Bo Bassett already has one potential March matchup on his mind.
Penn State’s Marcus Blaze is moving to 141 pounds, and the Virginia Tech freshman welcomed the chance to share a weight class with another of American wrestling’s rising stars.
“I think it’s so exciting. We get to add another world champ to 141 pounds. Another storyline for the NCAA to build up,” Bassett told Tech Sideline.
Both wrestlers returned from the Senior World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, with medals. Bassett captured gold at 65 kilograms, defeating Armenia’s Vazgen Tevanyan 9-1 in the final. Blaze earned bronze at 61 kilograms, beating Kazakhstan’s Assyl Aitakyn 4-2 in his medal match.
Blaze previously won a U17 world championship in 2023, adding context to Bassett’s description of the Penn State sophomore.
Their international success raises the stakes for a possible college meeting, although Bassett expects fans will have to wait until the postseason.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to wrestle him until March. We just don’t really cross paths, but that’ll be an awesome match when the time comes, whatever round,” Bassett said.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Bassett acknowledged that a deep weight class presents plenty of challenges before either wrestler can start looking toward that matchup. Still, he made clear that Blaze’s arrival provides a personal incentive.
“To me, it adds more motivation, energy and excitement. That’s a guy I want to beat. That’s a guy I want to get back. I’m really, really fired up.”
Bassett also sees the competition extending beyond the college season. With the 2028 Olympics approaching, he expects more wrestlers to gravitate toward Olympic weights and create additional high-profile meetings.
“I can’t stop smiling thinking about wrestling Blaze, wrestling Luke Stanich again, wrestling these guys for world teams and NCAA titles,” Bassett said. “To me, it’s a challenge that’s exciting, and I’m fired up for it.”
For Penn State, the immediate focus is Sunday’s trip to Oklahoma as the new college season gets underway. The Nittany Lions face the Sooners in Norman on Nov. 15, with the potential Bassett-Blaze meeting still months away and dependent on how their seasons unfold.
