No matter which discipline you are in, you need some rest, right? Well, for one Iranian fighter, this wasn’t an option. Because every time he tried, he saw it. Five cruel seconds. One snap down. A spin. A four-point takedown that crushed his dream and lit up the world in Sadulaev’s glory. So, battling a storm of disbelief, painkillers barely dulling the pressure in his chest, he had the lights out, but his mind was on fire. He had come within inches of beating the most dominant force in wrestling. And watched it vanish in a heartbeat. The heartbreak wasn’t just emotional; it was physical, sharp, and unbearable. A champion undone by five seconds he’ll never forget.

But now, with vengeance burning beneath the surface, Kamran Ghasempour is on a mission. The path to redemption is open, but it’s far from smooth. The World Championships await, and so does Sadulaev. Yet before he can think of revenge, there’s a hurdle standing in his way. A fellow Iranian with rising stock and big ambitions of his own. Abolfazl Yaser Rahmani isn’t just another name; he’s the final test standing between Ghasempour and a potential second shot at the man who broke him.

Their May 27th clash isn’t just about national selection. It’s a collision of desire and desperation. Ghasempour, a two-time world champion at 92kg, has dropped to 86kg in pursuit of Sadulaev, the man who left him sleepless and in agony. He vividly remembers the pressure, the four painkillers, and the haunting regret of letting five seconds define his entire year. He doesn’t want sympathy. He wants another chance. 

And Rahmani is the key to that door. It’s personal now. Sadulaev didn’t just win a match. He carved a scar into Ghasempour’s career, a reminder that greatness is unforgiving. And if Ghasempour wants to rewrite that ending, he must first overpower a hungry compatriot who sees the same opportunity. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Only one will walk out as Iran’s 86kg warrior.

For Ghasempour, it’s more than a qualification. It’s unfinished business. And a second chance, he refuses to let slip again. Well, Ghasempour was not the only wrestler facing the wrath of Sadulaev at the Worlds. US legend David Taylor, too, got shut down.

Abdulrashid Sadulaev silences David Taylor in Tirana Clash of Titans

When two of the most dominant forces in recent wrestling history collide, the air crackles with tension. That was exactly the case inside the packed Feti Borova Sports Hall, where Abdulrashid Sadulaev and David Taylor met in a seismic opening-round clash at the World Championships in Tirana. Sadulaev, cutting down to 92kg for the first time in years, made it look like home.

Taylor, in unfamiliar territory up a weight class, struggled to find his rhythm. The result? A commanding 7-0 win for the Russian powerhouse. Taylor opened aggressively, landing on Sadulaev’s leg twice. But Sadulaev’s signature defense and mat IQ were on full display. He escaped the first attempt with ease, then used the second to score a go-ahead.

Heavy snap downs and relentless pressure followed, and by the two-minute mark, Sadulaev led 4-0. Taylor tried to recalibrate in the second period, switching to an attack on the far leg. But Sadulaev spun behind him effortlessly, extending his lead to five. Another shot from Taylor ended in a slick counter and exposure, sealing the shutout.

“I did not score on the two times I shot, and he did,” Taylor said after the bout. He added, “That was the difference.” The American then sat in silence for nearly 45 minutes, grappling with the loss before eventually gathering his things and walking out of the warm-up hall. Sadulaev, meanwhile, returned to the mats, already jogging and cooling down.

The message was clear. That the tank was still full. Sadulaev wasn’t just back, but he was hunting.