The final day of the 2023 IMMAF Youth World Championships rounded off a spectacular week of competition in style.
The second day of Youth A action saw the return of former world champions and fan favourites such as the UAE’s first-ever gold medallist Jasem Al Hosani and two-time world champion Mariia Klein both featured.
However, to the surprise of many, neither ended up walking away with gold again. Instead, a plethora of new faces came out on top.
Team USA finally stepped into the limelight, as Taylor Ellis Hishaw and Adam Haas won the first two medals of the night. Both victories were of particular note, as Hishaw overcame the aforementioned Mariia Klein, and Haas caught Egypt’s Youssef Halawa in a textbook rear naked choke submission.
Kazakhstan’s Amanzhol Uteuov became middleweight champion by TKOing Iqboljoni Inomjon in one of the top finishes of the Championships. In a bizarre and fortuitous twist of fate, Uteuov found out shortly after he had been accepted into a university on a scholarship. He would later state:
“I dreamt of becoming world champion, I came for gold and my best dream came true. I appreciate IMMAF for the high-level organization, for my coaches Vassiliy Tahtay and Nurlan Karabalin. I want to thank Kazakhstan for supporting me. It’s our common victory! Thanks for all!”
For the fourth day in a row, Ukraine topped the medal table, a truly sensational accomplishment. Naturally, they sat comfortably in the No.1 spot in the overall medal table, which is even more remarkable when considering this was the third consecutive time they had achieved such a feat.
The dark horse of the competition, Uzbekistan, captured another gold medal, this time in the women’s atomweight division. Sevara Sadulloeva defeated USA’s Asia Rialmo to become the third Uzbekistani champion of the 2023 IMMAF Youth World Championships.
Whilst Angola were unable to claim gold this year, they consistently put on some of the most entertaining bouts throughout the competition. Helio Caio was a particular highlight of Day 4, wrapping up two rapid submissions in the group stages.
With the Youth Championships now wrapped, fans of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation can now look onwards to the 2023 Pan American Championships that take place between 8 – 12 August in Bogota, Colombia as part of the BRAVE CF Pan American Combat Week.
A full list of medallists from the final day of the 2023 Youth World Championships can be found right here.
