The wrestling community is vast, and every time there’s a certain controversy, everyone has something to share about it.  And the internet sometimes gets a good opportunity to troll the one who is involved in the debate. Indeed, a certain controversy took place recently in the NCAA after a 22-year-old wrestler from West Virginia celebrated in a unique way that caught the attention of people like Carter Starocci.

However, the four-time NCAA champion had nothing but defended the West Virginia wrestler after they received a significant amount of trolling and criticism online. Indeed, with his wealth of experience, Starocci made his statement. Having been a wrestler for a long time, he saw this particular celebration as a reminder of the sport’s roots and its evolution over time.

Going to X, the four-time NCAA champion Carter Starocci opened up, stating, “This is awesome, celly. Too bad we’re in wrestling and have to be robots.” Indeed, it was a unique celebration that Starocci had never experienced before in his career. So which match was he actually referring to? It was the 125-pound matchup between West Virginia’s Jett Strickenberger and Oklahoma State’s Troy Spratley. But what happened on the wrestling mat that caught so much attention online?

The West Virginia wrestler emerged victorious, achieving a fall in 2:52 and a score of 6-0. However, it wasn’t the dominating win against David Taylor’s OSU that caught the community’s attention. Indeed, the way Strickenberger celebrated over Spratley caused an uproar among the fans as he raised his arms and moved them like he was emptying a clip over his opponent. Carter Starocci had no problem with this celebration, as these aggressive elements are something that he misses in the current wrestling regulations.

So was the celebration illegal? Was the celebration specifically out of bounds? Let’s dive into the rule book of NCAA wrestling! Every celebration on the mat should be done with consideration of sportsmanship. Indeed, the wrestlers should respect each other before, during, and after their bout on the mat, as it maintains the integrity of the sport. However, celebrations that are too excessive or prolonged, such as flexing, pointing at opponents, or making gestures, are strictly prohibited, as a wrestler can receive penalties such as points getting deducted from their team or even suspension for a few matches. And yes! The West Virginia wrestler did receive his share of criticism online.

Beyond Carter Starocci’s defense, the wrestling celebration didn’t make the community happy

“Wrestling is supposed to be better than this!” One fan of the sport stated while another left a comment that read, “All for celebrating a big win, but this isn’t a good look for this young man or the school.” Jett Strickenberger surely brought a ton of attention to himself with this unique celebration against Oklahoma State’s Troy Spratley, but at what cost? It completely ruined his image in front of a legion of fans in the wrestling community.

Even top voices of the sport like @Baschamania podcast’s host Justin Basch called out this celebration, stating, “Dumb. Do better.” He’s 22 years old, and whatever the wrestler did might be during the heat of the moment, as he did emerge victorious against a David Taylor-trained Cowboys wrestler. Adrenaline got the best of him, but it has left a dark spot in his NCAA career.