#Grappling

Poland Steals Grappling Team Title from Russia

Monday, June 1, 2026 - 05:12 By Vinay Siwach

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YEREVAN, Armenia (May 28) -- Led by former world medalist Justyna SITKO (POL), Poland pipped Russia by a point to win the the women's Grappling team title at the European Championships in Yerevan, Armenia.

In five weight classes in action, Poland and Russia both won two golds but the former had better results in the weight classes it did not win the gold to score 89 points to Russia's 88 points. The fifth gold went to Spain as world champion Carlota PRENDES (ESP) won at 53kg.

Sitko, in a round-robin bracket with four other grapplers, began with a 9-2 victory over Kseniia BUSHKOVA (RUS) before submitting Sara BORTOLAMIOL (ITA) in Round 2. A 7-3 win over Vlada BOIAKHCHIEVA (RUS) and then a submission of compatriot Maja SALAMON (POL) sealed the gold medal for Sitko at 90kg.

The second gold medal for Poland was won by Martyna KAPUSCINSKA (POL) at 71kg after she secured a victory by decision over Snezhana MORAR (UKR) in the final.

Until the last two weight classes, Russia on a rampage. After dominating through the rounds, Olesia ZHURAVLEVA (RUS) met world champion Daria BRZOZOWSKA (POL) in the semifinals and won 2-1. She defeated Emma ROSINI (ITA), 6-2, in the final to win the 58kg gold medal.

Soon after, Alsu IANSHINA (RUS) worked on a submission on Liudmyla TSALAI (UKR) in the 64kg to win in just over four minutes and claim the second gold medal for Russia.

Carlota PRENDES (ESP)World champion Carlota PRENDES (ESP) is now a European champion as well. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman) 

At 53kg, Prendes once again dominated on the mat, winning yet another gold medal in a United World Wrestling competition. Her loss came in 2023 but since then, she has won four world titles, two each in Grappling and Grappling Gi.

At the European Championships, she won all four of her bouts via submission including a 51-second submission from Giulia ANGIOLINI (ITA) in the final.

Russia Wins Six Golds

In men's Grappling at the European Championships, Russia dominated its way to the team title. It scored 190 points and won six gold medals to finish at the top. Poland was second with 121 points while Spain was third with 86 points.

The Russian team with a mix of experience of youth, ran through its opposition especially two teenagers Shamil GUSEINOV (RUS) at 71kg and Aleksandr KARPENKOV (RUS) at 77kg, both winning gold.

But the gold rush began at 62kg, when Ruslan RADZHABKHANOV (RUS) won gold with a 3-0 decision over compatriot Igor KUZURGASHEV (RUS) in the final. In a low-scoring final, Radzhabkhanov controlled the bout for the entirety of the match.

At 66kg, Magomed SHAKHBANOV (RUS) was up against Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR) in the final and after getting three points for Cherkaliuk's passivities, Shakhbanov scored a takedown for two points before being awarded three points for control in his 8-0 victory.

Guseinov was facing former world champion Iker CAMARA (ESP) in the final and rocked the arena with a 46-second fall over the Spaniard. He used a front headlock to secure the fall and claim the gold medal at 71kg.

Karpenkov at 77kg had to fight it out against Gazimagomed GAZIEV (RUS) in the final. He opened a 3-0 lead but was penalised twice for stalling as Gaziev closed the gap to 3-2. But as the clock expired, Gaziev challenged for control points but lost it which gave two more points to Karpenkov as he won 5-2.

World champion Mukamed URUSOV (RUS) gave no chance to Aleksandre TEVZADZE (GEO), winning the 100kg final 7-0 with ease. He scored three pushouts in standing to lead 3-0 before score two control takedowns to earn four points and the victory.

A world champion in Grappling Gi, Bilal KURBABAGAMAEV (RUS) earned the title of European champion at 130kg in Grappling after winning gold in Yerevan. After running through the Nordic bracket, he got a walkover from Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA) in the final.

The remaining three golds were shared by Poland and host Armenia. Former European champion Mateusz MAZUR (POL) won the 92kg title with a 5-2 victory over Alibek SULEIMANOV (RUS) while Sebastian PATYK (POL) won 6-0 against Davud MAGOMEDOV (RUS) in the 84kg weight class.

Armenia's golden grappler was Razmik MISAKYAN (ARM) who held on for a tight 2-0 win over Alejandro REYES RODRIGUEZE (ESP) in the 58kg final.

RESULTS

Men's Grappling

58kg
GOLD: Razmik MISAKYAN (ARM) df. Alejandro REYES RODRIGUEZE (ESP), 2-0

BRONZE: Jakub BARDEN (POL) df. Zakhar DREMLIUHA (UKR), 6-5

62kg
GOLD: Ruslan RADZHABKHANOV (RUS) df. Igor KUZURGASHEV (RUS), 3-0

BRONZE: Mateusz HALAS (POL) df. Andrii TSVYK (UKR), 6-3
BRONZE: Loris ZANOLINI (ITA) df. Dmytro BARANOV (UKR), via submission (7-2)

66kg
GOLD: Magomed SHAKHBANOV (RUS) df. Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR), 8-0

BRONZE: Mykhailo KAZYMERCHUK (UKR) df. Narek AYVAZYAN (ARM), via decision
BRONZE: Magomed KHIRAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Maximilian REIFF (GER), via submission

71kg
GOLD: Shamil GUSEINOV (RUS) df. Iker CAMARA DOMINGUEZ (ESP), via submission (0-0)

BRONZE: Dzhimsher RAZMADZE (GEO) df. Avelino SANTOS RODRIGUEZ (ESP), via submission (5-3)
BRONZE: Kurban KADIEV (RUS) df. Artur GHERGHILINIC (MDA), 4-0

77kg
GOLD: Aleksandr KARPENKOV (RUS) df. Gazimagomed GAZIEV (RUS), 5-2

BRONZE: Jakub NAJDEK (POL) df. Illia SUKHODIEIEV (UKR), 5-2
BRONZE: Ouassim ADREUACH IDRISSI (ESP) df. Nahapet EKIZYAN (ARM), 7-4

84kg
GOLD: Sebastian PATYK (POL) df. Davud MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 6-0

BRONZE: Cristian TUGULEA (MDA) df. Suren KHURDAYAN (ARM), via submission
BRONZE: Christian FRILLICI (ITA) df. Roger DOMINGUEZ LOPEZ (ESP), 2-1

92kg
GOLD: Mateusz MAZUR (POL) df. Alibek SULEIMANOV (RUS), 5-2

BRONZE: Muslim MALSAGOV (RUS) df. Amirani SVIMONISHVILI (GEO), 8-0
BRONZE: Pablo ESTEPA NIETO (ESP) df. Joris ROOKHUIJZEN (NED), 4-2

100kg
GOLD: Mukhamed URUSOV (RUS) df. Aleksandre TEVZADZE (GEO), 7-0

BRONZE: Antonio SALTUPS CARETTO (ITA) df. Misha DILANYAN (ARM), via submission (6-0)

130kg
GOLD: Bilal KURBABAGAMAEV (RUS) df. Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA), via decision

BRONZE: Aleksander KOLDOVSKI (UKR) df. Liviu MALUDA (MDA), 5-3

Women's Grappling

53kg
GOLD: Carlota PRENDES LARIOS (ESP) df. Giulia ANGIOLINI (ITA), via submission (2-0)

BRONZE: Natalia JAKUBOWICZ (POL) df. Sylwia WELC (POL), via submission (7-0)
BRONZE: Viktoriia ISAIEVA (UKR) df. Evelina FLORIAK (UKR), via submission (6-2)

58kg
GOLD: Olesia ZHURAVLEVA (RUS) df. Emma ROSINI (ITA), 6-2

BRONZE: Daria BRZOZOWSKA (POL) df. Alicja STYPULKOWSKA (POL), via submission (10-0)

64kg
GOLD: Alsu IANSHINA (RUS) df. Liudmyla TSALAI (UKR), via submission (5-1)

BRONZE: Raluca ROSCA (ITA) df. Mendy MACATIS (GER), 6-2

71kg
GOLD: Martyna KAPUSCINSKA (POL) df. Snezhana MORAR (UKR), via decision

BRONZE: Anna REMNEVA (RUS) df. Valentina PAVLOVA (RUS), 3-2

90kg
GOLD: Justyna SITKO (POL)
SILVER: Maja SALAMON (POL)
BRONZE: Vlada BOIAKHCHIEVA (RUS)

#WrestleBudapest

Bisultanov preps for Zagreb Worlds with Budapest gold

Saturday, July 19, 2025 - 22:34 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 19) -- After winning the Zagreb Open gold medal in February, Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) had said that his main goal for the year to become a world champion. For that, he skipped European Championships as he had previously won gold there.

He focused on his shortcoming and weight management as he prepared for the World Championships, to be held in September in Zagreb.

With two months to go for that, Bisultanov entered the Budapest Ranking Series to test his preparations, and came out with flying colors. He won the Greco-Roman 87kg gold medal with a scintillating performance in Budapest.

Bisultanov did not break a sweat to reach the final against David LOSONCZI (HUN), who struggled throughout the day, and later pulled out of the final injured.

This was Bisultanov's second Ranking Series gold of the year and is expected to jump to number three in the rankings for 87kg. If all the top five ranked wrestlers are entered for the World Championships, Bisultanov will likely have Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) on side of the bracket.

But a performance like Saturday could potentially see Bisultanov get he better of Novikov, who lost the European Championships final to Losonczi this year.

Bisultanov, who won Thor Masters in June, warmed up with a 4-1 victory over Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) before he blanked Alan OSTAEV (UWW), 8-0, in the quarterfinal.

He faced local wrestlers Tamas LEVAI (HUN) in the semifinal and after a 7-0 lead, he decided it safe and defended from par terre. He gave a late stepout but managed to win 7-2 easily.

A Bisultanov-Losonczi final was what the fans wanted but Losonczi had struggled with his health all day long and decided to not risk it in the final.

He opened his day with tough bout against former European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), winning 3-1. His second match was also against a Serbian wrestler, Andrija MIHAJLOVIC (SRB), and he won 6-1.

It was the quarterfinal in which Losonczi was troubled by world U20 champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) who launched him for a suplex to lead 5-0. But Losonczi roared in the second period, scoring from par terre and getting points for Yevloyev's defensive fouls to win 9-5.

He then managed to keep Islam ABBASOV (AZE) quiet to win 4-0 in the semifinal and entertained the local fans with a back-flip. He would later not wrestle the final and win the silver.

In other two Greco-Roman weight classes of the day, Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) defeated Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), 8-2, in the 72kg final took a big step towards being on the Georgian team of the World Championships.

At 130kg, Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) got the better of Darius VITEK (HUN) in the final to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

72kg
GOLD: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), 8-2

BRONZE: Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), 9-0

87kg
GOLD: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), 5-2
BRONZE: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df. Alan OSTAEV (UWW), 5-2

130kg
GOLD: Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) df. Darius Attila VITEK (HUN), 3-1

BRONZE: Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) df. Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN), 5-3
BRONZE: Koppany LASZLO (HUN) df. Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE), 2-1