AJ Ferrari Breaks Silence After Narrow 5-4 Loss to Ohio’s Nick Feldman as Nebraska Misses Top Spot at National Duals

After making his debut for the Nebraska Cornhuskers earlier this month, American wrestler AJ Ferrari looked ahead to the National Duals in Tulsa, where he displayed a strong performance but failed to advance to the finals. On the second day of the tournament, the Huskers lost to No. 4 Ohio State in the semifinals, securing a fourth-place finish and earning $75,000 in prize money.

Ferrari transferred from Cal State Bakersfield to join Nebraska for the 25-26 season, moving up to the heavyweight class.

AJ Ferrari Message After Suffering Defeat At the National Duals?

Ferrari suffered a narrow loss by a decision of 5-4 to Ohio State’s Nick Feldman, who eventually went on to secure first place in the heavyweight class. Feldman defeated Jacob “Jake” Meyers of Clarion in the finals, recording a decision victory with a dominant score of 7-1.

In a story shared on Instagram, Ferrari shared a heartfelt note regarding his loss to Feldman, stating that he is already looking ahead to the next match.

“I don’t know what happened in that sequence. I kept wrestling even though I was seeing stars. I’ll be back soon though. Never losses – only lessons,” wrote the talented wrestler.

After the Huskers lost to Ohio State, they faced Oklahoma State in a third-place decider. Even though the Huskers lost with a score of 33-6, Ferrari managed to claim a 2-1 decision win against Konner Doucet. He will have plenty of time to rest and reflect on his loss, with the Huskers set to compete next at the Journeymen Duals against Brown and Missouri on December 5.

Ferrari Reveals How He Started His Wrestling Journey

Ferrari’s NCAA journey has been a whirlwind, marked by triumphs such as a national championship and setbacks, including being denied admission due to legal issues. He burst onto the wrestling scene as a young star at Oklahoma State, becoming just the third true freshman in school history to capture an NCAA title. But what first drew him to the mat?

In an interview with FloWrestling, Ferrari revealed the real reason behind how he got into wrestling: (3:06 onwards)

“My dad originally put me in wrestling to be able to protect and provide for others, because my dad believes that as men, our job is to serve others and serve the community and protect and provide. My dad wanted me to be able to protect my future family and that’s why I got in it.” he said.

Ferrari was raised by his father, Albert, alongside his three brothers, including Anthony and Angelo Ferrari, both of whom are also considered promising wrestlers. Anthony managed to earn the Oklahoma State wrestling title in 2021, while Angelo competes at a high school level, where he has won multiple state championships.