Rais Rahmatulin

Birth date: 23.05.1975

Birth place: Shakhunye, USSR

Achievements: 7-time world champion, Multiple European champion, 5-time World Cup winner, Honored Master of Sports of sambo, medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" II degree

Couches: Evgeny Efremov

Fact: his only coach during his progress in the big sport has been Evgeny Efremov. Rais Rakhmatulin is considered a unique sambist. He dominates a phenomenal technique of struggle on the mat. His favorite technical action is a painful hold on the leg called knee lever that is considered iconic, there are legends about the combats he won with the help of this technique.

"If I didn’t do sambo I’d never be as sure of myself as I am. Sport makes you understand that you can handle any situation. How to become a champion? By combining two things: the dedication and hard work. It is the only way to achieve results."

Having completed the sports career Rais stays in sambo. He combines the work of the director and coach at "North Star" sports complex (Nizhny Novgorod). He has trained some winners of Russian and world cups.

Blog

"Overcoming" 5 May
FIAS Backs Adaptive SAMBO Research Project for Children with Autism
"Overcoming" 29 April
Scott BAILEY: “What really stood out was the brotherhood you see through sport”
Did you see it? 18 December
SAMBO Federation Sri Lanka Meets with Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports

Recent photos

Watch European SAMBO Championships 2026 - Tbilisi, Georgia 18 May 2026