Every March the best college wrestlers in the country, get together for the NCAA Wrestling Championships! This tournament is the culmination of a lifetime of hard work for these young men, and only one (in each weight class) can be crowned champion.

This year’s tournament takes place March 20-22nd, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Wells Fargo Center.

In this article we will discuss last year’s 125 lb champion and who the top contenders are for this season.

2024 Champion: Richie Figueroa of Arizona State had an incredible run at the 2024 NCAA tournament going a perfect 5-0 picking up wins over, Ethan Berginc, Patrick McKee, Braeden Davis, Anthony Noto, and Drake Ayala. Richie Figs finished the year with a 17-5 record.

This Year’s Contenders: 125 has had  a wild year once again with several wrestlers entering and exiting the top 5. I could see several talented wrestlers end up atop the podium. In my opinion there are 3 that stand out above the rest.  Matt Ramos of Purdue, Richie Figueroa of Arizona State, and Luke Lilledahl of Penn State.

 Matt Ramos: Matt was a 2019 Illinois State Champion of Lockport High School. He was also a 2018 Cadet World Champion, a 2022 US Open Champion, and last years NCAA Runner-Up. Most famously though, he is known as the man who pinned Spencer Lee at the 2023 NCAA Championships. Matt is the number 2 ranked wrestler in the country and is  26-1 on the year.

Richie Figueroa: The 2024 Pac 12, and NCAA Champion, is currently 14-2 on the year and is ranked 5th in the nation. His highest ranked win of the year is against #6 Stevo Poulin.  He has all the skills In the world but hasn’t looked his best this year.

Luke Lilledahl: The 2024 U20 World Champion has been very impressive so far in his college career. With a 19-2 record he is currently ranked 1st.  His highest ranked win on the year is over former NCAA finalist Matt Ramos, whom he defeated 12-4.

Other Contenders: Eddie Ventresca of Virginia Tech 16-3, Troy Spratley of Oklahoma State 20-4, and Vince Robinson of North Carolina State 18-3 have all had fantastic seasons and could make a deep run.

Dak Horse Contenders:  When I say dark horse contenders, I’m only looking at guys outside the top 10. Charlie Farmer of Army West Point has put together a 22-8 record on the year and has continued to improve as the season progressed.  Joey Cruz of Iowa is ranked number 20 and is sporting a 14-12 record. He has a rapid attack style on his feet and really pushes a fast pace.

2025 NCAA Champion Prediction: Matt Ramos of Purdue