#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. 

#Grappling

World Grappling Championships 2025: Fixtures and schedule

By United World Wrestling Press

NOVI SAD, Serbia (August 27) -- The final schedule of the World Grappling Championships is set. The competition will begin October 14 and unlike previous editions, the Gi and No-Gi competition will be held on same days.

The three-day tournament will kick off with Grappling in Men's and Women's. Here's the full schedule for the World Grappling Championships.

Grappling

October 14 (Day 1):
Men's Grappling: 58kg, 71kg, 77kg, 92kg, 100kg and 130 kg 
Women's Grappling: 53kg, 71kg, and 90kg.

October 15 (Day 2):
Men's Grappling: 62kg, 66kg and 84kg
Women's Grappling: 58kg and 64kg

Men's Grappling Gi: 71kg, 100kg and 130kg
Women's Grappling Gi: 53kg and 90kg

October 16 (Day 3):
Men's Grappling Gi: 58kg, 62kg, 66kg, 77kg, 84kg, and 92kg
Women's Grappling Gi: 58kg, 64kg, and 71kg

Grappling

The participants can follow the event live on uww.org. For details of the schedule click here.

UWW encourages nations to send entries for the World Grappling Championships using Athena