- A
wrestling match in Moscow ended in chaos last week when one competitor punched the other. - Both athletes were adhering to a grappling-based ruleset until the illegal shot yielded a KO.
Russian wrestler Atsamaz Tebloev knocked out his opponent with a swift and illegal punch at an international wrestling tournament on Thursday, May 19.
It all went down at the International Wrestling League of Poddubny event series, which took place in Moscow.
Tabloev fought Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur, from Mongolia, in a 125-kilogram match. For a short while, it looked like both competitors were performing within the grappling rules of wrestling.
However, 22-year-old Tabloev abandoned that when he struck Munkhtur with punches that would not have looked out of place in a boxing ring or MMA Octagon.
One thud, a huge left, landed. It knocked Munkhtur to the mat.
Mikhail Mamiashvili, the president of the Russian Federation of Wrestling, said the governing body for the sport in that country is considering "severe penalties" for the athlete, according to ESPN.
"I am fully aware of all this," Mamiashvili added. "It is shameful. We are trying to eradicate this. The strictest measures will be taken."
See it here:
—Jon Kozak (@KozakJon) May 19, 2022
Mamiashvili also said he met with the president of the Mongolian Wrestling Federation regarding the incident. He praised the competition as a whole but said it's "unfortunate" that the foul "left such an unpleasant aftertaste."
Munkhtur, Russia Today reported, did not suffer from competition-threatening injuries and will take part in the tournament final Friday.