Kostya Zhyvanov, a 74 kg Sport Sambo fighter, takes on five Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes in sequence. The opposition rises from white to blue, purple, brown, and finally black belt. There are no points or judges in the challenge: every round can end only by submission.
Zhyvanov gets through the first four opponents, although his own debrief shows the difficulty rising sharply at purple and brown belt. Against brown belt Vlad, he says he capitalized on a late mistake rather than controlling the entire match. Fresh BJJ black belt Oleksandr Oliinyk then ends the gauntlet by submitting him, setting up the later one-on-one rematch.
What to watch for
- The challenge places one 74 kg Sambo athlete against five fresh BJJ opponents in ascending belt order.
- Submission-only rules remove points and decisions from every matchup.
- Zhyvanov advances through the white, blue, purple, and brown belts as the rounds become progressively harder.
- Fresh black belt Oleksandr Oliinyk submits Zhyvanov in the final round.
