KIRKPINAR OIL WRESTLING FESTIVAL

He was born on October 26, 1987. He is grandchild of Head Wrestler Mehmet Öztürk from Antalya and son of Head Wrestler of Kırkpınar, Recep Gürbüz. He took the name of Hz. Ali, considered as the second founder of wrestling and the symbol of bravery. After he completed high school education at Murat Pasha High School in 2004, he began undergraduate education in Ankara by winning Gazi University Phsycal Education and Sports Academy. He turned to freestyle wrestling during university education. He got third place at Youth European Championship and Youth World Championship in 2007.

In 1988, his father, Recep Gürbüz died from a brain tumor eight months later after the birth of his son, Ali and one year later after being head wrestler of Kırkpınar. Thanks to his grandfather, Mehmet Öztürk’s effort and the support of Antalya’s people, he competed in Kırkpınar Wrestling Field for the first time in 1998 with the dream and belief of winning the golden belt.

In Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling held in 1998, he got second place at little 2 category in his first wrestling experience. Afterwards respectively, he got second place at very windy category in 2002, first place at deck small category in 2003, first place at deck big category in 2005 and at small middle big category in 2006. After all these achievements, he got first place at steerage category in Historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling of year 2008. Thus, he gained right to wrestle at head wrestler category. He got third place at head wrestler category in 2009 and second place in 2010. He became head wrestler of Kırkpınar for the first time and gained right to take the golden belt by defeating head wrestler, Recep Kara at final competition of 650. Historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling in 2011. He became head wrestler again by defeating Recep Kara in 2012. He declares that his greatest desire is to win golden belt permanently in Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling.