Did you hear what an Olympic Gold Medalist just said about one of Penn State’s rising stars? Talk about a major flex! If you weren’t tuned in to the Big Ten matchup on January 31, 2025, you missed one of the most intense, jaw-dropping moments in college wrestling this season, unlike 15,998 people who filled the arena, laying eyes on each move made. #1 Penn State absolutely crushed #2 Iowa with a 30-8 win, and it wasn’t just the team that made waves—there was one comment that had everyone talking.

Enter Rei Higuchi, Japan’s icon freestyle wrestler who bagged Olympic gold at Paris 2024 in the 57 kg division. He took to X (formerly Twitter) on February 1st to share his thoughts on Tyler Kasak. And get this—he kept it short and sweet, simply saying, “Kasak is a good wrestler.” For someone as legendary as Higuchi to drop that kind of praise? HUGE. We’re talking about a wrestler who knows greatness when he sees it.

Let’s talk about why that comment matters. Kasak, who’s on an unstoppable 20-match win streak, faced off against Iowa’s #1 Jacori Teemer in a battle of the 157-pound Titans. Kasak didn’t just show up—he dominated. Kasak used a second-period takedown and 2:06 riding time to hook a 5-2 victory over Teemer, and it wasn’t just a win; it was his sixth-ranked win of the season.

Tyler Kasak is legit, and with that win, he’s proving he’s got a serious future in this sport. Oh, and did we mention he snagged a U17 World silver medal in 2022? Yeah, he’s been on fire for a minute—Kasak’s style? Smooth. He scored a sick takedown in the second period and locked in control with some tight defense, keeping Teemer from making any moves. That 5-2 victory wasn’t just a flash in the pan; it’s a sign of things to come for the Nittany Lions’ future star. And by the way, the rest of the Lions didn’t lay back; the arena was full of action!

Nittany Lions literally roared!

While Kasak was out here making his name, Penn State as a whole was straight-up unstoppable. The Nittany Lions racked up wins all over the place, cruising to their massive 30-8 win over Iowa. First, we had #9 Luke Lilledahl starting things off with a 22-6 tech fall at 125 pounds. Talk about setting the tone for the whole dual. Then, Mitchell Mesenbrink flexed his skills at 165 pounds, obliterating #2 Mikey Caliendo 19-4 to keep his undefeated season alive. At 174, Levi Haines flexed with a solid 10-3 win over Iowa’s Patrick Kennedy.

Then came one of the most anticipated matches of the face-off, the 184-pound match, where Carter Starocci got the win over Angelo Ferrari in a tight 3-1 decision. The grand finale came at 285 pounds, where #2 Greg Kerkvliet slammed a 12-2 major decision on Iowa’s Ben Kueter. By the time all the dust settled, Penn State had locked in their W, proving they’re the undisputed kings of collegiate wrestling.

So yeah, that night in University Park? A night for the history books. Penn State dominated, and with Higuchi’s rare endorsement of Kasak, it’s clear: the future is looking bright for this team and their rising star. Tyler Kasak’s journey has only just begun, and if he keeps up this level of performance, he’s about to make some serious noise in the wrestling world. We can’t wait to see what’s next for this future champ. What do you think of that? Flood the comments!