A similar story unfolded in pool B. Konstantin Distel (GER), another strong favourite, advanced steadily through the early rounds before meeting Timur Aliev (IJF). The encounter was over almost as soon as it began; Aliev executed a crushing o-soto-gari for ippon inside the first minute, sending a clear message to the rest of the field.
Pool C delivered yet another upset. Akos Kelly (AUS), the top seeded judoka, cleared his opening contest but stumbled in the following round against Edoardo Michele Russo (ITA). The Italian capitalised on his momentum and went on to secure his place in the semi-finals, continuing a remarkable run.
It was only in pool D that the script held true to expectation. Giorgi Mumladze (GEO) imposed his authority with determination, allowing no opportunity for his opponents to threaten him. The Georgian advanced without compromise, confirming his spot in the last four and preserving at least one seed’s status on a day marked by surprises.
Mumladze did not stop there. In his semi-final against Edoardo Michele Russo, he showed composure and precision, logging two waza-ari scores with determination, to secure his place in the final. Waiting for him was Inomjon Bakhodirov, who had prevailed in the other semi-final and confirmed his status as one of the revelations of the day.
The final exploded into life, with two explosive judoka determined to throw. It remained scoreless until midway through though, when the first penalties were awarded despite an intense pace. Perhaps that moment unlocked the contest, as Bakhodirov finally managed to hook Mumladze’s leg for a yuko. The Georgian still had time to recover but Bakhodirov was not finished, securing the victory with a decisive stranglehold, clinching the world title, the fourth for Uzbekistan at these championships.
The first bronze medal contest offered Tajus Babaicenko (LTU) the chance to rescue his championship campaign and leave Sofia with a medal. His opponent Edoardo Michele Russo (ITA) was equally determined to cap his breakthrough day with a podium finish. Both judoka scored yuko during normal time, sending the match into golden score. After more than six gruelling minutes, it came down to stamina. In the end, Babaicenko found the required energy, executing a tai-otoshi that earned him the bronze, a hard-fought reward for his persistence.
The second bronze medal clash brought together Ramazan Khidirov (IJF) and Timur Aliev (IJF) in a duel between teammates. Khidirov struck first with a yoko-tomoe-nage and looked to be in control but in a ground exchange he relaxed just a fraction too much and Aliev capitalised with a timely hold-down. The immobilisation secured victory and the bronze medal for Timur Aliev.
Final (-81 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-81 kg)
