The tournament continues on July 11 from 10:00 AM with semifinals in 6 weight divisions
The second edition of the KWU SENSHI Amateur World Cup 2025 kicked off with impressive clashes, spectacular knockouts, and decisive victories. On July 10 in Varna, fighters from 18 countries began their quest for glory in a tournament that from the very first round reaffirmed its reputation as one of the most competitive and prestigious platforms for emerging martial arts talent.
The opening day brought plenty of joy for Bulgarian fans. In the -70 kg category, Presiyan Marinov and Dilyan Nikolov delivered powerful knockouts to secure their spots in the semifinals. In the -75 kg division, crowd favorite Petar Stoykov also won his bout with a dominant knockout, showcasing the high-level skills that have earned him international recognition. In the heavier divisions, two more Bulgarians—Velin Stoyanov in -90 kg and Vasil Dimitrov in 90+ kg—advanced to the semifinals. All five Bulgarian fighters now stand among the top contenders for the title in their respective weight classes.
This year’s competition includes six weight categories: -70, -75, -80, -85, -90, and 90+ kg, featuring participants from some of the world’s strongest fighting schools including Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Argentina, and others. Among the tournament’s stars are 2024 champion Pablo Molina (90 kg) and runner-up Nikita Garash (85 kg), who is determined to claim the title this time.
The semifinals of the World Cup will take place on July 11 in Kamchia, and the grand final will mark the beginning of the SENSHI 27 professional fight gala on July 12 at 6:30 PM, on the beach next to the “More” restaurant in the resort of St. St. Constantine and Helena, Varna.
Fighters advancing to the semifinals:
- -70 kg – Presiyan Marinov, Dilyan Nikolov (Bulgaria), Artur Arushanyan (Armenia), Viktor Kolaja (Poland)
- -75 kg – Petar Stoykov (Bulgaria), Milán Móczó (Hungary), Aibek Amanov (Kazakhstan), Sunni Mustafa (Romania)
- -80 kg – Tristan Taylor (UK), Caio Alves (Brazil), Artur Arutiunian (Armenia), Elvis Ndodja (Greece)
- -85 kg – Nikita Garas (Kazakhstan), Eduardo Fanfa (Brazil), Lucian Genunchi (Moldova), Alexandros Chrysochoidis (Greece)
- -90 kg – Albert Ugrinčić (Bosnia & Herzegovina), Velin Stoyanov (Bulgaria), Salamat Khamit (Kazakhstan), Pablo Molina (Argentina)
- 90+ kg – Vasil Dimitrov (Bulgaria), Leandro Dapueto (Argentina), Damjan Stanišić (Serbia), Cristian Negru (Moldova)
In addition to the prestigious championship title, fighters are also competing for cash prizes—€1,000 for quarterfinal winners, €1,500 for semifinal victories, and €2,000 for the overall champion.
