AJ Ferrari on chasing 2025 NCAA wrestling title: 'Business is business'

Can AJ Ferrari return to glory Saturday night at the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships? That seems to be the goal of course.

The 2021 NCAA champion at 197 pounds was different while at Oklahoma State. Now repping Cal State Bakersfield, his full season since the 2021-22 campaign, Ferrari looked serious, not flashy and kept it all about his business on the mat.

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During a media panel in Philadelphia, Ferrari was actually late to arrive, being a last minute replacement for a panel that also featured national champions Carter Starocci (Penn State), Gable Steveson (Minnesota) and Keegan O’Toole (Missouri). But make no mistake, he looked like the guy who was about to own the 197 bracket over the next three days.

“Same old, same old. Business is business,” Ferrari said Wednesday. “Here to perform, show out. Here for me to have fun, embrace the spotlight. I love performing, wrestling at the highest level. Show them the best. Win the national title at 197 and win two, three more.

“I want to cement my legacy, have fun, give God all the glory. Super grateful for all the support I have all throughout the world. A lot of prayers, big support system is why I’m here.”

Ever the showman, Ferrari is back at the tournament for the first time in four years. After winning it all as a true freshman, a car accident and controversy off the mat followed during his sophomore campaign, where he already reached double digit wins.

Following time away from a school, and a brief moment where he might join his brothers at Iowa, Ferrari found himself out west this season. While the door is seemingly open for him to transfer again, Cal State Bakersfield could have themselves a national champion Saturday night.

“I think it’s growing at a great rate excited for the future of wrestling and wrestling is growing and going to take over sports in the future,” Ferrari said of the sport in general, particularly being at a non-Power Four institution. “I think we need to embrace big personalities like myself big matches. And I think at the end of the day growing our sport is going to be key to have good personalities that show themselves.”

Ferrari is 16-0 this season and seeded No. 3 behind Iowa’s Stephen Buchanan (Iowa) and Michigan’s Jacob Cardenas (Michigan). Ferrari is On3’s pick to win the national title.

The 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships begin Thursday at 12:00 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. The finals take place Saturday night.