Mumindjan Arzikulov Becomes a Two-Time World Sambo Champion
Amul Info ·
Turkmen sambist Mumindjan Arzikulov became a two-time world champion after winning gold at the 2026 World Sambo Championships in Tashkent. Competing in combat sambo in the under-71 kg category, he won all five of his bouts. He previously claimed the world title in 2024.
Turkmen athlete Mumindjan Arzikulov won a gold medal at the 2026 World Sambo Championships held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. This was reported by the Lebap.biz online publication.
The Turkmen wrestler competed in combat sambo in the under-71 kg weight category and managed to defeat all his opponents. On his way to the gold medal, he took part in five bouts, demonstrating a high level of skill.
In the round of 32, Mumindjan Arzikulov defeated Russia's Rolan Zinnatov 1–0. In the round of 16, he beat Tunisia's Omar Reguigi 4–0 to advance to the next stage. In the quarterfinals, the Turkmen athlete faced David van Dorn of the Netherlands and secured a 2–0 victory.
In the semifinals, the Turkmen athlete competed against Kazakhstan's Nyatkhan Toleukhan. After winning this bout, he qualified for the final. His opponent in the decisive contest for the gold medal was Ukraine's Andrey Kucherenko. Mumindjan Arzikulov won the final bout 4–2, claiming the gold medal at the World Championships.
Thus, the results of the Turkmen athlete's bouts at the championship were as follows: he defeated Rolan Zinnatov (Russia) 1–0 in the round of 32, Omar Reguigi (Tunisia) 4–0 in the round of 16, and David van Dorn (the Netherlands) 2–0 in the quarterfinals. He also won his semifinal bout against Nyatkhan Toleukhan (Kazakhstan) and defeated Andrey Kucherenko (Ukraine) 4–2 in the final.
This achievement marks Mumindjan Arzikulov's second gold medal at the World Championships. He previously won gold at the World Sambo Championships held in Kazakhstan on November 8–10, 2024.