AJ Ferrari just did that thing again — you know, the whole winning and making headlines like it’s casual Tuesday. This time, the CSU Bakersfield superstar (and former NCAA champ) bagged a Pac-12 title, putting the whole wrestling world on notice. If you’ve been sleeping on Ferrari’s NCAA comeback tour, consider this your official wake-up call. 

Wrestling media king Justin Basch summed it up best on X when he posted on March 6: “#4 AJ Ferrari moves to 16-0 on the year as he takes out #7 Stephen Little 2-0 in the Pac 12 Finals. In 2 seasons competing, AJ now has both a Big 12 & Pac 12 Championship.” Ferrari is out here collecting conference titles like Pokémon badges.

Let’s talk about that Pac-12 Finals match for a second. Ferrari squared off against Stephen Little from Little Rock, and this one was a full-on grind fest. First period? No points. Just two dudes testing each other’s ankles like it’s a podiatrist convention. Second period? Ferrari went full spider-monkey with a tough ride out, even while Little dipped into concussion protocol mid-match (yes, really!). Third period? Ferrari escaped in 6 seconds flat, stacked up 1:54 of riding time, and forced a stall call on Little. The final score was Ferrari 2-0!

Given how his performances have been largely stellar this season, does it really come off as a surprise? So far, Ferrari’s sitting at a perfect 16-0 record, and he’s rocking the #4 spot nationally at 197 pounds. It’s not bad for a dude who switched schools, switched conferences, and still stayed undefeated like it’s light work. (And let’s not even dive into the controversies that he has found himself in the center of!) CSU Bakersfield hasn’t had a star like this in forever, and the whole Roadrunners squad is living for it.

If this all feels a little déjà vu, that’s because Ferrari’s already done this whole NCAA champ thing before. Back in 2021, as a true freshman at Oklahoma State, he won the NCAA title at 197 pounds, beating Pitt’s Nino Bonaccorsi 4-2. That dub made him just the third true freshman in OSU history to pull off a natty. And now, after flipping the Pac-12 upside down and given the fact the NCAA season is drawing to a close, speculations about Ferrari’s future are rampant. Let’s see what this expert had to say.

Is AJ Ferrari’s NCAA takeover 2.0 on the cards?

NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships is set for March 20-22. The event will take place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. So what’s next for Mr. Fast Twitch? Simple: he wants all the smoke at NCAAs. Ferrari’s not just aiming for a deep run — this man’s wired for gold. And if you forgot, Ferrari’s trophy shelf already includes some serious hardware, like he was previously signed by the WWE under its NIL (Next in Line) program. In freestyle, he claimed a bronze medal at the 2018 Cadet World Championships and was the 2020 US junior national champion. Basically, he’s been that guy since day one.

And as you can tell by the aforementioned numbers, Ferrari is one wrestler that is in heavy demand. This is where the wrestling analyst Christian Pyles comes in, hinting at something not a lot of us may have seen coming. Responding to a fan’s query of whether Ferrari can land with Iowa Hawkeyes next season over on X, he wrote, “I have no idea. I’m excited to watch AJ tomorrow! If he gets through this season without issue, I can imagine he will have lots of suitors. With Buchanan graduating, Iowa could use a 197.”

If you really think about it, then the idea does sound like somewhat of a dream because Iowa wrestling has been a breeding ground for champions. Names like Jacob Warner, Abe Assad, and Stephen Buchanan ring a bell? Now that Buchanan is all set to graduate, maybe the opening at 197 pounds is the final piece required for the 23-year-old wrestler to fit? And under head coach Tom Brands, things are possible. The team is displaying some incredible aggression, heavy offense, and pure dominance.

Long story short? Ferrari’s back — and not just back, but back in the NCAA title convo with a vengeance. From Oklahoma State to Pac-12 king at Bakersfield, Ferrari’s journey is pure chaos energy in the best way. One thing’s for sure — when the NCAA Championships hit Philly, all eyes are gonna be locked on Ferrari. Win or lose, it’s gonna be a show.