Nutfulloev Stays Sharp Under Pressure to Take -66 kg Gold in Astana

Abdurakhim Nutfulloev came through a tense -66 kg final at the 2026 Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam, using sharp timing and calm defense to leave Astana with gold.

The second men’s category of the opening day delivered exactly the kind of fast, athletic judo fans hoped for at the Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace. In the final, Nutfulloev of Uzbekistan faced Saigid Kerimov of Russia in a match that turned on one important score.

A little before the halfway point, Nutfulloev got on the board with a yuko. From there, the pressure shifted to Kerimov, who tried to force the pace and find a way back into the contest. Nutfulloev, though, read the attacks well and kept moving smartly to avoid danger.

It was not a wild finish, but it was a controlled one. Nutfulloev had done enough, and that single score carried him to the top of the podium.

One yuko made the difference, and Nutfulloev protected it brilliantly.

The bronze medal matches had a very different energy, especially with the home crowd trying to push the Kazakh judoka over the line. In one of those contests, Anvarjon Ibrohimov of Uzbekistan met Nurkanat Serikbayev of Kazakhstan in a battle that stayed intense from start to finish.

Ibrohimov struck first, scoring yuko with ko-uchi-gake despite the crowd hoping for a different outcome. After that, the contest became a fierce exchange of attacks, defense and resistance, with both athletes spinning and scrambling at full speed. Serikbayev kept trying, and the noise in the arena never dropped, but Ibrohimov held his lead and secured the bronze.

The other bronze medal fight also put a Kazakh athlete in front of a loud home support. Akylzhan Zhubatkanov wanted to make sure at least one local flag would be represented on the podium, but Ramazan Abdulaev of Russia had other ideas, built on strong ne-waza.

Abdulaev nearly finished the match in the opening seconds with a well prepared osaekomi. Zhubatkanov produced a huge escape just before Ippon could appear on the board, keeping the contest alive and giving the crowd hope. But in the final minute, Abdulaev locked things down again. This time he held long enough to score a second Waza-ari and take the bronze.

So the -66 kg medals were shared by Uzbekistan and Russia, with Nutfulloev standing highest after a final defined by patience, awareness and one decisive moment. Behind him, Kerimov took silver, while Ibrohimov and Abdulaev completed the podium after two hard-fought bronze medal contests.

Final standings in Astana saw Abdurakhim Nutfulloev first, Saigid Kerimov second, and bronze medals for Anvarjon Ibrohimov and Ramazan Abdulaev. Nurkanat Serikbayev and Akylzhan Zhubatkanov finished fifth, with Turan Bayramov and Gusman Kyrgyzbayev in seventh.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation