Cowboy RTC Handles Chinese National Team in Semi-Secret Dual

The Cowboy RTC made some waves in the wrestling world on Thursday when they announced they were headed to the DFW area to dual the Chinese National Team.

The event featured six matches with all Cowboy RTC athletes who competed set to be on David Taylor’s Oklahoma State squad next season. The Chinese National Team had been in Stillwater with the Cowboy RTC training.

It was a freestyle event, and the Cowboys won five of the six bouts.

It got started at heavyweight, where two-time NCAA qualifier Konner Doucet bested Habila Awusayiman 3-0. Awusayiman represented China at the 2024 Olympics in Paris at 97 kg. He lost to Team USA’s Kyle Snyder 9-5 in the Round of 16.

Out of Comanche, Doucet was the Cowboys’ heavyweight for the 2022-23 and the 2023-24 seasons, making it to NCAAs on both occasions before Wyatt Hendrickson transferred in. Doucet is assumed to resume his starting role this upcoming year. Based on highlights Cowboy RTC shared on social media, it looks like Doucet has been in the weight room since we last saw him.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cowboy RTC (@cowboy.rtc)

Incoming freshman Ronnie Ramirez also grappled with a 2024 Olympian in Zou Wanhao at 61 kg, with Ramirez capturing a 4-3 win.

Ramirez was the No. 30 prospect on Flo’s big board for the 2025 class. He finished third at the U.S. Open in April in the U20 57 kg division. Wanhao wrestled at 57 kg in the Paris Olympics, dropping his Round of 16 bout to Team USA’s Spencer Lee 3-2 before Lee would go on to finish with a silver medal. So, this was an impressive win for one of the Cowboys’ lightweight newcomers.

There was a cool moment in Ramirez’s match where you can hear Taylor in the corner telling Ramirez in a scramble “Wrestle! You can win this! You can win this!” just before Ramirez secured the match-winning takedown.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cowboy RTC (@cowboy.rtc)

It didn’t appear that a whole lot of weight cutting was happening for the event, but that particularly appeared to be the case for some of the Cowboys’ expected middleweight wrestlers.

Iowa State transfer Casey Swiderski wrestled Shen Tao at 74 kg — about 163 pounds — with Swiderski winning via a 12-1 tech.

Swiderski was an All-American for the Cyclones in 2024 at 149 pounds. That 133 to 157 area of OSU’s lineup has some stiff competition in the room. Although everyone was wrestling heavy — as we’ll continue to see going through these matches — it makes you wonder whether Swiderski could bump up to 157 for the upcoming year or if he’ll trim all the way back down.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cowboy RTC (@cowboy.rtc)

Daniel Cormier pupil Cody Merrill is expected to compete to be the Cowboys’ guy at 197 pounds this season. He took on U23 Asian Championship bronze medalist Narenmanduhal at 92 kg, with Merrill cruising to an 11-0 tech.

Merrill redshirted last season after a perfect 109-0 high school career at Gilroy in California under Cormier. Flo had Merrill at No. 12 on its big board for the 2024 recruiting class.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cowboy RTC (@cowboy.rtc)

Penn State transfer Alex Facundo wrestled U23 Asian Championship gold medalist Cao Nan at 86 kg — about 190 pounds. It’s presumed Facundo will wrestle at 174 pounds for the Cowboys this upcoming season.

Facundo beat Nan 4-1.

Intermat considered Facundo the No. 2 wrestler in the 2021 recruiting class, but getting on the mat at Penn State is no easy feat. Facundo was an NCAA qualifier for the Nittany Lions at 165 pounds in 2023. He cut down to 157 for last season but was beat out by Tyler Kasak for PSU’s spot before transferring to Stillwater. Many are expecting big things from Facundo in the orange singlet.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cowboy RTC (@cowboy.rtc)

Incoming freshman and Stillwater High product Dee Lockett dropped his bout to Lu Feng. Lockett is a U17 world champ and a U20 silver medalist. He picked up a senior gold medal at the most recent Pan American Championships. Feng is a U23 Asian Championship gold medalist and represented China at 74 kg at the 2024 Olympics.

Lockett and Feng wrestled at 79 kg Thursday night, which is about 174 pounds. Lockett is expected to wrestle at 165 as a Cowboy.

Dee will be back on the mat shortly, taking part at the U20 World Championships from Aug. 17-24 in Bulgaria at 74 kg. Lockett earned that right by winning the U20 U.S. Open in April then by winning a best-of-three series against Jayden James at the World Team Trials.

By the time the Cowboys were at In-N-Out on the way back to Stillwater, Taylor and Lockett were already back in the lab.

I’ll have a double double and a lesson on collar ties please @innoutburger_ pic.twitter.com/F4VM1whf13

— Kevin Ward (@CoachKWard) August 1, 2025