Aniuar Geduev Shares His Real Thoughts About The Competition In Rio

Aniuar Geduev Shares His Real Thoughts About The Competition In Rio

Aniuar Geduev speaks freely about wrestling in Rio and the wrestlers in the 74kg weight class.

Oct 19, 2016 by Michael Malinconico
Aniuar Geduev Shares His Real Thoughts About The Competition In Rio

Russian Olympic silver medalist Aniuar Geduev had a lot to say about the rest of the 74kg Olympic field in an interview posted on the Russian social networking site VK.com on Sunday. 

When asked about his quarterfinal upset win over the United States' Jordan Burroughs in Rio, Geduev said he expected the match to be a "dirty," physical battle. In its aftermath, Geduev believes the bout took a psychological toll on the four-time world and Olympic champion.

"He said that he came to Rio for a second gold, but we arrived there only for victory,"  Geduev said. "Apparently, this fight broke him psychologically." 

Burroughs wasn't the only athlete on Geduev's radar. He chimed in with his thoughts on Iranian gold medalist Hassan Yazdani, who beat Geduev in the 74kg finals in Rio. 

After facing a tough road to the gold-medal match and suffering a cut above his left eye in a previous bout, Geduev said he knew he "would not survive" going the distance with Yazdani and instead unsuccessfully tried to "finish the fight in the first period." Yazdani overcame an early deficit to beat Geduez on a takedown in the final five seconds for the gold medal.

"Given all of the athletes that I had to face in this competition, he was the weakest," Geduez said. "I can say with confidence, and he and I both know, that if we are destined to meet again that I will win. I would like to try and prove it. I will look for tournaments that he will compete in. Perhaps even in Iran." 

The interview then shifted to address Geduev's struggles to make weight at 74kg. While it looks as though moving up to 86kg is all but a foregone conclusion for Geduev, the weight class presents a considerable roadblock in Rio gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev, also known as the "Russian Tank." 

"A good fighter must fight with the best," Geduev said. "I wrestled both Sadulaev and (Anzor) Urishev in training camp. Honestly, Urishev gave me a harder fight. I do not know why."

Though U.S. wrestling fans will miss the rivalry that was blossoming at 74kg between Burroughs and Geduev, the prospect of a J'den Cox/Geduev showdown sounds extremely interesting if Geduev can get by his countrymen.

To read the Geduev interview in it's entirety, click here.