Iowa State Wrestling Routs Utah Valley 31-11
The Cyclones opened their first road dual of the season with a 31-11 win, moving to 2-0.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Wrestling
Iowa State men's wrestling defeated Utah Valley 31-11 in a road dual, winning seven of 10 bouts. The Cyclones moved to 2-0 on the season in their first road dual of the year.
Why it matters
The win gives the Cyclones a 2-0 start and a strong early showing in their first away dual. The performance shows depth across multiple weight classes early in the season.
Iowa State won seven of 10 bouts, five of them by technical fall, in a 31-11 final score. Rin Sakamoto recorded 10 near-fall points in a 19-1 technical fall in his first collegiate victory.
The players
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State University athletic program whose men's wrestling team competes in the Big 12 Conference.
The details
Iowa State's 125-pounder Rin Sakamoto won 19-1 by technical fall over Geronimo Rivera, and 133-pounder Layne Kleimann took a 13-2 major decision over Garrett Grice. Evan and Jacob Frost each won by technical fall, while Paniro Johnson won 10-7 at 157 pounds after a late third-period takedown.
Timeline
Nov. 6, 2026: Iowa State defeated Utah Valley 31-11 in the road dual.
Nov. 14, 2026: The Cyclones compete in the Sunshine Wrestling Duals in Bradenton, Florida.
Season Trajectory
The 2-0 start comes before the Cyclones compete in the Sunshine Wrestling Duals in Bradenton, Florida, on Nov. 14. That multi-team invitational will test whether the early-season depth shown against Utah Valley holds up against a larger field.
The Cyclones' 2-0 record and the depth shown across weight classes set up their next test at the Sunshine Wrestling Duals. Fantasy and bracket watchers can track the seven bouts won and the Sakamoto and Kleimann results as the season moves forward.
The takeaway
Early wins by technical fall show the Cyclones can score quickly across the lineup, which will matter as tournament competition tightens. Watch how the rotation holds up at the Sunshine Wrestling Duals.
What happens next
The Cyclones compete in the Sunshine Wrestling Duals in Bradenton, Florida, on Nov. 14, 2026.
Further reading
Follow more coverage in the Wrestling section for context on Iowa's early-season duals.
