A college wrestling match at the Las Vegas Invitational ignited debate after a controversial out-of-bounds body slam left one competitor in visible pain while the other walked away with what witnesses described as a smirk.
The moment took place in a Round of 16 bout between Elijah Griffin of Rider University and Pierson Manville of Arizona State University at 141 pounds. Griffin, a fifth-year graduate student who transferred from Cal Baptist during the offseason, won the match 9-2 by decision. His win, however, has been overshadowed by the way he carried out the slam during the third period.
Video showed Griffin lifting Manville from the mat then taking two full steps beyond the boundary circle before throwing him onto the hard surface outside the wrestling area. Manville immediately grabbed his knee and rolled on the ground as Griffin left the scene with what onlookers described as a grin.
The optics carried extra weight because Manville, a redshirt sophomore, was considered one of the standout recruits in the class of 2024 for Arizona State. Meanwhile Griffin’s expression as his opponent was in pain appeared to signal satisfaction rather than concern.
Match officials declined to issue a Flagrant Misconduct penalty for unsportsmanlike behavior. That decision has drawn criticism from the wrestling community and might have altered the contest’s outcome. Griffin received no disciplinary consequences. When Arizona State called an injury timeout to attend to Manville, Rider was awarded choice when action resumed which effectively gave Griffin an advantageous position.
The reaction from Griffin’s teammates added more controversy. Will Betancourt, an Ohio State transfer now competing for Rider, initially defended him on social media. He wrote two posts on X praising Griffin’s performance including one that stated:
“Pretty dominate match by that boy griff! Haters gonna hate no matter what. Let’s go griff get it done today champ!”
Both posts were later deleted. It’s unclear whether Betancourt removed them on his own or after someone suggested it.
Critics have pointed out the difference between competitors who lose spatial awareness in the pressure of competition and those who seem aware they caused injury. The former can be seen as an unfortunate accident. Griffin’s apparent reaction has struck many observers as crossing a line of basic sportsmanship.
How is this legal? Elijah Griffin lifts Pierson Manville, walks out of bounds and then slams him onto the hard floor. pic.twitter.com/e1AJqACLEz
— notawrestler (@notawrestler_x) December 5, 2025
