Grappling

Grappling World Championship Day 3 Recap

By Marc Berman

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (September 8th) - In a fast paced and action packed day, Team Russia stole the show, taking six gold medals in the Men’s division. Gairbeg IBRAGIMOV (RUS) defended his title in the 66kg division, winning two of four matches by submission. At 92kg, Abu GUDANATOV (RUS) showed solid wrestling and a dangerous submission game, scoring submissions in both the semifinals and finals.

At 62kg, all eyes were on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu star Joâo MIYAO (BRA). However, Joâo did not disappoint, ultimately taking gold in the 62kg division. His strategy was clear, pull quick and look to use his dangerous guard to reverse or attack arm-locks and triangle chokes. Joâo saved his best performance of the day for the final, extending his Russian opponents arm in a nasty armlock before switching to a triangle choke to finished the job.

Team Russia was just as dominate in the Senior Women’s division, where they also took home the gold medal. Russia had grapplers in three finals matches, winning two. Irina GROMOVA (RUS) was aggressive from the feet scoring often. When the action hit the mat, Gromova was just as dangerous , scoring the submission in the 64kg final.

62kg

Quarter-Final- J. Bordignon MIYAO (BRA) defeats A. Kaidybaev (KGZ) by points (13-4)

Quarter-Final- N. Vince ORTIZ (PHI) defeats N. MYNBAYEV (KAZ) by submission

Quarter-Final- K. GOODSITE (USA) defeats D. NYKONETS (UKR) by points (6-0)

Quarter-Final- A. IASAEV (RUS)  defeats A. Colazingari (ITA) by points( 8-2)

Semi-Final -J. Bordignon MIYAO (BRA) defeats N. Vince ORTIZ (PHI) by points (9-2)

Semi-Final-A. IASAEV (RUS) defeats K. GOODSITE (USA) by points (7-2)

Final- J. Bordignon MIYAO (BRA) defeats A. IASAEV (RUS) by submission

66kg

Quarter-Final- A. YUNUSOV (UZB) defeats P. MIYAO (BRA) by disqualification

Quarter-Final- A. Tomer (ISR) defeats E. Uulu MANASBEK (KGZ) by points (3-2)

Quarter-Final- L. QUINONES (USA) defeats L. STANIKAS (LTU) by points (9-2)

Quarter-Final- G.IBRAGIMOV (RUS) defeats A. BAURZHAN (KAZ) by submission

Semi-Final -  A. TOMER (ISR) defeats A. YUNUSOV (UZB) by points (6-2)

Semi-Final- G.IBRAGIMOV (RUS) defeats L. QUINONES (USA) by submission

Final-G.IBRAGIMOV (RUS) defeats A. TOMER (ISR)  by points (8-0)

71kg

Quarter-Final- C. Lullan IORGA (ROU) defeats B. Chimol MOSHE (ISR) by points (2-0)

Quarter-Final- J.Witkowski (POL) defeats J. MORGAN (USA) by submission

Quarter-Final- D. IBRAGIMOV (KAZ) defeats A. MIRZA by criteria (0-0)

Quarter-Final- A. ZAINALKHANOV (RUS) defeats B. USENOV (KGZ) by points (3-2)

Semi-Final - J.Witkowski (POL) defeats C. Lullan IORGA (ROU) by submission

Semi-Final- A. ZAINALKHANOV (RUS) defeats  D. IBRAGIMOV (KAZ) by points (6-4)

Final- A. ZAINALKHANOV (RUS) defeats J.Witkowski (POL) by submission

77kg

Quarter-Final- D. NETKACHEV (UKR) defeats E. OMER (ISR) by submission

Quarter-Final- S. DUMINICA (ROU) defeats T. RYUSKE (JPN) by submission

Quarter-Final-  A. SHAMSHIEV (KGZ) defeats T. NOWAKOWSKI (POL) by submission

Quarter-Final-  S. RAMOS (USA) defeats T. SMIRNOVAS (LTU) by points (5-2)

Semi-Final - D. NETKACHEV (UKR) defeatsS. DUMINICA (ROU) by points (5-0)

Semi-Final- S. RAMOS (USA) defeats A. SHAMSHIEV (KGZ) by points (5-2)

Final- D. NETKACHEV (UKR) defeats S. RAMOS (USA) by points (2-2 OT)

84kg

Quarter-Final- Y. BAYSULTANOV (FRA) defeats I.POGACSAS (HUN) by points (3-0)

Quarter-Final- H. HORODETSKYI (UKR) defeats G. STEFAN (ROU) by disqualification

Quarter-Final-  D. SKIBISKI (POL) defeats H.MASAYUKI (JPN) by points (17-0)

Quarter-Final-  S. MAGOMEDOV defeats H. PURTIYEV (AZE) by submission

Semi-Final -Y. BAYSULTANOV (FRA) defeats H. HORODETSKYI (UKR) by points (6-1)

Semi-Final- S. MAGOMEDOV (RUS) defeats D. SKIBISKI (POL) by points (3-1)

Final- S. MAGOMEDOV (RUS) defeats Y. BAYSULTANOV (FRA) by points (3-2)

92kg

Quarter-Final-  C. MIRSEA (ROU) defeats C. SOTO (USA) by points (6-1)

Quarter-Final- B. OMURZAKOV (KGZ) defeats I. SERKIBAYEV (KAZ) by points 5-4

Quarter-Final-  A. GUDANATOV (RUS) defeats Y. ISICHKO (UKR) by points 7-3

Quarter-Final-  W. EDMUND (FRA) defeats I. AVRAHAM (ISR)  by points 2-1

Semi-Final -  B. OMURZAKOV (KGZ) defeats C. MIRSEA (ROU) by submission

Semi-Final- A. GUDANATOV (RUS) defeats W. EDMUND (FRA) by submission

Final-  A. GUDANATOV (RUS) defeats B. OMURZAKOV (KGZ) by points (7-2)

100kg

Quarter-Final- K. UMISKI (POL) defeats J. ANDERSON (USA) by forfeit

Quarter-Final- A. FONTES (FRA) defeats N. ISMAILOV (KGZ) by points (10-2)

Quarter-Final-  A. BILAROV (RUS) defeats K. TULESHEV (KAZ) by submission

Quarter-Final- A. HALETA (UKR) defeats C. VASILE-MICREA (ROU) by disqualification

Semi-Final - K. UMISKI (POL) defeats A. FONTES (FRA) by submission

Semi-Final- A. BILAROV (RUS) defeats A. HALETA (UKR) by submission

Final- A. BILAROV (RUS) defeats  K. UMISKI (POL) by points (8-2)

100+kg

Quarter-Final- D. SOKOL (LTU) defeats I. NENCIONI (ITA) by submission

Quarter-Final- V. MATEIKO (UKR) defeats R. SARTBAYEV (KAZ) by points (11-3)

Quarter-Final- T. CLARK (USA) defeats U. NUROV (UZB) by points (7-3)

Quarter-Final-  H. STAMBULOV (RUS) defeats A ABDYLDAEV by submission

Semi-Final -  V. MATEIKO (UKR) defeats D. SOKOL (LTU) by points (5-2)

Semi-Final- H. STAMBULOV (RUS) defeats T. CLARK (USA) by points (11-1)

Final- H. STAMBULOV (RUS) defeats  V. MATEIKO (UKR) by points (9-0)

Women’s Grappling

53kg

Quarter-Final- N. ANAIANSI (ESP) defeats A. Tonelli (ITA) by submission

Quarter-Final- G. SEYDILDAYEVA (KAZ) defeats B. LAETITIA (FRA) by criteria (2-2)

Quarter-Final- A. AUGUSTYN- MITKOWSKA (POL) defeats J. PHILIPPUS (USA) by points (6-3)

Quarter-Final- S. SKRYPNK (UKR) defeats N. SAPARAI (RUS) by criteria (2-2)

Semi-Final -  N. ANAIANSI (ESP) defeats  G. SEYDILDAYEVA (KAZ) by submission

Semi-Final- S. SKRYPNK (UKR) defeats A. AUGUSTYN- MITKOWSKA (POL) by submission

Final-   N. ANAIANSI (ESP) defeats S. SKRYPNK (UKR) by points (9-0)

58kg

Quarter-Final- M.C. MASUDA (PHI) defeats G. OMAR (KAZ) by points (8-2)

Quarter-Final- B. CARIANI (ITA) defeats W. ZYGMUNT (POL) by points (6-0)

Quarter-Final- O. VLADIMIROVA (RUS) defeats K. SHAKALOVA (UKR) by points (7-0)

Quarter-Final- B. STIKKELMAN (USA) defeats M. MONTERO (ESP) by points (3-2)

Semi-Final - B. CARIANI (ITA) defeats M.C. MASUDA (PHI) by points (10-1)

Semi-Final-  O. VLADIMIROVA (RUS) defeats B. STIKKELMAN (USA) by points (6-4)

Final-  B. CARIANI (ITA) defeats  O. VLADIMIROVA (RUS) by points (3-1)

64kg

Quarter-Final- I. PAVESE (ITA) defeats R. RYSSAEYVA (KAZ) by points (7-2)

Quarter-Final-  B.UZGENBAEVA (KGZ) defeats M. Mar Gaitan GUITERREZ (ESP) by points (2-2 overtime)

Quarter-Final- T. HRYNKO (UKR) defeats S. PNIAK (POL) by points (5-3)

Quarter-Final-  I. GROMOVA (RUS) defeats C. SAFI (FRA) by points (8-3)

Semi-Final - I. PAVESE (ITA) defeats B.UZGENBAEVA (KGZ) by points (4-2)

Semi-Final-  I. GROMOVA (RUS) defeats T. HRYNKO (UKR) by points (5-0)

Final-  I. GROMOVA (RUS) defeats  I. PAVESE (ITA) by submission

71kg

RR RND 1- I. MUNGAI (ITA) defeats O. SUSKO (UKR) by submission

RR RND 1- R. ANUFRIEVA (RUS) defeats K. SAGINDYKOVA (KAZ) by submission

RR RND 2- R. ANUFRIEVA (RUS) defeats O. SUSKO (UKR) by submission

RR RND 2- I. MUNGAI (ITA) defeats K. SAGINDYKOVA (KAZ) by points (12-8)

RR RND 3-O. SUSKO (UKR) defeats  K. SAGINDYKOVA (KAZ) by submission

RR RND 3- R. ANUFRIEVA (RUS) defeats  I. MUNGAI (ITA) by submission

71+kg

RR RND 1- H. KOVALSKA (UKR) defeats Z. AITMAGAMBETOVA (KAZ) by submission

RR RND 1- M. ZASZCUZUDKOWICZ (POL) defeats D. NIKOLAEVA (RUS) by points (4-3)

RR RND 2-  C. BAREE (FRA) defeats Z. AITMAGAMBETOVA (KAZ) by points (11-0)

RR RND 2- H. KOVALSKA (UKR) defeats M. ZASZCUZUDKOWICZ (POL) by submission

RR RND 3-C. BAREE (FRA) defeats M. ZASZCUZUDKOWICZ (POL) by submission

RR RND 3- D. NIKOLAEVA (RUS) defeats H. KOVALSKA (UKR) by submission

RR  RND 4- D. NIKOLAEVA (RUS) defeats C. BAREE (FRA) by points (9-1)

RR RND 4- M. ZASZCUZUDKOWICZ (POL) defeats  Z. AITMAGAMBETOVA (KAZ) by submission

Grappling GI is up tomorrow, make sure you catch the action live tomorrow on Flograppling.com in the United States and internationally on United World Wrestling.

#UWWAwards

UWW Breakout Wrestlers of 2025: Hidlay, Farokhi, Onishi

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 14) -- The 2025 Breakout Wrestlers of the Year were not the ones anyone circled heading into the season. They weren’t the favorites, or the ones analysts picked to walk away from the season as world medalists.

They were the outsiders, largely unproven and underestimated. But that all changed in a single season when they smashed expectations, catapulting themselves into world-wide stardom with world-title runs that nobody saw coming.

Freestyle Breakout Performer of the Year: Trent HIDLAY (USA)

Before 2025, Hidlay had never climbed to the top of a podium at an international event. His  2025 season even began with more doubt than promise, dropping his second match of the year to rising Azeri phenom Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) at the Zagreb Open. But that loss lit a fuse. From that moment on, the 26-year-old didn’t just improve -- he transformed.

Hidlay unleashed a stunning 13-match win streak and collected gold medals at the Pan-American Championships, the Budapest Ranking Series and the World Championships. Along the way, he knocked off giants -- Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), and Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), just to name a few.

Then came the finale: a world finals comeback for the ages. Down and all but finished, Hidlay stormed back to defeat Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW). In one year, Hidlay didn’t just win -- he arrived.

Greco-Roman Breakout Performer of the Year: Gholemreza FAROKHI (IRI)

When opportunity knocked, Farokhi wasn’t just there to answer it, he was there to kick the door off its hinges. The 23-year-old stepped into Iran’s senior lineup for the first time in his career and tore through anyone in front of him -- whether it was at 82kg or 87kg.

Farokhi bulldozed his way to gold medals at the two World Championships he participated in. He racked up a perfect 17-0 record, including 11 technical superiority wins and six decisions, sweeping gold at the World Championships, U23 World Championships, the Islamic Solidarity Games, and the Zagreb Open Ranking Series.

Women’s Wrestling Breakout Performer of the Year: Sakura ONISHI (JPN)

At 19 years old, Onishi entered the senior circuit with massive goals but had zero experience and zero fear. In mere months, she became a problem no one had an answer for.

Onishi tore through the season with a flawless 15-0 record, capturing titles at the Senior and U20 World Championships, the Asian Championships, and the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. Her dominance wasn’t subtle -- it was exactly what you’d expect from a Japanese women’s wrestler -- 11 tech falls, three pins, and a decision, outscoring opponents 158-17.