We're pleased to announce that select IJF Judo events will be streamed LIVE on FloGrappling, the first of which being the Taskhkent Grand Prix Nov. 9-11.  Hit the jump below to see a full preview of the first day of competition from the event.

Watch the IJF Tashkent Grand Prix LIVE on FloGrappling Nov. 9-11

Editorial from International Judo Federation

Every day the preliminary rounds will start at 11:00 (local time) on three tatamis, while the final block will start at 17:00 on one tatami. The first day will be devoted to the lightest categories with men -60kg and -66kg and women -48kg, -52kg and -57kg.

The -60kg category could be summed up as a peaceful clash between Mongolia and Uzbekistan, with the top seeds coming from these two delegations: DASHDAVAA Amartuvshin (MGL), Sharafuddin LUTFILLAEV (UZB), Diyorbek UROZBOEV (UZB) and GANBAT Boldbaatar (MGL). Team France which came only with a delegation of men, while they had made the choice of women in Abu Dhabi recently, can perhaps play the spoilsports with their young prodigy Luka FRAMKHEIDZE, who was finalist in Cancun a few weeks ago but who is still to find his mark on the world circuit.

Under 66kg, the title could go to Yerlan SERIKZHANOV (KAZ), who recently disputed the final of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, unless the current European Champion, Adrian GOMBOC (SLO) produces the perfect day. But in this very open category, many other athletes have the ability to get on the podium.

In women -48kg, one expected the clash between GALBADRAKH Otgontsetseg (KAZ) and the world number one, MUNKHBAT Urantsetseg (MGL), but in the absence of the latter, it is the Kazakh who has the best chances of victory. But that's not counting on the potential of Katharina MENZ (GER), Distria KRASNIQI (KOS), Milica NIKOLIC (SRB) or CSERNOVICZKI Eva (HUN), who won a bronze medal last year. All these young women have serious reasons to believe that they can win on the first day of competition.

If she is now only 22nd in the world, due to a long absence due to injury, and even if she is not the number one seed in Tashkent, Olympic Champion Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS) will be without doubt the athlete to beat tomorrow in Uzbekistan. Already a finalist in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago, she may well this time win the gold that suits her so well. But the return to the highest level is never so simple, and she will find on her way, Evelyne TSCHOPP (SUI), Agata PERENC (POL), Gili COHEN (ISR) or PUPP Reka (HUN).

After the disappointment of her 7th place at the Baku World Championships, Nora GJAKOVA (KOS) was able to bounce back by masterfully winning the Grand Slam of Abu Dhabi on October 27th. This result positions her as the logical favorite of the competition in Tashkent and it may well be that once again no one can stop her in a category where many athletes dream of pulling out of the game.