Things got pretty intense at Gallagher-Iba Arena when David Taylor’s Oklahoma State squared off against West Virginia on 19th January, and while most fans were hyped about the victories, the post-match drama had everyone talking. It wasn’t about the actual wins—it was how one of the wrestlers celebrated. The Cowboys were holding their ground, but a questionable moment from one wrestler’s victory celebration had fans blowing up on social media.

The match had its highs and lows for Oklahoma State. The Cowboys started off shaky with a loss from No. 4-ranked Troy Spratley at 125 pounds, but they didn’t let that shake their confidence. With big wins from Dean Hamiti Jr., Dustin Plott, and Carter Starocci, things were looking up. But when it came down to the 125-pound matchup between West Virginia’s Jett Strickenberger and Oklahoma State’s own, it wasn’t just the match that got people talking—it was how Strickenberger celebrated after his win.

About the match and the controversy

David Taylor’s Cowboys had their fair share of challenges in this match, and things got a little spicy during the 125-pound contest between Troy Spratley and West Virginia’s Jett Strickenberger. He came out on top with a fall (2:52) over Spratley 6-0, but the controversy didn’t come from the win—it came from how he celebrated.

The match wasn’t anything crazy, but the 22-year-old Strickenberger’s celebration after sealing the deal was over the top. Instead of just shaking hands and keeping it professional, he went wild—so wild that he actually gestured emptying the clip on Troy. Fans on both sides of the arena were a little uncomfortable with how he acted, and when the @Baschamania podcast’s host Justin Basch (@JustinJBasch) reposted the celebration on X, captioning it, “Dumb. Do better,” many took to social media to voice their disappointment there. While no one was upset about Strickenberger winning, the way he celebrated had people questioning his sportsmanship.

Other matches during the day saw more measured celebrations. David Taylor’s student, Dean Hamiti Jr., pulled off a dominant performance at 133 pounds, securing a 6-2 victory over West Virginia’s Aidan Haug. Dustin Plott had a fantastic match at 174 pounds, shutting out West Virginia’s Matthew Schmitt with a 7-0 decision. Carter Starocci, one of the bigger names in wrestling, won at 184 pounds in a dominant 12-2 major decision over West Virginia’s Griffin Parriott.

Despite these solid wins and respectful celebrations, Strickenberger’s reaction to his victory at 125 pounds overshadowed the results of other matches. It wasn’t that his victory wasn’t deserved—it was just that the celebration didn’t sit right with a lot of people.

People took it to heart, saying, “absolutely classless,” defending David Taylor’s Cowboys

Fans couldn’t help but express their frustration online. One comment read, “Not a good look.” It didn’t stop there—another fan compared Strickenberger’s celebration to a penalty in football, saying, “That’s 15 yards in the NFL.” Clearly, fans felt like Strickenberger’s actions deserved some kind of consequence. If you go and click on the X video attached above, you’d know that after the win, Strickenberger celebrated it in an unprofessional manner. It might be a moment of heat, but fans don’t approve of such behavior.

“How is that not a loss of a point??” one fan questioned, implying that Strickenberger’s behavior was deserving of a penalty or deduction. Wrestling fans were quick to point out that the sport should be about respect and sportsmanship, not a flashy celebration. As Strickenberger’s hand mockery (when he shaped his hands like a gun) pointed at Spratley, it only shot his reputation at this point. Meanwhile, the Cowboys ended up winning the match with a stunning 30-12 win to go 9-0 on the season and in the Big 12 with 6-0.

One tweet summed it all up: “Wrestling is supposed to be better than this!” Fans felt that the wrestling community, especially at the college level, should hold its athletes to a higher standard of professionalism. Even though #13 Jett Strickenberger started off swiftly, with aggression, wrapping things up before the first period could end, with 6 seconds remaining. Spratley tried a reversal to cut the lead to 3-2. A major moment came in when Strickenberger lifted his hips over to pinn.

But the reactions didn’t just stop at disappointment—they turned to genuine concern. One fan wrote, “All for celebrating a big win, but this isn’t a good look for this young man or the school.” Strickenberger’s celebration didn’t just reflect on him—it reflected on his school and his team as well, and many felt it made both look bad, so even after winning the bout over Spratley, it all went down. The final blow came when someone asked, “This is absolutely classless. Were any team points deducted?” Fans were left wondering if there were any repercussions for Strickenberger’s actions, and the lack of consequences made the whole situation seem even worse.

In the end, the match itself wasn’t really the problem—it was how Strickenberger handled the victory that left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. The Cowboys are still a powerhouse team, but this controversy definitely raised some serious questions about what’s appropriate when celebrating a win in the world of college wrestling.