The #2 Missouri Tigers will travel to Ithaca, New York, to take on the 11th-ranked Cornell Big Red on Sunday afternoon. The dual will be streamed on ESPN+. The last time these two teams met was December 30th, 2019. Missouri had an 18-3 lead going into 174, but Cornell won the last four matches with bonus points from Ben Darmstadt and Brendan Furman to win 19-18. With several toss-up matches and multiple top-10 matchups, this dual has the potential to be just as exciting.

Projected Lineups

125: #4 Noah Surtin vs #15 Brett Ungar

133: #24 Kade Moore vs #2 Vito Arujau

141: #21 Josh Edmond vs #10 Vince Cornella

149: #11 Logan Gioffre vs Ethan Fernandez

157: #5 Brock Mauller vs #14 Meyer Shapiro

165: #1 Keegan O’Toole vs #4 Julian Ramirez

174: #6 Peyton Mocco vs Benny Baker

184: #10 Clayton Whiting vs #8 Chris Foca

197: #6 Rocky Elam vs #9 Jacob Cardenas

285: #6 Zach Elam vs #20 Lewis Fernandes

125: #4 Noah Surtin vs #15 Brett Ungar

These two met at the 2022 Southern Scuffle when Brett Ungar was a true freshman and it did not go well for Ungar as he was mixered and pinned in the first period. Noah Surtin actually tried to mixer Ungar about 30 seconds prior and was unsuccessful. Now, Ungar has gotten better since then and will surely know the mixer is coming. The Cornell lightweight made the round of 12 last year at NCAAs last year. 

Surtin and Ungar's 2022 Southern Scuffle match

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At 10-1, Surtin is off to the hottest start of his career this season. His lone loss came to #9 Cooper Flynn in sudden victory at the beginning of the month. While Ungar tends to slow the pace down a little bit, Surtin is an exciting wrestler who almost always puts points on the board.

Prediction: Surtin by decision

Dual Prediction: Mizz 3, Cornell 0

133: #24 Kade Moore vs #2 Vito Arujau

Per Mike Grey's Big Red Insider newsletter, Vito Arujau will be back this week! The reigning 133 lb national champion last competed at the Collegiate Nationals Duals on December 18th. This is huge for Cornell. Kade Moore has been a nice surprise for the Tigers this season. After going just 3-3 as a redshirt last season, a lot of people expected Zeke Seltzer to be the 133 lb starter. However, Moore is now 9-2 with a recent fall over #9 Sam Latona! With Arujau's return, Cornell went from likely giving up bonus to securing bonus at 133.

Prediction: Arujau by major

Dual Prediction: Cornell 4, Mizz 3

141: #21 Josh Edmond vs #10 Vince Cornella

At 9-7 and with already one more loss than he suffered all of last season, Vince Cornella I think some people have started to forget how good of a wrestler Cornella is. His record this season is more indicative of how tough his schedule is been and not a regression of skill. He’s still the favorite against a very game Josh Edmond. Edmond has a powerful straight-on double that he likes to hit from space and as a counter-reattack. Cornella can be tricky on top and I wouldn’t be surprised to see that become a factor.

Prediction: Cornella by decision

Dual Prediction: Cornell 7, Mizz 3

149: #11 Logan Gioffre vs Ethan Fernandez

I think this match could be a little closer than the rankings suggest. Logan Gioffre picked up a nice win over Jaden Abas in Missouri’s last dual, but hasn’t been untouchable this year. Ethan Fernadez, a redshirt sophomore from New Jersey, jumped up from 133 to make the starting lineup this year and has beaten almost everyone he was supposed to this year. He just hasn’t had that signature ranked win yet. That being said, I’m still going with the guy who is a little more proven.

Prediction: Gioffre by decision

Dual Prediction: Cornell 7, Mizz 7

157: #5 Brock Mauller vs #14 Meyer Shapiro

This is the match I’m looking forward to the most in this dual. The dynamic phenom, Meyer Shapiro vs the fundamental veteran Brock Mauller. Coming into this season, a lot of people were picking Meyer Shapiro to win this weight at NCAAs. While expectations have waned a bit after Shapiro went 2-2 at CKLV, I still think he’s a darn good wrestler and a heck of a lot of fun to watch. There are two knocks one could make on Shapiro’s game - he lets guys in on his legs too easily and his gas tank isn’t the best. Those are two things that could play right into Mauller’s hand as he has good shot entry and conditioning. This is a toss-up match and I’m really not sure who to pick.

Prediction: Mauller by decision

Dual Prediction: Mizz 10, Cornell 7

165: #1 Keegan O’Toole vs #4 Julian Ramirez

The dual doesn’t lose steam following 157. At 165 it’s 2X national champion Keegan O’Toole vs #4 Julian Ramirez. Ramirez is 13-1 on the year including a great win over David Carr at CKLV. Remember, Carr went 2-1 against O’Toole last season. The lone loss came to #3 Izzak Olejnik.

Ramirez's impressive win over David Carr at CKLV

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Ramirez has a funky style that gives even the best guys trouble, but O’Toole is the #2 pound-for-pound ranked wrestler in the country for a reason. I think he’s just too well-rounded and good in the scrambles. And he can afford to give up a takedown with how high his attack and turn rate is. He has been a bonus point machine this season. The only match he has failed to get at least a major in was when he moved up in weight to take on #5 Edmond Ruth.

Prediction: O’Toole by major

Dual Prediction: Mizz 14, Cornell 7

174: #6 Peyton Mocco vs Benny Baker

Benny Baker cracked the starting lineup this year after moving up 174 after spending the first four years of his career at 157 and 165. He started off 9-0, but has since gone 3-0 and loss his last seven matches. Peyton Mocco, on the other hand, is now in his fifth year in the starting lineup for the Missouri Tigers, has been an All-American, and is 7-1 on the year while winning his last seven matches. Baker is scrappy, but will be looking not to give up bonus points here.

Prediction: Mocco by major

Dual Prediction: Mizz 18, Cornell 7

184: #10 Clayton Whiting vs #8 Chris Foca

Clayton Whiting has gotten his Missouri career started on the right foot. He went 15-3 as a redshirt last season and is 10-1 this season including a win over teammate Cohlton Hawks that helped him secure the starting spot. However, this will be one of the biggest tests of his young career. Chris Foca is a fifth year junior and All-American for the Big Red. He finished in 3rd place last year at 174 lbs. The move up to 184 hasn’t been seamless for Foca. He went just 1-2 at CKLV with losses to #19 Aaron Ayzerov and #7 Sam Wolf. Outside of Las Vegas, however, he has gone 8-0. Interestingly, Wolf is the guy who handed Whiting is lone loss this season. I expect this one to be close either way.

Prediction: Foca by decision

Dual Prediction: Mizz 18, Cornell 10

197: #6 Rocky Elam vs #9 Jacob Cardenas

Despite both being staples on the 197 lbs scene for the past couple of years, Rocky Elam and Jacob Cardenas have never wrestled. A 3X All-American finishing 3rd last year, Elam’s resume is a notch above Cardenas’ lone 8th place finish last season. This is definitely a winnable match for Cardenas, but if Elam is wrestling his best, I’m going to lean Elam.

Prediction: Elam by decision

Dual Prediction: Mizz 21, Cornell 10

285: #6 Zach Elam vs #20 Lewis Fernandes

Zach Elam has been a solid closer for the Tigers for four and a half years now. After finishing in 6th place at NCAAs last year, he’s off to a 15-0 start this season. A bloodround finisher in 2022, Lewis Fernandes is a great wrestler, but I think he’s a bit outmatched here.

Prediction: Elam by decision

Dual Prediction: Mizz 24, Cornell 10