Heavyweight Tony Cassioppi propelled the No. 2 Iowa men’s wrestling team to a 25-19 victory over Illinois on Friday in the Big Ten season-opener.

The dual was knotted at 19 heading into the heavyweight bout. Cassioppi, Iowa’s third-ranked 285-pounder, forced Illinois’ Matt Wroblewski into disqualification when a fifth stalling warning was given with 1:03 remaining in the third period.  Cassioppi mustered two takedowns and a four-point near fall to lead 12-0 before the stall-out call was issued. 

“I feel good, wrestling good,” Cassioppi said. “I’ve always been pretty good on top and I’ve been having success against guys on top and getting falls.”

Cassioppi has now won 13 consecutive matches and is 12-0 on the season, with nine of those 12 victories coming via fall. His career-high nine pins this season bring him to 24 in his career.

Cassioppi’s dominance is nothing new for the two-time Illinois high school state champion. He compiled a perfect 100-0 record throughout his junior and senior prep seasons, allowing zero offensive points. 

Although Cassioppi wants to pin every opponent, he knows to never underestimate anyone he faces — especially after training beside a plethora of national contenders.

“It doesn’t matter the competition, I’m not going out there saying, ‘Oh, this guy’s maybe not as good or I should be able to pin this guy so I’m going to go out there and work on this,’” Cassioppi said. “It’s wrestling and everybody’s game.”

Cassioppi hasn’t had to wrestle past the first period in nine matches this season, but he isn’t concerned about his stamina heading deeper into Big Ten competition and the NCAA tournament. Instead, he trusts the long, arduous work he puts in and tries to stick to the basic mechanics he practices everyday.

The three-time All-American is yet to win a national championship for the Hawkeyes, placing seventh at the NCAA tournament last season. 

With the departure of Minnesota two-time NCAA heavyweight champion Gable Steveson, Cassioppi has a better shot at earning the crown this season. It still won’t be easy, however, with foes like Michigan’s Mason Parris and Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet standing in the way. 

Cassioppi battled top-ranked Kerkvliet in an exhibition match earlier this season at the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Tournament and fell, 8-5.

“I know the guys I’m going to have to beat, it doesn’t matter who’s ranked where,” Cassioppi said. “I know I’m going to have to beat Penn State, Michigan, Arizona State, Northwestern, anybody and everybody.”

The Hawkeyes are now 8-0 on the season and have won the last 12 meetings against the Fighting Illini. Iowa head coach Tom Brands, however, knows the Hawkeyes need to get better in order to have a shot in March.

“We cannot get caught up in strategy,” Brands said after the dual. “There’s a concerted effort in the sport of wrestling to keep things close when you’re outmatched, or just because you like to wrestle that way. And if we let that happen then we’ll be in these [close] situations all year, but we don’t have to be in them like we were tonight.”