As the 2025 Division 1 NCAA Wrestling Championships kick off in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, fans have already witnessed a torrent of surprising twists and upsets that define the excitement of college wrestling. This championship showcases the nation’s finest talent, but as always, it has delivered jaw-dropping results from the very first round through to the finals. Here’s a comprehensive recap of the most notable upsets by seed from this year’s tournament.

125 Pounds

In the opening round, #18 Jacob Moran (Indiana) edged out #15 Maximo Renteria (Oregon State) by a nail-biting decision of 7-6, marking a thrilling start to the weight class.

133 Pounds

Several shocks occurred here:

#23 Sean Spidle (Central Michigan) took down #10 Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) with a decisive 4-1 victory.

#21 Angelo Rini (Indiana) surprised #12 Ethan Oakley (North Carolina), dominating the match with a stunning 7-1 decision.

#18 Julian Farber (Northern Iowa) managed to outlast #15 Anthony Noto (Lock Haven), securing a narrow 9-8 decision amidst a contest of skill and stamina.

141 Pounds

In 141 pounds, upsets continued as:

#18 Julian Tagg (South Dakota State) overwhelmed #15 Joseph Olivieri (Rutgers) with a major decision of 13-3.

#20 Joshua Saunders (Cornell) achieved a solid 8-2 victory over #13 Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb).

#21 Dylan Chappell (Bucknell) triumphed against #12 Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) with a score of 7-4.

149 Pounds

The action heated up in this weight category as well:

#33 Teague Travis (Oklahoma State) cruised through #32 Wynton Denkins (Campbell) with a major decision of 11-1 in the pigtail match.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was #29 Jack Gioffre (Virginia) who defeated #4 Paniro Johnson (Iowa State) in a tie-breaker, ending the match 5-2.

#19 Andrew Clark (Rutgers) pulled off an upset against #14 Chance Lamer (Cal Poly) with an 8-3 decision.

157 Pounds

Among the stunning outcomes, #23 Chase Saldate (Michigan) achieved a remarkable win by pinning #10 Ethen Miller (Maryland) in just 6:50.

165 Pounds

A couple of notable upsets in 165 pounds included:

#19 Jack Thomsen (Northern Iowa) who bested #14 Drake Rhodes (South Dakota State) by a score of 13-8.

#18 Maxx Mayfield (Northwestern) pulled off an exciting finish against #15 Nicco Ruiz (Arizona State), shaking up the expected outcomes.

174 Pounds

The 174-pound category didn’t hold back either:

#25 Dalton Harkins (Army West Point) won decisively against #8 Lenny Pinto (Nebraska), ending the match with a commanding 6-1 score.

#24 Lennox Wolak (Virginia Tech) overcame #9 Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) for a significant 4-2 upset.

184 Pounds

In another shocker, #20 Nick Fine (Columbia) pinned #13 Evan Bockman (Iowa State), showcasing the intensity of the competition.

197 Pounds

The 197-pound division was filled with surprises:

#26 Brock Zurawski (Rider) secured a thrilling sudden victory over #7 Wyatt Voelker (Northern Iowa).

#24 Gabe Sollars (Indiana) managed to pull off a narrow 6-5 decision against #9 Zac Braunagel (Illinois), proving that rankings can be misleading.

285 Pounds

Lastly, heavyweight wrestling had its share of shock moments:

#22 Brady Colbert (Army West Point) not only advanced past #11 Jimmy Mullen (Virginia Tech) but did so with an impressive 8-1 decision.

This year’s NCAA Wrestling Championships have not only served as a testament to the incredible talent across college wrestling but also proved once again that anything can happen on the mat. As the tournament progresses, unpredictable outcomes seem to be the norm, keeping fans at the edge of their seats. Stay tuned for more upsets as this exhilarating championship unfolds!