Penn State wrestling: Greg Kerkvliet becomes second Nittany Lion to enter historic grappling tournament

Penn State wrestling continues to set its athletes up for professional success after they leave campus. Bo Nickal is one of the biggest names in the UFC, with Carter Starocci likely looking to follow suit once his quest for a fifth National Championship is finished. This summer, former Nittany Lions superstar Jason Nolf has begun his career in professional grappling. Now, Penn State heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet is joining Nolf at the record-setting Craig Jones Invitational this August.

Penn State wrestling star Greg Kerkvliet to compete in historic grappling tournament ahead of final season

With a $3 million purse backed by the Fair Fight Foundation, the Craig Jones Invitational will award $1 million to the winner in each of its two weight classes (above and below 80 kg). The grand prize makes the tournament the highest-paying grappling event in history. Each competitor who shows up will earn $10,001.

The Craig Jones Invitational will take place on August 16 and 17 in Las Vegas and will be streamed free on YouTube. Greg Kerkvliet will compete in the above 80 kg weight class and could potentially face polarizing wrestler Pat Downey at some point during the tournament.

“Blessed to be 1 of the 16 competing in the [Craig Jones Invitational],” Kerkvliet wrote on Instagram. “Time to take the leotard and shoes off.”

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A post shared by Daniel Greg Kerkvliet (@danielkerkvliet)

The above 80 kg weight class will feature a mixture of primarily American and Brazilian competitors, with one representative from the United Kingdom.

With so much post-NCAA wrestling success for many Nittany Lions, it isn’t surprising to see Greg Kerkvliet start looking ahead at what is next once his collegiate career is finished following the 2025 season. The 2024 National Champion participated in the U.S. Team Olympic Trials this past April at the Bryce Jordan Center, but didn’t qualify for the National Team.

In June, Jason Nolf confirmed that he will compete in the below 80 kg weight class. Nolf is off to a strong start to his grappling career, defeating Andrew Simmons by submission in his debut last month.

© Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

What is grappling?

Grappling is a crucial component for fighters in MMA and what many competitors win with outside of striking. The official definition of grappling is a fighting technique based on throws, trips, sweeps, clinch fighting, ground fighting, and submission holds.

Folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling are all regional forms of grappling. Folkstyle is the most similar to what we will see from Greg Kerkvliet and Jason Nolf at the Craig Jones Invitational. The only difference is that the end goal in grappling is to get a submission rather than a pin, similar to what we have seen from Bo Nickal in the UFC.

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