Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling in 2016 in the weight up to 97 kg American Kyle Snyder became the winner of the international tournament in memory of famous wrestlers of the 19th and 20th centuries in Khasavyurt.
Snyder won against four Russian wrestlers. He defeated Khokh Khugaev (10:0) in the 1/8 finals, Aslanbek Sotiev (11:0) in the quarterfinals, Shamil Musaev (13:3) in the semifinals, and Ali Aliyev (18:8) in the final.
Snyder arrived in Dagestan on 6 December. It was planned that on December 7 he would take part in the Volnik league tournament in Kaspiysk, but he was present there only as a second (he seconded another American, Jason Nolph). Nolf, in turn, was Snyder’s second at the Khasavyurt tournament.
Snyder’s main rival, two-time Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev, did not participate in either the tournament in Kaspiysk or the tournament in Khasavyurt. Snyder and Sadulaev met on the carpet four times – the first bout (in the 2017 World Cup final) was won by Snyder, the next three by Sadulaev (2018 World Cup final, 2021 Olympics final, 2021 World Cup final).
