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The Ohio State Wrestling team found a deceptive phenom in Sammy Sasso. In 2022-23, the Redshirt senior grabbed his penultimate 2022 Michigan State Open in the open division, with a clean slate. In the same season, he earned his Big Ten Title in the 149 category. But all these possibilities took a standstill in 2023, resulting from an unbound shootout on the wrestler. That wrecked his chance at the U23 World Championship in the same year. 

But the Nazareth native recently found Team USA to acknowledge his wrestling possibilities. In the process, the wrestling body took an unprecedented step to commemorate the guy who flouted a near-death happening. 

Sammy Sasso achieves his missed wrestling moment 

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On January 20, Ohio State Wrestling’s X-handle appeared in a moment of joy to announce its 157-category wrestling spearhead, Sammy Sasso. For the last few months, the handle posted about his recovery process. But this time it was on his achievement. The caption set the mood with the sentences, “Although Sammy Sasso, a U23 world team member, was unable to compete in the 2023 U23 World Championships, Team USA recognizes him as an honorary member. Sasso is being presented with a world championship ring for his contribution to Team USA #GoBucks” The Team USA did miss the No. 3 wrestler in Tirana, Albania, as in September, Sasso took an omission from the lineup. The reason was his ailing health. 

On August 18, 2023, the wrestler faced a carjacking incident that resulted in a bullet injury to him. Sammy Sasso spent the next 41 days in the hospital, ultimately missing the U23 World Wrestling Championship. However, the OSU coach, Tom Ryan, remained hopeful about Sasso’s fiery return. That was evident when he returned to Jennings, after receiving a leaving certificate from the hospital. 

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The warrior’s Olympic chances hanging by a thread

When explaining Sammy Sasso’s mentality, Tom Ryan added, “Sammy is an ultimate warrior. His mindset is: ‘If I have to wrestle on my knees, I will.’ ” So when Sasso appeared in the Jennings wrestling camp, the eruption was natural. But his comeback information wasn’t clear at that moment. But in the continuation, Sammy Sasso announced his entry in the PreSeason Primer Event in December 2023. So after that, the wrestler hasn’t been active in competitive wrestling. 

Read more: Months after forfeiting out of US Open, Spencer Lee returns to mat for a spot in 2024 Olympic Qualifiers

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In this situation, however, his Olympic participation chance is on the bay, which was pretty much on the card at the start of the previous season. But the latest achievement would motivate Sammy Sasso to solidify his return to that zone again.

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