Greg Kerkvliet has firmly established himself as one of the most dominant heavyweights in collegiate wrestling today and is now setting his sights on a future in MMA. The 23-year-old senior at Penn State has twice medaled at the NCAA Division I Championships, earning silver in 2023 and gold in 2024. Over the past two seasons, Kerkvliet has dominated his competition, maintaining an undefeated 32-0 match record.
Greg Kerkvliet’s Goals for Collegiate Wrestling This Year
He is on track for a second NCAA title this March, but standing in his way is the returning Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, who has defeated Kerkvliet in every previous encounter, both in college and high school. However, Kerkvliet remains confident and poised, believing that victory is well within reach should the two face off in the tournament.
Greg Kerkvliet’s Experience in Combat Sports and Aspirations
Though focused on wrestling for now, Kerkvliet has also tested his skills in other combat sports during the off season. He competed in the first round of the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational, where he faced Fellipe Andrew.
Despite losing, Greg Kerkvliet managed to avoid being submitted after three rounds of action. His opponent Fellipe Andrew would go on to face Nick Rodriguez in the finals, where he was submitted by rear-naked choke.
In a recent appearance on Bo Nickal’s podcast, Nickals and Dimes, Kerkvliet shared his aspirations for the future:
I plan on doing that [in] 2028 after the Olympics, but obviously I plan on training all the way up until then. I feel like I’ll be a pretty good fighter. We’ll find out if I can take a punch.”
What This Means for the Future of MMA
The prospect of Greg Kerkvliet transitioning to MMA is particularly intriguing, as the heavyweight division is notoriously shallow and lacks a significant number of skilled wrestlers, even at the highest levels. It is only at the apex of the division where you find talented wrestlers like Jailton Almeida, Curtis Blaydes, or Jon Jones. However, none of these fighters possess the same wrestling pedigree that Kerkvliet brings to the table.
Several other Penn State wrestlers have also begun to show interest in or have already transitioned to MMA. In 2023, former NCAA Division I champion Anthony Cassar made the jump to MMA, securing an undefeated 2-0 record before retiring to pursue a career in real estate. Similarly, four-time NCAA Division I champion Carter Starocci recently revealed his plans to debut in MMA within the next year during an appearance on Bo Nickal’s podcast.
This new wave of top-level American collegiate wrestlers entering MMA is being led by Penn State legend Bo Nickal, whose undeniable success in the Octagon has paved the way for many aspiring wrestlers to follow suit. As a result, we can expect a new generation of fighters bring an elevated level of wrestling to the sport.