Abdulrashid Sadulaev has won his first European Wrestling Championship since 2020, adding to his remarkable medal collection. The post places Sadulaev fourth all-time in combined Olympic, World, and European wrestling titles with 14 total (2 Olympic, 6 World, 6 European including 2015 European Games). It notes that since 2022, Sadulaev has missed one Olympics, three World Championships, and four European Championships due to visa issues and sanctions. The analysis suggests that without these obstacles, Sadulaev could have already become the all-time leader in total titles. The post also features a photo of Sadulaev with Zagalav Abdulbekov, Dagestan's first Olympic wrestling champion.
Abdulrashid Sadulaev claimed his first European Wrestling Championship gold medal since 2020 this week, a victory that adds another landmark entry to one of the sport's most decorated resumes.
The Russian heavyweight, competing in freestyle wrestling at 97 kilograms, now holds 14 combined titles across the three major international competitions — two Olympic golds, six World Championship titles, and six European Championship crowns, the last figure including his 2015 European Games triumph. That tally places him fourth on the all-time list for combined Olympic, World, and European wrestling titles.
Why it matters
- The 2026 European gold ends a four-year gap at that level for Sadulaev, signaling a return to the top of the continental stage.
- Since 2022, visa complications and international sanctions have cost him appearances at one Olympics, three World Championships, and four European Championships — absences that have materially slowed his title accumulation.
- Had those competitions been available to him, analysts suggest he could realistically have already claimed the all-time record for combined major titles.
The broader context of Sadulaev's career makes the milestone particularly striking. The runs of enforced inactivity at major events were entirely external in origin, with no competitive decline implied. A photograph shared alongside the announcement showed Sadulaev alongside Zagalav Abdulbekov, the first Dagestani wrestler ever to win an Olympic gold medal, underlining the historical thread connecting generations of the region's wrestling tradition.
With 14 titles now in hand and the competitive window still open, Sadulaev's position among the all-time greats of international wrestling continues to strengthen each time he is able to compete on the world stage.
