“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 Academy 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. In the semifinal, he pinned Trent Hillger (10-4). After a few hours, Hendrickson faced Demeritus Thomas of the New York Athletic Club in the final— and once again, he delivered a dominant, resounding victory (14-3) that left no doubts: Wyatt Hendrickson is not just coming — he’s here.

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. And who doesn’t know that the road from this Final X will lead to the senior team for the 2028 LA Olympics?

So, as the juggernaut of Hayden Zillmer in 125 kg is already down, Hendrickson can be a prominent face to enter the world team. However, to know more, the wrestling fans will have to wait for a few more days. But before that, as far as the prospect is concerned, Wyatt has already shown hope. 

Wyatt Hendrickson gathers laurels, giving fans hope 

A month ago, Wyatt Hendrickson did the unthinkable — he took down Gable Steveson, ending the Olympic champion’s jaw-dropping 60+ match winning streak. For most wrestlers, that kind of victory would be the peak, the moment to finally catch their breath. Not for Wyatt.

Before he even stepped onto the mat against Steveson, Hendrickson had already captured the Big 12 Championship title. But even with trophies stacking up, he showed no signs of slowing down — only an unshakable drive to get even better. Evidence? 

In a March conversation with MMA Junkie, Wyatt made his mindset crystal clear: “This was a really big benchmark and it was something exciting that happened. It’s not a time to take the foot off the gas. We’re still getting that work in and grinding. I still have a lot of stuff I can improve on…I’m still hungry. I’m excited. Yeah, it was nice. But I’m not content yet. I’ve still got more goals I want to achieve.” It’s rare to see a champion talk with that kind of fire — and even rarer to see him back it up. But Hendrickson has done exactly that, recently adding the prestigious 2025 Dan Hodge Trophy to his growing list of accolades. At this point, for Wyatt Hendrickson, the sky isn’t the limit — it’s just the beginning.