Bekzod Abdurakhmonov

Bekzod Abdurakhmonov was born on March 15, 1990, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Early in his life, he moved to the United States as a teenager, where he pursued his wrestling education. He attended Colby Kansas Junior College before transferring to Clarion University in Pennsylvania. During his time at Clarion University, Abdurakhmonov achieved significant success in collegiate wrestling. In 2011, under coach Teague Moore, he recorded a 38-12 overall record at 165 pounds, securing first place at PSAC’s and third at EWL’s. He also posted a 3-2 record at the NCAA D-I nationals. His senior year in 2012, under coach Matt Dernlan, saw him achieve a 36-5 record, leading to first-place finishes at PSAC’s and EWL’s, fourth place at Midlands, and a bronze medal at the NCAA D-I nationals at 165 pounds. He finished his collegiate career with a 74-17 record in two years and helped the Golden Eagles to an 18th-place team finish at the 2012 NCAA Division I Nationals. After graduating with a sports management degree, he briefly served as a volunteer coach at Harvard University while continuing his competitive career.

Abdurakhmonov has represented Uzbekistan in numerous international wrestling competitions. He earned two World bronze medals in 2014 and 2018. He is a two-time gold medalist at the Asian Games (2014, 2018) and a two-time gold medalist at the Asian Championships (2015, 2017). His Olympic career includes a fifth-place finish at the Rio 2016 Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the men’s 74 kg category. He secured his place for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris through the 2024 Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament. Beyond wrestling, Abdurakhmonov has also competed in mixed martial arts, maintaining an undefeated record of 7-0. His mixed martial arts record includes three wins by knockout, three by submission, and one by decision.