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Former Cowboy Dean Hamiti's Pin at PWL 9 Heard Around the World

Former OSU star DJ Hamiti made his presence felt in PWL.
Taylor Skieens|
Mar 21, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Dean Hamiti of Oklahoma State defeats Levi Haines of Penn State during the semifinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Mar 21, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Dean Hamiti of Oklahoma State defeats Levi Haines of Penn State during the semifinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Under the lights of Budapest's Kozma Istvan Wrestling Academy, the United States took on Russia in a revived rivalry brought to you by the Professional Wrestling League. Dean “DJ” Hamiti Jr. stepped onto the mat at PWL 9 carrying the hopes of a nation and the legacy of Oklahoma State wrestling.

The 2025 NCAA 174-pound champion, now a Cowboy RTC warrior under Olympic gold medalist David Taylor, faced Russia’s No. 5-ranked Mokhmad Nasirkhaev at 79 kg. What unfolded was a 4:29 explosion of heart and hustle, as Hamiti delivered a comeback pin that not only marked Team USA’s first win in the dual but also sent shockwaves through the wrestling world.

Hamiti was coming off of an impressive collegiate career in which he went 27-1 as a senior for the Cowboys on his way to a National Championship victory over Missouri's Keegan O'Toole. But PWL 9 was a different beast—a global stage where Russia’s technical power overshadowed the United States early on in the dual.

The US dropped its first four matches before Hamiti took center stage. He found himself down early against Nasirkhaev’s suffocating pace, but Hamiti leaned on the scrambling instincts drilled daily in Stillwater. With the score tight and the crowd roaring, he turned a desperate exchange into a trap, pinning Nasirkhaev’s shoulders to the mat in a blur of athletic poetry.

“It was all instinct,” Hamiti said post-match. "I train for chaos."

For Hamiti, the pin was personal. After transferring from Wisconsin, where he earned two All-American honors, he chose OSU to chase championships and Olympic dreams. Under Taylor’s guidance, he’s become a hunter, his high-flying offense a nightmare for opponents. The PWL 9 victory was a major stepping stone for Hamiti.

The win for DJ was a major building block for his push towards Olympic dreams in 2028. His pin added another chapter to the Oklahoma State history books. As he walked off the mat, the orange and black faithful around Oklahoma knew one thing: DJ Hamiti Jr. isn't just wrestling for OSU history- he's writing it.

Published
Taylor Skieens
TAYLOR SKIEENS

Taylor Skieens has been an avid sports journalist with the McCurtain Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma for seven years. He holds the title of Sports Editor for one of the oldest remaining print publications in the state of Oklahoma. Taylor grew up in the small lumber town of Wright City Oklahoma where he played baseball and basketball for the Lumberjax.

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