Iowa 197-pound Massoma Endene takes Illinois 197-pound Cade Lautt to the mat during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. Endene defeated Lautt 14-4The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. The grad student transfer, Endene won three national championships at Wartburg before transfering to Iowa.
Wrestling fans travelled to the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma to kick off the 2025 National Duels Invitational sponsored by Paycom. In the second round, the No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes took on the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini. The Hawkeyes defeated the Illini 24-13.
Following their comfortable victory over Missouri in the first round, Iowa had another decisive victory over Illinois with the Illini only winning three of the ten matchups.
The dual saw a Big Ten and NCAA championship rematch at 133 with Iowa’s Drake Ayala and Illinois’ Lucas Byrd meeting once again. Byrd once again got the better of Ayala, winning the match 7-2 with strong 3rd period defense.
Iowa’s transferred continue to shine, highlighted in this dual by Nasir Bailey with a17-2 tech fall victory over Illinois’ Joey Ruzic. Massoma Endene continues his standout performance in the tournament with a dominant 14-4 victory over Cade Lautt at 197.
With the win, Iowa will move on to the semifinals of the tournament where they will be back in the BOK center tomorrow at 10am on Sunday, Nov. 16 where they will face off against Oklahoma State. The loss will put Illinois into the loser’s side of the bracket, where they will work towards 5th place. Their next matchup will be at 7pm on Saturday, Nov. 15.
Iowa 197-pound Massoma Endene takes Illinois 197-pound Cade Lautt to the mat during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. Endene defeated Lautt 14-4The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. The grad student transfer, Endene won three national championships at Wartburg before transfering to Iowa. (Ethan McLaughlin)Iowa No.2 165-pound Michael Caliendo warmed up before session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. Caliendo won his match against Illinois No.9 165-pound Braeden Scoles 9-4. (Ethan McLaughlin)Iowa No.3 133-pound Drake Ayala and Illinois No.1 133-pound Lucas Byrd wrestle during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. Byrd defeated Ayala 7-2. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. The two faced each other in both the Big Ten and NCAA finals in 2025. (Ethan McLaughlin)The Iowa Coaching staff reacts to the match between Iowa No.3 133-pound Drake Ayala and Illinois No.1 133-pound Lucas Byrd during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. (Ethan McLaughlin)Illinois No.1 133-pound Lucas Byrd smiles as his hand is raised following his 7-2 victory over Iowa No.3 133-pound Drake Ayala during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. Byrd was one of just three Illinois wrestlers to win his match against the Hawkeyes. (Ethan McLaughlin)Illinois coaches react to the match between Illinois No.7 285-pound Luke Luffman and Iowa 285-pound Gage Marty during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. (Ethan McLaughlin)Iowa No.10 125-pound Dean Petersen takes Illinois No.16 125-pound Spencer Moore to the mat during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. Petersen defeated Moore 4-2. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. The Rutgers transfer wrestled his first match of the tournament for the Hawkeyes after Iowa 125-pound Leo Deluca wrestled the first round against Missouri. (Ethan McLaughlin)Iowa head coach Tom Brands throws the challenge brick during the match between Iowa No.2 184-pound Angelo Ferrari and Illinois 184-pound Chris Moore during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. Despite the challenge over a Ferrari takedown no-call failing, Ferrari won the match 7-3. (Ethan McLaughlin)Iowa No.2 165-pound Michael Caliendo fights to take Illinois No.9 165-pound Braeden Scoles to the mat during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. Caliendo defeated Scoles 9-4. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. (Ethan McLaughlin)Illinois No.16 125-pound Spencer Moore fights to get away from Iowa No.10 125-pound Dean Petersen during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. Petersen defeated Moore 4-2. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. (Ethan McLaughlin)Iowa No.2 184-pound Angelo Ferrari fights to stay on top of Illinois 184-pound Chris Moore during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. Ferrari defeated Moore 7-3. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. (Ethan McLaughlin)Iowa 197-pound Massoma Edene raises his fist following his 14-4 victory over Illinois 197-pound Cade Lautt during session two of the 2025 National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No.15 Illinois Fighting Illini 24-13. (Ethan McLaughlin)
