Iran Press/ Europe: Yazdani was widely regarded as the favorite to win gold, but less than a minute into his bout with Magomed Ramazanov, the Russian-born Bulgarian wrestler, it became clear that Yazdani was struggling. A recurring shoulder injury from a previous surgery flared up, severely limiting his right arm’s mobility, which heavily influenced the outcome of the match.
Despite battling valiantly with one arm and enduring intense pain, Yazdani was ultimately overwhelmed by his opponent, who capitalized on the Iranian star's visible weakness. The wrestler, who had dominated his previous matches with authority, received a warning in the first period. Eventually, he was taken down and pinned by Ramazanov, resulting in a 7-1 defeat—a result no expert had anticipated.
Yazdani, who had hoped to push through the pain and somehow emerge victorious, managed to last until the sixth minute of the bout. However, wrestling in an Olympic final with only one functional arm proved to be an insurmountable challenge. As the match drew to a close, both wrestlers seemed to accept the outcome, with Yazdani offering a bitter smile as he congratulated the new Bulgarian champion.
The shoulder injury, stemming from surgery Yazdani underwent the previous year, reared its head at the worst possible time. Despite having successfully passed fitness tests and an arduous international tournament, and performing well in the preliminary rounds, this devastating injury struck at the most critical moment.
This bitter defeat delays Yazdani’s dream of winning a second Olympic gold and becoming the most decorated wrestler in Olympic history. Now, he must wait until the Los Angeles Olympics for another shot at glory—provided that his injury doesn’t force him to step away from the sport he loves.
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