Matt Ghaffari
Siamak " Matt" Ghaffari ( born November 11, 1961 in Tehran, Iran) is a former American professional wrestler. He was Olympic silver medalist in Atlanta in 1996 and several vice-world champion in Greco-Roman style in the super heavyweight division.
Life
Matt Ghaffari was born in Iran, but came as a child in the United States. He was first in Paramus, New Jersey, resident and learned there in high school wrestling. After high school he attended in 1983 and 1984, the Cleveland State University where he continued this sport. At a size of 1.93 meters, it grew rapidly in the super heavyweight, which was then handed up to 130 kg body weight into it. After Beusch Cleveland State University Matt Ghaffari was a member of the most famous American wrestler association, the " Sunkist Kids" in Phoenix. There he was led by the coaches Anatoly Petrosyan and Steve Fraser in the world class, it is usually on the Greco-Roman. Concentrated style, but occasionally took at the beginning of his career, even in free style. In 1984 he qualified for the U.S. team to participate in the Pan American Championships in Mexico City. He won there in the super heavyweight division of Greco-Roman. Style before Guillermo Diaz from Mexico and Juan M. Cruz Poquis from Peru.
This was followed by Matt Ghaffari at international championships a dry spell of five years. During those years were in the U.S. in Greco-Roman. Style Duane Koslowski and Craig Pittman and free style Bruce Baumgartner before him. In 1989 he was able to prevail against its U.S. competitors and again at the Pan American Championships in Colorado Springs in the Graeco-Roman. Style again achieve victory. In the course of his career, Matt was a total of nine Pan-American champions, including twice in free style. 1990 Matt was also for the world championships in Rome in the Graeco-Roman. Nominated style and where it was first conquered by the Russian Alexander Karelin, who remained its main competitor at international championships in the next almost ten years. Matt arrived in Rome on the 6th Place.
At the 1991 World Championships in Varna, it was significantly better than in Rome for Matt. He persuaded by four wins and only lost in the final of Alexander Karelin, this called for in his spare 0:3 point defeat but from everything.
After Matt sovereign triumphed at the Pan American Championships in 1992 in two styles, he went with high hopes for the Olympic Games in Barcelona. He met there but very early on Alexander Karelin, against whom he lost again and therefore was eliminated early. He had to settle for a disappointing 11th place.
Also at the World Championships in 1993 in Stockholm and 1994 in Tampere came Matt Ghaffari not in the medal ranks. In Stockholm he retired after a brief 0:2 - point defeat against Alexander Karelin and a controversial point defeat against Sweden Tomas Johansson after the second round. The fight against Karelin was there very long perfectly balanced. None of the wrestlers were able to achieve a technical rating. Only towards the end of the fight Karelin made the somewhat more aggressive impression and got it by the judges the 2-0 point victory awarded.
In 1995, Matt then at the World Championships in Prague in Greco-Roman. Style finally a medal. He was defeated in the semi-final against Alexander, but defeated in the battle for the bronze medal Moldavian Sergei Mureiko sure on points. At the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta Matt then won the hoped Olympic medal. He had fought their way to the finals and was defeated there again against Alexander Karelin. Where this is a technical point which he had made at the beginning of the fight by a floor fractures is enough to win.
In 1997, Matt was not for U.S. team that participated in the World Championships, qualify. A young, previously unknown, slightly pudgy appearing young wrestler names Rulon Gardner defeated him quite surprising. This wrestler Rulon Gardner should write history but still. 1998 Matt Ghaffari could then once again qualify for the World Cup. In Gävle / Sweden, he reached the final again against Alexander Karelin, this time with a shoulder victory over Matt succeeded.
In 2000, Matt was, by now 39 years old, qualify again for the U.S. Olympic team. But in the elimination fights to he lost again against Rulon Gardner. Rulon Gardner made then at the Olympic Games in Sydney for the sensation when he almost thirteen years undefeated Alexander Karelin defeated on points in the final and Olympic champion.
Matt Ghaffari ended his international career wrestler in 2000. He had worked during his time as a wrestler coaches at universities and at the Sunkist Kids. He was also active as a journalist and is now a freelance speaker and financial advisor.
Competitive balance (Overview)
U.S. Championships
Matt Ghaffari won six times the U.S. championship in Greco-Roman. Style and once in free style.
International success
(OS = Olympic Games, WM = World Championship, F = free style, GR = Greek and Roman. Styles. SS = Super Heavyweight, then up to 130 kg body weight)