Zagid GAIDAROV: “I stepped onto the mat as if on autopilot”

Russian athlete Zagid Gaidarov claimed victory at the 2026 World SAMBO Cup in Yerevan, Armenia, dominating the Combat SAMBO under-88kg category. In an exclusive interview with the FIAS website, Zagid opened up about competing “on autopilot”, his admiration for Fedor Emelianenko, and his childhood in a rural village.

Zagid, in the final, it looked like the dynamic of the bout shifted after you knocked your opponent down – you started with striking and then leaned into the grappling. Was that a tactical call or just reading the moment? And what was your game plan going in?

– The plan from the start was to lead with strikes – I've been putting a lot of work into that side of my game lately. But once I scored the knockdown, I knew I was up on points, so I didn't want to take any unnecessary risks. I focused on protecting my lead. My opponent is dangerous – he can land something decisive at any moment.

Had you faced him before?

– Yes, several times. Heading into today, we were dead even.

Personally, what stood out most to me was your semifinal against the Kyrgyz athlete. Near the end, you caught his leg from a standing position and swept out his base leg, scoring 8 points – a clean victory. Was that something you'd worked on specifically?

– Honestly, it just happened instinctively. I hadn't slept properly in three days – I walked out onto the mat practically on autopilot, like I was floating. What's funny is that move never came together that cleanly even in training, yet there it was when it mattered most.

Still, the final against your compatriot Ovanes Abgaryan was the toughest bout of the day?

– Finals are always tough. Ovanes and I have always had fights – sometimes I edge him, sometimes he gets me. There's never an easy night between us.

Some experts describe you as a machine – pointing to your stamina and explosive power. Would you say that's fair?

– It's something I've had naturally since I was a kid. I grew up in a village – spending entire days riding bikes and playing football. Up until ninth grade, that was basically all I did. That's where the strong legs and explosive power come from. It was built in from an early age.

Speaking of explosive power – other athletes often talk about how Fedor Emelianenko, despite his age, still has absolutely frightening power in training...

– Fedor is a legend, full stop. I used to travel just to watch his fights, and I even trained at his gym. Back in the day, for all of us, there was no one else to look up to – he was the role model. An icon.

You've won the World Cup today. What's next?

– I didn't manage to compete at the Russian Championships this year, which meant I missed out on the World and European Championships as well, so I decided to come here and test myself. I'm really glad it paid off.

You've already won the World Championship in 2023 and the Europeans in 2019 and 2022 – by most measures, you've reached the top of the sport...

– That's true, but I want to do it all again.