1. Early Life and Career Beginnings
Bilyal Makhov was born on September 20, 1987, in Nalchik, located in the Kabardino-Balkaria republic of Russia. He began his journey in wrestling at the age of 13. His early talent quickly became evident in junior international competitions. In 2005, Makhov showcased his versatility by winning the gold medal in the freestyle 265 lb (120 kg) category at the World Junior Championships, and concurrently secured a bronze medal in the Greco-Roman 265 lb (120 kg) event at the same tournament. He continued his dominance in freestyle wrestling, successfully defending his title at the World Junior Championships in 2006, marking consecutive victories in the freestyle discipline.
2. Education and Professional Career
Beyond his athletic pursuits, Bilyal Makhov also pursued a strong academic background, ultimately qualifying as a lawyer. His professional career as a legal practitioner demonstrates a commitment to endeavors outside the wrestling arena, highlighting his intellectual capabilities in addition to his athletic prowess.
3. Wrestling Career
Bilyal Makhov's wrestling career is distinguished by his remarkable success across both freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines at elite international and national levels.
3.1. Freestyle Wrestling Achievements
Makhov's freestyle wrestling career is particularly decorated with multiple World and European titles. He became a three-time World Champion in the 265 lb (120 kg) freestyle category, securing gold medals at the 2007 World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, the 2009 World Wrestling Championships in Herning, Denmark, and the 2010 World Wrestling Championships in Moscow, Russia. In 2010, he also claimed the European Championship title in the 265 lb (120 kg) class at the 2010 European Wrestling Championships held in Baku. His other significant freestyle achievements include a silver medal at the 2011 World Wrestling Championships in Istanbul, Turkey (265 lb (120 kg)), a bronze medal at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, United States (276 lb (125 kg)), and a third-place finish at the 2008 Golden Grand-Prix Ivan Yarygin in Krasnoyarsk, Russia (265 lb (120 kg)). In 2015, he also won the Ali Aliyev Memorial tournament in Kaspiysk, Dagestan (276 lb (125 kg)).
3.2. Greco-Roman Wrestling Achievements
In addition to his freestyle success, Makhov transitioned to Greco-Roman wrestling later in his career, achieving notable results in this style as well. He earned two bronze medals at the World Championships in the 287 lb (130 kg) Greco-Roman category, first at the 2014 World Wrestling Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and then at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, United States.
3.3. Olympic Participation and Medal Adjustments
Makhov participated in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, initially winning a bronze medal in the men's 265 lb (120 kg) freestyle wrestling category. However, his medal status underwent a significant change in 2020. Retesting of samples from the 2012 Games revealed that both the original gold medalist, Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan, and the silver medalist, Davit Modzmanashvili of Georgia, had used illegal substances. As a result of their doping violations, their medals were stripped, and Makhov was upgraded to a joint gold medallist alongside Komeil Ghasemi of Iran. Despite this upgrade, Makhov himself faced anti-doping violations. In September 2021, he received a four-year ban from competition after an independent anti-doping review, impacting his future participation in the sport.
3.4. Historical Feat: Medals in Both Styles
Bilyal Makhov achieved a rare and significant feat at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, United States. He became the first wrestler in 42 years to win medals in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at the same World Championships. The last athlete to accomplish this was Jan Karlsson of Sweden in 1973. This exceptional accomplishment underscores Makhov's versatility and mastery across different wrestling disciplines. At this event, he secured a bronze medal in the 276 lb (125 kg) freestyle category and another bronze medal in the 287 lb (130 kg) Greco-Roman category.
4. Mixed Martial Arts Career
On April 25, 2015, it was publicly announced that Bilyal Makhov had signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to compete in their heavyweight division. At the time of signing, Makhov expressed his intention to continue his wrestling career with the goal of medaling at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. However, after his participation in the 2016 Olympic Games, Makhov ultimately did not make his debut in the UFC. His inability to transition to mixed martial arts was attributed to long-term health issues stemming from a mercury poisoning incident he experienced in 2008.
5. Health Issues and Career Disruptions
Bilyal Makhov's athletic career has been significantly impacted by serious health challenges. In 2008, he suffered from mercury poisoning, an illness that caused considerable disruption to his competitive schedule. This poisoning notably prevented him from participating in the national qualifiers for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, forcing him to miss the opportunity to compete at the Games. The long-term effects of this mercury poisoning continued to affect his health, eventually cited as the primary reason he was unable to make his highly anticipated debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship following the 2016 Summer Olympics.
6. Doping Violations and Sanctions
Bilyal Makhov's career has been intertwined with doping controversies. While he benefited from anti-doping efforts when his 2012 Summer Olympics bronze medal was upgraded to gold due to the doping violations of the original gold and silver medalists, he later faced his own sanctions. In September 2021, Makhov was himself issued a four-year ban from sports due to an anti-doping violation. This ban highlights the pervasive issue of doping in high-level sports and its impact on athlete eligibility and medal allocations, even for those who have previously gained from anti-doping measures.
7. National Championships and Recognition
Makhov has achieved numerous successes at the Russian national level in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
In freestyle wrestling, he secured the Russian National Championship title multiple times in the 265 lb (120 kg) category:
- 2007 Russian National Champion (Moscow)
- 2009 Russian National Champion (Kazan, Tatarstan)
- 2010 Russian National Champion (Volgograd)
- 2012 Russian National Champion (Saint Petersburg, Leningrad)
He also achieved other notable placements in national freestyle championships:
- 2006 Russian National Runner-up (Nizhnevartovsk, Yugra)
- 2008 Russian National Bronze Medalist (Saint Petersburg, Leningrad)
In Greco-Roman wrestling, Makhov also demonstrated his prowess in national competitions:
- 2015 Russian National Champion (287 lb (130 kg), Saint Petersburg, Leningrad)
- 2016 Russian Nationals bronze medalist (287 lb (130 kg), Grozny, Chechnya)