Yazdani Chosen The World’s Most Popular Freestyle Wrestler
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian wrestler Hassan Yazdani has been selected as the most popular freestyle wrestler in the world.
According to a poll by United World Wrestling (UWW) on Thursday, Yazdani won with 54% of the votes (more than 50,000 votes).
The poll was held on Instagram in which 16 wrestlers – eight current and eight from previous generations – were pitted against each other in a knockout format.
In the finals, the Iranian wrestler was up against Russian Abdulrashid Sadulaev.
Yazdani beat Valentin Yordanov, winner of eight world and Olympic gold medals, in the first round.
He then defeated Turkish Taha Akgul, the winner of two world gold medals and one Olympic gold medal, in quarters and emerged victorious over Russian Buvaisar Saitiev, who has three Olympic gold medals and six world gold medals, in the semis.
Yazdani defeated Sadulaev, nicknamed the Russian tank, who has world and Olympic gold medals, in the final.
