AJ Ferrari Takes Subtle Dig at David Taylor Post-UNC Transfer Portal News

We already know AJ Ferrari is going coast to coast with his latest decision to transfer to North Carolina (his third collegiate stop, after wrestling for Oklahoma State and Cal State Bakersfield). But that was no simple reveal. He added flair to the announcement as it happened live on ‘FloWrestling Radio Live’. While he initially joked about going to Penn State and moving to the heavyweight class, he then changed the narrative and hilariously revealed it was Iowa where he would join his younger brother. But after minutes of playing around with the audience, he revealed North Carolina would be his new home. But that’s not even the biggest news!

AJ Ferrari passed on programs run by wrestling royalty—Cael Sanderson at Penn State and David Taylor at Oklahoma State to take a completely different route. So why turn down two of the most decorated coaches in the sport? He explained it all on the FloWrestling podcast, where he broke down his decision to commit to the University of North Carolina—and put his trust in head coach Rob Koll. The reason? It came down to faith, culture, and long-term growth. Ferrari said during an interview:

“Just what you said—the training partners, the facilities, and the coaches being, again like I said, number one—they’re all strong Christian believers and they have the fruit of that. You know, they show those fruits. They’re good people. They live the lifestyle that I aspire to live. They’re great people, and I just really respect them.

“And then on top of that, you know the only coach ever to coach four-time national champions, two of them, is Rob Koll. The only exception for that is Cael Sanderson. You know, Rob coached Kyle Dake and Yianni Diakomihalis. And then the only other person, other head coach to ever do that, is Cael Sanderson coaching Aaron Brooks and then coaching Carter [Starocci]. So that just shows that he has a culture of finding guys to reach their highest level.” But what does any of this have to do with David Taylor?

You see, he still picked Rob Koll over David Taylor. On the surface, that’s a curveball. But the story might not line up exactly with what he’s saying. Taylor’s running the show at Oklahoma State now, and his résumé reads like a wrestling GOAT checklist: Olympic gold in Tokyo, three world titles (2018, 2022, 2023), a bronze in 2024, two NCAA titles at Penn State, and two Dan Hodge Trophies.

But for Ferrari, it wasn’t about joining the most stacked room or collecting titles for the shelf. His career’s been a rollercoaster lately—huge potential, flashes of brilliance, but also some bumps in the road. And maybe, just maybe, that made him realize he needed something different. Taylor’s program is loaded, no doubt, but AJ Ferrari seems to be chasing more than medals now. That might be the reason he chose Rob Koll. And let’s be real—his road to this point hasn’t been easy.

Top Comment by gbrown701

How on earth is the oldest son, the most spoiled? He is still about as mature as a sixth grader....more

Share your take

Debate

AJ Ferrari still has gold on his mind

AJ Ferrari’s road has been full of twists, turns, and some serious detours—but somehow, he keeps finding his way back to the spotlight. He burst onto the scene at Oklahoma State, winning a national title at 197 as a true freshman in 2021. The next season? He came out hot with a 10-0 start until a brutal car accident brought everything to a halt. For two whole seasons, Ferrari didn’t wrestle a single college match.

A lot of people thought he was done. But nope—he popped back up at Cal State Bakersfield in 2024, wrestled like he never left, and fought his way to a third-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championships. Yes, he has still got it. Now, AJ Ferrari is taking his talents to North Carolina—and make no mistake, he is not just there to make the lineup.

With at least two years of eligibility left (maybe even three if he gets that medical red shirt for 2021–22), Ferrari is coming in ready to chase another title.

He’ll probably stay at 197, but don’t be shocked if he bulks up to heavyweight. Either way, he’s going to shake things up in Chapel Hill. So yes, he has bounced back. And now, he’s got his eyes on a fresh start—and another shot at NCAA gold. But whether he will be able to do it is another question. What do you think?