Years of hard work and sacrifice led to a moment of triumph for the combat sports athlete

The big winner in the under-75 kg category at the prestigious SENSHI Grand Prix, Zhulien Rikov, shared in an interview that the feeling after winning the title was a mix of satisfaction, relief, and intense emotion.

For him, this success is the result of years of hard work, perseverance, and sacrifices that have finally paid off — culminating in the spectacular victory on February 28 in Varna, Bulgaria at SENSHI 30.

“There were many injuries, as well as fatigue, because normally you fight once and then you rest. I didn’t expect two more fights. There was extreme exhaustion — I had to rest, recharge properly between bouts, step into the ring with injuries, conserve myself, because another battle was still ahead of me, and so on,” Rikov said in an interview with the hosts of “Bulgaria Morning.”

Between the matches, he had about an hour to rest, and even less before the final. This required rapid recovery, maximum concentration, and strict adherence to the instructions of the coaching staff.

A particularly serious challenge turned out to be the most experienced participant in the bracket — a 34-year-old fighter with a rich career and appearances in elite leagues.

“He was very tough. He has the most experience of all, the most achievements, and has fought in the most elite leagues. Also, in his two previous matches before facing me, he finished both with knockouts in the first round, which means he had probably fought for about four minutes total to reach the final,” Rikov told Bulgaria ON AIR.

As the youngest competitor in the tournament, Rikov felt he was somewhat underestimated by his opponents. He explained that even at the press conference before the gala, he was not perceived as a real contender for the title. For him, however, this worked to his advantage — an extra motivation to prove his capabilities in the ring.

A video of the full interview with the SENSHI Grand Prix champion in the under-75 kg category, Zhulien Rikov, can be viewed on the website of Bulgaria ON AIR television.