World Judo Championships 2026: the UAE's Silver, and the Training Behind It

The UAE has a new name on the global judo map. At the World Judo Championships 2026 in Baku, Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov fought his way to a silver medal in the men's under-73kg category, the country's standout result at the sport's biggest event of the year. For anyone who trains, the real story is not only the medal. It is what a world-level judoka's body has to do on the mat, and how much of that same work you can borrow for your own sessions in the gym.

In this article

1. Silver in Baku, decided in golden score
2. Who is Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov?
3. Why a UAE judo medal matters
4. The engine behind a judo medal
5. Bring that grappling strength to the mat

Silver in Baku, decided in golden score

According to olympics.com, Makhmadbekov reached the under-73kg final before losing to Ryuga Tanaka of Japan, who settled the contest in golden score, the sport's version of extra time, with an o-uchi-gari throw. The margin was razor thin, which is how most elite judo is decided. Euronews reported that Tanaka won on his world-championship debut, becoming the first Japanese athlete to take the under-73kg world title since Shohei Ono in 2019. A world silver still leaves Makhmadbekov among the very best in his division this season, and it is exactly the kind of result a national programme is built to produce.

Who is Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov?

Makhmadbekov now competes for the UAE, having switched from Russia in 2024, and he walked into Baku as one of the most dangerous names in his weight class. He was ranked world number 3 and already held a world bronze, so reaching a world final was earned rather than lucky. At 73kg his judo is built on fast, aggressive grips, a low and powerful base, and the timing to turn an opponent's balance into a throw in a fraction of a second. None of that happens by accident; it is the product of years of strength, skill and conditioning work.

Why a UAE judo medal matters

This result does not come out of nowhere. The UAE has spent years building its judo profile, hosting elite events on the international circuit in Abu Dhabi and investing in the coaching and competition pathway that turns talent into medals. A silver at a World Championships is a signal that the plan is working, and it gives young athletes here a local hero to follow into the sport. It also puts a grappling sport in front of gym-goers who might never have thought of trying it.

The engine behind a judo medal

You do not need a dojo to train the qualities that win judo medals. The sport rewards a crushing grip, explosive hips and the conditioning to keep fighting when your forearms are on fire, and all of that transfers straight into a normal strength session. Here is the kind of work that sits underneath a performance like this one:

• Grip and forearm endurance. Dead hangs from a bar, towel or gi pull-ups and heavy farmer's carries build the holding grip that controls an opponent.
• Hip and leg power. Deadlifts, kettlebell swings and squats train the hinge and drive that every throw comes from.
• A braced, rotating core. Rotational and anti-rotation work lets you transfer force from the floor through the hips and into the throw.
• Short, sharp conditioning. Repeats of 20 to 40 seconds of hard effort with brief rest mirror the stop-start rhythm of a judo contest far better than long, steady cardio.

Treat it as general fitness rather than fight preparation, start lighter than you think you need to, and let a coach check your technique on the big lifts before you load them up.

Bring that grappling strength to the mat

You do not have to be chasing a world medal to train like a competitor. The grip work, the hip power and the short, hard conditioning that sit behind a result like this are exactly the kind of sessions our floors and classes are built for. If that sounds like your kind of challenge, try GymNation with a free day pass and put your own grip to the test.

Sources:
alkhaleej.ae
olympics.com
euronews.com
en.wikipedia.org

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.