The 2024-25 college wrestling season was truly unique! Numerous programs have experienced their peaks and declines, and now we find ourselves with just one event remaining: the NCAA Championships. Nonetheless, no tournament is complete without its share of controversy, and this time the NCAA finals found itself embroiled in one as well. Recall the excitement when someone exclaimed, “I heard @NCAAWrestling is starting at 184 tonight!!! Hey @espn  this is promotional malpractice. You don’t put the main event in the lead off spot 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️” What is the subject of their discussion?

The NCAA Championships are set to showcase an exciting 184 lbs clash between Carter Starocci and Parker Keckeisen. For those passionate about wrestling, it’s essential to note that the Penn State wrestler is on the brink of history, needing to overcome the Northern Iowa wrestler to secure his fifth NCAA title. What sparked a reaction within the college wrestling community? The schedule for broadcasting is crucial, as this match will take center stage during the event.

Numerous individuals expressed a desire for it to be scheduled at a later time, yet that was not the outcome. In response to the growing criticism, wrestling icon Jordan Burroughs stepped forward to support ESPN, remarking, “Alright guys, so I’m starting to see the grumblings already on social media in regards to ESPN’s decision to start tonight’s match with the 184 pound match and end with a heavyweight match.”

Additionally, the wrestling icon elaborated on the decision to feature Starocci’s match at the beginning, noting, “If anyone’s watched the entire production at the very beginning we always have a really long intro. We talk about the city, we talk about the magnitude of the moment, here’s what now we get to transition and do. We get to spend the four or five minutes opening up the production of the entire show this evening talking about the significance of Carter Starocci’s fifth title, where if he was wedged between a match and the lineup we’d only have 45 seconds going to the intro to talk about how significant the moment was and it really wouldn’t do justice to how big a fifth title could potentially be.”

To put it simply? The focus is set to shine brightly on the two narratives that the NCAA finals promise to deliver to the audience. The broadcast will kick off by highlighting the excitement surrounding the matchup between Starocci and Keckheisen. Following a few more matches, the show will conclude with the highly anticipated clash between Gable Steveson and Wyatt Hendrickson in the 285 lbs category. Apart from explaining what ESPN’s idea was behind the schedule, he further explained this situation to the broader audience.

Jordan Burroughs knows the importance of the NCAA championships

“Let me preface this first. I say this with absolute respect and admiration for what Carter Starocci has done and is attempting tonight,” Jordan Burroughs expressed. He aims to be considerate of fans’ feelings regarding this matter, as he holds great respect for Starocci, who has the potential to make history at the NCAA Championships.

In straightforward language, the wrestling icon stated, “Wrestling fans know Carter, the world knows Gable.” According to Burroughs, the ESPN team conducted a vote following the semi-finals and reached a collective decision. Moreover, he emphasized that given Gable’s status as an Olympic Gold medalist, his experience in the NFL, and his time on the WWE roster, his audience is bound to surpass that of Starocci.

Concluding the debate, the wrestling icon stated, “I think both guys will be given their due credit tonight. Both are exceptional competitors and the World will watch with anticipation. With two men of this magnitude there could only be one to close the show. But this format makes an incredible event from start to finish.”

This year’s NCAA Championships undoubtedly feature two matches with significant stakes involved. In summary, the entire event promises to be a delight for college wrestling enthusiasts, as they await the arrival of the new season.