2024 world champion Minjong Kim (KOR) faced tough challenges from the beginning of the day, despite being the top seed, but he overcame 2023 Masters and European champion Martti Puumaleinen (FIN) and then double Olympic champion Lukas Krpalek (CZE). That put him in the semi-final but another massive awaited him in the shape of Olympic and world medallist Guram Tushishvili, a Georgian hoping to take his country’s first world title among the men’s categories. Eteri Liparteliani won gold on day 3, Georgia’s first ever woman to do so but the men were lagging behind in an unexpected twist to the usual story.
Temur Rakhimov (TJK), one of the most consistent top performers in world judo, maintained his image, holding seeding all the way to the semi-final on his side of the draw. Lee (KOR), Borchashvili (AUT) and Batkhyug (MGL) all fell at his fast feet. He had expected to meet Ota (JPN) in the quarter-final but the Mongolian had knocked him out earlier on.
The last quarter held perhaps the most interest of all. World champion Inal Tasoev (IJF) and Olympic and double world medallist, his teammate Tamerlan Bashaev were both in pool D along with 2022 -100 kg world champion Muzaffarbek Turoboyev (UZB). Tasoev took out the Uzbek in the round of 16, forcing him out of contention for any colour of medal, and then beat Bashaev too, throwing him to earn his place in the semi-final. Bashaev then beat the Mongolian in the repechage and would have the chance to fight for a bronze.
In the semi-finals, Kim made sure Bellandi would be the only 2024 champion to regain a title in 2025 when he lost out to Tushishvili. It was a tough fight between two exciting judoka but the Georgian won after countering an attack from Kim. Tasoev then beat Rakhimov with a massive uchi-mata. The final was set up!
FInal
Guram Tushishvili (GEO) vs Inal Tasoev (IJF)
Bronze medal contests
Ushangi Kokauri (AZE) vs Temur Rakhimov (TJK)
Tamerlan Bashaev (IJF) vs Minjong Kim (KOR)