Grappling

Future is Bright for Grappling in Kazakhstan

Monday, September 10, 2018 - 17:54 By Marc Berman

Share this article
Coach Renat Sitnazarov Leads National Team too Strong performance

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (September 9th) -- The Kazakhstani grappling team may not have won a bevy of gold medals, but the Central Asian nation showed great improvement at the 2018 Grappling World Championships.

After four tough days of competition the host nation walked away with a 3rd place finish in the women’s senior division and fifth place in the men’s senior division. The nation also boasted finalists in the women’s 53kg and 58kg division and scored a bronze and silver on the men’s side.

In preparation for the World Championships Kazakhstan hosted qualifying events in multiple cities before the national qualifier earlier this year.

Head grappling coach Renat SITNAZAROV was pleased with the process of forming the team. “We were able to gather our strongest athletes together and bring them here for the championships.”

In preparation for the event the team brought together athletes from around the country to train together and work on new techniques. In preparation for Grappling events team members compete in various other styles, freestyle, Greco-Roman, judo, sambo and jiu-jitsu.

When it came time for the actual competition Sitnazarov and his coaching staff worked with each athlete before each round to develop a winning strategy.

Since 2010 Coach Renat has seen grappling take off in Kazakhstan, becoming more popular every year. “I see Grappling growing every year and is now very popular with many athletes taking part of events here in Kazakhstan. Now with athletes such as Miyao coming from other styles to compete in Grappling, I see it becoming a big event.”

Catch up on all the action you miss on Flograppling.com in the United States and internationally on United World Wrestling.

#Grappling

Alshinbay defends crown in Grappling Gi; Poland wins team title

Friday, October 17, 2025 - 14:09 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 16) -- Coming into the World Grappling Championships, Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ) had one goal -- two become a two time world champ.

But he had disappointing start to competition, losing the No-Gi semifinal in Novi Sad, Serbia. He later bounced back to win the bronze medal but his goal was still not achieved.

Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ)Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ) celebrates after winning the 58kg final in Grappling Gi. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A day later on Thursday, Alshinbay began his title defense at 58kg in Grappling Gi and won his first bout via submission Samir BEN BELKACEM (FRA) to take step closer to the final.

Next up was Joseph DIEHL (USA) in the semifinals but Alshinbay, unbothered, controlled the match from the start and defeated the American grappler 9-3 to book a spot in the final against former U20 world champion ABYLBEKOV (KGZ).

Using his experience, Alshinbay made the final one-sided and used a bow-and-arrow choke to defeat Abylbekov via submission in just three minutes. He claimed his second straight gold medal in Grappling Gi, having won the 2024 world title in his home country Kazakhstan.

At 62kg, after dropping a close final in No-Gi Grappling, Magomedbek TEMEEV (UWW) bounced back and made sure he did not make any mistakes in Grappling Gi. Temeev was facing Rafayel KOSTANYAN (ARM) in the final and got the opening control when Kostanyan decided to start in grounding. The control gave Temeev two points.

Temeev decided to keep his control on top even as Kostanyan tried various moves. The referees called Temeev passive twice which costed him two points but he held a 2-2 criteria lead and won the final.

Two more UWW grapplers, Abduragim MAGOMEDOV (UWW) and Idris OMAROV (UWW), won gold medals on Thursday. MAgomedov defeated Jakub NAJDEK (POL), 5-0, in the 77kg final while Omarov defeated Christian FRILLICI (ITA), 5-2, in the 84kg final.

Youngster Giovanni SUAREZ ARTILES (ESP), who had a disappointing outing in 2024, made amends and defeated Magomed MAGOMEDOV (UWW), 5-3, at 66kg to win the gold medal.

The final began with Magomedov scoring a stepout in standing for one point before Saurez hit a throw to get Magomedov out in standing to make it 1-1 and lead on criteria. Magomedov kept getting control of Saurez who kept stepping out in standing and Magomedov's lead swelled to 3-1.

In the last 30 seconds, Saurez managed to come in a back mount and score via a rear-naked-choke. Though Magomedov did not submit, Saurez got four points for his control which made him a 5-3 winner.

At 92kg, Mateusz MAZUR (POL) was crowned world champion after Ruslan ISRAILOV (KAZ) submitted three minutes into the final.

RESULTS

Men's Grappling Gi

58kg
GOLD: Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ) df. Zhyldyzbek ABYLBEKOV (KGZ), via submission (6-0)

BRONZE: Razmik MISAKYAN (ARM) df. Jerzy IZDEBSKI (POL), 2-0
BRONZE: Joseph DIEHL (USA) df. Samir BEN BELKACEM (FRA), via submission (1-0)

62kg
GOLD: Magomedbek TEMEEV (UWW) df. Rafayel KOSTANYAN (ARM), 2-2

BRONZE: Ruslan RADZHABKHANOV (UWW) df. Kiryl AHEIKA (UWW), 1-0
BRONZE: Asher URBAN HOYER (USA) df. Mark BODO (HUN), via submission

66kg
GOLD: Giovanni SUAREZ ARTILES (ESP) df. Magomed MAGOMEDOV (UWW), 5-3

BRONZE: Adlan ASUEV (KAZ) df. Giorgi RAZMADZE (GEO), via submission
BRONZE: Artur AGASHIRINOV (UWW) df. Mayis NERSESYAN (ARM), via submission (2-2)

77kg
GOLD: Abduragim MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Jakub NAJDEK (POL), 5-0

BRONZE: Hector SEPULVEDA PALMA (ESP) df. Darkhan TOLYBAYEV (KAZ), 6-4
BRONZE: Dumitru CEBAN (MDA) df. Pavlo MAKSYMCHUK (UKR), 8-4

84kg
GOLD: Idris OMAROV (UWW) df. Christian FRILLICI (ITA), 5-2

BRONZE: Cristian TUGULEA (MDA) df. Kacper ROT (POL), 5-2
BRONZE: Dzhabrail ISRAPILOV (UWW) df. Adlan MADAYEV (KAZ), 5-2

92kg
GOLD: Mateusz MAZUR (POL) df. Ruslan ISRAILOV (KAZ), via submission (1-3)

BRONZE: Alibek SULEIMANOV (UWW) df. Mantas DAUBLYS (LTU), 3-2
BRONZE: Pablo ESTEPA NIETO (ESP) df. Antonio SALTUPS CARETTO (ITA), 6-2

Women's Grappling Gi

58kg
GOLD: Alina KOPEIKINA (UWW) df. Magdalena GIEC (POL), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA) df. Tetiana ASTAKHOVA (UKR), 2-0
BRONZE: Rachel GUTIERREZ (USA) df. Minerva MONTERO PEREZA (ESP), 6-0

64kg
GOLD: Mia MONTESINOS PERDOMO (ESP) df. Alsu IANSHINA (UWW), 5-2

BRONZE: Sheliah LINDSEY (USA) df. Adrianna MAZUR (POL), 9-0
BRONZE: Sylwia WIERZBOWSKA (POL) df. Renata IAKUBOVA (UWW), 3-2

71kg
GOLD: Alycia QUENEE (FRA) df. Maja SALAMON (POL), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Anna REMNEVA (UWW) df. Christina HANSEN (USA), via submission (0-2)
BRONZE: Valentina PAVLOVA (UWW) df. Sandra TRIEBEL (GER), 2-1