After Tasting Victory, Jason Nolf Signals “Beginning” to Move Away From Penn State Wrestling

Jason Nolf’s foray into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu marks a significant milestone in his combat sports journey. His statement, “I’ve always wanted to compete in Jiu-Jitsu and um I know the promoter down there, the guy that runs the gym, and he asked me if I want to do this match and um I’m like sure,” show how he really wanted to try Jiu-Jitsu. This was the opportunity that led to his participation in the Paradigm Open 3 on June 9. Nolf’s success in Jiu-Jitsu wasn’t just luck; he had been honing his skills in mixed martial arts for quite some time.

This experience likely contributed to his victory using the arm-triangle choke, a move that has since gained widespread attention online. His impressive performance, coupled with extensive MMA training, marks Nolf’s transition away from full-time wrestling at Penn State. Adding to the excitement, Nolf’s opponent came from a top wrestling organization, boosting Nolf’s reputation and confidence in his new path.

Jason Nolf has decided to transition out of Penn State Wrestling

In a recent Instagram post, Jason Nolf highlighted his transition from wrestling to Jiu Jitsu. He captioned it, “In case you missed my BJJ debut Sunday, some highlights 😎 Just the beginning 🙌🏼”. In the reel, he was seen grappling with Andrew Simmons on the mat. From the beginning, neither man wanted to back down, and they went straight for the takedown. They were hand-fighting and trying to gain an advantage on their feet. Jason Nolf perfected his technique in the turtle position during his time at Penn State. At one point, he executed an impressive duck to score the takedown and ultimately won the crown.

Nolf turned heads with his victory, which paved the way for a full-time career in MMA. He mentioned training with Nickal and Jon Tran from the 85 BJJ Academy, highlighting his growing jiu-jitsu skills. “I’ve been training a little bit with Jon and Bo, doing a couple of Jiu-Jitsu drills. I have like four moves that I’m just hoping that one of those four moves works,” Jason candidly shared about his training approach. He revealed that a few acquaintances helped him take the first step toward realizing his dream. Emphasizing that taking baby steps is the way forward, he added, “Got to start somewhere”.

Only a few months ago, Nolf defeated Olympic star Jordan Burroughs. This victory was a redemption for Penn State after Nolf fell behind Carter Starocci. However, later in the 70 kg weight class final, Nolf ultimately conceded defeat to Kyle Dake. Dake went on to qualify for the Paris Olympics, while Nolf did not. This defeat, along with the retirement of coach Cael Sanderson, may have contributed to the departure of Penn State legends David Taylor and Jason Nolf. Despite having a decorated Penn State wrestling career with a 117-3 record over his four seasons, Nolf, who set the Penn State program’s career record with 60 pins and won the NCAA title from 2017 to 2019, seems determined to follow a new path.

How can Jason Nolf benefit from Bo Nickal’s transition to UFC?

Former Penn State wrestling teammates Bo Nickal and Jason Nolf are known for their close friendship. They have won a combined 6 NCAA championships. Nolf even noted, “When his hand was raised for the final time in Penn State singlet, Bo Nickal cemented his legacy as one of the greatest to ever do it.” After Cael Sanderson’s departure, several Penn State wrestlers are transitioning from Penn State wrestling. The program that once dominated is now dwindling. As one teammate said, “It sucks that we lost a bunch of guys.” 

Nolf and Nickal even cross-trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu together. Nickal has recently made the transition from MMA to UFC. Last year, for his debut, he took on Tresean Gore at UFC 290 on July 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He earned his UFC contract after just three professional MMA fights, demonstrating his prowess. Nickal himself spoke about the challenges, saying that he is “understanding the pace, the range, [ and ] overall just approaching the sport from a beginner’s perspective.” This makes the transition easier for Jason Nolf to UFC because he has Nickal’s guidance to fall back on.