When one of their true freshmen beats one of their top-three opponents, people take notice. And when that true freshman has Daniel Cormier, one of the greats to ever compete, past UFC champion, and Olympic wrestler, talking about his talent in superlative terms? You can see something is going right.
That is exactly the kind of situation Iowa’s Angelo Ferrari was in, and he stunned No. 3-ranked Oklahoma State’s Dustin Plott in thrilling overtime to secure his team a huge dual triumph. The performance of Ferrari was one of great athleticism, relentless energy, and beyond-his-years poise, which left even Cormier in awe.
“He’s fearless, man,” Daniel Cormier said. “This kid just wrestles, and he doesn’t care who he’s out there with. Hell, he gave Starocci a scare, and honestly, I thought he wrestled the best match Starocci will get, probably all season. Possibly, he wrestled him better than Parker did—he’s fearless!” Cormier, having devoted his entire career to analyzing wrestling talent, was not just impressed; he was straight-up hyped about what he saw from Ferrari.
“Once I saw him go to the mat, I was like, ‘Man, this is gonna be a tough one,’” Cormier admitted. “The ones that Plott struggles with at times are those really good athletic kids, and Ferrari has that ability to kinda pop at him with fakes, rough him down low, and get the single legs.”
Daniel Cormier also explained how Ferrari’s skillset is a nightmare for traditional-style wrestlers like Carter Starocci and Plott, who prefer to go about their wrestling in a steady, methodical style. Ferrari, on the other hand, is explosive, quick, and unpredictable—the kind of competitor that makes even excellent wrestlers adjust.
Daniel Cormier has high praise for Angelo Ferrari #frl #ncaawrestling pic.twitter.com/Q7sXIgb46u
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) March 3, 2025
The victory over Plott was not easily gained. The match was one of struggle from the opening bell, much like his previous bout versus top-ranked Carter Starocci, where he experienced his first defeat in over three years in a low-scoring 2-1 decision.
However, this time, Ferrari was determined to turn the script.
After a slow-opening stanza that finished 0-0, Plott gained his first escape in period two to take a 1-0 lead. Ferrari, waiting patiently, gained a takedown to electrify the Iowa crowd and take a 2-point lead. Plott, however, replied with another escape, tying the bout 3-3 to go into period three.
That was the build-up to overtime—and to Ferrari’s time of reckoning. With 31 seconds to go, Ferrari executed a slick takedown, rocking the sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena into pandemonium. He rose to his feet, flashing three fingers in the direction of the Oklahoma State bench—letting them see he just stunned their No. 3 man.
“I got the takedown out of there,” Ferrari said post-match. “I think I awarded it before the ref.”
What lies ahead for Angelo Ferrari?
Ferrari has constructed a strong case to be Iowa’s man in this spot at 184 pounds, but is head coach Tom Brands going to commit to him in the tournament?
Brands lauded Ferrari’s toughness and his capacity to grind through challenging situations, noting that he is a big-time competitor.
“He got ready to wrestle; credit to him,” Brands said. “He got ridden, went into overtime, got into some scrambles, and probably didn’t feel great out there. But he had a lot of guts, and he made it go his way.”
That aside, Iowa also has Gabe Arnold, 184 pounds, and is a familiar competitor with big-match experience. Beating Plott, Ferrari leaves Brands with a difficult decision to make—retain the freshman phenom or go with the experienced talent of Arnold?
“I don’t ever talk about this stuff,” Brands said when asked about postseason plans. “Why would I start now? We love Angelo Ferrari. We love Gabe Arnold. We love both. We’re going to put the guy on the mat that makes the most sense.”
Ferrari Moment May Be Only The Beginning As the postseason is now upon them, Angelo Ferrari has not only turned heads but is forcing Iowa to make a choice. His performance against Carter Starocci proved he could go toe-to-toe with the best of them, and his win over Dustin Plott sealed his potential to be a game-changer. Now, of course, is the question: Will Iowa go with Ferrari when it counts? One thing is certain—Daniel Cormier believes in something special about him.
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