A wrestler offered advice to the world champion from Kazakhstan before his match against the Olympic champion.

33-year-old Rasul Kaliyev, who represented the Kazakhstan national team in freestyle wrestling in the 55 kg and 57 kg weight categories, shared his expectations with a correspondent from Caravan.kz regarding the main match of the PWL8 tournament in Almaty between Kazakhstani wrestler Rizabek Aitmukhan and American Kyle Snyder.

According to the Asian Games silver medalist Kaliyev, Rizabek Aitmukhan will benefit regardless of the outcome of the match against Olympic champion Kyle Snyder.

“There are always chances for victory. I follow Rizabek's wrestling, and knowing his skills and technique, I believe he can defeat Snyder. This match is significant for him; it will be a major step forward. The 97 kg category is relatively new for him, and facing such a renowned opponent is crucial: the World Championship and the Olympics are ahead, and he needs to prepare in advance for opponents of this caliber. Having the opportunity to compete against Snyder is advantageous for Rizabek. Even if Aitmukhan loses now, it’s not a big deal; it will still be beneficial for him,” Rasul Kaliyev stated.

Let us remind you that Rizabek Aitmukhan won the World Championship in the adult category at 92 kg, and became the world champion among juniors (U20) and youth (U23) in the 97 kg weight class. Kyle Snyder is an Olympic champion (2016) and a silver medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the 97 kg category. Earlier, Rizabek's coach, Darkhan Beisenov, revealed the plan for the match against Snyder to “Karavan”.

The PWL8 tournament will take place in Almaty on February 25. Besides Aitmukhan, Kazakhstani wrestlers Azamat Dauletbekov and Madina Bakbergenova will also compete against strong opponents during the tournament.