Penn State legend Carter Starocci says he’s still a member of Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, but he isn’t training too much with NLWC because his goals are elsewhere.
“I’m going to focus on MMA,” Starocci told Nittany Sports Now exclusively Friday afternoon, “so that’s kind of been my focus. That’s kind of what I’m doing. NLWC isn’t MMA, so I want to get out there and start fighting.”
This isn’t something that should surprise anybody.
For years, Penn State wrestling fans wondered if Starocci would go into MMA or freestyle wrestling once his college career ended, and Starocci talked openly about MMA possibilities while he was still in school.
He has the pedigree– the only five-time national champion in NCAA Division 1 history— and the personality– never afraid to speak his mind– that would be appealing to Dana White’s UFC or any other organization.
“I’ve always wanted to fight,” Starocci said. “It’s been a passion of mine. I beat people up, and (MMA) has those fat paychecks. So, that’s what it’s about.”
Starocci is getting somewhat of a rehearsal for MMA this weekend at Real American Freestyle.
Although it is what the name says it is: freestyle wrestling, the organization combines aspects of WWE and UFC for a unique hybrid that Starocci feels is refreshing.
“I feel like it’s real,” Starocci said. “They allow you to be yourself, and they encourage that kind of stuff, where, in wrestling, they kind of look down upon that stuff. The traditional robots. All the interviews are the same, everybody’s the same. With this, I think they’re looking for more entertainment, which is more fun to watch. I have a hard time watching wrestling, even when I’m studying film of (opponents) of mine. I think this is going to be really cool.”
Starocci also spoke about changes he wants to see in NCAA and Olympic Wrestling.
“I think they need a change in management,” he said. “I don’t know who’s in charge, how the rules and who makes those decisions and things like that. I think there needs to be a big change in the higher-ups. Because I think it’s kind of playing out old and not entertaining. It’s not fan-friendly, it’s not athlete-friendly either. So, yeah, there’s a bunch of stuff I can go into about that. At the end of the day, I love wrestling, so whatever the rules are, whatever the management is, I have to go out there and perform.”
There’s been controversy surrounding Starocci since his college career ended.
The Daily Collegian published a lengthy story in the summer detailing allegations of misconduct.
Starocci didn’t have a comment on those allegations.
Starocci said his communication with Cael Sanderson and his old coaches has been “awesome.”
“I don’t think it’s really changed at all,” he said. “Those guys have kind of been in my life for the past five, six years, so I’ve learned a lot from them and they’ve helped me. So, I feel like I’ll always be in those guys’ corner for the rest of my life.”
There’s no timetable for Starocci to make his MMA debut, but he feels he’s always ready to go.
“This is what I do for a living,” he said. “I’m ready to go right now. Obviously, you have management and coaches and the team around you that you trust and believe in. So, you really want to lay your trust into them and hear their words. But as a competitor, I’m ready to go all the time. If that’s today, that’s tomorrow, that’s in a week or whatever, I always stay ready.”
For now, he’s focused on wrestling in front of his home crowd at the Bryce Jordan Center, quite possibly for the last time.
“I want to put on a show for them and just give my last sign of ‘I love you’ to them,” he said.
RAF is scheduled for Saturday night at 7 on FoxNation.
