Midlands cancellation spawns XTream Arena event

Hunter
12/23/21

The Ken Kraft Midlands Wrestling Tournament scheduled for next week in suburban Chicago was cancelled on Wednesday, but a new local wrestling tournament is being put together that hopes to bring teams here.

KCRG TV reports that the Midlands cancellation was announced Wednesday by director Tim Cysewski, who said the new surge of the most recent COVID variant is to blame.

Wednesday evening, Josh Shamberger, president of Think Iowa City and the Iowa City Area Sports Commission, announced a new wrestling tournament to be held New Year’s weekend, called the Hawkeye Open.

Shamberger told the station that he contacted the Brands brothers, who said the University of Iowa wrestlers would be on board, for at least this year.

No other teams or wrestlers have committed to attend the tournament  on January 1st and 2nd at Xtream Arena. Organizers hope to get commitments in the near future.