#ThrowBackThursday

#TBT​ Slay Stuns Eventual Three-Time Olympic Champ Saitiev

Wednesday, February 3, 2021 - 21:34 By Eric Olanowski

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Brandon SLAY ?? scored one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history after stunning eventual three-time Olympic gold medalist and six-time world champion, Buvaisar SAITIEV ??, 4-3, en route to the 76kg gold medal at the ’00 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Coming into the ’00 Olympic Games, Saitiev was arguably the best freestyle wrestler in the world. He was the defending Olympic gold medalist and a three-time world champion. Saitiev entered the Sydney Games riding a perfect 19-0 combined record in world championship and Olympic action.

#ThrowBackThursday

#TBT: Snyder Upsets Defending World Champ Gadisov to win ’15 World Gold

Thursday, February 10, 2022 - 03:11 By United World Wrestling Press

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Kyle SNYDER (USA) entered the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas as a prodigy. Though inexperienced at the international level, he had made a name for himself on the American wrestling scene. He had a junior world title in 2013 and a bronze medal at the same event in 2014.

Abdulsalam GADISOV (RUS) was the defending world champion at 97kg and was looking to become a two-time world champ.

But Snyder had different ideas.

In a battle that will long be remembered by wrestling fans, Snyder, backed by the home crowd in Las Vegas, stunned the Russian great Gadisov 5-5 to claim the gold medal in his senior world debut.

Gadisov was leading 4-3 when Snyder scored a takedown for two points, 22 seconds before the clock expired. The American gave up a point for stepout but managed to hang on for a 5-5 win.

With Snyder's win in Vegas at the ripe age of 19, became USA's youngest-ever world champ. He won the gold at Rio Olympics in 2016 to etch his name in the record books before his world-renowned rivalry with Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) began in 2017.