Roman Bravo-Young

Bravo-Young attended Sunnyside High School in Tucson, Arizona. He started wrestling in the varsity team as a freshman and did not lose a single match through his four years of high school. At the DI state championships (AIA), he accumulated a combined record of 16–0 with eight falls, five majors, two technical falls and one decision and also received the outstanding wrestler award all four years he competed at the tournament. He graduated with a legendary record of 182–0 and was ranked #3 by InterMat and #5 by FloWrestling when he graduated.[7]

In late October 2016, it was announced that Bravo-Young had committed to PSU's Cael Sanderson to wrestle as a Nittany Lion.[8]

Bravo-Young did not redshirt and started wrestling as a true freshman at 133 pounds.[9] During regular season, he won the Keystone Classic and placed third at the Southern Scuffle.[10][11] He went 4–2 at the Big Ten Conference championships and placed fifth.[12] He entered the NCAA championships as the tenth-seeded wrestler and went 4–3 to place eighth and claim All-America honors.[13] He finished the season with a 25–7 record.[14]

As a sophomore, Bravo-Young won the Black Knight Invitational and Wilkes Open and only lost one match, to top-ranked Seth Gross, a close 6–5 decision in the regular season.[15][16] He went 2–1 at the Big Ten championship, losing in the finals to third-ranked Sebastian Rivera.[17] Bravo-Young was scheduled to compete at the 2020 NCAA Championships,[18] however, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19] He was expected to place higher than the prior year, as he had made major improvements.[3] After the season, Bravo-Young earned All-American honors due to his performance through the year.[20][21]

In October 2020, the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to winter athletes due to the prior season being cut short.[22] During regular season, Bravo-Young compiled a 6–0 record to enter the post-season undefeated.[14] Bravo-Young made his second straight final of the Big Ten Conference Championships, by defeating Jacob Rundell and Chris Cannon, before defeating rival and then-undefeated Austin DeSanto from Iowa to claim the title.[23] At the NCAA championships, Bravo-Young comfortably made the semis, where he defeated fourth-seeded Korbin Myers of Virginia Tech to make the final against Daton Fix from Oklahoma State.[24] In the bout, Bravo-Young accumulated a riding time point and an escape to secure a 2–0 lead in the first and second periods, before controversially getting called for stalling twice late in the third period and surrendering two points of his own to tie the match and go to overtime. In the first period of OT, Bravo-Young was able to secure a takedown late to defeat Fix and claim the NCAA title for Penn State.[25] On June 29, Bravo-Young was named the Penn State Athlete of the Year along with Ally Schlegel of women's soccer.[26]

Bravo-Young was a standout age-group level wrestler and his eligibility to compete at this level expired in early 2020. He competed as a cadet since 2014 until 2016 and compiled a record of 36–3, represented the United States at the World Championships and won a UWW National championship and two USAW National championships on his way.[27] As a junior, he posted an 11–2 record and won a Pan American Championship, became runner-up at the US Nationals and placed third at the US World Team Trials.[28][29][30]

Even though he was still a junior in high school, Bravo-Young competed at the US Open as a senior in his first freestyle competition as such.[31] He lost his first match and then he also lost his first match in the consolation bracket, being quickly eliminated from the tournament.[32][33]

After being unable to compete at the US Junior Nationals due to an injury, the 19 year old Bravo–Young competed at the US U23 National Championships.[34] He won by technical fall in all of his matches on his way to the semifinals, where he defeated one more opponent by points to make it to the finals. At the finals, which were also the U23 World Team Trials, he was defeated twice by Vitali Arujau, becoming the runner-up of the tournament.[35][36]

After being unable to compete in any style due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bravo-Young came back to freestyle and wrestled '19 NCAA runner-up Jack Mueller on July 25, at FloWrestling: Dake vs. Chamizo.[37] He dominantly defeated Mueller after scoring eight points to one.[38] Bravo-Young then competed against Shelton Mack on October 20, at the NLWC II.[39] He won the match by technical fall after scoring eleven points no none.[40] Bravo-Young then wrestled and grappled UFC title contender and two–time NCAA DIII All–American Aljamain Sterling on December 22, at the NLWC IV.[41] He won the first match on points, and lost the second one by rear-naked choke.[42]

After his NCAA championship performance in March, Bravo–Young was qualified to compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April 2–3, but chose not to compete due to the impossibility of competing at a non–olympic weight class.[43]