Bo Bassett’s wrestling run was nothing short of iconic until he hit a bump at the Under-20 World Championships. The wrestling prodigy hailing from Bishop McCort missed the gold. Bo, however, went to battle it out and won the bronze in Pontevedra, Spain. He went on to win, beating opponents including Valentyn Hryhoryshyn from Ukraine and Dzmitry Shvarts from Azerbaijan.

Considering that the match that kicked him off the gold spot was a disappointing one, against Japan’s Makoto Hosokawa that ended with 10-0. Bo Bassett’s bronze-winning match against Nikoloz Beshidze from Georgia was a comeback in itself with a 10-0 victory. Despite the win, the gold medal slipping through Bo’s finger has left him hungry for redemption. On September 29, Bo Bassett will have a chance at redemption!

Bo will be battling a wrestler who is one of the most coveted names in high school wrestling. A name that Bo has previously beaten. The opponent is none other than two-time California state champ Daniel Zepeda. Since Zepeda’s fall in their last match, Bassett has been on fire, sweeping titles at Super 32, Ironman, Powerade, and more. Bo hasn’t had a match since the fall of Zepeda. And with that record backing him, Bo Bassett is ready to claim back his #1 spot.

The competition, however, will not be easy. Daniel Zepeda is no pushover competitor. He is coming off a Fargo title and a nail-biting semifinal win over Pierson Manville. The Bassett-Zepeda rematch at FloWrestling’s Who’s Number One is set for the University of Pitt Johnstown. This is a chance for Bo to rewrite the narrative after having to settle for Bronze. And if anything, for Bo Bassett, this is more than just another match.

What does claiming #1 mean to Bo?

Claiming the #1 spot isn’t just a title for Bo Bassett. It is a statement. Earlier this year, Bo went on to take an unconventional route with his college recruitment. A strategy that is inspired by wrestling legends like Zain Retherford, Spencer Lee, and Jason Nolf. Instead of going the conventional path of picking a few colleges, Bo went on an 80-college tour process, eliminating one college at a time.

Bo Bassett’s latest condensation of college recruitment update sees Stanford dropped from his list! This leaves 18 more schools on his list. This week, Bo stops include Air Force, Penn State, Missouri, Ohio State, Iowa, and Virginia Tech, among others. As he meticulously continues his deduction, he remains focused on finding his next mat to thrive on. Apart from being a rather brilliant marketing strategy, Bo also has other reasons for taking this road less walked by.

The reason? As Bo himself puts it, “When it’s all said and done, I want to know I made the right choice for my future and don’t ever have to second guess.” But his elaborate plan of making the right choices was hurdled when the gold medal eluded him. Claiming the #1 spot will put Bo right back on top. Although Bo’s process has gained much criticism. But Bo remains focused and unbothered. The upcoming rematch and his recruitment saga are just the beginning.