Historic moments fine, but Keegan O'Toole has singular purpose against Iowa State: 'Try to break my opponent'
O'Toole returns from injury to lead Missouri against Cyclones at Saturday's CFFC Match Day event on UFC FIGHT PASS.
COLUMBIA, Missouri – On Saturday, two-time NCAA Division I Wrestling National Champion Keegan O'Toole competes for the final time on the University of Missouri campus as a member of the Tigers, but sentimental memories aren't what's driving him ahead of the matchup with Iowa State, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS as part of CFFC Match Day.
O'Toole has been sidelined due to an injury for the past two months, and he's itching to step on the mat and fight.
"First and foremost, I'm a competitor," O'Toole said. "I'm still going to walk into that match ready to just go fight someone and score as many points as I can and be relentless out there and try to break my opponent."
O'Toole's eagerness to compete is palpable. It's been a hallmark of his incredible career at Mizzou and why he's such a respected leader on the team. So beloved is O'Toole as a Tiger, the program is celebrating his final home appearance with a commemorative bobblehead, an honor bestowed previously on program legends Ben Askren and J'den Cox.
O'Toole also enters the matchup with an astounding 99-4 career record at Missouri, so the matchup gives him a chance to claim a milestone 100th college win.
All of that makes the appearance even more intriguing from the outside, but O'Toole admits none of it really matters from his perspective.
"The biggest thing for me is like I said: I'm just a competitor," O'Toole said. "I've been watching my team go, and I've been on the sidelines. I've been on IR. That's the joke. I've been on the injury reserves for a little bit, and I'm just ready to get back in action.
"A win is obviously nice, but for me, I've been working on so many skills of things I can do, and I'm just ready to see the rewards and just see the results of the work that I've been putting in in certain areas. I'm just ready to put on a show for the Mizzou fans and just compete as hard as I freaking can."
That could be bad news for Iowa State's MJ Gaitan, who's expected to stand on the other side of the mat as O'Toole on Saturday at 174 pounds.
All 10 matches on the day will be contested tightly, with the Big 12 rivals familiar foes and loaded with depth. The conference championships follow two weeks later, and then it's on to the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championship for O'Toole and several of his teammates.
But ahead of the regular season finale, which also serves as the final CFFC Match Day event of the 2024-25 schedule, O'Toole wants to see the Tigers protect the Hearnes Center.
"I just want the Mizzou fans to be out there getting real loud and then just from our team I just I would love to just see everyone fight just literally not give a single inch Don't put your head down. Try to score. Try to impose your will and break your opponent."
