Assemble wrestling fans! Have you seen what Josh Barr did in Big Ten action Friday at Rutgers’s Jersey Mike’s arena against Rutgers? Well, his third-period blowout went straight viral. But it wasn’t just the moves on the mat—it was a tweet by none other than Olympic champ Kyle Dake that made everything hit differently. The match was straight fire, with Barr putting up an insane amount of points in a short time, turning heads all over. Then, Kyle Dake posted a tweet that had everyone attesting to the exquisite match!

On 24th January, freshman Josh Barr at 197 lbs went OFF in the third period, and I mean really OFF, against Rutger’s John Poznanski. After a scoreless (0-0) first two periods. So, in the third period, things accelerated even more quickly; Barr took the 1-0 lead in time 1:56. Offense kicked in, and soon it was 4-0, finally ending on 7-2 when Poznanski was cut loose. Barr ended up scoring a wild 22 points in just over a minute. Seven takedowns? Check. An escape? Check. This was domination at its finest, and it had the crowd in shock. 22-6 tech fall at 6:19, damn.

But then Barr received a shoutout for his viral moment from the best as well, Kyle Dake—yes, THE Kyle Dake, who has absolutely seen it all, been world champion four times, and bagged bronze in the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games—posted on X that made the whole thing even better. On January 25th, Dake tweeted, “Barr what are you doing out there haha;” that tweet had fans and wrestlers alike hyping Barr up even more. The kind of recognition that’s like a stamp of approval from the elite.

Dake’s tweet was more than just a casual comment; it was a highlight of the night. When someone like Dake, who’s a legend, acknowledges a younger wrestler’s insane performance, you know it’s something special. Barr’s third period wasn’t just impressive; it was iconic, and Dake’s tweet made sure everyone knew it. As Barr himself put it, “It’s always fun to keep getting better”—and” this moment was proof of that.

Every other bout turned out smooth!

Barr wasn’t the only one putting on a show, though. Penn State’s whole squad was out here looking unbeatable. They posted a crazy 24-1 takedown advantage in the duel. While Josh Barr had his viral moment, Braeden Davis had a nail-biter, edging past Dylan Shawver in a clutch 2-1 win. Davis was coming off a tough loss, but as he said, “I just wanted to make sure I bounced back and did what I needed to do.” Davis’ grit added another W to the Nittany Lions’ total.

Carter Starocci also flexed with another tech fall, proving that Penn State wasn’t just here to win—they were here to dominate. “I love wrestling after Shane because he’s a point scorer and very poised,” Tyler Kasak said, pointing out how the team feeds off each other’s energy. Speaking of Kasak, he secured a 4-0 win, dominating the third period with intense riding time and keeping the Nittany Lions’ momentum rolling.

Shayne Van Ness was another name that stood out. He threw down a 17-2 tech fall, making it look easy. It all happened so naturally and luckily; all the pieces were in place for one more perfect night for the Nittany Lions; they crushed Rutgers 35-3. What a match to witness!

Looking forward, Penn State is prepping up for their next big matchup. The Nittany Lions are going to face off against Iowa on January 31st, and trust me, you don’t want to miss it. “There’s no denying it, I’ve had this marked on my calendar since the schedule came out,” said Tyler Kasak, excited for the showdown. That’s going to be a showdown for the ages. It’s already circled on every wrestling fan’s calendar, and with the way Penn State’s been rolling, this one is bound to be lit. Barr’s breakout performance is just the start—the real test is still coming.