Grappling, No-Gi Grappling

2019 European No-GI Grappling Championship

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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

Stanich proves doubters wrong, wins U20 world title

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 18) -- Luke STANICH (USA) is aware that many did not back him to make the U.S. team, forget about winning a medal in international tournament.

"I love it," Stanich said. "If you have to prove everyone wrong, I feel great. I've always been doubted at tournaments. Even after I won the tournament, the U.S. Open, people still didn't have me making the team. I've been dealing with this forever, but just motivation, just to prove people wrong."

Stanich proved many doubters wrong by winning the gold medal at 65kg at the U20 World Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria on Tuesday. In the final, Stanich kept an inspired Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) under control and won 4-3 to claim the world title.

Uchida brought the Japanese style of wrestling with constant leg attacks but Stanich had all the answered and scored two takedowns to remain in control of the final

"I knew it was my match to wrestle," he said. "He was strong and quick, but I knew what kind of attacks he was looking for. I had confidence in my offense and my defense."

Perhaps it was his confidence that helped him recover from an 8-0 deficit in his first bout against Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) and make a run to win the gold medal. Toprak scored a takedown and gut-wrenched Stanich three times to lead 8-0 and put all his effort into a fourth turn. However, Stanich defend that and rallied to beat a tired Toprak 18-8.

In his next match, Stanich managed to hold off 2024 world U17 champion  Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ), 9-3, and then had a close 3-3 win over Alessandro NINI (ITA) in the quarterfinals. He had European U20 and U23 champion Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) in the semifinals but a solid defense helped him win 3-1 and enter the final.

"I said that right after the first match ended," he said. "I was like, 'wow! Once I go on this run and win this tournament, it can be pretty crazy story to tell that I was down 8-0 in the very first match, the tournament. I came back to win it.

"Super proud of my effort and able to storm back like that and get on the top podium."

Stanich said that standing on top of the podium was one of the most memorable moments of his career and called his run as 'gritty'.

"Gritty, being tough and breaking people."

Another U.S. wrestler in the final, William HENCKEL (USA), was not able to complete his campaign with a gold medal after dropping the final 8-6 against returning bronze medalist and senior Asian champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI).

Henckel was leading the final bout but Yousefi scored a stepout to make a 4-3 lead. Yousefi scored two stepouts and a takedown while Henckel scored three stepouts and a caution against Yousefi who  defended his lead in the last 30 seconds.

This was the first gold medal for Iran in this World Championships.

At 57kg, Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) survived a strong Sumit MALIK (IND) and won the gold medal 8-5. Ozdamirov needed a few medical timeouts to regain his breath against Malik, who could not finish even one of his attempted takedowns.

Uzbekistan won gold medal at the World U20 Championships after three years as Asian U20 champion Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) scored a takedown during his activity time to beat returning bronze medalist Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ), 3-2, in the 92kg final.

Incidentally, the last time an Uzbekistan wrestler won gold at World U20s was also in Bulgaria when Umidon JALOLOV (UZB) won 65kg gold medal in 2022.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) df. Sumit MALIK (IND), 8-5

BRONZE: Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) df. Ion BULGARU (MDA), 8-2
BRONZE: Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) df. Baiaman KERIMBEKOV (KGZ), 11-0

65kg
GOLD: Luke STANICH (USA) df. Reiji UCHIDA (JPN), 4-3

BRONZE: Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM) df. Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 4-0
BRONZE: Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) df. Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW), 14-10

79kg
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. William HENCKEL (USA), 8-6

BRONZE: Said SAIDULOV (UWW) df. Ion MARCU (MDA), 11-0
BRONZE: Davit TCHETCHELASHVILI (GEO) df. AMIT (IND), 9-6

92kg
GOLD: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) df. Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ), 3-2

BRONZE: Connor MIRASOLA (USA) df. Anar JAFARLI (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE: Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW) df. Sorato KANAZAWA (JPN), 15-5