#worldcupiowacity

Five Must-Watch Matches From the #WorldCupIowaCity

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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. 

2026 U20 Pan-American Championships

U20 Pan-American Championships 2026 Wrestling Live Streaming, Full Schedule, Results

By United World Wrestling Press

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (June 8) -- The Wrestling U20 Pan-American Championships 2026 will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 9 to 11. Wrestling competition will be held at the Physical Education Center Admiral Adalberto Nunes (CEFAN).

Freestyle will kick off action with all 10 weight classes on the mat on July 9, Women's Wrestling will be held on July 10 and Greco-Roman will finish the tournament on July 11.

The Wrestling U20 Pan-American Wrestling Championships 2026 will be live on uww.org and it is free to watch. Just sign up for UWW+ and watch the competition: Sign Up for UWW+ and download the UWW app.

Download the UWW App - Apple's App Store | Google Play Store

For viewers in the U.S. and Canada, visit FloWrestling to watch.

Wrestling, U20 Pan-American Championships

Full Schedule of U20 Pan-Am Championships 2026 Click Here

More than 200 wrestlers will compete in 30 weight classes in the three-day tournament. Click here for the list of wrestlers.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | ENTRY LIST | RESULTS | TEAM RANKINGS | MEDAL SUMMARY

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