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Sebastian Rivera was undefeated in the 125-pound weight class as he entered the Big Ten Championships. He made that record stand up this weekend in Minneapolis, winning three straight matches to earn the conference title in the 125-pound weight class.
The championship match ended in thrilling fashion as Rivera took down Iowa’s Spencer Lee in overtime for a 6-4 win. Lee, the 2018 national champion, was ranked No. 1 in his weight class before Rivera defeated him at the Midlands Championship in December.
We have our first 2019 @B1GWrestling Championships champ.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 10, 2019
It's @NUWrestle's Sebastian Rivera (125 lb), and it came in dramatic fashion. pic.twitter.com/TUtdszygM9
Rivera’s victory marked Northwestern’s first individual conference title since 2015, and their first-ever win in the 125-pound weight class. Emboldened by an animated crowd, Rivera gave a raw, emotional interview to BTN.
“I was not losing that match.” - @Cbass_Rivera#B1GCats | #B1GWrestle pic.twitter.com/DBYS2cvUen
— Northwestern Wrestling (@NUWrestle) March 10, 2019
The sophomore is currently ranked as the top 125-pound wrestler in the country with a perfect 22-0 mark in that weight class. He dominated in the quarterfinals and the semifinals, winning by a combined total of 34-10.
He moves on to the NCAA Championships, which begin March 21 in Pittsburgh. Last season, Rivera finished sixth in the NCAA Championships and was honored as an All-American.
The full highlights from the match are below: