Most athletes have long since retired by age 42. Rafael Lovato Jr. just won his first college wrestling match.
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and former Bellator MMA middleweight champion stepped onto the mat for Oklahoma City University at the NWCA National Duals in Iowa, competing in the 285-pound weight class. In a dramatic folkstyle debut, Lovato secured a 9-6 decision over his opponent from Central Methodist University, scoring a takedown in the final seconds to seal the victory.
His three team points contributed to Oklahoma City’s commanding 34-6 first-round triumph, marking an improbable new chapter for one of grappling’s most decorated competitors.
“I dropped out of college back in 2004 to move to Brazil to give my life to Jiu-Jitsu,” Lovato shared on social media. “I am eligible & when Coach Brian Picklo came to me with the opportunity, it felt like destiny was calling & there was no way I could say no.”
The decision to pursue collegiate athletics at 42 represents a remarkable reversal of the typical combat sports trajectory. While wrestlers frequently transition into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the opposite path remains exceptionally rare. Lovato has never wrestled scholastically, only incorporating the discipline through his MMA training and grappling practice.
Yet his recent competitive results suggest the unorthodox approach is working. Just months before his collegiate debut, Lovato placed third at the Freestyle Wrestling Masters Nationals in the Master B 35-42 220-pound (100 kg) division, recording a 5-1 record across six matches. He earned two pins and a technical fall during the tournament.
“I had a lot of nerves & was a bit tense & hesitant this morning,” Lovato reflected after that competition. “But after losing my 2nd match, I felt my game open up & I started to get more comfortable with the format & how to play.”
The path to this unlikely college career began with necessity as much as passion. In 2020, Lovato vacated his Bellator middleweight title after receiving a diagnosis of cavernoma, a brain condition that ended his mixed martial arts career. Wrestling has since become his primary competitive outlet.
“In my effort to be the best martial artist I can possibly be, I have fallen in love with the art of wrestling,” Lovato explained. “Nowadays, I probably watch more wrestling than I do Jiu-Jitsu or MMA.”
Before his Oklahoma City debut, Lovato acknowledged the challenge ahead on social media, noting that his first opponent was ranked number one in the country at heavyweight in the NAIA. Rather than intimidation, he expressed enthusiasm.
“Can’t ask for a better way to kick off my college career,” he wrote.
The veteran grappler delivered on that confidence, joining the starting lineup for a nationally ranked program and emerging victorious in his opening performance.
“I don’t have any grappling matches lined up until the spring, so this is the perfect way for me to continue to learn, grow, stay sharp, & feel the young energy of the kids pursuing their dreams,” Lovato said of joining the Oklahoma City University program.
Working with coach Joe Boardwine, a multiple-time no-gi world champion, Lovato has systematically developed his wrestling technique to complement his elite grappling foundation. The result is a 42-year-old freshman who can compete against athletes decades younger.
“It felt good to feel the nerves of doing something for the first time again,” Lovato said after his Masters Nationals appearance. “It was an awesome experience & I will be back to go for Gold.”
With his first collegiate victory secured, Lovato has proven that age remains negotiable when skill, dedication, and opportunity align. His journey from college dropout to college champion represents an unconventional testament to athletic longevity and the ongoing evolution of a martial artist who refuses to stop learning.
“This is not a joke!” Lovato emphasized before his debut. “I will be a 42yr old College wrestler. Let’s make more history.”
