Zaurbek Sidakov

Zaurbek Sidakov stands as one of the defining freestyle wrestlers of his generation, built on a foundation of sustained excellence at the 74kg weight class. His rise to the top of international competition began with back-to-back UWW Freestyle Wrestling World Championship titles in 2018 and 2019 — a stretch of dominance that announced him as a generational talent well before the Olympic cycle reached its peak.

That peak arrived at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where Sidakov claimed gold in the 74kg freestyle wrestling category, validating years of championship-level performance and placing him firmly among the sport's elite. He reinforced that standing with a third UWW World Championship title in 2023, a result that demonstrated his competitive sharpness had not faded in the years following his Olympic triumph.

Sidakov's trajectory toward a potential second Olympic campaign was interrupted not by personal choice but by institutional policy. Russian athletes, including Sidakov, were barred from competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics under IOC eligibility restrictions governing Russian participation. The exclusion removed him from contention regardless of sporting merit, representing a significant disruption to what could have been a historic second Olympic run for one of freestyle wrestling's most decorated active competitors.

Consulting Elite Voices

As of November 2, 2025, Sidakov had begun exploring a potential transition to mixed martial arts. He consulted former UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev on the viability of such a move, with Makhachev advising him to remain in wrestling for the time being while acknowledging that Olympic-level athletes carry the physical and competitive foundation needed to adapt to new combat disciplines.

Building Toward a Debut

The interest in MMA extended beyond a single conversation. UFC featherweight Muhammad Naimov reported that Sidakov was actively learning MMA fundamentals, with efforts underway to connect him with top-tier management capable of guiding a professional debut. The involvement of Henry Cejudo — a two-division UFC champion and Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medalist — added further credibility to the discussion. Cejudo, who successfully navigated the wrestler-to-MMA path himself, offered to assist Sidakov in making the move, drawing on his own career as a blueprint for how elite wrestlers can thrive inside the cage.

Given his 74kg freestyle wrestling background, Sidakov would most likely enter MMA at welterweight, the division that most closely aligns with his established weight class. As of November 2025, no bouts had been scheduled or formally announced, leaving the transition in an exploratory phase — one backed by significant high-profile support but without a confirmed competitive timeline.