Bo Bassett

Bowen William Bassett (born August 25, 2006) is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes at 65 kilograms. In freestyle, he has most notably claimed the US National Championship, the U20 World Championship, the U17 World Championship and the Junior Pan American Games gold medal.

By claiming the gold medal at the 2021 U17 World Championships, Bassett became the youngest world champion in history, at the age of 14. He is currently signed to the featherweight division of Real American Freestyle (RAF).

In folkstyle, Bassett is considered to have been one of the most accomplished high school wrestlers of all time, and is currently a college freshman wrestling for the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Early life Bassett was born in Windber, Pennsylvania, the son of nurse Karissa (née Hamilton) and educator William Bassett. He started wrestling at the age of 6.

He grew up being a fan of Spencer Lee, and cites him as his inspiration for taking up wrestling. Bassett and Lee have trained together at the Young Guns Wrestling Club in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. After that incident and also due to academic reasons, Bassett transferred to Bishop McCort High School after completing seventh grade, where his father was named head varsity wrestling coach.

High school career As an eight-grader (2020–2021), Bassett claimed the 2021 U17 World Championship gold medal at 45 kilograms in freestyle, becoming the youngest world champion in history.

Bassett then reclassified and attended eight grade for a second time in 2021–2022, which he would face backlash for later on in his career. That same year, his coach and father was issued a two-year ban from coaching by the PIAA after an alleged violation of state recruiting policies. This ban also applied to the Bishop McCort wrestling program, as they were barred from competing in post-season tournaments for two seasons.

After going 18–0 as a freshman in 2022–2023, Bassett was unable to compete in the post-season. He then went on to amase an undefeated record of 170–0 and claim three PIAA Class AA state titles during his next three years.

At the national level, Bassett was a four-time winner of the Super 32 tournament, the first ever to do so in the boy’s division, a four-time winner of the Walsh Jesuit Ironman, and a three-time winner of the Powerade Wrestling Tournament.

Bassett had originally committed to the University of Iowa in February 2025, though would later decommit in June 2025. He would then announce in October 2025 his commitment to Virginia Tech, along with his adopted brother and fellow top recruit Melvin Miller. Bassett graduated in May 2026.

Freestyle and collegiate career

Bishop McCort High School (freestyle)

2024 Since his sophomore year in high school, Bassett was active on the senior level in freestyle. In April, Bassett made his senior level debut and claimed a silver medal at the US Olympic Team Trials Last Chance Qualifier, notably defeating 2019 NCAA champion Anthony Ashnault in the semifinals, though failing to qualify for the US Olympic Team Trials. Later in the year, Bassett claimed the U20 Pan American title as well as a bronze medal at the U20 World Championships.

2025 In May, Bassett competed at the US World Team Trials, where after defeating three-time All-American Beau Bartlett, he fell to an also three-time All-American Brock Hardy and fellow U17 World champion Marcus Blaze. He was then unsuccessful in repeating as the US U20 World Team Member, taking second at the US U20 World Team Trials. However, he claimed a gold medal at the Junior Pan American Games held in Paraguay.

In November, Bassett claimed the Bill Farrell Memorial International title, most notably defeating Bartlett for a second time in the finals. A few weeks later, he pinned 2009 NCAA champion Darrion Caldwell in his Real American Freestyle debut at RAF 3.

2026 To start off the year, Bassett beat YouTuber and NCAA Division II National qualifier Cayden Henschel at RAF 5 in January. In March, he defeated World and Olympic champion from Georgia Vladimer Khinchegashvili at RAF 7.

In April, Bassett became the US National champion and qualified for Final X after claiming the gold medal at the US Open National Championships, notably defeating freshly crowned NCAA champion Aden Valencia, familiar foe Beau Bartlett and two-time Pan American champion Joseph McKenna. That same weekend, Bassett also won the gold medal for the U20 division, earning a spot in the finals of the US U20 World Team Trials.

Virginia Tech

2026 After graduating high school in May, Bassett won his two-out-of-three series for the US U20 World Team Trials at the end of the month. He was then set to compete in a two-out-of-three series against returning World medalist Real Woods for the US World Team spot, however, Woods requested a delay of the match due to a knee infection, and the series will now take place in September.

In July, Bassett claimed his second U20 Pan American title. In August, he upgraded from his bronze medal performance in 2024 into a gold medal one at the U20 World Championships, becoming a two-time age-group world champion.

Freestyle record

Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event Location

Columbus, Ohio

Win 17–3

Las Vegas, Nevada Win 16–3

Win 15–3

Win 14–3

Win 13–3

Win 12–3

Tampa, Florida Win 11–3

Sunrise, Florida Win 10–3

Chicago, Illinois

Win 9–3

New York City, New York Win 8–3

Win 7–3

Win 6–3

Loss 5–3

Louisville, Kentucky Loss 5–2

Win 5–1

Loss 4–1

Fairfax, Virginia Win 4–0

Win 3–0

Win 2–0

Win 1–0

Personal life Bassett has trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, to help prepare for a future transition to mixed martial arts.

He is a practicing Christian.