Wyatt Hendrickson, who stunned Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson to win the 285-pound national title at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships in March, has signed with Real American Freestyle.
Hendrickson joins the company after claiming the Hodge Trophy for Oklahoma State as the nation’s top men’s college wrestler.
Hendrickson’s victory over Minnesota’s Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist in Tokyo, drew national attention beyond the sport. His dramatic late takedown in the final gave him the 5-4 win and closed out a 27-0 season. It was the only time Steveson was taken down all season, and it ended his winning streak at 70 matches.
Real American Freestyle commissioner Hulk Hogan told The Associated Press when the company launched in April that Hendrickson, an Air Force second lieutenant, was “on the radar.” The company announced the signing on Wednesday.
“Wyatt Hendrickson right now is the sport of wrestling, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to the Real American Freestyle team after what was truly a historic win and unbelievable season,” Hogan said in a statement.
Kennedy Blades, an American who earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, will be the face of the company’s women’s division.
American Olympic medalists Kyle Snyder, Kyle Dake and Aaron Brooks are the biggest names to have signed on the men’s side. Snyder earned gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and silver in Tokyo. Dake is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist. Brooks, a four-time national champion at Penn State, was a bronze medalist in Paris.
Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen will be a live event commentator and analyst.
Real American Freestyle events will feature single matches at eight men’s and four women’s weight classes. The first event is scheduled for Aug. 30 in Cleveland, with other sites to be named in the coming months.
