Denise Krahn enlisted in the medium-heavyweight division at the 2026 European Championships as the fourth seed of seven competitors. Having spent much of her 2025 campaign in the masters division, Denise returned to the adult level to challenge for the first major title of the season. The Hilti BJJ athlete began her competition with a quarterfinals matchup against Luana Soares. Denise remained adamant to get into her dangerous guard position, successfully pulling directly into a leg entanglement position and finishing with a beautiful kneebar. Denise then entered the semifinals against the division’s top-seed, Maria Vicentini. Again determined to play from her back, Denise utilized a high guard to entangle both of Maria’s arms, ultimately finishing an armbar to move into the finals. Ingridd Alves, the reigning medium-heavyweight European Champion, awaited Denise in the finals offering another world-class opponent with a dangerous submission style. Denise returned to her confident guard play, cycling through de la riva and traditional half-guard variants. The match showcased Denise’s high-guard, ensnaring both of Ingridd’s arms and threatening armlock submissions. Unable to secure a tap, the match reached the full duration and came down to a referee decision. Denise Krahn earned the hard-fought decision victory to secure the European Championship title, surrounded by loyal supporters of the German athlete. Denise shocked the jiu-jitsu scene with a commanding performance at this year’s Euros, proving her skill and composure throughout.
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