Wyatt Hendrickson knew the chances have been stacked towards him going up towards Gable Steveson within the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Nationwide Championship Finals.
Contemplating he was going up towards an Olympic gold medalist, two-time Nationwide Champion, and the highest wrestler in america, Hendrickson understood why it nearly appeared destined that Steveson would depart together with his hand raised. However the Air Drive-to-Oklahoma State switch says a sermon about David and Goliath he heard in church simply days earlier than he entered his closing faculty wrestling event gave him the inspiration he wanted to know he could topple a giant like Steveson.
“It was a imaginative and prescient of victory,” Hendrickson instructed MMA Combating. “I type of introduced that into this week. I used to be like how can I apply this to my wrestling? Since you’re completely proper. A few of these large matches, it’s prefer it’s already spoken for. It’s already achieved. So I believe that’s the vast majority of what folks have been feeling about that match. As a result of you have got this considerably OK wrestler, a pair time All-American however then we’ve received Olympic gold medalist, a number of Nationwide Champion. Individuals didn’t anticipate that to be a title battle match, so to talk, within the finals.
“I believe going into this week, I knew that my thoughts needed to be in the appropriate place. That sermon carried me all through the week.”
As soon as he received on the mat this previous Saturday evening, Hendrickson was totally assured that he might go toe-to-toe with Steveson and he saved the rating shut by three durations. With lower than one minute remaining, Hendrickson was down 4-2 and that’s when he noticed the opening to grab Steveson’s leg and go for the takedown that ultimately gained him the match.
“Placing myself again in that second, the match wasn’t over. I knew that,” Hendrickson mentioned. “I knew the time was coming down. It was time for my shot. I received the leg, I received the takedown. In my mind, it was a go second. Chop the wrist! Maintain him down! The one time I actually needed to assume was as quickly as he was beginning to rise up as a result of I had a demise grip on him. I felt like a python. I used to be wrapped round him. He’s not getting away.
“He began to get to his ft and I had two decisions. I might maintain him down and attempt to maintain pushing him or I might get a giant elevate and return. The massive elevate and return most likely would have been an incredible ending however typically it’s higher to be protected than sorry. I knew I had a superb grip on him. I knew he was feeling my stress. It was an extended 20 seconds, additionally, that was an extended 20 seconds.”
The dedication paid off after Hendrickson shut down Steveson’s escape and time ticked away to the ultimate whistle.
“I bear in mind as quickly as I received him taken down, I made up in my thoughts he’s not getting up,” Hendrickson mentioned. “I mentioned I’m successful this match. It’s over however I nonetheless needed to comply with by with that. I can say all that stuff however I’ve to behave on it. It was simply an thrilling 10 to fifteen seconds however I made up my thoughts. This man just isn’t getting up. I’m ending this proper right here, proper now.”
As quickly because the match was over, Hendrickson jumped up in celebration whereas nearly all people watching the finals declared his win fairly presumably the biggest upset in NCAA wrestling history if not one of the crucial surprising upsets to ever occur in sports activities.
To be truthful, Hendrickson wasn’t some decrease seeded wrestler who unexpectedly punched his ticket to the finals after which shocked an Olympic gold medalist within the final match. Hendrickson was the No. 2-ranked wrestler heading into the event, however that didn’t negate the actual fact he was going up towards one of the crucial achieved athletes to compete in an NCAA event to not point out the historical past they shared earlier than that second.
“I’ve wrestled Gable earlier than a number of instances …the one time I used to be ever tech’d (technical fall) in my faculty profession was to Gable Steveson,” Hendrickson mentioned. “So I don’t actually take any offense to that. As a result of in the event you take a look at the monitor report from any perspective of view, irrespective of in the event you’re a wrestling fan or not a wrestling fan, you already know who Gable is, you take a look at the standards of our information, you take a look at our monitor historical past, there’s a transparent alternative.
“I perceive it fully. When folks say it’s a giant upset, it actually was. They’re not attempting to harm me. They’re simply attempting to construct within the gravity of Gable’s an incredible wrestler. I believe they’re simply constructing that issue into it.”
Following the gorgeous ending, the following jiffy performed out like a film with Hendrickson, nonetheless an energetic member of the Air Drive, standing tall and saluting President Donald Trump within the crowd earlier than embracing his family and friends standing close by.
Fact be instructed, Hendrickson barely remembers his celebration as a result of the second overwhelmed him.
“There’s plenty of cliché phrases on the market however one I believe is totally essential for this—it was unreal,” Hendrickson mentioned. “I imply it was so unreal, I blacked out after that match. Mentally, I used to be going to face up and I used to be identical to, wow that simply occurred. That was an unreal second for me. I already type of envisioned what I wished to do after that match as a result of I had that imaginative and prescient of victory. That is what’s going to occur, I’m going to win. I’m going to salute the commander in chief, I’m going to offer my household a giant hug, go see the coaches.
“Thank goodness I type of had a considerably mindset of what I wished to do as a result of then my physique simply took over. It was an entire sense of gratitude. It felt unreal.”
With the win, Hendrickson has acquired extra consideration previously few days than he did throughout his whole faculty wrestling profession. However simply because he’s all of a sudden turn into a family title doesn’t imply the work has stopped.
Hendrickson was already again within the fitness center to start working in the direction of his subsequent purpose—a spot on the 2028 Olympic wrestling staff, which just about definitely places him proper again in Steveson’s path once more.
“Clearly subsequent steps, we’re going to take it yr by yr,” Hendrickson mentioned. “There’s nonetheless competitions I can compete in to make these World groups so the fast future is again to coaching. I simply received out of coaching 45 minutes in the past. The coaching just isn’t going to cease. I believe it’s nice to rejoice just a little bit however clearly, there’s no time to let off the gasoline. I believe we’ve gotten the momentum rolling and we’re simply going to hold that by. There’s plenty of issues I can repair in my wrestling and also you’re by no means going to succeed in the highest of the mountain. I’m simply excited to continue to grow as a wrestler.
“Now there’s a new large purpose. Clearly, this yr was be a Nationwide Champion—nicely now the overarching purpose for the following couple of years goes to be turning into an Olympic champion.”
As a result of he’s a wrestler and contemplating he simply took down an Olympic gold medalist who has usually talked about ultimately combating in MMA, Hendrickson additionally addressed his personal curiosity within the sport.
Whereas a historical past of concussions led to Hendrickson placing an early finish to his soccer profession in highschool, the newest Nationwide Champion wrestler isn’t closing the door on any choices and that features a potential transfer into MMA in the future.
“I give up soccer at an early age, my freshman yr of highschool. I used to be solely 160 kilos on the time however God gifted me with one physique and I need to be certain I deal with it,” Hendrickson mentioned. “Clearly, I need to reside my life fortunately. I don’t need to put myself in a scenario the place I’m placing my life in danger. It’s not price that a lot.
“If I’m going to place myself in a scenario the place that could be in danger, we’ll see. I believe for the foreseeable future, my wrestling profession goes to be a giant factor. I would begin doing a little cross-training, that could be thrilling. Perhaps do some bit of coaching, hyperlink up with some MMA folks, and perhaps simply really feel it out and see the place the following path takes me. For positive, proper now, I’m simply centered on wrestling and I’m going to have my army profession following these 4 years of wrestling. I’m energetic obligation proper now. I’m within the world-class athlete program, very blessed, very lucky I’ve been picked up for this program. However after that clearly, I’m going to go do one other job that’s not wrestling within the Air Drive.”
