It’s not even been a month since Wyatt Hendrickson did the unthinkable, but it seems he is already looking for greener pastures. “What a month it’s been for Wyatt Hendrickson. After shocking the world at the NCAA wrestling championships, Dana White made a special call to invite the champ to #UFC314 in Miami.” That’s how ESPN MMA broke the news on Instagram. And just like that, Captain America is heading to the big show. But while Wyatt may not be entering the Octagon just yet, he already has his favorite for the night. But who?
Well, after UFC CEO Dana White reached out personally, extending a hand to the wrestling standout, it was only natural that Hendrickson would be obliged. And the headline bout? A clash of fire and legacy as rising star Diego Lopes steps into the spotlight to face former champ Alexander Volkanovski for the vacant featherweight crown. With the title up for grabs and the stakes higher than ever, Hendrickson won’t just be attending. He’ll be ringside in full support of Lopes.
WrestlersGrind took to X, posting a screenshot of Hendrickson’s Instagram story. The tweet was captioned, “Wyatt Hendrickson will be at #UFC314 to cheer on Diego Lopes, who fights Alexander Volkanovski.” The story itself? Pure hype. Hendrickson shared a photo with Lopes, adding, “Tomorrow!! @diegolopesmma is going to take the Golden Belt.” That kind of backing, from college wrestling’s biggest name, adds a whole new dimension to the Lopes’ corner.
Wyatt Hendrickson will be at #UFC314 to cheer on Diego Lopes, who fights Alexander Volkanovski. pic.twitter.com/AAzQjoyCMx
— WrestlersGrind (@_wrestlersgrind) April 12, 2025
Moreover, it’s not every day a reigning NCAA champ publicly throws his weight behind a UFC fighter on the brink of a career-defining title bout. Diego Lopes isn’t just walking into UFC 314 with momentum. He’s walking in with an entire wrestling empire behind him. Earlier this year, the Brazilian star trained at Oklahoma State University under David Taylor, a move that sparked waves across both the MMA and wrestling communities.
A weather delay had put the Cowboys’ duel with NC State on pause, but Lopes’ sessions with Taylor kept the fire alive in the OSU gym. “Thanks, coach @magicmanosu and all the guys at @cowboywrestling for all the support,” Lopes wrote on Instagram. When the delayed NC State duel finally happened, the Cowboys came out swinging, dominating 34-3 while Lopes watched from the stands.
Fast forward to now, and the crowd will look a little different. Because in Miami, 2025’s NCAA champion Wyatt Hendrickson, fresh off his era-defining win over two-time champ Gable Steveson, will be in the building. The man who snapped Steveson’s 70-match win streak is now showing up for Lopes, adding even more heat to an already explosive title fight.
After NCAA glory, Wyatt Hendrickson sets sights on the future
Wyatt Hendrickson’s NCAA season had all the makings of a movie script. And he delivered the ultimate twist ending. In a heart-stopping 5-4 win over Olympic champion Gable Steveson, Hendrickson snatched the heavyweight crown with just 18 seconds to spare. “It didn’t matter who was in front of me,” he said. “I set a goal to be the champion. To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best—and I did.”
That moment didn’t just shake up the NCAA landscape. Consequently, it sent shockwaves across the sports world, catching the attention of everyone from wrestling greats to UFC CEO Dana White to President Trump himself. As speculation swirls about whether Hendrickson might follow in Steveson’s footsteps with a leap to MMA, the 2025 NCAA champ is keeping his options open but grounded.
While both men share an Olympic dream with Los Angeles 2028 circled on the calendar, Hendrickson has a different post-collegiate path mapped out. In a conversation with Uncrowned MMA, he revealed that he will serve five years in the Air Force after his wrestling career. “I love MMA. I love everything about it,” Hendrickson admitted. “One thing that’s always on my mind is how much I enjoy punching people in the face. But let’s be real, getting punched in the face sucks. Getting hit in the head…”
With a history of concussions, Hendrickson’s words carry the weight of experience. For now, the cage can wait. But as he heads to UFC 314 to support Diego Lopes, all eyes will be on him. Not just as a wrestling hero, but as a future combat sports wildcard, eventually crossing over on his terms.
The post Wyatt Hendrickson Makes Major Plans for UFC 314 as Wrestler Shows Support for MMA Star Ahead of Alexander Volkanovski Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.