Backed by a passionate crowd throughout this third day of competition, Maisuradze did not falter. Instead, he imposed himself with authority, winning all his contests with control and determination, energising both his opponents and the stands of the Tbilisi Arena.
His opponent in the final was no stranger to success: 2017 world champion Nemanja Majdov (SRB). Known for his gripping style and tactical awareness, Majdov may have been less explosive, but proved just as effective, setting the stage for a high-level contest.
In the final, a first penalty was awarded against Maisuradze for passivity, immediately balanced by a penalty against Majdov. The Serbian was penalised again for gripping infringements, sending the contest into golden score. After a tightly contested bout in which neither athlete was able to break through, the decisive moment came in a transition exchange. As Majdov was rising, Maisuradze seized the opportunity, catching the leg to score with o-uchi-gari for a yuko, securing the gold medal for the host nation.
Georgia was guaranteed an additional medal, as the first bronze medal contest featured Luka Javakhishvili (GEO) against Akaki Japaridze (GEO). In this all-Georgian contest, Javakhishvili prevailed with a superb shoulder throw scored as waza-ari.
Guilherme Schmidt (BRA) had to dig deep to reach the final block and fight for a bronze against Nurbek Murtozoev (UZB). Midway through the contest, the score was level at one yuko each. As the bout approached its final seconds, Schmidt launched another shoulder attack to take the lead before finishing with an osaekomi, securing his fifth grand slam medal.
Final (-90 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-90 kg)
