“He [Wyatt Hendrickson] was losing by 2 points with a minute left in the match. He picked up his sprint, put a couple flurries together, and was able to get that takedown with 20 seconds left, and then ride him out.” When David Taylor recalled those electric moments from the NCAA wrestling final, he didn’t have to dig deep into his memory. He lived those minutes up close, and chances are he’ll remember them for a lifetime. After all, it wasn’t just another comeback — it was the rise of Wyatt Hendrickson, the Oklahoma Cowboys’ new wrestling star. “It was just a good testament to him and just his belief,” Taylor added — and coming from an Olympic gold medalist and multiple-time world champion, those words carry serious weight. But the question remains: Is Wyatt Hendrickson ready to carry the baton for U.S. wrestling?
The former Air Force standout had his ultimate test in this year’s NCAA final, facing none other than Gable Steveson, an Olympic champion himself. It was a mountain few dared to climb, but Wyatt scaled it, stamping his name as the new talk of the town. Yet, wrestling is a brutal sport. Hype alone doesn’t win matches — grit, grind, and relentless work do. Hendrickson knows that. He didn’t rest on one big win. Instead, he rolled straight into the U.S. Open with a point to prove.
On April 25, he made a statement heard around the wrestling world — obliterating Lucas Stoddard with an 11-0 tech fall in just 26 seconds. And the fireworks didn’t stop there. The next day, Hendrickson faced Demeritus Thomas of the New York Athletic Club — and once again, he delivered a dominant, resounding victory that left no doubts: Wyatt Hendrickson is not just coming — he’s here.
2025 CLAW U.S. Open Senior Men Freestyle Championship #USOpen25
125kg – Wyatt Hendrickson, (Cowboy RTC / WCAP) TF Demetrius Thomas, (New York Athletic Club) 14-3 pic.twitter.com/vjAOqX4zt1
— USA Wrestling (@USAWrestling) April 27, 2025
Now, with a U.S. Open title under his belt, Hendrickson has punched his ticket to Final X, where he’ll await the winner of the World Team Trials. His dream of making a world team—and maybe one day leading U.S. wrestling into a new era — is no longer just a conversation. It’s a real, roaring possibility.
The report is developing…
The post USA Wrestling’s Future Looks Bright as Wyatt Hendrickson on the Right Path to Steal the Spotlight at World Championship appeared first on EssentiallySports.
