The world of sports is often more riffraff with backstories than actual matches. However, these backstories mesh together to give the actual matches a more vivid meaning. A similar backstory has recently been revealed about America’s prime wrestling prodigy, Kyle Snyder, by Team USA’s legendary head coach.

Kyle Snyder is an Olympic gold medalist who fights in the 97kg weight class. The wrestler is known for his dominating presence in the ring, and for his rivalry with his Russian frenemesis. Recently, his coach and 3x World Championship medalist Bill Zadick revealed an untold backstory about Snyder. In fact, the 2018 story marked the beginning of his rivalry with the Russians.

Bill Zadick opens up about the broad mindset of Snyder

USA Wrestling recently tweeted a video of Snyder’s coach, Bill Zadick, who threw some light on the beginning of his rivalry. According to Zadick, “A couple of weeks before competition (2018 World Championship), we had an off day. We were having a meal, relaxing time with the team. And, Kyle said to me, ‘Hey coach. Wouldn’t it be cool if the whole thing came down to our team versus the Russians?” The words fell naturally out of Snyder’s mouth, who had already received a taste of Russian wrestling in 2017.

Zadick noted that this was a private conversation and not a promotion. He said, “When you think about what it actually takes for somebody to think that way, let alone say that in reality. There were no cameras around, it was not social media. It wasn’t anybody promoting anything, it was just him and I having a small conversation.” Zadick gave the credit for this thought process to the love for wrestling harbored by Kyle Snyder. 

He mentioned that Snyder was just 22 at the time. Despite this, he had both courage and a broader perspective and readily invited his greatest foe. Although Kyle Snyder took the name of Russian wrestlers as a collective, there was just one competitor he really had eyes on. His eternal frenemesis, Abdulrashid Sadulaev.

The Kyle Snyder versus Abdulrashid Sadulaev wrestling saga

Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev have been clashing in the finals of every world championship since 2017. Both wrestlers had won gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, while Snyder won the medal in the 97kg weight class, Sadulaev was the 86kg champion. But, in 2017, the Russian moved up a weight class and faced Snyder in the world championship finals in Paris. Unable to adjust to the change immediately, Sadulaev settled for the silver that year.

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Although Kyle Snyder had triumphed over Sadulaev, he developed an itch to wrestle him again because of how good the Russian was. Thus, he shared his opinion with coach Zadick in 2018 and was proven right that Sadulaev does have limitless talent. Snyder lost the 2018 championships, which kickstarted the perpetual world championship and Olympics saga between them. In 2023, however, both wrestlers were destroyed by a Bahraini newcomer, Akhmed Tazhudinov, who won the 2023 World Wrestling Championship. Both rivals will now look forward to restoring themselves and overtaking the wild card entry, as they will compete for the gold in Paris. 

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