#worldcupiowacity

Five Must-Watch Matches From the #WorldCupIowaCity

By

1.Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) df. Iderkhuu GANTULGA (MGL), 22-17.
This 39-point match took place during the fifth and sixth place dual between Georgia and Mongolia. After six lead changes, Gaphrindashvili erased a 16-10 deficit and ended the match on a 12-1 run. 

2. Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN) df. Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVEZ (CUB), 6-5. 
This was arguably the most important match of the entire tournament. After Cuba stormed back to win four of the last six bouts, Japan’s hopes of winning a bronze for the first time since 1985 were placed on the back of their final wrestler, Taiki Yamamoto (JPN). 

Yamamoto trailed 5-4 heading into the final 30 seconds of the match. He got to a high crotch on the right side and ended up taking the lead on criteria after driving Alpajon Este out of bounds to pick up the step out point. After Cuba’s failed challenge and a late flurry from Alpajon Este, Yamamoto hung on to win the match, 6-5. 

3. Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) df. J'Den Michael COX (USA), 5-0. 
This was a battle of London Olympic bronze medalist v. Rio Olympic bronze medalist. Marsagishvili's shutout of Cox gave Georgia one of only two wins during the entire USA dual. 

Marsagishvili, Georgia's only undefeated wrestler on the weekend also defeated world No. 1 Turtogtokh LUVSANDORJ (MGL) and finished the World Cup without surrendering an offensive point while outscoring his opponents 30-0. 

4. Logan Jeffery STIEBER (USA) df. Haji ALIYEV (AZE), 6-2. 
A battle of former 61kg worlds champions who recently made the move up to 65kg. Logan Stieber the 2016 61kg world champion took on Haji Aliyev, the three-time world champion, and Olympic bronze medalist.

After this weekend, Aliyev admitted to the struggles that he's faced at 65kg, saying “I changed weight categories and moved up to 65kg. It’s different, it’s difficult. I need to focus, but I think I’ll be fine…I changed to 65kg three months ago and just need to train more."

5. Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) df. Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB), 10-8. 
It took Takatani all he had to stop a gut wrench that would have given Valdes Tobier's the 10-0 technical superiority victory in period number one. 

When asked about falling behind 8-0, Takatani said: "I knew I was down 8-0, but I also knew that it was time for my Japanese pride to kick it." That Japanese pride kicked in to the tune of a Takatani 10-8 run to end the match and gave Japan the 3-0 lead heading into the fourth bout of the dual. 

#WrestleTirana

UWW holds 2024 Congress, three women elected to Bureau

By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (October 27) -- United World Wrestling held its Congress in Tirana on Sunday, on the sidelines of the World Championships in Non-Olympic Weight Classes.

The Congress touched upon topics related to the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, the budget, the calendar for 2025 and the prospect of launching a UWW Pro League.

Different commission of UWW presented their reports for 2024 and Amateur MMA and Pankration.

The elections for Bureau and Vice Presidents were also held with at least two new women Bureau members. In the elections held on Sunday in Tirana, five Bureau members were due for re-election, with four being re-elected.

UWWFrom left to right: Peter BASCA, Buyandelger PELJEE, Pedro SILVA, Cholpon SULTANBEKOVA, Natalia YARAGUINA and Zamel AL SHAHRANI. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women ruled the elections with one new Vice President and two new Bureau members were elected.

Pedro SILVA, Peter BASCA, Zamel AL SHAHRANI and Natalia YARAGUINA were re-elected in the Bureau. Bruce BAUMGARTNER was the newly elected member of the Bureau.

Since two new Bureau members could not be elected in the first round of elections, a second round was held, in which the two highest-placed candidates earned elections. Buyandelger PELJEE and Cholpon SULTANBEKOVA earned the most votes, collecting their Bureau spot.

UWW Bureau member and President of UWW Associated Styles Rodica YAKSI and Bureau member and President of African Council Fouad MESKOUT were elected as Vice Presidents in the first meeting of the newly elected Bureau.

Mikhail MAMIASHVILI, Natalia YARAGUINA, Theodoros HAMAKOS and Akhroldjan RUZIEV were re-elected as Vice Presidents.

UWW Vice President Stan DZIEDZIC was not eligible for re-election, as he reached his term limit according to the UWW Constitution. However, he was made the Honorary Vice President of UWW on Monday.