Chael Sonnen tells a Matt Lindland story on this episode of Beyond the Fight. Matt Lindland, an Olympic silver medalist in Greco Roman westling competed in a the Karelin Cup in Siberia, Russia. He faced a Russian in the final and had a real problem. Aleksandr Karelin saved his life.
Aleksandr Karelin – Nicknamed “Russian bear” and “Russian king kong” – Aleksandr is considered the greatest Greco-roman wrestler of all time. Karelin won 3 gold Olympic medals and a silver one. His record stands at 887 wins and two losses. Karelin was feared for his unprecedented strength and success in international competitions. Some even refered to him as “The experiment” – enough said!
He is famous for his reverse body lift, sometimes called the Karelin Lift. This devastating maneuver is worth the maximum 5 points awarded in Greco-Roman wrestling. His ability to throw equally heavy opponents amazed observers and terrified competitors.
