AJ Ferrari had choices—big ones. NIL money? Had it on the table. Wrestling powerhouses like Penn State and Iowa? Yeah, they wanted him. But Ferrari wasn’t just looking for a stacked lineup or a fat paycheck. He wanted a place that had his back, no matter what. That’s why he locked in with Cal State Bakersfield—as for him, loyalty trumps everything.

On March 7, Christian Pyles (@CPyles8) from FloWrestling shared an eye-opening interview with Ferrari on X:
“22 minutes with AJ Ferrari. I am no longer Christina, but JD Rader COULD still be JV… Pretty good peek into AJ’s current mentality, how he improved his composure and extremely candid thoughts on the rest of 197.“

AJ Ferrari could have taken the obvious route—stacked teams, top-tier facilities, NIL checks rolling in. Instead, he walked away from Penn State, Iowa, and a pile of money. Why? Because every school he visited made it clear: one mistake, and you’re out. Schools like Northern Colorado dangled offers, but with conditions. Ferrari wasn’t about to be someone’s risk factor. Then CSU Bakersfield pulled up and said, ‘We got you. For real.’ And with his past, that was all he needed to hear.

“Cal State Bakersfield was the one school that came to me and said, ‘No matter what happens, we’re gonna support you. You make a mistake, we’re gonna help make you into the best person,’” Ferrari said. “Because we know who you are as a person. The stuff people make me out to be? BS. Just because I make one mistake doesn’t mean I’m a bad person.

Adding onto his argument, he said, “People make mistakes as a young man… You don’t fully develop your mind until you’re 25. I feel like a lot of people judge me, and they don’t see that I’ve really grown.”

And that’s the bottom line for Ferrari.  So, while some fans might call it a shock move, Ferrari knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s locked in. He’s focused. And he’s taking his path.

AJ’s Stats Speak for Themselves

Right now, AJ Ferrari is 16-0 on the season—undefeated and absolutely cooking through the 197-pound division. No distractions, no outside noise. Just straight wrestling. And with his ticket to the NCAA Championships punched, Ferrari is coming for that title.

But let’s not forget—he’s still cashing in. Ferrari’s NIL game is strong. He’s got deals with Nutrazone Nutrition, Nearfall Clothing, WWE, and even Toyota. He’ll do fine even after “walked away” from the money. Nearfall even released custom AJ Ferrari wrestling shoes, and Nutrazone? He’s got his own discount code for his followers.

And then there’s the Toyota NIL deal. Ferrari literally got a brand-new Toyota Tacoma, courtesy of Freeway Toyota of Hanford. He made it official with an Instagram post, giving a shoutout to Mr. Juan Roman, Uncle Moses, and Jeffrey Himes for making it happen.

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So yeah, Ferrari turned down Penn State and Iowa. He seems to be simply betting on himself. And if his record and NIL deals say anything, it’s this—he surely made the right call.