In the world of collegiate wrestling, two arch-rivals always succeed in entertaining spectators on or off the wrestling mat. Carter Starocci vs. Gabe Arnold is among the most awaited showdowns this season. The major reason behind this is the open challenge both the wrestlers have posed to each other.
Coming up with a series of wins, Penn State will be locking horns against No.2 Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday. As the two teams are gearing up for the upcoming showdown, spectators are awaiting Nittany Lions’ key wrestler’s move to keep up with his promise against Hawkeyes freshman and his arch-rival.
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Carter Starocci vs. Gabe Arnold: the verbal war
Recently, a short clip where Gabe Arnold sat down with Clash of Combat last month was posted on their official YouTube account and is making waves throughout social media. Interestingly, Gabe’s reply when asked about Starocci’s claim went viral when he said, “ February is quickly approaching, so I hope you know either he can back up his words, or I can back up mine.”
It all started last year after Starocci defeated Iowa’s Nelson Brands. Gabe Arnold, referring to Starocci’s win, tweeted, “Overrated…I said what I said #seeyousoon.” In response to the criticism by the two-time prep school national champion, Starocci was not the one to keep silent.
He said, “If you (Gabe Arnold) can kiss enough b**t and get in the starting lineup. I’ll take care of business there. And It’ll be in his home dojo too“. He went on saying, “He can get whooped in front of his mom and dad. So that’ll be fun.” Now these two wrestlers have the chance to take verbal rivalry to the mats. And their standings speak volumes about the intensity of the matchup.
Gabe Arnold is a #5th recruit from last year’s class with an overall score of 11-0 in all competitions, including wins over top 10 ranking wrestlers. Last year he already made it clear Starocci is the one who he wants to defeat this year. On the other hand, Starocci is on a 61-match winning streak, which is the longest active in America. But there is a twist in the story.
Will the heat ever reach the mats?
Gabe Arnold has the achievement of defeating ranked opponents in both the 174 and 184 categories. He will face Starocci only if he wrestles in the 174 category. But Tom Brands may find a more worthy opponent of Starocci in Patrick Kennedy at 174. Kennedy stands at No. 7 at 174 and is 10-3 overall. This turns the attention to the 184 category.
Iowa’s usual contender in 184 pounds is Aiden Riggins. But presently, he has his losses and wins equal (10). This probably makes Gabe Arnold a better bet in the 184 pounds. Penn State’s Bernie Truax is ranked No. 6 in that weight class. But Arnold has a win over a top-10 wrestler at 184. So despite Truax being the favorite, Arnold poses as a formidable opponent. Now, it remains to be seen if much-anticipated matchup between Starocci and Arnold at all takes place and gives either of them a chance to keep their word.
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Written by
Edited by
Bhujaya Ray Chowdhury