Russian Oympic gold medalist reportedly announces UFC signing
Khadjimourat Gatsalov, Olympic Gold Medalist and four time world champion in freestyle wrestler has apparently posted on Facebookthat he has…
Khadjimourat Gatsalov, Olympic Gold Medalist and four time world champion in freestyle wrestler has apparently posted on Facebookthat he has been signed by the UFC, at 185lbs.
Despite an extraordinary background including at 2003 award as the greatest wrestler in Europe, and a reported but uncomfirmed black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the 29 year old Russian has never competed in MMA before.
It is extraordinarily unlikely that the UFC would sign anyone, however gifted, to a contract with zero competitive MMA experience. For example, Karam Ibrahim Gaber, won gold for Egypt in Greco at the 2004 Summer Olympics, but lasted 67 seconds in his one and only MMA match vs. Kazuyuki Fujita, who tried but failed to make the Japanese Olympic wrestling team.
Gatsalov has competed against Strikeforce heavyweight Daniel Cormier at the 2004 Olympics, dominating Cormier winning the match 5-0 (see below).
