#WWWA

United World Wrestling Partners with Nike Wrestling for ‘We Will Wrestle Again’ Campaign

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (July 27) – United World Wrestling, the international governing body for the sport of wrestling, has teamed up with global supplier Nike Wrestling for the “We Will Wrestle Again” campaign. The effort is focused on providing financial relief to wrestling organizations impacted by the global pandemic.

'We Will Wrestle Again' aims to maximize the reach of UWW and Nike to raise money via tee shirt sales and direct the relief to National Federations, host-cities, and other grassroots activities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The tee shirts are available for sale on the United World Wrestling online store: uwwstore.com

“We are pleased to join with Nike Wrestling for this important mission,” said United World Wrestling president Nenad LALOVIC. “We are facing unprecedented times and the strength of our future will depend on our ability to come together in support of our community members around the world – from athletes to national federations. We must remember that we will wrestle again.”

Money generated from the campaign will also go into a scholarship fund, managed by the Development Department, which will provide financial aid to athletes with dreams of competing at the international level.

“Nike Wrestling understands the obstacles that the wrestling community faces in response to the global pandemic,” said APS/Nike Wrestling president Eddie Brown. 'We Will Wrestle Again' came from the notion that we want to support those most effected and create a positive campaign that will help during these trying times.”

Nike Wrestling has been a global sponsor of UWW since 2017 and at the direction of the federation’s development department has supplied equipment to several disadvantaged wrestling communities around the globe.

To purchase tee shirts, or donate to the campaign, please visit http://uwwstore.com

#WrestleTirana

WATCH: Shiotani's signature move - Reverse Lift or Tawaragaeshi

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (March 3) -- Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) has done it many times domestically in Japan. On Sunday, he showed it to international fans.

As soon as he get the par terre position, instead for the typical gut-wrench, Shiotani goes for the reverse lift.

The reverse lift, known as Tawaragaeshi in Japanese, majorly seen in Greco-Roman wrestling when the wrestler on top in par terre jumps to face the grounded wrestler and the locks his hands around the opponents waist to throw him over his own head, or sometimes sideways.

That Aleksandr KARELIN photo in which he is clenching his teeth as he lifts his opponent like a sack. Exactly, a reverse lift.

Shiotani, former Asian champion, has mastered that move. And a reverse lift masterclass was on display on the final day of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 2025 in Tirana.

Out of the 53 points he scored on Sunday, Shiotani got 33 points from his signature reverse lift. Match after match, he would try the move and succeed as if the opponents did not how to defend it.

"There's not much to think about during a game like this. I do the Tawaragaeshi as if my body were moving on its own," Shiotani said.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) performs a reverse lift during the 60kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

The Japanese federation Instagram page is full of Shiotani's reverse lift videos. Despite his go-to move, Shiotani is shy to explain his obsession with the move which he performs even when he is in a position to pin or roll his opponent.

"I'm trying to switch things up and try to lift the wrestlers rather than trying to hold him down," Shiotani said. "I'm always practicing so I am able to do it in any situation."

Shiotani doesn't hide it that he is going for the reverse lift. He ideally starts from a chest wrap and quickly moves his grip to waist. If the opponent tries to raise his head to defend, Shiotani scores an exposure, opening more scoring options.

This was the first time Shiotani was wrestling at 60kg in a UWW event, up from 55kg but he said that he always remained in shape for wrestling.

"I always keep in shape," he said. "Ever since moved up the weight class, I've always believed that I could win by building my body, so I'm glad I was able to do that."