Mason Parris

Parris attended Lawrenceburg High School where he was a three-sport athlete, participating in wrestling, football, and track and field. In wrestling where he won three Indiana state titles at 220 pounds in 2016, 2017, and 2018. He set an Indiana state record with 11 career pins at the state finals. He finished his career with an overall record of 206–1, including a 152–0 recorded over his final three seasons.[1] He also won the Junior Schalles Award for best high school pinner in 2018.[2][3]

In football he was a three-time First Team All-State as a linebacker, and a three-time TriState Football Indiana Defensive Player of the Year.[3] He finished his career with 612 total tackles (302 solo), 17.0 sacks, 61.5 tackles for losses, 10 forced fumbles, five interceptions, and 16 fumble recoveries.[4]

As a freshman at Michigan, Parris compiled a 32–9 record. He led the Wolverines with 32 wins and 13 falls.[3] As a sophomore, he compiled a 28–1 record. He led the team with 28 wins and 11 falls. At the Big Ten tournament, he finished as runner-up to Gable Steveson, losing 8–6.[5] He was then scheduled to compete at the NCAA championships as the second-seed, however, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7] After the season ended, he was named a first team NCAA Division I All-American due to his performance through the season.[8][9]

As a junior he compiled a 12–2 record, after he missed half of the season due to a herniated disc in his neck that he suffered at the U.S. World Team Trials semi-finals in September 2021.[10] At the Big Ten tournament, he finished as runner-up to Steveson. During the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, he faced Steveson in a rematch of the Big Ten championships, and finished as runner-up, losing in the final 8–4.[11][12] Parris only lost three matches over the last two seasons, all to Steveson. After the season ended, he was again named an All-American.[13] In December 2021, he signed a NIL (Next In Line) deal with the WWE.[14]

As a senior he compiled a 19–6 record. He finished in fourth place at the Big Ten Championships and in fifth place at the 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.[15][16] After the season ended, he was again named an All-American.[17]

As a fifth-year senior he compiled an undefeated 33–0 record, with 21 bonus wins, 11 pins, three technical falls and seven major decisions. He Earned 17 wins over nationally ranked opponents and posted a combined 10–0 record over the 2023 NCAA heavyweights All-Americans. At the Big Ten tournament, he won the heavyweight championship, defeating Greg Kerkvliet 5–3 in overtime of the final. He became the first Michigan wrestler to win a Big Ten heavyweight championship since Airron Richardson in 1998.[18][19] At the 2023 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships he posted a perfect 5–0 record at the NCAA Championships as the top-seed, and outscored his opponents 49–6. During the final he again defeated Kerkvliet, 5–1, to win the NCAA heavyweight championship.[20] He became the first Michigan heavyweight champion since Kirk Trost in 1986.[21] Following an outstanding season he was named an All-American and awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy, as the best collegiate wrestler.[22][23] He was also named the University of Michigan's Athlete of the Year.[24]

During the 2019 World Junior Wrestling Championships, he posted a perfect 4–0 record and defeated his opponents 36–3. During the gold medal match, he pinned future Olympic medalist Amir Hossein Zare in the first-period.[25][26]

He represented the United States at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships where he won a bronze medal in the men's freestyle 125 kg.[27]

• Michigan Wolverines bio