While most of the sports-watching world was tuned into March Madness on Saturday night, President Donald Trump (and Elon Musk) chose instead to attend the NCAA men's wrestling championships in Philadelphia. Trump, of course, has been a big fan of combat sports for most of his life and is good friends with UFC owner Dana White. He also attended the NCAA wrestling championships in 2023 as a presidential candidate.
Still, it has to be a pretty great moment for the athletes in this competition, who are often overlooked for more high-profile sports such as basketball or football, to have the President of the United States attend their most important event.
And what a show they put on for him.
The final champion of the night decided that he would demonstrate his appreciation to the President in the best way he knew how. No introductory explanation is needed. Just watch:
Wyatt Hendrickson — a second lieutenant in the @usairforce — salutes President Donald J. Trump after winning an @NCAAWrestling national championship 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/KK4ngwH7mW
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 23, 2025
The reaction of the announcers really says it all. 'Captain America! Shut up! I'm glad that was the last match! This is what a main event looks like!'
Wearing the American flag. Saluting the President. Shaking his hand and having him say how proud he is of you. How can you not love every last second of that?
Incredible. 🇺🇸 https://t.co/5hpLYn1WPV
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellATSD) March 23, 2025
What many people might not know is that Hendrickson's victory was a huge (YUGE, even) upset, maybe one of the biggest in college wrestling history. His opponent in the championship match was Gable Stevenson of the University of Minnesota, who was a two-time NCAA champion, an Olympic gold medalist, and was riding a 70-match winning streak coming into the championship.
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Not only that, but Hendrickson's win marked the first time that Oklahoma State had won an NCAA title in the heavyweight division in 20 years.
Just watch the reaction of the crowd and listen to the announcers at the moment that Hendrickson won the title:
The shot
— NATIONAL CHAMPION Wyatt Hendrickson Stan (@stillyorbust) March 23, 2025
The scramble
The double
The crowd rising to its feet
The announcers screaming and they can’t even be heard
The director committing to the cinematic shot instead of cutting like crazy
As the kids say, CINEMA pic.twitter.com/x7YbuJQkux
Pure bedlam. Hollywood couldn't have scripted anything better. (Sorry, Vision Quest.)
Two-time NCAA heavyweight champion Kurt Angle said it was one of the biggest upsets he had ever witnessed.
Congrats to Wyatt Hendrickson of Oklahoma State for doing the impossible…. by beating Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Stevenson of the U of Minnesota at the 2025 NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia. This could very well be the biggest upset since Dan Gable lost…
— Kurt Angle (@RealKurtAngle) March 23, 2025
And then following that up by draping the flag over his shoulders and saluting the President? Come on!
This is very inspiring. https://t.co/bP56z7RSbQ
— Nick Searcy, Actor/Director/Producer/Author (@yesnicksearcy) March 23, 2025
What can we say? Sometimes Cinderella shows up to the dance in the form of a 285-pound Air Force Second Lieutenant.
This… All of THIS https://t.co/oLMRHFxTLU
— Beard Vet (@Beard_Vet) March 23, 2025
So proud of Wyatt and @CowboyWrestling! 🇺🇸
— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) March 23, 2025
Hendrickson made everyone in the Sooner State very proud last night ... for more than one reason.
Congrats! Glad to see patriotism is great again!
— Daughter of Agnes (@daughterofaggie) March 23, 2025
Patriotism is back. Exceptionalism is back. AMERICA is back.
If you think you love this country now, you're not going to believe the future heading our way. https://t.co/SLibRM03wE
— Seattle Extremist (@SeattleIndepen1) March 23, 2025
Not all young men may have Hendrickson's athletic talent, but we are seeing a LOT of young men who are tired of people hating this country and who are absolutely done with woke ideologies like 'toxic masculinity.'
I wonder if Tim Walz thinks he could take on that Trump supporter
— Darren Moody (@DarrenMoody) March 23, 2025
HAHAHAHA.
Tampon Tim, who recently told Gavin Newsom that he could 'kick most of MAGA's a**es,' might want to start with an easier opponent ... like one of the 'White Dudes for Harris.'
Watching this video fills us all with pride of what it is to be an American. Great stuff. Gives me happy shivers. 😊
— Doug_in_AZ (@Doug_in_AZ) March 23, 2025
The upset made me jump up and down. The salute gave me goosebumps.
— Aaron Kerr (@kerr_azy) March 23, 2025
Congrats, Wyatt! Your victory makes us all proud
— Tom Lesher (@CoastToTable) March 23, 2025
We're so proud that we think it might be getting a little dusty in here.
“[Trump] came here to support his troops. I put on a show for him. I won him that national title.”
— Jessica 🇺🇸 (@RealJessica05) March 23, 2025
Goosebumps. https://t.co/gdZmRSQXyG
Win a National Championship, salute and shake President Trumps hand, and give glory to God… such a cool way to end the tournament!! https://t.co/cgKaRteiN2
— Addison Ufkes (@adduhhfkiss) March 23, 2025
As the announcers said, 'This is what a main event looks like.'
And we couldn't agree more.
Congratulations to Second Lieutenant Wyatt Hendrickson on his historic NCAA title, and for being a man who makes us all proud to be Americans.
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