Prediction: Irina Alekseeva inside the distance
This feels like one of those matchups where the dog in the fight matters way more than the clean technique — and that’s why I’m riding with Irina Alekseeva all day.
Sygula just doesn’t fight with the urgency you need at this level. She’s too patient, too reactive, and leaves way too many openings — especially when it comes to takedown defense. She stands tall, doesn’t sprawl with intent, and gives up her hips like she’s still warming up. That’s a huge problem when you’re up against someone like Alekseeva, who may not be perfect technically, but she comes forward with aggression and purpose.
Irina’s not out there trying to win a striking battle on points or dance around the outside — she’s in your face, crashing forward, looking to drag you into the kind of fight that’s messy, physical, and uncomfortable. Her ground game is aggressive, and once she gets position, she makes the most of it. She’s the type to throw heavy from top, work for subs, and stay active enough that you never get a moment to reset.
Sygula, on the other hand, fights like she’s trying to find her rhythm before she gets going. That slow start is a gift for Alekseeva, who’s going to take the center early and start pushing the pace. Klaudia’s technical tools are there, but the intent isn’t. She doesn’t bite down and take control of the fight — and that’s what makes this such a tailor-made matchup for Irina. You give her that kind of room and she’ll take the fight from you round by round.
So yeah, Irina might be raw in spots, but she’s got that “let’s scrap” energy that Sygula just can’t match. She’s going to come out throwing, look to close distance, and once it hits the mat, the gap widens even more. Alekseeva’s the side here — it’s just a bad style matchup for someone as hesitant as Sygula.