Hassan Yazdani
Ten straight world and Olympic podiums for Iran
- Born
- December 26, 1994, Juybar, Mazandaran, Iran
- Nationality
Iran- Height
- 181 cm (5′11″)
- Style
- Underhook pressure wrestler
- Weight
- 70 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg
- Active
- 2014–present
- Status
- Active · age 31
The medals
1 Olympic gold, 3 world titles
The story
assan Yazdani, known to fans as 'The Greatest', won medals at ten straight World Championships and Olympic Games from 2015 to 2024. The Juybar native took Olympic gold at 74 kg in Rio in 2016, then moved to 86 kg, where he won world titles in 2017, 2019 and 2021. His rivalry with American David Taylor defined the weight class: Taylor won five of their six meetings, including the Tokyo Olympic final 4-3, but Yazdani took the 2021 world final 6-2 by driving Taylor to the edge off an underhook. He earned a second Olympic silver in Paris in 2024 after dislocating his shoulder early in the final, and he was still competing in Iran's league in late 2025.
Tap a technique with an arrow to learn how it works.
- Olympic champion (2016)
- Olympic silver medalist (2020, 2024)
- World champion ×3 (2017, 2019, 2021)
- Asian Games champion (2018, 2022)
Defining matches
- 2016WINvs Aniuar Geduev (Rio Olympic final at 74 kg)
- 2021LOSSvs David Taylor (Tokyo 2020 Olympic final, 3-4)
- 2021WINvs David Taylor (World final, Oslo, 6-2)
- 2023LOSSvs David Taylor (World final, fall)
- 2024LOSSvs Magomed Ramazanov (Paris Olympic final, 1-7, dislocated shoulder)
Use the underhook to steer, not just to hold: Yazdani drove David Taylor to the edge off an underhook for step-out points in the 2021 world final, then turned Taylor's lift attempt into his own takedown. Drill underhook-to-edge pressure and a lift counter.
1963–1968