Losing 9-2, the 27-year-old Russian refused to continue the bout, citing a neck injury, and the 20-year-old Tazhudinov, who represents Bahrain, advanced to the final where he will meet Magomedkhan Magomedov of Azerbaijan.
Sadulaev was nearly eliminated at the quarterfinal stage, but was able to put Iran’s Mojtaba Golayj on the carcass in the final seconds to win the bout 4-2, while Tazhudinov earned a trip to the semifinals with an 11-0 defeat of notable American Kyle Snyder.
Sadulaev’s injury allowed Snyder to return to the tournament and compete for the bronze medal of the championship.