By Hasan Khan
The Belgrade crowd roared as the Junior semi-finals set the stage for another uncompromising day at the IMMAF European Championships, with the Senior quarter-finals delivering a wave of thrilling finishes.
IMMAF veteran Kiya O’Sullivan delivered another flawless performance in the Senior Flyweight division, cementing her reputation as one of Ireland’s finest. A multi-medalist with a razor-sharp ground game, she wasted no time taking control, dragging her opponent to the canvas before locking in an exemplary armbar submission. A one-round clinic sends her into the Semi-Finals.
In the women’s Flyweight and Bantamweight divisions, Yana Shelemba and Mariia Klein proved why Ukraine remains a powerhouse. Shelemba, the reigning European Champion, utilised rapid-fire strikes and suffocating grappling, leaving no room for escape. Klein followed suit, finishing her opponent with a flawless arm triangle choke, her 30th career submission, securing her place in the final.
Ukraine’s Bohdan Cherepania wasted no time in his Senior Light Heavyweight bout, cutting through his Bulgarian opponent’s defences with sniper-like precision. Moving like a well-aimed arrow, he found his mark and locked in a D’arce choke. The reigning world champion now hunts for European gold.
Featherweight sensation Avramov Andrei orchestrated a masterclass in movement tearing through his opponent’s defences like a sculptor chiseling away at stone. His footwork danced around danger, his strikes pieced together like a complex puzzle, and when the moment was right, he dismantled his opponent’s foundation, forcing a tap.
Team Azerbaijan turned strategy into victory with two standout performances. Sahil Shakirov dictated the pace in the Senior Bantamweight division, systematically wearing down his opponent before unleashing a devastating uppercut, followed by a rear-naked choke for the finish.
Junior Bantamweight Alakbar Mahmudov displayed a calculated blend of kickboxing and jiu-jitsu, using grappling transitions to disrupt his opponent’s rhythm en route to a unanimous decision victory and a place in the final.
With the Junior Championship final looming, all eyes turn to Isla Fono, will she defend her European crown, or will a new challenger seize the throne?
Watch the action continue LIVE at IMMAF.tv.
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