#Grappling

Grappling Gi: Prendes doubles up as world champ; Gudanatov stunned

By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 15) - Whether it is Gi or No-Gi, it seems that Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) is making a habit of winning gold medals.

After winning double-gold at the 2024 World Grappling Championships, Prendes Larios repeated the feat in 2025, winning gold in Gi and No-Gi competition in Novi Sad.

The Spanish grappler won the 53kg gold in No-Gi on Tuesday with a dominant performance and continued the same form in Gi. She won her first two bouts via submission and in the final against Zuzanna KOWALSKA (POL) and won via submission.

She began by top control in the first minute but was called passive, giving one point to Kowalska to lead 2-1. She moved to a back mount and then performed a rear naked choke for submission to claim the gold medal at 53kg.

At 90kg, Tatiana KABANOVA (UWW) made amends and won gold medal after finishing with silver in No-Gi event. She was defeated by Alena VLASOVA (UWW) in that competition but Kabanova managed to remain unbeaten in a three-grappler bracket.

She defeated Vlasova via submission in the first bout and then won 3-1 against Justyna SITKO (POL) to claim the gold medal.

Gudanatov stunned

Defended 130kg world champion Abu GUDANATOV (UWW) was stunned by Bilal KURBABAGAMAEV (UWW) in thrilling final at 130kg. Gudanatov tried to set up a choke but Kurbabagamaev never gave up position and got two points for a controlling Gudanatov on ground.

As the two remained in the same position, Kurbabagamaev was called passive two times in which he failed to score. However, he still led 2-2 on criteria as he had a bigger scoring action than Gudanatov's sequence of one points.

But in the last minute, Gudanatov was called passive and cautioned one point which gave Kurbabagamaev a clear 3-2 lead in the final which he defended to win the gold medal.

In another thrilling final, Shamil MAZHIDKHANOV (UWW) defeated Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA), 5-3, to win the gold medal at 100kg. Mazdhikhanov scored the first two points for control but he was called passive on top which made the score 2-1. But he managed to move into a side mount for three points and lead 5-1.

With only intention of defending his four-point lead, Mazhidkhanov was docked two more points for passivity but he won 5-3 and captured the gold medal.

At 71kg, making his senior debut, 20-year-old Stefanos VAVILIS (GRE) stunned Sandor LAKATOS (HUN), 2-1, in the final and win his first gold medal.

RESULTS

Men's Grappling Gi

71kg
GOLD: Stefanos VAVILIS (GRE) df. Sandor LAKATOS (HUN), 2-1

BRONZE: Said ZAIPULAEV (UWW) df. Kevin MARTIN TINOCO (ESP), 5-2
BRONZE: Zaur AKHMEDOV (UWW) df. Nico PULVERMUELLER (GER), 2-2

100kg
GOLD: Shamil MAZHIDKHANOV (UWW) df. Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA), 5-3

BRONZE: Konstantin LI (KGZ) df. Pavel SLANINA ANTON (ESP), 9-3
BRONZE: Khasan ZAPIROV (UWW) df. Ramazan ABDRAKHIMOV (KAZ), 4-1

130kg
GOLD: Bilal KURBABAGAMAEV (UWW) df. Abu GUDANATOV (UWW), 3-2

BRONZE: Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA) df. Abraham COBY MARTINEZ (ESP), via submission (6-2)
BRONZE: John HANSEN (USA) df. Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE), 8-4

Women's Grappling Gi

53kg
GOLD: Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) df. Zuzanna KOWALSKA (POL), via submission (6-1)

BRONZE: Anorbi GRISHINA (UWW) df. Giulia ANGIOLINI (ITA), 7-3
BRONZE: Radomira OSTANINA (UWW) df. Evelina FLORIAK (UKR), 9-1

90kg
GOLD: Tatiana KABANOVA (UWW) 
SILVER: Justyna SITKO (POL)
BRONZE: Alena VLASOVA (UWW)

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2025: Day 1 highlights and recap

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 29) -- The third Ranking Series event, Ulaanbaatar Open, gets underway in the Mongolian capital. Seven Greco-Roman weight classes will be in action on Thursday.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | ULAANBAATAR OPEN PREVIEW

13:05: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) goes big from par terre and scores eight points before getting two points for a leg foul from Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) to win 11-0. He will take on Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) in the final. Yilmaz had beaten Maksatbek Uulu 11-3 in the round-robin bout earlier

13:02: Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) takes just a minute to beat Nishant PHOGAT (IND) 9-0 in the first semifinal at 77kg. He will wrestle for gold.

13:00: The semifinals, only two in 77kg, will begin now. Nishant PHOGAT (IND) vs Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) and Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) vs. Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) 

12:20: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) gets the par terre and then turn Mustafa SAHIN (TUR) for a 3-0 lead in his Round 5 bout at 72kg. He then defends his position from par terre and wins 3-1. He will take home 8000 ranking points.

12:05: NITESH (IND) reverses the par terre position to get a point after Uzur DZHUZUPEKOV (KGZ) scores two turns from par terre. Nitesh gets a turn from par terre to make it 5-3. A par terre position in second period for Nitesh but no points scored. With the score 5-4, Dzhuzupekov defends his lead and wins at 97kg

11:50: Asian champion Danial SOHRABI (IRI) with a big suplex and beats Ankit GULIA (IND) to top his group at 72kg. He will have his Round 5 match against Mustafa SAHIN (TUR) which will be a virtual gold medal bout.

11:40: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) with an 11-1 win over Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) at 77kg to confirm his semifinal spot. Yilmaz is a bronze medalist from the European Championships.

11:25: Asian silver medalist Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) holds off Murat FIRAT (TUR) 5-1 at 67kg. Solid win for Beishekeev. His compatriot Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) rolls to a 9-0 win over Lkhagvasuren DASHJAMTS (MGL) at 77kg.

11:20: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) with another injury pull out at 82kg. Shahin BADAGHI (QAT) gets the victory.

11:10: Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) waits for the second period to unleash the gut-wrench as he beats  Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) 9-1 in the 97kg Round 2 bout.

11:05: Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ) was down 3-2 against Ankit GULIA (IND) but bounces back with takedowns and two rolls to win 8-3 in Round 2.

11:00: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) comes on the mat but pulls out of the bout against PRINCE (IND) at 82kg. But he doesn't submit the injury report so we may see him again in later rounds.

10:50: Paris Olympic bronze medalist at 97kg Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) starts off a little rusty against Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) and gives up six points. But he manages to score at the right time using gut-wrenches and wins 10-6.

10:48: World U23 champion Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) with two front throws to stun NEERAJ (IND) 9-0 at 67kg. Remember these are round-robin matches and not eliminations.

10:45: Injury scare for Turkiye as Alperen BERBER (TUR) pulls out of his match against Karan KAMBOJ (IND) at 87kg. Berber got the par terre and got two front rolls for a 5-0 lead before a reversal and roll made it 5-3 as Berber held his hamstring in pain. He tried continuing but Kamboj pushed him for a stepout and Turkiye coach called to pull out due to injury.

10:40: Another quick finish at 72kg as Asian champion Danial SOHRABI (IRI) rolls to a technical superiority win over Zandanbat BATSAIKHAN (MGL). Sohrabi looking to gather those points for a better seed at the World Championships.

10:35: Mehmet SAHIN (TUR) with a 9-0 win over Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ) in Round 1 of the competition. Six weight classes have round-robin competition while 77kg has Nelson system with two groups.

10:30: Welcome to day one of the competition at the Ulaanbaatar Open with seven Greco-Roman weight classes -- 55kg, 67kg, 72kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg and 97kg.