Siamak "Matt" Ghaffari (/ɡəˈfɑːri/ gə-FAR-ee;[1] Persian: سیامک غفاری, Persian pronunciation: [siːɒːmæk-e ɢæˈffɒːɾiː]; born November 11, 1961, in Tehran, Imperial State of Iran) is an Iranian-born American Greco-Roman wrestler, MMA Fighter and professional wrestler. Ghaffari was a two-time USA Olympic team member, obtaining a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games. Ghaffari finished his career with the most Greco-Roman World and Olympic medals by a United States wrestler. Also, Ghaffari holds 3 American Records the Most World and Olympic total medals, plus he was 4-time World Cup Champion, also 9-time Pan-American Champion. Ghaffari is the 2-time US Olympian and 2-time US Olympic team alternate. 1996 - Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation Inspiration Award Winner, with Muhammad Ali 1996 – Colorado Sports Hall of Fame’s Amateur Athlete of the Year 2003 - Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame 2006 - Cleveland State Athletics Hall of Fame 2013 - National Wrestling Hall of Fame 2014 - Eastern Wrestling League Hall of Fame
Matt Ghaffari | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | Siamak Ghaffari November 11, 1961 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Cleveland State University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 1984–2000 2002–2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Amateur wrestling | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | Greco-Roman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University team | Cleveland State Vikings (1981–84) Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (1979–80) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Sunkist Kids | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Division | Heavyweight | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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In all, Ghaffari won Seven National Championships, four World Cups, two Pan-American Games, seven Pan-American championships (including double titles in 1989-90), and 13 Grand Prix tournament titles. He represented his adopted country six times in World Championships and was twice named the United States Olympic Committee Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year.
Early life edit
Born in Tehran, Iran, Ghaffari came to the United States at a young age, he attended Paramus High School in Paramus, New Jersey.[2]
Amateur wrestling career edit
He was runner-up to Aleksandr Karelin at the 1995 Karelin Cup.[3] While representing the United States at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games and 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games, Ghaffari reached the final of the heavyweight Men's Greco-Roman 130 kg division, where he lost 0–1 to Russian overwhelming favorite Aleksandr Karelin in overtime.[2] Ghaffari was a seven-time United States wrestling champion and a two-time USA Olympic Committee Greco-Roman Athlete of the Year.[4]
Ghaffari is currently the only American to win a combined four World and Olympic medals in Greco-Roman. Also, he holds 3 American Records the Most World and Olympic total medals, plus he was 4-time World Cup Champion, also 9-time Pan-American Champion. Ghaffari is the 2-time US Olympian and 2-time US Olympic team alternate.
In 2013, Ghaffari was inducted in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.[5]
Mixed martial arts career edit
In 2002, Ghaffari fought in the Tokyo Dome in front of 28,000 spectators at a mixed martial arts bout in UFO- Universal Fighting-Arts Organization against judo Olympic Silver Medalist Naoya Ogawa. Ghaffari managed to take Ogawa down and attack him with a brief ground and pound, but back to standing, Ogawa landed a punch which shifted Matt's left eye contact lens and forced him to quit.[6]
Mixed martial arts record edit
| 1 match | 0 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 0 | 0 |
| By submission | 0 | 0 |
| By decision | 0 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 0–1 |  Naoya Ogawa
|
TKO (punch) | UFO Legend | August 8, 2002 | 1 | 0:56 | Tokyo, Japan |
Professional wrestling career edit
| Matt Ghaffari | |
|---|---|
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Matt Ghaffari[7] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)[7] |
| Billed weight | 280 lb (130 kg)[7] |
| Debut | 8 December 2002[7] |
In 1996, Ghaffari was scouted by professional wrestling promotion World Championship Wrestling and was featured in several vignettes, but did not sign up with the company.[8]
After his stint in MMA, Ghaffari started to work in the Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, where he won the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship with Tom Howard on December 15, 2002, by defeating Shinya Hashimoto and old opponent Naoya Ogawa.[9] They held the championship until April 29, 2003, when they lost it to Hashimoto and Ogawa.[9]
In 2004, Ghaffari made an appearance for HUSTLE, pinning Ogawa after a beatdown from the heel faction Monster Army (Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, Dusty Rhodes Jr., Giant Silva and Dan Bobish).[10]
Championships and accomplishments edit
- Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE
- NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tom Howard[9]
- ZERO-ONE O-300 Super Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[11]
References edit
- ^ "Matt Ghaffari". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
- ^ a b Robbins, Liz. "OLYMPICS; Wrestler Two Victories From Dream", The New York Times, June 24, 2000. Accessed October 17, 2007. "To advance, Ghaffari had to pull out a trick he first used two decades ago at Paramus High School in New Jersey.... At 38, and a loss away from retirement, Ghaffari is still crafty and accomplished, compiling more Olympic and world championship medals than any other Greco-Roman wrestler with four."
- ^ "Matt Ghaffari". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
- ^ "Honoree: Matt Ghaffari". National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
- ^ Matt Ghaffari. National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Hawaii Martial Arts News & Rumors – August News Part 2
- ^ a b c d "Matt Ghaffari". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
- ^ Dimitri Groell, Jan Niedbala, La face cachée du catch: Ring, Coulisses & Business
- ^ a b c "NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Champions". Pro Wrestling ZERO-1. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
- ^ "HUSTLE Results: 2004" (in German). PuroLove.com. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
- ^ "NWA ZERO-ONE O-300 Super Heavyweight Champions". cagematch.net. Retrieved July 6, 2016.