Khadzhimurat Soltanovich Gatsalov (russian: Хаджимурат Солтанович Гацалов, born December 11, 1982, in
Chikola,
North Ossetia–Alania) is a Russian
wrestler
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat spor ...
. As of February 2020, he represents
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...
.
He won the gold medal in the freestyle 96 kg class in the
2004 Summer Olympics, he beat future UFC Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Champion
Daniel Cormier
Daniel Ryan Cormier (; born March 20, 1979) is an American former professional mixed martial artist, amateur wrestler, and current commentator for the UFC. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Ch ...
in the semi-finals. He won five world medals in the 96 kg class at the
FILA Wrestling World Championships. In 2013, he moved up to the 120 kg class and won a gold medal at the
FILA Wrestling World Championships. He started his senior level competitive career at 84 kg in 2002 before moving up to 96 kg and 120 kg. Khadzhimurat is a devout Sunni Muslim
In 2014, Gatsalov became Cormier's training partner ahead of Cormier's fight against
Jon Jones
Jonathan Dwight Jones (born July 19, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in which he has competed in the light heavyweight division. He is a former two-time UFC L ...
at
UFC 182
''UFC 182: Jones vs. Cormier'' was a mixed martial arts event held on January 3, 2015, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Background
The event was headlined by a Light Heavyweight Championship bout between the champion at that ...
.
UFC Presents, Bad Blood: Jones vs. Cormier
/ref>
References
External links
*
1982 births
Living people
Russian male sport wrestlers
Olympic wrestlers of Russia
Wrestlers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Olympic gold medalists for Russia
Olympic medalists in wrestling
European Games competitors for Russia
Wrestlers at the 2015 European Games
World Wrestling Championships medalists
Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
People from Irafsky District
Russian people of Ossetian descent
Sportspeople from North Ossetia–Alania
World Wrestling Champions
{{Russia-wrestling-bio-stub