Wrestling prodigy Bo Bassett has become a household name in the wrestling scene. This comes on the back of his phenomenal career, which has seen him win numerous matches. This has led to dozens of prestigious college programs chasing after him to sign him for the class of 2026. But he has already cut down his initial list of 80 schools to just 4. But Bo is still deciding which of these will lead him to NCAA Glory.

One might think, How can a teenager have so much hype? But Bo Bassett has earned this place by skills that few others are capable of. And at just 17, he is already the hottest prospect with every wrestling powerhouse in the states after his selection. But with momentous wins in the Annual Walsh Jesuit Ironman Tournament along with a U17 gold and U20 bronze, Bo fully backs his hype. But which colleges made his cut?

The wrestling world learned exclusively about Bo Bassett’s upcoming career direction. A tweet on X highlighted, “Bo Bassett announces his final four schools! Iowa, Penn State, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech.” Despite this, the attention from top institutions to secure him remains high. Yet the 8x Pennsylvania Junior Champ continues to avoid making his final college selection.

Hawkeyes fans feel strongly that Bassett should choose Iowa wrestling based on his admiration for Spencer Lee. But these expectations just might be true. “There’s a picture of when I was twelve years old, maybe younger, and he was a junior or senior in high school, and we trained together those years at the Young Guns room. He’s a great role model,” he said. His admiration for the Iowa alum being so high, Hawkeyes loyalists justifiably seemed to believe this would benefit the rising star’s future.

But before joining the NCAA competitions, Bo Bassett established his unmatched status through his excellent 100-0 record achievement. So much so that even the Rutgers extended an invitation to Bo Bassett during their match against Penn State. And standing on duty, Penn State absolutely dominated through that match. So one might think that perhaps this ongoing dominance of Penn State in collegiate wrestling might make an impact on the decision process for young Bo. After all, he wants to win titles.

The visit of Bo Bassett to Oklahoma State University has also intensified the discussion about his future enrollment destination. Recent changes in David Taylor’s helm of the Oklahoma State wrestling program generated increased speculation about Bo Bassett’s college destination following this visit.

The Virginia Tech wrestling program also invested in upcoming wrestling talents by presenting Bassett together with top recruits for 2026 and 2027. However, there are doubts about Bo Bassett’s ability to succeed in professional wrestling, although he continues to create success in the sport.

Bo Bassett’s dominance in wrestling amid UFC legend’s doubt

Wrestling fans identify Bo Bassett as the top wrestling performer in the sport because of his latest win at the Ironman Wrestling Tournament. At 17 years old, the talented athlete won his third tournament win at the 144-pound Ironman competition, demonstrating extraordinary skill and calmness during intense moments.

The heavy expectations along with his last match position at the end of the day seemed challenging to most wrestlers. But Bassett continued to impress with his mat skills at their peak. Great performances emerge when he competes at higher stages and with elevated stakes; according to his statement, his faultless finals win over Carlos Stanton yielded him a 6-0 tech fall victory.

Despite his impressive wrestling resume, Bo Bassett has faced some criticism, even from UFC legend Chael Sonnen. In a statement, Sonnen boldly predicted that Bassett’s future might not be in wrestling, claiming, “I’m going to make an outside prediction for you with no inside knowledge, but I believe Bo Bassett will end up with some money guy somewhere at an American university. Columbia, Rutgers, a university like this, that somebody will come in and grab him and use to build.”

This statement has raised eyebrows, especially given Bassett’s talent. The effect of those who have raised doubts about his potential remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Bassett continues to prove himself through his performances above any reaction to skepticism. Yet all eyes are on his path, as the community as a whole wants to know what’s next for Bassett.

There are also those who want to see if all the hype surrounding him will actually translate to college success. Or as the UFC fighter Bassett will fizzle out soon. What do you think?