Russian athlete Zagid Gaydarov became the winner of the 2026 World Sambo Cup, which took place in Yerevan. He had no equals in the weight category up to 88 kg in combat sambo.
In the final match, Gaydarov demonstrated competent tactical work. After knocking down his opponent, he changed the pattern of the fight: he focused on control and grappling to maintain the advantage. According to the athlete, the initial bet was on striking technique, but the situation required a more cautious approach.
The semifinal turned out to be especially spectacular, where Gaydarov achieved a early victory with an effective technique. The athlete himself admitted that he acted almost intuitively:
– I stepped onto the mat as if on autopilot. I hardly slept the last few days, everything happened as if by itself.
The final bout against his compatriot turned out to be the most tense. According to Gaydarov, their confrontations traditionally take place in fierce fighting without a clear advantage.
The athlete also noted that his physical power was largely formed in childhood spent in a rural area. In addition, he highlighted the influence of the legendary fighter Fedor Emelianenko, whom he considers his idol and role model.
The victory at the World Cup became an important stage for Gaydarov after missing the Russian Championship. Now the athlete intends to continue his career at a high level and once again compete for gold at the largest international tournaments.