Wrestling Legends Put Massive Pressure on Gable Steveson’s Minnesota Teammates After Inspiring Big 10 Result

Competing in the recently held Big Ten Championship 2025, the Minnesota Golden Gophers wrestling team finished fourth with 108.5 team points—trailing Penn State (181.5 points), Nebraska (137.0 points), and Iowa (112 points). Despite qualifying nine wrestlers for the NCAA Championships, the Gophers’ performance highlighted a stark reliance on Gable Steveson’s brilliance, as he was their sole champion. This gap in the relative performances has thrust star Gophers wrestlers into the spotlight, tasked with elevating Minnesota beyond Steveson’s singular dominance as they approach the NCAA Championships.  The team’s seven top-eight placers showed depth but lacked the firepower to challenge the conference’s top tier, placing intense expectations on wrestlers like Vance VomBaur, Max McEnelly, and others to step up amid these struggles. Moreover, a specific comment has made the pressure of expectations so much worse for the VomBaur.

“He’s fun to watch!” blurts out a former wrestler on the lineup_legends show. While it’s meant as a huge compliment, you can’t help but think about the immense pressure that kind of talk puts on our Gophers superstar. Entering the tournament as the No. 4 seed with a 20-3 regular-season record, including a 6-2 Big Ten dual mark and a team-high eight pins, Vance Vombaur’s tournament run was a rollercoaster!

Vombaur opened with a 17-1 technical fall over Indiana’s Cayden Rooks in 4:36, followed by a 10-3 decision against Ohio State’s No. 5 Nic Bouzakis in the quarterfinals. Although his semifinal upset of No. 1 Beau Bartlett (Penn State) by a 5-3 score—securing a takedown with 11 seconds left—marked a career highlight, clinching his NCAA berth. Yet, in the finals, No. 2 Brock Hardy (Nebraska) pinned him in 1:59, ending Vombaur’s bid for Minnesota’s second title. His runner-up finish, the best by a Gopher at 141 since Mike Thorn in 2011, earned him 17 team points, but it also underscored the pressure to convert near-misses into championships.

Vance Vombaur shocked the world at Big Tens. Can he do it again at NCAAs?
Coverage presented by @lineup_legends_ #frl #ncaawrestling pic.twitter.com/AZaBd0H3u3

— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) March 14, 2025

A buzz surrounds this phenomenal athlete, a wrestler whose electrifying performances have captured the hearts of legends! And indeed, he is! “From a technical perspective, there’s always room to grow, but he’s been a pure joy to witness this season,” exclaims the former wrestler. “He just attacks with the ferocity of a honey badger”!  And his progress has been nothing short of spectacular, a quantum leap from last season. He’s a spectacle, a wrestler who ignites the arena with every match! Yet we wonder! Will he be able to do better at NCAA? question remains!! After all, Vombaur has to prove he is the right successor of Gophers legend, Gable Steveson.

After Big Ten masterclass, what lies ahead for Gable Steveson

Gable Steveson’s 2025 Big Ten Championships run was a masterclass. As the No. 1 seed at 285 pounds, he outscored opponents 45-6 across four matches. His path included a 12-2 major decision over Illinois’ Luke Luffman, a 12-1 major over Michigan’s No. 4 Lucas Davison, and a 13-0 major against Iowa’s No. 5 Ben Kueter in the semifinals—all with bonus points. The finale was the climax we deserved, however.

The final against Penn State’s No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet saw Steveson rack up 3:23 of riding time and three takedowns for a 10-3 win, finishing the tournament with 21 team points. His season stats are jaw-dropping: 11-0 with eight bonus-point wins (five technical falls, three majors), a +115 point differential (126-11), and an eighth consecutive Big Ten Heavyweight of the Year award. His career 74-2 record includes a 63-match win streak, and his fourth Big Ten title ties him with Verne Gagne (1947-49) as Minnesota’s only four-time champs. Named 2024-25 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and Most Outstanding Wrestler, Steveson’s dominance is undisputed. 

Next, Steveson heads to the NCAA Championships, March 20-22, 2025, at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center, aiming for a third national title (he won in 2021 and 2022 ). Returning this season after a 2022-24 WWE stint, he’s 15-0 from 2023-24 and 11-0 in 2024-25, with a career NCAA Championships record of 12-0 and 113-15 point differential. As the top seed, he’s favored to join the 18 wrestlers with three NCAA titles—two shy of the four-title club (Cael Sanderson, Pat Smith, etc.). Post-NCAA, his future could involve UFC or may be WWE’s WrestleMania or training for the 2028 Olympics, building on his 2021 Tokyo gold at age 21. For now, his 21.5 team points at Big Tens (out of Minnesota’s 108.5) underscore his outsized role—and the urgent need for Vombaur and others to bolster the Gophers’ NCAA haul.

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