I can’t guarantee anything about the 2021 NCAA Championships except that no one will be taking it for granted after what happened last year. Let’s all count our blessings that we get to watch three days of excellent college wrestling.

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A fun weight class with two superstars at the top is what we have at 133. Watching Daton Fix and Roman Bravo-Young separately is fun enough on its own. Now with an opportunity to see them compete against each other, every unbiased fan is certainly crossing their fingers both wrestlers make it to the finals.

Other weight previews: 125 | 149 | 285

Title Contenders

#1 Daton Fix, Oklahoma State

#2 Roman Bravo-Young, Penn State

It’s a two pony race at 133. 2019 NCAA finalist Daton Fix and 2021 Big Ten champion Roman Bravo-Young are on a collision course to the finals. Fix, 57 kg 2019 Senior World Team member and top seed, will be the favorite, but RBY has shown a lot of improvement over the past two seasons. After losing seven matches as a true freshman RBY only lost to Seth Gross and Sebastian Rivera - who are either no longer at this weight or graduated. He’s now undefeated and fresh off of his first conference title where defeated four-seed Austin Desanto in the finals.

You can read Mike Mal’s technical breakdown and keys to victory between these two HERE.

Watch Daton Fix’s 2019 NCAA semifinal with Luke Pletcher below.

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All-American Threats

#3 Korbin Myers, Virginia Tech

#4 Austin Desanto, Iowa

#5 Micky Phillippi, Pitt

#6 Matt Schmitt, Mizzou

#7 Lucas Byrd, Illinois

#8 Chris Cannon, Northwestern

#9 Michael McGee, Arizona State

#11 Anthony Madrigal, Oklahoma

Korbin Myers is doing something this season rarely seen in college wrestling - jumping levels as a sixth-year senior. Myers made the round of 16 two years ago in his first year with Virginia Tech after transferring from Edinboro, but he’s 8-0 this season with major decisions over #10 Loui Hayes and #12 Jarrett Trombley + a decision #5 Micky Phillippi.

Michael McGee and Matt Schmitt are two older transfers as well with a good chance of earning their first All-American honors. Schmitt made the round of 16 in 2018 and McGee made the round of 12 in 2019.

Desanto and Phillippi have both established themselves as some of the best 133 pounders in the country. However, with the cancellation of last year’s NCAA Championships, it is surprising to note that they have only combined for one All-American finish - Desanto’s fifth-place finish in 2019. I expect that to change this year.

Lucas Byrd and Chris Cannon are two tough redshirt freshmen who I expect to be in the hunt to earn their first of five possible All-American finishes. 

Anthony Madrigal is a bit of a wild card. He’s just 6-8 on the season, but after a very impressive Big 12 tournament where he made the finals opposite Fix, he earned the 11 seed. If that same Madrigal shows up, he could make a very deep run.

Watch Korbin Myers and Matt Schmitt compete for their old schools in a 2018 dual below.

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Sleepers And Landmines

#12 Jarrett Trombley, NC State

#17 Malyke Hines, Lehigh

NC State’s Jarrett Trombley was a qualifier a year ago but obviously was denied the opportunity to compete. His worst loss of the season is to 10-seed Loui Hayes. Malyke Hines is looking lean and mean down at 133 this year after spending his redshirt season at 141. He’s coming off of a solid EIWA performance.

Watch Malyke Hines win the 2021 EIWA 133 lb title below.

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Anticipated Early Matchups

#7 Lucas Byrd vs #10 Louie Hayes

Byrd gave Desanto all he could handle in their Big Ten semifinal. This was a major improvement from his major decision loss to the Hawkeye during the regular season. I expect more of the same from Byrd, but he can’t overlook a tough opponent in Hayes on his way to a match with RBY.

#6 Matt Schmitt vs #11 Anthony Madrigal

These two met in 2019 and it wasn’t close. A 19-point tech fall for Schmitt, in fact. Now, Anthony Madrigal looked like a whole new guy at Big 12s, but is he hot enough to upset six-seed Matt Schmitt?

#16 Devan Turner vs #17 Malyke Hines

Two conference champs round one. After a rocky start, Turner turned it up at Pac 12s. Can he keep it rolling in the first round?

#8 Chris Cannon vs #9 Michael McGee

I already talked a bit about both of these wrestlers above. Will the new school and extra two years of college wrestling be enough to lift McGee above his seed and help him get one step closer to securing an All-American finish?

Predictions

1) Daton Fix, Oklahoma State

2) Roman Bravo-Young, Oklahoma State

3) Korbin Myers, Virginia Tech

4) Austin Desanto, Iowa

5) Micky Phillippi, Pitt

6) Lucas Byrd, Illinois

7) Chris Cannon, Northwestern

8) Michael McGee, Arizona State

R12) Louie Hayes, Virginia

R12) Matt Schmitt, Mizzouri

R12) Jarrett Trombley, NC State

R12) Anthony Madrigal, Oklahoma