Wyatt Hendrickson pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent NCAA wrestling history by defeating Gable Steveson in the National Championship heavyweight division, earning a hard-fought 5-4 victory.
The win was especially shocking given Steveson’s dominant track record. Heading into the match, he held a perfect 17-0 record for the season and had only suffered two career losses during his freshman year—making Hendrickson’s triumph a monumental moment in collegiate wrestling.
Steveson, a former Olympic gold medalist, had signed a multi-year contract with WWE in 2021 following the peak of his amateur wrestling career. He transitioned into full-time training at the WWE Performance Center and made a few appearances at NXT live events and dark matches on SmackDown.
However, his only televised match—a no-contest against Baron Corbin at an NXT Premium Live Event in 2023—failed to generate lasting momentum. Steveson was ultimately released from WWE last year, ending what many considered a promising but unrealized pro wrestling run.
Hendrickson’s victory not only cements his place among the top heavyweights in the country but also closes a chapter on Steveson’s storied amateur career in dramatic fashion.
OKLAHOMA STATE’S WYATT HENDRICKSON DOES THE UNTHINKABLE AND BEATS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST GABLE STEVESON!!
IS THIS THE BIGGEST UPSET IN COLLEGE WRESTLING HISTORY??
Presented by @CKAwrestling #ncaawrestling pic.twitter.com/JP7fz7KzpV
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) March 23, 2025
Leaving this on repeat for the foreseeable future pic.twitter.com/x7YbuJQkux
— NATIONAL CHAMPION Wyatt Hendrickson Stan (@stillyorbust) March 23, 2025
