Grappling, No-Gi Grappling

2019 European No-GI Grappling Championship

Saturday, April 6, 2019 - 14:54 By

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RNC Submission Attempt

Bucharest, Romania (April 5th) – For Grappling fans and competitors the European Championship is one of the most looked forward to events of the year. With all major European teams having the event circled on their calendar, the athletes show up in top shape to try and claim this year's title. This year proved to be one of the best championships yet with many thrilling matches, big throws, and slick submissions. After 4 years under the new ruleset, teams and competitors had been able to fully prepare for the event and it showed in the matches!

16 nations sent their teams in an effort to claim the 2019 European title. France sent a young and talented team but, fell just short of traditional powerhouse Russia on Day 1 in Men’s No-Gi. Russia secured the Men’s No-Gi Grappling by claiming 6 of 7 individual gold medals. Anthony DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) made sure that France did not leave without any gold by winning the 62KG title. He battled through a challenging bracket before meeting Dmytro Baranov (UKR) in the final. After a feeling out period on the feet DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) shot in a for a single leg takedown before jumping on the back. In the following scramble DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) locked in a nasty triangle choke and forced the tap.

Men’s No-Gi Team Result:
1.) Russia- 190 points
2.) France- 98 points
3.) Ukraine- 73 points
4.) Poland- 71points
5.) Romania- 44 points

In Women’s No-Gi Action all eyes were on the race between Russia and Ukraine for team gold. It proved to come down to the wire with Russia winning with 90 team points to Ukraine's 85 points. In the contest for the team bronze medal, Italy just edged out Poland by 2 points for the title. France’s team finished in 5th place, showing that they ready to go neck in neck with the best of Europe in the near future.

Svitlana SKRYPNYK (UKR) won 1 of 2 Gold medals in Women’s No-Gi for Ukraine. She made it to the finals of 53KG by beating home town favorite Madalina LINGURARU (ROU) in the Semifinal. The finals match against Oxana MOSKALENKO (RUS), she showed off her takedowns and guard passing to score 12 unanswered points, the exclamation point came when she pressured her way into the mount position in the final moments of the match. 

Women’s No-Gi Team Result:
1.) Russia- 90 Points
2.) Ukraine- 85 Points
3.) Italy- 60 Points
4.) Poland- 58 Points
5.) France- 53 Points

The action picks up again today with Gi Grappling. Catch all the matches live on United World Wrestling, with Finals matches starting at the 6pm local time.

#WrestleSamokov

Shkarin, Javadov complete Worlds and Europeans U20 golden double

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 16:31 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 22) -- Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) managed to pull off a continental and world double by winning the gold medal at the World U20 Championships on Friday. He won the gold medal at the European U20 Championships in July.

This is the second straight year that Shkarin has done that as he won the world and European U17 last year.

Wrestling Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) in the 82kg final, Shkarin came out with his best defense in par terre to defend his 4-1 lead and win the gold medal.

"Last year I won Worlds and Europeans U17s, now Worlds and Europeans U20s," Shkarin said. "I don’t see anything supernatural in this. Everything is just working out for me."

Shkarin was in top form throughout the tournament with three technical superiority wins in three bouts and it was only in the final that he was test and did not manage to finish his bout before time.

In the semifinals, Shkarin blanked Martik PETROSYAN (ARM) while Seitkaliyev defeated Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) in the other semifinal. However, Shkarin was hoping to get a rematch against Yoshida who had defeated Shkarin in the 2023 world U17 final.

"The motivation for me at this World Championship was that I really wanted to take revenge on the Japanese wrestler," Shkarin said. "I even told my friends that I could leave this championship upset only if I lost to the Japanese again. Nothing else would upset me as much. But it’s not my fault, it’s his -- he didn’t reach the final."

With the World U20 gold won, Shkarin will look to move to the Olympic weight class -- 87kg -- next year and plan his journey towards winning the Olympic medal in the future.

"Next year I want to move up to the 87 kg weight category," he said. "I’ll start working on my physical shape, try to gain muscle mass, and gradually settle into the 87 kg weight class. I want to try competing at seniors level."

Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE)Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) celebrates after winning the gold medal at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The last time the World U20 Championships were held in Bulgaria, Azerbaijan won crowned three champions in Greco-Roman. However, at the next two editions, the country failed to win gold.

The 2025 edition of the U20 Worlds, back in Bulgaria, seems to have brought luck back for Azerbaijan as the nation won its first gold in Greco-Roman in the first final.

European U20 champion and two-time world U17 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) added a gold at the U20 level in his first year by beating Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) in the 60kg final.

The 18-year-old showed no signs of discomfort in the new age-group and won three out of his five bouts via technical superiority or fall. In the final, he maintained a good lead throughout and defeat Mkhitaryan, also 18 years old, 12-5.

Javadov was put in par terre in he first period and Mkhitaryan scored two turns using gut0-wrench for a 5-0 lead but as he was trying to complete the third one, Javadov blocked him and scored two points. Armenia challenged the call but it was clear block and two points and Mkhitaryan led 5-3 at the break.

Javadov got the par terre in the second period but he failed to score any points. It was the third passivity with which the momentum of the final changed. Javadov asked for par terre after third passivity, which doesn't award any points. But Javadov managed to turn him for two and then a reverse lift for another two points to lead 8-5.

Mkhitaryan tried to jump over the head but it did not work out as Javadov controlled him and slammed him on mat for four points. He ultimately won 12-5.

"Since childhood I have been very self-confident," Javadov said. "Age makes no difference, I always believe I deserve first place."

Javadov has now not faced defeat for three years and the gold medal in Samokov. But the debut at U20 Worlds made him a little nervous.

"I couldn’t fully prepare mentally for the final bout, most likely my opponent wasn’t that good either," he said. "I made a couple of mistakes and gave up points, but then I managed to pull myself together. In the second period I realized that my opponent was very tired, and I understood that I could take the advantage and win."

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) df. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), 12-5

BRONZE: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Omer ALTAS (TUR), 9-0 (victory via cautions)
BRONZE: SURAJ (IND) df. Lucas LO GRASSO (FRA), 1-1

82kg
GOLD: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) df. Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) df. PRINCE (IND), 11-0
BRONZE: Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) df. Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 8-0