Did Former NCAA Champion A.J. Ferrari’s Controversial Disqualification Took Brother Anthony Off-Game?

The 2021 NCAA champion AJ Ferrari returned to the mat after two years of absence. However, the former Oklahoma student didn’t make the triumphant way back as many hoped to see. At the recently concluded Soldier Salute tournament, Ferrari clashed against potential future teammate Zach Glazier. Despite winning the finals, a bizarre situation resulted in Ferrari’s disqualification and it looks like maybe that impacted his younger brother Anthony’s performance as well.

Anthony Ferrari reached the Soldier Salute finals in the 149lb category and was slated to face off against Iowa Hawkeyes’ Caleb Rathjen. With his brother ending the tournament on a bitter note, Anthony also concluded the tournament securing defeat from his counterpart, resulting in a 7-2 decision loss.

Anthony Ferrari handed a defeat by future teammate

Anthony is expected to compete for the Hawkeyes in the next semester and getting up and close with a future teammate gave him an idea about what the Iowa wrestling is all about. A brief scuffle between Rathjen and Ferrari at the end of the match didn’t help and maybe that’s where AJ’s ordeal for the night had started. Anthony suffered two takedowns as Rathjen claimed the top spot in the weight class.

In a short video clip on X, formerly Twitter, Rathjen and Ferrari’s clash can be seen briefly during the third round. With around 14 seconds left on the clock, Rathjen was already leading the unattached Ferrari 4-2. During the final moments, Rathjen managed to hold his ground with determination and picked up a win as Anthony looked disappointed by the results.

AJ Ferrari meets unexpected disqualification

In 2022, AJ Ferrari met with a horrific car crash mid-season when he was riding high on a 10-0 overall record. The incident put Ferrari out of action for months and the NCAA star was poised to get back to his natural habitat at the recently held Soldier Salute in Coralville, IA. In the 197-pound category, Ferrari reached the finals and locked horns with Iowa’s Zach Glazier.

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Despite being tied 1-1 in the third round, Glazier was announced as the winner after Ferrari’s controversial behavior. Like his brother Anthony, AJ also entered the D1 tournament unattached and was considered one of the favorites to win his weight bracket. In a signature AJ Ferrari moment after the riding time, he became entangled in a physical altercation with his opponent leading to his disqualification.

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