Four-time World bronze medalist Ali Shabanov of Belarus (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)As of today, we under 50 days from the start of wrestling at the Olympic Games. Over the next 50 days, we'll bring you one profile per day of a decorated international contender. Make sure you get to know the wrestlers that Team USA will compete against in Tokyo.
7/7/21 - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (Russia)
7/6/21 - Suleyman Karadeniz (Turkey)
7/5/21 - Frank Chamizo (Italy)
7/3/21 - Yui Susaki (Japan)
7/1/21 - Amir Zare (Iran)
6/28/21 - Zavur Uguev (Russia)
6/27/21 - Zhan Beleniuk (Ukraine)
6/26/21 - Sergey Kozyrev (Russia)
6/24/21 - Kenchiro Fumita (Japan)
6/23/21 - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (Belarus)
6/22/21 - Erica Wiebe (Canada)
6/21/21 - Myles Amine (San Marino)
6/20/21 - Sofia Mattsson (Sweden)
6/19/21 - Hassan Yazdani Charati (Iran)
6/18/21 - Tamas Lorincz (Hungary)
6/17/21 - Takuro Otoguro (Japan)
6/16/21 - Elizbar Odikadze (Georgia)
6/15/21 - Koumba Larroque (France)
6/14/21 - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
6/13/21 - Ningning Rong (China)
6/12/21 - Bajrang Punia (India)
6/11/21 - Frank Staebler (Germany)
6/10/21 - Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)
One of the premier contenders at 74 KG from 2013-2017, #19 Ali Shabanov of Belarus, put together an exceptional run at the weight that saw him win three world bronze medals and establish himself as one of the best wrestlers in the world at any weight. Shabanov, who was known as one of the bigger 74's, made the move up to 79 KG in 2018, where he'd win his fourth world bronze medal. In 2019, he jumped up to his fifth weight class after competing at 66, 70, 74, and 79 from 2012-2018. Shabanov reached elite contender status at 86 KG with strong finishes at the European Championships and European Games. A shocking upset at the world championships to #12 Myles Amine (SMR) meant the Belarusian stalwart would have to compete at the European and world qualifiers to compete in Tokyo. Now coming off gold at the European qualifier and bronze at the European championships, we're going to take a look at four-time world bronze medalist #19 Ali Shabanov of Belarus in today's Olympic profile.
The Stats
#19 Ali Shabanov (BLR)- Four-time world bronze medalist ('13,'14,'17,'18), 2019 86 KG European championships bronze medalist, 2019 86 KG European Games runner-up, 2019 Dan Kolov runner-up 2016 74 KG Henri Deglane Grand Prix champion, 2013 74 KG Ali Aliyev runner-up, 2021 86 KG European Olympic Games qualifier champion, 2021 86 KG European championships bronze medalist.
Key Wins: #2 Hassan Yazdani Charati (2016 74 KG Henri Deglane finals), Ezzatollah Akbari (2018 79 KG world bronze medal match), #12 Myles Amine (2019 86 KG European championships), Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (2017 74 KG world bronze medal match), #13 (74) Soner Demirtas (2013 74 KG world championships, 2014 Ali Aliyev finals), #13 Sosuke Takatani (2013 74 KG world championships, 2017 74 KG world championships), Akhmed Dudarov (2019 86 KG European Games), Fatih Erdin (2019 86 KG European Games), Ramazan Sahin ( 2011 66 KG world championships, 2012 66 KG Olympic Games), Purevjav Unurbat (2015 74 KG world cup)
Key Losses: Jabrayil Hasanov (2012 66 KG Olympics, 2018 79 KG world championships, 2015 74 KG world cup), #13 (74) Soner Demirtas (2015 74 KG world cup), #2 (74) Kyle Dake (2013 Baku GGP), #8 (74) Jordan Burroughs (2013 74 KG world championships, 2015 74 KG Medved, 2017 74 KG world championships), #2 Hassan Yazdani Charati (2019 86 KG Dan Kolov finals), #12 Myles Amine (2019 86 KG world championships), #9 Vladislav Valiev (2019 86 KG European championships), #4 Dauren Kurugliev (2019 86 KG European Games finals), #14 (74) Khetag Tsabolov (2014 70 KG world championships).
2011-2013
Ali Shabanov's career began at 66 KG in 2011 and started off with a huge title at the Medved over 2007 European champion Albert Batyrov (BLR). Shabanov, having previously competed for Russia as he originally hailed from Dagestan, had put his name on the map in just his first competition with Belarus. Off his victory over Batyrov at the Medved, Shabanov was selected as the representative for the European Championships. Making it to the semifinals, Shabanov dropped a 3-0 match across two periods to Leonid Bazan of Bulgaria. Falling to the bronze medal match, Shabanov would lose 3-0 to Yarygin champion Adam Batirov of Russia and take fifth. A seventh-place finish at the Ali Aliev slowed down the earlier momentum Shabanov had built in the year, but going into the world championships, Shabanov was still seen as a potential dark horse contender. Shabanov delivered on his promise early in the tournament, upsetting two-time World/Olympic champion Ramazan Sahin (TUR) in the Round of 32 and would meet 2009 world champion Mehdi Teghavi (IRI) in the Round of 16. A 1-0, 1-1 loss for Shabanov would put an early end to his world championships run, but it was clear that Shabanov would be a contender for years to come.
Still having to qualify for the London Olympics, Shabanov began his 2012 winning the European qualifier over European bronze medalist Devid Safaryan (ARM). As a warmup for the Olympics, Shabanov competed all the way up at 66 KG at the Grand Prix of Spain, where he'd take 10th. Now came the big day and Shabanov was ready. An opening-round win over American standout Jared Frayer (USA) put Shabanov in the quarterfinals opposite two-time World bronze medalist, 2011 European champion Jabrayil Hasanov (AZE). Shabanov would win the first period 2-2 over Hasanov, Hasanov reclaiming the second period 1-1 and in the ultimate period, it would be the Azerbaijani who pulled away with the 2-0 score and the match win. Hasanov's loss to eventual champion Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu (JPN) in the semifinals meant Shabanov's Olympic run would be ended early, as would his time spent at 66 KG. Shabanov, making the official move up to 74 KG, competed at the Moscow Lights tournament to end the year where competing in team action, Belarus finished in 6th.
Shabanov's first full season at 74 KG began in 2013, with his first competition of the year being at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial. An opening-round win against 2011 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Ramazan Shamsudinov (RUS) put Shabanov opposite Saba Khubezhty (RUS), who'd net a 7-4 win over the Belarusian. With Khubezhty's run to the finals, Shabanov was pulled back into repechage where he beat the likes of two time Russian Nationals runner-up #4 (79) Atsamaz Sanakoev (RUS) and Isa Daudov (RUS) to make the bronze medal match opposite 2009 66 KG world silver medalist Rasul Dzhukaev (RUS). Dzhukaev would prove to be too much for Shabanov and he would be relegated to a fifth-place finish after a 5-0 loss.
Shabanov's competition would be at the World Cup, where he'd put together wins over world medalist Nurlan Bekzhanov (KAZ) and Ashraf Aliyev (AZE) but fall to #18 (74) Kakhaber Khubezhty (RUS) and #8 (74) Jordan Burroughs (USA). After a decent showing at the World Cup, Shabanov was expected to contend for hardware at the European Championships, but a second-round upset loss to Giya Chykhlandze (UKR) cut his run short. Shabanov's losses at the World Cup and European championships would be a thing of the past as he put together an exceptional run to make the finals of the Ali Aliyev, beating the likes of 3x Russian Nationals medalist Kamal Malikov (RUS), 2018 79 KG world bronze medalist #6 Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov (RUS) and 2004 Olympian Kryzstain Brzozowski (POL). Even with his runs over Russian standouts and Olympian Brzozwski, Shabanov would still be stopped in his tracks in the final match, losing 2-2 on criteria to #13 (74) Soner Demirtas (TUR) and taking silver.
Having proven himself at the Ali Aliyev, Shabanov entered the 2013 World Championships a real medal contender. Revenge against #13 (74) Soner Demirtas (TUR) for Shabanov would come by way of a 6-2 win in the Round of 16 and Grigor Grigoryan (ARM) would be decimated by Shabanov in the quarters by tech fall. Facing off against the reigning two-time World/Olympic champion #8 Jordan Burroughs (USA), Shabanov was out gunned offensively, but was extra physical with the American, but as game as he was, the offense of Burroughs won through and cautioned Shabanov out of the match while up 7-1. In the bronze medal match, Shabanov faced off with surprise contender Narsingh Yadav of India, who'd upset Hasanov and Kakhaber Khubezhty (RUS) earlier in the tournament. A potent upper body specialist, Yadav was seen as a capable threat, but Shabanov not only matched his strength in ties but bullied him around, face planting the Indian powerhouse around the mat for a 6-1 win and his first world bronze medal.
To conclude his year, Shabanov competed at the Golden Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan. In his opening round match, Shabanov drew 4x NCAA champion #2 (74) Kyle Dake (USA), who was fresh off a runner-up finish at the US World Team Trials to Jordan Burroughs. Dake proved himself capable of going with the best in Burroughs but had yet to get a marquee international win and Shabanov would be his shot. The American standout would defeat Shabanov and 3x World champion Denis Tsargush (RUS) on his way to a 5th place finish at the Golden Grand Prix.
2014-2017
2014 for Shabanov began with his second Medved title, winning over 2013 Ali Aliyev champion #13 (74) Soner Demirtas (TUR). Shabanov's performance at the European Championships would see him make the semifinals opposite returning champion, two-time Russian Nationals medalist Aniuar Geduev (RUS). Leading Geduev early in the match, the Kabardian standout would retaliate against Shabanov with a huge double leg and win 7-4. Now in the bronze medal match, Shabanov lost a controversial 4-4 bout on criteria to Kryzstian Brzozowski (POL) and took fifth. Making the surprising cut down to the new Non-Olympic weight class of 70 KG, Shabanov tech falled his way into the quarterfinals, where he met Nick Marable (USA), who'd upset Burroughs at the Yasar Dogu earlier in the year. Shabanov was able to fight by the powerful Marable for a 5-2 win and a semifinals berth opposite #14 (74) Khetag Tsabolov (SRB). Tsabolov, a 5x Russian Nationals finalist now competing for Serbia, was on another level than Shabanov and teched him 11-0 to make the world finals. Shabanov would face Cleopas Ncube of Canada in the bronze medal match and put on an offensive masterclass, chaining his chest wrap go behinds and low singles to a dominating 13-1 win and his second back to back world bronze medal.
2015 began with a surprising jump up in weight for Shabanov, competing all the way up at 86 KG for the Yarygin where, after beating 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Adilet Davlumbaev (KAZ), he forfeited to #4 Dauren Kurugliev (RUS) and placed eighth. Making the cut back down to his more natural weight of 74 KG, Shabanov made the semifinals of the Medved off a 5-1 win over two-time world bronze medalist Hasanov. Getting his chance of redemption against Burroughs, Shabanov would push the American standout to his limit in an 8-6 loss. Falling behind 1-0 after the first, Shabanov rallied back to beat #6 (79) Khalil Aminov (RUS) for bronze. After his run at the Medved that saw him push Burroughs to the limit and unseat beat out Jabrayil Hasanov, expectations were high for Shabanov going into the World Cup. But the World Cup would not be kind to the Belarusian standout as he had a 1-3 record with losses to Hasanov, Soner Demirtas, Morteza Rezaei Ghiasi (IRI) to a sole win over Purevjav Unurbat (MGL).
The European Games began for Shabanov with an opening-round match against two-time European champion Aniuar Geduev of Russia. Geduev left Shabanov scoreless in a 6-0 loss for the Belarusian and when Geduev made his third straight European championships/Games finals, Shabanov was pulled into repechage. Breezing past an overmatched Giorgis Savvoulidis (GRE) in the first round, Shabanov would come away with a 6-5 victory in a highly physical match against 2014 Junior world champion Zelimkhan Khadjiev (FRA). Returning world fifth-place finisher, Jumber Kvelashvili (GEO) would be all that stood between Shabanov and his first European medal, but the Georgian would be superior to Shabanov on the day and win 6-5. After back-to-back world bronze medals to start the quad, Shabanov failed to place at the 2015 World Championships bowing out after a 2-1 loss to 2013 world bronze medalist Rashid Kurbanov (UZB).
After arguably the worst year of his career, Shabanov rallied back in a major way to start his 2016 with a huge title at the Grand Prix of Paris in a 6-6 barn burner against future 3x World/Olympic champion #2 Hassan Yazdani Charati of Iran. Competing with the momentum of his Grand Prix of Paris title, Shabanov was seen as a favorite to win his third Medved title but a shocking opening round upset to #9 (79) Arsalan Budazhapov (KGZ) put Shabanov out of the competition early. Tragedy would strike at the European championships when against 2013 European bronze medalist Gia Chykhlandze (UKR), Shabanov would tear his ACL and be forced out of competition for the rest of 2016 until May 2017.
Coming off a long injury lay off going back to his match against Chykhlandze from the 2016 European championships, Shabanov began his 2017 campaign in May at the European Championships with a win over Aleksey Scherbak (UKR), before losing his next match to Yarygin champion #6 Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov (RUS) and being eliminated from competition. Shabanov would return to compete at the Ziolkowski, winning the title in impressive fashion with wins over 2017 U-23 European champion #7 Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO) and Zhiger Zakirov (KAZ) before entering the world championships. With the memory of his 2015 failure still fresh in his mind, Shabanov entered the world championships wrestling the best he ever had. Taking a 5-0 lead at the end of the first against Burroughs in their opening round match, Shabanov would fail to stop the furious comeback of Burroughs and would fall 7-5. Put into repechage, Shabanov would start his campaign for his third world bronze medal with a 6-1 win over 2014 world runner-up #13 Sosuke Takatani (JPN) before moving on to face the surging Zelimkhan Khadjiev (FRA). Shabanov took no mercy on the explosive Khadjiev and blew through him in a 10-0 tech fall win to make the bronze medal match.
Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (UZB) had stunned the wrestling world the year before at the 2016 Olympics with an 11-1 tech fall win over the returning Olympic champion Burroughs and was seen as one of the serious contenders at 74 KG for the 2016-2020 quad. A 31-0 scoring difference between Abdurakhmanov and his opponents made it clear that the hype was real and going into the semifinals, it was a very real possibility Abdurakhmanov could upset Burroughs again and eliminate Shabanov from the competition. But Burroughs, as he had shown throughout the whole world championships, had ice running through his veins and was able to pull away for a 6-5 win against the dangerous Abdurakhmanov to make the world finals. Now off the back of his 6-5 semifinal loss to Burroughs, Abdurakhmanov was faced with the surging Shabanov in a battle of 2014 70 KG world bronze medalists. Close throughout the bout, a crucial flurry that put the freakish athleticism of Shabanov on full display allowed for the Belarusian to get a bodylock on Abdurakhmanov and throw him for four and pull away with the match for the 8-4 win and his third world bronze medal. In winning his bronze, Shabanov had proven himself to be not only one of the best at 74 KG but one of the best in the world at any weight. Shabanov would conclude his 2017 with a final competition in November up at 86 KG, where he took bronze at the Kunaev after a loss to 2015 86 KG world bronze medalist #18 Sandro Aminashvili (GEO).
2018-2021
After the high of the 2017 world championships, Shabanov would debut at his fifth weight class of his career at the 2018 79 KG Takhti Cup in February. Having proven himself in the toughest bracket at the toughest weight in the world at 74 KG at the end of 2017, Shabanov was expected to be a front runner for world gold at his new weight class of 79 KG. The momentum of Shabanov as a title contender at 79 KG hit a speed bump in the form of a loss to Murad Suleymanov (AZE) and Shabanov would be eliminated after Suleymanov's shocking loss to eventual runner-up Mihail Nagy (HUN). The European Championships would come around for Shabanov in May, and opening with a shutout victory against 2015 74 KG European Games bronze medalist Jumber Kvelashvili (GEO) pitted Shabanov against Takhti Cup runner-up Mihail Nagy (HUN). Opposing the powerful underhooks, low singles, and chest wrap of the Belarusian standout, Nagy was able to notch his second big upset of the year and defeat Shabanov to make the semifinals, where he'd fall to Martin Obst (GER).
Shabanov would injury default out of the Medved in September and go to the world championships with a lot of question marks surrounding his health and repeat his exceptional performance from 2017. Outscoring Santiago Martinez (COL) and Dovletmurat Orazgylygov (TKM) 18-0 to make the quarterfinals, Shabanov would meet against old foe 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Hasanov. Close throughout, a critical tactical mistake from Shabanov on a chest wrap would cost him a four-point double leg against Hasanov and the match by a 6-2 score. With Hasanov beating 2013 74 KG world runner-up Ezzatollah Akbari (IRI) 3-3 in the semis, Shabanov was given a chance at repechage that he'd make the most of. A surprisingly tough match against Ethan Ramos of Puerto Rico was a 16-12 win for the Belarusian and late match heroics would be needed again as after going to a substantial early lead, Shabanov would hang on by the skin of his teeth for an 8-8 win on criteria over Ezzatollah Akbari (IRI) and his fourth world bronze medal.
2019 would begin Shabanov's full-time move up to 86 KG to qualify Belarus at the weight for the Olympics. Shabanov's year started with the Indian Pro League, where he made the finals competing for the Haryana Hammers and avenged an early-season loss to two-time World/Olympic bronze medalist Dato Marsagishvili (GEO) with a 3-2 victory. Shabanov would make the finals of the Dan Kolov against now 2x World/Olympic champion #2 Hassan Yazdani Charati (IRI) in a rematch of their 2016 Grand Prix of Paris finals match. Yazdani and Shabanov put on the front runner for match of the year and the early counters and reversals kept him alive 8-2 at the end of the first, but the continuing punishing hand fighting and leg attacks of Yazdani broke Shabanov on his way to a 16-5 tech fall loss that showed Yazdani had jumped levels in a major way.
Shabanov's next competition would be at the European Championships, where he'd go head to head with 2017 world bronze medalist #9 Vladislav Valiev (RUS) in the opening round. Valiev's power stunned Shabanov and his powerful underhook takedowns shut down any of the counters of the Belarusian, with Valiev handing him a lopsided 11-0 tech fall loss. Pulled into repechage, Shabanov got past Giorgis Savvoulidis (GRE) 4-0, #12 Myles Amine (SMR) 6-2 and would avenge his 2018 loss to 2018 U-23 world bronze medalist in an impressive 11-2 victory. Shabanov's run at the European Games was what would really cement him as a contender at 86 KG as he took out Akhmed Dudarov (GER) and upset returning world runner-up Fatih Erdin (TUR) with a clutch underhook throwby in the last three seconds of the match to make the finals opposite #4 Dauren Kurugliev (RUS). In the continued tradition of Shabanov facing the most physical 86's that Russia and Iran could offer, Kurugliev would scrape by Shabanov for a 3-2 victory and his second European title.
Now, as a serious medal contender, Shabanov began his world championships against European Games bronze medalist Amine. What was supposed to be a tough, but winnable opening-round match for Shabanov would be a commanding 5-1 win for Amine. Amine would finish fifth at the world championships after mounting consecutive upset wins over Yurieski Torreblanca (CUB), #13 Sosuke Takatani (JPN), and European Games bronze medalist Dudarov against losses to #2 Hassan Yazdani Charati (IRI) and #3 Artur Naifonov (RUS). With Shabanov eliminated from the competition, he would have to claw and fight his way to qualify Belarus for the Olympics, but his shot at the Olympics would have to wait.
Shabanov would not compete for the entirety of the abbreviated 2020 season and would make his return to competition this year in March at the European Olympic qualifier. Shabanov qualified for his second Olympic Games with wins over 2020 Individual World Cup medalists Piotr Ianulov (MDA) and Osman Gocen (TUR). Reestablishing his spot in the top 10 of 86 KG, Shabanov was considered a front runner for gold at the European championships. But a late high crotch in the semifinals for 2015 world bronze medalist #18 Sandro Aminashvili (GEO) would stop Shabanov from making the finals from a 3-2 loss and relegate him to bronze that he'd take over Henri Deglane Grand Prix runner-up Sebastian Jezierzanski of Poland 4-2.
As one of the most consistent performers at the World Championships through the 2012-2016 and 2016-2020 quads, #18 Ali Shabanov (BLR) has cemented himself as a man you can never count out. Combining incredible technique with ridiculous technique and absurd strength from his underhooks, Shabanov is very much the unwanted draw in Tokyo. If he is firing on all cylinders, he could very well make a medal run.
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