- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Oklahoma State Freshman Forrest Dominates Iowa's Ayala
Jax Forrest's tech fall win over Drake Ayala puts him on path to national title
Published on Feb. 22, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Oklahoma State freshman Jax Forrest, who burned his redshirt to compete this season, dominated Iowa's Drake Ayala with a 19-3 tech fall victory on Sunday. Forrest's dominant performance put the Cowboys up 8-0 early in the dual meet against the Hawkeyes. After the match, Forrest declared his goal is to become a national champion.
Why it matters
Forrest's decisive win over a highly ranked opponent like Ayala shows he has the talent and potential to compete for a national title this season. Oklahoma State is looking to Forrest to be a key contributor as they challenge for the NCAA wrestling championship.
The details
Forrest, who is now 9-0 on the season, displayed impressive offense and defense in his tech fall victory over Ayala. He was dominant on his feet and on the mat, asserting his will throughout the match. Forrest's performance suggests he is ready to be Oklahoma State's primary starter at 133 pounds this season.
- Forrest's tech fall win over Ayala came on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
The players
Jax Forrest
An Oklahoma State freshman wrestler who burned his redshirt to compete this season. Forrest is now 9-0 on the year after his dominant tech fall victory over Iowa's Drake Ayala.
Drake Ayala
An Iowa wrestler who was defeated by Forrest in a 19-3 tech fall on Sunday.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
The NCAA wrestling program that Forrest competes for, which is looking to him as a key contributor in their quest for a national championship.
What they’re saying
“Crazy. It's awesome. Just wrestling. Coaches say wrestle every position, no matter what's going on. I'm winning, I'm losing, I'm gonna wrestle in positions (and get) five points … National champ, that's all I'm going to say, that's what I'm working for. I don't care who's in my way. Nobody in the country, nobody in the world can tech (Drake Ayala) like that. So my offense, my defense, I'm gonna keep getting better and be unstoppable.”
— Jax Forrest (ESPN)
What’s next
Forrest will look to continue his dominant start to the season as Oklahoma State pursues the NCAA wrestling championship. His performance against Ayala has put him in position to potentially compete for an individual national title as well.
The takeaway
Jax Forrest's decisive victory over a highly ranked opponent like Drake Ayala demonstrates that the Oklahoma State freshman has the talent and potential to be a national title contender this season. His dominant performance has him on the path to achieving his goal of becoming a national champion.
