In a match that will be remembered as one of the biggest upsets in NCAA wrestling history, Wyatt Hendrickson achieved a remarkable comeback victory against Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson on Saturday night in Philadelphia.
Steveson, the 2020 Olympic champion, entered the finals undefeated in takedowns for the entire season and the NCAA tournament. After securing an early takedown against Hendrickson, it seemed Steveson was on track to claim his third national title.
However, with less than 30 seconds remaining in the final period, Hendrickson changed the course of the match. He seized Steveson`s leg and executed a decisive takedown. Hendrickson maintained his position until the clock ran out, leaving a visibly defeated Steveson on the mat as Hendrickson celebrated his championship win.
Renowned UFC commentator Daniel Cormier, who was calling the match for ESPN, expressed his astonishment, exclaiming, “Oh my goodness! Wyatt Hendrickson just beat Gable Steveson! Oh my god! That’s crazy! Oh my goodness. This is the craziest moment in NCAA history! I’m just happy I could say I was here to watch. I don’t know if I’ve ever been that surprised at a wrestling match.”
The final score of the match was 5-4 in favor of Hendrickson.
This victory is even more significant considering Steveson`s return to college wrestling for his final year of eligibility was specifically to win another NCAA title. He had previously left the University of Minnesota to pursue a career with WWE, but after that didn`t materialize and a brief stint with the Buffalo Bills in professional football ended in being cut, Steveson returned to college wrestling.
Before facing Hendrickson, Steveson had dominated his competition throughout the season.
“Today, I won the gold medal, I’m No. 1,” Hendrickson stated. “I kept telling myself I could do this. God gave me this gift. All week, I`ve been thinking about David and Goliath, and how nobody believed David could defeat Goliath, but he did.”
Hendrickson, an Air Force member, transferred to Oklahoma State for his final year, training under Olympic champion and first-year head coach David Taylor. He concludes his college wrestling career as an NCAA champion, highlighted by this monumental win over Steveson.
