Matthias Kass in the final in Antalya!

Good news: Matthias Kaas qualified for the -81kg final at the Antalya Grand Slam. Facing Frenchman Gallo in the half, the Antwerp man won during what was the most controversial, but not the most hesitant, fight of his era. Facing that opponent he had already met and beaten in 2020, in Paris, Matthias was patient and ended up winning by pushing him to the floor as extra time approached. Approved with ippon, corrected in waza-ari, our compatriot had to be careful to the end of the French.

After his early elimination, at the beginning of February, in Paris, Matthias Kaas returned in the final of a Grand Slam!

Jorre Verstraeten won the bronze medal on the gong in Antalya!

Exempted from the first round, Matias Kaas found the Portuguese Egutidze, a judoka he had previously met six times (three wins / three defeats), but not since 2020. So Antwerp was a little wary of this opponent, who is still the owner Bronze medal at the 2021 World Cup, but he didn’t have to give everything he could, because he wasn’t very combative. Thus, the Portuguese was punished three times, first for “illegal custody”, then for “negative custody” (twice), and this after just over two and a half minutes.

Overthrown by a young Uzbek!

And what followed turned out to be even more exciting with the young Uzbek Mortuzov (20 years old). With nothing to lose against the world number 2, he managed to pull off a great move that allowed him to lead the score! Slightly shaken at that time, Matthias Kaas quickly came to his senses to “walk” his opponent, who resisted him as best he could. But what happened happened: the Antwerp man managed to turn the Uzbek on his back and immobilize him.

On the way to the quarter-finals, where last year’s silver medalist Spaniard Mendiola awaited him in Abu Dhabi. Arriving a little late, Matias had no problem disposing of this 26-year-old opponent, whom he had previously defeated in 2016. With a movement of the shoulder, he brought down our Spaniard, worked him to the ground and, finally, immobilized him. He opened the door to qualifying for the semi-finals of these four major tournaments in front of the French Gallo (26).

Matthias Kass before Antalya: “My early exclusion in Paris was a good lesson”