#Grappling

Shakalova returns as double champion, Toth shines at Grappling Worlds

Monday, October 17, 2022 - 18:04 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 17) -- The warm-up hall at Municipal Pavillion in Pontevedra is an emotional setting. At the end of the Grappling World Championships by United World Wrestling, grapplers from around the world are bidding goodbyes to their friends, rivals and coaches.

It's a room full of athletes that are skilled in various forms of combat sports coming together to grapple on the mat and be the world champion. A few are mixed martial arts fights, some are skilled at various forms of grappling and a few are equally good at both.

Among them is Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) who is being congratulated by almost everyone around. She also gets some requests for selfies.

Shakalova won the gold medals in 71kg at both Grappling and Grappling Gi, a version in which athletes wrestle wearing a loose uniform used in almost all combat sports with a belt around the waist.

It was not the first time that Shakalova won two gold medals in the same tournament. She achieved the same feat in 2017 in Baku at the same tournament. Shakalova was extremely pleased that she was able to repeat after a gap of five years.

In the 71kg final, she got a 6-3 win over Giulia RODIO (ITA) with two setpouts before Radio pulled the guard to be penalized two more points. In the second period, Shakalova scored a takedown but also gave up two points for stalling while being on top. But with her experience, she secured the win.
 
For the first time, Shakalova was happy with off the mat facilities.

"I really liked the tournament," Shakalova said. "I want to say that I've been grappling for quite a long time, but it's the first time when I saw such a great organization of the World Championships. The food was great, usually, we have just bread, some unnecessary carbohydrates, but this time the meals were really good."

The 25-year-old has been in wrestling for 13 years now. But in the recent past, she has transformed herself into a mixed martial arts athlete with a 7-1 record. But even then, she has never stopped grappling since it helps her outperform her rivals.

"I had been grappling for about six years and then I took up MMA," she said. "Though my priority is MMA, grappling is just a hobby but I can say that grappling is an ideal kind of wrestling for MMA."

And with that in mind, she aims for the big league. "My main goal is to be signed for a good MMA promotion, this will help to promote grappling as there hasn't been a UWW grappler in that."

Although the two gold medals have brought smiles to Shakalova, she does not celebrate much as she remembers her hometown -- Kharkiv -- and the fact that she last saw her family six years ago.

Growing up in Donetsk, the Ukrainian never thought she will not have a home to go to, first in 2014 and then in 2022.

"My home in Kharkiv has been destroyed," she said. "I have been in Dusseldorf in Germany for more than a year now. My parents are stuck in Donetsk."

Shakalova fondly remembers the Pankaration tournament in Kharkiv last year which she won.

"I won it. In my home. I don't have a home now."

Alexa TOTH (HUN)Alexa TOTH (HUN) won two gold medals in Pontevedra. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Ukraine finished second in both women's Grappling and Grappling Gi with Poland winning the Gi and Germany topping the Grappling style.

Among all the stars was a young one from Hungary. Alexa TOTH (HUN), 18, was the second double champion in Pontevedra as she thrashed opponents much senior to her.

"When I came, I did not expect to win it," Toth said. "As I am just 18 years old, winning the adult category is amazing."

Toth, a U17 world champion last year, has also won a silver and bronze at the European Championships as well.

"It's always great when I am on the mat. I like the idea when can be strong as a girl," she said.

Toth, who is still in school, has to find a balance between grappling and studies as she has to pass her exams later this year.

"It's really hard," Toth said. "The solution is to not sleep and do both. It happened to me as I came here instead of my exam. I have to write when I go back home. So it's going to be long nights."

RESULTS

Women's Grappling Gi

53kg
GOLD: Rui HIRABAYASHI (JPN) df. Kanae IKEDA (JPN), 3-0

BRONZE: Martyna IWAT (POL) df. Botakoz YELDOSKYZY (KAZ), 4-2
BRONZE: Naiomi MATTHEWS (ESP) df. Tetiana ASTAKHOVA (UKR), 7-2 

58kg
GOLD: Alexa TOTH (HUN) df. Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA), 11-2

BRONZE: Adrianna WOJARSKA (POL) df. Minerva MONTERO (ESP), via submission
BRONZE: Lina GROSSET (FRA) df. Samantha JEAN FRANCOIS (FRA), 5-3

64kg
GOLD: Joanna ZABULEWICZ (POL) df. Antonia KANEW (GER), 6-5

BRONZE: Fariza KULYNTAY (KAZ) df. Anna CASTELLS (ESP), 5-1
BRONZE: Viktoriia SYNIAVINA (UKR) df. Aigul SAMAT (KAZ), 5-0

71kg
GOLD: Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) df. Giulia RODIO (ITA), 6-3

BRONZE: MERYXELL GONZALEZ (ESP) df. Aizhan ABDYKADYR (KAZ), via submission (2-2)
BRONZE: Emily GUENZLER (GER) df. Christina HANSEN (USA), via submission (0-6) 

90kg
GOLD: Tara WHITE (USA) df. Assel KABDYGALYMOVA (KAZ), 10-1

BRONZE: Magdalena ZASZCZUDLOWICZ (POL) df. Aikorkem IKHSANOVA (KAZ), via walkover
BRONZE: Darina GOLDIN (GER) df. Teara LEWIS (USA), via walkover

Women's Grappling

53kg
GOLD: Kanae IKEDA (JPN) df. Rui HIRABAYASHI (JPN), 3-1

BRONZE: Carlota PRENDES (ESP) df. Alicja STYPULKOWSKA (POL), 4-3
BRONZE: Naiomi MATTHEWS (ESP) df. Martyna IWAT (POL), 2-0

58kg
Alexa TOTH (HUN) df. Melissa BENEDINI (ITA), 13-0

BRONZE: Laila OHLHOFF (GER) df. Jazmin ARJONA (ESP), via submission (7-3)
BRONZE: Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ) df. Adrianna WOJARSKA (POL), 4-1

64kg
GOLD: Anna CASTELLS (ESP) df. Antonia KANEW (GER), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Florika LUCHYCH (UKR) df. Kristi RUSSELL (USA), via walkover
BRONZE: Sandra PNIAK (POL) df. Olena HERMAN (UKR), 5-3

71kg
GOLD: Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) df. Alycia QUENEE (FRA), 11-5

BRONZE: Christina HANSEN (USA) df. Aizhan ABDYKADYR (KAZ), via submission (12-0)
BRONZE: Giulia RODIO (ITA) df. Giada CHIOSO (ITA), via submission

90kg
GOLD: Darina GOLDIN (GER) df. Olena SUSHKO (UKR), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Magdalena ZASZCZUDLOWICZ (POL) df. Aikorkem IKHSANOVA (KAZ), via submission (6-0)
BRONZE: Tara WHITE (USA) df. Teara LEWIS (USA), via walkover
 

#WrestleBudapest

Grace Bullen Move: Outside Trip That Defines European Champ

Thursday, July 9, 2026 - 10:31 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 9) -- Grace BULLEN (NOR) lost the most important match of her career while attempting her trademark outside trip, trying to finish the bout with a fall. It came in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games semifinal against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), who countered with a neck bridge, tossing Bullen over for the fall.

UWW+

Despite the mixed results the move has produced over the years, Bullen did not hesitate to use it in the 2026 European Championships final against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS). Trailing 9-0, Bullen hooked her left foot behind Tandelova's heel and brought her down for the fall.

Three months after their epic European 62kg final, Bullen and Tandelova will be at the Budapest Ranking Series from July 15 to 19, the last stop to gain ranking points before the World Championships.

They will be joined by a strong field that includes former world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN), world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), and European medalists Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR).

The field also includes Ana GODINEZ (CAN) and former U20 world champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN), who will have the backing of the home crowd. Two Indians, MANSI (IND) and SAVITA (IND), are also entered among others.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) performs the outside trip against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) during the 62kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The same move also rescued Bullen at the Tirana Ranking Series, where she trailed Mansi before winning 6-5.

Speaking after winning European gold, Bullen acknowledged both the risk and the reward of the move.

"I know it's my go-to when I'm down, but I also lost in that situation, the same place," Bullen said. "I know how it is being on the receiving end, also being an attacker in that situation. But glad it worked out for me.

"It's more risky that way and just locking the leg and going forward it's much less risky, especially for me."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Grace Bullen (@gracebullen7)

 

A pivotal career decision saw Bullen relocate her training base to Georgia under coach Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI. Since moving to 62kg, she has won world and Olympic medals and established herself as one of the division's most dangerous wrestlers. The demanding training in Georgia and the move up in weight have transformed her wrestling and her mindset, even if the results have occasionally fluctuated.

"I'm also getting older," she said. "I have to be wise with how I train and so I keep my shape."

That experience has also made Bullen more patient than she was five years ago.

"I've years of experience in wrestling," she said. "I take losses with a greater smile than I ever did before. Just knowing that this year I was in two ranking series competitions and only won one match, I am more patient with everything. I know that even though I lose, I can win in the future."