In what commentators are calling “the biggest upset in the history of NCAA wrestling,” Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson has been defeated by Wyatt Hendrickson in a stunning conclusion to his collegiate wrestling career.
The dramatic heavyweight title match reached its climax in the final seconds when Hendrickson executed a perfectly timed takedown in the third period to secure victory over the heavily favored Steveson. The arena erupted as Hendrickson completed what many are calling the upset of the century.
“Oh, my goodness. The biggest upset in the history of NCAA,” exclaimed announcers as Hendrickson secured the winning points with just 13 seconds remaining.
The loss marks another disappointing chapter in what has been a challenging period for Steveson. After achieving Olympic glory, his professional endeavors have included unsuccessful stints with WWE and a brief attempt to break into the NFL. His decision to return to collegiate wrestling was meant to end on a triumphant note, but instead concluded with this shocking defeat.
The wrestling world immediately reacted to the monumental upset on social media. UFC legend Daniel Cormier tweeted: “Shut up! That was the craziest endings in NCAA wrestling history. What a moment. I’m so lucky to say I was here.”
Former UFC star and wrestler Ben Askren described it as the “Most sh ocking final I can remember,” while MMA veteran Corey Anderson highlighted the extraordinary nature of the upset: “WOW!!!! The POWER OF BELIEF!!!! A guy who was teched by Gable Steveson the last time they wrestled. JUST BEAT OLYMPIC CHAMP, NATIONAL CHAMP, AND SUPERSTAR Gable Steveson on his LAST match ever!!”
For Hendrickson, the victory will go down in NCAA wrestling lore. The Oklahoma State wrestler executed his game plan perfectly in the closing moments, catching Steveson off guard with a decisive move when it mattered most.
The commentary captured the magnitude of the moment: “The Olympic champion’s about to lose… Could this be it? Yes, he has done it!”
What makes the upset even more remarkable is that Hendrickson had previously been technically dominated by Steveson in their last encounter, making this reversal of fortune all the more unexpected.
Hendrickson went to shake Donald Trump’s hand after the win.
For Steveson, this defeat caps what many are calling “a generational all-time bad run” for the once-unstoppable heavyweight. Meanwhile, Hendrickson enters the history books as the wrestler who toppled an Olympic champion on collegiate wrestling’s biggest stage.
