Oklahoma State wrestler Wyatt Hendrickson talks what Trump's appearance at NCAA championships means for sport

Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestler Wyatt Hendrickson dished connected what it meant for his athletics that President Donald Trump was successful attendance for the nationalist title implicit the weekend.

Hendrickson pulled disconnected an historical upset successful the 285-pound part implicit Minnesota’s Gable Steveson. He did it successful beforehand of the president and billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk. He appeared connected ESPN’s "The Pat McAfee Show" and said determination was nary added unit for him and the president being successful attendance was a testament to however fashionable wrestling has become.

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President Donald Trump greets Oklahoma State's Wyatt Hendrickson reacts aft helium defeated Minnesota's Gable Steveson during a 285-pound lucifer successful the finals of the NCAA wrestling championship, Saturday, March 22, 2025, successful Philadelphia.  (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

"I deliberation I’ve got capable grasp connected the athletics that I’m capable to benignant of instrumentality myself retired of the concern and wrestle for myself, my family, and my team," helium said. "If you asked maine that 5 years ago, I would person been retired determination freaking retired similar ‘Oh my gosh, my brag is watching me’ but I was conscionable truly blessed to spell retired determination and wrestle freely truthful it was a beauteous breathtaking infinitesimal erstwhile aft that lucifer I walked implicit determination and showed him my respect due to the fact that that’s my boss, man. 

"The Commander-in-Chief, President Trump, conscionable the information that helium was determination supporting the large athletics of wrestling is conscionable an property to however awesome a athletics this is and it’s increasing and I deliberation a batch of radical that primitively wouldn’t person watched the athletics are present possibly looking into it similar ‘Oh, what’s going connected here.’"

OKLAHOMA STATE'S WYATT HENDRICKSON SALUTES TRUMP AFTER SHOCKING NCAA WIN, OPENS UP ABOUT AIR FORCE CAREER

Oklahoma State's Wyatt Hendrickson celebrates aft defeating Minnesota's Gable Steveson during a 285-pound lucifer successful the finals astatine the NCAA wrestling championship, Saturday, March 22, 2025, successful Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Hendrickson added that helium didn’t recognize Musk was besides going to beryllium successful Philadelphia to ticker the matches with Trump until helium went implicit to wage his respects to the president.

"One happening I didn’t know, I didn’t cognize that Elon Musk was there. So that was a surprise, arsenic soon arsenic I went backmost I was shaking his manus I was like, ‘Oh, what’s up Elon? Good to spot you here, too’ truthful that benignant of caught maine disconnected guard. That’s beauteous cool."

Hendrickson is simply a 2nd lieutenant successful the U.S. Air Force.

He had elaborated connected his pursuit of a subject vocation earlier successful the week connected "America’s Newsroom."

"When I was looking astatine wrestling successful college, I wanted to look astatine much than conscionable that, what my vocation is going to look like," helium said. "And I benignant of realized I've ever been super-patriotic, and I person a bosom to serve. And so, you know, the Air Force Academy was a beauteous casual prime for me. And it's due to the fact that of the Air Force, I'm capable to beryllium astatine grad schoolhouse wrestling astatine Oklahoma State University."

Oklahoma State's Wyatt Hendrickson reacts aft defeating Minnesota's Gable Steveson during a 285-pound lucifer successful the finals astatine the NCAA wrestling championship, Saturday, March 22, 2025, successful Philadelphia.  (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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"So, I mean, the opportunities successful the Air Force are conscionable limitless. And truthful this is conscionable portion of the steppingstone. I'll beryllium capable to wrestle for a mates of years. I'll present beryllium capable to modulation into my occupation and, you know, beryllium capable to service this large state to the champion of my ability."

Fox News’ Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.

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