#DigitalTransformation

United World Wrestling together with N3XT Sports begins the digital transformation process

Monday, July 18, 2022 - 11:26 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

COSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland and BARCELONA, Spain - United World Wrestling (UWW) and N3XT Sports today announced a new partnership under which N3XT Sports will support UWW to accelerate its digital transformation by creating a digital-first approach in the organization and transform the sport using digital tools.

UWW has already prioritized digital transformation as one of five strategic pillars for the governing body’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, which was presented and approved at the UWW Congress in 2021.

UWW aims to create new value for its ecosystem, grow the sport itself, and modernize and digitize its processes and operations. By embarking on this journey, UWW will future-proof the organization, optimize internal processes, generate sustainable financial revenues, provide support to all the national federations and the entire wrestling ecosystem. 

The partnership between UWW and N3XT Sports aims to accelerate this transformation process and ensure maximum efficiency and benefit through a multi-year investment. N3XT Sports has been supporting UWW since early 2021 as UWW recognized the need to create new sources of value to the sport. As such, UWW’s digital transformation journey, with the support of N3XT Sports, touches on both revenue maximization and cost optimization, increasing efficiency and providing shared services within its national federations and event organizers.

Nenad Lalovic, UWW President, said: “One of the key areas of the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, built together with our National Federations, is to embrace and foster digital transformation in order to modernize and digitize our organization. In order to achieve this, we have partnered with N3XT Sports, a leading digital transformation agency in the sport industry, that is guiding us to continuously create value for fans, wrestlers, and the global wrestling ecosystem, to ensure a sustainable and independent UWW through digital, data and innovation.”

UWW has modernized as an International Federation ever since rejoining the Olympic Program in 2013. The next stage of transformation for the federation is aimed at increasing the focus on a direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategy that delivers excellence in digital content and data to fans, media and marketing partners, as well as best-in-class shared digital, innovation and data tools to the National Federations (NF), local organizing committees, coaches, and wrestlers in order to ensure sustainable financial growth.

As part of the agreement, N3XT Sports will help design and develop the project through its digital arm, N3XT Labs. This will support on the creation and monetization of best-in-class data analytics tools and digital assets, as part of a reimagined UWW commercial portfolio, including a new UWW mobile application for fans and internal stakeholders, and Customer Data Platform (CDP) aimed at collecting and engaging data from all UWW digital audience touchpoints.

In addition, drawing on N3XT Labs’ digital expertise in sports and cloud architecture, the creation of a robust project governance structure will support the digital monetization of the UWW’s wider business strategy, whilst also developing new D2C revenue streams across the federation and its entire ecosystem.

Hisham Shehabi, COO of N3XT Sports, said: “We are thrilled to work with UWW and guide the federation through its digital transformation. To make this new digital strategy possible, UWW is committed to developing and launching various digital and data products to reach fans directly, without intermediaries, thus gaining a better understanding of their tastes and habits, and fundamentally, building the global home of wrestling and wrestlers. Our focus at N3XT Sports is to accelerate the construction and operation of this digital and data ecosystem that caters to UWW fans, internal stakeholders, national federations, and athletes.”

ABOUT United World Wrestling

United World Wrestling (UWW) is the international governing body for the sport of wrestling; its duties include overseeing wrestling at the Olympics. It presides over international competitions for various forms of wrestling, including Greco-Roman wrestling, freestyle wrestling for men and women, as well as others.

ABOUT N3XT Sports

N3XT Sports is an end-to-end digital transformation agency that works with international sporting organizations in football, basketball, and the Olympic Movement, to identify and address their most critical challenges, enabling them to achieve sustainable competitive advantage within the rapidly changing sports landscape. 

N3XT Sports was born in the world’s epicenter of innovation in Silicon Valley, has its operational HQ in Barcelona and its team is spread in different countries in Europe such as France, Italy, England, Spain, and Switzerland as well as in the United States, Morocco and Canada. 

Contact information

N3XT Sports - bea@n3xtsports.com
United World Wrestling - Eric.olanowski@uww.org

#Grappling

U20 European Grappling: Poland Shines but Russia Remains Best

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - 10:06 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

YEREVAN, Armenia (May 26) — Poland flexed its strength in the heavier divisions while Russia piled up medals across categories at the U20 European Grappling Championships in Yerevan on Tuesday, with Germany also celebrating a standout gold through Damian David GRANCZYK at 66kg.

The Poles were particularly impressive in the upper weights. Kamil Konrad DZIKOWSKI claimed the 100kg title ahead of Yaroslav TOROPII (UKR). Armenia’s Samvel ATIKYAN taking bronze on home soil.

Mateusz KUCA (POL) resigned supreme at 84kg. Poland also produced medallists in 92kg, where Jakub JUCHNO finished on the top of the podium ahead of Ion SILI (MDA), underlining the country’s growing depth in the heavier classes of European grappling.

Russia, however, once again showed its overall dominance by placing wrestlers on nearly every podium. Russian athletes won titles at 62kg, 71kg, 77kg and 130kg, while also securing multiple silver and bronze medals.

At 130kg, Abubakr MAKASHARIPOV (RUS) took gold ahead of Ukraine’s Bohdan AKOPOV, with Gasan KHASAEV (RUS) settling for bronze in an all-Eastern European dominated podium.

Germany’s Granczyk was among the day’s standout performers. He captured the 66kg title, finishing ahead of Stanislav ROMANCHENKO (RUS), while Ukraine picked up both bronze medals through Vadym SIROSHTAN and Dmytro PRUT.

Russia swept the top two spots at 62kg through gold medallist Fedor RIABOV and silver winner Zaur ILIASOV, with Edgar SIMONYAN (ARM) finishing third. The hosts had more to celebrate in the 58kg category, where Aram SARGSYAN (ARM) beat Vanik SARGSYAN (ARM) to win the gold. Adam Magomedovich MAGOMEDOV (RUS) clinched the bronze.

At 71kg, Oliwier PRZERWA (POL) earned silver behind Sultanakhmed SULTANAKHMEDOV (RUS), while Malik MUKHTAROV completed a double podium finish for Russia with bronze.

Ukraine enjoyed a strong campaign too, especially in the middle and heavier weights. Suleiman MAMUTOV (UKR) won silver at 77kg and Lev TSEMKO (UKR) added bronze at 84kg.

In the women's section, Russia and Poland continued their stranglehold, winning two gold medals each. But the loudest cheers inside the arena were reserved for Taguhi KHONDKARYAN, who finished ahead of fellow Armenian Mkrtaryan YELENA in a home-dominated 64kg category.

At 49kg, Hanna Gabriela SZPAKOWSKA (POL) broke the heart of home favourite Astghik HAYRAPETYAN (ARM) clinched the title with a 18-6 win in the final.

Russia then tightened its grip on the tournament. Elmira GALLIAMOVA won the 53kg gold medal in an all-Russian final against Valeriia SHCHIROVA, while Alva Linnea PANNWITZ (GER) claimed bronze to ensure another podium finish for the Germans after Damian Granczyk’s triumph in the men’s section.

The 58kg category also belonged entirely to Russia. Alisa GOLUB (RUS) defeated compatriot Ilda DAVLETSHINA (RUS) in the final, with Ukraine’s Kseniia POLIAK taking bronze.

Poland, which had already impressed in the heavier men’s divisions, carried that momentum into the women’s 90kg event. Maja Teresa SALAMON (POL) took gold, while compatriot Karolina KARALUS added bronze, sandwiching Russia’s Vlada BOIAKCHIEVA in second place.

The results underlined Russia’s continued dominance in European grappling, finishing on top of the team rankings in both, men and women's sections.