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Real American Freestyle Signs 2025 NCAA Division 1 National Champion Wyatt Hendrickson
The first of its kind organization additionally welcomes Beau Bartlett, Nathan Tomasello, Matt Ramos, Seth Gross, and Mikey Caliendo ahead of its kickoff event in Ohio this August
Tampa, FL (June 4, 2025) – Real American Freestyle, the new, unscripted freestyle wrestling organization, today announced the signing of champion wrestler Wyatt Hendrickson, who is fresh off his historic heavyweight NCAA Division I National Championship title. Defeating two-time champion and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, Hendrickson is no stranger to success, being a three-time All American, Big 12 Wrestler of the Year and the NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler, and first ever three-time recipient of the Schalles Award, and recording a perfect 27-0 record for Oklahoma State University in 2025, his final year of eligibility. The signing was done in collaboration with Iridium Sports Agency.
Hendrickson is a freestyle, folkstyle, and Greco-Roman four-time All American wrestler. Ranked the number three recruit nationally after graduating high school, Hendrickson attended the US Air Force Academy where he won the Big 12 Conference Championship twice, and finished third at the NCAA Championships. Hendrickson was the first All-American from the Air Force Academy in 20 years.
Selected for the World Class Athlete Program at Air Force, Hendrickson was able to continue his career – where, for the Cowboys, he defeated Steveson in the “biggest upset in NCAA history” due to the fact that Steveson had won 70-consecutive matches up until that point. Hendrickson holds the rank of second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, and was recently honored by his hometown of Newton, Kansas, by having a day dedicated to him titled “2nd Lt. Wyatt Hendrickson Day.” Hendrickson celebrated his Championship win with President Trump, who was in attendance. Hendrickson joins Real American Freestyle ahead of his Senior World Team slot this month, in Newark, NJ.
“Wyatt Hendrickson right now is the sport of wrestling, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to the Real American Freestyle team after what was truly a historic win and unbelievable season, " said Hulk Hogan, Commissioner of Real American Freestyle. “Our mission is to provide a platform for these athletes at all stages, and even at the top – where Hendrickson currently is – we’re proud that because of what
we’re building, the NCAA Championship title fight won’t his last bout, but simply the last before what we know will be an illustrious professional career.”
Beau Bartlett, Nathan Tomasello, Matt Ramos, Seth Gross, and Mikey Caliendo have additionally signed to Real American Freestyle, joining Ben Askren, Kennedy Blades, Zahid Valencia, David Carr, Kyle Dake, Trent Hidlay, Kyle Snyder, Aaron Brooks, Evan Wick, Austin Gomez, Real Woods, Will Lewan, and Parker Keckeisen.
Beau Bartlett is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who earned a bronze medal at the 2021 Junior World Championship. A senior at Penn State University, Bartlett is a lifelong athlete in the sport and only four-time prep national champion in his high school’s history. Bartlett first qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2022 and would go undefeated the next year, losing only in the NCAA finals to Jesse Menendez.
Nathan Tomasello is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler. Tomasello is an NCAA Champion, a four-time Big Ten Conference Champion and a four-time All American for Ohio State. Tomasello competed in the 2021 World Team Trials and scored upsets over Nick Suriano and Joe Colon, where he placed second in the tournament overall, losing to Daton Fix.
Matt Ramos is an American freestyle wrestler. Ramos recorded the most wins in a season in the Big Ten, was an All-American and NCAA runner-up, and competed at the 2022 US Open Championship at 125 lbs. In 2021, Ramos competed in the UWW Junior Freestyle Championship, and recorded seventh place at the U23 Freestyle National Championship. Ramos currently serves as assistant coach for Purdue University’s wrestling team.
Seth Gross is an American freestyle wrestler and three-time All American. Gross was named a 2020 NCAA Champion qualifier and came in third place at the Big Ten Championships the same year. As a senior, Gross was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week, and in 2019 was honored as the USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week. At South Dakota State University, Gross was the first student-athlete at the Division I level to win an individual national title in 2018. Gross is a Hodge Trophy Finalist and competed in the 2022 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. Gross currently serves as Assistant Coach to the University of Wisconsin-Madison wrestling team.
Mikey Caliendo is an American freestyle wrestler, who recently won the U23 National title and was the NCAA runner-up for the 2024-2025 season – and second at the Big Ten Championships. Caliendo is an All American, and was named an NWCA Scholar All American and Academic All-Big 12 First Team. For the Iowa Hawkeyes, Caliendo recorded 16 bonus point victories, including 11 technical falls and one pin.
Seeking to provide an opportunity for the best athletes to compete and showcase their talent, Real American Freestyle will continue to develop its program ahead of their first event on August 30th in Cleveland, OH and will offer a dynamic, modern approach to coverage of the sport – spearheaded by the elite storytelling of Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, and Israel Martinez.
In partnership with the USA Wrestling, NIL organizations, and NCAA, athletes can compete regardless of their NCAA status, providing crucial opportunities for wrestlers at the start and in the prime of their careers. Real American Freestyle will explore a dynamic format, with nine minute matches and high-impact moves designed to captivate modern audiences.
Events will feature eight weight classes with eight matches for men and four for women. Participants and members of the Real American Freestyle roster have access to the world’s best entertainment and sports storytellers, production, and promotion, they will also have the opportunity to win the championship purse and bonuses – in adherence to NCAA regulations – for wins throughout the season.
For more information on Real American Freestyle, visit: www.realamericanfreestyle.com About Real American Freestyle
Real American Freestyle is a professional freestyle wrestling league founded by Chad Bronstein, Hulk Hogan, and Israel Martinez. Supported by Left Lane Capital, the league launched in 2025 with a roster of 40 athletes. Featuring a full slate of events throughout its debut season kicking off in Cleveland, OH, Real American Freestyle is focused on freestyle elements of the sport and seeks to provide a platform for athletes to build careers and branding in the space. For more information on Real American Freestyle, please visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com.
