Carter Starocci talks smack like he owns the mat. The Penn State juggernaut had boldly declared that he is the “baddest dude out there”. Well, one look at his NCAA record, and you just know where the swagger comes from. You just kind of take his word for it. That also includes his open challenge thrown to UFC fighters. That was in 2023, when his NCAA journey was still unfolding.

Now, it’s 2025. The NCAA legend has put his college career behind him in the most dominant fashion. So, what’s next for the Pennsylvania native? Well, nothing’s been disclosed on the career front. But we are seeing Carter Starocci not keeping his distance from MMA, even if it’s for leisure.

The 24-year-old is taking things slow, catching up with other Penn State alums. There’s an odd one out, though. Taylor Cahill, who shared the pics on his Instagram account on August 8, is a Pennsylvania native just like Starocci, but he is not from Penn State. Nevertheless, he may be the most relevant guy as far as Carter Starocci is concerned. Cahill is a pro MMA fighter in the welterweight class, who, like Starocci, was an NCAA wrestler before making the switch.

Is the Penn State Champ taking notes on how to make a successful transition in quick time? Cahill currently has 2 wins and 2 losses in his pro MMA career in the welterweight class. Recently, he also made his debut in the middleweight Championships as a challenger and won via decision against Jonathan Cooper on July 19. Well, if Starocci is to make a big announcement soon, Cahill is likely to have played a part in it.

The MMA grappler was sitting right next to Carter Starocci as the group met in Beverly Hills, California, for a little hangout and catching up. Incidentally, Starocci has been seen crashing MMA stomping grounds before. He may just be thinking of following in the footsteps of another Penn State icon, Bo Nickal. After a successful NCAA career, Nickal has been dipping his toes in the mixed martial arts scene.

In 2024, Starocci was seen at Nickal’s American Top Team MMA gym going through the grinds. Truth be told, Starocci has never shied away from expressing his liking for the octagon. He has already made his emphatic declaration about what he wants.

Carter Starocci’s MMA tease while dominating the NCAA

His return for the extended eligibility year of 2025 set it up for the never-before-seen five NCAA titles by a wrestler. The dominance that started in 2021 finished with his 4-3 win over Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen in the 2025 Championships Final. The Penn State athlete’s college record stood at 104-4. And yet, despite his crushing dominance, he has always had an eye on the other side.

Back in 2023, the NCAA wrestler was contemplating making the switch to the UFC. He even straight-up threw down the gauntlet – he would take out everyone in the UFC because he is that good. Like we said, Carter Starocci and savage trash talk go hand in hand. And he has even made his way to the UFC Arena to get the vibes in.

What can we say? The Penn State man is built for the glam and the drip. Making his way to UFC 303 on July 4, 2024, the 5-time Champ clearly loved what he saw. And in his Instagram post after the show, Starocci had made it clear a long time ago, “Soon, I will be taking over that Octagon and making it home!”

He has been teasing the MMA debut for a while now. Well, now that his NCAA journey is completed, we might just get the headlines soon.