Tajik Judokas Win Silver and Bronze at Abu Dhabi Grand Slam

Tajikistan’s judo team returned from the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2025 with two medals - a silver and a bronze - after a strong performance at the tournament held in the UAE.

In the 73 kg category, 19-year-old Mukhiddin Asadulloev delivered one of the biggest surprises of the event, The Caspian Post reports via Tajik media.

After confidently advancing through the early rounds, he stunned the judo world by defeating Azerbaijan’s Olympic and two-time world champion Hidayet Heydarov. Asadulloev then beat Romania’s Ioan Dzitac in the quarterfinals and Brazil’s Daniel Cargnin in the semifinals.

In a tight final against Swiss world champion Nils Stump, the fight went into golden score, where the more experienced Stump managed to secure the win. Asadulloev claimed silver, earning his second Grand Slam medal of the season after winning gold at the Dushanbe Grand Slam.

In the 81 kg category, Sunnatullo Musoev captured bronze, marking his first-ever Grand Slam podium. Musoev defeated Hungary’s Toza Benedek and two UAE judokas - Gadzhimurad Umarov and Nugzari Tatalashvili - before narrowly losing in the semifinals to Russia’s Abdul-Karim Tasuev. He bounced back in the bronze-medal match, beating Bahrain’s Gadzhidavud Gasanov.

Teammates Abubakr Sherov finished fifth, while Behrudzi Khojazoda left the tournament without a medal.

Tajikistan’s full roster included:

- Mehrzod Sufiev (60 kg)

- Abubakr Sherov, Mukhiddin Asadulloev (73 kg)

- Sunnatullo Musoev, Behrudzi Khojazoda (81 kg)

- Abdulahad Majidov, Muhammadzon Abdujalilzoda (90 kg)

- Somoni Kishvarov, Jahongir Majidov (100 kg)

With 373 judokas from 52 countries competing, Tajikistan ranked 14th overall. The tournament awarded 154,000 euros in prize money, along with key ranking points - 1000 for gold, 700 for silver and 500 for bronze - crucial for next year’s major competitions.