Egyptian Wrestler Abdullah Hassouna’s Viral Moment In His Own Words

Within seconds, Egyptian wrestler Abdullah Hassouna reached a level of virality that few can say they’ve attained. His stunning submission counter move during the final of the African Under-17 Youth Wrestling Championship shocked the world. Overnight, he became the talk of the sports world within the Middle East and far beyond. The young man from Ismailia never imagined that his first appearance with the national team would generate this much noise. So much so that the International Wrestling Federation described the move as "crazy." "This was my first time competing with the national team. I prepared well for the tournament. The federation also set up a three-month physical and technical training camp for us in Ras El Bar,” Hassouna tells SceneSports. When asked about the jaw-dropping move, Abdullah was candid confidently claiming that he “knew I could pull it off and turn things around." But his success was no accident.  It’s a technique he drills constantly with his teammates, so when the moment came against the Tunisian, there was no fear, no hesitation. Just the quiet confidence that comes from faith in God and months of hard work. And perhaps it was that same faith and confidence that kept him from injury, allowing him to execute the move with control and composure — before springing back to his feet, light on his heels, in the moment that would capture the world's attention.  Behind every championship, however, there are battles the scoreboard never shows Abdullah didn't hide the fact that, despite his composed exterior and strong performance, he was carrying nerves on the inside — this was his first African championship, after all. "The psychological preparation made a real difference,” he said. “I spent months away from my family and friends, and I needed continuous mental support to stay focused, avoid hesitation going into matches, and keep my eyes on one goal: the African gold.” And Hassouna delivered on that goal emphatically. He dominated the entire tournament beyond his headline-making move, sweeping all three of his bouts against champions from Namibia, South Africa, and Tunisia without conceding a single point. Ever since the video spread online, comments have poured in comparing Hassouna to legendary Egyptian wrestler Karam Gaber. As it turns out, Gaber wasn't the only one who reached out with words of encouragement after the match. "I knew it was a move that hadn't really been seen before, but I never imagined the reaction would be this big,” Hassouna said. But the message that meant most came from Karam Gaber himself — Abdullah's idol, the man he dreams of one day emulating. Hearing Gaber tell him that he reminded him of his own early days was something else entirely. "This medal is just the beginning — my dreams are much bigger than this,” Hassouna says. “My next goal is a World Championship title, to make my family and coaches proud and to raise Egypt's flag as high as it can go." We are witnessing the very first steps of what promises to be a remarkable journey. And all we can say for now is this: Abdullah Hassouna caught the world off guard, and something tells us his story is far from over.