It wasn’t just the takedown that shook the wrestling world. It was the way Wyatt Hendrickson stood up afterward. In a moment that felt larger than the crowd in Philadelphia, the Oklahoma State powerhouse dethroned Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson in a shocking 5-4 finish to claim the NCAA heavyweight title. But while the sports world rushed to repost, retweet, and replay the historic upset, Wyatt Hendrickson remained surprisingly quiet online. This silence echoes louder. And Wyatt explains why.

In the days after the stunning win against Steveson on March 23, 2025, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, videos of the match went viral, and wrestling pages flooded social media. However, Hendrickson wasn’t tempted to jump into the noise. “A lot of people were like, hey man, you should start doing this social media stuff,” he said in an interview with FloWrestling. But he had his reservations. For Hendrickson, putting content out into the world simply to chase views or a trend for a moment never made sense. “If I’m doing something, I want it to provide value,” he explained. Hendrickson wasn’t interested in curated highlights or gimmicky engagement. The wrestler who just shocked the NCAA preferred to stay grounded.

Wyatt Hendrickson is using his platform to inspire, not impress

It wasn’t just modesty. It was conviction. He grew up without social media distractions shaping his journey. And the way he saw it, flooding timelines with hollow content wasn’t just a personal discomfort. It was a waste of time. But then something changed. As Hendrickson began to reflect on his past, he thought about the younger version of himself. The kid who once nearly gave up on the sport entirely.

Hendrickson recalled the moment he almost walked away from wrestling. He was young and frustrated, on the verge of quitting, until two names lit the path back. David Taylor and Kyle Dake. “There was a time in my wrestling career when I was ready to quit,” Hendrickson said. “But that’s about when Coach Taylor and Kyle Dake were uprising.” What saved him wasn’t just their matches. It was the connection. The behind-the-scenes footage. The motivational clips. The stories that made legends feel human.

He realized that those glimpses into their lives weren’t just interesting. They were life-altering. They gave him purpose when he had none. “Being able to get an insight on their life, watching some of their documentaries that gave me motivation,” reflected Hendrickson. And now, with a national title and the attention of the entire sport, Hendrickson is ready to do the same.

Now that he’s become a role model himself, Hendrickson’s perspective on social media has evolved. He doesn’t post for clout. He posts with intention. Occasionally, he’ll share scriptures, motivational thoughts, or flashes of fun. It’s all part of what he calls “giving them some value.” Because for him, the goal isn’t to rack up followers. It’s to reach that one kid out there who might be thinking about quitting. Just like he once did.

“If I can do that for this next generation, that’s what’s important to me,” he said. “Giving back and inspiring them.” Hendrickson knows his time at the top will eventually end. But if he can plant a few seeds of hope, a few moments of belief, then the sport will be stronger for it.

He’s not just the guy who beat Gable Steveson. Hendrickson is becoming the guy who’s using that platform with purpose. There’s a difference between being famous and being impactful. And he’s chosen the latter. “If we can elevate USA Wrestling to be the best, that’s what we want at the end of the day,” he said.

So no, Wyatt Hendrickson isn’t here to break the internet. He’s here to build something real. For the kid who’s watching, wondering, and maybe even wavering. And if he plays his part right, he won’t just be remembered for one takedown. He’ll be remembered for every future champion who would say, ‘I saw Wyatt do it—and that’s why I didn’t quit.’ Meanwhile, putting in a fabulous effort, Hendrickson detailed his state of mind right after the historic victory. 

Wyatt Hendrickson relives the call that shook the wrestling world

Wyatt Hendrickson doesn’t need to replay the moment to remember it. But every time he does, the same chill runs through him. The moment Daniel Cormier’s voice echoed through the Wells Fargo Center, stamping history with raw, unfiltered shock, Wyatt Hendrickson just beat Gable Steveson. For Hendrickson, it’s more than just a call. It’s an anthem of belief, timing, and the culmination of years of silent grit.

“Just hearing that commentary, every time I rewatch that last situation with DC commenting, I get off my seat like I don’t know what happened,” Hendrickson shared, still visibly shaken by the magnitude of it all. He added, “The goosebumps are just flowing every single time.” But for all the chills that replay gives, nothing matched the silence that preceded it. Hendrickson likened that final face-off to a movie, a moment suspended in time where only he and his opponent existed, the crowd and noise dissolving into nothingness.

With just seconds left, Hendrickson pulled the trigger. “It kind of felt like it was in slow motion but I knew I took that shot,” he recalled. Hendrickson stated, “I was starting to lose it a little bit but I just had that confidence of, ‘I’m going to get this takedown. I want it. I want it bad.” That split-second decision didn’t just win him a match. It rewrote the narrative. The roar that followed, Cormier’s call, and the crowd’s eruption was validation. Hendrickson had shocked the world. And that sentence? It will run rent-free in his head forever.