States)

International accomplishments

The first wrestler in 42 years to win a medal at the world championships in both freestyle and Greco-Roman (the last person to accomplish this was Jan Karlsson in 1973).

National Titles
  • Freestyle:
    • 2006 Russian National Runner-up – 120 kg (Nizhnevartovsk, Yugra)
    • 2007 Russian National Champion – 120 kg (Moscow)
    • 2008 Russian National Bronze Medalist – 120 kg (Saint Petersburg, Leningrad)
    • 2009 Russian National Champion – 120 kg (Kazan, Tatarstan)
    • 2010 Russian National Champion – 120 kg (Volgograd)
    • 2012 Russian National Champion – 120 kg (Saint Petersburg, Leningrad)
  • Greco-Roman:

References
  1. "Russia's 2012 wrestling gold medallist Bilyal Makhov gets four-year ban". The Times of India. Reuters. September 24, 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  2. "Olympic medalist Bilyal Makhov signs with UFC, still eyes 2016 Summer Games". MMAJunkie.com. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  3. "Bilyal Makhov refused to move to UFC due to health issues". hardcord.com. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
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