‘No One Can Match My Pace’: Sergio Vega Announces Himself with Statement-Filled Weekend in Tulsa

STILLWATER — One moment, Sergio Vega was bouncing up and down on one leg. The next, he was taking down an All-American to win a match in college wrestling’s greatest rivalry.

That’s how Vega’s match ended against Iowa’s Nasir Bailey at the National Duals Invitational. The two went into sudden-victory, where Bailey got in on a leg and got to his feet with one of Vega’s legs in his hands. After hopping up and down for a bit, Vega twisted free, instantly flew at Bailey’s legs and scored a match-winning takedown.

THE TAKEDOWN AND THE REACTION 😮‍💨

Freshman Sergio Vega (141) of @CowboyWrestling defeats No. 9 Nasir Bailey of Iowa with a takedown in overtime.

#NCAAWrestling x 🎥 @FloWrestling pic.twitter.com/rG6lJ9Ic9k

— NCAA Men’s Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling) November 16, 2025

That was but a small piece of Vega’s impressive weekend.

Vega, a freshman, earned three top-10 wins at the event. Now just two weeks into his college career, he is ranked second nationally at 141 pounds behind only two-time national champ Jesse Mendez (Ohio State), who Vega would’ve faced off against had the Cowboys won that Iowa dual and made the final.

“I think I did alright,” said Vega of his Sunday at National Duals. “I’ve got a lot of room to improve — on top, on my feet, getting to attacks. But I feel like I did alright. I’m just gonna keep getting better.”

The scary part for the rest of the country is that Vega probably does have a lot of improvement ahead of him, being only a freshman.

It’s not only that he’s good. His style is fun to watch. Something is almost always happening.

Ryan Jack, who entered the tournament ranked seventh nationally at the weight, had one of Vega’s legs late in the Cowboys’ dual against NC State on Saturday. Vega had a 1-0 lead with time dwindling. Jack had Vega’s leg between his own legs. With that leg still fully extended between Jack’s, Vega grabbed both of Jack’s legs and somehow found the leverage to dump him to the mat. He didn’t get a takedown for it because time expired, but after riding the entire second period, Vega took the bout 2-0.

Sergio Vega’s UNREAL single leg defense to get the win over Ryan Jack at The National Duals Invitiational #nationalduals

Presented by @Paycom pic.twitter.com/3yCRo4Y4H3

— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) November 18, 2025

“Just wrestling, honestly,” Vega said after Saturday’s matches. “I have the best coaches, the best teammates in the nation, so it’s just going out there and just scrapping, having fun, remembering that no one can match my pace and just trying to go out there and scrap hard.”

But the highlight of highlights of Vega’s weekend came in the Cowboys’ dual against Nebraska. The Cowboy freshman beat Brock Hardy, a reigning NCAA finalist and three-time All-American, via a 13-2 major decision.

The two started scrambling almost instantly. After some awesome exchanges, Vega scored the match’s first takedown with about eight seconds to go in the first period.

The funky positions continued in the second period, where Vega again won the scramble-off to secure a takedown and take a 6-1 lead into the third.

Vega elected to start the third in neutral and finished his third takedown about eight seconds into the period before letting Hardy up. Hardy dived in on a leg, just for the scrambling to start again and Vega again coming out on top with his fourth takedown of the match.

After Vega’s classmates Dee Lockett and Landon Robideau picked up statement, top-10 wins in the season-opening dual against Stanford, Vega put himself high on the national radar this weekend and did so with entertaining performance after entertaining performance.

“We just talk about our team, like, hey, we want to challenge guys in every situation,” OSU coach David Taylor said. “And I think a lot of our guys are doing that across the board. He’s probably a little more willing to go in those positions, maybe, and he’s really comfortable in those positions. Then he’s doing that to our guys in our room, he’s challenging them, so they’re ready for that kind of stuff.

“The messaging to these young kids is it doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman — you can go do that stuff. It doesn’t matter who these kids are or how old they are or whatever it is — go do it. And I think these kids, all of them are wrestling with smiles on their faces, and they’re trying to score until the very end. That’s what it takes. You build your reputation as a young kid, it’ll carry you for a long time, and I think that’s what you’re kind of seeing with those guys.”