If we had to name the current face of NCAA wrestling, one name comes to mind. And for us, just like most, it is Gable Steveson. His dominance on the wrestling mat has reached a level where comparisons to legends are inevitable. With an undefeated streak, the Gopher now has a fourth Big Ten title. With this, he finds himself as one of the greatest heavyweights in collegiate history. But as the accolades pile up, so does the conversation. So how does his legacy stack up when we bring in one of the mat’s most untouchable figures, Cael Sanderson?

Now, mind you, Sanderson is the only NCAA wrestler to go a perfect 159-0 in his career. For this, he remains the gold standard. For years, Sanderson’s name has been synonymous with perfection. No one, not before or since, has replicated his feat of an unblemished record across four NCAA seasons. Not even Gable Steveson can match that with his record of 67-2. But Steveson’s impact extends beyond just stats.

Former collegiate standout wrestler Adam Tirapelle weighed in on social media, drawing direct comparisons between Steveson and Sanderson. He acknowledged Sanderson’s historic 159-0 record as the ultimate benchmark in college wrestling but suggested that Steveson’s dominance over his career is at least on the same level. “Sanderson’s 159-0 is unquestionably the #1 feat in college wrestling history. But for dominance over a career, if you adjust for that first year, it’s 1A and 1B,” Tirapelle posted on X.

He further emphasized the impact of Stevenson’s trajectory despite their different paths. “To be fair, I should have been more clear with wording. Gable’s level of dominance is on par with Sanderson from his sophomore year on (Sanderson redshirted while Gable did not).” While the redshirt debate remains a ‘what if,’ Tirapelle didn’t hesitate to place Steveson in the same tier as Sanderson.

“Could Gable have done it with a redshirt? We’ll never know. But Gable is the only name that comes to mind if you’re asking for someone that compares to how Sanderson wrestled and dominated his entire career.”He concluded by reinforcing the uniqueness of both wrestlers, stating, “Both are remarkable, and while there are others that have done amazing things (Dake, Steiber, Taylor, etc.), they aren’t the same.” Steveson’s performance at the Big Ten Championships only added weight to the debate.

But while the comparison with Cael may go the Penn State coach’s way, when it comes to his students, Gable clears them by a long shot. Oh, you don’t believe us? Well, just watch last night’s Big 10 Championship finals.

Top Comment by Joe

You make note that he beat Sanderson’s wrestlers, but left out those 2 L’s in his column is to 1...more

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Steveson silences doubters with dominant Big Ten title win over Kerkvliet.

When asked if he was satisfied with his performance, Gable Steveson’s response in an interview with Flo Wrestling was as fierce as his wrestling. “No, I want more takedowns. I want to go out there and keep dominating. I want bonus points, and hopefully in a few weeks I can repeat that success.” For Steveson, winning wasn’t enough. His hunger for absolute dominance was evident.

Every match was a chance to widen the gap between himself and the rest of the field. His eyes weren’t just on the present but on the bigger picture. One thing was clear: he wasn’t just back. He was here to leave, no doubt. Meanwhile, on the other side, the Penn State coach Sanderson had complete faith in his guy Greg Kerkvliet. But why shouldn’t he? After all, Greg was the reigning Big 10 heavyweight champion.

So when Sanderson was asked about what his strategy was for Greg before he faced Gable in the finals of the Big 10, his reply was simple. As stated by Echo-Pilot, Sanderson said, “Greg just needs to be Greg and just kind of do what he does and compete freely because he’s really, really good.”

But against a version of Steveson that refused to settle for anything less than perfection, simply being “really, really good” wasn’t going to be enough. This turned out to be true as on March 9, under the bright lights of Evanston, Steveson once again proved why he’s called the Golden Gabe. He dismantled defending champion Kerkvliet with a commanding 10-3 victory in the Big Ten Championship Finals.

With this, he proved beyond a doubt that he was still a force to be reckoned with. The win wasn’t just another title. It was a statement. In the process, he extended his legendary winning streak to 66 matches, solidifying his place as one of the greatest collegiate wrestlers the sport has ever seen. But while comparisons are a part and parcel of the game, the bigger question is: what is next for Gable? The NCAA title? The Sullivan Award? Sure, but what after that? What do you guys think?