Penn State wrestling: Carter Starroci is ready to be the UFC’s next star

Penn State wrestling had an impressive showing at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but a few of the weekend’s main storylines came away from the mat. Carter Starocci didn’t win the 86 kg title, but he made sure to stay in the headlines well after his final match. While the four-time National Champion is still deliberating a return to the Nittany Lions, Starocci showed he has the skills to take his talents to the UFC ring once his college wrestling days are over.

Carter Starocci backs up hype against Patrick Downey

The drama of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials started well before any wrestlers took the mat. For Carter Starocci, the controversy stems back to the NCAA Championships, where Jordan Burroughs stated on national television that opposing wrestlers should go for the injured Nittany Lion’s leg. The Penn State wrestling star responded in kind, stating he would end Burroughs’ career at Trials in April.

However, the Starocci-Burroughs matchup never came to fruition after Starocci’s last-minute move up to 86 kg for the Olympic Team Trials. However, Patrick Downey picked up the slack, stating publicly that he would teach the four-time NCAA Champion some manners at the Olympic qualifiers.

Being one to never back down from a fight, Carter Starocci responded by posting a video on social media showing Downey getting knocked out in a Bellator MMA fight. This back-and-forth squabble built excitement for a potential pairing on the Bryce Jordan Center mats.

Ultimately, the crowd got its wish early. Carter Starocci earned the No. 6 seed at 86 kg coming into the Olympic Team Trials, while Patrick Downey entered as the No. 11 seed. This meant that the two would face off in the opening round on Friday.

However, what happened on the mat was a little bit less dramatic. Downey took an early 4-1 lead over Starocci in the first period, but ran out of gas in the second. The Penn State wrestling star took control and eventually pulled out the easy 12-4 win.

Starocci’s promotional skills can prove valuable after Penn State wrestling career

Carter Starocci still has a decision to make on the 2024-25 season. Speaking to the media Saturday, he said a decision will hopefully be coming within a few weeks, and as of now, he is leaning toward a return to Penn State for a fifth and final season.

But when Starocci’s Nittany Lion career is over, he proved last week that he has what it takes on and off the mat to make the jump to the UFC. It is a move that many wrestlers make after their collegiate careers are over. Penn State wrestling great Bo Nickal has found tremendous success and has given the blueprint for many in the program to follow.

Part of what makes a UFC fighter great is the ability to promote. It is why Connor McGregor continues to sell massive pay-per-view numbers despite no longer being a title contender. Carter Starocci fits right into that culture of talking a big game and then being able to back it up on the mat.

While the NCAA wrestling community doesn’t always appreciate Starroci’s cocky responses, it would be embraced in the UFC. Even after taking care of Patrick Downey on the mat, the Penn State wrestling star wasn’t done talking trash throughout the weekend.

“I mean, if I was 6-4, and I was 280 pounds, and I went to bed early, and I didn’t talk to any girls, I’d be in the NFL. There are all types of what-ifs and all this other stuff. At the end of the day, you have to show up and show out, and he didn’t do that,” Starocci said at Olympic Team Trials Saturday when asked about Downey’s post-match comments stating he’d beat the Nittany Lion if he was fully recovered.

A response that was able to disarm almost everyone in the room, the clip shows why everyone is drawn to Carter Starocci. Even when no longer in contention, press pack the Bryce Jordan Center tunnels just hoping to get a soundbite from the Penn State wrestling star. Whatever he chooses for next season, Starocci will undoubtedly be a valuable asset once he decides to go pro.

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