[7] After coming up short and taking second place at the 2020 Russian National Championships,[8] Naifonov wasn't able to compete at the Individual World Cup and did not wrestle again until March 2021.

Winning all of his matches, including against 2020 European Silver Medallist, Magomed Ramazanov whom Naifonov defeated in the semi-final.

Naifonov would then meet his main rival in Russia, Dauren Kurugliev, representing Dagestan, in the final.

[12] Following his Russian National Championships win, Naifonov wrestled at the Olympic Games held in Tokyo.

[14][15] He competed at the 2024 European Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan and he earned a quota place for the Individual Neutral Athletes for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, but he missed these games, due to replacements by other NOCs.