The awakened Russian bear: After a difficult start, we defeated our opponents at the 50th SAMBO World Cup

The 2026 World SAMBO Championship, which was hospitable to warm Tashkent, started for the Russian team, which for the first time in six years performed with its national symbols, not at all as we expected. On the first day of the tournament, our athletes won only three golds, two of which were mined in sambo for the blind. To the highest step of the pedestal rose: Andrey Demidov in the weight category up to 64 kg and for him this is the second success at such tournaments after Astana-2024, and Alsu Nasyrova in weight up to 59 kg. Women's sambo for visually impaired athletes debuted in the program of world championships, and a 26-year-old girl from Bashkiria wrote her name in the history of sambo, becoming one of the first two world champions in this form.

Tears of joy and a smile did not leave her face after winning the final. “Emotion is overwhelming because this is the first world championship for us women in the SAMBO category for the blind. I am very happy, and I was swallowed by pride, because my coach Pegovoi Valentin Alekseevich and I have been going to this for a long time. We faced various difficulties, but we did it and the first World Cup was more than successful for us. I want to say thank you to my loved ones and relatives that they also do everything for me so that I can practice and train every day and enjoy it, said Alsu after finishing her performance at the championship.

Only 19-year-old Demid Volkov managed to climb to the highest step of the podium in the weight category up to 88 kg in combat sambo among ordinary people on the opening day of the competition. The difficult path of the two-time winner of the world youth championships at the debut adult world level for him is clearly indicated by the fact that he came out with a bandage on his face from bleeding. The final was not easy for him either. To defeat a more experienced rival from Tajikistan, Demid had to do his best, show real courage and will to win. The young Russian managed to get out of a difficult situation with honor, and I concede in the course of the battle, to complete it in my favor, having conducted an effective action at the very end.

Already now we can assume that a new star has lit up in the domestic martial arts block, which can reach the highest heights not only in amateur sambo, but also in professional MMA. The athlete himself does not hide that he associates his future with mixed martial arts: Combat Sambo is a good amateur base. When I was brought to the section as a child, my father set a goal for me at the age of seven – to win the adult world. And then I thought the champion of the planet was a person who had financial well-being. Over the years, I have realized that an amateur career is just a base for professionals, because only there you can earn decent money. And now I have completely set myself other goals to provide for my family.”.

** *

Volkov's bright victory on Friday, however, did not delay some strange impression of the overall result of the Russians at the start of the world forum in Tashkent. Only five medals. All previous championships of the planet, our sambists started much more confidently and stronger, immediately showing all rivals who are in the house, a sambist house, a real and full-fledged owner. In the capital of Uzbekistan it turned out a little differently. The performance of the Russians here can be compared with a bear that woke up after hibernation. Like our brown giant, which slowly and leisurely wakes up, and then with its roar and powerful foot frightens all the inhabitants of the forest, so our sambists walked a victorious march through the world tournament.

On the second day of the competition, everything fell into place. Seven gold medals out of eleven possible and a confident gap in the team standings from all other competitors. For the first time on the highest step of the podium of honor rose: in sports sambo men in weight up to 88 kg Alexander Suchkov (his performance was especially noted by the head coach of the Russian national team Dmitry Troshkin – Ed.), women – Sofia Tsibrov (up to 54 kg). Their second gold medals of the world championships in combat sambo were won by Valery Tepyshev (up to 50 kg) and Jan Polyakov (up to 72), as well as Artem Tadin (up to 98 kg). The three-time winner of the world championships in weight up to 65 kg in sports sambo was the charming Karina Cherevan.

And Vera Lotkova, acting in the weight category up to 59 kg, is the first three-time world champion in combat sambo. The 28-year-old native of Cheboksar also won in 2020 in the sport of self-defense without weapons, so her collection already has four gold medals of world championships. Not on Saturday, and without a spoonful of tar. Unfortunately, in the final bout of the day, our heavyweight Stepan Soldetenkov, who confidently walked along the grid to his first triumph in the international arena, in the decisive fight against a huge Georgian, received a serious injury, could not fully continue the fight and gave way to the opponent.

“Very sorry for Stepan. He very brightly held the preliminary card in Tashkent. All the opponents just swept out of their way and we all hoped there would be a good beautiful final and a fat point. But unfortunately his emotions were overflowing - he wanted to win too much. Tactics for the final was chosen another, but something these adrenaline splashed out in some incomprehensible element that he rushed under this 180-pound tank and broke his hand, explained the defeat of his ward head coach of Russian sambists Dmitry Troshkin.

** *

The bitterness of this local setback quickly faded into the final day of the championship. On Sunday, the Russians spent on the carpet even more shocking and the Russian anthem has already been heard eight times under the arches of the Olympic arena of the capital of Uzbekistan. The golden initiative in the very first finals was created by our miniature girls: Ulyana Firsova (54 kg, combat sambo) and Alena Alekhina (59 kg, sports), and completed by men-gatyrs - captain of the Russian team Anton Konovalov, who was the leader in the weight category up to 88 kg in sports sambo, and for a 33-year-old athlete from Vladimir this is the fourth gold in the world, as well as Mikhail Mokhnatkin, who won the final of the most prestigious heavy category over 98 kg - in combat.

For our hero, this is the second such success at the world championships. He won for the first time ten years ago, in 2016, in Sofia. But, especially, on the last day of the tournament, I want to note the golden triumph of the representatives of combat sambo - Aslanbek Kodzaev and Sofia Istomina. Already in his first fight in Tashkent, a native of Vladikavkaz, who became the first at the 2019 World Cup, had to meet with the most difficult opponent in the weight category up to 79 kg, six-time world champion Vladislav Rudniev from Ukraine. Our 29-year-old athlete not only defeated his venerable opponent, but did it beautifully and convincingly, strangling him in the second minute of the fight.

“Of course, I knew who Rudniev was. He has been winning against our guys at the world championships for so many years - it is not for nothing that he is a six-time world champion. And, in principle, I was ready for him, because even without preparing specifically against him, I still watched his fights with our guys. And slowly dismantled his technique, Aslanbek admitted to MK-Sport after the final, in which he also got a very serious opponent - Gevorg Azatyan from Armenia. The Russian conceded in the course of the match, but managed to show a real fighting character, and snatch the victory literally at the last second of the match.

The brightest performance in Tashkent among the fairer sex in combat sambo was demonstrated by Sofia Istomina. On the way to the finals, a native of Nyagani Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug simply “cut out” all her rivals, but she also had a difficult time in the final. In her rivals, she had the mistress of the carpet Feruz Bobokulova, who was powerfully supported by her stands. The girls rolled such a spectacular cutting on the carpet, which delighted all spectators and specialists without exception. A little more precise, stronger and more powerful was the 21-year-old Russian, who, like Lotkova, became a three-time world champion in combat sambo.

"It's okay. My finals are always like this, let me worry. But I was confident of my victory. Even if I lose, you can hope that in my character I will win gold. This world was the hardest. Here in Tashkent, there were more rivals, more fights, not three as usual, but four. This is a psychologically strong load, very tired, all for a long time. That’s why gold in this championship is a very important medal for me. And the responsibility was higher, I needed to confirm the title. But I learned for myself that she should not be afraid. I go out on the carpet and just show what I can do, Sophia said after her third win.

** *

The World Sambo Championship 2026 in Tashkent was held at the highest sports and organizational level. The capital of Uzbekistan hosted the jubilee 50th World Forum on domestic sports and martial arts, which brought together 101 participating countries, which was an absolute record in the history of the International Sambo Federation. The Russian team once again demonstrated that it is the leader in this sport. Yes, the men’s half of our team did a little bit, but it’s understandable. According to Dmitry Troshkin, the guys are rejuvenating the composition and many of those who came to this tournament for the first time played in the international arena. Our sambists did not allow anyone to doubt their total superiority, taking home ten gold medals out of fourteen possible.

Summing up the results of the 50th World Championship, FIAS President Vasily Shestakov noted the special atmosphere of the tournament created by the presence of outstanding sambists in Tashkent: A special pride for us is the presence at these competitions of real legends of world sambo, multiple champions, people who dedicated their lives to our sport and forever entered their names in history. These three days they were here with us. I also want to express my gratitude to the ambassadors of sambo in the world, the stars of combat sambo and mixed martial arts Fedor Emelianenko and Islam Makhachev.

The head of the International SAMBO Federation also expressed his deep gratitude to all who made this sporting event possible. He noted that holding a tournament of such a grand scale would have been impossible without reliable friends of the General Partner of the World Cup - Gazprombank, as well as official partners - Rosneft and VTB Bank - for invaluable assistance and support in holding the anniversary World Sambo Championship.