Razambek Zhamalov

Razambek Salambekovich Zhamalov (; born 1 July 1998) is a Chechen-born Uzbek freestyle wrestler who competes at 74 kilograms. The 2020 Individual World Cup winner and 2019 U23 World champion, Zhamalov claimed the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, representing Uzbekistan. He was also a two-time Russian National champion and four-time finalist before transferring to Uzbekistan.

Background Zhamalov was born in a small village called Petrakovskoye in the Khasavyurtovsky District of Dagestan. Coached by Adam Saitiev and Musa Saydulbatalov at the Saitiev Wrestling Academy, Zhamalov used to represent Dagestan and Chechnya in the national circuit.

Career

2016–2018 Zhamalov made his senior freestyle debut the same day he became eligible to, as he turned 18 in July 2016, at the Ali Aliev Memorial, where he placed tenth after going 1–1. On November, he claimed the Intercontinental Cup, with a notable win over defending two-time Asian Champion Daulet Niyazbekov in the finals.

In January 2017, he placed ninth at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin. On March, he moved up from 61 kg to 66 kg, claimed the Roman Dmitriev Memorial championship and was named the Outstanding Wrestler, after defeating four opponents by the same score of 10–0. To close off the year, Zhamalov claimed the Stepan Sargsyan Cup on Armenia in October.

In 2018, he started off by moving up from 65 kg to 70 kg, and on March, he became a two-time Roman Dmitriev Memorial champion. After qualifying via U20 tournaments, Zhamalov wrestled at the Russian Nationals of August, where after recording an 8–1 victory, he was defeated in a closely contested 1–2 match against '15 World Champion and eventual '18 World Champion Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov, and then was again defeated by two-time age-group World Champion David Baev in a last-second come-from-behind loss. After a runner-up finish at the U20 World Championships, Zhamalov became a two-time Intercontinental Cup champion, when he defeated the returning champion of the tournament and '10 Military World Champion Aghahuseyn Mustafayev in the finale. He then represented Russia at the Akhmat Kadyrov Cup, where he compiled three five-pointers and one four-pointer for the team. On December, he placed third at the Alans International Tournament, with a lone and close loss to '16 World Champion Magomed Kurbanaliev.

2019 To start off the year, Zhamalov competed at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin of January, where he earned a bronze medal after a loss to returning World Champion Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov and wins over '18 US Open National Champion Jason Chamberlain and two-time age-group World Champion David Baev, the latter becoming the most notable match in the tournament. In March, he became the U23 European Champion at age 20, and in May, he claimed the Ali Aliev Memorial title. On July, he competed at the Russian Nationals, where he made the finals by downing '17 Russian National champion Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov and '18 Junior European Champion Chermen Valiev, before being defeated by rival David Baev in another epic match, to claim the silver medal. After losing the chance to represent Russia at the World Championships, Zhamalov bumped up to an Olympic weight class (from 70 kg to 74 kg) and went on to win the U23 All-Russia Open Tournament with a win over '18 U23 World Championship medalist Timur Bizhoev in the finals, on September, becoming the 2019 U23 Russian World Teamer. Aged 21, he became the U23 World Champion with five decision victories at the U23 World Championships.

2020 To start off January, Zhamalov got a series of victories over high level opponents at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin, such as '19 European Championship medalist Timur Bizhoev, '19 World Championship runner-up and '19 Asian Champion Nurkozha Kaipanov, and '16 World Champion Magomed Kurbanaliev, before being defeated in the finals by two-time World Champion Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov, to claim the silver medal. After being unable to compete for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhamalov came back on October to claim the Russian National Championship, when he defeated '14 World Champion Khetag Tsabolov in the finals.

After his championship showdown at the Russian Nationals, Zhamalov was selected as the Russian representative for the Individual World Cup of December (replacement for the World Championships). At the tournament, he compiled a combined score of 21–0 against three opponents to reach the finals, where he faced the accomplished two-time World Champion Frank Chamizo, whom he was able to edge with a comeback win in the last seconds of the match with a two-point takedown, to become the champion of the biggest tournament of his career.

2021 Zhamalov competed at the Russian National Championships on March, where after dominating '19 International Cup runner-up Magomed Dibirgadzhiev and '16 University World Champion Nabirbek Khizriev, he avenged his last loss from the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin 2020 to two–time World Champion Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov by points to make the finals. In the finale, he wrestled two-time and reigning World Champion Zaurbek Sidakov, whom he lost to in a close 2–3 match, giving up the 2021 RU Olympic Team Spot.

In April, Zhamalov competed at the European Championships, and after racking up a notable win over Semen Radulov, he was defeated by 2018 U23 World Champion Tajmuraz Salkazanov and two–time World Champion Frank Chamizo, placing fifth. During the tournament, Zhamalov suffered a serious injury that required surgery and months of rest, leaving him out for the year.

2022–2023 After more than a year without competing, Zhamalov came back to the mat on May 19 at the prestigious Poddubny Wrestling League, where he reached the semifinals before losing to rival David Baev. He came back to pick up a bronze medal. A month later, Zhamalov competed at the Russian National Championships from June 24 to 26, where he reached the crown over a deep bracket with a revenge win over Baev in the semifinals and a win over fellow U23 World Champion and Russian National champion Chermen Valiev in the finale.

To close off the year, he became the All-Russian Spartakiad champion, with a notable win over David Baev in August.

After months of no competition, he defeated Ilyas Bekbulatov by fall at the Poddubny Wrestling League 4 in his first and only tournament of 2023.

2024 On January, Zhamalov changed his sports citizenship and transferred to the country of Uzbekistan. On February, he competed at the Uzbek Botirlari Grand Prix, wearing the Uzbek singlet for the first time in his career. He made his way to a gold medal with four victories over fellow Uzbek athletes.

In June, he cruised through the field at the Polyák Imre & Varga János Ranking Series to earn a gold medal with four consecutive victories. Zhamalov placed higher than fellow Uzbek Bekzod Abdurakhmonov, who placed fifth and had qualified the weight for Uzbekistan at the Summer Olympics, earning the right to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

In August, Zhamalov made his Olympic debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. On the first day, he earned four straight victories over fellow Russian-born wrestlers, defeating returning Olympic silver medalist Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov, four-time European champion Tajmuraz Salkazanov from Slovakia, U23 World champion Chermen Valiev from Albania and University World champion Viktor Rassadin from Tajikistan, to advance to the finals and secure a medal. The next day, Zhamalov pinned World medalist Daichi Takatani from Japan to earn the gold medal and become the Olympic champion. On 22 August, the Minister of Physical Culture and Sports of the Chechnya Akhmat Kadyrov presented apartments to natives of the republic, the winner and bronze medalist of the Paris Olympics Razambek Zhamalov and Islam Dudaev.

2026

Zhamalov signed with Real American Freestyle (RAF) in June 2026.

Freestyle record

Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event Location

Win 98–13

Paris, France Win 97–13

Win 96–13

Win 95–13

Win 94–13

Win 93–13

Budapest, Hungary Win 92–13

Win 91–13

Win 90–13

Win 89–13

Namangan, Uzbekistan Win 88–13

Win 87–13

Win 86–13

Win 85–13

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Win 84–13

Kazan, Russia Win 83–13

Win 82–13

Win 81–13

Kyzyl, Russia Win 80–13

Win 79–13

Win 78–13

Win 77–13

Moscow, Russia Loss 76–13

Win 76–12

Loss 75–12

Warsaw, Poland Loss 75–11

Win 75–10

Win 74–10

Loss 73–10

Ulan-Ude, Russia Win 73–9

Win 72–9

Win 71–9

Win 70–9

Belgrade, Serbia Win 69–9

Win 68–9

Win 67–9

Win 66–9

Naro-Fominsk, Russia Win 65–9

Win 64–9

Win 63–9

Win 62–9

Loss 61–9

Krasnoyarsk, Russia Win 61–8

Win 60–8

Win 59–8

Win 58–8

Win 57–8

Budapest, Hungary Win 56–8

Win 55–8

Win 54–8

Win 53–8

Win 52–8

Vladikavkaz, Russia Win 51–8

Win 50–8

Win 49–8

Win 48–8

Loss 47–8

Sochi, Russia Win 47–7

Win 46–7

Win 45–7

Win 44–7

Win 43–7

Kaspiysk, Russia Win 42–7

Win 41–7

Win 40–7

Win 39–7

Win 38–7

Novi Sad, Serbia Win 37–7

Win 36–7

Win 35–7

Win 34–7

Krasnoyarsk, Russia Win 33–7

Loss 32–7

Win 32–6

Vladikavkaz, Russia Loss 31–6

Win 31–5

Win 30–5

Win 29–5

Win 28–5

Grozny, Russia Win 27–5

Win 26–5

Khasavyurt, Russia Win 25–5

Win 24–5

Win 23–5

Loss 22–5

Odintsovo, Russia Loss 22–4

Win 22–3

Win 21–3

Win 20–3

Win 19–3

Yakutsk, Russia Win 18–3

Win 17–3

Win 16–3

Win 15–3

Vanadzor, Armenia Win 14–3

Win 13–3

Win 12–3

Loss 11–3

Minsk, Belarus Win 11–2

Win 10–2

Yakutsk, Russia Win 9–2

Win 8–2

Win 7–2

Loss 6–2

Krasnoyarsk, Russia Win 6–1

Win 5–1

Win 4–1

Khasavyurt, Russia Win 3–1

Win 2–1

Loss 1–1

Makhachkala, Russia Win 1–0