Georgi Tsvetkov beat Alex Kurdecha 3-1 at East vs West 27 after losing the opening round to a flash pin. His hand control changed the match. Once Georgi took Kurdecha’s wrist, Alex’s king’s move gave him a way to hold on but little chance to recover.

That first pin made another Kurdecha win look entirely plausible. He had swept their right-arm meeting at East vs West 12. Georgi had to solve an opponent who could get through him quickly, and he did it over the next three rounds.

Georgi Kept The Wrist After The Stop

The useful detail came when Kurdecha’s first attack stalled. Georgi held his pronation and opened Alex’s wrist. Kurdecha dropped into an open-arm defense, which slowed the finish without getting his hand back.

That left Georgi with time to work. Alex needed enough rotation through the hand to threaten a return toward center. With his wrist bent back and Georgi controlling the grip, he struggled to find it. The restart produced the same basic problem.

A king’s move can make a pin awkward. Winning from there still requires a way to improve the position. Kurdecha kept absorbing pressure from an opponent whose hand remained strong. Georgi could stay with his toproll instead of chasing a different finish.

The Low Defense Needs A Precise Ruling

Kurdecha’s depth will draw attention, especially after Georgi’s earlier referee dispute. A long hold near the pad costs effort even when a foul eventually sends both men back to the setup.

East vs West’s rule addresses the upper arm declining toward the shoulder on the neutral or losing side. Judging that requires a clear view of the arm angle. A low body position alone gives an incomplete picture, so calling every defensive exchange illegal would go further than the available evidence supports.

The technical problem is clearer. Kurdecha repeatedly needed a recovery that his hand position couldn’t provide. Georgi kept control through the later rounds and finished the comeback.

Kamil Offered A Different Problem

Jablonski’s win over Georgi showed how much a second attacking option can change this fight. Kamil could move between an open-arm position and his press. Georgi had to manage the threat of that shoulder coming forward again.

Kurdecha spent the decisive exchanges trying to survive outside. That gave Georgi a more consistent position to pull against. It also makes a claim about Georgi’s endurance across the whole division premature. Holding this advantage says plenty about his control in this matchup.

A rematch with Artyom Morozov would interest me next. For Kurdecha, the immediate work is easier to identify. His opening hit still earned a pin. He needs a better answer when the next start leaves him without his wrist.