Most athletes hang up their competition shoes well before their 40th birthday. Rafael Lovato Jr. is lacing up a singlet for the first time as a college wrestler.
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and former Bellator MMA middleweight champion has announced he will compete for Oklahoma City University’s wrestling team in the NAIA division, beginning his collegiate athletics career at age 42. His debut is scheduled for the National Duals tournament in Iowa.
“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.”
This move continues Lovato’s recent push into wrestling competition. Just months ago, the veteran martial artist placed third at the Freestyle Wrestling Masters Nationals in the Master B 35–42 220 lbs (100 kg) division, posting a 5–1 record across six matches. The event marked several firsts for Lovato, his first time competing in a singlet, his first experience with two-minute rounds and his first time navigating a repechage bracket.
“I had a lot of nerves & was a bit tense & hesitant this morning,” Lovato reflected. “But after losing my 2nd match, I felt my game open up & I started to get more comfortable with the format & how to play.”
What makes Lovato’s transition especially unusual is his lack of formal wrestling background. He has never wrestled scholastically and only incorporated wrestling into his training through MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In combat sports, wrestlers frequently cross over into BJJ but the reverse is far less common.
“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.”
The decision to pursue collegiate wrestling comes during a unique chapter in Lovato’s career. In 2020, he was forced to vacate his Bellator title after being diagnosed with a cavernoma, a brain condition that has prevented his return to mixed martial arts. Wrestling has since become his primary competitive outlet.
“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.
At 42, Lovato will be decades older than most of his collegiate opponents. Still, his recent bronze medal performance at Masters Nationals, where he recorded two pins and a technical fall, showed he can compete at a high level.
“It felt good to feel the nerves of doing something for the first time again,” Lovato said after his tournament debut. “It was an awesome experience & I will be back to go for Gold.”
Working with coach Joe Boardwine, a multiple-time no-gi world champion, Lovato has continued developing his wrestling to complement his elite grappling base. Now, he adds another entry to his combat sports résumé as one of the oldest collegiate wrestlers in recent memory.
“This is not a joke!” Lovato emphasized. “I will be a 42yr old College wrestler. Let’s make more history.”
