Tckaev’s Uchi-mata Decides a Wild -81 kg Battle

Zelim Tckaev was the standout name in the -81 kg division, finishing on top after a demanding day in a deep Judo field. The Azerbaijani closed the tournament with a clear statement in the final, where Bernd Fasching of Austria kept pushing but could not stop Tckaev’s decisive uchi-mata.

This category looked dangerous from the start. Hidayat Heydarov, Matthias Casse, Manuel Parlati and Tckaev were all in the draw, and there was a sense that one result could shift everything. That feeling proved right almost immediately as several contenders were forced into hard fights just to stay alive.

Heydarov, competing in this weight category for the first time, moved through the top quarter with authority. He defeated Aurelien Bonferroni, Nace Herkovic and Parlati to reach the semi-finals, showing the kind of control many expected from an Olympic champion even in a new division.

But one of the biggest stories belonged to Bernd Fasching. The Austrian put together an impressive run, beating Shinebayar Oyunchimeg, Erman Gurgen and then Eetu Ihanamaki to earn a semi-final with Heydarov. In that match, Fasching delivered a major result, defeating the Olympic champion by three yuko scores to one and sending himself into the final.

Fasching’s win over Heydarov was one of the sharpest moments of the day.

In the lower half, Tckaev looked stronger with each round. He came through Murodjon Yuldoshev and Gadzhimurad Omarov before taking control in the semi-final against Bright Maddaloni Nosa. The Italian had already produced one of the surprise results of the category by beating world champion and Olympic medallist Matthias Casse with two clean waza-ari scores, then followed it by defeating Egor Sukhoparov.

That made the final block feel wide open, but the gold medal match removed the uncertainty. Fasching had support behind him and kept searching for answers, yet Tckaev operated with another level of precision. He attacked with uchi-mata twice, scoring Waza-ari both times, and left no doubt about who owned the division on this day.

After the victory, Tckaev said he felt excellent and credited a precise strategy prepared with his coaches. He also pointed to the motivation he gets from strong rivals in his category, including Heydarov, while making clear that his immediate long-term target is the 2026 World Championships in Baku rather than looking too far ahead.

The bronze medal contests added more drama. Manuel Parlati defeated fellow Italian Bright Maddaloni Nosa in a tactical match shaped by their familiarity with each other. In the other bronze medal fight, Heydarov found the key moment against Egor Sukhoparov, scoring Waza-ari with a perfectly timed O-soto-gari before managing the final seconds calmly.

For European athletes, Fasching and Parlati gave the category real weight. Fasching’s silver came through one of the day’s headline upsets, while Parlati battled back to secure bronze in a stacked division.

By the end, though, the -81 kg story belonged to Tckaev. In a category filled with threats, he was the one who finished untouchable.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation