After a four-year suspension (for using anabolics that gave him Wolverine powers), 2014 World bronze medalist Mohammad Hossei Askari Mohammadian appeared back in Iran’s lineup at 97 kg in late 2019.
At the 2019 Military World Games, Mohammadian ran through #7 Vladislav Baitsaev (who once pushed Abdulrashid Sadulaev to the brink) and #9 Aliaksandr Hushtyn for gold.
Those in the know were aware that the lengthy Iranian was the real deal, but no one could have predicted his shocking run at the Olympic year’s first Ranking Series tournament - the Matteo Pellicone in Rome.