NCAA powers Oklahoma State & Michigan to compete at Bout at the Ballpark at Globe Life Field, Feb. 3, 2023

Arlington, Texas — Bout at the Ballpark presented by Kubota will return to Globe Life Field for the second straight year. The event will feature competition with NCAA ranked Oklahoma State (11) and Michigan (5) on Friday, February 3, 2023.


The event will feature a new format this year, with one wrestling mat placed on home plate. Floor seating will also be added for the event.


Oklahoma State returns to Bout at the Ballpark for the second year, while this will be the first year for Michigan to participate in the event. Bout at the Ballpark is the seventh meeting between the two programs, with the last matchup coming in 2004, also at a neutral site (Cleveland, OH).


Kubota will serve as the title sponsor for the event. Kubota is the U.S. marketer and distributor of Kubota-engineered and manufactured machinery and equipment


Tickets for Bout at the Ballpark will go on sale later this winter at //globelifefield.com/bout


“We are excited to welcome fans back to Globe Life Field for the second year of Bout at the Ballpark. 2022 saw a spectacular event and 2023 will feature a similar, but improved layout and great excitement with Oklahoma State returning to take on Michigan. The wrestling community has allowed us a create an annual anticipated event and we can’t wait to roll out the mats next February and welcome two of the best programs in the country to Arlington.” said REV Entertainment President Sean Decker.


The Cowboys faced off with the Iowa Hawkeyes in the inaugural event in 2021. The event was a historical performance, especially for Oklahoma State’s Daton Fix who wrestled in two bouts, one for Team USA and one for Oklahoma State. Fix won both matches becoming the first wrestler to represent his university and country on the same day.


Michigan (5) and Oklahoma State (11) started their 2022-23 seasons this last weekend. Both are 2-0. Michigan defeated Campbell (26-6) and #16 North Carolina (23-12). Oklahoma State defeated Bucknell (30-6) and #14 Lehigh (25-6).


The Cowboys’ 34 NCAA team championships represent the NCAA record for most titles in one sport for any school. OSU has claimed 55 team conference titles in its history, as well as 143 NCAA individual champions and 483 All-Americans, both of which rank No. 1 nationally by a wide margin. Oklahoma State wrestlers have also made 41 Olympic appearances, winning 11 gold medals and 16 total medals to go along with 19 more medals at the world championships. OSU finished 14th in the 2022 NCAA Championships. The Cowboys are coached by Olympic gold medal wrestler and six-time world champion John Smith, who has won five NCAA Championships since becoming head coach in 1992.


Michigan finished second in the 2022 NCAA Championship and has a total of 12 Big Ten champion titles. Thanks to championship performances by 125-pounder Nick Suriano and 184-pounder Myles Amine, the Michigan Wolverines were able to claim the 2022 Big Ten title.


The Wolverines have won 23 individual NCAA titles and produced 205 All-Americans. Michigan is led by, Big Ten and National Wrestling Coaches Associated National Coach of the Year, Coach Sean Bormet. Bormet led Michigan to one of the most successful seasons in the 100-year history of the program in 2021-22.

QUOTES ON BOUT AT THE BALLPARK

John Smith, Head Coach – Oklahoma State Wrestling: “We are excited for our program and our fans to experience Bout at the Ballpark for the second year in a row. Globe Life Field proved to be a first-class venue for wrestling, and we are hoping to grow the atmosphere even more this year for our dual with a very competitive Michigan team.”

Sean Bormet, Head Coach – Michigan Wrestling: We are excited and honored to be a part of the Bout at the Ballpark this year. It is a first-class event and just a tremendous opportunity for our program, student-athletes and fans to wrestle in such a unique and impressive setting such as Globe Life Field. It's been some time since we have gone head to head with Oklahoma State, and we are looking forward to testing ourselves against a tough Cowboy squad.