Scouting the 2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships

NEW YORK -- The 2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships played host to 330 elite college wrestlers March 17-19 at Madison Square Garden. Where there is talent on the wrestling mats, there are prospects for mixed martial arts.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship, Bellator MMA, World Series of Fighting and One Championship all have former wrestlers on their rosters, so the three-day tournament has become an attractive destination for MMA talent scouts. Johny Hendricks, Darrion Caldwell, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Lance Palmer, Bubba Jenkins, Josh Koscheck and Ben Askren are among the many current mixed martial artists who have competed in the NCAA tournament.

The 2016 competition yielded a new crop for MMA to weigh. Some have already expressed interest in the transition while others make for a natural fit based on their styles and backgrounds. Here is a closer look at a few of them:

Nick Gwiazdowski | North Carolina State | Weight Class: Heavyweight

Gwiazdowski was the main event in the tournament. As the two-time defending national champion, he brought an 88-match winning streak into his final against fellow unbeaten Kyle Snyder, who was a gold medalist in freestyle at the 2015 FILA Wrestling World Championships and the 2015 Pan American Games. Although Gwiazdowski lost to Snyder in overtime, he showed he possessed the necessary cardio and fortitude while also putting his athletic ability on display in scrambles with a smaller opponent. Chael Sonnen said it best: “Eighty-eight heavyweights walked out to face Nick Gwiazdowski and 88 heavyweights went home with a loss.” Gwiazdowski is 250 pounds of explosiveness and knowhow, comparing favorably to former UFC champion Cain Velasquez and onetime Bellator titleholder Cole Konrad.

Cody Brewer | Oklahoma | Weight Class: Bantamweight/Featherweight

A four-time All-American at the University of Oklahoma and a defending national champion, Brewer closed out his career with a third-place finish. While he told the Kansas City Star that he has no interest in pursuing MMA, he admitted that money talks. Brewer’s ability to take down and control top-flight wrestlers would be a great asset in the cage. He defeated 11 opponents by technical fall during his run to the 2015 national title. Think taller, lankier Chad Mendes.

David Terao | American | Weight Class: Flyweight

Terao may not look like the prototypical specimen for MMA, but he used all his tools to put together a memorable NCAA tournament. As a No. 15 seed, he sprang the upset on second-seeded Joey Dance, of Virginia Tech. Terao lost in the semifinals but managed a fourth-place finish. His flexibility stood out and allowed him to avoid takedowns against high-level opposition. Terao was also a four-time state champion in judo in his native Hawaii. While he has not yet made clear whether or not he would consider a move to MMA, imagine a smaller version of Eddie Alvarez with Eddie Bravo-like flexibility.

Alex Dieringer | Oklahoma State | Weight Class: Welterweight

Dieringer closed out his career with a third straight national championship, establishing himself as one of the most dominant wrestlers of the past decade. He lost only four matches in four years at Oklahoma State University, three of them as a freshman. Dieringer told IntermatWrestle.com that he planned to stick with wrestling for the foreseeable future but believes he could transition to MMA and understands there is money to be made inside the cage. The Port Washington, Wisconsin, native figures to be an Olympic contender in the coming years. Dieringer had one of the top coaches in the sport, John Smith, in his corner and no doubt knows of the pipeline that exists between Stillwater, Oklahoma, and the mixed martial arts world. Hendricks, Mark Munoz, Daniel Cormier, Randy Couture and Muhammad Lawal all came through the Oklahoma State program.

Ian Miller | Kent State | Weight Class: Lightweight

Miller was a three-time All-American who had the ability to beat anyone in the country and often did so in exciting fashion. The Oak Harbor, Ohio, native wields explosive shots and also showed an affinity for working the upper body in search of crowd-pleasing throws. Miller pairs an electrifying style with technical wrestling skills and uses his technique once he is in on a shot. Kent State officials stated that he was currently pursuing a coaching career, but no one would be surprised if he shifted gears at some point and gave MMA a whirl.

Cody Walters | Ohio | Weight Class: Welterweight/Middleweight

The Macedonia, Ohio, native compiled a 171-21 record at St. Peter Chanel High School before joining the Ohio University program. Walters showed his toughness in 2015 as a returning All-American, wrestling through a foot injury during his junior season. In an interview with USA Wrestling, he admitted that competition was painful but that still being able to compete with the best of the best made him realize he was a “bad man.” Walters achieved All-America status for a second time as a senior, placing seventh nationally. He closed out his collegiate career with 115 victories.

Thomas Gantt | North Carolina State | Weight Class: Lightweight

Gantt finished his freshman campaign with a 15-15 record. Four years later, he was an All-American who finished eighth nationally at 157 pounds. He was 28-3 as a senior and continues to improve. Gantt’s combination of speed and power has often allowed him to out-athlete his opponents. He has a muscular build and a long reach that could be developed into an effective jab at a top MMA gym. Gant won 79 of his final 101 matches at North Carolina State.

Blake Stauffer | Arizona State | Weight Class: Middleweight

Spawned by the same Arizona State program that was once home to Velasquez, Dan Severn, Dan Henderson, Ryan Bader and C.B. Dollaway, Stauffer was a two-time state champion at Neosho High School in Missouri, where he amassed a 193-9 record. He became an NCAA All-American as a junior on the strength of a fourth-place finish nationally. While Stauffer could not repeat his success in the 2016 tournament, he nevertheless completed his career as a Sun Devil with 107 victories, becoming the 24th wrestler in school history to eclipse the century mark. At 5-foot-11, he carries an athletic build, uses hand fighting to his advantage and seems comfortable on his feet.