Zaurbek Sidakov

Sidakov entered the 2018 Russian National Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Odintsovo, Moscow Oblast in August 2018. In the round of 16, he defeated Konstantin Korolyov of Krasnoyarsk by 14–1 technical fall; Sidakov went on to defeat Magomed Magomedov of Moscow by 9–0 in the round of 8. In the quarter-finals, Sidakov defeated Timur Bizhoev of Krasnodar by 3–1 and advanced to the semi-finals where he defeated Evgeny Lapishov of Tatarstan by 10–0 technical superiority, thus advancing Sidakov to the finals, where he would face former opponent and training partner, Khetag Tsabolov.[10] Sidakov ultimately got his revenge and the gold medal this time, as he won by 2–2 criteria scoring a takedown in the last 30 seconds.[11][12][13]

Sidakov made his first appearance on the world stage when he entered the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. In Sidakov's opening match, he faced and defeated Bulgaria's Miroslav Kirov by 10–0 technical-fall, and then defeated Franklin Gomez to advance to the quarter-finals. In the quarter-final, he beat NCAA champion, Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs 6–5, and Sidakov then beat Olympic Bronze medalist, and two-time European and World champion, Frank Chamizo by 3–2, advancing Sidakov to the final, opposite Georgia's Avtandil Kentchadze, a 2018 U23 European Championships Bronze Medalist – whom Sidakov defeated at the U23 Senior European Championships in the semi-final.[14][15] After a hard-fought match between Sidakov and Kentchadze, Sidakov won by the score of 2*-2; winning by criteria; the gold medal; first place on the podium and his first senior world title.[16]

Sidakov was then placed on the Russian squad to wrestle at the 2019 European Games held in the capital of Belarus, Minsk. Entering into the tournament, Sidakov first met rival Avtandil Kentchadze of Georgia, who he defeated by the score of 5–3.[18] In the semi-finals, Sidakov faced Azamat Nurykau and defeated him by a score of 6–4.[19] In the final, Sidakov wrestled with three-time European Champion and World medalist, Soner Demirtaş of Turkey. After a minute of hand-fighting, Sidakov would shoot a single-leg causing Demirtas to sprawl out, after turning away, Sidakov would lock in a cradle and would go on to pin Demirtaş, declaring Sidakov the victory by fall, giving Sidakov the gold medal at the European Games.

At the 2019 World Championships, Sidakov first defeated Mexican representative, Victor Hernandez, by a technical fall, 10–0. He went on defeating Kamil Rybycki 8–0 and Mao Okui, Japanese Academic World medalist, in the quarter-finals by a score of 6–0. In the semi-finals, Sidakov faced four-time World Champion and former Olympic Champion, Jordan Burroughs – a rematch of the 2018 World Wrestling Championships quarter-finals – and won in the same fashion as he did in 2018, by a last-second step-out to score 4–3. In 2019, Sidakov once again defeated Burroughs with a last-second step-out and after a failed challenge for a score of 4–3.[20]

In what would be a rematch of the 2018 World Championships semi-finals, Sidakov faced two-time World Champion, Frank Chamizo, in the final. Sidakov used his tie-ups and hand-fighting to control most of the match, leaving Chamizo without any scoring chances; Chamizo was put on the shot-clock giving Sidakov a one-point lead for passivity at the half-way point. In the second period, Chamizo found a way to a single leg takedown and finish it for two-points to lead by a score of 2–1. After being down, Sidakov almost immediately began applying more pressure and managed to get a takedown of his own around 20 seconds later; leading 3–2, in the last twenty seconds, he would land another brief two-point takedown and defended his world title by a score of 5–2, ultimately resulting in Sidakov become a two-time Wrestling World Champion.[21] Following his victory at the World Championships, Sidakov dedicated his victory to all those deceased as a result of the 2004 Beslan terrorist school attack.[22]

Following the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many of the wrestling tournaments had been cancelled nationally and internationally; thus Sidakov's first tournament in over a year would be at the 2020 Russian National Freestyle Wrestling Championships. In Sidakov's first match in over a year, he would suffer a shock upset defeat to teammate and friend, Khetag Tsabolov and lose 9–3; with Tsabolov reaching the final, Sidakov would be pulled into repechage. Sidakov would be faced with Azamat Khadzaragov of the same republic (North Ossetia-Alania), Sidakov was the victor by technical fall, which would allow him to the chance to wrestle for one of the two bronze medals. Opposite Sidakov, was 2016 world champion, Magomed Kurbanaliev, whom was defeated by the score of 9–1 – resulting in a bronze medal for Sidakov.[23]

Following Sidakov's unsuccessful 2020 National championships run, he would return at the 2021 national championships held in Ulan-Ude, Buryatia. Sidakov would start his run with a fall win over Khanty-Mansiysk's Tsyrenov, followed by a 4–0 shut-out against Dagestan representative Dzhaparov. In the quarter-final, Sidakov would be matched up with Dagestan's Kurbanaliev, whom Sidakov defeated by the score of 5–3; the semi-final consisted of a match-up with Kabardino-Balkaria's Timur Bizhoev, which was a tightly fought match; ultimately decided by Sidakov's strong defense and ability to keep a lead with a 5–3 win. In the final match, Sidakov faced Dagestan representative Razambek Zhamalov, who trains under the Saitiev brothers, in Khasavyurt. In what would be the closest match of Sidakov's run, two push-outs were scored within the last 15 seconds, giving Sidakov a 2*-2 criteria lead, and a failed challenge from Zhamalov's team gave Sidakov the 3–2 win and his third Russian National title.[24] With the win at the 2021 Russian Nationals, Sidakov would be chosen to represent the Russian Olympic Committee at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics,[25] which would be rescheduled for 2021, because of the ongoing pandemic.

Almost two months prior to the start of the Olympic games, Sidakov and most of the Russian National team would be sent to the Sassari City International to gain some pre-Olympic experience; Sidakov would win the gold medal after winning his three matches by two tech-falls and a pin.

With his gold medal and first place win at the 2021 Russian National Championships, Sidakov successfully qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, with a third place seed. On August 5, in the round of 8, Sidakov was matched up with former Olympian, Augusto Midana of Guinea-Bissau, who was defeated by a 12–2 tech-fall, resulting in a successful Olympic debut. In the quarter-final, Uzbekistan's two-time Asian Champion, and Asian Games Champion, Bekzod Abdurakhmonov stood in the way; after a fairly competitive, Sidakov would be declared the winner with a 12–6 score; advancing Sidakov to the semi-final, opposite second seeded, Daniyar Kaisanov of Kazakhstan. Sidakov would fairly easily dispatch of Kaisanov by a 11–0 tech-fall,[26] resulting in an advancement into the 74 kg finals opposite former Russian, and now Belarusian representative, Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov.[27] In the final against Kadimagomedov, Sidakov controlled ties and always had strong wrist control, which rendered Kadimagomed's strong over-hook offense useless and never afforded his opponent to get in a good shooting position; Sidakov would win by 7–0,[28] accumulating one passivity point, a takedown, a cradle attempt and two push-outs to win the gold medal.[29][30]